Chapter 27
IT WAS JAMES AND SIRIUS' FIRST TRIP TO HOGSMEADE VILLAGE and they were currently alternating between explaining to Regulus how them going was not a 'betrayal' to their honour and promising to buy him all his favourite sweets.
Lyra adorned a fond smile on her face as she watched their antics and wished that they could be frozen in this innocent age of goodness, never having to grow up and get accustomed to the horrors of the tainted world around them.
"Are they still arguing?" Lucius' shocked voice rang from beside her, making her turn.
"Of course," Lyra replied with a grin. "You were an only child, Lucius, so you did not have the joy of experiencing siblings, and let me tell you that arguing and debating between ourselves is perfectly natural. Morgana help if an outsider tries to expertise that right, however."
"Let me guess," Lucius drew, a hint of amusement in his tone. "Their vital organs will be acquainted with a knife?"
"And they will mysteriously disappear," Lyra added. "After giving Grandfather his three day notice, of course."
"Of course." Lucius nodded as if he understood. "Tell me though, does this particular behaviour of siblings occur only in the Black family?"
"It occurs in every family, I assure you," Theodore Nott replied before Lyra could, revealing shamelessly how he had been eavesdropping on their conversation. "See, most of the times, siblings fight and we claim we hate each other. But Merlin forbid if anybody else speaks ill to my little brother, I'll skin them alive myself. Nobody gets to curse and hex him but me. It's my right as a sibling." He said firmly and Lyra nodded her head in agreement although poor Lucius still looked lost at the logic.
"...Okay..." he said, choosing not to push the topic any further. "Is Cassandra going to be there?"
"Obviously," Lyra answered before Theodore could. "I mean, look at him! Theodore is wearing that dreadful scarf Cassandra bought him for Yule two years ago. There is not a chance he would be seen in public wearing something like that if it wasn't to meet his girlfriend- or should I say fiancé?"
Theodore's cheeks gained a pink tinge at Lucius and Lyra's identical sly smirks. "You both are awful, you know?"
"Yes, we do." Lucius grinned.
"And are highly proud of it," Lyra stated further, making Theodore fondly roll his eyes before waving them goodbye and leaving.
Lyra half-smiled at Theodore's retreating figure and couldn't help but feel pity for him. Cassandra Greengrass and Theodore Nott had been friends for years and somewhere along the way, had fallen in love. However, it was only when they had begun to realise it did Cassandra graduate from Hogwarts.
Lyra was sure Theodore was looking forward to graduating from Hogwarts the most out of them all, if only so he wasn't restricted to letters, holidays and Hogsmeade trips to see his beloved. Most of the people had initially assumed that the two wouldn't last considering the long distance, but Theodore and Cassandra took pleasure in proving those people wrong, just as they had from the past two years and they would continue to do so long into the future.
After exchanging dramatic air kisses with her brothers, Lyra parted ways with them, joining Leonard, Narcissa and Lucius as they left for the village of Hogsmeade.
They carried on the usual activities that they did such as buying more quills, ink pots, books and parchments from Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, loads of candy and tons of sweets from Honeydukes Sweetshop, some new broomstick cleaner and polish at the insistence of Lucius and Leonard along with a few items for pranks for Regulus and Grandmother Malania, who had a soft spot for them.
The Three Broomsticks was their last stop and no sooner had they entered than had a loud, uncharacteristic groan escaped Narcissa's mouth at the sight of her father, Cygnus Black, sitting prim and proper on one of the tables with his nose high in the air, easily spottable with the crowd of young students.
Narcissa turned to leave but Lyra stopped her from doing so.
"It's now or never." she said.
"I prefer never," Narcissa muttered as Leonard intertwined their hands together as a show of support, bringing her to reluctantly step into the pub, Cygnus immediately brightening upon seeing his daughter before scowling upon noticing who was with her.
"Good luck!" Lyra called out to her, making Narcissa snap her neck to face her cousin.
"Wait. You're not staying with us?" She questioned with a pleading undertone.
Unfortunately, Lyra was immune to it and let out a snort. "No, thank you. I love you Narcissa, I really do, but not enough to sit through this. I'm sorry, darling but I've dealt with enough of a hovering father when Lucius and I begun dating. I do not have the patience nor have I informed Grandfather Arcturus that I may be planning to commit a murder in advance like I did earlier, so no. Love you and good luck!"
Lyra quickly kissed her cousin on the cheek before pushing Narcissa -and with her, Leonard- towards Cygnus before all but dragging Lucius to an empty table all the way on the other side of the room, somewhere where Narcissa couldn't glare at her anymore.
Lucius chuckled as he pulled a chair for Lyra to sit on before taking a seat of his own. "You really gave your grandfather a notice that you would commit murder?"
"Might commit murder," Lyra corrected. "But yes, you and father annoyed me much when we initially got together that I was actually debating it."
"Who, me or your father?"
"Both," Lyra dimpled, prompting Lucius to roll his eyes fondly, only partially sure that she was joking.
"Lovely."
"I'm aware." Lyra commented, making Lucius chuckle once again before ordering them both butterbeers and cakes.
When they had finally received their orders and had descended into a comfortable silence, Lucius leaned forward, placing his arms on the table as he studied Lyra carefully. "Would you like to talk about it?"
Lyra's eyes fluttered as she set down her drink. "Talk about what?"
"About what's been bothering you," Lucius replied softly. "During the summer, you told me you would tell it to me when we returned to Hogwarts. It has been a few months since then and you've only gotten worse -others may not notice it, but I did. I'm certain Narcissa did as well, but she's too polite to say anything about it. I'm not going to push you to tell me about it, that isn't mine to share but I just wanted to let you know that if you ever want to, I'm here for you. Whether you want me to listen to you speak, give you advise or my opinion or even help you out on it- whatever you need, I'm here for you. I hope you know that."
Lyra's lips were pursed into a thin line for the longest time before they finally curved upwards into a smile. "I know," she told him softly, "but I don't want to burden you with my silly worries."
"I would never be burdened by anything you say or do," Lucius said immediately. "Even in our year five duel before O.W.Ls when you had spelled the air above me to increase in weight tremendously, I did not feel burdened. I love hearing your thoughts, Lyra. The important ones, the funny ones, the sad ones, the worry ones and even the silliest, littlest and stupidest ones."
Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Did you just call my thoughts stupid?"
"Out of everything I just said, is that really the only thing you heard?" Lucius questioned, bewildered, and upon seeing the expression that adorned his girlfriend's pretty face not change and the flash of memory of how fragile the massive egos of the Black family was, Lucius smartly continued. "The point is, I would be most honoured to be trusted with the burden that you carry, I don't mind how little or large of it, as long as it eases the weight on your shoulders by even a microgram."
Lyra half-smiled before letting out a sigh, which Lucius took as a victory. She took out her wand before placing highly intricate and slightly illegal protection charms where they were seated so nobody could eavesdrop even accidentally, leading Lucius to immediately realise that while Lyra had claimed her worries to be silly, they were really of a very sensitive nature.
After Lyra returned her wand to the holster, she took another sip of her drink. Lucius waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts.
"Do you remember when I took part in the National Duelling Tournament this summer?" She asked.
Lucius nodded thoughtfully. "And refused to represent Britain in the international one? Yes, yes I do remember." he said dryly, causing Lyra's eyes to glitter. "What about it?"
"After the second round, I received a letter."
"From an admirer?"
"From the Dark Lord."
Lucius froze at her answer. Any witty remarks he had in hopes of getting her to smile disappeared from his mind.
"I'm sorry, did I hear you correctly? You said the Dark Lord wrote you a letter?"
Lyra nodded her head. "Yes, and you were correct about the admirer part. Partially, at least. In brief, the Dark Lord suggested that he trains me to further my innate skills in duelling."
Lucius' lips thinned into a straight line as it always did whenever he was deep in thought. "And?"
"And nothing," Lyra said. "I didn't write a reply. A few days later, Bella informed me very excitedly that the Dark Lord had taken her on as his apprentice."
Lucius hummed before picking up his mug of butter beer and gulping it all down. He looked at the empty mug mournfully. "I think I need something stronger for this conversation."
"So did my father when I talked to him about this," Lyra nodded understandingly. She inhaled and exhaled a deep breath. "I think this is enough for the day. We can talk about this later."
"On the contrary," Lucius began. "Let's get it all out, shall we? You look lighter when you revealed this and I meant it when I told you earlier that I want to help."
"Not at the expense of you have a mental breakdown, Lucius. Your face is so pale and I'm scared you'll have one right now."
"I can handle it," Lucius stated firmly and at the doubtful expression that adorned her face, he added. "Really. I'm just naturally extremely pale. I can handle it, Lyra. I've received a few letters from the Dark Lord myself. Don't worry, I'm fine." he assured her, making her purse her lips in apprehension, but nod and continue nevertheless.
"Alright. But only if you promise to tell me when it's getting too much for you. Lucius, you're already under so much stress from the N.E.W.Ts and everything really, I don't want to push you over the edge."
"You won't, Lyra, honest."
"Promise me then, Lucius, I mean it. I won't continue otherwise."
"I promise." Lucius said and after taking another delicate sip of her drink, Lyra told him everything from the very beginning, all the things he knew and all the things he didn't.
She told him what her grandfather and father had advised her. She told him about the idea her grandfather had come up with so Lucius didn't have to take on the dark mark. She told him how she felt they could handle the inevitable war that was drawing near.
"What does Lucius think about the Dark Lord?" Her father asked her as he poured one of his strongest alcohols into three glasses.
"He agrees, father, just like we do," Lyra replied as she accepted a glass. "It's not so much as the idea that bothers me -I wholeheartedly agree with it- but the methods as to which it is going to be implemented. I don't a war, father. I don't want us -any of us- to fight, risk our lives or -Merlin forbid- even lose them. I do not want our family's blood to be spilt. Not even a drop."
"The thought is nice, but let's be honest here Lyra, it will only stay as such considering the reality is so much more different," Grandfather Arcturus said after he took a sip of his wine. "Like I have told you many times before, House Black will stay neutral in the war and will not fight. We've always been the reaping the benefits without putting the effort type. However, Bellatrix is already married and has declared that she will actually fight. You and Narcissa as well, while we have got your backs, if you ever get married, it will be your marital house that you will have to follow first and foremost and if you disagree with it, you can always return to the House of Black."
"I'm aware of that grandfather," Lyra sighed. "But what do I do about it?"
"Tell me something first, dear, how does Lucius feel about taking on the dark mark?" Grandfather Arcturus questioned.
Lyra thought back to that day in fifth year on the Astronomy tower, recollecting their conversation. "I don't think he wants to," She confessed in a whisper.
"Then why is he planning to?" Her father asked.
"That is what his father wants," Lyra answered. "Not to mention, he is scared, father. He thinks that if he doesn't take on the mark, the Dark Lord will not only kill him but all those he is associated as well."
"Well, that's stupid," Her father remarked. "Dark Lords tend to kill people either way. Hence, why we give financial and political support while at the same time, maintaining a wide distance."
"If only Lucius would also understand the benefits of that stance," Lyra muttered.
"We'll make him then," Grandfather Arcturus said, prompting a curious look from her. "After all, he is going to be the next Lord Malfoy in a few years, isn't he? It's going to be his House and his decision."
At the end of her long speech -during which not once Lucius had interrupted- Lyra too gulped down the remaining contents of her mug and met his eyes. "Anything you have to say?"
Lucius gave her a wary smile. "I told you I could handle it." he said before standing up. "Now if you'll excuse me, I think that deserves a bottle of Ogden's finest, don't you?"
Lyra laughed. "Definitely."
The Royal Slytherin Court met every single day during school without fail to conduct their businesses, exchange important information and solidify decisions regarding governing of their house in particular and the magical population of Britain in general.
There was no such thing as being absent for its meetings unless there was a wedding, funeral or a health emergency. These meetings also took place every night as soon as all the prefects had returned to their Common Room and lasted until all the topics on their daily agenda had been thoroughly covered. They also occurred at varying lengths, some under two hours and others lasting all the way until the faint rays of the sun could be seen touching on the Black Lake.
While the members of the Court would prefer to have a shorter meeting, they were well aware of how rare those exactly were since there were usually too many things happening and many opinions to be shared regarding each of them.
"Dennis," Lyra called out, making the boy in question hum. "Is anybody staying behind during Yule break?"
Dennis took out the large file he always carried with him. He took his duty as the Silver Espionage extremely seriously, as he should, and in that large file, he carried a multitude of smaller files, each one detailed and holding everything about a person from their allergies to if they sleep with a stuffed doll, and really, any thing, place, document, topic or animal that Lyra had wanted information over in the past.
It was not his job to know everything but it certainly was to be updated over the current affairs regarding the world in general and people in particular. He, along with his Green counterpart, were the ones who knew all the gossip, spread all the rumours (at the orders of the King and Queen, of course), was well aware of every dirty little secret that people struggled to bury and were also the ones to hear about a new piece of news first.
Sometimes, when the Queen asked him to keep an eye out for a specific person or dig out information about a particular object, he didn't ask questions regarding her new-found intrigue on the person, thing or place. Similarly, Lyra -the older sister of his godbrother Regulus- didn't ask him his sources or the authenticity of the information he was providing her. After all, they were Slytherins. If they couldn't trust each other, they had nobody else.
And each week, Dennis would write a summary of everything he and his counterpart had found out over the previous seven days and hand it over to Lyra and Lucius, keeping them updated with the latest news and never leaving them out of tune.
Fishing out the list of names of those who were staying back at Hogwarts during Yule break, Dennis handed it over to Lyra. His counterpart, Alexandra Flint, wordlessly followed his action as she handed over the same list of names to Lucius who took it from her.
Dennis watched as Lyra's eyes skimmed through the list. "So little Lily is staying behind," she mused aloud.
If anybody found her sudden interest in the Gryffindor mudblood odd, they didn't comment on it, knowing fully well how strongly she supported blood purity.
Lyra met Dennis' eyes. "Why is that?"
However, it was Alexandra who answered her. "Apparently, her sister calls magic 'unnatural' and 'freakish'. So Lily Evans told her roommates that she was not going to go home this winter because she wanted her sister to enjoy the holidays, feeling that her presence would put a damper."
"Oh, what a touching tale; one of sisters calls our community backwards and the other, freakish. Lovely." Lyra stated dryly, causing a few chuckles to erupt while the rest adorned frowning faces.
"If this mudblood has a problem with us, then why doesn't she leave and close the door behind her?" Augustus Rockwood, the Green Educator sneered. "The less their ignorant kind enter our magnificent world the better."
"I agree," Narcissa commented.
"It's a shame muggle hunting is illegal, isn't it?" Flavius Avery asked in a drawing tone, a cruel smirk twisted into his lips.
"Completely," Harold Day agreed.
"I wonder if we could make it legal again," Leonard mused aloud.
"Well," Lyra began. "My cousin from my mother's side, Araminta Meliflua, did try to make it legal again. Unfortunately, the Ministry turned it down saying it would cause breeches in the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy." She paused. "Oh, and that it was also 'inhumane', whatever that's supposed to mean."
Lucius sighed. "It's a travesty, really." He stated, prompting others to voice similar thoughts.
"But we can push it again then!" Theodore proclaimed, and others nodded.
"And if that fails, then the Dark Lord will surely let us do so!" Thomas eagerly chimed in, prompting Augustus to let out a "Hear hear!" and many others to nod in agreement, thankfully not noticing the way Lyra's smile stiffened for a second at his remark before returning to normal.
She let them discuss the topic for a few minutes, smiling good-naturedly before clearing her throat pointedly. "We are still in the middle of a session, in case anybody has forgotten." She said, bringing some of them to blush. "So, let's continue where we left off, shall we? Katherine, Septima!" The two girls who were in charge of event management and organisation faced her. "There will be six Slytherins staying behind -find out who they are from Dennis and Alexandra- and make sure they receive presents during Yule."
"Of course, my Queen," Septima smiled and Katherine nodded.
"Amaya, Augustus!" Lucius called out. "How are everybody's studies going?"
"We are in the revisions phase, my King," Amaya answered for them both.
"Excellent," Lucius smiled. "Leonard, Thomas, be sure to remind the others on the team to practise during the holidays since we have a match right after we come back."
"Also, the password to our Common Room will be changed tomorrow, so Narcissa and Theo, don't forget to pin up the notice." Lyra continued, making them nod before opening her grey journal and checking once again whether or not they had addressed every topic they needed to that day.
Satisfied that they had, at seventeen minutes after midnight, the Slytherin Court was finally dismissed from a four-hour long meeting with all the members hurrying to catch up on their sleep while wishing their fellow Court members sweet dreams until it was only the King and Queen left in the otherwise empty Common Room.
Lyra twisted the diamond ring on her finger that deemed her the Silver Ruler. "It's weird to think that I won't be wearing this in a few months," she said, eyes admiring the twinkle that adorned the jewel in the rays of the light.
Her statement caused Lucius to look at his own ring, smiling at the emerald colour of it. "Indeed. We've been wearing these for seven years now."
"I wish I could wear it forever," Lyra confessed. "I remember when I was younger, I couldn't wait to grow up and leave Hogwarts; now I'm wondering what I was thinking, you know?" She laughed. "I just want to stay in this time period forever."
"I as well," Lucius gave her a half-smile. "But in a few months, we can't hide behind Hogwarts protection anymore. We'll have to face all the demons that we are running away from."
"We don't have to face them," Lyra corrected. "Not when we can continue running. We don't have to face them until we've been caught in its claws and have no other means to escape. Until there is no hope at all. After all, there is a reason we run away from our demons in the first place, isn't there? I would rather continue running, continue being wary and tired than risk my chances by facing it without knowing the final outcome. We're Slytherins, not the bold and brave Gryffindors."
Lucius pressed his lips into a thin line, face thoughtful at her words before cracking a small smile. "Is this your way of saying that you'll run away with me in the near future to a better one?"
Lyra laughed, the tension and choking atmosphere that had previously occupied the room melted away like candle wax. "Haven't you realised? I already am."
The morning before Hogwarts left its students for winter break found Dennis Yaxley, the Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Yaxley and a member of the Royal Slytherin Court was attempting to decorate their Common Room before he left for the holidays.
Usually, it was those who held the title of Event Managers and Organisers who did this task, but Katherine Fawley had managed to catch the flu the previous day and was currently resting in the hospital wing under the watchful eyes of the matron, while Septima Shafiq broke up with her boyfriend just ten minutes before and because he was a gentleman, Dennis had offered to decorate the Common Room for her, leading her to smile at him with tears staining her cheeks, after which she excused herself to retire to her room.
Thus, Dennis was struck with hanging up the streamers and decorations while nobody else in the Common Room lifted a finger to help him.
A little over two hours later, Dennis was nearly finished with hanging up all but one ornament. He took a minute to study his handiwork proudly before he added the metaphorical ice to the firewhiskey on rocks.
"Aaah," he mused aloud, picking up the last ornament, smiling as he recognised it.
Rumour was that Lord Potter hung this particular ornament at every archway and hallway in his Manor and it was a fact that this was the reason the King and Queen finally got together.
In his hand, he was holding the powerful mistletoe.
He wondered which couple was going to get together and which were going to break because of this little ornament this year.
Dennis hung it up, allowing a satisfied smile to appear on his face considering he was done with his work, only to watch in disbelief a moment later when Harold and Amaya passed the archway he had hung it under without being stopped by the magic of the mistletoe. With furrowed eyebrows, he picked the ornament off the hook, eyeing it with narrowed eyes since it didn't work.
"Dennis?"
Dennis turned at the sound of his voice, smiling as he saw who had called him. "Hello, godbrother dearest. Just woke up?" He asked knowingly, making Regulus blush.
"We have no school today so I'm not obligated to wake up early. Plus, I had a heavy dinner last night so there was no need for breakfast."
Dennis chuckled fondly. "No need to be defensive, Regulus. Don't worry, I won't scold you. I'm not Lyra."
Regulus gave him a half-smile before pausing. "You... you won't tell her, will you?"
"I think she already noticed, little brother, sorry," Dennis patted him on the back pityingly. "So if you want to avoid her wrath, it's nearly lunchtime. Let's go and get you something to eat." he looked at the ornament in his hand. "Right after I hang up this mistletoe again, that is."
"Okay," Regulus nodded his head before pressing his lips into a thin line. "Dennis?"
"Yes, my dear godbrother?"
"Basil," Regulus stated, making Dennis' eyebrows pinch together.
"I'm sorry?"
"What you're holding in your hand isn't a mistletoe. It's basil." Regulus said matter-of-factly, making Dennis blink.
"Oh... So that's why it didn't trap anyone in it. I thought the spell was just cast wrong..." he whispered lowly with dawning realisation.
Regulus patted his shoulder sympathetically. "Leave the matchmaking with mistletoe thing to the professionals, would you?"
Dennis raised an eyebrow. "There are professionals for matchmaking couples with mistletoes?"
"Of course there are!" Regulus looked offended as if he couldn't believe that his god-brother had dared to ask such a question. "You're looking at one of them just now!"
Dennis raised both eyebrows now. "You," he started in a deadpanning voice, "are a mistletoe matchmaking professional?" At Regulus' proud nod, he continued. "And prey name one couple that you've matched with this method."
In reply, Regulus simply smiled, pointing a finger to where Lyra was holding a newspaper and reading it with furrowed eyebrows and Lucius was sitting beside her, leaning towards her so he could read an article on the page she had open while popping a piece of caramel into his mouth at regular intervals.
"You did not match them up," Dennis said smartly. "Narcissa said she did."
"Narcissa is a liar, if you haven't already realised during the time you spent with her," Regulus said. "Besides, are you really going to believe her over your godbrother?"
"When it helps me make a point or win a challenge, yes," Dennis replied. "Regulus, Lyra and Lucius got together like two years ago. You were ten then. There is no way you would have matched them up."
"I did too!"
"Bless your poor deluded heart," Dennis smiled empathically.
"The only thing that needs blessing is your face considering it's so ugly that not even dementors would want to kiss it!" Regulus countered hotly.
"I think I'd rather live without the kiss of dementors, or anyone really," Dennis chuckled, a hand hovering with the intention of messing up Regulus' hair only for it to be swatted away.
"Don't even think about touching my hair," Regulus warned. "Lyra taught me the beheading curse and I am not afraid to use it!"
Dennis rolled his eyes. "Reg, I survived with not only Lyra but also Bellatrix. So although your threat was good, it doesn't have anything on me. Now, answer me two things," a serious expression adorned his face. "What in the name of Merlin does a mistletoe look like and how in Morgana did I find basil?"
"Mistletoe is green and it has small leaves."
"Well, that isn't vague at all."
"And," Regulus continued, over his comment "You found basil because you are secretly a Hufflepuff at heart. Grandma Mal says that they are particularly good finders."
Dennis gasped loudly, theatrically placing a hand to clutch his heart. "Take that back! I'm a Slytherin through and through!"
"Then accept that I'm the one who brought my sister and a peacock together!"
"You mean I need to swallow my pride? No thank you, I've heard it tastes awful and I don't have any fire whiskey to wash it down."
"Yes, you do! I've seen the bottles under your bed myself!" Regulus shook his head. "You know what, there is an easier way to solve this. Lyra!"
His sister's head snapped up from the paper after hearing his voice ring with the name before she directed him with a questioning look.
"Who are the ones that brought you and Lucius together?" Regulus asked, fully knowing the truth.
Lyra tilted her head, her eyebrows knitted closely while her eyes glittered, indicating her simultaneous confusion and amusement. Slowly, the corners of her lips curled upwards into a smile. "Bella," she said simply, returning to reading.
Regulus' mouth dropped while Dennis laughed at his flabbergasted expression.
"So both you and Narccisa were lying!"
"Cissa was lying, I am not! I brought them together. Well, Sirius and James helped, but the point is, I am not a liar!" Regulus protested passionately.
Dennis -still chuckling- held his hands up in the universal surrender motion. "Calm down, my dear godbrother. I believe you."
"No, you do not!"
"Correct," a laugh escaped Dennis' mouth again. "But only because I am more inclined to believe the girl who was matched compared to the boy claiming to be a professional mistletoe matchmaker." he mocked, prompting a glare out of Regulus.
"I am not lying," Regulus growled through gritted teeth. "In fact, I'll prove it. I'll match someone else today."
Dennis scoffed. "Anybody can match people. All they need to do is put up a mistletoe."
"Then apparently you can't, considering you only put up basils," Regulus said snidely, bringing his god-brother to shoot him a heated look. "So let's make this more interesting, shall we?"
"Interesting in what way?" Dennis asked, crossing his arms.
Regulus smirked. "We both match people up using mistletoes. The person who matches the most people wins bragging rights."
"That's too easy," Dennis objected. "You can just hang twenty mistletoes or so and win."
"Fine. We each get to hang only one mistletoe. At four in the afternoon, we declare the number of kisses that have taken place. Happy?"
"Very," Dennis smiled sweetly. "I still think it's going to be easy."
"Then you clearly don't know how difficult it is to get people to kiss- with or without the mistletoe," Regulus huffed. "It's harder than it sounds."
"I don't think so," Dennis said. "But I will take you up on that challenge, little brother. May the best professional mistletoe matchmaker win."
"Considering I'm the only professional among us, I will, thank you Mr Hufflepuff-Disguised-As-A-Slytherin."
"Don't call me that!"
"Sorry, Heir Hufflepuff-Disguised-As-A-Slytherin."
"That's even worse!"
"My bad."
One hour later, Dennis Yaxley leaned against the wall of a popular corridor, confident that he could get people to be stuck in the kissing trap. Unfortunately, although he had hung it up, this mistletoe was not holding a couple captive, leading him to believe that he had taken a defective one. Unhooking it, he observed the green shrub with small leaves in his hand with careful consideration, deciding to go back to the Common Room and retrieve another mistletoe to replace this one.
"Dennis!" Lyra's voice stopped him, prompting him to tear his eyes away from the mistletoe in his hand to look at her as she approached him.
"Hello, Lyra."
"Hello to you too," Lyra greeted with a smile. "Lucius and I were on our way to lunch and we came across a very interesting scene and Regulus said that you were the person who had an answer for it. So, care to explain why my baby brother has hung a mistletoe in the archway of the Great Hall and my cousins and other brothers are pushing people towards it?"
Dennis cursed mentally. The conditions of the challenge were pretty vague and Regulus had obviously exploited the fact that it wasn't stated that they couldn't take help. Not to mention, if Lyra was to be believed, his godbrother set up his mistletoe at the archway of the Great Hall during lunch. Surely he would have captured the most people, holding two students together until they finally kissed despite whatever initial stubbornness or denial state they would have been in, if only to not be struck under the stupid mistletoe any longer. Dennis wondered why he didn't think of either of those options first.
Maybe he really was Heir Hufflepuff-Disguised-As-A-Slytherin.
Well, if that was the case, then he was going to be the best Heir Hufflepuff-Disguised-As-A-Slytherin ever! After all, Lady Black was a Hufflepuff and one of the most terrifyingly amazing persons Dennis had ever had the pleasure of knowing.
Realising that Lyra was still looking at him expectantly for a reply, Dennis chuckled weakly. "Do I have to?"
"Yes, especially since it will subsequently answer why I nearly had to mouth-kiss Narcissa if it weren't for Gideon frantically pushing me away." Lyra raised an eyebrow impatiently upon hearing no reply. "Well?"
"It's a funny story, really."
"I'll decide whether that adjective is appropriate for myself, thank you."
"Well," Dennis began. "See, Reg and I are in the middle of a challenge to match the most people up with mistletoes. The winner gets bragging rights."
Lyra blinked, not having expected his reply, most likely thinking that her mischievous cousins were having yet another prank war amongst themselves.
"Oh, good luck then." She turned to leave before pausing, rounding back and eyeing him oddly. "Okay, I just have to ask. Dennis?"
"Yes, Lyra?"
"Why are you holding a spring of thyme?"
Dennis froze, eyes slowly moving from the stalk he currently held in his hand to Lyra's face. "This is thyme?!"
"Of course," Lyra confirmed, her head tilting slightly. "What did you think it was?"
"Never mind that," Dennis waved away her question, his pride holding him back from satisfying Lyra's curiosity, although something told him that she already knew the answer. "But could you answer me two questions?"
"Depends on the questions."
"Firstly, what the hell does mistletoe look like and secondly, why am I always finding herbs everywhere?!"
So, in the end, Regulus did win the challenge, successfully making sixteen people share a kiss, and increasing his smugness by a hundred-fold. This tale also never failed to draw chuckles from the listeners where it was repeatedly told at every event, well within the earshot of a grumbling Dennis Yaxley.