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❝i felt the earth beneath my feet sat by the river and it made me complete❞
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫
Lyra was quick to agree when Andromeda offered to let her stay with her. She was in no rush to leave when she finally met the family Bellatrix had told her she was forbidden to have any contact with.
She had the cutest baby nephew in the world. Teddy was the sweetest boy she's ever met and always made her smile every time he'd morph his appearances to match hers with a semi-toothy, gummy smile on his face.
The same way Draco was like a brother, Tonks and Remus were more like older siblings than a niece and a nephew-in-law. The thought of Lyra being an aunt to them was strange to her given the age difference. Tonks was one of the funniest people she's ever met. Just like Teddy, she was able to morph her appearance on command and would often use this magic to cheer Lyra up after a "bad dream" – which she had been calling her flashbacks so that they wouldn't worry about her. She didn't want to bother people she just met with her sob story.
Remus was knowledgeable, and Lyra found herself going to him for advice. He had been her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher when she was in her third year at Hogwarts, and she learned more from him than any other DADA professor. He'd been helping her out with her wandless magic, which she'd been having trouble mastering. She's improved quite a bit.
And then there was Andromeda. Lyra couldn't help but admire and look up to her. She was the only one of her sisters that wasn't obsessed with blood purity, and while Narcissa's prejudice had faded over the years due to Lyra's close friendship with Aliyah, there were still times when the teenager could tell she thought herself superior whenever they encountered half-bloods or muggle-borns.
Andromeda didn't ask Lyra about her life growing up. She knew just from the self-inflicted scars and her jumpiness whenever a cabinet or door accidentally slammed that it wasn't an easy one. It was no secret that Bellatrix had changed over the years. It hurt watching her fade away, and it was even more heartbreaking to think that she would be so awful to her baby sister.
Lyra always liked to go on walks when she needed to clear her mind. Deep within the forest behind Malfoy Manor was a creek where she would sit and listen to the sound of the rushing water. It was a nice break from the chaos hidden behind the closed doors of the manor. Unfortunately, there wasn't a forest nearby, and the loud sounds of the passing cars were nothing compared to the peacefulness of the creek. She supposed she could apparate there, but it wasn't worth the risk of getting caught if Bellatrix or Lucius decided to take a stroll.
She smiled a little to herself at the thought. She didn't think there was ever a time when either of them went outside to spend time in nature. Bellatrix said that that was the Snatchers' job. During the war when Voldemort took over the Ministry of Magic, Snatchers lurked in the woods, forests, and towns in search of muggle-borns, blood traitors, and the Undesirables.
Lyra's smile fell. Her brother-in-law, Ted Tonks, was killed by Snatchers. She wished she would've gotten the chance to meet him. From what she's heard from Tonks and Andromeda, he was an amazing man.
After mindlessly wandering around the streets of London, Lyra eventually came across a pond. She sat down near the water's edge and closed her eyes, breathing in the fresh air that surrounded her. It was beginning to warm up as winter turned to spring, but it was still chilly enough to need a jacket.
Lyra loved the springtime weather. It reminded her of late-night stargazing with Draco as they studied up in the astronomy tower at Hogwarts, drinking tea by the fire in the Hufflepuff common room with a book and a fuzzy blanket on a Friday night, and sneaking out with Aliyah to walk under the starry sky. The patches of warm sun felt nice as the cool air would blow around her during Care of Magical Creatures class, the birds singing a tune that carried all her worries away.
She opened her eyes when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned to see who it was, and Andromeda smiled softly as she sat down next to her.
"How'd you know to look for me here?" Lyra asked, confused. "I didn't even know where I was going."
"Aliyah said you like the water," Andromeda replied. "When you weren't anywhere in the house, I figured this would be the best place to look first."
Lyra pulled the sleeves of her jacket down further to cover the scars on her wrist, shivering a little as the wind blew gently. She watched the ripples in the water and twirled a blade of grass between her fingers. "I...I don't really know what to say...I'm not that good at making conversation."
"That's alright," Andromeda reassured her with a kind smile. Lyra smiled back.
They sat in a comfortable silence for a while. Lyra practiced a few wandless spells Remus taught her with the blade of grass – which she plucked from the ground – and Andromeda watched, occasionally giving a few notes on how to improve her form.
As the sun started to sink lower to the horizon, they began to head back to Grimmauld Place. Lyra pointed out the vibrant colours in the sky and how it gave her hope for morning.
"I know it sounds stupid, but sunsets are kinda like a reminder that even the worst days aren't last days...There's always a chance that tomorrow will be better," Lyra said as they reached the front door.
"It's not stupid, Lyra. It's inspiring."
The blonde smiled softly at her older sister's words. For so long she's waited for someone to understand the way she viewed things, and Andromeda did just that.
Lyra took her jacket off once they were inside. She hung it up on the coat hanger and headed to the kitchen for dinner.
