𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐥𝐞 | h. granger

xv | a not so merry christmas

The Hogwarts Express

── •✧• ──

𝐋𝐘𝐑𝐀 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 going home for the holidays. There wasn't any place that she'd be able to hide from Bellatrix's wrath once she walked through the front doors of Malfoy Manor. Tonks and Ophelia had both offered to let her spend the holidays with them, and McGonagall had said that she was more than welcome to stay at Hogwarts over the break, but she knew that not boarding that train was not an option. Bellatrix would still have found a way to get to her no matter where she was.

Lyra had practically bitten her nails and the skin around them raw. Her knee bounced anxiously the entire train ride to Kings Cross Station, and her appetite was completely gone.

Bellatrix was going to kill her. She'd done many things to tick off her oldest sister, but being sorted into Hufflepuff was the last straw. She had made that clear in the strongly worded Howler she had sent her. Narcissa would do her best to protect her as much as she could, but even she didn't have any control over this situation.

Lyra exhaled slowly as the Hogwarts Express came to a stop at platform nine and three-quarters. "I'm gonna die," she mumbled around her nail.

Draco pulled her hand down from her mouth, sighing sadly when he saw how chewed up her fingers were. "She. . .She's not gonna kill you," he tried to reassure her, but even he knew what his aunt was capable of. He'd been witnessing it all his life.

They stepped off the train. Narcissa was waiting to take them home – if Lyra could even call that horrid manor the H word anymore.

Maybe I can still make a run for it, she thought, glancing around the station. She saw Ophelia and Neville greet their grandmother. She tried to find Tonks, but there wasn't any sign of her bubblegum pink hair. She scanned the crowd to see if Andromeda was anywhere, but she was so small that she couldn't get a clear view.

The heavy feeling in her stomach grew the closer they got to Malfoy Manor. When they reached the front gates, she could've sworn she saw movement in one of the upstairs windows. She had barely made it an inch past the threshold of the front door when she was grabbed by the collar of her shirt and shoved against the wall, Bellatrix pinning her there roughly.

"Bellatrix, leave her alone!" Narcissa tried to pull her off of Lyra, but Lucius pulled her back.

"The brat deserves whatever is coming to her, Narcissa," Lucius said, sneering at Lyra when she glared at him with a look of pure hatred. Narcissa's jaw clenched, but before she could say anything else, she was led out of the room by her husband.

"Scram, Draco," Bellatrix spat towards the blonde boy. Draco gulped and quickly ran out of the room. Lyra could hear his footsteps dashing up the stairs, and a few moments later, his bedroom door slammed shut. "Now. . .what am I going to do with you?" She pulled her curved wand out of the folds of her dress and traced the tip across Lyra's cheek. "Choose your next words very carefully, because I'm only going to ask this once. . .Did you tell that ratty old hat to put you in Hufflepuff?"

Lyra shook her head. She tried to keep from crying, but she was so terrified that she couldn't stop a tear from falling. "I-I didn't," she whispered. "B-Bella, please. I. . .I told the hat that I needed to be in Slytherin, but he said that there was a-an internal conflict."

Bellatrix's eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. "There shouldn't be any 'internal conflicts', Lyra. You are a Black. You've known since birth that you were required to be sorted into Slytherin, and what did you do? You tarnished the family name by being sorted into Hufflepuff of all houses! Out of everyone who has brought dishonour to this family, you are by far the worst!"

Lyra shut her eyes, her body growing more tense with every passing second that Bellatrix had her pinned there. She knew that this wasn't even the worst of it. What would happen next was what she was so afraid of about coming home in the first place.

"You know what happens when you disobey," Bellatrix growled, lifting her wand.

"B-Bellatrix, please! I-I didn't mean—- I. . .I didn't have any control over— I-I—" She couldn't get a full sentence out. Each one was cut off by a terrified gasp as she tried to remember to breathe.

"I don't believe a word coming out of your mouth right now," Bellatrix whispered menacingly. "Crucio!"

── •✧• ──

The door to Lyra's room was slowly pushed open. A pair of elfish ears poked up over her bed, and a house elf pushed himself up. He walked over to the blonde, who appeared to be sleeping.

"Mistress Lyra?" the elf whispered. He gently shook her shoulder. She tensed at the contact and turned to face him.

"Hi, Dobby." Lyra's voice was horace. She wiped the tears from her face, her stomach churning when she saw the tray of food the elf had brought her.

"Mistress Narcissa ordered Dobby to bring you dinner. Dobby has even brought wizards chess to play whilst you eat." He placed the chess board down on the bed and began setting up the pieces.

Lyra picked up the tray. There was a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich on it. Narcissa must've had it made for her knowing that it was the only thing she'd eat after the events of the day. She picked up the spoon and slowly sipped the soup.

"I wish we could run away together, Dobby," Lyra whispered. She made sure to keep her voice low in case Lucius or Bellatrix was in the hall. She moved a chess piece and took a bite out of the grilled cheese.

"That would be most wonderful, miss." Dobby smiled sadly. "But I can't leave. You know this."

"I could free you. I would do it."

"Master Lucius would kill you!" Dobby squeaked, his hands raising to his mouth.

Lyra shrugged. "It would be worth it if it meant you got to be free."

"You can't risk it, Mistress Lyra." Dobby moved a pawn. "Master and Mistress Bellatrix are upset with you enough as it is."

Lyra sighed. "They're always upset with me." She leaned her head into her hand.

Slowly but surely, she made her way through the meal as she played wizards chess with Dobby. She purposely let him win knowing it would make him happy. When the game was over and the food eaten, Dobby tucked her into bed, quietly closing the door behind him as he left her room.