LANDSLIDE, james potter [2]

Chapter Forty-Two

It hadn't taken much convincing to make sure that Slughorn believed that sweet, innocent Lyra Malfoy (née Black) couldn't have had any idea that her husband had been a Death Eater, working for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. In Slughorn's mind, Lyra would never know such a thing, and if she did then she would have reported it. 

They had been corresponding a lot. She told him she had been worried about Draco's health after his father's imprisonment, it must have been very hard for him to find out his father was a Death Eater. As if he hadn't known since he was old enough to know what a Death Eater was. 

He had given her regular updates, along with offers to help her find some top-notch Ministry job and a suitable new match in case finally she wanted to officially separate herself from Lucius legally. Lyra had declined both offers, as she didn't have time for a job nowadays and because her love life was enough of a mess without Slughorn adding someone else to it. 

She was not planning on divorcing Lucius. She never had, despite all he had done in the past. For several reasons. Partly because it would be a huge scandal she didn't want to deal with, partly because it would make her lose all protection in case there was a new uprising of dark wizards (which, of course happened) and mostly, because it would hurt Draco and ruin some of the only safety he had left. 

Of course, she was not about to tell Rabastan that. That would cause some big argument in a quasi-relationship that had mostly been going alright for several months. They tried to avoid the subject of Lyra being a married woman as much as possible. Mostly because Lyra didn't enjoy the reminder that she was a cheater. A dirty, lying cheater. 

Slughorn had always wanted her on a track to success. Lyra had wanted to be on that track herself. He seemed like he wanted to get her back on that track. If it wasn't for the fact that the entire world had gone to shit, then she may have wanted to. 

But corresponding with Slughorn had its perks. Because he had graciously offered her an invitation to the Christmas party he would be hosting at Hogwarts (though she knew that there were probably some relatively handsome Ministry officials he was prepared to introduce her to). 

It had been a golden opportunity for her. While Draco wouldn't be attending, as Slughorn wished to distance himself from Death Eaters and their children, it would still give her a chance to check up on some things. 

Firstly, Harry and his friends. She just knew that Slughorn would never give up an opportunity to invite Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One, to his Slug Club. She was all but sure Hermione Granger would have been guaranteed a spot due to her brilliance. Ron Weasley, maybe not so much but it was always possible. She was sure she'd see at least two of them there. 

And the biggest reason she wanted to get her ass to Hogwarts was to get in touch with Severus Snape. He had sworn to protect her son, with the Unbreakable Vow nonetheless, and yet he refused to answer a single one of her letters. And she had sent many. She was always asking for updated, trying to figure out how Draco was doing with his task (as he wasn't revealing anything in his own letters except that Snape was seemingly helping him).

So she found herself standing at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the first time in almost two years. She hadn't been there since the final task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, which had ended rather tragically. 

Shaking hands, talking to old acquaintances, drinking a few cocktails (without someone having to spike the punch for her to drink alcohol this time, thankfully). It wasn't an awful party so far, and she was rather enjoying herself. 

But then Snape finally seemed to realize that she had arrived. He narrowed his eyes from the other side of the room. She smiled sweetly at him, as if to mock him, as she raised a glass to him with a raised eyebrow.