LANDSLIDE, james potter [2]

Chapter Fifty

The bruises were finally starting to fade. Finally, Lyra was able to cover them with make-up, at least almost. Well, if someone stood far enough away, it wouldn't be obvious that someone had choked her with all their might. But, standing close enough... it would still be all too obvious. 

She had tried to wear turtlenecks and the like whenever she was around Draco. He did not need to know what had happened. He was still a boy even if he was of age, and she did not see the need to worry him about it. Her and Rabastan were over. There was nothing to worry about anymore. He hadn't come by the Manor since that day, after all.

Lucius still hadn't spoken to her, burying himself in whatever work he could still do for the Death Eaters without a wand. Lyra hadn't spoken to Bellatrix unless she really needed to, and Narcissa had seemed rather shaken by their trip to the Tonks'. All in all, life in Malfoy Manor was not at its best. 

Lyra was alone, as usual. She was sitting in her study, the only room in the Manor that had always been totally her own. Her long fingers trailed the spine of the book Pride and Prejudice, reminding her strongly of Remus. She hoped he was alright, wherever he was. 

The door to her study opened, making her look up with a frown. People usually didn't go into there. If anyone, it was always either Lucius or Draco, telling her some big news or telling her that they had to go somewhere. 

This time, she saw Narcissa, looking rather angry as she fought with someone Lyra could not see. "No, you are going in there! Now! Or you know that I will hex you into the next war!"

Lyra raised an eyebrow, wondering who Narcissa was so urgently trying to force into the study. Lucius was being shoved into there, looking rather unhappy with it as he glared at his sister-in-law. "Fine, fine!"

The married couple were both inside the room, and Narcissa held her head high as she looked at them with cold eyes. "There you ago. Now, you two have not spoken in over a week. I know that what Lyra did was dumb and cruel, but it is also rather dumb and cruel to ignore her for so long, Lucius. You two are going to talk and come to some sort of agreement on what you're going to do with your marriage, I don't care what it is. I am not letting you of here before you do. Draco deserves to know what's going to happen to you."

And with that, the Flint woman turned around and slammed the door shut behind her. They could hear the sound of the door locking from the outside, meaning she had used magic to lock them in. Lucius's wand was in Voldemort's hands, and Lyra's was - she quickly realized - left in her coat, which was hanging right outside the room. 

Lyra didn't look at Lucius, afraid of how awkward it would be. She stalked over to the door, desperately knocking on it. When she had told her sister that she wanted Lucius to talk to her again, this was not what she meant. "Cissy, come on! Open the door, please! It's not funny!"

She got no response, and she knew her sister well enough to know that she wouldn't get one either. She sighed, feeling Lucius's burning gaze on her back. She was afraid to turn back around, because she was afraid of what this conversation would hold. 

"The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get out of here and go back to our day," Lucius then said, his voice rather cold. Lyra winced a bit at this, not answering. "I thought you were the one who'd been trying to talk to me. Say your piece and we can leave."

The blonde woman turned around, sighing as she tried to think of what to say. "Look, I'm sorry, all right? Is that what you want me to say? Because I am, I am so sorry about what I did. I didn't want to hurt you."

"You cheated, Lyra," Lucius said, his voice no longer as cold. He seemed to slightly drop the mask he had been wearing where he tried to seem indifferent about her. "I always knew we weren't truly meant for one another, but I didn't you'd ever cheat."