LANDSLIDE, james potter [2]

Chapter Fifty-Two

Lyra had been stuck at home for months, only leaving when she knew it would be seen as acceptable. Every time she tried to sneak out, she'd be caught by Lucius, who'd warn her that whatever she was doing, it wouldn't end well. She hadn't told him that she had gone to see Remus and the Tonks' all those months ago but she supposed he had his suspicions. He did know her better than she thought, after all. He always had. 

Bellatrix, Narcissa and Hector still stayed at the Manor. The latter two, Lyra didn't mind too much, though Hector was barely there, always on some different mission, just as he currently was. But Bellatrix was a cruel reminder of everything that was wrong with her life. And sometimes she was reminded of how much she looked like Andromeda. 

Lyra couldn't help but imagine the way she had been crying in her arms the last time she'd seen her, all because Ted had to go on the run. She didn't want to picture how heartbroken she had been once he had been killed. Lyra herself had locked herself in her room and cried for two hours, refusing to tell Lucius what was wrong. 

Remus and Nymphadora must have had their baby by now. She still hadn't gotten to meet him or her. She just hoped they were safe and healthy. And that, maybe someday, she'd get to see them and be a family with them once again. She had always seen Remus as her family, but now it was official as he'd married into the Tonks family. Honestly, Lyra sometimes felt more like a Tonks than a Black or a Malfoy. She'd imagined what it'd be like if she'd gone with Andromeda all those years ago, or ran away to them as a teenager... She'd have had so much more time with Ted, and her and her sister would see each other much more often. She could have really been a Tonks. 

But the war raged on, and therefore it was hard to have hope. Their lives were full of doom and gloom, and none dared step a toe out of line in case it would hurt those they loved. At least Draco had been at Hogwars, he'd been safe. But when he was home, like he was that Easter, she was especially worried about him and always hoped the Dark Lord wouldn't come to see them on those days. 

Lucius was terrified every day that something would happen, that some other mistake would get made, and the Dark Lord would punish him by killing either his wife or his son. Part of him knew it wouldn't happen. Draco was a Death Eater so he was relatively safe. 

And he had always had a strange respect for Lyra, maybe because she was an Occlumens or maybe just because she had shown such grace and strength when facing him in recent years, but he could always suddenly snap and decide that he'd had enough of her. Especially if Rabastan would suddenly spread some lies. Lucius wouldn't have put it past him. 

Someone had come to the door as most of the family sat in front of the Drawing room fireplace. Draco, Lyra and Lucius stayed behind as Narcissa offered to go. It was probably snatchers, trying to deliver someone else to their dungeon. Someone like Luna Lovegood or Ollivander, both of whom were trapped in their cellar at the moment. It was horrible, but there wasn't anything she could do without risking lives, both her own, her family's and the prisoners' themselves. 

Lyra held Draco's hand tightly, sensing his nervousness. He hadn't been home for a while, he had almost forgotten what it was like to be at the Manor, the constant jumpiness and looking over his shoulder. At Hogwarts, he was relatively respected by the management because at least he was a Death Eater, better than the others. 

She let go of it once they heard snatchers and Narcissa enter the room, probably with their new prisoners. Draco and Lucius both stood up immediately, but Lyra remained seated, staring at the fireplace in front of her. 

"What is this?" asked Lucius, presenting a strong front. 

"They say they've got Potter," Narcissa said coldly, making Lyra stiffen in her spot. Harry had been on the run for months by now, and none had been able to catch him. If he was at the Manor before he had finished his task, then she wasn't sure if he could make it out alive. "Draco, come here."