Shades of Silver and Black

Chapter 29

-------------------> THE O.W.L EXAMINATIONS were much easier than she expected them to be. Or perhaps it was only her, if Fabian's face of absolute, undisguised horror and Gideon looking like he was a second away from bursting into tears, were anything to go by.

Nevertheless, Lyra was just happy that the exam season was over.

Narcissa and Cassandra had done a wonderful job in planning the annual 'We Survived' after-exam party in the Common Room, which only saw signs of coming to an end at around three the next morning.

The rest of the time between Hogwarts to the much-deserved summer vacations was spent chatting and joking around near the Black Lake with friends and handling the last bit of business of the Royal Slytherin Court before it would temporarily close for the holidays.

Narcissa was lucky in the sense that she could ask Bellatrix any doubts or enquiries about her new role as the Silver Second whenever she wanted, but the others didn't have the same luxury and tried to make the most of the remainder of the academic year by taking notes and asking questions to their predecessors about their new positions.

Lyra and Lucius, on the other hand, were unfortunately still not free (they never truly were) as they still had to allot good and respectable jobs to all the newly-graduate Slytherins.

Of course, there were still some current seventh years like dear Bellatrix who had no idea what they would do and others like Cassandra Greengrass who would follow their ancestors' footsteps for their family businesses. These were the type of people they needn't have to worry over until they either decided what they wanted to do and write to the King and Queen or get kicked out or disowned by their family.

There were also the individual family traditions coming into play as they grew older and when Lyra had asked Bellatrix if she had decided which business she would invest money in, as dictated by the Black family tradition, her cousin had laughed and said that she was investing the money into their own family business. Lyra had tried to tell her that she should probably invest in another business, probably a startup, since after marriage, she could depend on the profit earned by her investment; but like every time Lyra tried to talk to Bellatrix about the future, this advice too fell on deaf ears.

Bellatrix lived in the present and was under the opinion that her life would continue to be supported primarily by the House of Black like always. She blindly accepted the fact that she would be treated like a princess by the House of Lestrange after marriage.

However, if Bella had paid more attention to whenever her family talked to them, she would have realised that while Lord Arcturus Black had set up large funds for every single member in the family, he expected them to work after graduating school and make their living so they could contribute to the family money as well.

She also didn't know that while her fiance Rudolphous, loved her with every cell in his being, she was expected to also love him back and treat him in the care and kindness he treated her.

Unfortunately for them, Bellatrix was not exactly the kind and caring type. The only quality that dominated Bellatrix was passion. And currently, much to Lyra's worry, the only passion she showed was towards this up and coming Dark Lord, Voldemort.

And while Lyra was all for pureblood supremacy, she was strongly opposed to wars.

But something in her gut told her that there was going to be a war, one that couldn't be avoided, and Bellatrix was without a doubt going to fight for Voldemort.

Just after the NEWTS, Bellatrix had confessed to Lyra that she was thinking of making contact with Voldemort and asking him if he would train her in duelling.

Lyra, being the supportive person she was no matter how much she disapproved of their actions, simply smiled and nodded.

Narcissa, Uncle Alphard and Grandmother Malania were desperately trying to ignore anything related to Voldemort while Andromeda's eyes widened with horror upon hearing his name. Her Grandfather Arcturus, Aunt Cassiopeia, father and Grandmother Irma supported most of his ideals while her mother, Aunt Druella, Uncle Cygnus and Grandfather Pollux had nothing but praises to sing of him. Bellatrix simply worshipped the very air he breathed, and they hadn't even met him yet.

Sirius, Regulus and James held blissful ignorance on this matter for now; Gideon, Fabian, Molly, Uncle Ignatious and Aunt Lucretia were strictly against him while Uncle Charlus and Aunt Dorea chose to continue keeping House Potter in its neutral stance.

Lyra could relate to her godmother and her husband on their decision, and she could only hope and try her best to convince her Grandfather Arcturus on why they should shift their stance to neutral as well.

------> 0o0 <-------

Slytherin won both the House and Quidditch Cup, as expected.

The Court both current and coming, spent the journey back home joking around and poking fun with no serious topics taken up for discussion.

When the Hogwarts Express stopped to a halt at Platform Nine and Three Quarters, they all exchanged pleasantries and goodbye's, with promises of regularly writing letters to one another.

As the occupants of the compartment bid each other farewell and left, Lyra sneaked a glance at the window where she could see her father, James, Sirius and Regulus patiently waiting for her and couldn't keep the smile from forming on her face.

She had just been about to exit the compartment when a hand touched Lyra's shoulder lightly, making her pause in her steps and give the owner of the hand, Lucius, a questioning look.

"I shouldn't have taken so long." He blurted out, making her confusion deepen (even though she would never show it). They were the only two in the compartment currently, not counting Phobos the snake who was deep asleep coiled around the length of her right arm. "I really shouldn't have because the answer was so bloody clear in front of me. It shouldn't have taken me my history O.W.L.S to realise this. I'm sorry, I honestly am, but better late than never right?" Lucius spoke sincerely with hope laced into his voice. "Months ago, you warned me that six years from now, you would be giving me an ultimatum," He continued with his explanation, clearing up her confusion and making her school her face to be perfectly blank. "But the thing is, you shouldn't have had to. I'm sorry about that."

"How does this relate to our History O.W.L.S?" Lyra could only ask instead of the billion things she wanted to.

Lucius gave a breathy chuckle mixed with a sigh of relief. "We make a mark in history whether we realise it or not." He said with a smile. "I would choose being remembered as your love over any other title in the world. I choose you, Lyra. I choose us. And I promise that nothing will ever change that. For better or for worse, rich or for poor, in sickness and in health, till death do us apart."

Lyra looked amused. "Did you just recite wedding vows?"

"Maybe." Lucius sang with a smile. "The point is, I'm sorry for taking so long but I will always put you -us- first."

"I thought you said the Dark Lord would kill you if you did not get branded by him?" Lyra asked, frowning. "I was a little impulsive then, Lucius. I shouldn't have said so much, but this is your life on the line. I don't want it to be thrown away.."

Lucius gave her a weary smile. "Either way, I will be killed in the direction the future seems to be going, so I might as well choose what I want to." He said before clearing his throat. "Besides, six years. We have six years. We can figure it out by then, right?" He asked with a hint of pleading in his voice.

Lyra didn't have the heart to tell him that all the odds were stacked against them and how little the probability of success was. So instead, she graced him with the dimples on her cheeks that he was so fond of seeing. "Yes," she replied, "yes we can."