The next morning there were whisperings about what had happened the previous night. Harry, Hermione, Neville, and Draco were all caught out of bed, resulting in a detention and 50 points from each of them. Lyra heard this and went to try and find Draco. She went down to the dungeons and found him leaving potions with the Gryffindors. She pushed through towards him and when he saw her he looked angry. So angry that she stopped and he walked right past her without a word. She felt tears prick in her eyes. What in the world had she done now? She looked up to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione staring at her. She wiped her eyes and walked past them into the potions classroom. She was very early but she wanted alone time. She put her head down and let the tears of frustration fall. She heard a door open and quickly wiped her eyes. Professor Snape was walking out of his office and paused when he saw her.

"What are you doing here so early, Miss Aston?"

"Oh, uhm I am sorry, Professor, I just...I can go now." She stood and bent over to pick up her stuff.

"No. It is quite alright. Sit down." Snape said looking at the necklace that hung around her neck. Lyra sat and looked at him. It was true she enjoyed potions but she had never interacted with Professor Snape much.

"So you are Draco's friend, are you?" Snape asked her cooly.

"Yes, sir. Wait, did he tell you about me, sir?"

"Well...yes, he may have mentioned you once or twice. Nothing bad I assure you." Lyra nodded and fidgeted with her books.

"Listen professor, I just don't know. One day we get along fine and the next he is mad at me for something. I don't know what I did." She looked up at Snape and saw a glimmer of something in his black eyes before he hardened his expression again. He opened his mouth to speak but just then Hannah and Ernie walked in. When Lyra turned back around Professor Snape was gone.

The next few weeks Lyra rarely saw Draco. He seemed to be avoiding her. He wouldn't even look at her. She was depressed. She was constantly playing with her necklace and found herself sitting in Professor Snape's office. They rarely spoke but there was some sort of comfort that came with being with him. He was not condescending like other people, he just sat at his desk while she worked on homework. Occasionally she would ask him questions about potions homework and would voice her concerns. He always listened, but rarely gave advice which was fine with her.

One day Lyra was sitting alone in the great hall at dinner when something hit the back of her head. She turned to see Fred and George grinning at her. She picked up the ball of parchment that had hit her, took aim, and threw, hitting Fred square between the eyes. The look of shock on his face made her laugh. Her eyes traveled down the table to see Ron sitting alone like she was. She hesitated and then got up to go and went over to him.

"Uhm, hi." She said standing next to him.

"Hey." He said not looking at her.

"Uh, where are Harry and Hermione?" She asked sheepishly.

"Detention." Ron replied shortly.

"Listen Ron, I know you don't like me because I am friends with Draco but he is the only person I knew before I came here. I don't know what is going on between you guys but I am not a part of it." Then she walked out of the great hall and headed towards the dungeons.

She followed some other Slytherin students to their common room and found a niche behind a suit of armor that she could hide in. She sat there with her cloak wrapped around her and waited. She must have dozed off at one point because the next thing she knew she heard hurried footsteps coming down the corridor. Lyra sprung to her feet and peered around the suit of armor. Running towards her was Draco. He looked white as a ghost and terrified. She ran out from behind the suit of armor and grabbed him as he ran past.

"Draco! What is it? What happened?" She said, terrified that he had been hurt. At first he didn't seem to recognize her but after a moment he relaxed slightly and hugged her hard. She could feel that he was shaking. She stroked the back of his head trying to calm him.

"Draco. Draco. What is it?" She asked softly, but he just shook his head. She just held him until he relaxed and pulled away.

"What in the world are you doing down here at this time of night?"

"Well, Ron uh told me that you had your detention tonight so I wanted to make sure that you made it back alright." She said sheepishly.

"Me? You were worried about me? Good god girl you are in the middle of an abandoned corridor in the middle of the night and you are worried about me? God you are stupid."

"Excuse me? I was worried about you, Draco."

"Well worry about yourself some more will you?"

She was about to retort when she saw a silver chain hanging around his neck that wasn't there before. Lyra reached out and pulled it out from under his robes. On the end hung the ring she had given him. Looking at him wearing it completely erased the retort in her head. Draco stepped back out of her reach.

"It doesn't fit properly yet so I will wear it this way until it does. Now go back to your common room before we both get in trouble." With that he entered the Slytherin common room and disappeared.

If Lyra had thought that things would go back to normal with Draco after last night, she was wrong. He was still avoiding her, but not, it seemed, because he was mad. None of it made sense to her. She was so irritated. She stormed out of the Great hall and onto the grounds. She went to the broomshed, which flew open without her touching it or using magic. This made her pause for a second, but did not dwell on the matter. She grabbed her broom and took off towards the Quidditch pitch. She flew around and around trying to clear her head when she noticed Harry Potter coming onto the pitch as well. She landed and walked over to him.

"Uh, hi, Harry."

"Uh, hi."

"Listen, are you alright? Draco came back to the castle terrified last night. What happened?" She asked. Noticing that Harry paled a little himself.

"Nothing really." He said. But the look on his face when he looked at her told Lyra that neither of them were buying that lie, and he knew it.

"Someone killed a unicorn and was drinking it's blood when Malfoy and I found them." He said resigned.

"Oh no." Lyra gasped, "How horrible."

They both stood there for awhile before Lyra held up a snitch and said, "Wanna play?" The grin that broke out onto Harry's face was undeniable.

"You're on."

A few hours later Harry and Lyra were laughing and walking together back up to the castle when Harry said.

"You know. You aren't as bad of a person as I originally thought."
"Thanks," She replied sarcastically. "As I told Ron, I do not know what is going on between you and Draco but I am not part of it and would liked to be judged as my own person." She smiled at Harry, "You aren't as bad as I thought either."

The next few weeks of school were so busy. Everyone was studying for exams. She didn't see much of the Twins or Cedric, but did spend some time studying with Hannah and Ernie. Once or twice she was even with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who had warmed up to her considerably. From the 4-5 times a week they used to spend nights studying, Lyra only saw Draco once, and it was always with Crabbe and Goyle in tow. She had no idea what was up with him. During breaks and when she wanted to be alone she went to Professor Snape's office. He never objected, and she never bothered him. It was like a secret agreement to not talk about things unless necessary.

Finals had ended and everyone was enjoying the warm spring days. Lyra was sitting on the grass watching Fred and George in the lake playing with the Giant Squid, when she noticed Harry, Ron, and Hermione walking quickly away from Hagrid's hut. She watched them curiously but was enjoying the sun too much to follow.

That night Lyra was asleep in her four poster bed when she had an odd dream. She was in complete darkness with only flashes of pictures, too fast to comprehend flashing by. Then she heard it.

'Be careful…..He's coming…...Lyra…..be safe…...beware…...he's coming.'

Lyra sat bolt upright in bed, threw off her covers, put on a robe and took off towards the common room and out into the corridor. She ran to the third floor corridor. Her mind having no idea where she was going or why but her body moving on it's own. She threw open the door and there was a huge three headed dog. But she wasn't scared. She waved her arm and the dog sat, not threatening her at all. Then as she was looking around, Professor Dumbledore came out of the trap door with Harry floating along behind him. Lyra hid in the shadows quickly so he wouldn't see her, but he seemed focused only on his destination. He left the room. After about a minute, Lyra seemed to have gained control back over her body. Which was not a good thing as the dog started coming towards her. She ran for it. Sprinting out of the door and back to the common room where she collapsed into an armchair shaking and out of breath.

"What the hell was that?" She said to no one in particular.

The next day she went straight to Professor Snape's office and closed the door. He turned and looked at her curiously.

"Professor, I have something to ask you."

Snape paused for a moment and then said, "Continue"

"Uh last night I had a dream. It was dark with flashes of pictures, but I couldn't see what they were. Then I heard a voice, one that is familiar but I know I have never heard it before. It said….it said 'he's coming, be safe, beware, he's coming.' And I think I am going crazy, Professor."

When she was done she sat and looked up at him. Snape had a look of curiosity mixed with disbelief on his face. He took a moment and then asked, "Who are your parents?"

Lyra, confused said, " I don't know sir, I am adopted but my parents that I do know are-"

"Nevermind. Do you not know your real last name?"

"Uh no, Professor. I was around a year old when I was adopted. I don't know any other last name than the one I have."

"Hmmm, well I think that your dream was just that, a dream. You are surely in no danger right now. If you have trouble sleeping again I will make you a sleeping draft to take with you."

"Uh thank you, sir." Lyra said and then got up to leave. She was suspicious he knew more than he told her. I mean what was with all the questions? But, if she needed to know he would tell her right? She sure hoped so.

By the end of the week everyone in school was talking about how Harry Potter defeated professor Quirrell who was trying to steal the Sorcerer's stone. He was still in the hospital wing but everyone seemed to know everything anyways.

The end of term feast came and Slytherin had won the house cup. This was good, Lyra thought, that meant Draco would be in a good mood and likely to talk to her again, though the other Slytherins seemed way too smug and she kind of wished they hadn't won. She looked over to the Gryffindor table and saw Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George sitting there. They all noticed her and waved. She smiled and waved back.

Professor Dumbledore stood up and started his end of year speech. When he said he had some last minute points to award she felt a knot twist in her stomach. 'Oh no' she thought and glanced at the Slytherin table. Draco's gleeful face faltered. Professor Dumbledore then gave Ron 50 points, Hermione 50 points, and Harry 60 points,tying Slytherin for the house cup. Lyra was nervous, this wasn't going to end well. Then Dumbledore gave 10 points to a round faced boy name Neville Longbottom and the Gryffindor table exploded. There was stamping and screaming and clapping. The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were cheering too. Lyra stayed put until Cedric pulled her up out of her seat to stand and cheer. Still she stood there awkwardly. This was going to be a bad summer.

Lyra was on the train home and managed to get a compartment to herself. She sat staring out the window. She had declined sitting with the other Hufflepuffs. She sighed and rested her head against the cool glass. After the end of the feast she tried to talk to Draco but of course he ignored her and even shoved past her. She closed her eyes rocking to the rhythm of the train. She heard the compartment door slide open.

"Please, Cedric, I said I wanted to be left alone-" She started as she opened her eyes and looked around. But it wasn't Cedric standing there, it was Draco. She blinked, not believing her eyes.

"Can I sit down?" He asked not looking at her.

"Uh, yeah I guess so." He sat across from her. They sat in silence for what felt like an hour but eventually he looked at her and said.

"I'm sorry."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what? Ignoring me for the last month or the feast?" She said folding her arms across her chest.

"Both," Draco said. "I was just so mad, that stupid perfect Potter and the Weasel."

"They aren't that bad." She mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing. Listen, either way there was no reason to treat me like that."

"I know, and I am sorry. Please, forgive me?" Lyra sighed. She didn't want to fight anymore.

"Fine. But on one condition."

"What?" Draco looked suspicious. Lyra stood up and moved to sit next to him. Then she turned and laid down. Putting her head on his lap. She knew Draco hated this, but she liked it so she did it anyways.
"Let me stay here and I will forgive you." Draco just grunted but didn't object. Lyra, finally at ease with how things were, drifted off to sleep.

~End of year 1~