Chapter Nine – New Years with Old Friends
Severus didn't want to admit that he did find himself rather lonely in the guest bedroom two doors down from Lyra's room though he did find it rather easy to fall asleep as he was tired from the two rounds of sex that occurred the night prior. He knew that Lucius would probably kill him if he found out he was shagging his niece under his roof but the risk is what made it so much more exciting. Severus slept in more than he usually would and found himself rather well rested. His clothes had reappeared fresh and clean, folded on the dresser opposite his bed. He could get rather comfortable having a house elf around, even the elves at Hogwarts weren't that good.
Severus dressed himself and headed out into the hallway. As he passed Lyra's room he noticed that the door had been left ajar and Lyra was nowhere to be seen. He walked down the stairs and took a right into the living room where he saw Lyra sitting with her cousin, reading in front of the fireplace that warmed the house. He smiled fondly at the sight and not wanting to disturb them found his way to the drawing room where Lucius sat, newspaper in hand.
"Ah, Severus," Lucius said, "I didn't want to disturb you, apparently you were sleeping rather peacefully. The elves will fetch you breakfast if you please."
"I have duties to attend to at Hogwarts so I should go," Severus explained, "Thank you for your hospitality. Please pass on my thanks to Narcissa."
"Of course," Lucius said, placing his newspaper down. He shook Severus' hand a bit stronger than usual. Did he know what had transpired? He pulled the wizard close and said in a venomous voice, "If you are going to be shagging my niece just make sure she doesn't get pregnant. The last thing we want is a stain upon the family, you must understand."
Severus felt his blood run cold, "Of course."
Lucius let go and with a smile he asked, "Aren't you going to say goodbye to her at least?"
Severus walked to the living room and knocked. Lyra looked up and Draco shifted in her lap. "I'm going now," he said, "I'll see you at Hogwarts."
The witch noticed there was a tense feeling between her Uncle and Severus which worried her. Lucius was standing awfully close to the Potions Master so Lyra touched the back of Draco's back, coaxing him off her lap and stood, "I'll walk you out."
Lyra followed the two wizards to the entrance and pulled her coat on. Lucius watched as they began to walk the distance to the outskirts of the anti-apparation barrier. In a low voice Severus whispered, "He knows."
Lyra would've frozen to the spot but she knew that Lucius would've been keeping a watchful eye on the two as they walked together if he suspected something. "How?" she whispered.
"It was naive of us to think we could have sex in his house without knowing," he said with a sour look.
"What did he say?" she asked.
"To not get you pregnant," he recalled, "That it would be a stain upon the family."
"Just between you and me I don't care for all that bullshit," she said, "I know I'm expected to marry a pureblood but I want to marry for love. I don't think that you're worth less than me because you're a half-blood."
Severus remained silent. The only thing that was heard was their boots shifting in the snow beneath them. Lyra didn't feel comfortable enough to speak up so she let the sound of each step sit with her as she pushed aside the feelings that were brewing beneath the surface. It was strange to think that her heart ached a little at the possibility that her relationship with Severus might be coming to a premature end. She wanted to think that at least he'd always be there as a friend or a colleague but she felt that the word of their affair would impact their ability to maintain any relationship at all. It saddened her as she glanced over at the man who brought her pleasure, wanting nothing more than to hold his hand for reassurance that he was still there and she hadn't lost him yet.
Despite the relatively short distance between the house and the barrier it felt so long for the pair to be travelling silently together. The tension that hung between them was even worse than when Severus had escorted Lyra to Hogwarts. In the silence, the wizard found himself considering what to do about his current predicament. Her Uncle knew about the nature of their relationship, if this was any other wizard he probably wouldn't care but he knew that Lucius Malfoy was not a man you wanted to cross. If things ended badly between the two he would have to deal with his fury. Even if it didn't end there was no way her family would readily accept him into their fold because of his heritage. It didn't matter if Lyra cared or not, if it came down to it he knew that they would make him disappear. The nature of their relationship would have to remain strictly casual and Severus wasn't sure if he could maintain it. It was easier to be cold to her than lukewarm and now that he had a taste for her he just wanted more. Severus had already felt his heart tug several times at the thought of being with Lyra. He had excused that feeling for being an emotion lesser than love but he still felt strongly towards the young witch, wanting to spend more time with her.
The internal conflict within the pair waged on. It wasn't something that could be resolved in a few minutes of contemplation. The witch and wizard realised their feet had taken them past the barrier and they stopped outside it. The pair turned to face each other, Severus was tempted to disapparate on the spot and deal with the consequences later but he knew that wouldn't be fair on Lyra. "When are you planning on coming back?" he asked.
"The Friday before school starts," she said as she tucked her hands in her pocket in an attempt to warm them, "I can come back earlier if you want."
"And why would I want that?"
"Because you enjoy my company," she smiled. The worries she had faded and instead her usual playful manner came through. "Don't let Lucius talk you out of a good thing."
"And what is this thing?"
"I'm guessing we could have a friends with benefits deal."
"Those deals hardly end well."
"That's because people are stupid enough to fall in love when they're not supposed to," Lyra said, her eyebrows raised, "I think we're both mature enough and can manage our emotions."
"Says the twenty year old," he replied dismissively.
"If you don't want me then fine," she said as she closed the distance between them, "But I know that once you're back at Hogwarts you'll feel lonely and you'll come crawling back to me, wanting me to warm your bed at night and when you get horny you'll play last night over in your mind. You'll think of how I felt beneath you and how you made me beg for you to fuck me." Lyra took a step back and turned around, beginning her journey back. "I'll be waiting for your owl."
Severus watched as the Lestrange girl turned her back on him and walked away. He took a deep breath of the cold air as it mixed with the warmth he felt towards her inside of his body. He knew she was right but uncertainty weighed heavy on his mind as he questioned how was it would be to continue shagging the Lestrange witch. He closed his eyes and his mind drifted to the night prior. There were flashes of her naked body, his cock buried inside her, her moaning and coming. Lyra had gotten into his head and he knew it wouldn't be easy to get her out. He turned on the spot, disapparating from the Malfoy Manor.
Lyra didn't bother to look back as he left, knowing she was still under the watchful eye of her Uncle. She dreaded the interaction that was about to happen as she walked up the stairs of the porch. She removed her outerwear and put them neatly away whilst her Uncle watched.
Lyra sighed as she looked at him, "Yes, Uncle?"
"What do you think you're doing with him?" he asked with a vicious undertone to his words.
"Why don't you tell me?" she asked in reply, "You seem to have made your own assumptions already."
Lucius closed his eyes for a second, keeping his temper in check. He took on his fatherly role as he addressed his niece with a firm tone. "Lyra, your Aunt and I have done our best to instill the values that your mother and father would have if they could have raised you. I don't think they would appreciate the nature of your relationship with Severus."
Lyra's resolve resided as Lucius laid on the parental guilt. "It's just sex," she protested, "You can't tell me that you didn't shag any mudbloods in your day."
"That's besides the point, Lyra," he said, "Your duty as a daughter of one of the sacred 28 is to carry out the pure blood line, it's counterproductive to be sleeping around with anyone lesser. You should be trying to find a husband so you can start having children. If you'd like your Aunt and I can arrange to find someone suitable."
"I don't want to get married and have kids yet, Uncle," she said.
"It's something you need to start to consider," he said, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I know you're young and want to mess around but you should be doing it at least with the right sort of people, contraceptive charms and anti-fertility potions aren't foolproof as you know. If a pure blood ended up getting you pregnant then you could convince him to stick around, with Severus on the other hand you know we can't allow it. I also don't want you falling in love with him because you'll think that I'm the bad guy when I tell you that you can't be with him."
Lyra smiled in amusement at his words, she shook her head once he finished. Her eyebrows raised, "You think I'm going to fall in love with him."
"I think you already have," he said, "You need to keep your distance, Lyra. Don't be foolish, you need to remember your place and your duty." He squeezed her shoulder hard.
Lyra frowned, exhaling deeply. "I didn't ask for this life."
"Neither did I, Lyra," he said letting go of her shoulder. "You will learn to live with the expectations as many others have. I didn't love Narcissa when I married her but I learned to, we can easily arrange a marriage for you once you're ready and you too will learn."
Lucius left Lyra with those words and she carried them throughout the day, even as she played with Draco, it was on her mind. She felt as though she was born into the wrong family, she didn't want the expectations that were put on her from being a Lestrange and a Black to rule her life. It was as though her family name had caused her so much trouble, from when she was a student at Hogwarts and even when she wanted to become a healer, everyone already had an opinion formed about who she was or would be. She was expected to be cruel, sadistic and a purist like her parents but in fact she was the opposite. When she had started her schooling at Hogwarts she was determined to change her life, to rebel against her family's ideals and attempt to make a new name for herself and despite numerous setbacks she found herself as her own person but she was still uncertain as to whether she truly was.
Lyra felt a great conflict wage between her heart and her head as she wanted to be a good person but also craved the validation and attention from her family. Was it worth sacrificing her family for love? She knew that she had romanticised the idea since she was younger, even telling Severus that was her want but when it all came down to it, could she? She thought of her Aunt Andromeda, completely removed from her life until now. She seemed happy enough with Ted but she could imagine how difficult it would've been to raise Tonks without the support of her sisters and parents. Could she live her life without the presence of her Aunt Narcissa, Uncle Lucius and dear young Draco?
When Lyra finally retired to bed she found her thoughts drift towards Severus and the passion that they shared the night prior. Maybe it was just the attention of a man she wanted and Severus was merely convenient, it had been years since she last shared a bed with a wizard and they had been nowhere near experienced as Severus. Lucius' words echoed around in her head, was she falling for him? No, she didn't think so. She dismissed the feelings that were inside her as lust as she replayed the sex in her mind, feeling herself getting aroused. She rubbed herself to sleep that night with aid of her memory, allowing her mind to go blank.
Lyra felt as though the remainder of her days at the Malfoy Manor would be uneventful. She would spend her time entertaining her cousin and in the evenings she would listen to the current state of the Ministry from her Uncle's mouth. As much as she enjoyed her time with her family, she was already growing tired of them and wished she was back at Hogwarts teaching. The mundane repetition of her holidays was interrupted when an unfamiliar owl delivered her a letter. Her heart pounded hard as she thought it may have been a response from Severus but the neat writing of her name on the front of envelope bore no resemblance to that which used to critique her potions essays. She broke open the seal and read the parchment held inside.
Lyra Lestrange,
I hope this letter finds you well. It has been a long time since your name has crossed my lips but over the past few days I have been reminiscing with our old friends from Durmstrang as we ran into each other in London. I recalled that you may still reside here with your family and I thought it would be would be appropriate for us to have a gathering and catch up.
From your old friend,
Gustav Novak
Lyra reread the letter a few times as memories of Durmstrang filled her head. It wasn't something that crossed her mind in recent times despite her spending four years of her life there. Lyra had distanced herself from the girl that embraced the Dark Arts and revelled in the infamy of having Death Eaters for parents. She recalled the friends which she spent her days with, the trouble that they would get up to and how she couldn't even say goodbye to them, neither in person or by note. Each letter she had received from them questioning why she had done what she had done was left unanswered so she was surprised that they were reaching out. Maybe this was her opportunity to reconnect with some pure bloods and gain some favour from her caregivers.
"Who's that from?" Narcissa asked, unfamiliar with the owl that was pecking at Lyra's fingers.
"Gustav, from Durmstrang," she said, passing the note to her Aunt, "He said that he's in London with a few of our old friends and wants to catch up."
"You should invite them, Lyra," her Aunt encouraged, "They can all stay here for the night."
"I'll write them back," she said as she headed to her room with the owl perched happily on her hand.
Gus,
Your letter was a pleasant surprise. I am currently at my Aunt and Uncle's house and they have offered to host you and whoever you may be with when you would like. I am available to meet up until January 4th. If you would prefer we can meet somewhere more public.
Lyra
She attached the letter to the owl's leg and allowed the bird to find its way back to Gustav. Lyra wondered which of her friends would she be meeting and how much they would've changed over the six years that had passed since her expulsion. She didn't sit with her thoughts very long; instead she got along with her day though only a few hours passed before she received a reply from Gustav.
Lyra,
I appreciate the quick response. The gang were thinking New Years Eve would be appropriate, maybe we could bring in the New Year with a bit of excitement at the famous Malfoy Manor. I've invited Anneli, she's back in Switzerland working at her parent's shop at the moment. Syrin and I ran into Ilya and Feliks in Diagon Alley. It's curious how mudbloods intermix so readily in public. We had a drink at the Leaky Cauldron which is a bit of a dump, I don't know how you do it.
Let me know specifics when you can,
Gus
"A letter for Lyra?" Lucius observed.
"She's been in contact with her old Durmstrang friends," Narcissa said. She squeezed Lucius' leg and gave him a meaningful look. "I invited them to come stay."
"They're thinking of celebrating New Years with us," Lyra explained, "Is that ok?"
"That sounds wonderful," Narcissa said, beaming.
"Do you reckon you could connect us to the International Floo Powder Network?" Lyra asked her Uncle.
"Of course," he said.
"I'll let them know," she said, "Say, 7pm for dinner?"
Her Aunt and Uncle agreed with that Lyra sent off a reply.
The next two days seemed to drag on a bit as Lyra awaited the arrival of her old friends. She felt as though as her mind wasn't present as she entertained her cousin, instead she thought of her old friends and Severus. She was disappointed that she hadn't heard a reply back from her male companion but it was probably best whilst she was under the watchful eye of her Aunt and Uncle.
December 31st finally arrived and Lyra she spent two hours getting ready, ensuring she looked perfect and well-presented when her friends finally came. Narcissa admired the effort her niece had put into her appearance, commenting, "Why don't you dress up like this every day? You'd find a husband in no time."
Ignoring her Aunt's comments, Lyra waited in the living room with a book in hand at 6pm. Half past rolled around and green flames appeared in the fireplace as a tall, handsome man appeared. He shook off the dust from his tailored suit and stepped out, giving Lyra a smile as he tousled his brunette locks. He turned in expectation of his partner who arrived in the same fashion. A stunning woman in a tight fitting dress took the man's hand as she exited the fireplace.
"Lyra Lestrange," said the woman as she approached the darker haired witch. Lyra pulled her into a warm embrace, pecking her on the cheek.
"Syrin," she said, "You look drop dead gorgeous."
The gentleman took Lyra's hand as she parted, giving her a soft kiss on the hand. "Thank you for having us, Lyra."
"My pleasure, Gustav," she said.
Their greetings were interrupted by another burst of flames and an imposing man emerged from the flames. His hard features softened as he smiled at the sight of his friends. He approached Lyra, giving her a big squeeze, easily lifting her up as he did so. "Hello, old comrade," he said.
Lyra smiled at his greeting, "Hello, Ilya."
Ilya's appearance was followed by a man of a significantly smaller stature who Lyra recognised as Feliks. The five of them caught up briefly before they were joined by their sixth and final member of their squad, Anneli. Lyra lead her group of friends to the dining room, introducing them to her Aunt, Uncle and cousin. They dined together, sharing tales of what they had been up to since finishing school. Syrin was a Quidditch player for the Karasjok Kites with the potential to play for the International team for Norway. From what Lyra could tell she was dating Gustav who had moved to Norway to be closer to her whilst he was reporting for The Wizarding Post. Gustav wasn't the only one who relocated from his family, Feliks now resided in Russia with Ilya, both of them working for the Ministry of Magic over there. As for Anneli, she seemed to be pining for Ilya but remained in Switzerland learning to take over her parents' curse breaking business.
"And what about you, Lyra?" Gustav asked.
"I was a Trainee Healer but I took a break from my studies and am teaching at Hogwarts," she said before taking a bite of her meal.
Ilya's eyebrows raised in amusement, "Hogwarts? You're educating mudbloods? If wanna teach, why not teach at Durmstrang? Why pass on knowledge to those who don't deserve it?"
"I don't think Karkaroff would be particularly welcoming towards me," she smiled.
An awkward silence hung in the air as they recalled the reason for Lyra's expulsion. "Shit," Gustav said, "I forgot about that."
"Why didn't you write back to us?" Anneli asked.
She looked up at Lucius and Narcissa who nodded at her glance, encouraging her to tell the truth. "I was about to go to Azkaban for what I did," Lyra replied, "I couldn't write to you in case it was incriminating. They could've intercepted our owls."
"Well, we're here now," Gustav said positively.
The chatter continued over dinner, eventually they moved off into the living room where they had initially arrived for drinks. Lyra' family dismissed themselves, allowing the group to reconnect over expensive bottles of wine. They sat and reminisced over the trouble they would get up to and discussed the fates of the teachers they had shared. Lyra watched on as they spoke, observing her old friends and their interactions.
Anneli's eyes seemed to linger longingly on Ilya but subtle gestures between him and Feliks implied that the two may in fact be a couple. Lyra wished to press further on the matter but she was unsure as to whether it was public knowledge or a secret so for the meantime she kept it under wraps. Syrin and Gustav seemed completely smitten with one another. As Syrin drank her wine, Lyra noticed something reflect off her hand and she smirked.
Lyra brought attention to it, her mouth opened in fake shock and asked, "What is that?"
Syrin smiled brightly as though she had been baiting the question all night. "Oh, this?" she asked casually, holding her hand out for the girls to assess. "Gus proposed."
"Congratulations!" Anneli squealed. She had always been a sucker for romance.
"We're getting married next year," Syrin said, "You're all invited."
Anneli probed Syrin on details of how Gustav proposed and Lyra feigned interest. As the drinks flowed the newly engaged couple seemed to become more comfortable to display their affection which was beginning to make the others uncomfortable. Lyra suggested they retire to their room which they happily accepted. Lyra called an elf to escort them to their room and they followed with their hands intertwined with one another.
When midnight hit the four hugged, exchanging kisses on the cheek with one another.
Lyra noticed Anneli glance over at Ilya, her feelings were obvious but Lyra had noticed a few small gestures that suggested that Ilya may not have been batting for the same team. They were discrete of course, but there were subtle hints that Ilya and Feliks may be together. Lyra hoped to interrogate them but she doubted the opportunity would come up. As the drinks flowed Syrin and Gustav's PDA became more prominent, Lyra offered to show them to their room which they accepted graciously. Upon her return Lyra noticed Anneli shamelessly attempt to flirt with an uncomfortable Ilya whilst Feliks watched amused.
As it neared midnight, the four remaining headed outside. Lyra had gone out with her Aunt and Uncle to pick out the entertainment for the night. The four of them stood in the cold, waiting for it to tick over to the New Year. When it came an assortment of fireworks were released into the sky. The enchanted sparks lit up the sky, dancing against the dark backdrop. The show went on for 10 minutes and ended with the number 1991 written in the night's sky. The old friends exchanged hugs and kisses on the cheek, wishing one another a wonderful new year. Anneli got a bit too frisky with Ilya as she felt the alcohol begin to alter her reality. Feliks and Lyra coaxed her off of him as she slurred and cried over the rejection. The three of them walked her to her room for the night, tucking her in.
Once they had put her to bed, the two wizards decided it was about time to sleep as well. Lyra showed them the bathroom they could use and lead them into their bedroom.
"I'm assuming you two would like to share?" Lyra said.
The two of them had a panicked expression, Ilya defensively said, "What do you mean?"
"You two are together," she said, "I don't think anyone else picked up on it."
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said firmly.
Feliks gently touched his partner's arm, coaxing him down. He looked at Lyra wearing a worried expression. "You can't tell anyone. You know how it is in Russia."
"I understand," she said, hugging them both. As she separated from Ilya she commented, "Poor Anneli, she's going to be heartbroken."
Feliks laughed, "I don't know how she hasn't taken the hint."
"She's always been a bit clueless," Lyra said, "It's nice though, you two, Syrin and Gus. I'm glad that you guys are all happy."
"How about you, Lyra?" Feliks asked.
She sighed, "It's a bit complicated at the moment. The man I'm casually seeing is a half-blood."
"You must end it," Ilya said.
Feliks rolled his eyes at his partner, "I don't think we're in the position to be critiquing your love life. We're fucking gay. Some things you just can't help but I understand duty."
Lyra nodded sadly, feeling as though she hadn't yet found the answer for her predicament. Feliks gave her another hug and whispered, "Things will work out."
