Disclaimer: I don't own anything but anything that wasn't in the original story that I made up. Mwah-ha-ha.

This chapter is kind of for transitioning...I don't want to just bombard everyone with explanations in two consecutive chapters...

To be a Gryffindor

Now that she could remember everything she'd forgotten, night in the room of requirement included, she couldn't seem to banish the images from the night before (which were doing quite the impressive can-can across her mind in an endless loop annoyingly enough) unfortunately.

Lyra could honestly say now that she did remember everything, she wished the pervy voice would have blocked these off too despite how unsettling it was that the pervy-one could mess with her mind, and not in a pleasant way either. All in all it would have made her life from this point onwards so much easier because at this moment it sucked Gillyweed.

Merlin, her thoughts got weird when she was cranky. Maybe she could just add this to the ever-growing list of what she could blame on the potion. Lyra internally cringed; had she really asked them for a kiss? She might as well have just blurted out all her secrets while she was at it. Never again was she taking a potion, any potion, if this is what it did to her.

"What did you do?" Fred questioned calmly, which was very unlike him, causing Lyra to flinch. She really, really didn't want to tell them. She was a horrible half minstrel, hybrid…thing. More than that, she was sorry, so, so, sorry. Biting her lip she shook her head uncaring how childish that was. Damn it she'd been drugged up and doing some weird things for almost twenty-four hours, she could be childish if she wanted to!

Damn she was cranky…

"Lyra." George said in the soft pitch of allure, pleading with her to just tell them. There was no judgment, no condemnation, no anger…at least not yet. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and shook her head again. Her lips pressed firmly together. It was temporary anyways; she just had to remember that.

It was temporary, it was temporary, it was temporary and damn it she wasn't convincing herself in the slightest. She'd done it and she felt like throwing up. But that might be the potion… A strangled noise left her throat as she shook her head once more.

"I think you boys should leave now…" Daniel suggested quietly. "What? No!" Fred protested and George nodded in agreement. "Poppy cleared us for the day, but only if we stay in here. Besides, we're not leaving her now. What if she needs our magic again?" He pointed out and Daniel had to put some effort in to keep from grinning, the lad had put him in a tight spot after all.

"She doesn't need you to regulate her seal any longer. The seal has broken down and Lyra is normal again as you can see. And don't worry about Umbridge. She'll be too busy dealing with me to notice you're not in the hospital wing." "I think we should stay anyways." Fred insisted raising his hand again. "We don't know what this is. And I would like to know because I know this was not their last night." Daniel rolled his eyes shaking his head. "Look boys, go back to your dorms. Shower, get dressed and go about you day-" "Old man I keep telling you, we're not-"

"Freddie." Lyra said softly slowly opening her eyes. He stilled at once and relaxed at the familiar nickname looking over at her. "Geo." She said just as soft before sighing tiredly when she had their attention. "If you go…I promise I'll explain it to you. Go, and come back. I'll wait for you. I'll be waiting for you both." She murmured closing her eyes and pressing a hand to her stomach as if that would stop herself from openly weeping.

"Lyra." They said quietly in unison, and when it sounded like they would make a move toward her she held out her hand eyes open. "Don't." It came out sharper than she intended it to. Softening her tone she tried again. "Don't come any closer, ok?" They looked hurt and alarmed but Lyra wasn't feeling up to catering to their feelings as awful as that sounded. For once, Lyra didn't want to see them. Seeing them meant seeing the awful thing she'd done. And right now, she couldn't handle that. "Please? Do this for me? I never ask for anything, please Geo, Freddie? Go and come back. Please." She pleaded with them, all eyes as she stared them down.

Reluctantly the boys stood up and nodded dragging Lee with them who was staring at all three of them oddly. They paused at the door, both Fred and George turning around giving her equally fierce looks causing her to close her eyes again. "You better be here when we get back, rabbit." "Cause if you're not." They allowed the warning to trail off and Lyra opened her eyes again giving them that slow bittersweet smile as she cocked her head to the side but didn't say another word as they disappeared though the door.

Closing her eyes she breathed deeply rubbing her eyes until her lashes were wet and the urge to cry was gone.

"Lyra-love!" Daniel finally spoke to her, hoping up and leaving his cane behind as he walked over to her, cutting off anymore of her thoughts. Merlin bless her grandfather's older than dirt soul for small favors. "How are you feeling?" He asked pleasantly, as he withdrew his wand. "Good as new?" Good as new? She wouldn't go that far, her muscles ached, her throat burned from the potions she'd ingested, and her nose stung because her seal was gone which meant all the scents in the room –from the delicious ones of Fred and George to the nauseating sterile smell of the hospital wing- decided they should each have a go at punching her in the nose.

Oh Godric, she was whining! In her head, but still. She hated whining her own or someone else' it didn't matter. It was aggravating to say the least...

Sighing she shook herself and looked up at her grandfather. "About as new as you are to this world, old man." She commented dryly sliding off the bed and stretching. Her grandfather scowled but his eyes were laughing at her as they shifted to a bright baby blue, the soft violet in them receding a bit. He rolled his eyes. "I'll never get the soft-spoken heiress I wanted, will I?" He teased her before muttering a spell the tip of his wand glowed a soft pink as he ran it over her keeping a few inches distance between her body and the tip of the wand as he did so.

Lyra smiled a half-hearted gesture. "Probably not considering I'm my father's heiress." She was tired and now that Fred and George had actually left the room, Lyra could feel her two halves pushing to go find them which were a pain. She rubbed her forehead. "Full name." Daniel commanded and Lyra frowned slightly raising a brow. "What? Are you serious?" He chuckled and nodded. "Aye, my pretty. I've got to make sure everything is working. Memory included." Lyra rolled her eyes but complied.

"Lyra Annatiette MacKade."

"Where are you?"

"Hogwarts hospital wing."

"My scent?"

"Burning sage, drift wood with a bit of ocean salt."

"Who just left the room?"

"Lee Jordan as well as Fred and George Weasley."

"Why?"

"Because...I asked them too.." Lyra said softly lowering her head slightly ignoring the sting of her eyes.

"I think that's good enough." He muttered watching the glow turn a deep fiery red. Lyra sighed again and as he waved his hand did three spins easily pausing briefly between them before stopping on the last to face her grandfather giving a sweeping bow of old world elegance.

Straightening she watched him nodding in approval, muttering something about balance being back and coördination. "Flicker." Daniel said and Lyra took a breath letting it out slowly feeling her eyes change as her powers fluxed like a thread being snapped taunt inside her. "Good." He murmured and she broke it allowing her eyes to become void-colored again. "Am I better now?" Her tone slightly impatient, she was being twitchy too. She really needed to see the again. Just to make sure they were alright...

"You were better the moment you fell asleep after taking the tonic, love." Her grandfather assured putting his wand away and Lyra ducked her head her fingers twisting in her wrinkled skirt battling the inner voice that was pleading with her. "What your friend was doing, however, was equally dangerous. I'm assuming he gave you no warning…" Confused she blinked owlishly at the disapproval in his voice.

"My friend?" Which friend was that off the small list? Furrowing her brows she recounted the list mentally Peeves, Wicky, Fred, George, Lee…she supposed if she was desperate to add to the list she could put Mac on it as well. But the only friend of hers that would actually do something to her with no warning was Peeves but she doubted that was who her grandfather was talking about. "Which one?" Oh it gave her a strong surge of pleasure to say 'which one' meaning there was more than one. She had friends now (that weren't dead or part house-elf not that that mattered to her).

Imagine that.

Her grandfather eyed her silently as if she should just know who he was talking about instantly. And while she hated to disappoint, Lyra had no clue who he was talking about. So instead she stared at him blankly in return, waiting silently.

"He means me, little one." The voice purred in her head and she shuddered all over. She could practically feel him unfurling himself as if he'd been sleeping harmlessly in a ball. Harmless, psh, yeah right. "You're not my friend." She said aloud annoyed. Great, because this day was starting off positively smashing, the voice had to appear.

"So he is there." Daniel murmured eyeing her with interest as Lyra frowned. "You knew he was talking to me? " Lyra demanded hands on her hips. You know, the old man would know there was a weird voice in her head. And as irritating as it was, it was also a bit of a relief. At least he wasn't evil or working for Voldemort. That had to count for something.

"I am neither good nor evil." He replied silkily, in a voice of cool confidence as his jaws snapped together.

"Aye, of course I knew he was talking to you. It is again, a thing for the female heir. He spoke to Twilia and Lucinda as well. But he never did this. And never spoke to them this early." Daniel said gravely. Only the female heirs? Well he still sounded like a pervert, even more so now.

"What did he do?" What did you do to me!" Lyra demanded in her head and out loud. Daniel spoke as the voice gave her a soothing growl that echoed in her mind. "He forced the transformation." Her grandfather said flatly. "It was why you were so sick to begin with, love. Your two halves had another two years until they would be together completely. He forced it earlier than planned, you're fine but it was a huge gamble on his part...you could have died."

"Transformation…but I…" She looked down at herself frowning as she twisted this way and that trying to see all of her. In case she missed something huge like…a tail or something. "I don't look any different." "You wouldn't." Her grandfather agreed with a nod. "Because Wicky has been resetting the charms that keep your appearance human, it doesn't work well on your eyes which is why they change when you use your voice with intent. It's kind of like a Minstrel calling card." He murmured in amusement, his own periwinkle eyes sparkling at the thought.

"I'm not…human." Lyra repeated the words, believing the moment they were spoke out loud she might actually…faint or something. But no, oddly enough she felt relieved. Right somehow, like a piece of her was finally settling into place. "Half-human." Daniel assured with a smirk and shrugged, completely uncaring and Lyra smiled slightly.

'Neither am I.." He whispered in her ear and Lyra resisted the urge to scowl because the stupid voice was talking to her again. "No one asked you..'

'But you wanted too.."

Damn it he was right. She had wanted to ask if he wasn't half-human like her family. Apparently he wasn't which wasn't nearly as unsettling as it should have been.

"Why does he talk to me?" Lyra demanded waving her hand in impatience, in a small display of insolence only she could get away with. "I know it's the female thing again, but why only the women?" Daniel looked at her solemnly shaking his head. "Because you're closely connected to him one in the same you might say. Now, start by using his name." Oh great, that again! She didn't know his name, why did everyone just assume she knew it!? It wasn't like they introduced themselves. He just kind of new who she was and she knew he was a creepy disembodied voice that would never shut up.

'I told you I have a body, I believe you humans would find it pleasing. They did in the old days'

Lyra wasn't even going to get into that now. There was way too much to say to that. And being naturally curious by nature she would want to see it. She growled (actually growled) the sound deadly as it echoed off the walls causing her to shiver and she was the one who growled! "What was that!?" She squeaked looking around waiting for someone to burst in wand blazing.

"You." Her grandfather shrugged rummaging through his pockets determinedly. "I know that, since when do I growl!?" "Since you're transformation, you sounded scary too. Good for you. I had to practice a bit before I could get the hang of it…" He winked playfully and Lyra snorted. Yeah right.

"Here we are…" He murmured pulling out something gold and glittery from his pocket, holding it up by the disconnected ends.

It was a necklace, sort of. Actually it more resembled a collar in her eyes. But it was beautiful all the same causing her to momentarily forget she was annoyed and restless.

The middle was an upside-down triangle made of what looked like solid gold. The triangle held small almost unnoticeable carvings that looked intricate as the small vines were curled together. From the end of the point was a circular gem, outlined in gold, which she recognized as dragons breath as the stone was deep blue with magenta swirls in the middle. She could almost detect amber in it as well, the three colors of a dragons flame. The rest of it, the actual part that would circle the neck was eight pieces (four on each side of the middle triangle) of semi-thick gold that looked like serpent bodies braided together meeting the thick gold middle piece. Each gold body looked to be painstakingly carved with little scales not to mention all eight bodies (four on each side) glittered slightly in the light. Sniffing she could tell they'd been dusted in moonstone and amber. The clasp (which wasn't connected) looked like an hourglass, filled with soft black sand, broken in half that seemed to screw together.

"Where did you get that…" Lyra whispered reaching out to touch it. It wasn't as cold as it looked; it was surprisingly warm as if it had a life of its own. She could feel the thrums of power; it practically pulsated with its own heartbeat as she withdrew her fingers. It was scary as hell truth be told. "The vaults." Daniel said simply with a small smirk.

Lyra nodded. Ah yes, the vaults. Which were really heavily guarded catacombs done up with even some medieval muggle traps under the MacKade mansion. It was extensive and she'd only been down their once on her fifth birthday to receive the Ocarina. If this was there, she didn't dare think of what else could be as well. "Spin 'round love."

"What!? I have to wear that?" Her fingers curled around her neck protectively. She wasn't sure she wanted the piece even if it was pretty. It had its own creepy heartbeat. Daniel grinned and nodded. "It'll act much like your other seal did. This one however will shield you from those trying to find you." "Yeah because you know a big, gold, glittery collar doesn't give anything away. I'm not a dog." Lyra muttered refusing to turn around. He laughed and shook his head. "I meant from magical means. It will hide your scent as well. And no, you're not a dog. Taking guesses for your other half?" Lyra scowled and after a moment's hesitation, spun around and held up her hair.

"Anything else I should know?" Lyra muttered sarcastically as her grandfather placed her new…collar on. "Well…" She sighed in frustration. She could tell this was going to be one of those times where it was 'sorry lyra-love can't tell you because that would tell you what you other half is and that just can't happen.'

"Only two things can remove it now." Daniel commented as he moved to stand in front of her. "Which are?" He grinned and kissed the top of her head, before side stepping and moving to the door. "Death, or the touch of your mate. " Lyra cringed and glared. Daniel laughed as he slipped out of the room.

"Because everyone wants a piece of jewelry on until they die." She muttered turning to see a fresh uniform laid out for her and a changing screen off to the side all set up. Spinning again she jumped in surprise to see the mattress they'd used morphing back into its original state and her grandfather's cane popping out of the room.

Rolling her eyes she gathered her things moving behind the screen.

'Now we can talk all the time...' He whispered in her mind mockingly and Lyra scrunched her nose in distaste.

"Remind me how that's a good thing? Go to sleep or something…I have things to do…'

"Two things to do if I'm not mistaken…'

"Bite me."

"Only if you ask nicely…"

I know, I'm evil. I just wanted to dedicate the next chapter to the explanation so its not explanation, explanation ya know? So next chapter it will be explaining what she did to them