Magic in the Moonlight

CHAPTER Thirty Six

Several days passed in 12 Grimmauld place as things slowly descended into some sort of normality. Molly had set up a cleaning routine that the inhabitants had to follow strictly if the building was to be somewhat hospitable. There was dust, vermin of the vicious kind and a generally dark feeling to the entire building. It was their goal to make it somewhat more homely since the Order would be basically living there as well as using it as a base. Sirius and Remus had been roped into cleaning out the vermin that had infested the curtains, no one else daring to get too near them for fear of being bitten by the doxies that infested them. Molly had brought the rest of the Weasley family and Hermione to help clean out the large living room, the younger ones not looking at all pleased but Molly's piercing looks had them at work. Both Fred and George had passed their Apparating tests and of course were Apparating everywhere they could around the house without need much to their mother's annoyance.

With hands on hips, Molly observed the group at their cleaning until she heard someone drawing closer to her. Looking back it was to find Lyra descending the steps. Rather than her usual outfit she was dressed in a pair of khaki trousers along with a white sleeveless blouse. She didn't seem to mind that quite a number of her scars were on display along her arms and neck, her black hair tied back in a small tail apart from her fringe and the long white lock of hair to the right side of her face. Her cousin could tell something was different other than her usual dress style but chose not to question her, rather handing her a rag to use and a pair of gloves.

"Time to help out Lyra, if you're living here you can help clean it up."
"Yes boss," Lyra mock saluted her but took the rag and donned the gloves before entering the room, Molly arching an eyebrow at her before shaking her head.

With rag in hand, Lyra set to work on the piano by the fireplace, dusting it off and cleaning at the ivory keys that were caked in dust. An hour wasted by with their cleaning before it was decided to call for a break. Sirius had glanced back at Lyra before at Remus with an arched eyebrow, noting that rather than their distance, the two seemed to be acting normal…apart from not being together. As Remus caught his look he merely answered with that they were giving each other space. Sirius could have sworn the two had sorted everything out the other day when he had left them to talk! He was worried about his two friends who he was used to seeing together, slowly drifting apart.

Lyra had thought long and hard about what Remus had said and was trying to see it as a good thing. He had not said 'I don't want to see you anymore' nor did he say that he no longer loved her, but the fact that he had suggested that they take things slow again was somewhat numbing. She tried to see that it would end positively, that they would hopefully see once again how much they loved and needed each other, but Lyra began to wonder why. How long had she technically been with Remus? Since their last two years of Hogwarts. It had been a long, long time and what had they gotten from their relationship really? Maybe it was because they had been living during a War, but then again Lily and James hadn't seemed to care, getting married and starting a family. Maybe it was because they were werewolves, but at the time her status was still a secret and so the public did not know. Hell, at the time she had pushed away her feelings for Severus and things still hadn't progressed between them! And now she was back to her split heart she found herself more alone than ever. It was times like this she really missed Lily, her friend that she could always talk to and would usually steer her towards the right path. Where was she meant to go from here? So unsure about how to start again, Lyra had at least stopped avoiding him but now knew not what to say to him. And in a strange way she was beginning to regain her old self, she hadn't realised how much she had changed until Remus has said something, and it hadn't just been since she had returned to Hogwarts, it had been since the day of Lily and James' death. She had never been truly herself after that day for a number of reasons but now she was determined to at least reclaim a small part of her old self. Knowing what lay in the future though, maybe…maybe this was for the better after all.

Humming to herself quietly as she entered the kitchen, Lyra noticed Moody had appeared along with Tonks and several other members from the Order. Upon seeing her, her old mentor motioned for her to join them.

"We're going to pick up Potter, I want you on our tails in case they try to catch us from behind."
Lyra couldn't help but chuckle, "sure thing although I doubt there will be."

The scolding look she got from her mentor shut her up but she still smirked and shook her head when he looked away. As she headed for the door with the others, Molly called out to her.

"Oh, here dear!" she passed Lyra a sandwich before patting her shoulder, "dinner will be ready by the time you get back but I'm not having you leave on an empty stomach."

"Thanks Molly," she bit into the sandwich gratefully as she passed by Severus as he entered, arching an eyebrow at her.

"There is something I wish to discuss with you," he spoke quietly to her surprise, she hoped it was nothing bad as she nodded.

"I'll be back when we've picked up Harry…anything I should be worried about?"

The look he gave her almost made the bottom of her stomach drop out. Grimacing, she nodded before quickly following Moody out of the house.

They all Apparated to a small suburban street Lyra had only visited a few times. As they marched towards the door of the Dursley's home, Tonks having sent them a letter to get them out of the house, Lyra stepped in front of Moody.

"Maybe you should let me do this, I've been here before."
He grunted but motioned for her to get on with it, his eyes darting around as if expecting Voldemort himself to jump out at them. As Lyra unlocked the door silently, Tonks snuck in also and whistled quietly.

"Wow these muggles are so…clean!"

"Trust me, it's only these muggles," Lyra informed her before heading up the steps and unlocking Harry's bedroom door, watching it swing open only to find the teenager stood there, wand at the ready.

"Professor Moody? Lyra?" he blinked before gratefully embracing his Godmother making her chuckle lightly.

"We're here to pick you up," she answered, "get your things."
"And hurry it up!" Moody growled, his magical eye roaming the room before he limped out and back down the stairs allowing many other nosey people to peer in at Harry.

Helping her Godson pack his things, he glanced sideways at her with a small frown.

"I was worried…I haven't heard anything from you or Sirius for a while. Ron and Hermione don't seem to say anything in their letters…"
"I know," she patted his shoulder as she flicked her wand at his now packed trunk, said item floating down the stairs ahead of them, "we've been told to be careful with what we say, you never know whose reading the mail after all."

He seemed to believe this as he nodded, walking with her down the stairs until they were outside the house and onto the drive before Tonks could break anything. She had always been far too curious over muggle things. Lyra had met the young Auror when Moody had taken her on as his student. A number of times she had been asked to tag along to help the woman out and teach her from her own experience also. All in all she saw Tonks as a friend, a fellow student of Mad-Eye Moody, and she had forgotten all about the little hiccough where she had tripped in Grimmauld Place and Remus had caught her. Truly it had been nothing and she couldn't believe she had actually felt jealous because of it. As Moody summoned their brooms, Lyra caught hers as it appeared from thin air it seemed before mounting it just as the others did.

"Stick tight to Harry," Moody barked to them all, "Lyra keep up the rear. On three….one, two, three!"

With that they all took off into the sky, flying across rooftops as they headed towards Grimmauld place, the night sky providing perfect cover for them. Lyra held up the rear of the formation, Moody at the head whilst the others surrounded Harry on either side. He and Tonks seemed to be having fun as they raced around a cruise ship they passed but they were soon gaining height once again. The wind whipped past her face as she concentrated on the skies before her. True it was a strange phobia for a Quidditch player to have, a fear of heights, but she had long since learned how to combat it by focusing on things around her but not below, usually concentrating on other things helped but when she was suddenly and unexpectedly lifted up she would feel the familiar fear. James used to poke fun at her for it.

It was nearing Midnight by the time they finally touched down outside Grimmauld place and she could see Harry was beginning to look rather cold after all the flying they had done through the clouds. With broom in one hand, she wrapped an arm round his shoulders in an effort to warm him up, her Godson shooting her a small grateful smile as he shivered before they were directed into the building that squeezed into life. Disposing of their brooms as they entered, she guided Harry down the hallway before motioning up the stairs to him and heading into the kitchen, knowing that a meeting was currently being held inside. Taking a seat opposite the two remaining Marauder members, Sirius catching a glimpse of Harry before Molly shut the door behind them, he turned his attention to her instead.

"Is he alright?"
"As well as any kid whose worst nightmares have come true," Lyra sighed before turning her eyes to Dumbledore who was leading the meeting as usual, "but he'll be fine…hopefully."

The meeting passed rather quickly, mostly revolving around Sirius and Severus arguing once again as they discussed what Voldemort might be looking for. Severus argued that Lucius Malfoy had shown an unhealthy interested in the Department of Mysteries but Sirius was sure to cut in that there was no reason for him to infiltrate said place. Before she knew it the meeting was over and soon enough Dumbledore had left to her confusion. She had thought he would have at least wanted to speak to Harry but she turned to Severus as he inclined his head to the side. Sirius was glaring at him still until she shot him a pointed look.

"What is it you wanted to tell me?" she asked in quiet tones so as not to be overheard.

Severus' dark eyes glanced around the room before back at her, speaking in a similar quiet voice.

"Narcissa Malfoy has…expressed a desire to meet with you in a few days' time."

Lyra blinked in surprise, not having expected that to be the important issue. For a moment she stared at him with an open mouth before frowning.
"Narcissa? Why?"

Sure she was related to the woman but she had never really spoken to her often, having only met her a few times and mostly because of Lucius Malfoy. The idea of her wanting to meet her was somewhat worrying indeed.

"She seemed to believe that being old friends I would persuade you to meet with her for reasons unknown," he smirked lightly at her arched eyebrow.

"Are you going to persuade me?" she couldn't help but chuckle, "I have to say the idea of meeting up with my charming Malfoy relatives is not promising."

The tall, dark wizard rolled his eyes as if not amused but she cut him off before he could say anything remotely snarky.

"Alright I'll go…but only if you're there too."
Now it was his turn to arch an eyebrow at her before frowning curiously, "and why is that?"

"Well it sounds like you were invited anyway but I'm not going there alone."

After a moment of staring at her thoughtfully he sighed, sounding annoyed at being dragged into such affairs but she knew the sigh meant she had won him over. Grinning up at him she patted his arm lightly.

"Thanks Sev, should I drop by yours before we go?"

"If you must, you insufferable woman," he almost growled, already beginning to regret agreeing to go along with her before dark eyes met hers once more, "are you…well?"

Blinking in surprise she couldn't help the small smile that fell onto her face at the sound of his concern.

"No worse than usual," Lyra remarked quietly.

With that he left the building along with a few other Order members who were not stopping for dinner. Returning to the table, Sirius shot her a dirty look while she noticed Remus was determinedly not looking at her, looking rather hard at the book in his hands despite the fact he hadn't changed pages in the last ten minutes.

"What was all that about?" Sirius asked curiously, "you and Snivellus were all hushed up over there."

"Why, jealous Snuffles?" she shot back a little harsh, not liking how he had returned to using the horrid nickname for Severus, "and can't I talk to a friend anymore? You do know it's none of your business what I was talking to Sev about."

She didn't notice how Remus' hands were gripping his book so tightly his knuckles had turned white and only the appearance of Harry seemed to relax him somewhat.

Sirius and Harry embraced warmly, the teen obviously having missed his Godfather greatly and the same was said for the older wizard. Lyra smiled warmly at the sight before Harry sat down with them all, Moody motioning for Kingsley to show Harry the Daily Prophet they had discarded earlier. As to be expected he was not happy at the words that had been written about him and Dumbledore, clearly not understanding why no one would believe Voldemort had returned.

"You don't know what it was like last time Harry," Lyra answered him, "Voldemort created a darkness over the wizarding world that no one wants to see again, it's not a surprise they want to believe it's not true."

"But why? Surely they would want to know about the danger?" Harry frowned.

"Last time Voldemort almost destroyed everything that we hold dear," Remus surprisingly added, looking at Harry squarely, "people will do stupid things because of fear."

It was Sirius' turn to speak, his sombre tones fitting the conversation perfectly than his usual boyish attitude.
"Voldemort has been recruiting heavily, and not just witches and wizards. Just like last time he had all manner of dark creatures, and we are trying to do the same…but it is not the only thing we are doing," he glanced up at the table, ignoring Moody as he cleared his throat, "we believe he is looking for something, something he didn't have last time."
"What? Like a weapon?" asked the young bespectacled wizard just as Molly Weasley finally interrupted.

"That's enough! You say anymore and you might as well induct him into the order."

"Well why not?" Harry exclaimed, looking up at Molly as she took away the Daily Prophet before back at Sirius, "if you're going to fight Voldemort I want to fight too!"

Sirius sat back with a grin while Molly glared at him, turning to her cousin with a similar look.

"Say something Lyra!"

"Naivety is more of a curse than a blessing," the raven haired witch answered, "Harry deserves to know and, as I keep being reminded, he's a grown boy who can make his own decisions. Sure he's not old enough to technically join…that doesn't mean he should be kept out of the loop."

"I do not believe this!" her Weasley cousin did not seem amused by her tactful way of saying that Molly had no say in Harry's decisions.

Sure Lyra was not agreeing that Harry should be in the thick of the Order, after all none of them had joined until they were at least of age, but she did not like the idea of Harry being kept in the dark. After all she knew the feeling very well and sometimes it could have devastating consequences.