When the obsidian locked onto emerald, it was the last thing she caught before he had to spirit away again. There was a graceful flash, and from deep black flew a drape of the finest violet she had ever seen into the fine morning air like a rubber band being shot straight up. Lyra honestly stared into the skies for a moment, but Prince was already gone from their sights. But just as he said, she had to be sure of herself if the days were going to grow tougher. He was sure in her self confidence, and so she had to believe the same. Very soon she would see him and even now, she was not being set off on her own.

Hagrid was an interesting creature as it became even stranger when they returned to the old pub. Her stomach dropped again, recalling the turban-wearing one who outright called her out before.

"There, there, y'wouldn't be wantin' to go on late, would ya?" Hagrid warmly asked as he kept the door open for her.

"Thank you!" she smiled, sprinting right on in.

"I say it's time for a meal~" he suggested, setting her case down by a thick table. "We 'ave only an hour and a half before y'gone off. Best to keep yer wits about or he will have me head on a platter,"

Hearing that made Lyra's stomach grumble, despite the endless questions filling her mind. As it was usual. She chuckled, taking her seat across from him. It was a shock that he was able to fit in the booth.

"Thank you, for taking me today, sir-"

"Ah-nah worries, an' by the way, call me 'Agrid."

Lyra was then greeted with such a bright smile that was absolutely contagious. Seeing her smile was something that touched the Giant, touched deeply by the girl's shared optimism. Which was a rare gem to find during times like this. Now that arrangements were underway, this was a good time to know her a little more. At least to a certain degree because there will be plenty of more time for that. Considering the sensitive situation she was in with the professor, he knew exactly what to do should a shady situation should happen here. The first thing was first, the lass must have been hungry after all the worry and strife. It was obvious that Prince had certain regulations set for her because it seemed that was waiting for permission to speak, at first. Until he nodded though.

"Aye, don' be 'fraid now."

"I'm not, Hagrid," she replied, with a shred of relief. "Actually, I know you know him… He trusts you."

It was a shocking fact because Prince hardly trusted anyone with her, none at all. With her especially.

"It be quite the novel, I'd wager~ but perhaps I's speak too much. I take it ya still hun'ry fer a bit o' chowder. We 'ave only two hours til y'off yer way."

The pub had a different air about it, a lot so since she was with Prince at Diagon. No one was around really, except them. It was quiet with the small tune of a lute playing off somewhere. It honestly made her eyes droop, it was so relaxing.

"Yes, Hagrid… That does sound good." she answered, although feeling a little distant as she was admiring the silver band on her finger. Honestly, it felt like it had a heat to it.

"Anythin' botherin', lass?" Hagrid worried a little.

"Oh, I'm not supposed to say much. He was really… serious about it."

"Aye, I's know that well too. Perhaps I shan't spea' too much on it."

Lyra peered over her shoulder for a second before sighing while dwelling in thoughts. "Things are so different now. I do not know what to make of it yet." she smiled a half lit smile, fondly looking back for a moment. "Yeah, um…" Lyra was relieved when two wood bowls had come magically to their table in mid air. "… I am a little hungry,"

"I though' you'd be… Just a quick'on before we 'ead in.

"I have a bad habit of not eating in the morning," she admitted. "Annoys him to no end,"

"Aye, we migh' be able to fix that no prob'm!"

The taste of the corn chowder was so good and it warmed her from deep down to the tips of her toes. Yet again, her expression spoke a volume that ultimately alerted her guide right off the bat.

"What did he tell ye now?"

She looked up, with her green eyes wide for one moment. "Secrets." was all she could say out of the anxiety held in her chest. "…I know that he's worried about me. I'm just —"

Once again, she trailed off when she felt a pang in her heart. One thing she could not do to him was to ever speak upon anything relating to the past. Those loving words of her mother, in another dream… It kept her wondering. Nervously, she fiddled with the new ring about her finger still.

"Ah-ah, dun' let that hint o' doubt plague ya, lassie. He loves ya. Even more than we all gi' im credit fer. Er, one thing to consider, 'ow hard life was…"

Twiddling with the ring, she listened deeply to those words before fiddling with the wooden spoon in her bowl. "I worry," she began once more, unconciously stroking a spot on her chest beneath her shirt. Something Hagrid was eyeing, very carefully.

"All will be well, lassie. Soo' enough."

"I know they will be. I am only wondering… do you know about the one who … who did this to me?" Lyra asked, knowing that there was more to the story than what she was told. Prince's passionate defense for her in her dreams, her mother's poem, Prince's own mark, it all began to make more sense and she wanted to learn more. Hagrid's deep brown eyes grew ever wider at the question which made her wince.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"Nah, nah… Sure Orphie had tol' ya all about it."

"Orphie?" Lyra tried to suppress a chuckle. "I'm pretty sure he's not fond of nicknames~"

"Come and know a mate, t'ings tend to stick," the Giant laughed out and she joined in.

"I take it that this is another secret for me to keep."

"Betcha~ All seriousness now though… A'much as I like a good one like that, this one went as bad as you can go. I reckon you've been enlightened slight now?"

"A bit, I'm afraid."

"Yer sire had a score wit' him some years ago. Against someone this reckless, dangerous… So dangerous that no one wou' dare to cross."

"But he's not around now, is he? O-otherwise, father- I mean… he wouldn't have let me go today."

"Er, perhaps, where ya were now may not have been safe. Ya've turned 11 now. The ripe age for learnin' magic."

"Always, he was there for me, always… when my parents couldn't. This… person - he killed them, didn't he?"

"I fear this may be too harsh on ya," Hagrid painfully replied, seeing the tears welling up in her eyes. "Both ya have been through enough~ Best keep our heads up though. You has quite the day ahead."

"I know, I know… I just wanted to be sure that it wasn't just us alone in it. If you know too than I do feel better. I shouldn't say much else,"

"Now, we dun' want ya to worry, miss. He's got an all manner o' help with him that made all this possible. It al depends on who ya know. Where to go, an' so on. Don't think for one minute that I has no clue of the li'l trinket y'bear." Hagrid then began to whisper, although they were entirely alone. It was never bad to be too careful.

She held it close, protectively. "He only wanted to… Please, you cannot tell anyone~"

"Indee' not. Secret's safe with me, always. Knowin' him, he's known as a particularly tough professor~ Besides bein' Debuty. Were always wise beyond his years. Known 'im since he wa' yer age, miss. To be trusted with you in his absence i'rather considered a'great honor. Y'see, he has been on vi'ous paths, seen ma'y things that no one of his age should ever see. It hardened 'im, so much. Ever since that day which they took 'im. He tried to steer free, but they took him. Ther' weren't much I could do…"

"You mean those… those people. That helped~"

"Folk call him You-Know-Who or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

Lyra felt her eyes heat up as she listened, not aware of the fact that a tear ran down her cheek. Prince was always holding a lot inside to the point that she would feel it in his magic back at the house. Lyra was confident in his love though. It was profound. Whatever was hurting him, he protected her from it. When they shared their Marks, it made her feel so much better about who she was and why. This terrible man, who ruined both of their lives, seemed like that he was still alive. The fact that her wand had a twin was a still upsetting to her.

"I know what he did. Prince never believed in secrets between us, so I always knew. Not until I was old enough to understand, anyway." Lyra hummed, stroking the enchanted jewel. "Ever since my real mum and dad— It was always just us. It's hard to talk about it-" she sighed, at last, hoping that her eyes weren't showing too much.

She looked down to the floor.

"Ah, easy now, lass… It ain't all bad. Both ya got this far an' we must all charge forth. He's taught ya well, and will keep doing so."

That was one fact that made her truly smile.

"So that explains a lot that you know him so well," she chuckled. "… he would never allow me to be a mile close to strangers. You are the first he's… ever allowed me to talk to. I like you, Hagrid. Very much, honestly. My first friend, perhaps?" she asked, as if for permission, which came off as odd to the Giant.

"Aren't you a'sweet one~ Absolutely!"

Felix fluttered in his cage, twittering, as if in a fit of jealousy which prompted the two to laugh.

"Oh come on, Felix, I would never forget you." Lyra smiled, before having the bird rest next to her for a moment on the thick table. "I could share that before you came and I was getting all ready, he flew out and landed on his head in the kitchen…"

"Codswallop!"

"I thought I could just about die~ after seeing his face! Said he'd take him back if he did it again, but I knew he was lying~ Orpheus likes you too, Felix. I can tell."

Ultimately, as to how her life was going so far, Lyra almost couldn't imagine more changes. For now, being in a strange, new place with new people and magic was coming her way, the moment she would step on. The lingering sorrow she shared with the Guardian was a puzzle to be solved further down the road. Right now, today, she had a chance to see things for herself, while minding the warnings she was given. Being well aware of the apparent threats and reason behind why Prince did the things he had to do in order to keep her so well hidden since she was a baby. Magic was more of an old friend to them, and this was only a door opening up that she had to easily step through. Unspoken, a secret, Lyra felt loved through her Guardian's works. Boredom was nothing, now that she knew the truth. It was all for her safety and now she was ready. He knew she was ready long before she even realized…

As soon as her bowl was empty, the time was coming dangerously near for their time to find the entrance Prince had requested they should use in order to get to the station, rather than through all of London. Eager to explore all this, Hagrid had soon come facing a shop of sorts. In a way, it looked as though they were about to walk through the old trunk of an ancient tree-like sort of the building, that differed from all the rest in Diagon Alley. A Ward, as her Sire referred to, seemed to away from all the fuss and bother. She would not be too far off if Prince himself had made this one too.

"This is it. In a moment, we shall step through to King's Cross." Hagrid mentioned. "Y'ready?"

"No more ready than I was this morning," she replied and that was not saying much, likened to her own eyes betraying her.

Seeing the slight hesitation in the girl, Hagrid's face lit up, remembering something important. "Ah! Here- this is your ticket. Stick to it, lass, er else the Prince will have me beheaded, heh~"

"That makes two of us!" she cringed in agreement as she took the small piece of parchment out of his thick hand. Yet, upon reading the exact location, Lyra was instantly confused. "Wha-wait… H-hagrid?"

"Hm?"

"Nine and Three Quarters?"

"Aye."

"…there's no such thing. I don't think. I'm not that much of a hermit but aren't they supposed to be single-numbered?"

"Ye lot's been hanging around the Muggles fer too much~ We 'ave a very special way to Hogwarts." Hagrid winked before giving the estranged door a shove.

Feeling her heart beating a mile a minute, with Felix in hand, she followed him through. When she expected darkness, all it came down to was a massive crowd of people. There were so many that Lyra shied behind Hagrid, even when he had her by the hand. Before they knew it, without even crossing through the shifty streets of London, they were instantly at said station. The door they stepped through was already gone from sight. With this being her very first time here, her heart leaped with joy that they were mere steps closer. Just as Prince had promised her, many a time… she was about to step on.

Onward, was the proper word.

King's Cross was a massive place, even compared to someone has mighty as Hagrid. The ceiling arched so high that it hurt her neck entirely just to look up at it. Everywhere she looked, there were families, businessmen and frantic kids and mothers alike all dashing to and fro, not even noticing how oddly they stood out~ especially in Hagrid's case. He did not seem to care for the matter at all.

Without uttering any word or question, she clutched her ticket and his beefy hand as though her life depended on it. At once, they acquired a cart meant to hold the rest of her belongings as if this was a typical, day to day, thing. Once all that nonsense was done, without her needing to say much, they only kept walking with the muttering friend of her Guardian muttering tiny curses to himself as other people kept staring. It made her want to laugh, to be perfectly honest.

Being quick-like, she kept pushing her cart and all the while keeping her eyes peeled for that strange station number. Tried as she might and she could not spy it off the cuff~ Just as she thought, she figured that it was another hidden secret. If she was logical in her own little way, she could say that Prince would have just as eluding to this unlikeable crowd because some words were muttered that were not very kind at the very least. The good part of today was not worrying about those dreams anymore.

Despite all the eyes aiming at them with such forms of displeasure, her focus was broken off upon a sudden when Hagrid seemed to have stopped in his tracks.

"S-sir?" she naturally asked, off the habit.

"Hush hush now~" he whispered, looking a little restless at first while checking something in one of his jacket pockets. It worried her for a moment but chose wisely to not ask. "We're here lass, but there is just one las' thing we've got t'do,"

"Which is…?" she asked, cautiously with a risen brow.

"Y'see that there?" Hagrid casually pointed at this apparent hard brick wall with people passing by with not a care in the world. She focused on this supposed wall and there was obviously nothing special about it. Unless…

"Gotta walk through it, we must~ Without bein' con'picuous."

"Walk through— Wait, it's a wall?" Lyra had a half-lit smile.

She cannot count how many doors she had to pass through, in a single day alone. But usually, they were ones hidden well. This, however, was in plain view of non-magical folk and there was one lingering question left. How were they going through this without being seen? That felt like a trick question…

"I am not thoroughly surprised," she joked a little.

"Min' as well make it a brisk jog then…"

"If you say so," was her dry reply, clearly having been in the presence of the one dark worn wizard for too long. After all, it made the Giant crack a smile.

"Like father, like daughter~ Now, Muggle folk 'round here cannot make the difference between me and the mutts they walk. Fer now, you will dash righ' on in, while I go and tend to a meetin'. Very top secret."

"I am accustomed to last minutes," Lyra spoke, with a light hum of disappointment in her voice.

"Nah, the important part was to get ye as close as possible. Once y've stepped through all by yer onesy self, you'll be righ'as rain, y'are."

"I'll take your word for it, sir. I- thank you." Lyra smiled at Hagrid as he shifted his old vest up a little more comfortably. "Will I see you again?"

That warmed his heart as if it wasn't warmed up already towards the girl. He did not know her through and through yet, but knowing that she desired friendship meant more to him that he thought.

"Now, I'll give ye the go fer, aye? All ya gotta do is walk righ' on through. Ya will see me when you arrive safe at Hogwarts… Now be the time for some minglin'," he winked.

Lyra smiled up to him before staring, unblinkingly, at the intimidating wall, but why was she so nervous right now? It did not make much sense unless it was the judgemental stares starting to get to her. She nodded for Hagrid's signal. As soon as he ushered a hand forward, she did her best to ignore all the presences around her and pushed forward at the wall. Felix gripped his perch hard. Naturally, Lyra shut her eyes when she felt that it was too close, yet with a rush like wind going over her head, she felt the need to open them again.

Before she knew it, when she stopped to find the source of that sound, Lyra looked and saw where she truly was… facing a locomotive that differed colorfully from the others she spied on passing by. She blinked at the place before she looked back at the supposed door.

All she saw was a lone old brick wall.

Feeling the small band around her finger warm up upon a sudden, it woke her up enough to finally see where she was. One sign caught her, that spoke out the same as her ticket…

Platform 9 3/4

In plain view, there it was, among a crowd that differed so much from the other… Lyra could only stare at other families and children, her own age, walking and gawking about as if this was the norm…

Lyra Prince was lectured within the confinements of an old residence that was full of love and care if that wasn't strange to explain in that way. A part of her longed to go back… What if she could not find that same thing within the walls of a mighty castle? Naturally, she was nervous about making friends, but she had to try… As she stood still, the whistle of the train engine brought her back to the present day. Carefully, and with the ring subtly growing warmer, she glanced down at the charmed ring that she wore upon requested and pushed forward. The ticket in her hand flittered in the wind as she passed mingling families.

One of them looked to be in a bit of a frazzled hurry… A whole group of people with blooming red hair, one of them being someone she waved at while back at that little book shoppe. In a bout of excitement, she followed close to them, springing out a spirited 'hello!' while she was at it!

Once she got the attention of the second youngest of the five, Lyra stopped the cart, positively out of the breath.

"Oh!" this fidgety but warm little woman of the group was the first to speak to her, at first seeming a little worried. "You lost, little one?"

"Oh, erm…" Lyra stammered, not expecting to be the center of attention. Which would be idiotic. "…h-hi, I'm R-… Lyra. Lyra Prince…" she shakily introduced herself to the group.

Granted, she was braver than she thought.