31st October 1981
"Muggle movies are so predictable, why do they always have one girl go off by herself in the haunted house?" Lyra scoffed, gesturing at the TV as she leaned back against Mason's chest, allowing him to gently stroke the curve of her stomach. Normally it tickled too much to let him do it but now the baby was kicking she didn't have the heart to stop him. He'd been so upset when she could feel them and he couldn't, but now they were stronger and he'd felt them too he spent most of his time seeing what the baby was up to.
"Because it's fun!" Mason protested, "You're way too cynical for horror movies."
"I just think you deserve to die if you're dumb enough to do half the things they've done," she sniffed, grabbing some more popcorn and ignoring his laughter.
"Sometimes I think you were sorted into the wrong house and then you say shit like that and it reminds me that no, Slytherin works," Mason teased and she whacked his arm lightly.
"Rude."
"But true," he countered, stealing some of her popcorn despite her protests. "It's a movie, it's made up, of course they're going to do some dumb things or the story wouldn't work!"
"Even so," she huffed, "At least make it believable, I'm not even scared of-"
She let out a small scream as someone started pounding on the door and clapped her hand over her mouth in panic even as Mason twisted away from her and grabbed his wand.
"LET ME IN!" Sirius screamed from their porch and they could half see his blurry face through the glass in the door. "PLEASE! LYRA!"
She got up shakily, her own wand in her hand tightly now as she stood behind Mason. "Do we let him in?"
"THEY'RE DEAD, THEY'RE DEAD, WE WERE BETRAYED, LET ME IN NOW! I NEED YOU!"
"Who's dead?" Mason croaked, but they both knew. There was no one else Sirius would be referring to.
Lyra covered her mouth again as she stared between Mason and the door. "Do we let him in?" Sirius' begging continued in the background.
Mason's expression flickered and then hardened as he looked back at her. "I think I could kill him before he hurt us, if it came to that. Do you want to let him in?"
She nodded slowly and Mason locked eyes with her before he unlocked their door and opened it.
Sirius practically fell into the flat, slamming the door shut behind him before turning on them.
"Are you both okay?" he panted, his eyes wild, nostrils flared like a cornered animal. His hair was the messiest Lyra had ever seen and there was something about his behaviour that had the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Mason stepped quickly between them, keeping Sirius' focus on him and not her. He doubted Sirius was here to hurt them, but he wasn't risking it. Not when everything was crashing down around them.
"We're both okay. You have thirty seconds to explain before I throw you back out again," he said, his voice hard and unflinching.
"Peter, Pettigrew did it, I thought it was Remus, or someone else, but it was Pettigrew," Sirius hissed, eyes darting around like they might have the man hidden somewhere in their living room. "I was Secret Keeper for James and Lily, it was me, but we thought it was too obvious, of course I'd do that for them, so we switched to Pettigrew, I convinced them that he was safest, that we could trust him-" Sirius' voice broke and his legs gave way as he sank to the floor. "He betrayed us, he must've switched sides. He was the one who told them Dorcas would be there, who told them you'd changed your wards, he killed Marlene, he… he told them where James and Lily were, he led them right to Harry and now – now they're dead."
"Is Harry…" Lyra whispered, lowering herself to the floor next to Sirius much to Mason's unhappiness.
"Harry survived," Sirius breathed, "I don't know how, I… I went there, I felt it somehow, the house is... it was blown apart, something went wrong, Harry was there crying, James and Lily were – just gone, just lying there, it was a killing curse, it had to be," Sirius said, somehow still talking and even he wasn't sure how he was still functioning as the last of his world came crashing down.
"I have to find him."
"Who? Harry?" Mason frowned, crouching down too, one hand on Lyra's back as a warning to Sirius just in case. He was taking no chances now, this wasn't a time for carelessness.
"Pettigrew," Sirius snarled, lifting his burning eyes to Mason's. He shivered at the depth of hatred in them.
"Sirius, don't," Lyra whispered, reaching out for her brother. Sirius moved away. "You can't just go after him! He'll be with Voldemort, he'll be protected, they'll know that you know, you can't – it'd be a suicide mission!"
"I'm going to kill him," Sirius said firmly, his voice eerily calm as he turned to look at her. "I'm going to end him and end this war. If Voldemort doesn't have his information then he can't get to us anymore. We can figure the rest out afterwards."
"Please don't," she sobbed, wrapping her arms around herself and watching helplessly from the floor, as Sirius stood, face hard. "Please, Sirius, stay here, find Harry, stay here with us, don't do this."
"Sirius, listen," Mason added, seeing how distressed she was and knowing this couldn't be helping anything. "She's right, you'll only get yourself killed."
"If I take him with me then that's enough," he snapped, "You can't stop me. You shouldn't want to – this is for your family too. For Lene."
"I'd rather you alive and I know she would too," Mason snapped, "You'd rather run off and find a murderer than stay here and help? You have a godson that you should be going back for, you're going to have a niece or nephew, you have responsibilities, you idiot. No one else needs to die, no more, Sirius."
Sirius stepped backwards defiantly and Lyra sobbed louder, stepping forwards to close the gap.
"Sirius, please stay," she croaked, "Don't do it, I can't lose you too."
"Tell them who did it, tell them it was Pettigrew and send someone after me. Not that I'll need back up. You really think he can beat me in a duel? He can barely tie his own shoelaces," he sneered.
"I think you're insane, stop this, Sirius," Mason snapped, trying to get Lyra to sit down on the sofa again.
"No," he snapped, "Lock your doors or go to headquarters or the Ministry, I don't care, but you're not stopping me. Keep yourselves safe."
"If you're going then at least let me go with you, you don't have the training, Sirius, don't do this alone!"
"He was my best friend," Sirius screamed, the air exploding with his rage, "He sold us out, he sold ME out, HE SOLD JAMES OUT, JAMES WHO TRUSTED HIM WITH HIS LIFE. WITH LILY'S LIFE, HARRY'S LIFE! I will find him, and I will kill him. And you're not going to stop me."
Mason nearly disarmed him then and there – he would not see Lyra reduced to wreck after losing someone else, she couldn't go through it again – but he was too late. By the time he'd raised his wand and fired, Sirius had already yanked the door open and apparated, leaving the door swinging on its hinges, the silence of the shattered Autumn night seeping into the flat.
Terrified that someone had been following Sirius, Mason slammed the door shut, his heart pounding in his chest as he turned back to Lyra. Sirius was gone, there was nothing he could do to stop him now – his priority was her.
"We need to find Moody," she cried, "We need to tell Alastor, he needs to know, so they can help Sirius and find Harry and stop Peter. We – we need to find Remus and tell him too, we have to do something!"
Mason crouched in front of her and gripped her hands tightly. "We'll do all of that, I promise," he said, trying to stop his voice from shaking, "We'll do it, but I need you to tell me honestly, not brush over it because you want to help – tell me honestly how you are."
She took a shaky breath and nodded, trying to stop her crying for a moment. "I'm okay. Dizzy, my back hurts, I feel exhausted, but only a little more than usual. I'm just in shock, I promise. I'm okay," she croaked, even though her eyes were fixed over his shoulder at the door her brother had just left through.
Mason sighed but he knew she wouldn't lie so he nodded and kissed her firmly. "Okay, we'll Floo to the Ministry and let them know. I don't suppose I can convince you to stay behind?"
"I don't want to be alone," she whispered, squeezing her eyes closed and trying not to think about whatever Sirius had found at that house. "Not now, not yet."
He nodded and kissed her again. "I understand that. I'll get your coat, we can go now."
"Thank you," she whispered, burying her face in her hands as she felt him move away.
The Auror Department was in chaos. Mason had run ahead once they were in the building to let Moody know what was going on but reports were coming in from Aurors all over that their targets were disappearing, suspected and known Death Eaters were fleeing, an attack that had evidently been a distraction technique to give the Dark Lord time to strike at the Potters had been abandoned half way through with no Auror casualties at all and several Death Eaters had already come forwards with names trying to save their skin. And yet no one could locate Voldemort.
By the time Lyra and Mason, who had run back to help her, made it to their office, it was becoming clear that something had gone very very wrong for Voldemort in Godric's Hollow. Moody had contacted Remus who had found the house and collected the screaming and bleeding but otherwise unharmed Harry from the rubble and they were now laying low. Mason wished they'd come to the Ministry so Remus didn't have to be alone in the wake of the news, but he understood – Voldemort had come for Harry, there was no reason to suggest that he was dead, and Harry needed to be hidden until they understood the situation.
Moody and Mason had forced Lyra to sit down, but she'd dragged her chair into the main room so that she could still keep up with what was going on and Mason wasn't about to fight with her when she was already looking pale.
"Moody, what's happening?" Mason demanded, pushing through the Aurors that had gathered. Moody had called everyone in, half expecting a surprise attack, worrying that all of this so far had been the real distraction before the Death Eaters attempted to take the Ministry, but so far there had been nothing and everyone was restless.
"Come here and see for yourself," Alastor called from the doorway of his office, leaning heavily on his cane, the injury seemingly painful tonight.
Mason glanced back and checked on Lyra, who caught his gaze and pulled herself up to follow. He waited for her to catch up, and then they headed in.
"Lucius Malfoy is here to see us," Moody said gruffly, his eye not moving from the blonde man in his dark robes. There was no mask to go with them, but it was quite clear where Malfoy had been last.
Lyra stiffened next to him, but her eyes darted past the man to the even blonder lady behind him, cradling a little boy in her arms.
"Cissy?" she whispered.
Narcissa Malfoy offered her a wan smile but stayed silent.
"Lucius had told us that he was under an Imperius Curse. That he was never willingly part of Voldemort's inner circle and that, in fact, he has reason to believe the cunt is dead," Moody said and when she finally dragged her eyes away from Narcissa, Lyra noticed that Moody's wand too was trained on her cousin in law. "Go on, Malfoy, tell Mason what you told me."
Lucius licked his lips and took a deep breath. "My… my Dark Mark. It has always burned since the day I took- I was forced to take it," he said, a commanding aura to his tone despite his situation. "But now? Nothing. Not for hours. It's not inactive, like it is when the Dark-Voldemort," he said, wincing at the use of the name, unfamiliar on his lips, "Like it is when Voldemort is busy elsewhere. It's just ink, no magic behind it, or barely any. I've never seen it this way."
"A Muggle in Godric's Hollow reported seeing a large flash of green light coming from the Potter's home, but the Killing Curse doesn't produce anything on the scale that they described. Any ideas?" Moody continued, looking at Lyra.
She felt his gaze and turned her red rimmed eyes to him. "A backfiring curse produces a flash of light the same colour as the intended spell but much larger," she said, her voice listless, reciting the answer from memory.
Moody smiled. "Confirming my suspicions. Voldemort tried to kill little Harry Potter, but he failed."
Narcissa flinched and held her baby closer. Lyra vaguely remembered that he was called Draco. "My husband and I," she said, her voice quiet but steady, "We believe this too. He failed and the curse killed him, or Lucius would surely feel his presence still. Voldemort is gone. And we're happy to cooperate with the Ministry, if they understand he did not choose this life. If they grant us clemency," she added, her voice only wobbling at the end.
Mason eyed the wandless Lucius carefully. He highly doubted that the man had been forced into this life, he highly doubted there had been torture or that he'd resisted as much as he could have. But they would need an informant if what Moody suggested was true. If the Death Eaters could be rounded up. If the war could be ended.
"Cissy," Lyra said, stepping out fully from behind Mason for the first time. Her cousin's eyes dropped down, noticing the curve of her stomach, her eyes widening. "Have… have you seen Regulus?"
Narcissa's expression softened and she reached up automatically to smooth her son's white hair. "No, Lyra, I'm sorry. I haven't seen him in months."
Lyra shuddered but nodded and Mason pulled her closer knowing she had to be exhausted.
Moody tugged them back outside, locking his office door and guiding her back over to her chair so she could sit down.
"Tell me again what Sirius said to you both," Moody demanded.
"Alastor, this can wait, she's barely standing," Mason snapped, "She's in shock, questioning her won't help anything."
"Then you answer – we don't have time, I'm sorry," Moody snapped back.
Mason clenched his jaw. "He said that he had been the Secret Keeper for James and Lily but they worried that it was too obvious, so he told them to switch to Peter. Logically, it's sound. Peter was less obvious than Sirius, it would be an extra layer of protection. No matter how much they tortured Sirius if they got him, he couldn't reveal the information because he was no longer the Keeper of it. Peter would then have time to get away. Except it would seem that the bastard caved. From what Sirius said, Peter must've betrayed us in May or June. Before… before Dorcas and the others."
Lyra's grip on Mason's hand tightened painfully and she squeezed her eyes shut.
"And then they switched after that?" Moody clarified.
"I don't know, Alastor," Mason said, shaking his head, "I don't know. But the switch happened and Peter betrayed the Potters. And now he's on the run and Sirius has gone after him."
"No one will believe that," Lyra whispered fearfully. "No one is going to believe that. My brother, House Black, suspicious behaviour, his girlfriend dead and him going 'mad' - over little Peter Pettigrew who lost a duel to a first year? Who do you think they'll believe is a Death Eater?"
Moody privately agreed with her. "Well we've got evidence to suggest otherwise now, don't we? We've sent some Aurors after Sirius and Pettigrew, but I'm afraid I don't know if they're in my pocket or Crouch's."
Mason looked grim. "And now we wait?"
"And now we wait," Moody nodded.
Hours passed with no news. Mason tried to get Lyra to lie down on the chairs in their office or go home to rest but she refused and she was too anxious to sleep anyway, her mind whirring constantly. He only calmed down once a Healer came over to check on her and confirmed that everything was as alright as they could expect, she was just run down and worrying. There was nothing they could do about that, so they just had to wait.
The clock seemed to move so slowly as it crept through the night to morning with still no news on Sirius or Pettigrew. Narcissa, not being a Death Eater herself, had been allowed out of the office with Lucius remaining locked in, and had joined Lyra in her silent vigil from her chair in the corner, still rocking Draco, who seemed to be sleeping soundly through it all.
"When are you due?" she asked gently. Lyra looked up, surprised that her cousin was bothering to talk to her. She'd been disowned after all, and Narcissa was hardly who'd she'd expected to break tradition, especially after Andromeda was disowned too. Maybe she was just exhausted and wanted a familiar face. Lyra couldn't blame her for that, she was much the same.
"Late January," Lyra whispered, her hand fluttering on her stomach as she looked around automatically for Mason.
"How lovely," Narcissa said, smiling sincerely. And I assume you're with… what's his name, Mason?"
Lyra laughed nervously. "I am. But I wasn't disowned for that."
"No, you left to be an Auror, didn't you?" Narcissa asked. "Your mother didn't tell us but I pieced it together. I saw you in a photograph in the Prophet, although the photo was actually of Mason, you just happened to be in it."
Lyra smiled slightly. "Yes, we were partners."
"And the rest, as they say, is history," Narcissa teased in the lilting voice Lyra remembered from her childhood. Narcissa had always been the one to head Bellatrix off before she got too vindictive.
"It is."
Narcissa reached out and gripped her hand quickly. "I shouldn't stay long. Despite our situation our family will still want us to maintain appearances and I shouldn't be seen with you. But I wanted to let you know that I'm glad you're happy. I wish you all the best and… I hope Sirius makes it home."
Lyra blinked at her in surprise, her eyes damp. "Thank you. You too, I hope everything works out."
"Thank you," she smiled and stood up again, Draco protesting at the movement so she shushed him gently. "I should find Lucius again. It was lovely to see you. I hope motherhood makes you as happy as it has me."
"I hope so too."
Lyra let her gaze lock with Narcissa's before she looked down at Draco and waggled her fingers at the little boy who buried his face against Narcissa's shoulders. Narcissa laughed lightly, gazing at her son like he was her entire world, and glided away back towards Moody's office to rejoin her husband.
Lyra leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes, trying to rest even if she couldn't sleep. It lasted all of five minutes and then she took a deep breath and pulled herself up, heading back towards Moody to see if he knew where Mason was.
"Listen, Crouch, listen to me, damn it," Moody snapped, jabbing his cane at the other man's chest firmly, eye narrowing. "Did you hear nothing we just said? The boy is innocent, it's Pettigrew you're after."
"I highly doubt that, Alastor, and you'll pass the orders on to your Aurors or I'll do it myself," Bartemius said coldly as he straightened his tie and smoothed down his moustache.
"Excuse me, sir?" Lyra said, approaching them nervously. "Is this about my brother?"
"The Death Eater? Yes it is," Crouch snapped and Moody shot Lyra a warning look as she glared. "He needs to be apprehended, I don't suppose you have any idea where he might've gone, Black?"
"That's Auror Black, to you," Mason snapped back, appearing from around the corner, Kingsley just behind him having clearly alerted Mason to the situation.
"Of course," Crouch simpered but it was obvious he didn't care.
Mason wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tried to lead her away but she tugged him back.
"I don't know what Auror Moody has said to you already, sir, but my brother is currently trying to hunt down the traitor Peter Pettigrew. We know Peter sold out the Potters as well as others."
"You know? Or your brother told you? You should stay in your lane, my dear."
"This is my lane!" she snapped, "I'm an Auror. This is my job too."
"Of course it is," he said and she grimaced at the mocking tone of his voice. "Moody, frankly, I don't have time. We need to catch Black. There was a sighting of him in the south, a small Muggle village, the Muggle police reported someone breaking and entering and we assume he's hunting for Pettigrew."
"You saw him?" Lyra gaped, "He's been spotted? Can we get someone there to help him?"
"Auror Black need I remind you that your brother is now a wanted Death Eater, responsible for the attack on the Potters and their defenceless son?" Crouch said, raising his voice.
"He is NOT!"
"AUROR BLACK, do not make me remove you from Ministry premises!"
Mason stepped forwards furiously but Moody whacked him with his cane, cutting him off and pushing them both backwards.
"Barty, you have been a thorn in my goddamn side this entire goddamn war, would you listen to me for fucking once?" Moody snarled. "Sirius Black is not a traitor. Pettigrew is who we should be focussing on."
Crouch barely listened to him – he was still glaring past the Head Auror at Mason and Lyra behind him, and they were glaring back.
"We've had evidence to suggest otherwise."
"You've had no evidence!" Lyra shouted, tears sliding down her face. She'd feared this – this was why she'd begged Sirius to stay – she'd feared that their family name would condemn him, even when Sirius had worked so hard to distance himself from it his entire life.
"McKinnon, I'm going to have to ask you to remove your partner, it seems she's becoming hysterical, I've heard pregnancy can do that," Crouch sniped, adjusting his robes and sniffing.
Lyra's eyes blazed and she opened her mouth to say something that would no doubt get her fired but Mason wrapped his arms around her hastily, mostly to stop her lunging forwards and injuring herself.
"As we know, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I'd be careful, Alastor – two Death Eater brothers, that family has bad blood."
At that, Mason stopped trying to keep her still and turned himself, punching Bartemius Crouch square on the jaw, his eyes burning. He spat at him furiously as he flexed his fingers out, not even caring about the consequences and the pain juddering up his arm at the impact.
Moody didn't bother saying anything, he just rolled his eyes and stepped backwards.
"Mason, you really shouldn't have done that," Lyra said faintly, grabbing his hand to make sure it wasn't damaged.
"No, but it was fucking worth it, the prick," he snapped, still glaring at Crouch who was practically shooting hexes from his eyes as he glared back at the two of them.
"I think you'll regret that, boy," he snapped once he'd checked his mouth for any serious damage.
"Maybe later, but not for a while," he retorted, wrapping his arms around Lyra. "Now fuck off. Get out of my sight, or I'll do that again."
Crouch sniffed but his jaw was already bruising and his head was ringing so he decided on a tactical retreat. He wouldn't lose, he never lost, but right now he had more important things to do than converse with Moody's rebellious Aurors. He turned on his heel sharply and stormed out, leaving everyone stunned in the wake of the fight.
"He'll take it out on Sirius," Lyra whispered."Mason..."
Mason groaned, "I know, I'm sorry, I just… I couldn't let him say that and get away with it."
"I'm grateful, I just wish it didn't come at his expense," she mumbled, clenching her shaking hands desperately.
He nodded and smoothed her hair gently, communicating with Moody over her head as she held his shirt tightly.
"I'll speak to the Minister herself if I can," Moody promised, "Bagnold is reasonable, she'll listen."
"Thank you," Mason mumbled. "Ly, come on, you should rest again."
"I can't sleep, I've tried," she protested.
"Because you're been sat on a shitty wooden chair for hours," he smiled slightly, "We should head home, I know I need to try and steal a few hours sleep at least if we're going to be here all day tomorrow too."
She knew she needed sleep – her whole body ached for it – so she reluctantly nodded. "Someone should be awake so we can get news," she said, gripping his arm, "We need to know right away."
"I'll let Moody know that his owl needs to peck at me until I wake up," he promised, kissing her forehead and helping her out of the department. "Head for the fireplaces and I'll find you once I've told him. I'll see you soon."
She didn't let go of his shirt until she'd made him look at him. "I love you," she said fiercely. "if anything-"
"It won't," he said, not even letting her voice the fear. "Nothing will happen to me."
"You promise?" she said shakily.
It was a promise that he couldn't keep, not after the last twenty-four hours. He said it anyway, because what else did he have to give?
"I promise."