After Harry left, Lyra had been lying on her soft bed, trying to sleep only to fail terribly. Her thoughts kept on wandering to her father then to Harry and then back to her father. She had just made friends with Harry a few days ago, and she felt so close to him than any other person.
The reason? Of course, it was because they had been playmates when they were infants. Although she couldn't recollect everything, she could remember bits and pieces of those times. So, technically, she had known him for 11 years already.
She was considering how to inform him about her father? Harry considers her as his first friend, and she couldn't bear to see the betrayal that he would feel if she tells him. If she told him that her father is most likely innocent, would he even believe her? Not feasible, right? What evidence did she have?
Although she didn't have any kind of proof for that, she just had a feeling that her father must be innocent. If it wasn't the case, how would her mum, a person who was always known for her fairness, still wear the wedding ring? She would have openly scorned him if he had done something like that, even if he was her husband. She had even told her to trust her father no matter what others may tell about him.
But why her mum hadn't been able to file a trial and get her father out was a complete mystery to her.
She could still remember the day on which she asked her mother about her father. It was a little while after she had turned six.
...A little flashback...
(Four years ago)
Lyra had always been wondering why had all the children in her age had both parents, but she didn't have a father? Wait, she had a father and she still could remember her father's face from when she was little, but where was he? Who was he? Even Susan knew her parents' name, even though they weren't alive. Her mother could have at least told her her father's name right?
She decided to ask her mother about it and asked her, "Mum, who is my father?"
Although Amelia had always known that this moment would come sooner or later, she was still taken aback when Lyra asked her.
It was not that she wanted to hide her marriage with Sirius, rather it would affect Lyra if it was revealed before Sirius' name was cleared. Even though he hadn't betrayed the Potters, he still did kill Peter Pettigrew after all. Even if the person he had killed was a traitor, murder was still murder. This was the reason that Sirius had used to convince her to let him stay at Azkaban.
She had wanted to get him out of Azkaban, but Sirius declined the offer. When he had been arrested, he was put in Azkaban without trial, and Amelia was furious. She used her connections to visit him at Azkaban. But that idiot had refused to come out. He told her that he was feeling guilty because of indirectly causing his friend's death.
But had he ever thought about her?
She had just lost her whole family: her parents, brothers, and her nephew and niece. Except for him, Lyra and Susan she didn't have anyone in this world. Had he ever thought about it? Had he ever thought about their baby, Lyra? What they would do without him?
She was so angry and frustrated that she cried for a week. But she held it together after that. She couldn't be like that. She had two children to raise.
And she wasn't some weak woman who was always dependant on her husband.
She touched her daughter's head gently and told Lyra her husband's name with pride, "Your father is Sirius Black, little Lyra. But please remember this: No matter what others might say about him, have faith in him. Have faith in your father, okay?"
Of course, she would be proud of her husband. Even if he didn't betray the Potters, he still felt guilty just because he was the one who suggested the idea. He had such a noble idea of friendship.
But, that didn't mean she would want him in Azkaban though. She was still angry at him for refusing the trial, at the same time she was also worried too.
She also took out an old-looking box and gave it to Lyra. It was the gift Sirius had told her to give to their daughter.
"Here Lyra, this is your dad's gift for you. This could only be opened when you reach Hogwarts. Though I highly recommend you to not use it, it was still his gift to you, and I have the responsibility of handing this over to you. Keep it safe."
...End of Flashback...
Lyra was feeling conflicted about telling Harry about it. But he deserved to know. She just couldn't simply avoid telling him only because she was scared of losing their friendship. It would be better for her to tell it herself, than him finding out by some other means.
So she decided to tell him through a letter. But she would only give it to him on the day they are leaving for Hogwarts. With that, she could at least enjoy their time until then.
Only two people had ever called her 'star'. One was her father. He would always call her, 'little star' and the other one was Harry, her close friend. How could she bear to lose even one of these people?
'No. Stop thinking. Or else you would cry again, Lyra', she thought to herself. Crying twice in a single day. Such humiliation, she couldn't let that happen.
Maybe, she could just use this time to do something productive. She then started practising her intent-based magic again. She was sure she was wrong somewhere, but if she kept on practising it, she could at least get better control over her magic, right?
She spent almost 3 hours doing this. Then she fell asleep, exhausted.
...
A week later.
It was a fine evening, quite suitable for one to play outdoor.
Quidditch was not the only sport in the wizarding world. There was more to wizarding sports, and Quidditch was just one of the many.
And our very own Lyra was a big fan of Broom racing. In her words, "Quiddich is no fun, no danger at all". But the main point was that it was a team sport. And Lyra wasn't sure that she would perform well in a team.
So, here she was, competing with Susan.
When Lyra was in the sky with her broom, she felt as if she was free from the shackles of the world, as if she had nothing to worry about. She felt carefree as her hair waved around the wind.
Susan was no less excited to fly. She sped through the air as she aimed for the win.
Harry was watching them from below. Even though he would like to have a go at it, he had never ridden a broom before, so he first wanted to watch them for a while.
Eventually, both Susan and Lyra ended up in a tie, as there was no proper obstacle course or anything like that.
Then Harry picked up the broom and he kicked off into the sky and after he had a good hang of it, he flew around freely for a while. Susan and Lyra joined him and the three of them just flew around without a care.
That was when Lyra remembered that there was no official Broom Racing competition held at Hogwarts. The only few sports which were even played there were only Gobstones, Wizard Chess and Quidditch.
She wanted to try suggesting it to Professor Dumbledore. Maybe it would work. After all, not many people got into their house's Quidditch team in the tryouts.
And he had told her that he would send her something to hide her phoenix mark and wand. But until now she hasn't heard anything about it. Maybe, he forgot?
After it began to get dark, they got back to the ground and went to each of their rooms to freshen up.
...
Lyra came out from her bath, feeling quite refreshed. With water dripping down her hair, she put a towel on her head and changed into her pyjamas. At that time, Minny suddenly popped into her room and informed her that her mother wanted to meet her in her study.
She walked out of her room casually drying her hair wondering why her mother would have wanted to meet her.
Amelia's study and the Bones manor's library both were on the second floor. So, Lyra had to climb a floor.
She knocked on the door as soon as she reached there, and heard her mother say, "Come in Lyra"
"What happened, mum?"
"Letter from Dumbledore", she replied as she handed Lyra a letter and a parcel.
It seemed that he hadn't forgotten about the things that he mentioned.
Lyra opened the parcel and saw a ring and a bracelet. Both of them had a unique phoenix design and they were made of silver.
Then she opened the letter.
Dear Lyra,
As soon as I went back, I ordered the ring and bracelet to be made and I personally enchanted them. The ring is to be worn for your wand, and the bracelet id for your phoenix mark. They cannot be removed by anyone other than you. And, you must never remove them. Take care.
~A.D
After reading it, she handed over the letter back to her mother and called for Minny and requested her to undo the concealment charms that she had asked Minny to place on her wand and Phoenix mark. She could have continued using Minny's charms, but they had to be cast daily. What would she do, when she goes to Hogwarts or if she was in an emergency situation?
That was why Dumbledore suggested making enchanted jewellery to conceal them.
She first took the ring and slid it on the wand, then the ring adjusted itself to fit the wand's thickness. Then her wand just looked like any other wand only with a single decorative ring.
She took out the bracelet and wore it on her right hand, it also adjusted itself to her wrist size and the phoenix mark couldn't be seen.
Then she showed them both to her mother then said bye to her and left the room.
Se had an idea. She could write a thank you letter for this and in passing, she could request Dumbledore to hold official Broom Racing competitions!
She ran off to her room in a hurry and then wrote the letter and had Chione deliver the letter.
'It would be excellent if this could be done', she thought.
