Hey everyone!

Happy mid-month updates. Slowly getting back to writing and it feels great to be back. The creativity that has eluded me for the past month is coming back so hopefully I can start writing properly again. Lockdown is easing here slowly and I brought myself two new books so can't wait to have a look at them. Also Rest in peace Helen McCrory aka Narcissa. You will be missed.

Stay safe.

Lots of love,

LSH xx

Hidden Child-Part 92:

Lyra was working with Tonks on the spell recognition training. It was hard going as some of the spells were similar and it was taking her a lot of time to get some of the signs but she was getting there slowly.

"Gah! That wasn't a defensive spell!" Lyra said in frustration as she looked at Tonks.

"You're getting there Lyra. There are some that look the same," Tonks pointed out, "now we just need to get you looking for the little differences that spells can have," she said as she looked at her cousin.

It was after dinner and she was back in the Room of Requirement with her cousin as she had no homework due to the training and she was thankful for that. There was enough for her to try and cope with; maybe when she'd defeated Bellatrix she would be able to have a normal life once more. Lyra didn't really believe her life would ever be normal; her life had been anything but up until this point. Feeling she needed a break she sat down and yawned softly.

"Tired?" Tonks asked as she sensed Helena joining them and floating down next to her.

"Yeah it was a rough night last night and I was wondering a few things. There are some things I know about and others that I don't," Lyra explained, "but some of them only you can answer…" she said biting her lip softly.

"What? What is it?" Tonks asked.

"What's your mother like?" Lyra asked, "you've met mine obviously and I hope that you like her… I can't imagine that it was easy going to my house and seeing her."

Tonks couldn't help but laugh at Lyra's words as she looked at her.

"You live in a palace compared to what I like in Lyra!" she said and Lyra sighed before nodding.

"OK that I will agree with but I haven't seen all of it yet," she said as she looked at her, "your mother…"

"You'd love her. She's like your mother in some ways and loves the books as well," Tonks said as she looked at her cousin and smiled, "but she doesn't believe in Purebloods being better than anyone else; she believes that everyone is equal… something your mother has struggled to do because of how mother and father raised her to be."

"I can see that last part for sure," Lyra nodded, "Grandmother still believes that but has accepted that you and Aunt Andromeda are part of the reason I'm still safe," she said.

"I think they will meet one day. We have to now you're facing what you are now," Andromeda said, "my mother is kind and caring, like your mother is but different as well. Your mother's is driven by family, my mother's is because she believes in it no matter who the person is or their blood status."

Lyra nodded before she lapsed into silence as she had a drink and thought about everything she'd just been told, laying back against the beanbag and sighed softly. She was thankful that she was being allowed the time to process things and could sense that Helena had her hand on her shoulder. The feeling had unnerved her at first but she was used to it now.

"I think I'd like to meet her," she said eventually, "she's the only aunt that I have seeing as the other one is trying to kill me and I've never met her," she said as she looked at Tonks, who nodded.

"Yes. I think that would be a good idea," Tonks said as she nodded before looking at Lyra, "I think though if we do it would have to be in secret for now. I'm worried how your mother would react if she knew what we were planning but I really do think that you should meet her," she said, "once we're done for today I shall go and owl my mum and see what she says about it all. I think she'll be unsure but desperate to meet you as well. She knows a lot about you through me and the little that your mother told her when we'd been summoned to the Manor when she said about me coming on board to protect you."

Lyra nodded before rising to her feet again and the two carried on training before Astoria suddenly appeared and was almost hit with a hex. She made a ringing noise before saying that it was getting late and Lyra needed to get back to the common room. Tonks says she'll write to her mother and let her know what she says at the next training.

Lyra was nervous and couldn't wait for the next training. She couldn't ask Tonks around Draco or he may have been annoyed or even told his mother and that was the last thing they needed.

Finally the training session came around again and Lyra hurried to the Room of Requirement where Tonks was already sat with a letter in her hand.

"She wants to meet you," Tonks said as Lyra sat down beside her, "but she is also nervous about your mother finding out as well but she thinks it can be arranged. She thinks the school would be better as we can pull off that she's coming to see me and we can come here seeing as you're supposed to be training with me anyway but I've already said I can't because of my mother but you'll still be training."

"You mean you've planned it already with your mother," Lyra said as she stared down her cousin in a way that reminded the Auror of Narcissa.

"Well yes… we got a little ahead of ourselves and planned it but we needed to figure out when the best time would be and that was when I was training you," Tonks said as she looked at her, "it's the best time and the timings will work out."

"We just need to make sure that nobody finds out about it really," Lyra said, "I'm hoping that everything can be explained to my mother afterwards but I have to meet her. Is everything sorted?"

"Well there is one thing that we may need a little help with… it's a bit of a problem and we need a ghost to help," Tonks said and Helena was soon by Lyra's side.

"What do you need?" she asked as she looked at Tonks.

"A Peeves distraction if you can manage it," the Auror replied, "I can't have anyone seeing me and mum heading up with when everyone knows Lyra's solo training."

"I will see what I can do," Helena nodded, "Peeves is always up for causing some chaos so it shouldn't be a problem."

Lyra was excited and partly felt a rebel… but she was going to meet her aunt at some point and that was enough to make her smile and gave her something to look forwards to as well.