Author Note:
V1.2, R3
(Edited for format, error clean up and additional miscellaneous fixes, first AO3 revision)
Harry Potter and the franchise are owned by their respective claim holders. I do this story as a hobby and not as a substitute for the books or as a means of profit.
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Emerald on Silver
Ch1 - The Letter that Changed the World
A warm day in a rural part of Midwest America during the early days of July found a young girl sitting on a swing at her elementary school. She had a shock of black hair on her head, perpetually ruffled, with sharp features across her tanned face. It was a regal sharpness. One of her eyes was a deep emerald green while the other was a sharp and striking silver. She had always been one to attract attention due to her eyes. Her sing-song British accent made her stand out amongst her friends even more. She was also much more athletic than her peers, opting for shorts and often getting under her mother's skin with her competitive nature.
School had ended and she was waiting for her mother to arrive. Normally she'd be one of the few remaining students at the school late into the afternoon, but today was special. Today her mother would be much earlier. It was three days after her eleventh birthday, as well as her favorite holiday. She always enjoyed the sound of the fireworks. The patriotic displays and joyous faces all around elevated her happiness during that day. Today found the young girl quite pensive, however, in direct opposition to the after birthday buzz she was used to. She had received quite the peculiar post earlier that day.
As she had walked to the SUV that morning with her mother, there was an owl perched on the hood of the vehicle. She had giggled in delight at the scene but her mother hurried over to the bird. Instead of her mother shooing the bird away, or the owl making a move to fly, the large creature just held out a claw to show a letter tied to the limb. Her mother quickly took the letter and allowed the bird onto her arm, rushing it to the back of their house muttering about the poor animal.
When her mother had returned she had been happier than her little brothers' first birthday four years before. She had received an invitation to an international school that would take her through her secondary education. It was in the UK, but her mother also said that it wouldn't be as far as it seemed.
Lyra had always known that her parents were not born in the USA. Her mother said she'd explain things after school and to expect her right away. So here she was, on the swing, waiting for her mother while her friends started playing in the gym until their parents showed up much later.
"Lyra Potter!" She looked up as her name was called. One of the school aids had come out to find her. "Your mother is here!"
She hopped up from her seat and grabbed her school bag, shouting a hastey farewell to the aid. She jogged her way to the front of the school, spotting their car quickly with her mother leaning back against the side of the vehicle. Usually her mother would drive their SUV, but today she had their coupe. It was strictly a two seater, small and something only her mother and father rode in. She had never before even been able to sit in it while it had the engine running, much less off. It was a rare and expensive model from what she understood. Her mother was grinning at her as she approached. Lyra returned a large smile of her own, happy to get to see her mother so early.
Her mother had her arms crossed, and even though she held her back straight, her shoulders were as relaxed as ever. Her cropped hair was a silvery blonde, held back in light product. She had on a neatly tailored blouse and a dark green skirt. Her makeup was modest as ever. A pendant of two intertwined serpents, one gold the other silver, held along her collar bones. It was the first gift she had ever received from Lyra's father. The one thing that was not usual was the stick in her hand. Her mother detested nature and everything to do with it which always seemed odd to her considering they lived in such a rural area.
"My little dragon!" Her mother called out, leaning down and hugging her tightly. "Are you ready to go home?" She asked, holding Lyra out. She glowed at her mother's love.
"Yup!" The little girl chirped. All of her earlier moodiness was forgotten in her mother's shining presence. Her mother raised the stick in her hand, again drawing the girl's attention to it. A small light shot forth, dissipating in a shower above them. Lyra's eyes widened. Her mother ignored her surprise, though, opening the door to their car. She turned around to give Lyra an amused smile, obviously expecting her to react the way she did.
"Let's get going then, little one!" She said when Lyra looked around, puzzled by the whole bizarre ordeal. "Don't worry, no one noticed anything. It will be fine, trust me. Now up you go!" Her mother scooped her up in her arms, eliciting a giggle from her daughter, and deposited the preteen in the seat, hurrying to her own side with a childlike spring in her step.
When her mother made sure they were both fastened in she took the stick and swished it around a few times, causing the car to spring to life. The stuffy insides of the car melted away into pure comfort with no humidity. Their doors closed on their own and the car started to lurch forward, the wheel turning by itself. Before long they were speeding along the roads, zipping around other cars.
"Mum! How are you doing this?" Lyra blurted out, shocked and frightened at the same time.
"Magic!" Her mom smiled at her.
It was the same answer to everything in her life. Her mother always explained odd things off as ' must have been magic' while smiling at her. Her father would always laugh at this even though Lyra would just roll her eyes in response. Her mother swiped the stick a few more times and the car leaped into the air, turning off the given path, zooming over the nearby forest.
"It really is magic!" She said again as Lyra's mouth hung open in shock. She stared down at the trees beneath them, unsure which emotion she should be feeling at the moment.
"You're a witch, Lyra!" Her mother stated as if it was a natural statement to make. "You really should get used to it." She reached over and shut the little girl's mouth with a delicate finger, smiling. "Honestly, couldn't you take after your mother in the least?"
"Mum?" Lyra squeaked as she became overwhelmed. The smile that greeted her was a lopsided grin she had never seen on her before, not her usual demure one. Like it was something that had been hidden away for years.
The 'house' at the orchard was huge by any standards. The grounds for the complex were several acres across. The surrounding orchard itself was absolutely massive, she had always assumed that her father worked it during the day. She came back late regularly so he was always home whenever she was as well.
Lyra was sitting with her mother in the living room. She had explained pretty much the bare basics about magic to her on their flight home. Now she understood why she wasn't allowed in that car before. Why things were 'magic' all the time.
She was also introduced to Kreacher for the first time just an hour ago. Lyra had been skittish around the elf at first but got used to it as she sat with her mother. She had never before seen anything like him. He was so old he looked like a little melting man. He had made a growl at her, but she could see something much different in his eyes. A fondness that was very easy to see. It made the 'young mistress' being practically spat out take on a different meaning. The elf was incapable of showing love, but did it in his own way regardless.
"So Dad is famous?" She asked, breaking the brief silence since her mother finished explaining who her father was and where he went to work. Somehow he teleported all the way to England every day. She also discovered just how rich they were. The orchard wasn't some family legacy left to her father from a distant cousin, but a cover. Her parents were both old money. She was assured they were probably wealthier than even most 'muggles,' a term that apparently meant people without magic.
"Very much so, dear." The elder Potter woman kept her eyes closed as she said it around a smirk, a teacup held to her lips. Her mother did this whenever she knew more about a situation than her daughter. Lyra was sure that she took a certain pleasure in it.
"Why hide all of this from me?" The girl asked, sounding a little hurt at the revelations. Her mother sighed before turning and staring into the fireplace, looking a thousand miles away in longing. It was an action she had never seen from her before.
"When we first moved out here we wanted nothing more than to be far away from tragedy for a while," She started. "After you were born we decided to see if you had magic first. If you didn't, well, we thought it would be best if you never learned." Her mother looked back at her. "We would leave it all behind for you."
Her mother grew a small smirk as she continued, "I was certain that you were non magical because you never showed any signs that I noticed. Your father, however, naturally doubted me. Apparently for a good reason. Now everything has all changed. Hogwarts wouldn't admit you if you were not magical." Her mother stood from her seat and walked next to her, smiling. "Let's get a snack and head up to your father's study."
"Dad's study?" Lyra shot forward in her seat, almost launching herself forward. "Dad has never let me in there. It's always locked." She had quite literally never even seen the inside of the room.
"There is a very good reason for that." Her mother said as She pulled Lyra up from her seat. After requesting some snacks from Kreacher they started towards the study. Lyra was thinking about all that she had learned. She had realized she really didn't know all that much about her family outside of her parents' love and just their immediate history together. There was so much the young girl wanted to ask. So she started with something simple, at least she thought it was simple.
"Mum?" She started as they ascended the staircase, Kreacher in tow with a platter containing various snacks. As old as he looked he was surprisingly capable.
"Yes, Lyra?" Her mother asked as she looked down to her daughter.
"How did you and Dad meet?" Her mother paused on the steps. "The real way. It must have been something other than studying abroad in New York and being in the same classes. You lived in England together." Her mother let out a small laugh. It was the one that told her she surprised her mother in a good way. It was one of her favorites.
"You have your father's eye for detail." Her mother praised her. "Well, we kinda met just before attending Hogwarts our first year, the same school your invitation came from... Here we are..." She paused in front of the large doors just at the top of the stairs. She pointed her wand at the handle and muttered something as the door clicked and opened on its own. "Come on, we'll want to find a good spot to surprise your father. But we really met for the first time at the start of our fourth year. I used to pick on your father before then. Before we really knew each other."
As they moved across the room, Lyra was in absolute awe. Everything was moving in some way. Clouds of different colors were coming out of cauldrons at the far end of the room. There was even another fireplace in this very room! "He'll be showing up at the hat rack near the door" Her mother gestured back towards the door. The rack in question was skinny and tall.
Her mother guided her towards a small table with 2 chairs and began her tale. "Going into fourth year, something major had changed in my life. Well, it happened a couple years before that, but this was when reality started setting in. Your father was the only person to really see what I was going through. He'd always kept an eye on me, though, even before then..."
*...The day we really met was when we were on our way to Hogwarts on the Hogwarts Express. Honestly, though, your father noticed me well before I saw him.*
Harry and the Weasleys, along with Hermione, just came into platform 9¾ . The taxi ride to the station had been interesting to say the least. Their Summer had been crazier than he could have predicted and he just wanted some normalcy. They hurried forward to make sure to claim a compartment as soon as possible before coming back out to bid everyone their farewells. This time Charlie and Bill were seeing them off.
As they got closer to the train Harry was struck by a peculiar thought. Something that blindsided him as it manifested seemingly from nowhere. At the world cup, Malfoy had not been at his father's side. Harry's perpetual bully had not been there when they had clearly seen his mother at the event as well. It had struck him as odd at the time but now that he was on his way to Hogwarts once more it came back again. He looked around to see if he couldn't notice the arse of a blond.
Just as they were about to enter the doors to one of the cars, he saw it. That familiar flash of platinum. It was too far away for him to see anything other than the hair, but he was sure it was the other boy. Harry snorted. At least normal was what he was going to get. Hopefully that meant his life might calm down a bit.
They claimed the first compartment they came across. Harry had helped Hermione and Ginny with their trunks before getting his into place as well. Ron came in just behind everyone else and had to wait his turn. ' Ladies first. Oh, Harry, we'll need some help. ' Harry smiled at the comfort of boarding the train again to start another year at his self proclaimed home. It was a source of reprieve each year, a time between his old reality and his new one.
As he was the first to enter he was now the last to leave. Everyone wanted their last few minutes of goodbyes on the platform before departure. As he was exiting the compartment his head turned to look down the hallway, farther along the train. He saw the flash of blond hair again. The compartment it slipped into wasn't that far away from where theirs was. just at the end of the next car. Harry sighed. Their first confrontation of the year was likely to come sooner rather than later.
When they were on the platform giving their farewells Bill and Charlie let slip that they wished they were going to be at Hogwarts that year. Molly accidentally fed the flames of curiosity when she intended to shut them up. There was something big with rules going down this year at Hogwarts. When the train started to leave they had all rushed back to their compartment to start brainstorming what could possibly be happening. The heavy rain outside the train was at odds with the excitement in the room. Before long, however, Hermione drew everyone's attention to the next compartment.
*The way your father tells it, he had been worried about me. At the time I was sure he just wanted to figure out whatever blackmail he could use on me. That was just how life in wizarding nobility was; a web of blackmail holding everyone together.*
"...Parents probably finally sent him to Durmstrang. You know he never liked it here to begin with. Dumbledoof doesn't know how to run a proper school. Malfoy could afford the room and board, though." Pansy Parkinson. Hermione's unsaid rival. The girl could turn the normally docile Hermione into a raging bull in seconds if she was in top form. Her words practically slapped Harry across the face.
"Another School?" Harry asked. Hermione nodded and explained the many other schools briefly in response. So there were other wizarding schools. That wasn't why he asked though.
A sudden realization struck him. The shock of it caused him to tune the rest of the conversation out. Malfoy wasn't there? He was certain he had seen the other boy at least twice as they were boarding the train. Did he make a mistake? What was happening that would have made the other boy transfer schools? He didn't really understand why it mattered to him that his full time bully was even there. He stood up without even thinking, causing his friends to look up at him.
"I just need to check something out." He stated as he reached into his trunk to pull out his cloak. The gift from his first year. The cloak had served him well over the years and this year seemed to be no different. His friends started to object immediately, but He just rolled his eyes at their reaction. "Don't worry, I won't get into any trouble." And with that he opened their door while donning his cloak and left his friends behind, ignoring their protests.
*After all, he used his stupid cloak and magic to find his way into the room I locked myself in. I had been very upset and didn't want to be seen crying by anyone.*
He was certain he had seen him. He made his way down the corridor, carefully avoiding other students, sometimes by mere chance. The end of the next car. That was his goal. He remembered it down there, going into a specific door, the unique platinum blond crop of hair.
He managed to reach the door without gaining any attention. He let out a breath before trying the door. Locked. Harry pulled out his wand and muttered the unlocking charm. He heard the faint sound of the other magic giving way with considerable concentration. That locking spell had been serious. He silenced the door and slid his way in. What he saw made his breath hitch in his throat.
She had the same hair, same exact hair, as his tormentor. That color was unmistakable. But that was the only thing that reminded him of his rival. The girl was definitely a girl. She sat with her head staring out the window. He could not see her face, but the uniform, light curves and skirt gave her away. This was definitely not his rival. But who was she?
She was a Slytherin, that much was certain. He didn't recall any Slytherin girls like her, though. She was here alone, that was unconventional to begin with. There was no one around to be ambitious towards or impress. No person to match wits. She was here, in a locked compartment, alone. No Slytherin girl had short hair, either. Even Pansy sported medium length.
He knew he had been there for a while, stunned and captured by her. The only time he felt anything similar had been when he faced off against the Ravenclaw seeker last year. Slowly she relaxed herself back, seemingly finished amusing herself with the rain. She placed her hands on the seat and leaned forward lightly as she turned her head. He finally got a look at her face. It was soft. Sharp, but soft. It was like a cold fire or dry water; a paradox of beauty. It was so familiar. Then it clicked. He knew that face, but not like this. Never like this.
"Malfoy!?" He blurted out, forgetting completely that he was under his cloak momentarily. He mentally kicked himself. He should have waited for an opportunity to sneak away. This was not how he envisioned their first encounter of the school year. It was usually the other boy that would come to him looking for trouble.
"Who's there?" The girl demanded. It WAS him. That voice was the same it had always been. It was softer and less forced than what he was used to, but he knew that voice. She pulled her wand out, pointing it frantically, wide eyed.
Harry removed the hood knowing he had been found out. "Potter!" She spat out, pulling her legs to her chest in a defensive motion. She continued pointing her wand at him, a level of pure dread clear in her wide eyes. "How did you get in here?"
"You have shoddy spell-work." Harry smirked, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Her shoulders relaxed and she snorted back at him. Her fear seemed to wash away as the shock waned. Something else took its place. A far darker emotion.
*That's not what ended up happening that day, though.*
Lowering her wand she looked away from him and hugged her legs. He was sure her eyes were puffy. Harry knew she had been crying in pure depression. He'd been there so many times himself when he was younger, before he had made his friends.
"What do you want?" The emotion in her voice was raw. He had been correct. The atmosphere all but sucked the air from his lungs, so empty it had become in an instant. Anything he thought about Malfoy before that moment vanished. It was the past. Right now, it was Draco in front of him, alone with no one for comfort.
"Hey, are you okay? What happened?" He flicked his wand at the door, renewing the locking charm and drawing the curtain close. She eyed him wearily as he took a seat near the door, opposite her, but leaning forward in concern. It was bizarre. This was the last thing he expected, even after the events of the world cup. To be here, in this private room, worried about his rival.
"Why would you care, Scarhead?" She muttered, looking away once more, head turned to the window. He winced at the hostility. "I'm not your know-it-all or Weasel." Harry frowned at this but she didn't see. He wasn't sure why he cared, but he did know that he couldn't stand to see someone going through what he had. He knew the difference between depression and sadness.
"I don't know why," He stated plainly, "but I do." He changed seats and reached out hand, placing it experimentally on her shoulder tepidly. She flinched at his touch but made no other movements. "Maybe if you tell me, it could help. I know how bad it can hurt, wanting someone to let it out to. For anyone to just understand."
"You think you care, but really, it's only pity." She said softly while keeping her eyes fixed on the trees outside. "Even Father showed his true colors recently." She all but whispered the last part as she buried her head into her knees. She stopped talking and stayed quiet for a few minutes before she began to shake. He could hear the light chokes of her trying hard to cut off the tears. He did the only thing he could think of. He pulled the girl into a hug.
Whatever dam she had built up burst in an instance. She began letting out heavy breaths, chokes and coughs as she silently cried hard into his shoulder, fingers grasping at his cloak. Her weight pressed into him as she was all but limp in his arms. He froze when it started. He wasn't sure why he did it. And this was certainly not the reaction he had been expecting when he did it to begin with. He could feel the heat race to his cheeks as he looked back in alarm at the door. The curtain had been closed, he hadn't forgotten after all. She continued to cry into him as his wits returned.
*I ended up crying like a baby and your father happened to be the shoulder that found its way to me. That was how we really met. I was at an all time low and your father was there to help me up. It's what makes him him.*
He didn't know what to do now. This was the first time he had ever found himself like this. Much less with his rival of all people. He briefly thought back to his friends, they would start to worry soon. He should make his way back to them. The girl in his arms and his own concern buried the thoughts quickly. Whatever . He thought as he moved one of his hands to rest on the back of Draco's head, lending support and holding her close as she let her emotions out.
He could feel the hot wetness of her tears on his shoulder now as the liquid soaked through his cloak and shirt. They had stayed that way for quite a while before she finally began to calm down. He lowered his own head until he was near her ear. "It's okay, we have all the time in the world right now." He whispered into her ear, not completely trusting his silencing charm. She was still slightly shaking in his arms now, but her cries had turned into silent hiccoughs as she nodded into his shoulder. He frowned as his stomach flopped.
Finally he felt her shift, distracting him from what he had experienced. She released his cloak and placed her hands on his knees before finally pushing away and returning to her original position in her seat. She couldn't meet his eyes, much less face him. Her face was still hot, not just from crying, but also embarrassment. Something changed between them when she had broken down. He wasn't one hundred percent sure he understood exactly what it was.
*He took the time to listen to my problem even if he didn't fully understand it at the time.*
"I trust you not to say anything about this, Potter." She said, clearing her throat and straightening her robes as she checked herself for anything out of place. She definitely seemed to still have her pride.
He gestured at her. "I'm not even sure what this is." Magic was real and could do crazy things, he knew, but he had never even heard of something like this outside of maybe polyjuice potion, and that would have worn off since they left the station. He moved back to his seat and relaxed now that she seemed to no longer be on the verge of total collapse, giving the blonde space.
"This, Potter, was reality setting in." Malfoy finished adjusting herself, leaning back against the window while her legs stretched out along the bench. She still didn't look at Harry, though. He was pretty sure he would do the same thing in her shoes. He was certain, however, that comfort wouldn't have been her response in that even more absurd sounding scenario.
"I'm not sure I totally understand, is you being a girl reality?" Harry asked. He mimicked Malfoy's position, but against the door so he was facing the window. She snorted in response as she finally looked towards him, noticing his mirrored seating.
"No. Well, yes but no." She said, appearing annoyed at how she tripped over an appropriate answer. She closed her eyes before taking a deep breath. "The reality is that from now on I will always be a girl." Her brow was creased in anger.
"Always be a… What? How?" He was stunned all over again. He knew the girl had at least looked like a girl. But this had a completely different meaning. This was permanent. Malfoy let out a sigh before recalling the event to him.
"Two years ago Father took me down Knockturn Alley." She began. He could tell she had relived the event over and over. Her far off stare was an easy tell. "It's a rather dark place. There is a store there with a lot of dangerous artifacts. I thought we were going for my birthday present." The flash of the scene hit him hard, the detail so heavy that he was almost afraid he'd gotten sucked into another book.
"Borgin and Burkes" Harry said distantly, remembering that day. He had seen her and her father as they entered the shop. He distinctly remembered Luscious' warning and Malfoy's Complaining. He hadn't thought of that day in years, though. He was surprised at how strong the memory was. He could practically reach out and grab things.
"Yeah, how do you know about it?" Malfoy asked, tilting her head lightly. She had confusion written across her brow. He would have laughed at the expression if it adorned her face any other time. Now was not that time, though.
"I was there." He said, propping himself up from the wall lightly. He couldn't help but smirk as he revealed that he had been there on that specific day. The day of his first floo and personal experience if you were not careful enough with magic. Shouting out 'diagonally,' like some sort of idiot. He was lucky to have found his friends relatively quickly afterwards.
"So you know what sort of-" She tried to move on with her story, but he cut her off before she could continue to clarify; He knew exactly when she was talking about.
"No, I was there that day ." He said. "I accidentally ended up there during my first floo. I saw you enter the store with your father. I was hiding at the time." He admitted. She gasped at his reveal, eyes going wide.
"Did you see me touch anything?" She asked quickly, perking up in her seat. That had been what the senior Malfoy had warned her of. The hope that sprang up in her eyes was devastating to him. He knew that he'd have to give her a negative response, but the thought hurt to even consider at the moment. He shook his head. He couldn't really remember if she had or not, but he was pretty sure she hadn't.
She slumped her shoulders and leaned back again, clearly defeated. "I just remember getting cold as ice for a few seconds as I was looking around the store. That was the last day I was a boy." She tugged at the hem of her skirt. "We've been trying to reverse it for two years."
"How have you managed to hide it for so long?" Harry asked, cocking his head in confusion. "You've always kinda just looked the same for the last two years." It was true. She hadn't gotten taller or stockier. She had quite literally always been the same stick of a boy. Why hadn't her voice been different then as well?
Malfoy blushed before looking away with an annoyed face. "Yes, well, we all start growing up at some point. This summer seemed to be my time." His eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. That hadn't made much sense at all. She waved a hand over her body in obvious frustration with his denseness with a light glare.
Without thinking he stared at her body when she gestured, looking her up and down. Her curves had come in. Not to an exaggeration, but she definitely could not be mistaken for a boy anymore. Her hips had widened a little and her chest began to swell. Nothing major, but noticeable. Even had Malfoy still worn pants and tried to fit in, she would no longer pass as a boy. "Potter!" she hissed out, snapping him from his musing and reminding him what he had just been doing. He saw her face go beet red as she looked away from him, wrapping her arms around herself.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to.." He coughed into a fist and looked away. His own face grew hot as he tried to ignore the embarrassment he felt at having done something even resembling leering. He really hoped no one ever learned of it.
She continued quickly, trying to forget the incident they stumbled into. "At any rate," She said loudly and in exaggeration, "Father was unable to reverse the magic that caused this. No witch or wizard has been able to figure anything out. As far as anyone that checked is concerned, this is and always has been my body. There is no known way to change something fundamental like this so completely, much less permanently."
*We talked, honestly talked, for the first time. He was wonderful to me, even though I had picked on him ruthlessly for years. He could have done anything that day. but he chose to be himself.*
"What you and your overly inflated ego barged into today was the realization of the failure of two years of dedicated hard work. Today was the deadline. Figure it out or go public as a girl." She finally looked back towards him when her blush had faded.
"Last night Mother and Father decided to give me a lecture on establishing my reputation as a proper witch so that I could start…" She stopped abruptly and considered him for a moment. "You know what? Don't worry about it. Won't be your problem anyhow. Seeing as though you caught me at a point of absolute vulnerability, however, I am obligated to entertain you in some way, lest you spread incorrect or scandalous information." She said the last part with some amusement, in spite of the situation. The cloud surrounding her had begun to evaporate.
"Entertain me? Wha-?" He was at a loss to her meaning. His mouth opened and closed as he tried to come up with one. As far as he could tell it must be another one of those pureblood things. He must have been silent for a while as she rolled her eyes at him.
"I'll do you a favor if you make sure not to go opening your big mouth about me having used you for comfort." She stated plainly. "That is what you came for, yes? To find blackmail on me?" Harry was confused. She didn't seem to be upset at the notion of him blackmailing her, not that he had any intention to do it at all. It was more like this was a normal interaction with peers and he was just stupid.
"You don't need to do me a favor." Harry sputtered, hands up, reeling back from the turn of events. Malfoy gave him an amused smirk. She probably knew that was what he was going to say. The girl had always known how to read him.
"Please, Potter, humility won't win you any hearts." She said, cracking a smile for the first time since he had found her on the train. He finally relented.
"Fine, I guess, uh... just... hang out with me for a bit every now and then?" He searched for something to humor the Slytherin. He didn't know why, but he felt that she somehow had the upper hand here. What do wizards do as favors? He only knew 4 years of magic, and only as much learning about the separate world that existed within the one he had known.
Malfoy looked stunned for a moment before laughing. "The famous Harry Potter is desperate enough to use freely given blackmail for a new friend?" He gave her an annoyed look before she relented. "Fine, fine." She finished her teasing. That was new. They settled into a comfortable silence as he became lost in thought for a moment.
*We said we became friends that day, but it was that day I found my best friend. I was raised to make acquaintances, not friends, so he was the first real friend I ever had.*
Harry was the one to break the moment. "I really don't have that many." He said out of nowhere. It was true. The only friends he had outside the school were his counterparts since his first year.
"Excuse me?" She looked at him as if he was blind to reality. Harry figured she must not completely understand what he meant by friend.
"Friends." Harry replied. "There's Ron and Hermione, but honestly they are the only two real friends I have. Sure, there are the twins and others, but when you mean a real friend, I only have the two." He was used to Malfoy always ready to use anything to get him heated so he said the last part with a sheepish grin. He was rewarded with an inquisitive look in response.
"I'm not sure what you are getting at, Potter." Malfoy prodded. "Everyone loves you." She let her leg start to sway off the side of the bench from the knee. She probably didn't mean to sound jealous.
"They love the idea of me." He corrected her. She could not deny him that point and he knew it. "I guess what I am getting at is this." He sat up fully, leaning forward slightly. "I make sure my friends are the right sort ." He smirked at the girl, mirroring her insufferable look. "I'm just starting to see that you might be the right sort after all. Well, maybe." A lopsided grin, not completely dissimilar from her smug one, grew across the girl's face as he used the very words she had used when she had tried to sway him so many years ago.
"Alright, Potter, you win." She said as she swung her legs around to sit back up as well. Her face had brightened considerably since he had first entered the compartment. "I suppose I can spare some of my valuable time to entertain you at the... occasional... whim." She started to chuckle and he began to laugh with her. It was the first time the two shared genuine laughter. It took a bit before they finally calmed.
"Brilliant!" He smiled, relaxing back into his own seat. "I could use some quiet time before getting to school." He took in a deep breath through his nose in a faux yawn to show himself relaxing into his seat for the long haul. With just the two of them in there it reminded him of when he had first shared a compartment with Ron. There was something special about going to the school together to experience the wonders. The feeling was indescribable.
"Am I just to be a set piece for when you need silence?" He looked up as she brought him out of his thoughts to catch the mirth in her eyes. He chuckled when he understood she was joking with him. He was sure this was the first time she had tried to get him to laugh.
*Your father kicked off our friendship in a way that is uniquely Mr. Harry Potter himself. I had never had anyone do something quite like it. I was born rich and got anything and everything I had ever wanted. Your father started life with nothing until he learned he was really a wizard with a famous lineage and personal history. I guess it's why it is the one thing he would spend his money on. I had never thought to buy a mountain of sweets. I was beyond elated to experience it with him. It was never something I had considered. For him it was always a dream come true that he could do it.*
"Well, I figure I could buy us something from the sweets trolley and we could dish on some of the rumors we've heard." He said, raising his arms to support the back of his head. The thought made him think of his and Ron's first ride as well. He and Ron had never experienced anything like that and had been more than delighted to gorge himself. It was a reliable thing about his best mate. He wondered if Malfoy would enjoy it even a little, a mountain of sweets.
"Got some juicy rumors, Potter? I didn't take you as one for gossip." Malfoy said, perching her chin in her palms.
"As a matter of fact, I do." He replied with a smirk. "But you'll have to wait a moment. I'm going to track down the trolley and get us something for the ride." Her lopsided grin when he said this was near infectious. "Watch this for me." Harry took off his cloak and tossed it to the girl, quickly slipping out of the compartment as he heard her squak of surprise.
Now that he was in the halls again and the sounds of the other students flooded his ears once more he felt like he had stepped into another dimension. He had to ask himself if any of this was real or was he having some sort of embarrassing dream. He snorted to himself at the thought. He knew it was real, but it certainly was not how he ever saw things evolving for himself.
Harry looked down the passage and was pleasantly surprised to see the trolley so close to them already. He trotted gleefully to the cart and the witch that was pushing it along. He smiled as he reached her. She gave him a disapproving look as he cleared most of the trolley again much like the first year he had come on the train. She grumbled about needing to go get more.
He transfigured one of his shoes into a large bag for his haul, hoping Malfoy would enjoy the gesture. He knew Ron had. The thought began to irk him, though. It made him feel guilty about riding into Hogwarts with Malfoy rather than his long time friends. He knew they would understand, though. Well, Hermione would. Ron he wasn't so sure about. He called out to the witch as she was leaving. Harry pulled out a handful of various coins, handing them to the witch. He hoped that his friends would be placated with sweets themselves. It was the least he could do now.
As he made his way into the compartment once more with his goods he saw Malfoy playing with his cloak. It made him inexplicably happy and he didn't really mind. He called out to get her attention. "I figured you were used to playing around with magical clothing by now."
She looked up in surprise at having been caught and he watched her cheeks immediately begin to flush. "You don't just go out and buy one of these things, Scarhead." she said defensively. It made him laugh lightly. She gave him a light glare before she noticed something herself. "Where is your shoe?" She asked, staring down at his feet, baffled.
Harry dumped the sweets over Malfoy without any warning, eliciting cries of confusion at the massive bag emptying over her. As the last of the contents landed on the girl she sat there almost catatonic. Harry returned his shoe to its proper form and place.
"Right here." He laughed as he plopped himself back into his seat, holding up his foot. He was met with a cauldron cake to the face that came at his glib response. He laughed even harder as they began tossing various sweets at each other.
"What is all this?" Malfoy asked as they finished their impromptu food fight as she caught her breath. She had obviously not anticipated this in any way. At least she was enjoying it.
"Tradition." He announced as he tore open a chocolate frog and bit into it. He looked at the card inside. Dumbledore. As common as the card was, it was only the second time he had pulled it. He snorted lightly as he looked at it. What an interesting coincidence he thought to himself.
"Tradition?" Malfoy gave him a look as if she was trying to wrap her head around what he meant. Harry figured she must not have any sort of tradition with her normal peers. He'd have to make up for their negligence.
"Yeah, new friend tradition. We get sick on sweets as we ride into Hogwarts." He grinned as he opened another confectionary. There was nothing quite like losing yourself in culinary excess. It was an escape that came right from his literal dreams and he was overwhelmed with joy when he did it.
"How often have you done this?" She asked. The blonde's face had become just as messy as his own, both of them abandoning any sort of decency while gorging themselves.
"Just with Ron our first year. I figure since he became one of my best mates it couldn't hurt to start off on the right foot again." She gave an amused scoff when he explained. Her grin told him he had made the right move. Maybe having Malfoy as a friend really was going to be a good decision. It was definitely better than being at each other's throats.
He was grateful when she revealed that she had a large flask of pumpkin juice in her trunk for the ride. The cool liquid helped alleviate the dryness he had developed from the sweets. She had been happy to be able to supply anything for their little feast.
*I think the first thing we ever really talked about was the tournament, but we talked about so much that first day.*
"So you had mentioned a juicy rumor before going off the deep end, Potter." Malfoy said, returning to their conversation pre-sweets. She was nibbling on a chocolate frog slowly as their consumption slowed. He noted that the compartment was even more chaotic than when he did this with Ron. This time He and Malfoy had practically demolished any sort of cleanliness with ripped bags and cardboard strewn about.
Harry swallowed some pumpkin juice too quickly when she asked and winced at the light pain. He responded after a moment. "Word has it that there is something big happening at Hogwarts this year." The girl scoffed at him through a half lidded stare.
"Every year something big has happened with you at the center, Potter." She quipped. Harry had the courtesy of blushing at his oversight. She wasn't wrong and there was no way he'd try to argue otherwise. He hoped that wouldn't be a trend. It was like a more annoyed Hermione.
"Yes, well, this year it is supposed to be a planned event, from the sound of it. The ministry seems to be involved." Harry had a smile as he settled into conversation with his one time rival. She seemed to have her spark back and even though it was Draco, he found himself relieved to notice. The tear stains were still there, but the color of her cheeks had returned with the cunning twinkle in her eyes.
"Sounds like someone found out about the games being held between the different schools." Malfoy said with a coy smile. It was something he would have never imagined the Slytherin doing. He snorted into his smile. Of course she would already know about something like this.
"How am I not surprised you would know what this mystery event is." He smiled widely. As they began conversing he reflected on what had transpired. Something about this friendship felt monumental. Ron and Hermione were his siblings. The two that would be his de facto family for life. He knew they'd always be there for him as they always had been. Draco? Well, this was his choice. The first time he chose to pursue friendship.
*We ended up spending the entire ride together. It was the first time we rode to Hogwarts together. Even before we started dating we somehow started finding an excuse to ride in together after that point. Your Aunt Hermione is still sore about that.*
"Aunt Mione is a witch." Lyra deadpanned. This whole thing was starting to get out of hand. Her mother's eyes danced with laughter at her daughter's reaction. It was insufferable. Lyra started to suspect that a lot of the things in her life were more than they seemed. If Aunt Mione was a witch, though, she would surely be spoiled with magical gifts. She would be lying if she said that didn't excite her at all. The world was getting bigger.
"Of course she is, love." Her mother said as if it were just another fact of life. "How do you think she manages to show up so quickly whenever you were sick or needed a babysitter? She lives in London with her husband and children. I don't know anyone without magic that could do that."
The two sat in the study enjoying the different snacks the house elf had provided. Lyra let her legs swing off the edge of her tall seat. her legs were not long enough to reach the floor. It was one of the most comfortable chairs she had ever sat in, though, so she didn't really mind. As the time passed Lyra pointed to the various objects while her mother gave her a quick crash course in whatever it was. A lot of it was decorative magic. Stuff moving about just to move about. Other things she was assured were also not toys.
"I really wish we had more time. You'll be showing up to Hogwarts with barely any more knowledge than your father had in our first year." Her mother smiled while rubbing her necklace in her fingers. She reached over and ran her hand through her daughter's hair.
"You'll look so much like him when we go shopping. It'll be like stepping back in time at the robe shop when I was a child preparing for Hogwarts and your father walked in. You'll be very cute in your school uniform." She pinched Lyra's cheek, eliciting a slightly warped groan as her lip was stretched to the side. "You'll be just as clueless, too." Her mother cooed.
There was a chime in the air suddenly. Lyra looked about, unsure where it was coming from. It felt like it was coming from everywhere at once. her eyes darted about trying to figure out what was happening. She had never heard anything like it at home. Like some sort of magical PA.
"That just means your father is coming home in just a few moments." Her mother reassured her when she noticed her body language. "If you're lucky you'll be able to get him to tell you about the tournament." Her mother moved behind her seat. "Here he comes." She whispered. Lyra held her breath as she waited. Then it happened.
Lyra stared in mild disbelief as she watched her father materialize right before her eyes. He stood there for a moment, back to them, clad in a black robe and wearing a small pointed cap. Without missing much time he took the hat off and placed it on the hat rack before starting to take the robe off. Lyra was stunned by it all. It was her mother that took the initiative, like she always seemed to do for the family.
"I'm glad to see you home a little early." Her mother called out, her joy dancing in her words as that lopsided grin returned. Her father stiffened briefly in shock. It was something he did when he heard something unexpected, like people being in his study when he arrived.
"Well of course I tried to come home as fast as I could. When you said you had a surprise-" Her father started to turn with glee in his eyes when his voice failed him. He noticed her presence right away. This was the room, after all, that she was not allowed in. He scanned the room and immediately picked up on the tray of half finished snacks.
Moving his head to the side slowly as he spoke, he cast them a slight side eye. "I see you two have been having some mother-daughter time?" At his confusion her mother started to laugh hard in a way she had never seen, gripping her sides as she gasped for air. Her father started to smile before laughing along with his wife.
Her mother spoke up when they started to regain their composure. "It came today." Her father's mouth hung wide open in a shocked smile before he crossed the distance between them as fast as his feet could carry him. "I knew it!" He shouted out in pure glee as he scooped Lyra up and wrapped her and her mother into a tight hug. She glowed at her father's pride. She never tired of making her parents proud in any way.
"I knew it." He said again, softer, before gathering her mother into a gentle kiss. Lyra rolled her eyes at the display and gagged. It wasn't a display she was often witness to, but what child ever wanted to see their parents kiss? Her mother had gone bright red when he finally pulled away. "You still blush every time." He laughed when she swatted him on the arm.
"Shut up, Scarhead." Her mother said as she held her head to the side in a vain attempt to hide the offending display. Her Father chuckled at her before releasing the blonde and setting his daughter back into her seat, ruffling her hair.
He turned to her mother and wrapped her in his arms again, this time pressing their foreheads together. "You had lost hope." He said softly. "I knew it in my gut, though. Seems your father might not know everything after all." He grinned as he tightened the embrace slightly. She never met her mother's father before. Did she have a mother, too? She had never thought about having grandparents before.
"Yes, well, you can't blame me for worrying." Her mother said so softly that Lyra almost didn't hear it. She thought she heard her sniff away some tears.
"No, I guess not." Her father chuckled. "We'll have to tell everyone." He let her mother go once more, snapping his fingers. Kreacher appeared with a crack. The elf gave him the best attempt at a smile as it bowed.
"Happy to serve, master."
"Kreacher, please travel to this address and hand them this. And promise me you'll take it easy once you get back." Her father said, producing three small notes and a two foot long model of a broomstick, which impossibly was pulled from the robe as he had placed it on the rack. 'Firebolt' was the word written on the side. "Let them know it will activate in two hours." The elf gave out a snarl of compliance before popping away. "It really is the best we'll ever get out of him. He cares, though. Otherwise he'd have accepted clothing a long time ago."
"I suppose I should have expected this. Shall I prepare our fine robes, Harry?" Her mother sighed. Fine robes sounded fancy. Lyra didn't even know what fine robes would look like.
"Draco, it's just our friends." Her father rolled his eyes.
"Some of whom we have not seen in over a decade." Her mother pointed out. Her father just smiled in response.
"I'll get the twins, they may as well learn all of this now. I have a good feeling about them, too, but we can't just have Lyra disappearing without a good explanation. Besides, they're barely out of their toddler phase. They won't remember magic not existing. " Her father said. "Well, Potters, I guess it is time to get ready for dinner with friends and family on very short notice." He announced.
Author Note: I hope you enjoyed this intro chapter. I look forward to seeing you in the next chapter! I will release it as soon as it is revised