Blaise squeezed my shoulder before going to sit next to Pansy. I stood straighter and composed myself as I realized that the other Houses were starting to look over at the Slytherin table. The squeeze was a reminder of where I was. We weren't hiding in the Common room or at the Shack. We were in front of the entire school having this confrontation and that's exactly where my Aunt and Uncle want me to be when I lose it. Taking a deep breath, I picked up the first letter and opened it.

Lyra Lestrange,

You are hereby disowned by both of the Honorable Houses of Malfoy and Black. You have 24 hours to retrieve your belongings from the Manor. You will not socialize with Draco Malfoy or the other Heirs for you are no longer one.

Remember 24 hours,

Narcissa Malfoy

I chuckled at the letter and opened the rest. I wasn't surprised that they all read the same with a few minor word changes. All told me that I was no longer in the Pureblood community and to stay away from their children. Theo's dad stated that I was no longer engaged to his son, rather Daphne Greengrass was his betrothed now. My eyes scanned for said Greengrass as I informed the table. Whispers sprung up instantly as I found her a quarter way down with a smug smile on her face. I went back to reading the letters. After getting through 26 letters, I realized that the last one was from Severus Snape himself. I couldn't tell if it was just a formality since he was also Draco's Godfather or not. Sighing I placed the letters in my bag and raised my eyes to the Student body. "I am disowned by a single part of my family but not the Pureblood community nor being an Heir," I stated projecting my voice. I noticed that even the Gryffindors were wondering what was going on so I figured I'd help them out. Draco slammed his fist on the table and stood up, shouting, "How dare you say that? My Mother and Father have both disowned you from everything that you know!" I turned towards him and smirked. "Oh, the little Dragon is trying so hard to be like his father. Don't forget Malfoy that I am a Lestrange. And The Heir to the Lestrange Family. Also, your mother isn't the Heir to the Black Family. That Particular person is in the same place as my parents. So no I am not disowned from everything I know. In fact, all they did was ground you because you can't beat a Muggleborn in the classroom," I paused and let that sink in for everyone. I knew it hit when both his and Theo's eyes went wide. I turned and faced Severus. "Did you at least inform the other Professors about this development?" I asked. He nodded with his head turned away from me. "Good. Then I'll be leaving now," I said walking towards the door. "Like hell, you're leaving," five voices rang out. I turned to see Blaise, Theo, Greg, Vic, and Dravin standing as if they were going to run after me. I scanned the hall and noticed that the Twins, Hermione, Hannah Abbott, and Harry were also standing. Surprised I faced the Hall once more. Pansy, still seated, spoke for the first time since this started, "She's coming back. She's just going to get her stuff from the Manor ." Everyone calmed down at her words. Draco sat back down, saying, "It doesn't matter anyway. She's nothing but a commoner now." I smirked as a few growls came from the others. "Poor Draco. Even you can't do this," I stated. He looked at me with pain filled eyes. My heart broke a bit more as I did what I had to do. "Kreacher!" I shouted. A loud pop caused a few of the students to flinch. The Black's family House Elf apparated in front of me and bowed low. "Mistress Lyra, How may Kreacher be of service?" the aging elf asked. I gave the Slytherin Table a once over before getting down to business. "My uncle seems to think that he has the power to take away my blood status. Please take me to my Aunt Narcissa so that I can set him straight," I commanded. Kreacher latched on to my robes and everything became black.

Light reentered my pupils as we apparated into the Drawing Room at Malfoy Manor. "How dare you come back here!" a male voice screamed. I ducked as a spell flew over my head, hitting the wall behind me. In front of me was Lucius. He was standing behind his desk with his wand at the ready. Kreacher stood protectively next to me. I scanned the room and saw Narcissa sitting in a chair by the fire. It seemed that I had interrupted her reading time. I quickly turned my duck into a bow in her direction. Lucius seemed to take this as a sign of weakness and fired another spell at me. My aunt waved her hand at me in approval in enough time for me to counterspell. Standing up straight, I dusted off my robes, "I see that you're still just as quick to attack first and evaluate later, Uncle. I'm here because I was told that I had 24 hours to completely clear out everything that was mine from the Manor. Something that I would like to do as soon as possible." He didn't lower his wand. "Lyra, dear, you are forgetting to do something," my aunt commented from her chair. I turned to her as I disarmed Lucius. "No, I'm not, Ma'am," I replied, "Though, Uncle, you did a wonderful job. Threatened all of your little minions to try and take away my status." I pulled the letters out of my bag and threw them at Narcissa's feet. She leaned down and picked them up. As she started to read through them, I turned back to my uncle. He was now a mere foot from me. His eyes were on fire and he had his wand back in his hand. "How dare you," he growled. I raised my chin with a smirk, "How dare I? How dare you? You really need to relearn your place in my Blood Line. Your wife certainly hasn't." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Narcissa stand up from her chair at my blunt challenge. Lucius barked a laugh, "You are disowned and disinherited. You are nothing." I smiled, keeping an eye on my Aunt. "That's where you're wrong dear." Both Lucius and I turned to Narcissa when she spoke. "Dear, you seem to forget that I'm not the Heir to the Black Family. Therefore I cannot disown her from that family tree. As for Lyra no longer being an Heir is also wrong. No one but Randolph Lestrange can take that title from her. You've really messed up now," Narcissa explained, "However I won't allow the complete breach of protocol that this entire encounter has been." I started backing away from both adults. Lucius simply used physical pain as torture. Narcissa reveled in breaking someone completely and rebuilding them exactly how she wants them. I felt Kreacher grab my sleeve. "The Attic," I whispered. We disapparated and apparated into my old room. I pulled out my wand and opened my bag. I quickly shrank and summoned everything that was left of mine into my bag. I then ran from the attic to Draco's room. I gathered the gifts and pictures that had me in them from around his room. I went to his desk and grabbed the small silver dragon that Blaise had gotten him for his eleventh birthday. I casted a few quick spells and everything that was me went into the dragon. I scribbled on a small slip of parchment, "Just Call My Name And I'll Be There." I place the dragon and parchment back where they were on his desk. "Kreacher, Pansy Parkinson room at her home," I whispered. Black engulfed me again.

Pansy's room looked like a Princess's room. Pink and Purple everywhere. Rolling my eyes at her mother's attempts to make Pans her perfect little daughter, I more carefully combed through all of my friend's things. I replaced pictures that had me in them with ones that didn't. I gathered gifts from years past and memories. When I was done, I looked around for the perfect thing. Kreacher handed me a Rose from her nightstand. Smiling my thanks. I casted my spells and everything that was me went to the Rose. I also included a preservation spell so it would never wilt. I placed it back on her nightstand with a note that said, "My Love Is Fairer Than Any." We did this with the rest of the group. I left my promise ring at Theo's hanging from a picture of the group that no longer had me with his note saying, "Tell Me That You Love Me." Blaise's was a Book of Poems with a note that said, "Commit this to Memory." Vince was left with a note that said "The Best People Are Often Overlooked," laying under his playing cards. Greg had a watch laid out on his dresser, his note saying, "To Be On Time Is To Be Sublime." Kreacher left me in the Shack after everything was done and I dismissed him. I collapsed on the couch and didn't move for a while. Finally, my feelings overwhelmed me and I started crying. It was early on Sunday morning when I was able to compose myself again. I got up from the couch and emptied my bag of the things I gathered from the Manor. I flicked my wand and sent them to their rightful spots in the house. I went upstairs and showered. After changing into some jeans, a plain forest green t-shirt, and my Quidditch Team jacket, I went a made a bowl of cereal. I quickly ate, grabbed my broom, and went back to the Castle. 5 am Quidditch practiced sucked when going without sleep, but I was really not looking forward to this. I was the first to arrive at the pitch so I went ahead and started stretching.

Slowly the rest of the team trickled onto the pitch. No one looked at or talked to me. I was French braiding my hair when Marcus entered the pitch. "Lestrange, What are you doing here?" he shouted once he saw me. I finished my hair as I answered him, "Getting ready for Practice, Flint." I noticed Dravin and Adrian standing up from their spots a few feet behind Marcus. Marcus got about an inch from me before stating, "The bloody hell you are. You don't have priority anymore, Lestrange." I didn't move away. I was tired of everyone telling me I was or wasn't. "And do you have someone who can outmaneuver Wood's Keeping Skills just hanging out in the wings, Flint?" I asked as Dravin and Adrian came up to flank him. Marcus growled but Dravin spoke before he could answer, "It's too late in the year to find someone to take her spot. And you know it, Marcus. Kick her off after the House Cup is ours." I felt cold tendrils start to tighten around my chest as I listened to their debate. They eventually agreed on me leaving the team after the season was done. We then practiced and I lost myself in the drills. At 6:45, I left the Pitch without stopping into the locker room. I just went straight to the DADA classroom to have my extra lessons with Quirrell. He was waiting with a box on his desk. I closed the classroom door and it locked behind me. I went into Survival mode. I knew I could easily escape through the windows, especially since I had my broom with me. But I didn't know what was under the box. I carefully sat my broom and bag on the desk closest to me. Pulling out my wand, I slowly approached Quirrel and the box. "Sir," I commented from about five feet away. "Miss Lestrange, What I have here is nothing you have to worry about. I simply need to see if you have a weakness," the Professor stated before opening the box. Instantly my Mother was sitting on the desk. I froze in place and watched her carefully. My mind raced miles a second as I tried to figure out what this was and how to defeat it. As my Mother stood up and started walking towards me it clicked. "Riddikulus!" I shouted while waving my wand at the Boggart. My mother transformed into a deflating balloon. I chuckled and sent it back towards the box. I quickly closed it and sealed the box closed. I turned towards Quirrel to see him smiling. "Again," he said and we started all over again until the Boggart was expelled.

I was a nervous wreck by the time I left the classroom. Not only did Quirrell have three other Boggarts hidden around the room. He decided to test my multitasking skills and dueled me during the last two. I constantly scanned the corridors for my mother and other attackers. I entered the Great Hall self-conscious and jumpy. I sat at the end of the Slytherin table furthest from the door so that my back was to the wall. I stayed in my spot picking at what little I had placed on my plate for the next two hours. I scanned the Hall three to four times a minute. I noticed that the trio talking amongst themselves at the Gryffindor Table. Pansy, Blaise, and Dravin were sitting at the middle of the table for about an hour before leaving again. Theo had Daphne glue to his side, much to his dislike. Draco, Greg, and Vince were nowhere to be seen. I as swiftly as I had come when it was time for me to go to Professor Fenwick's extra lesson. I carefully knocked on the door and waited to be allowed to enter. "Come in," drifted a squeak from the closed door. I slipped into the Charms Room and locked the door behind myself. "Unlock the door, Miss Lestrange. You are not the only student who comes here on Sundays," Professor Fenwick stated from his pile of books. I studied him for a moment before unlocking the door. I kept it closed however so that I knew when someone entered the room. I walked to the opposite wall and sat with my back to it. I pulled out my second-year Charms homework and delved into it. "So why don't you have your earbuds in today?" a voice asked right next to my ear. I jumped and slashed out with my arm, cause many of the desks to explode. Professor Fenwick was standing next to the desk I was sitting in just a moment ago with a strange look on his face. I was obvious that it was he that asked me the question. Calming my heart I answered, "Music is my form of escape. After last night and this morning, I need to be able at the slightest movement." I straightened my jacket and let my hair loose so that it would block my face from the Professor. "And reacting is to explode half the classroom?" he asked. I ran my fingers through my hair, "I'm only eleven. I don't know how to fully control my magic." "Now that's just some line you're trying to feed the other professors to keep them from punishing you for having spells way higher than you should mastered," Professor Fenwick spat, walking towards me. I pulled my hair up into a high ponytail and saw he was right in front of me. "What do you know about Psychology, Lyra?" he asked seriously. "It's the Muggle study of the inner workings of the mind. It is used to study behavior, personality. It's how many doctors diagnosed mental illnesses," I answered without a second thought. He nodded and pressed on, "How do you know about this?" I looked away and stated, "I read about it." "But you're only an eleven-year-old child. You shouldn't be reading things about this." I heard the triumphant smile in his voice. I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms. "I'm not going to open up to you," I growled. The Charms Professor raised his hands in surrender and chuckled, "That wasn't my intention, child. Simply to teach you how to use Psychology in both everyday life and on the battlefield,"

I left the Charms Classroom with a new stack of books and another assignment. I walked into the Great Hall still on edge but my nose buried into one of the psychology books. I took up the same seat I had during lunch and put away my book. I leaned against the wall and studied the student body. The Slytherins were giving me a wide berth, but the rest of the school was acting as if nothing had happened yesterday. Professor McGonagall started dinner and food appeared on the tables. Instead of eating, I watched my House. Theo was still not sitting with the group. Instead, he had chosen to sit at the opposite end of the table. Both Greengrass girls were sitting with him along with a few of their friends. Daphne seemed to be trying to engage Theo into the conversation, but he was ignoring her. I shook my head at his rudeness. I turned my gaze back to the main group. Pansy had her head laid against Blaise's shoulder. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were puffy. Someone had caused her to cry recently. Blaise held Pansy close and slowly fed her. He seemed to be fine other than being a tad pale. Vince and Greg were flanking Draco. The three of them looked as if everything was the same. I couldn't find Dravin until I found the Quidditch Team. He was seating between Adrian and Flint, sporting a black eye. The team was laughing and goofing around, but Dravin was quiet. I had to fight the urge to get up and go see what was wrong. Then Dravin looked up and caught my eyes. He shook his head just so slightly and went back to listening to the Team. I felt tears from the last two day swell up, so I left the Great Hall without eating and went to the Slytherin Common room. I stood in front of my normal fireplace and watched the flames as the tears flowed down my cheeks. When I finally found my voice through the tears, I started singing Hanging Tree. As I sang the last note, I heard the door open. I fell silent as the rest of the House filed into the Common Room. "What you doing there, Lestrange? That area is reserved for Heirs only," Draco sneered from behind me. I didn't answer him. I just kept staring into the fire. "Didn't you hear him, commoner?" Flint snapped farther back. I closed my eyes as white heat started forming behind my heart. I heard other calls and commands being made from behind me, but I ignored them all. Until I heard a faint, "Lyra, please sing for me."

Pansy's voice was hoarse and full of tears. I didn't even hesitate. I started singing Escape by Megan Nichole. I heard the whole Common Room become silent again due to my voice. I felt a hand on my back and I turned to face who was behind me. Blaise towered over me with a soft smile. His eyes darted down towards his chest and I found Pansy standing there as well. Her eyes were filled with tears so I pulled her into my chest and held her as I sang. She started crying when her head landed on my shoulder. I kept singing and rubbed her back. After the third or fourth song, she knees started getting weak so I lowered us to the ground and propped myself up against the wall next to the fireplace. Pansy curled up on my lap. I ended on Red is the Rose as she cried herself to sleep. After I made sure she was soundly asleep, I looked up to the rest of the Slytherin House with pure murder in my eyes and my wand pointed up at Draco. "I swear to Merlan if any of you speak of this to anyone outside of this room. I don't care if it's a friend in another house or your family. If you speak of this, you will deal with the wrath of an Heir," I growled. There was movement out the side of my eye, so I turned towards it without waking my friend. I saw Blaise standing to my left with his wand pointed towards the rest of the House as well. "You'll have to deal with two Heirs," he stated. I stared up at him in awe until I heard, "Three," come from my right. I looked and my jaw dropped in disbelief. Theo was standing in the same position. Dravin came and stood in front of me with his back towards me, "Four." Slowly my group of friends except Draco were standing around Pansy and I threatening the entire Slytherin House into silence about Pansy's breakdown. "How dare you go against the Malfoy's?" Draco screamed from his spot behind the couch. "Easily," Theo started. "Lyra does nothing but protect her friends," Blaise continues. "She believes in us when no one else does," stated Greg. "She explains things we don't understand until we do," Vince defended. "Lyra Lestrange is braver than the stupidest Gryffindor. Smarter than the bookworm Ravenclaws. Kinder than the sweetest Hufflepuff. Lyra is more cunning than any of Slytherins. She is the Queen of Heirs whether you admit it or not, you know it's true," Dravin declared.

I shifted under Pansy's weight and picked her up. Blaise and Theo steaded me as I stood with her in my arms. "Draco, please realize that your father is leading you down a very dangerous road. One of despair and pain. Come back to us so that we can protect each other. So we can protect our friends," I said before heading towards the dorms. Opening the door with a wave of my hand, I laid Pansy on her bed and covered her up. I didn't bother with closing the door since someone was going to come check on us in a few minutes. Instead, I sat on the floor and leaned against the side of Pansy's bed. Everyone filtered into their dorms about a half hour after the confrontation. No one came to bother me for quite some time after that. I laid my head on Pansy's mattress and closed my eyes. That's how Draco found me well after everyone else was asleep. "Lyra? You awake?" he whispered from the doorway. I didn't move or open my eyes as I answered, "Do you really think the door would be open if I wasn't?" Draco chuckled and came into the room. I closed my eyes again as he sat on my bed. "What do you want?" I asked uninterestedly. "We have to get a plan for detention," he answered. I looked at him and growled, "That's over a month away, Malfoy. And everyone knows how I feel about your obsession with the Lions. It isn't healthy for a Prince of Slytherin. People will start to talk." Draco laughed. "Oh, Lyra. The entire school will think I'm gay for Potter before we graduate. Hells, I'll be surprised the teachers don't already have a poll going between him getting with me or Granger," Draco stated with a smile on his face. I shook my head and felt Pansy's hand reach out in her sleep. I became still as she then rolled over and fell back into deep sleep. "Are we going to be okay?" All the laughter had left Draco's voice when he asked the question that's been hanging over everyone's head since Christmas. "Honestly Draco? I don't know," I answered as we watched the young girl sleep.