To Protect Her

by Etch-le-Sketch

Lyra Herondale and her brother Darius wait for their Auror parents to come home from their most recent mission. Originally I was going to make it a death scene for Lyra, but it took a different path, and I'm proud of how it turned out.

Just in case you thought I did, I do not own the wonderful world of Harry Potter.

Lyra Herondale was sitting in the living room of her summer home, waiting for her parents, who were Aurors, to come home from a mission. They had left the day before, promising to be back soon. As the hours dragged on and on, she began to worry. Then, a knock was at the door. Lyra walked over and opened the door, Darius appearing behind her. Another Auror was at the door, his face ashen. "Are you the Herondales?" He asked. Darius nodded slowly. "We are. You work with our parents, right? I recognize you." He said. The Auror nodded uneasily. "Er, yes, that's what I came to talk to you about, actually. Y-You see... Victoria and Matthew Herondale are- are.. dead." Lyra paled, the blood draining from her face. "W-What? N-No, they- they can't be dead..." She whispered. "Darius, tell him he's wrong..." She said, looking up at her brother with tear-filled eyes. When Darius didn't respond, she turned to the Auror. "YOU LIAR! YOU'RE LYING!" She shouted. "You're wrong... You have to be... They can't be dead.. they promised they'd come back..." She said, trying to hold back her tears. Darius blinked, finally moving. He pulled Lyra back, picking her up. "You can go." He said harshly, closing the door in the Auror's face. He walked to Lyra's room, murmuring comforts to her as he set her down on her bed, sitting down next to her as she clung to him, tears streaming down her face. He would have to take care of her. He would protect her, at all costs.