Sorry I haven't written in ages! What with Christmas, collage and then flu (felt like dying for two weeks lol) I've been a bit busy. This chapter took me a lot longer to write then I expected anyway. I had a lot of difficulty with what to put in it and getting my ideas in order. There is a lot more about Lyra and who she is in this chapter. So read, hopefully enjoy and importantly tell me what you think when you're done.

Chapter 3

Friend or foe

Hermione awoke after a few hours after being knocked out. She sat up slowly caressing her thumping head. Groaning she blinked her eyes into focus. She looked around the cell waiting or her eyes to get used to the dark, and saw Lyra leaning against the wall. She turned to face her when she heard Hermione wake. She gave her a weak smile.

"Hey, you ok? How's your head?" she asked.

Hermione felt the small bump amongst her knotted locks. "Headache" was all she was able to reply croakily. She made her way across the room towards Lyra and also leaned against the wall. "So what's it like out there?" Hermione asked after a few minutes silence.

"Out where?"

"Side. London, England?"

"Oh" she said dispirited. "Well what can I say? I've been living in hiding most of the time. I'm muggle born; if I get caught I'd be in here or worse. Not that hiding helped, what with me actually in here and all" she gave a faint laugh of someone who was desperate. "Most placed its quiet, lonely empty I've heard. Apart from places where were allowed to stay, there's a part of London you have to stay in. Your only part free to roam towns and streets is if you are with a pureblood or supporter."

"How does that work?"

"If they own you. Work for them. Slavery, not my thing, that's why I ran away, lucky I wasn't killed when I was caught really. Deserting your household is punishment of death"

"If living her is called lucky," muttered Hermione.

"Yep, getting treated worse then a house elf or Azkaban. Hard choice."

"Yeah, I no which I'd prefer" she sighed placing her head on her knees.

"I suppose you don't know what happened once Harry Potter failed do you?" Lyra said suddenly, startling herself and Hermione with her question.

She raised her head from her knees and looked ahead "No, I've never been told. I'm not really sure if I want to know. But after months of wondering it kind of drives you crazy-"

"Well when you, Harry Potter and other people who went to meet him after that -"

"He never turned up a false alarm there was only Deatheaters, that's why we came back. Only I was caught near the castle. Didn't they come back?" Hermione asked.

"The Dark Lord ambushed the castle and rounded us all up when you left." she looked at Hermione's shadowed amazed face. "I doubt you'll remember me I went to Hogwarts while you were there. I may not look it but I'm a year younger then you are"

"Oh, you look the same age. I don't remember anyone like you at school though." She tried to remember a beautiful girl with bright blue eyes and straight brown hair. She would have thought Harry or Ron would point out a beauty like her, but no one came to mind.

"No I doubt you would, I looked different back then. Normal brown eyes and dark curly brown hair. I suppose a bit like you in a way. Nothing unusual. I was in Ravenclaw, I saw you around but you never noticed me. I changed my appearance as I was nearly caught by an ex-student turned Death eater who recognized me. This was all I could muster at the time. I like it though so it kinda stuck" she pulled at her straight hair. "I stand out a bit now though, don't I?"

"Oh, so what happened, to the students or did he-"she couldn't finish her sentence as a scene of death flashed before her eyes. All her friend's gone, like that.

"Well he came storming in the front hall. Only a few teachers had stayed behind. McGonagall went and others, well you know, Trelawney stayed, Filch did but him a squib and her being a complete nutcase they were no match for him. There were members of the order there but most crumpled to the ground in fear or were killed. He and supporters rounded all the students into the hall. It was madness. People running round screaming, crying, Deatheaters running and cursing anything that moved. Some of us got away. Ran for miles and miles there was about fifteen of us altogether, other groups also some people had the brains to use a broom. As far as I know the rest were rounded up with the others in the Great Hall. Any Purebloods who supported him lived; he offered those he deemed worthy to join him, but most were killed there and then. Only those who had Ministry members for parents survived. For a while, they were used as hostages. He knew most Ministry members would fall if he had their children. But that only saved them from the fate for a few more days." She sighed, "None of my friends survived either."

"I guess he will never be defeated. Evil has finally won"

"For now maybe, good always concurs evil Hermione. We've seen the bad times. Us hero's make a daring fight for freedom and evil will finally fall. It can't rule forever. Just have hope. We'll never give up. Never" her eyes shone in the small dreary light and Hermione saw that she meant it.

"This isn't a story. Evil has won. After all who can fight evil when there is nobody with enough hope to fight?" Hermione whispered.

"There is still hope. It takes a lot to kill it completely. The order of the Phoenix is still going. There are still people out there that are still fighting."

"How do you know about the Order?" she asked realizing. She turned her full attention to her.

"A member helped us, those who escaped I mean. Took us back to London, luckily McGonagall and rest of the order got there in time to help some people escape, not many but some."

"What happened about Harry, and Ron?" she whispered looking down at the floor.

"Harry Potter, no one knows. All I know that he ran into the castle to fight. Someone told me he was beyond fury. Heard about you being taken, everyone thought you were dead. What with the school taken as well… Apparently his body was never found. News spread that he had faced the Dark Lord and lost. That hit everyone hard. Our hope was gone. But it was rekindled, we still carry on." She finished and turned her head towards Hermione. "I'm sorry"

After a short silence Hermione asked "What about Ron?"

"Ron?" she asked confused.

"Harry's and mines best friend" Hermione stated quickly.

"Oh you mean the one you were always with. Tall with orange hair, yeah"

Hermione nodded and her heart began to beat rapidly and she realized that she was holding her breath, waiting for an answer.

"I don't know what happened to him. There's Sam. He's tall and has blonde hair; he mentioned being a friend of Harry Potters. Wait do you mean Ronald Weasley?"

"Yes is he still alive?"

"Yes. That was Sam's old name. He changed it for protection as well as his looks. He's head if the order"

Hermione felt her body become alive from relief and happiness. After a year of finally accepting death, he was still alive; a large grin forced itself on Hermione's face for the first time in an age.

"You ok?" Lyra asked

Hermione just sat their speechless. Smiling, while hugging her knees. "I knew he couldn't be. But I had to because they didn't come to help me" the smile disappeared slowly as she remembered the reason she thought her friends were dead.

"What do you mean?" Lyra asked her.

"I thought Harry and Ron were dead, not because I was told by Malfoy, who would believe anything that snake says but because they never came and got me out of here. They always looked after me no matter what. I guess this time I was wrong though" tears began to appear once more.

"He never mentioned you sorry. Trust me when I say though everyone wants to plan a break out of people in here. It will happen you're not the only good person in here"

Breakfast came in soon after this. Hermione pushed hers away not being able to face it, Lyra looked at it shocked for a moment.

"This is what we are expected to eat?" She stood up and went up to the door. Looking through the whole she saw the man who had warned her yesterday and had jinxed Hermione. He was pushing another tray to a prisoner opposite.

"How are we expected to eat this?" she shouted towards him.

He turned round smiling. "What did you expect a three course meal?" he laughed.

"How are we supposed to live off this?"

"Same as everyone else. She's done alright of it." He aimed at Hermione.

"Have you seen her? She's starving, thin as a rake. When do we get to go outside? Fresh air, I was promised fresh air." She demanded. Hermione respected her bravery yet knew she was fighting a losing battle.

"Promised, were you now?" he smiled. "I'd better go and check that piece of information hadn't I" he disappeared from view up the corridor.

"Oops" mumbled Lyra "I've gone and done it now haven't I"

"You don't know what it's like here. You have to keep you head down to survive. Or you'll be picked out by…by them" she ended quietly. Lyra knew of whom she meant, the men who had harmed her. She refused to except that would happen to her. A bolt turning was heard behind the two of them. The door opened letting in the dingy morning light. The same guard stood before them.

"You've got five minutes, if you're quiet. Your lucky, not many are in today" he motioned his wand to show them to get up and follow him out the door. Lyra helped Hermione to stand.

"Many who?" asked Lyra

"Guards. Sunday, men have issues with working on Sundays. Not that I blame them, come on"

Lyra went out first carefully checking incase of a trap. Hermione came out second, also slowly her face unreadable. They were taken down the corridor they both recognized, down a pair of stairs and through another corridor. The Deatheater motioned them through a door on the right. Once through they realized they were in a small open squared courtyard. Hermione hit with the sudden light and fresh air and stumbled back. Lyra caught her and pushed her forwards a little more away from the man behind them.

"You've got five minutes," he shouted towards them. With that to her surprise he went through the door leaving them alone.

"Where's he going?" Lyra asked. Hermione didn't hear her. She was staring up at the sky taking death breaths of sea air. Lyra seeing this as a time to leave her alone walked a few meters to the edge of the yard to look over the wall. They were about eight floors up. Below stood many balconies and beneath that a stormy sea. She looked out in front of her; the sea went on for miles. As this was a mild day though land could just be seen, hazy in the distance.

"I can't believe it," a voice to the left of her said. She turned to face Hermione. She had a look of pure relief and joy and another tear was streaming slowly down her dirty face.

"Me neither, why did he let us out and where did he go?"

"No, you don't understand, I haven't been out for months I forgot what the sea smelt of" Lyra didn't doubt this, due to the foul smelling cell.

"You will see it again." Lyra said strongly. "We need to get out of here." She again looked down. We could jump from each balcony, swim to shore. Though we're have to look out for guards, the sea looks ruff, how much energy do you have?"

Hermione looked in shock as she realized she wasn't joking.

"We can't escape from here. It's impossible."

"Sirius Black did" Lyra stated.

"Yeah but he was an animagus, a dog" she added quickly, she had forgotten Sirius had spent even longer in cells like hers. She finally understood slightly how he felt, par the Dementors.

"Oh, so that's how he did it. Well he won't need to escape now that his master is ruler of man kind," she said bitterly.

"He never supported Him, he was good. Harry's godfather a goodman", she sighed looking up at the sky again. "I can't do it. I won't be able to swim to shore"

"We could find a boat. They can't all apparate her, as I came over by boat." Lyra said a little excitedly. "Come on now is our chance. We have to-" but the door opened at this.

"Come on times up." He motioned them to come inside. Hermione pushed herself harder against the wall.

"I'm not moving. I've been inside for so long, I can't do it, I can't," she whimpered. The man stepped forward. Lyra stood in front of Hermione blocking him from her.

"Don't you dare harm her" The man looked at them both, he turned to Hermione kindly.

"Look, I know you've been through Hell and back, but you have to go back inside. If you go in with out a fuss, I'll let you back out tomorrow ok" he smiled at her. Hermione looked up at him unable to believe what she was hearing. "Oh and I'm sorry for cursing you yesterday, but you flung yourself at me, I had to protect myself" Both girls jaws fell at this. "Now come on. My shift is nearly over and the next man isn't as lenient as me. We both know your not allowed out, under Mr. Malfoy orders." Hermione nodded and let herself get pulled up.

"Why are you doing this?" Lyra asked him.

"Lets just say my order do things a little differently to how they do things here"

Hermione looked at him in surprise. "Your not a Deatheater, are you?"

"Inside now, hurry," he said not answering her.

"They were back at the cell sooner then Hermione would ever like. She looked at it fear suddenly growing inside of her. She stopped.

"Look I promise you'll be out again," the man whispered quickly to her. Looking behind and listening for any foot steps. Hermione acted as if she had not listened.

"Look I'll prove it um…" he looked around wildly for a way to prove he was telling the truth. He pulled out his wand and pointed it in the cell. He said some quick cells and the floor became clean and fresh. The bad smell of human filth and dirt gone. Two warm blankets and a lit candle also stood in the middle of the room.

"If anyone looks inside things will still look as they once were. No one will know the difference."

Footsteps were now clearly heard and a voice calling something.

"Come on please" he panicked.

Lyra pushed Hermione in. Before she entered she stated quickly "Food, something decent mind you would be nice" she hardly believed her luck when he nodded and said another quick spell. There now stood two bowls of steaming hot soup and a plate of bread. She went in and the man closed the door behind quietly and locked it.

"Thank you" Hermione croaked. There came no answer the man having already gone.

Both girls finished the soup quickly. Hermione before Lyra, who attempted to save the flavor of the soup could not ignore her hunger anymore and before she knew it was gone. She picked up a blanket and rapped herself inside its warmth.

"Why would he do this?" Lyra asked. "Has he shown you any kindness before?" she asked her.

"My plate has been slid in more gently then usual so I guess not, a few days?"

"Why is he helping us? I've never seen a supporter of the Dark Lord be so kind"

"It's because he isn't a Deatheater. His order does things differently remember" she quoted from him. "He's from the order of the Phoenix. Our side"