"Kreacher?"
It was Kreacher, her house elf. Ever since Lyra had talked Sirius into giving Kreacher some Black family mementos, the old elf had been polite to Remus and Tonks, obeyed Sirius without a moments hesitation or a snide remark, and was fully and desperately loyal to Lyra.
So loyal, in fact, that he knew how paranoid she still was and went to every effort to avoid putting her in a situation where she felt threatened.
Like what had just occurred.
The old elf stood in front of Lyra and Charlie, trembling as his bulbous eyes leaked salty tears. Lyra bent down to talk to him, exchanging bemused glances with Charlie as neither had ever seen Kreacher in such a state before.
"Kreacher?" She asked again, concern flooding her voice.
"Kreacher didn't mean to overhear Mistress Ly, Kreacher promises! Kreacher doesn't like to be rude!" He seemed panicked, upset that he had apparently betrayed Lyra's trust.
"I trust you, Kreacher" Lyra said gently, settling herself on her knees to talk to him properly. Behind her, Charlie stowed his wand back in his holster.
Kreacher didn't say any more, so Lyra, worried, spoke again.
"Kreacher, what's wrong?"
"Kreacher overheard Mistress Ly and Mr Weasley talk about leaving. Kreacher doesn't want Mistress Ly to leave, Kreacher didn't realise!" The elf started sobbing again, tears pouring out of his eyes as he stood in front of Lyra.
"Oh, Kreacher!" Lyra exclaimed, enfolding him in her arms. She felt his large eyes sob onto her shoulder, and she gingerly patted his back. She heard a hastily disguised laugh behind her, and felt Charlie move past her out into the hallway where he was free to laugh without offending Kreacher.
"Kreacher.." Lyra sighed, "I can't live here after Charlie and I marry. We're going to have our own home!"
Kreacher's large eyes stared up at her.
"But Mistress Ly has a home. With Master Sirius."
"But Kreacher.."
"Mistress Ly must stay with Kreacher in her home!"
"Kreacher..."
"Mistress Ly belongs with Master Sirius in Grimmauld Place where Kreacher can look after them both!"
"Kreacher!"
Her cry startled Kreacher into silence, and he blinked his large eyes at her.
"Kreacher - every child moves out of their parents home when they grow up. I'm getting married, I can't stay here with Sirius forever."
Kreacher blinked again, stubbornly.
"Kreacher thinks Mistress Ly should stay here with Sirius."
Lyra laughed,
"Mistress Ly disagrees. Kreacher, I will be moving out once Charlie and I have married."
As Lyra continued to debate with the ancient elf, she could hear Charlie still chuckling in the distance. The sound made a small smile tilt the corners of her mouth but Kreacher was still watching her and she knew her elf. She knew he would be mortally offended.
Suddenly, Kreacher's body tensed, and he stood to attention in front of Lyra.
"Master Sirius calls. Kreacher must leave", the elf vanished in a small pop and Lyra stood, moving to the door.
"It's safe" she called out. Charlie appeared in the doorway. Lyra took one look at him before they both burst out laughing.
"I - never - expected - it to - be - Kreacher!" Lyra said in between laughs, "I never - thought he'd - behave - like that!"
Charlie's face turned red so familiarly that Lyra could only assume it had been red just minutes before.
"He's - so - stubborn! 'Kreacher doesn't want Mistress Ly to leave' 'Mistress Ly must stay with Kreacher'" he burst out laughing once more, and Lyra moved forward to lean her head on his shoulder as both their bodies shook with their hysterical laughter.
Suddenly, they both heard Sirius' voice above them.
"Thank you, Kreacher."
They looked at each other.
"He can't see us like this Charlie" she gripped his hand and they ran for the door, managing to get out just in time. They stood on the steps, both bodies still aching from laughing so hard for so long. Charlie wrapped his arm around Lyra's waist, before apparating them both to his flat. The memory of the teary Kreacher set them both off into hysterical laughter once they were safely away.
Years later, when seated with their grandchildren, great grandchildren, or their friends, just one quick look from one to the other and a "Mistress Ly" would send both off into hysterics once more. It was a joke they never shared, but one, even up to the day they parted for the last time, that made them laugh.
Omg I'm so sorry, I was watching The King's Speech and it may have started influencing me slightly half way through the chapter. (It's only just finished, I was typing and watching and crying at the same time)
So there is a small possibility that Ly and Charlie start sounding slightly as if they're from the 1940s and part of the nobility.
Blame Helena Bonham Carter. She was incredible and her voice is still in my head now.