Who is ready!? Yeah...ME! Let's see!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter Verse. And your lucky. Cause things would be different! In good ways of course...
Her lips quivered and Lyra almost allowed herself to burst into tears. Was this where she died? In a dusty room of the Black house, by a creature that was just as hated as she was? How cruel was this? Giving her the chance of friendship, the taste of being close to people who partially accepted her only to be torn limb from limb or hexed to death? The phrase life isn't fair surfaced hazily in her mind but she banished it. Couldn't it be fair, just this once?
Well not that she expected to have a house on a hill and a continent full of grandchildren, but damn living until she was at least of age had been the plan. Looks like that was impossible now… "Are you going to kill me?" Lyra breathed, it seemed like a stupid question but she felt like preserving her life for a few extra seconds. "No." He seemed almost surprised by the suggestion, actually, as he shook his head smoothing over his hair. "No, I'm not going to kill you."
Well that was less alarming than the alternative...What was the alternative? Not even lowering her guard Lyra frowned rubbing her arm again shivering slightly. It was a quarter sleeve purple dress, not at all dress for the icy cold of the black house but she hadn't exactly been expecting it, but it bared skin. Skin that was freezing over even under his cold eyes. "Well…why did you lock the door…?" That was a valid question, if he wasn't killing her..?
"Those boys…" Lupin mused, twirling his wand in his hand eyes trained just above her head. "Their awfully fond of you…hug you, touch you…they look quite taken to be honest." He chuckled, but it was dry and humorless causing her to still. Confused Lyra nodded cautiously. "We're…friends."
He'd locked them in to talk about Fred and George? That was strange, more than strange, it was downright suspicious. It was almost like he believed Lyra enchanted them that way. The hybrids blood ran cold then. That's why he'd been glaring at her when Fred and George went near her, even more so after her song. She would never stoop so low as to force her company on them, if anything they forced their company on her in the beginning! "You don-" "I was going to tell them." He interrupted, looking unrepentant as he did so. "But I know you've known all along what I was, even if I just found out what you are tonight. You kept it a secret, and I was going to do the same. But those boys…I decided to give you an opportunity to fix this." He said slowly as if talking to a naughty child who would know what they'd done and fix it.
"Fix it?" Lyra whispered arms wrapped around her middle. "Fix what? I haven't done anything..." She protested wishing he would go away. Was the only was someone would want to be friends with her for her to enchant them? "Life the spell." He said bluntly. "No magic but the kind used will break it." Reciting that Lyra couldn't help but noticed that Lupin truly believed she was enchanting the twins. More than that…he saw her as a danger. It was in his eyes. "There is no spell. I've done nothing." Lyra continued to protest even as he stalked across the door intent on grabbing her. She dodged him as easily as she'd dodged Fred and George the day before.
But she still stared wide-eyed and trembling. There was no way to convince him. "Liar!" He snarled, his eyes tinting gold. Oh..that wasn't good. Wasn't good at all. But she was still too distraught to care. Dodging again, she tripped knocking over a statue. The piece smashed, smaller clay pieces scattering around the floor.
"I didn't!" She shrieked in reply as he caught her slamming her small body to the wall, wand out poised to attack her. "You think I can't scent the feelings you have for them? Even if I didn't, it's still so obvious. Can you honestly say you weren't even tempted to use your powers on them? Can I believe such a lie?" He rasped in her face, his hair falling into his golden eyes. Were feelings for the twins always going to come back and bite her in the ass? Lyra would gladly tell him once again there was no spell but it seemed he was fond of choking the life out of her. She drew up her knee pushing it painfully into his gut pushing with all her strength against him and once he stumbled back in surprise she choked. "I didn't!"
"Only your kind would curse an emotion on the ones they want!" Remus snarled at her, his teeth looking sharp, and Lyra knew that was the limit of his transformation without the silver light of the full moon. That slow bubbling rage was back, and Lyra realized the skin of her wrist was bare and without her necklace, it would be hard to control if it got out of hand. But it seemed as if they were drawing an audience outside as Sirius called out, Mrs. Weasley obviously hovering nearby as the lock jiggled. Remus threw up a silencing charm keeping his eyes firmly on hers.
"And only your kind would kill their lovers!" Lyra shot back, Remus turned murderous. Apparently that was a sore point with him and she'd just poured salt into it and rubbed him down with lemon juice with sticking in a hot poker. He advanced again, Lyra was determined not to get caught a second time."Break the spell!" "There is no spell!" Lyra screamed. "Don't lie to me!" "I'm not!" He lunged and she ducked and spun out-of-the-way just as the door flew open pieces of wood everywhere as a bambardo splintered the wood. "Rabbit!"
"Tell them what you did!" Remus hissed. "I did nothing to them!" Lyra snarled back pointing to the confused twins who were trying to get to her but Sirius blocked the path of the rest of the household. "They are the safest ones from me! The safest wizards in the world from me and mine! I have done nothing but wait and beg for their friendship! They are safer from me than they are from you werewolf!" Sobs, hysterical spilled from her sore throat as she croaked, falling to her knees. "I've...done nothing!" She whimpered grabbing the sides of her head. "Remus...?" Sirius questioned and Lupin looked at her for a few solid moments as the twins rushed over to her, George wrapping her in his arms as Fred watched Remus with narrowed, angry eyes wand drawn. Taking a moment to see Fred, noticing his clear eyes Remus sighed heavily rubbing his forehead. "I..got a bit carried away Padfoot…"
Lyra looked up at George once he'd slid beside her tears still raining. "Nothing, I've kept you safe haven't I?" She whimpered pleadingly, holding his face her thumbs brushing over his pale cheeks, assuring herself he was alright. George ached, despite his confusion, Lyra looked so…broken. Not even that day she requested the two canary crèmes matched up. "Haven't I been a good friend? I won't hurt you. I've never done anything to hurt you." She pleaded as George stroked her back and hair shushing her in a frantic attempt to calm down, shooting a worried look at Fred as Lyra nuzzled his cheek. "I can't hurt you." She sobbed throwing herself at Fred as he hurriedly joined them. "Either of you. You trust me not to hurt you right?" The hysterical girl said and George nodded. "Of course ,Lyra." "We trust you." Fred assured joining in with the petting of her hair and back to calm her down as she pressed a hasten kiss to his temple. Both boys seemed at a loss for what to do as Molly tore into Lupin by the doorway. "I'm not strong enough to hurt you...not brave enough to protect you either. I am no Gryffindor." Lyra babbled as they soothed her, until finally they couldn't take anymore of her heart wrenching screaming sobs both murmuring a soft sleeping charm watching as she slowly drifted off.
Lyra woke up feeling like she'd gotten into a yelling match with a werewolf. Oh wait, she had. Sighing she shifted feeling incredible warm under the quilt and drowsily thought someone might have been a bit too excited when casting a warming charm. Only to realize the bed was really, really small. Almost as if she was wedged against two solid pieces of wall…
Opening her eyes so they were only thin slits, Lyra wiggled slightly trying to get a feel of where she was, only to realized she was on her side part of her curled under someone' chin while her bottom was snuggly fit against someone…they weren't. Well, she certainly wouldn't be wiggling around then, she thought groaning softly in mortification. Had she'd broken down on Fred and George while the rest of the house watched?
Not wanting to face them when she woke up she looked around for a clock.
"3 a.m" He purred in her ears and Lyra sighed rolling her eyes. What other time would it be? Lyra snapped back in a huff slowly extracting herself from between them, freezing as Fred snorted in his sleep (her head was tucked neatly under his chin) sighing in relief she moved again, crawling backwards out of bed. "Leaving them so soon? I thought this might have been a fantasy of yours? Though I can see why…"Ignoring the pervy voice in her head she stepped carefully on the wood, wincing as it creaked. "I can't face them." She told him simply eyeing the sleeping Weasleys before she turned, walking carefully to the door.
They brought her to the room she was using then, Lyra thought, seeing as the vanity and full length mirror were certainly feminine touches the boy's room had lacked. Pausing in front of the mirror she frowned. Her eyes had changed and her fangs were long enough to just peek out of her lips, her ears already pointed. "Appeasing your vanity?" The voice mocked in a low rumble and Lyra reached out fingers dancing across the cold glass. "Vain? Me? No. Lupin knows…he probably told everyone by now…" "He won't."Clicking her tongue in annoyance she paused glancing at the bed.
They were still sleeping. "They think I spelled them." Lyra sniffed ready to break down and cry all over again; a soft soothing growl cooed to her. "Worry not, little one. You know you did not. The old one knows…those boys know." Shaking her head in a silent denial she whimpered out a soft. "I'm going home…" Moving to the door she silently twisted the knob whimpering as she slid to her knees crying again. Locked; she really couldn't believe her luck. Why?
"Locking charm, modified. Only we can open it..." She turned, back to the door knees drawn up to her chest to see George sitting up sleepy-eyed and yawning as he rubbed through his already messy ginger locks. "Open it then…" Lyra rasped wincing as she pressed a hand to her sore throat. "No." George said simply hitting Fred to wake him up. "No more running tonight, pretty rabbit. We left you alone once and that turned out to be a mistake." Fred jostled away with a scowl glaring at his brother before George nodded to her. His sleepy glare immediately softens. "c'mon bac' ta bed rabbit...keep you from wolfie.." He muttered sleepily falling back down to his pillow as George rolled his eyes but Lyra giggled. That was frickin adorable.
George punched him in the arm again as he crawled off the bed, still in his clothes from earlier. Fred yelped and sat up groaning. "Why can't we go back to bed…the suns not even up?" He whined as George kneeled down in front of Lyra holding out his hand. She closed her eyes and turned her head away.
"Lyra…" He said firmly watching as she shifted to her side to lean against the door, clawing at the old wood. "Let me out…" "No." He said as scooped her up. "Not leaving. George told you, that was a mistake to leave you alone. We didn't know Lupin would go all crazy on you. It's not even the night of the full moon." Fred grumbled once George tossed her carefully on the bed allowing Fred to wrap his arms around her. George sat beside them, watching her carefully as he healed the bruises on her throat. She pushed them both away again crawling to the end of the bed, holding one of the posts. "It wasn't because of the moon, it was because of me. He knew what I was." She said mournfully and Fred sat up hastenly. "And he tried to kill you!?" They both demanded as Lyra gave them that heart chilling brokenly bitter smile. "No, he wanted me to release you both." Not the expected response, they shared a look as if to say 'what?'
Seeing their confusion she sighed looking at them. "This is why I don't make friends, why I first refused Dumbledore's offer. Once you know what I am, you doubt every connection I have. Because it's so easy for me to just….make people do what I want." 'So wait." Fred started as George picked up where he left off. "He thought you did some sort of spell " "Like you did to Lee" "Because we're friends." Stunned disbelief was there but Lyra shook her head. "No, because…of how we interact. He knew I…he thought…Lupin thought I enchanted you to love me." Lyra whispered her eyes filling with tears again. "But I didn't, and when I told me to break the spell…I couldn't, because there was no spell. When I played last night it was only to calm your mother and Harry…what?"
"You used magic?" "Underaged magic" "How did the ministry not show up?" Lyra sighed softly shaking her head. "Because I technically didn't use any magic. My playing is just that…magical." All three of them smiled at the bad pun but truthfully that didn't clear anything up.
"But why?" They asked, still confused. This was it, the last grain of sand had emptied from the hour-glass, there was no way to get around explaining this without telling them who she was. "I'm…technically not a witch." She winced as she said it and their surprised looks. "You believed I was like Lupin? A witch with some added powers, correct?" Lyra summarized, they nodded. "I can use magic as well as any witch or wizard can, but I don't have to. Technically I don't even need to learn any spells…" Lyra said grimly and gently ran a finger over her pointed ear.
"I'm a Minstrel. Or half Minstrel. My other half is a secret…I don't even know what it is." Lyra held her breath waiting for…something. Disgust, surprise, acceptance. But she received none of these instead: "Minstrel? Never heard of it." They declared after a moment of reading each other's eyes.
"No…I don't suppose you would have." Lyra murmured looking down as she twisted her fingers together. "Minstrel's were murdered many, many years ago to the point of near extinction. I say near because obviously…here I am." Lyra said softly biting her lip. "We're cousins of Sirens, but far more dangerous. I don't need to sing to lure someone; I can tell a story or simply talk to them." "Or you can play an instrument." George said, his eyes lighting up in realization. Nodding Lyra waited but they only stared at her in return. Irritated by the silence she spoke up. "Well?"
"What?" "What?" Lyra echoed them cocking her head to the side in confusion. Why were they leaving her? Better yet, why weren't they trying to kill her? "Why aren't you trying to kill me?" They looked bemused cocking their heads to the side being her echo. "I tell you I can make someone do whatever I want with just the sound of my voice, wizards have killed us to extinction and you want to know why I asked if you aren't going to kill me?"
"Nah." Fred said playfully pouting a bit. "I don't know what to think. I'm kind of sad you're not a vampire. " "Or an elf." George agreed and Lyra frowned. Oh they were joking, obviously they weren't believing the 'I'm dangerous' bit.
"I can make Voldemort" she ignored their shudder. "do a happy dance, snape smile, topple the Ministry of Magic by saying 'hi' and you're both joking!?" Lyra frowned, how could she convince them? "If you make Snape smile I want pictures." George teased as Fred snickered. "I think our rabbit is awfully over-confident in her magical skills, or a complete lack of faith in ours." He chirped playfully. Lyra wasn't amused. "I'm serious." "We know you are" "It's just that" "You don't look at that dangerous" "Aside from the fangs" "And that cute little growl you have-" "Do Minstrels growl?"
That feeling when she just wanted to snap back was upon her again. Irritated they wouldn't take her seriously, Lyra crawled closer to Fred pushing him down much to his surprise as she ducked down. "Freddie….Freddie…Freddie…" Lyra breathed across his lips, which was oddly hot as his eyes glazed over. Her voice lowering to that purr that made him shudder before his muscles tensed up as the dark chocolate dripped all over him. "See Freddie, this is why everyone's so worried. Can't move can you? No…" She answered for him because true to her word, he couldn't move. It was like her voice was tying him down. She sat up, straddling him as she pressed her hand to his stomach. "Stay.." Fred shuddered, or he wanted too anyways, especially when it sounded like she'd moaned out that word as easily as she had his name.
George who'd been watching anxiously, stilled as Lyra turned to him twisting slightly as she sat on Fred still. Her hand lazily curled around his neck as she pulled him closer. He grunted from the awkward kneeling position on his knees but Lyra didn't seem concern as her fingers stroked down his cheek. "Lupin was so afraid this was what I was doing. But I wasn't, was I Geo?" She pouted her lip jutting out and he was sorely tempted to lick it in reply, he held back though as he shook his head surprised he could still move. "No. Because I refuse to force emotions on someone but I can do other things…" She whispered her lips ghost across his cheek. "I want you to sit on the bed. No moving. Not even an inch. Blink, breath but don't you dare move." Lyra murmured sensually running a hand down his chest.
This was what Lee must have felt like. A willing slave to do whatever the hell she wanted as long as he could still hear that sensual tease as his body sat still on the bed, amazed how clear his mind was. If he hadn't heard the order, he would think this was his own doing.
"Freddie….come with me." Lyra whispered her eyes trained on him as the silver thickened and thinned out as she stood up, walking backwards. George watched fascinated as Fred followed after her, as Lyra began to hum swaying her hips absently to the beat as Fred stood at the end of the bed. And then…she did something horrifying.
Or rather, Fred did.
Fred was just as clear in mind as George was, now anyways, and it really concerned him when his hand summoned his wand with a bit of nonverbal magic. Even more alarming was when Lyra's song seemed to penetrate through his mind urging him to point the magical conductor in the Minstrels direction.
His eyes widened as his arm did just that, and he could feel George's panic through their twin bond. He was pleading with Fred not to do it, hell Fred was pleading with himself not to do it! But Lyra, Lyra was still humming and swaying near the wall of the mirror, her heated eyes locked on him as she smiled slowly showing off her fangs.
"Go on Freddie…its ok." Lyra cooed and murmured, humming again as he watched in horror as his hand flicked the wand the beginning of a spell coming to form around his mouth.
NO!" He could feel George and himself shouting in his head once he uttered the first part. Fighting with himself did no good, he had no control.
"Avada-" "Enough." Lyra whispered to their relief and her spell broke. George was off the bed in an instant as he caught Fred who collapsed. "Did you just….was I going to Avada you?" Fred gasped in horror as George looked anything but the calm wizard he usually was. "Yes. Because I told you too." Lyra whispered softly and to their surprise tears were falling from her eyes again.
"I trusted you with my secret….I hope you'll keep it. But I don't expect you too….not after that. But you had to understand. I needed to make you understand." She pleaded with her…The Weasley boys as she shook her head. "I'll go." "Lyra" Lyra, not rabbit, Lyra. Was that who she was? She wanted to be rabbit so bad.
"Wicky…" She called as the house-elf appeared with a pop, looking up at her fearfully. "Changed! Changed! Wicky felt-" "Take me home." She said ignoring whoever was moving toward her. "Now!" She demanded as they disappeared leaving the red heads to contemplate their thoughts.
In her own room she threw herself down on the bed. For a moment, Lyra could admit, she'd almost let Fred finish that spell. If only for a moment. But her death didn't belong on their hands, at least…not while she was controlling them.
Whimpering she buried herself further into her bed, Wicky sobbing next to her as he clutched her closely. She didn't question it, just let it be, much too tired from the day to even speak a word that wasn't garbled by her tears.
Minstrels- Similar to sirens they can use their voices to lure in others. However, Minstrels go a few steps farther than an average Siren. Their voices alone are powerful enough to control someone, through song or simply speaking, even telling a story is dangerous is a Minstrel consciously uses their power. Simply silencing a Minstrel does not work because their powers can also be brought out through playing any instrument they have. They weave songs and tales so stirring that their companions' morale will not fail, and they will be driven to perform greater feats of prowess. They can even utter words of true power and ward against the forces of darkness. Minstels are also known to 'see' songs around people which are notes or swirls of color that tell a persons 'soul song' or the secrets of their soul.