Chapter 40

4 Stunners

Two months had passed since, Lyra, had last seen anyone from the Order. All she did, was work on her elemental magic with Florence. Learning how to destroy Voldemort's soul fragment and control her magic. Florence who was a task master, was also pleasantly impressed with her. However, the prospect of accepting herself, that Florence had asked Lyra to work on, was still heavily burdening her progress, but she was working on it. Florence had also asked Lyra to work on her Occlumency skills to help her control her emotions better. And she had been revisiting the art, she had learnt from the library years ago and putting it to better use.

Lyra had finally, managed to get a day in with Tessra, and had updated her thoroughly, on the happenings of last year, along with her sessions with Florence. Tessra had been surprised to learn that Lyra had made such substantial progress. Lyra had pushed the prospect of visiting her brother and mother, she did really miss them a lot!

Tessra, did see it as a wise call, but asked Lyra to return to London, once the weekend was out.

So, Lyra made a quick trip home. Only to be surprised to find that her mother was packing a small trunk for herself.

When Lyra had arrived, she was surprised at not getting the customary Margery welcome. Her mother gushing and fawning over her as always. Instead, her father had answered the door. He had given her one of his customary bear hugs, and like always kissed the top of her head, then sent her straight upstairs to talk to Margery.

"Where are you going?" She asked Margery with a frown on her face.

"Lyra? What are you doing in America?" Margery had asked surprised.

"I've been here for the last two months…living at the Coven House…"

"That explains…a lot…" Mumbled Margery and then added.

"I suppose you can't tell me why exactly."

"I've been working on my elemental magic." Replied Lyra without revealing much.

"You mean the...fire power?"

"Yes."

"I will not understand why you ever dabble in such things, Lyra…" Margery muttered under her breath.

"It is rare and ancient magic, mom. Not something, many people possess…I thought you'd be proud."

"I am…I am proud…I just wish…it wasn't so dangerous!" Snapped Margery shaking her head.

"Where are you going, anyway?" Lyra asked sitting down on the large bed besides the trunk.

"To London."

"Oh! I was planning on visiting Michelin before I left. But Burst and I could take you there…but wait…why are you visiting London?"

"Minerva has been attacked." Margery added carefully cutting Lyra off.

Lyra did a double take.

"What? How…she's at Hogwarts!"

"She was attacked at Hogwarts…while she was trying to save the groundskeeper…"

"Who attacked her?!" Lyra demanded angrily.

"Four aurors, sent there by the new headmistress!"

"New headmistress?! What? What are you saying?" Lyra asked angry and confused.

"She's at St. Mungo's, Lyra. I have to go…I am not letting my little sister stay in that hospital alone!"

"Mom, please…I'm very confused…what is going on?" Lyra asked.

Margery stiffened as she looked at Lyra.

"You've been away too long. In these two months, a lot of things have changed at Hogwarts. Harry Potter was caught running an illicit group…teaching children defensive magic. Upon being caught…Umbridge…had dragged Potter to Dumbledore, to get him expelled. However, Albus took the fall for it. The minister asked for his immediate arrest. But he seems to have escaped. Which meant…Hogwarts was left defenceless with only Minerva to keep things steady under this new regime. And knowing my sister…I'm sure she didn't sit quietly. She got into some kind of trouble and is now at St. Mungo's. That is all that I know, Lyra."

Lyra sat there listening as Margery continued to pack. But there was something else, something was wrong.

"Are you mad at me?" Lyra asked frowning. Margery looked up at her, her nostrils flared.

"How very perceptive of you!"

"…ok…would you like to tell me, why?"

"You want to know why?"

"That would be helpful."

"What…why are you so oblivious about these things, Lyra?!" Snapped Margery angrily.

"I don't know what I've done to offend you." Lyra frowned. What could she have possibly done now?

Margery remained silent.

"Please, tell me!" Lyra said calmly placing her hand on her mother's to stop her from continuing her angry packing. Margery looked at her daughter and sighed.

"I'm not angry at you…I am angry at the situation…I am angry that you had to…"

"…that you had to wait so many years to know. I am angry at myself, for not being able to tell you. I am angry, that I had to lie to you, to cheat you from knowing…I am angry, because I feel like this!"

"Like what?"

"Like you, won't love us anymore…" Margery said teary eyed.

Lyra blinked.

"I could never not love you and dad or Michelin…or Zenia or Sarah…or Athena…you will always be my family!" Lyra replied instantly. Margery looked at her.

"You were there for me, when Minerva couldn't be…how dare you think I would ever stop loving you!" Lyra snapped gently. Margery shook her head.

"Mom, I was never looking for my parents, because I wasn't loved, or because you didn't give me enough of what I wanted. I was looking for them, because I wanted to know, where I came from…why I was so…so…like this! But that doesn't change anything. I will forever be grateful to you. But finding out who my parents are…has finally brought me some peace. It's filled an emptiness that I created for myself. You did a wonderful thing, taking me in. Without ever worrying what anyone else would say. You loved me like I was your own daughter. You forgave each and every mistake I made in a heartbeat, even when it came down to your own son! For me, you will always be my mother. Albus and Minerva…complete me…they solve the riddles in my head…they fit, the missing pieces. But that doesn't mean, I wish to discard all the other perfectly balanced ones. I love you all very much. You must know that!" Lyra said wrapping her hands around Margery tightly. She held them gently with her own and smiled through her tears.

"Sometimes...I forget, what a beautiful heart you truly have, my love!" Margery replied enveloping Lyra into her arms.

"Let's go." Margery said closing the trunk with her wand. A determined glint in her eyes, which Lyra had seldom seen. Lyra walked downstairs to the kitchen, where Franklin was feeding Burst and petting her gently. He smiled at the two women. Margery kissed her husband, and they were then gone in seconds.

"This is my mother…" Lyra introduced Margery to Healer Myers.

"I know…who she is, my dear…very well…how have you been, Margery? It's been quite some time since our last Gobstones tournament." Chuckled Myers charmingly.

"You were always the one to get sprayed first, Myers!" Margery chuckled.

"We were at Hogwarts together…your mother and I…co-chairpersons of the Gobstones Group." Healer Myers offered an explanation, as Lyra smiled at him.

"May I offer you some tea, before we discuss your sister?"

"I would greatly appreciate that. Travelling by phoenix, isn't for us all." Margery replied throwing a side glance at her daughter, who smirked as she petted the tired bird.

Healer Myers poured Margery a cup.

"Your sister, is faring well, especially for someone who's been hit square in the chest by four stunners at once. She was always the most tenacious of you three, I suppose." Myers said nostalgically. Margery scoffed. Tenacious was just another word for Minerva's stubbornness. At least in Margery's dictionary.

"When can I go see her? When can you discharge her?" Margery demanded politely.

"That's the tricky part. I would discharge her immediately, if I could. She doesn't need to be here anymore. However, the ministry has asked me to keep her. They think, Dumbledore might come visit. They've stationed a few aurors outside the ward as well. And I had no say in the matter." Myers said shaking his head.

"I'm sure you tried, Fredrick…"

"Sir, doesn't policy dictate…that…if your family wishes to take on the responsibility, you are free to be discharged as long as your magic is stable? Minerva isn't a dark wizard, who is to be sent to Azkaban. Surely…if my mother can…" Lyra asked diplomatically.

"Yes, Margery being here, does change things. That's why, Dumbledore, asked me to write to her. To ask Margery to come and collect her." Healer Myers smiled knowingly at Lyra. Margery couldn't help but roll her eyes at the mere mention of Dumbledore's name.

"I take it you're not a Dumbledore fan." Observed Myers, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Don't even get me started." Margery retorted.

"Weren't you friends with him back in Hogwarts? I do recall him being present at your wedding." Myers asked.

"That... was a very long time ago, Fredrick." Margery sighed and nodded reluctantly.

"Were you friends with Dumbledore? Is that how they met?" Lyra asked curiously.

"No, you can blame that on Alastor Moody and Athena." She snapped, her emotions evident in her heated response.

Observing the sudden shift in mood, Myers decided it was time to steer the conversation in a different direction.

"I shall prepare Minerva's papers. Would you go speak to the aurors for me?" He asked Lyra, who nodded and walked towards the private room that Minerva was in.

She walked up to the aurors as quickly as she could, telling them that the patient inside was to be discharged, they however didn't accept her word for it.

"We have orders from the ministry to keep her here!"

"Are your orders above the laws of the International Wizarding Health Federation? This is a hospital, not a prison! And as far as, I am aware, she is free to go, and so are you!"

They didn't budge. Not until, a few minutes later, when Healer Myers, walked towards Lyra having a heated argument with one of the aurors. Healer Myers asked them kindly to leave, as the patient would be discharged over, to her sister. The aurors, now being told the law, seemed to have been left with no choice, but walk away.

Lyra brought, Margery and Minerva, both to her flat. Margery, helped Minerva settle in and then began chastising Lyra's lifestyle, as she usually did every time, she visited her.

"For Merlin's sake, Lyra! Do you ever clean…and when are you going to stop smoking those horrible cigarettes…this place smells awful…how is anyone supposed to live here…how is she supposed to heal here?!"

"Really…?!" Lyra muttered murderously under her breath, as she moved around the kitchen making coffee for them. Minerva smiled at Lyra gently.

"She's always been like this. I don't think, Athena and I, ever cleaned our rooms, because she'd do it for us anyway." Minerva said softly.

"Don't encourage this!" Margery snapped at her sister.

"Seems about right! My brother has gone on her...and so has Sarah." Lyra smiled.

"There is no food in this place, not a single edible morsel…apart from all these nasty coffee grounds…so unhealthy!"

"And what are all these empty bottles of fire whiskey? Merlin…LYRA! Have you started drinking again?! How can one person go through so many bottles?!"

"And they're all empty…Lyra! What is wrong with you?!"

"Maybe, I'd drink less…if people stopped complaining about my lifestyle!" Lyra answered rolling her eyes. She honestly didn't remember drinking all of those bottles. In fact, she didn't remember leaving the house in such a state. Where the hell was the house elf who was supposed to clean up every once in a while?

"If Minerva is to stay here, I will need to do some serious cleaning…even pigs live better than this!"

"It really isn't that hard to use your wand for a cleaning spell or two, from time to time. Instead of brandishing it for jinxes and hexes constantly!" Margery snapped angrily, as she began to wave her wand to clean the place up.

"I don't jinx people for fun anymore…I'm not 12!"

"Well, this house seems, like there have been twelve 12-year-olds creating chaos here! This is not a way to live…"

Margery's admonishment was cut short as they heard an urgent knock on the door. All three women had their wands out. Worried that the ministry might have had them followed and sent aurors to go collect Minerva.

Margery edged towards her sister protectively.

"Don't worry, if they come for you, we'll make a run for it. Even if I have to apparate us to mother's!" She said holding onto her sister's hand prepared for anything. Her wand in her hand, daring whoever was behind the door to show their face.

Lyra walked towards the door carefully. Her wand ready for anything. She twisted her ring and took a deep breath, preparing for the worst. If she had to create another fiendfyre, she'd do it. Lyra gripped the handle and opened the door, pointing her wand right at someone she hadn't thought she'd see here.

"Severus?" She said his name with utter surprise.

She hadn't expected it to be him. She hadn't seen him for months. She had pushed her feelings for him away, through those months. Now, that he stood there, right in front of her, it all came flooding back. Along with a slight pain in her chest. Florence had warned her of the side effects of shoving her emotions down. That there would be moments, where her fire would fight to surface, if she did not learn to let her emotions free.

"I wasn't expecting you, to be here." He stated with severity.

"It's my house…" Lyra replied raising her eyebrows at his rude tone.

"That it is." He sneered looking past her. Minerva smiled at him gently. For a moment a look of relief crossed his emotionless face.

"May I come in? Or do you wish, to continue being as inhospitable as you are impolite?" He snapped.

Lyra clenched her jaw and moved out of the way. He swooped in and pulled out multiple vials from his coat pockets. Lyra closed the door and walked up to him. He blanked her completely. Brushing past her, he walked over to Minerva.

"Minerva…are you doing better?" He asked softly.

"I've brought you some potions to help you heal faster. May I leave them with you ma'am?" Severus asked politely, looking at Margery, it was evident that this was, Minerva's other sister. Which meant, this was Lyra's adoptive mother.

"Yes. Please. May I know your name? So that I can thank you properly for…helping us. And…and I apologise for my daughter…she can be rather dim, when it comes to her manners." Margery stated smiling kindly.

"She can be dim, in many other matters as well." He retorted looking around the room in disgust.

"How do you live here?" He snapped off-handedly, looking at the ash tray that had probably not seen a decent scrub in months. He then looked back at the two women in front of him. Margery shook her head at Lyra. Lyra scoffed.

"What are you doing here…Severus?"

He glowered at her. Clearly, they were at logger heads about something. Margery frowned. Lyra was behaving peculiarly with him. She clearly knew him rather well, but there was something unsaid between them.

"Lyra! Don't be rude! He's Minerva's colleague. He's here to help us…"

Lyra scoffed again. Classic Margery, going into mother mode.

"I am…" Severus bowed his head gently towards Margery, who already seemed impressed with his kindness and good manners. He then began to move his wand around and performed extensive cleaning spells, which impressed her further. A man who knew his way around a cleaning charm was something worth marvelling at.

Lyra rolled her eyes.

"What was so special about that? He is a potion's master. He probably scrubs cauldrons all the time…it's not that impressive!" She snapped scowling.

Severus then turned and began warding the house extensively. Margery shot Lyra another pointed look.

"Fine! I forgot to ward the door…can you give me a break MOM!" Lyra snapped at Margery, who simply shrugged and raised her hands in defeat. She clearly thought this man was better than her daughter.

"Can you please stop flourishing your wand and tell me what you're doing here?!" Lyra demanded angrily. He looked at her with equal ferocity.

"Warding the house. Something an auror like yourself, should have done the minute you entered! You haven't been here in two months…what makes you think it wasn't visited by the ministry?" He barked as if she was asking redundant questions.

"Why would the ministry visit, me?" Lyra snapped, like he was the stupid one.

"The new headmistress, seems to believe, that since you have been visiting Dumbledore so often at Hogwarts…perhaps, you'd have helped with his disappearance." He replied without even looking at her.

"It's a theory…however, we must make sure…" He muttered under his breath.

"He wasn't the only one I was visiting…" Lyra muttered back.

"What was that?"

"Nothing you need to bother yourself with. You're clearly not interested in it. Thank you for bringing these ever so easily brew-able potions…"

"You're terrible at potions Lyra…Ms. Marks. I didn't want you to destroy the house. Although, you already seem to have had a head start." He began, her name came through naturally, but he corrected himself.

"I can be good, when I want to!"

"Please, Lyra…he's right, you're terrible at potions…and…enough with this bickering. Let the man do what he's here to do!" Margery cut in.

"…I…I am not bickering!"

"You are…and perhaps, you should listen to your elders…" He stated blandly.

"Are you calling yourself old?" Lyra asked teasingly.

"What is your problem with me?" He snarled at her.

Lyra clenched her jaw, her nostrils flared, like they usually did. He didn't have to be so horrid to her. Or perhaps, he did. Perhaps, his behaviour was justified. What didn't sit well with her, was the fact that he was mad at her, because she refused to sleep with him. She did not owe him a reason. Although, she wished to provide one.

Two months of training to work through her emotions, to control her powers better, had gone down the drain in a matter of minutes, with Severus. For the last two months, she hadn't seen him at all, so she had managed not to think about him. To try and forget her feelings for him. However, now that he was here, she couldn't help herself. Her feelings for him, were too powerful for her to control. So out of the fear, which she was supposed to let go of. Lyra began to swallow it down, bottle it away. Old habits, died hard.

"I don't have a problem with you…" She muttered, trying to fight through the logic, she had set in place when it came to him. She tried to free her feelings, but this wasn't the time or place.

They shared a silent and angry glare between each other. Both trying very hard to occlude themselves from each other's attempts to penetrate the other's mind. Both were worried, that if this didn't stop, they'd probably end their stupid feud, by snogging each other senseless, right then and there. How he longed to kiss her, hold her again, make her laugh, talk to her. And yet, he was the first to look away. He couldn't keep punishing himself like this.

"Merlin! Minerva, is it just me…or are they both completely dense?!" Margery whispered, as if she had figured their issue.

"I know…"

"How is it not obvious to them?"

"I am not sure…but it's as clear as crystal to anyone watching this non-sense."

A loud sharp knock on the door, broke the tension in the room as all four wands were raised. Snape was the first to place his wand back down and walk up to the door. He gripped the handle.

"Wait…Severus…what if it's…?" Lyra called out rushing up right behind him. Unconsciously, she had pressed herself against him, her head was a few inches from his shoulder. He turned his head to the side. She smelt intoxicating, like a freshly opened bottle of fire whiskey and cinnamon. She was so close to him, all he had to do was take her lips into his. All he had to do, was tell her he loved her.

"You're a coward, Severus. She would never be interested in the likes of you!" He thought harshly.

Once again, a long stare followed.

"Will one of you, just get the door already?" Margery snapped in slight terror.

Severus opened the door, and let the tall man in.

Albus Dumbledore scurried into the house.

"You're home?" Albus asked Lyra, a look of surprise and relief evident on his face. She smiled at him.

"And you've managed to…?"

"Yes…but…it may not be as easy as it seems…for either of us." She replied tersely.

"We never thought it would be…" Albus replied shaking his head. Lyra nodded gravely.

Dumbledore then walked over to Minerva and Margery. He wanted to engulf Minerva into his arms, but Margery glared daggers at him.

"Mar…please…" Minerva began tiredly, noticing her sister's fury towards Albus.

"Min…I can't just…"

"Margery…" Albus offered softly.

"No! You shut up…I didn't say anything earlier…or last year…but you don't want me to be more cross with you, Albus Dumbledore! You were my friend…I trusted you with my sister…and you…"

Albus pulled back. He was tired of this conversation. But this was Margery. She deserved to yell at him. She had raised his daughter for them. Albus felt the guilt of his past mistakes, crushing him further. Margery looked at her sister, as if searching for some kind of confirmation that she was alright with him being here.

"You left her to fend for herself again!" Margery snapped.

"I…" Albus began with a clarification.

"You never saw it that way…did you, Albus? I never cut you as selfish and cowardly! But you make it so hard not to!"

"I am here, aren't I, Margery?" Albus said trying to push his point through.

"You should have been there, at the hospital…you should have been there…years ago!" Margery snapped back at him.

"You think, I didn't want to be? If I had known…if I had just an inkling…"

"I should have never left. I know that, but I did, what I thought was right, Margery. I did, what I thought, would be best for the both of us. I now know how gravely deluded I was. Nothing else, I say can make what I did then, right. I…don't know how to make it right with you or Athena. I don't think, I ever can. But I do love her. I never stopped, Mar..." Albus explained. Margery, who looked like she had a cutting response, stopped herself. She sighed. It was him. He was her…friend…or at least someone who she had called…a friend…many…many years ago. Until, he'd gone and stabbed them in the back.

"You made a mistake…" Margery began uncertainly, but could not go on. She always felt conflicted when it came to Albus, ever since he had turned his back on Minerva.

Margery bit the inside of her cheek. She and Albus, had been classmates, housemates, potions partners, friends. He had always been bright and ambitious, at the top of the class. Even the toughest of spells, came easily to Albus. No one had ever doubted, that he'd be a powerful wizard. But in his sixth year, he got involved with the wrong sorts, people who admired him, and envied him at the same time. Margery remembered, Albus changing, growing more interested in the dark arts, after that year. Perhaps, that was when he met Gellert Grindelwald.

When he had left Minerva, Margery had felt terrible for her sister. However, she was the only one, who saw things from his perspective. Having known him through her childhood, she had tried to convince Minerva, to speak to him about the baby, to tell him she was pregnant. He deserved to know; she knew if he found out…he'd see things clearly. Margery never doubted his loyalty towards her sister. But Minerva, had been too blinded by vengeance and brainwashed by their mother to listen to reason.

She remembered after the war, he had written to her several times. Begging her to ask, Minerva, for just ten minutes, to apologize, to explain. But it was too late, Lyra was two, Minerva was afraid she'd have to part with her. So, in the interest of keeping the child away from the notorious nonsense that Albus was involved in. Margery had made sure she never wrote back. Soon, Albus had realised he was knocking on another closed door and stopped.

Margery surveyed him. The bags under his tired eyes made her shake her head. She had seen those distressed eyes earlier as well. Those same damn twinkling blue eyes that were on Lyra's face.

"Drinking your misery away? Like father like daughter, I suppose!" Margery snapped kicking a stray bottle of fire whiskey that lay on the floor.

A sudden realisation dawned on them, including Lyra, that the mess, wasn't hers alone. He had been hiding here.

"Margery…I can take care of myself!" Minerva said, trying to defend herself poorly, and Albus in the process.

"I can see just how well!" Margery snapped at her.

"Mar…please don't start this…all I want to do is be with him…and the universe keeps pulling us apart…this is all I've ever wanted!" Minerva sighed. She was tired of convincing her sisters, that she had forgiven him, and it was time, they did so too.

Margery looked at her sister and then shook her head. She would never understand Minerva's devotion towards this man. Sure, he loved her back with equal madness, but what bothered Margery was the fact that after what Albus had done to her sister, he would never be forgiven. NEVER! Even if Minerva forgave him, Margery refused to. But when he sat down next to Minerva, hugging her close to him. Margery was reminded of the couple, many years ago. Just, how in love they were. You could never find one, without the other. Perhaps, if Albus had fought for his sister, and perhaps if Minerva had pushed him to…just a little more, their lives would have been so different.

Lyra stepped outside onto the balcony, where Snape stood, lighting himself a cigarette. She didn't say anything to him, but offered him a light from the flame she lit on her finger.

Severus looked at this carefully, but accepted it. She lit herself a cigarette as well. He watched her, as the flame died on her finger, for the first time, without burning it. He bit the inside of his cheek. Great! She had she had inadvertently stripped away the final thread of necessity he'd ever hold for her. They finished their cigarettes in silence.

She noticed him staring. Lyra did not like this. They were friends…they didn't need to be this way!

She drew closer to him, as he noticed that infernal feather in her hair again. This time, it was bent out of shape. He instinctively, reached out to fix it. However irritated, he may have been with her. She still had an effect on him.

She did not withdraw from his touch. Her heart leaped, but the thoughts, never left her mind. She looked up, into his eyes as he had a sneer on his face while he fixed the feather in her hair. His need to fix things, not allowing him to leave it alone. She chuckled gently at his antics. He looked down at her. Realising what he was doing, he pulled back.

She pushed herself towards his face and locked lips with him. His hands pulled her closer to him. He kissed her back, without a second thought. He had missed her presence too much. They didn't know what this kiss symbolised. For them, it was a moment of vulnerability, of weakness. The fact that they had missed each other so much, made them give into their feelings.

The kiss grew more needy. Her hands wrapped around his neck. He pulled her flush against him. There were so many things going through their minds. What did this mean? Were they going to explore this further? Would this lead to something more substantial? Were they ready to even talk about it? Were they willing to let this moment of vulnerability grow into something else? Or, was this it? Was their weakness for each other going to draw them apart? Did they really need to lose each other to find love?

They didn't care. They just continued to have their moment. His hands moved up to the sides of her breasts. She moaned into his mouth. She felt her knees buckling, but he caught her by the waist. Refusing to let her go. Not this time! However, Lyra opened her eyes and tore away from him. Regaining her senses, she pulled away.

"We…we…can't…"

"Why not?"

"I…just can't…Severus…"

"Why do you keep doing this, Lyra?! Why do you keep throwing me a bone and then discarding me…what are you playing at?" He snarled running a hand through his hair. He couldn't comprehend her thoughts. She was playing with his heart and he just couldn't handle it. She kept giving him hope and then cruelly snatching it away.

"I…I don't know…" She replied, her voice was dripped with uncertainty. When he refused to indulge her anymore. She gathered up the courage to speak.

"Severus…" She began softly edging towards him. He took a step back.

"It doesn't have to be so sour between us…" She said gently.

"You made it so, Lyra…"

"Were we not friends before…before we slept together? Why can't we be friends?" She demanded.

"I didn't say, we couldn't…but you haven't been a very good one…" He retorted.

"You can't keep doing this, Lyra. You can't keep…kissing me…and then pushing me away…I don't understand what you want! You kissed me…and now you're saying you want to be friends…what do you want, Lyra?"

She stayed silent. Fiddling with her ring. She didn't even have the courage to look at him. He grew angry at her unresponsiveness.

"Not to mention the fact that, you can't even be decent enough to tell me, what I did? What did I do, Lyra? I can't think of what I could have possibly done, or said, that you broke…our arrangement in the first place!"

"Is that all you care about?!" She snapped at him.

"I can't be friends with you, if you want to keep your secrets!"

"Who…who told you…that you did something…or said something?"

"What other possible explanation could there be, Lyra?"

"Who told you…it was YOU?"

Severus paused taking in breath, as he contemplated what she said. If he hadn't done anything, that meant she had. But what could have possibly changed in such a short span of time? Everything, had felt normal that Christmas eve, and then she had gone and destroyed all that they'd built.

"That doesn't answer my question!"

"There is no simple answer to your question…"

"Then give me the fucking complicated one!"

"If I have ever mattered to you…more than just a play thing…then give me an answer!" He snapped loudly this time.

Lyra blinked back tears as she looked away. He waited for her to say something, but she remained silent. Her silence was enough to hurt his heart even more.

"DAMN IT, LYRA! WHY WON'T YOU JUST SAY IT?! JUST SAY IT! JUST FUCKING TELL ME!"

He had missed her terribly. She had holed her way into his life, and heart, and he wasn't ready to let her go. He was tired of people leaving him constantly. That was what had turned him into the nasty bastard that he was today. But she had seen through his façade. He realized, just how deeply he loved her, when he came face to face with her tonight. When she had just kissed him. He hadn't seen her in two months, and when she had kissed him, he had felt his heart leap with hope. A hope that this conversation had crushed.

Severus exhaled angrily. There was something, something she refused to tell him. Why? She had trusted him with her life's biggest secret, why wouldn't she just give him a reason.

"It's evident…that you don't care…don't expect me to…either!" He snapped tiresomely, throwing his lit cigarette over the terrace as it disappeared along with him.

Lyra just stood there. Silently crying to herself.

Albus stepped into the balcony to light himself a cigarette. He was so relieved to find that Minerva was safe. He had driven himself mad with worry and grief, just waiting for her to get discharged. Finally, in his anxiety to see her again, he had come up with a plan to bring Margery here, so that Minerva could be discharged.

He saw Severus leave, after what seemed like a heated argument. When Albus stepped outside, he noticed Lyra crying silently. At first, he thought it would be better to give her a moment. However, Albus felt something pulling at his heart. She was his daughter. She was in distress. She needed someone and he was here. He needed to be there for her.

"Lyra?" He called gently, wondering why she was so upset.

Lyra quickly, cleared her face. She turned around smiling.

"What's wrong?" He asked urgently.

"Why are you upset?"

"It's nothing. I…the wind was blowing…and I got some ash in my eye." She said rubbing her eyes.

"Don't lie to me, Lyra." He said gently drawing closer to her. It seemed like it didn't take much for her to tear up again. She turned away from him, out of a protective instinct, her hands wrapped around her body.

"What is it Lyra? You can tell me…"

Lyra remained silent. She didn't want to tell him. She didn't want to jeopardise all that they had been working towards.

"Did Severus say something to you? Don't take what he says to heart, Lyra, you know better." Albus offered kindly.

Lyra laughed, blinking back her tears. Albus was bad at this.

"It's not, what he said…" Lyra said softly shaking her head.

"It's what I didn't…" She added.

"I'm not sure I follow…"

"It's complicated, Albus. There's no point in continuing this conversation." Lyra sighed, as she walked past him towards the house. He held onto her hand.

"I might be able to help…"

"No. You can't." She snapped shaking her head.

"No one can. I have always been a hopeless case. I put myself into this mess…" Lyra snapped. He raised an eyebrow at her quizzically. Her irritation towards him grew and towards herself grew even higher. So as always, instead of managing her feelings, she combusted.

"Mistake after mistake, every single time! Probably, because my existence is a mistake too!" Lyra snapped coldly. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind of these thoughts, trying to shake her tears away.

"Never. Say. That. Lyra." He snapped back at her, grabbing both her arms tightly with his hands. She realised that her words may have wounded him deeply.

"You are not a mistake…if I hadn't left Minerva that night…our lives would have been very different. If anyone has made a mistake…it's me. You're not a mistake, Lyra. You are a blessing!" He said cupping her face. Lyra looked away as she wiped her unshed tears.

"Sometimes, I wish you had waited, just an hour longer…that night…that you left…perhaps…things would have been different."

"I wish that every single minute of my life, Lyra. Every single minute!" He replied, pulling her into his arms.

In the warmth of his embrace, Lyra found a fleeting sanctuary. It was as if the world outside ceased to exist, shielded by the haven of his arms. It dawned on her that these tender moments with Albus were rare, yet profoundly significant. In that instance, the depth of his love became undeniable—an unspoken assurance that surpassed her expectations. She hadn't anticipated such wholehearted acceptance from him, but there it was, a testament to the genuine love he held for her, his daughter. And he made sure she knew, that he wouldn't have it any other way.

AN/- Thanks for reading guys, next chapter coming soon! Do leave a review and let me know your thoughts :)