CyberTech Worlds Clash

Chapter XLI

Mana

Lyra smiled in delight as she sat back in her nice hot tub soaking with bubbles. Well, it wasn't actually a hot tub hot tub, but it was a nice bath. It had a shower and everything, and she had been surprised that her bathroom had a bath tub and not just a stand-up shower like she had expected. The tub was delightfully sized enough that she figured she could fit a clone of herself in with her and only feel a little squished, but for her, it was perfect.

She raised her left hand from within her mountain of bubbles and blew some bubbles away with a smile. She had been free for around two months, and she had only heard some bluh-bluh-bluh from the Magical World as she doubted the minister cared, but he was a greedy loser, so easily dealt with. They had tried blaming her for the dementor thing until she received an apology with her record wiped clean just three days later as apparently, Harry had exceptional lawyers he found with nothing more to do at Gringotts Law, and now Gringotts Law were working for Star Labs as apparently, the ministry used a wizarding only law firm because of bills they didn't want to pay, but Harry paid his debts, and Lyra heard he looked after his employees very well, even when they weren't direct hires, like some lawyers weren't, and that made Lyra happy and proud to be an Avalon.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix (which she hadn't known existed until recently) had tried kidnapping Lyra on more than one occasion with portkey mail, but the wards detected them, so they could be disposed of the correct way. She wasn't sure that Wonder Girl's last idea of a giant pile of mutant wolf shit returning with the portkey courtesy of Superboy's 'dog', Wolf was the greatest idea, but they all found it funny at the time.

Lyra's birthday was two and a-bit weeks ago, and though Amanda and Ginny couldn't join her for her birthday, she was happy that Harry and Seraph came, and they brought her some gifts, which was nice. She had given her brother a present as well, seeing as it was his birthday too, but she had to be weird and write Amanda a song since she couldn't get her anything else, and she felt weird thinking about asking Seraph to get her something, but Amy seemed to love it anyway, so Lyra felt happy.

Having Dobby and Winky on as her personal letter carriers was rather good, except Hedwig was still giving her the stink-eye over that.

Lyra had been living with these teen heroes for just over five weeks now and she felt like she was going to fall apart sometimes with some of her training. Though, on the plus side she had loads of medical potions to help healing and relaxing, washing away the bruising, one of which she poured into her bath water every time she took a delightful bath, as that was how that was used rather than drinking it like a few of the others.

Smiling happily, Lyra couldn't remember being so happy. She had an amazing superhero big brother, and an amazing superhero big sister, and she was now training to be a superhero too. Her family was great. She had thought that Harry at the least would be a little more distant as he had two massive companies to run on two different planet Earths. However, he took time to text her, and take her calls and see to her needs. That was really wonderful of him, and she asked Amy about that. Apparently, Harry was a great big brother and knew how to look after his family.

Harry had given, Lyra her new focus during her birthday. It had been a prototype in the works for someone of magical talent. It was called Five Elements, but Lyra called it Eli instead as the AI built into the system wasn't as advanced as Watcher and definitely not as advanced as Seraph, but was smart enough to know she didn't like being called Five or Elements.

Eli's AI was more like an assistant, for things and a few little upgrades her focus had that she would never be able to control herself, especially while doing other things. However, other than Eli and a few tiny upgrades her focus was all magical. It allowed her to control her magical output to punch perfect levels so she wouldn't waste any power and would use what she needed with no waste. Apparently, most wizards and witches wasted at least four fifths of what they needed for any given spell, and that was the spells they were good at. That was crazy, and Seraph told her that that was just with simple things and not every spell, but that was the average, and one of the worst wastage scores was when using levitation magic as most people overestimate the weight they want to lift when they should probably under estimate and up the outage until it works, or something like that.

Lyra's new focus was made up of a hive of five components, and each one housing the focusing power of the five elemental balances of magic. She lift her left leg out of the bubbles, and she could just see one element to her focus. It was a white metal bracelet that was made of a strange alloy that Lyra had never heard of before and she couldn't remember what it was called. The bracelets band was fairly wide, and the metal was a perfect white with weird wave like patterns carved into the material, but yet she couldn't feel any bumps it was so smooth still. That one was supposed to represent aqua, or water or something like that, and like all of the bands, metal or not they were gently elasticated, kind of as if they sat snugly and coolly against her skin and curved to the curvy bits of her ankle.

Her right ankle held another band with chunkier and jaggedly round patterns that represented the earth. She placed her leg back into the delightful water and sighed contently as she began washing. Her right wrist holding a band with squiggly lines running its length to represent the air while her left wrist had one that had fiery patterns running its length and even, she could see it was to represent the element of fire.

Last, she wore a collar to match the rest, it was white, but looking at it you could tell something was – unnecessary and supposed to be. The patterns were – she couldn't describe them – she couldn't see them – yet they were there just as obvious as the others. Her collar represented the void of magic – space – time – creation and destruction. Lyra didn't get it, but it looked pretty, and even though it was white it also seemed black, and Harry said that was because it lacked colour and had all the colours at once. She couldn't get her head around that, but she did know that the only person who could perceive her collar other than Harry and Seraph (and likely those who worked on it, maybe through artificial means) was Raven – the other bands, everyone could see fine – but the collar – only raven. It was almost as strange as the fact she could feel someone's touch through the metal bands as if they weren't there, or as if they were apart of her, and it took her a week to realise they were, and that Eli – Eli was made from her, born from her personality, and was an extension of consciousness she could not perceive in a normal fashion but that was why she could communicate, it was in some ways like talking to herself, but she got answered and she didn't have to be crazy about it.

Lyra felt like she should have gone crazy wearing such a weird focus, but she loved it. Though, she knew she was kind of stuck with it anyway since the bands had no way of removing them, but Harry said they would 'stretch' if they needed to, but she ate healthily and worked out hard, and she was small, so it wasn't likely that she would get much bigger, even though she was fifteen, she may have another half inch in her if she was very lucky.

Finally getting around to finish washing herself, Lyra smiled and mentally thanked Eli as she gave her a time alert. It was nearly time to meet with her darling friend Raven. It should be night back in the UK, and Raven had said she could squeeze them into that – augh – what was it called? Some find-us, or find-us-not charms – the find-e-lost charm or ward or something to keep out people who don't know your address, and you hide your address with a secret keeper who doesn't tell people where you live unless you want them too, but apparently wizards would omit barring certain types of magic, so she would trick this ward for a while, but it seemed lucky Raven was a lot more gifted than Death Eaters or Voldemort.

That 'secret' place was where one of her most favourite witches was, hidden away with her family because of the crap with Voldemort's return. However, Lyra was starting to worry about Gwen as her letters had been strange from the beginning and getting stranger and Guinevere "Gwen" Weasley was being strangely secretive like she was scared of writing her thoughts in a letter, even if she knew the house-elves couldn't be intercepted. That had been a little distracting and Zatanna asked Lyra about it and came up with the plot to visit her friend, and presto, Raven had the power to do it, even if it would only be temporarily.

Finishing off, Lyra stood soapy as she pulled the plug, closed the splash curtain and turned on the shower to wash the soap out of her hair and off her skin. That took a few minutes, and by the time Lyra was done the water had drained from the tub, so turning off the shower she opened the curtain and grabbed her fluffy blue towel from the towel hook and smilingly dabbed down the drips so she didn't spill too much on the floor before she stepped out.

Stretching, Lyra paused as she looked in the body length mirror and modelled some muscle poses as her body looked stronger than when she joined the teen hero's. She grinned when she cupped her cute little boobs and pouted into the mirror.

"No Miss. Wonder Girl, you're my hero, but I can't," she said in a mockingly shy way. "This is wrong, but… you saved my life, so just this once," she said with a fake swoon before she giggled, and realising she dropped her towel she quickly picked it up and she wrapped it around her to cover up correctly, and then opened her bathroom door she exited into her room, grabbing a smaller towel on her way she carefully began drying her hair.

Lyra's room hadn't changed much since she got it, but she had a few framed pictures on her bedside table of her brother and Amanda together in a picture and another one that was of her being carried like a damsel in destress by Seraph while nether of them could quite keep a straight face, and last she had a picture with her being cuddled between Zatanna and Wonder Girl and Supergirl in civilian clothes while they were all laughing while Lyra was dragging a cute dark skinned girl of sixteen, and a pale girl with short black hair of thirteen into the shot while they both tried valiantly to resist while not actually resisting very hard. They were Raven in her human guise, and another Cassy – Cassandra Cain – funnily while Wonder Girl didn't like to be called Cassandra, Batgirl didn't like to be called Cassy, so it made hanging out with them both a little easier and less confusing.

Other than some other pictures she chose of her new friends, she did have one of her with Gwen as she didn't have much else of anyone else in the magical world, except a few pictures of her parents from their wedding. It was nice and she left it on her desk. She knew she technically did have a mother and father who were alive, but she wasn't sure how to feel about that.

Lyra had talked to her other world mother on her computer a few times, and she was really nice. Lily and James of that world had been vicious and cruelly assaulted mentally by their version of Dumbledore, and they still had a long way to go; they had so much sadness and regret. There was a part of Lyra that thought that she was glad her parents – her birth parents hadn't had to suffer that.

James Potter? He seemed to be doing well, and she had spoken with him once. He was teaching at the other Hogwarts now. He tried to joke around too much, but Lyra could see the sadness, for him, and for her, but he was a good man and had his version of Sirius Black to keep him company when he needed it.

Anyway, besides the photos she had a few posters on the walls she bought to make the place more unique. She had a huge S.T.A.R. Labs poster on one side of the door, and another huge CyberTech poster the other side, and they looked impressive. Then she had a poster made up of different heroic pictures of several Justice League members like Superman, two of the Green Lantern's, Wonder Woman, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Flash, and even the elusive Martian Manhunter. Then, embarrassingly, Wonder Girl made her put up a poster of her that Lyra was sure she made herself, but that was probably because Zatanna gave her a promo poster for her last show and she felt left out. Thankfully neither Supergirl, Batgirl, or Raven brought over posters for her, but Wonder Girl forced posters on them too, Lyra was sure she was the only one soft enough to put the poster up on her wall as to not hurt her dear friends feelings.

Then she had a few other new things. Her old guitar was put away in the closet and she had a brand-new guitar that Seraph bought her, and it was made from some kind of red wood and it sounded amazing. It was sat nicely on a stand next to her desk with a weird patterned strap of animé characters she had never watched or read, but she had liked it as they were cute. The other side of her desk was a small amp with a cute little electric guitar in a cradle of red and black with a black leather strap. She had never tried electric guitar before and she LOVED it, it was so fun to be a Rockstar even just in her own room, and she even had a brilliant microphone in a stand next to it plugged into a slightly smaller amp as they were both interconnected so she could sing too, and there was an acoustic guitar mic attachment too, but that was in its case in one of the draws up against the side wall that housed all her spare musical stuff, picks and a few music books and things.

Her friends thought she could go far if she wanted to, but her music, playing guitar. That was her escape from the world. That was just for her and her friends and family, but mostly for her – for now at least. It was a fun hobby to break up the monotony of life – well of everything before this – before she had so many friends who loved her – before she had such an amazing family – now music was some fun to share with her friends and family.

Lyra smiled about all the fun times she shared with her new friends while not training, and she looked out of the window as it was a nice day and a gentle breeze ruffled in. Lyra had bought a wonderful little perch set that screwed onto the inside of the window and on the windowsill for her snowy white owl, Hedwig, so she didn't have to use her cage, and she knew to take her business outside because she was a wonderfully clever bird. She had a water bottle designed for a bird to use to take a drink that was kept fresh and cool with magic, and she had a bowl where Lyra would leave Hedwig's owl treats as she would hunt for her dinner herself.

Hedwig was snoozing on a perch that had a makeshift curtain she could move herself to shade her from the sun and keep her cool. Lyra's smiling green eyes looked over her bird, she was a loving companion, even though she was still annoyed Lyra was sending letters to Gwen via house-elves, Hedwig certainly understood why she had to, and Hedwig was probably more miffed at herself for failing some of her jobs even though Lyra would never blame her because Dumbledore and posse were thieves.

The pretty owl now had a little white bracelet around her right leg. It was light and small, so Hedwig (after initial complaints) didn't notice it anymore and Lyra knew the owl knew it was so Lyra could keep them both as safe as possible. It had some trackers in it, and some powerful sensors designed to detect magic. Though, that didn't matter but for the records as the distortion fields around the base wouldn't let unauthorised teleportation happen, and all of the entrances and windows and vents and everything like that they could think of had a distortion break generator that was harmless to people, but spying, teleportation, curses, jinxes, and any number of unauthorised types of active and dormant spells, and it would break them, which was why it was made clear to all magical heroes that needed to bring in something to check with Watcher first, and if it was something from a villain they had a S.T.A.R. Labs facility set up just for that sort of thing as they had many scientists who had studied the odd magical thing and they were eager to get together and had full time employ in scientifically studying magic, and with a few 'pathetic' muggle-born's onboard, they had a lot of work.

Though, Ginny's letters were weird, Lyra got letters from other people, Hermione Granger, and that Weasley loser, Ron who strangely never got the obvious memo that she didn't like him. He was a flipping bully for crying out loud. She hated bullies, and he tried to use her name to bully people? Luckily, everyone had grown to realise that Ron's bullying had nothing to do with her as she wasn't even friends with him.

Ronald's letter was some bull about him and her – WTF! Lyra had told her sister, and Amanda said she would make him cease to exist, but Harry was worse, especially with all the riddled magic coating the letter, even though that wouldn't work on Lyra now she had her focus, it was messed up. Apparently, Ronald Weasley in their world was worse than Wolf's crap – apparently, this Ronald Weasley was trying to win on the crap-o-metre. However, Lyra was told to ignore him and anything he sent and to send it on to Star Laps Mana Research in Gotham where they would dispose of it safely.

However, Hermione wasn't anywhere near as weird. Lyra thought that a huge part of Hermione sided with her, but that wasn't the irrational part of her that believed Dumbledore was great and knew what was best for everyone even when that seemed ridiculous. Though, on a bright side, Hermione hadn't sent any letters with any attempts to kidnap Lyra or even track her as maybe she thought that was wrong, or pointless and a possible friendship ender since other letters sent had tried and failed that, and Hermione didn't think sending back a huge dog poop was funny.

Hermione didn't talk about Ron much at first, but she did ask why Lyra wasn't replying to Ron's letters. Lyra asked Hermione whether she would reply to letters written by her stalker if she had one or send them for disposal as they were highly dangerous and always soaked in fucked up magic? Hermione unsurprisingly didn't mention Ron again, even to try denying he was a stalker or convince her he was a great friend. Ronald Weasley didn't know how to be a halfway decent brother, let alone a great friend. Poor Hermione likely didn't know what to think, her heart pulling her towards her friend, and Dumbledore's bull pulling her to listen to him.

Unfortunately, Hermione did complain, and beg, and ask Lyra where the Dursley's were being held captive by the muggles. They had been remanded into custody and charged with Dudley Dursley being sent to live with his Aunt Marge where she apparently got the pleasure of realising, he was the arsehole of the family and that her brother and his wife were child abusers.

However, Dumbledore had broken them out of jail using magic, which amusingly Harry hid away for later use, even though a certain Batman wanted to beat the old man up a little and take him in as they did have a wing of Arkham that could temporarily secure a wizard of Dumbledore's power, but not yet.

That led to the Justice League pulling a few strings here and there with the Green Lantern Corps, and the Dursley's parents were taken to an off-world prison, and some day other criminals would be going to stay with them. In exchange, once the Earths newest super prisons (as two were being built by Star Labs) were built, the Corps could try and convict powered prisoners within the Earths sector of the galaxy, and hand them over to the Earths prisons systems, and they would even get them some alien security to help run the facilities and train human guards, as the Corps had been training guards for a lot longer than humans had civilisation. In exchange, Lantern Corps prisons would be open to Earth prisoners who needed more than ridiculous layers of technology and magic, so it would work out for both sides, and possibly in the future accept human security within their facilities.

It was a huge win-win for the Earth(s), as the Lanterns were no doubt preparing for the event of three universes and all of the criminals who would try to take advantage. Even the Green Lanterns couldn't find the fleet coming for the Earths, couldn't understand it, so preparing was the only thing anyone – any race could do.

Therefore, Dumbledore couldn't break the Dursley's out of jail a second time, which showed Lyra's brother had friends in very high places, and made a huge alliance in the process, and while at their off-world prison the Dursley's were again charged for aiding and abetting Dumbledore in their breakout of jail, and denying it when it was caught on camera and they did not have their minds wiped or modified. That was like the icing and cherry on top of a birthday cake make out of ice cream.

Lyra didn't tell Hermione where the Dursley parents were, and after a few letters, Hermione gave up asking, but Lyra expected the Dursley's to be among the first things Hermione brought up when they meet on the Hogwarts Express. It seemed for once, Dumbledore didn't get his way.

Lyra had finished drying off as she sat at her desk with her hairdryer and finished her hair, and then combed it and placed in some cute hair clips before she heard her door bleep to tell her she had a visitor.

Looking to the clock on the wall she had fifteen minutes left, so Raven must have been early as Lyra had been practicing her senses and could detect her friend at the door. Lyra checked her towel was secure and quickly putting her hairdryer away she moved over to the door and unlocked it at the panel next to it, and the door slid open. She could make it, so she controlled how wide the door opened, but it was the girls wing and only Raven.

Raven entered as Lyra stepped aside and the door closed behind her. "I'll be ten minutes, Ray-Ray!" Lyra cheered smilingly.

Shrugging, Raven took a seat on the end of Lyra's bed, leaning back on her hands. Raven wasn't tall like Wonder Girl, but she was still a bit taller than Lyra. She had light grey skin, and some pretty nice thighs. She had a bigger bust than Lyra – well, much bigger, but then who hadn't? Raven had cool deep purple eyes, and deep purple, near black hair cut to hang just above her shoulders and a red diamond shaped gem in the centre of her forehead.

Raven's deep bluey purple robe hung to her black boots, and she had pulled her hood down to show her face. Then she was wearing a black sleeveless leotard with a black and yellow belt hanging off her hips at an angle, and black fingerless gloves on her hands with a different shade of black on the back in a strange symbol of three eyes.

"That's okay," Raven replied gently after a moment of watching Lyra in her towel as she rummaged through her closet where she had a chest of draws and pulled out some white knickers and a white sports bra, lobbing them onto the bed behind Raven before finding some white ankle socks, and sending them to join her undies, and then finally she found a pair of beige hipsters that would stop short of her ankles, a belt, and a cute plain white tee shirt with tiny sleeves.

"I am early," Raven continued unconcerned. Raven's voice was gentle and had an underutilised quality to it as she was fairly shy and not very outspoken, but she was an extremely great friend, and amazingly loyal. "Sorry to bother you while you're still getting ready, but Impulse and Beast Boy are both here, so they were… kind of annoying, so we can slip out from here."

"Oh, yeah, I get that, alone they're a handful, but together, who gave them so much sugar," Lyra said while laughing with her sweetest smile before looking away to her clothes so she missed the blush on Raven's cheeks as Lyra dropped her towel to get dressed.

Raven got quite the eyeful of her friend before she quickly looked away in embarrassment even though they were both girls this wasn't like it was a girls locker room at a gym or something. It was a little more personal being Lyra's private space. Though, they had their own gym at Titans Tower and Mount Justice, so that was a moot point for those living there as they didn't need to use the communal shower in the girls locker room, or there would be no one else using it at the same time, as those living there would use their own showers.

It took Lyra less than a minute before she was sitting on the bed next to Raven fastening her white running shoes laces, smiling as Raven had turned to her, and giving her friend a cheeky wink.

Raven blushed a little as Lyra hoped up and walked round to her desk and picked her phone up from the wireless charging mat beside her closed laptop, and pulled her purse from her desk draw, and without thought they streamed away as if they were erased in white light as she gestured placing them in her pockets, but her pockets were much to tight, so they disappeared within her focus, so she would still hear her phone ring as if it was in her pocket, or feel it vibrate since it was set to silent.

Then last but not least some glossy lip stuff that kept her lips from drying out in the heat, as she already had to be careful with her burn happy skin, but it was a good mana control exercise to protect herself.

Then Lyra finally turned to Raven as her friend stood with a gentle smile. "I'm totally ready, and my darling, Raven, I'm early," she said while smugly gesturing the clock to show she had around three minutes to spare.

"Can we go now…?" Raven asked with her gentle voice as she held out her left hand.

"Sure thing," she agreed before pausing. "Yes, Eli, you can let us through," she whispered sheepishly before she glompped onto Raven's offered arms and cuddled it tight into her body while giving her friend a cheeky grin as one hand threat their fingers. "Do you know the way, or do you need directions?"

"I located your friend, Gwen's mana from traces on the letter you gave me," Raven answered as her fingers tightened a little in Lyra's hand, but Lyra was too – complicated to get angry with for taking liberties, and then in a blast of black energy as a dark bird shape of shadows spilt around them and swallowed them up, and then just like that it was pulled away and they were in a cool dark foyer.

"Thanks," Lyra whispered as she looked out of a small window by the front door. It was still dark outside, or just dark outside. She couldn't figure out whether it was morning, evening, or the middle of the night, even though she knew because of the time difference it was early in the morning, about two maybe. "Come on… can you tell where she is?" Lyra asked quietly as she had some intel on this house if it were like the other worlds Black house too much noise could get them caught because of a bitch painting hidden under the curtain in front of them by the stairs leading up towards the upper floors.

Raven nodded and led Lyra up the stairs by her hand, and they passed a few doors when she pointed to one but tugged her back when she was about to open it. "There's another girl in there with her; they're asleep. I'll stay hidden in the shadows and keep the other one asleep and hold any noise from escaping so you can talk with your friend freely."

"Thank you, Raven," Lyra said as she watched as Raven's dark power seeped into the room as Lyra let her go and gently opened the door. They entered the dark, now black glowing room and closed the door. Lyra could see the red-haired girl sleeping on one single bed as she was the only one not glowing, as Hermione was in the other bed covered in black light frozen in her – fitful? Sleep.

"We have an hour at most before the wards finally reject us," Raven's voice gently informed her. "I would like to leave before then," she said with a nod as she slinked into the shadows of a wall.

"Of course," Lyra agreed as he moved over to Gwen's bed and peaked under her covers with a giggle as her friend was wearing the cute jammies, she bought her for her birthday. "I bought her these cute PJ's with little cartoon snakes on them because, you know their Slytherin snake hate thing, and she really did like them."

"I don't think you have the time," Raven replied with a soft sigh as she knew Lyra was easily distracted.

Lyra blushed sheepishly. "Sorry, Raven," she said as she turned her attention back to Gwen to see she was wide awake and just staring at Lyra in shock.

"Y-you've been captured…" Gwen muttered worriedly.

"Well, no," Lyra replied sheepishly, as Gwen sat up showing her tight little body in shorts and a tee shirt jammies with cute cartoon snakes in different colours. "Umm… don't worry about Hermione, she won't wake up any time soon," she said gesturing the black glowing room, and the glow coating the dark-skinned crinkle haired girl.

"W-what's happened… what did you do?" Gwen asked worriedly "How could you even get in the house without knowing the secret?"

"Never mind that Gwen," she shrugged scurrying up to sit next to her friend on her bed. "We have under an hour, so spill, because I really need to know… you've been worrying me so much, Wolf keeps giving me strange looks like… 'yo girl, go check on your friend or stop being a killjoy'," she said mimicking a rough wolfish voice.

"Isn't Wolf your dog?" Gwen asked while looking to see if she could escape. "You said you – you know, sent his-."

"Guinevere!" Lyra reprimanded coolly.

"I know you would get it out of me, but-," Gwen began and then paused. "I don't know where to begin, and it's embarrassing, and I don't want you to think I'm wrong or something."

Lyra pouted with puffed out cheeks and took her friends left hand and snuggled it between her fingers. "Don't be silly like that, Darling," Lyra answered. "You're my friend and I love you to bits, you can tell me you murdered Ronald Weasley and that you reanimated his corpse so no one finds out and I would be on your side, so start talking."

Gwen smiled a little but there was a darkness to her green eyes at the mention of her brother, Ron. "Oh, I've felt like killing the basket case… but I guess I would have to fight over that with your brother and sister," she said sheepishly as she wasn't told the how's or whys, but she trusted Lyra to tell her when the time was ready, and she looked at her friend to see that, 'and' expression, so Gwen took a deep breath. "J-just promise me you won't overreact or tell anyone, especially my family… or anyone in the Wizarding World. I… I feel lost and I don't know what to do," she sighed as she pulled her knees up to her chest hugging her knees, but her hand did tighten in Lyra's.

"Just trust me, Gwen, darling," Lyra said with a reassuring smile. "I can be an awesome listener, and thankfully it doesn't sound like an evil plot is spookily afoot," she said in a dramatic way.

Gwen turned and looked at Lyra for only a moment before looking back to her knees and beginning to talk. "Well… it happened just after the Yule Ball. I was minding my own business when I took a wrong turn and walked into one of the unused classrooms at the end of a corridor. I was shocked to find my freaking archnemesis, Astoria Greengrass in there smoking…"

Lyra snorted, startling her. "Come on, really, you tried smoking, and if you're still doing it, we can get you some patches or something to help you quit, but you don't smell smoky, so you aren't smoking. That's good news… smoking isn't good for your health at all."

"I don't smoke," Gwen replied in annoyance. "She wasn't smoking a normal cigarette anyway, it was…"

"Gwen-e-pies, you were smoking weed!?" Lyra asked, and Gwen nodded shamefully, but looked shocked that Lyra wasn't angry or disappointed with her. "Well, as long as you don't do it again… I suppose it's okay to try it. After all, alcohol is legal and that can be more dangerous in some cases."

Gwen sighed in frustration but looked a little relieved. "But… that's not the whole story," she quickly continued. Lyra smiled for her to continue. "Well, she was pissed and scared for getting caught by a 'goodie-goodie' Gryffindor. Though, I don't think I would have grassed on her… I've never hated her that much. It could ruin her life, and I'm not like Ron!

"Well, anyway, she was also terrified as you can imagine. She was begging me not to tell on her. She would have likely done anything, maybe even something silly like declare her love for Godric Gryffindor in the Great Hall or something funny like that," she smiled for a moment to show she thought about it. "She would have probably been expelled for smoking it… even if it were only a bit of pot, she's in Slytherin, so…" she shrugged as if she didn't have the words, but Lyra understood that Slytherins weren't treat as fairly as the other houses, especially Gryffindor.

"I took the thing from her and tried some," Gwen continued shamefully. "I chocked a little, and after a moment, she laughed at me for being a lightweight or something, but I could see so much relief and gratitude in her silver eyes, and she was still shaking in fear. She… we." Gwen really struggled for words here, but Lyra understood, Astoria's defence's had been destroyed by a Gryffindor not doing the Gryffindor thing to a Slytherin. "Anyway," she quickly continued, "looking back she was chocking as much as me. It was the first and only time before then we had been civil to each other since starting Hogwarts.

"Well, after a little while where she calmed down, we got giggly and hungry, so after sharing the snacks we had on us she lit another. And… well, we started using… umm… different ways of blowing the smoke into each other's mouths. I think we forgot we were supposed to hate each other. We were both quite comfortable touching and leaning against each other by then…"

"So, one of you took a drag, and blew it into the other's mouth?" Lyra asked while Gwen was confused by the crafty grin on Lyra's lips. "And your lips touched," she continued eagerly, "and you continued blowing and sucking the smoke anyway?" Lyra asked while Gwen was bright red with more shame and embarrassment. "Hey, you were both stoned, and enjoying each other's company and messing about. I bet you just realized you have more in common than you ever thought… maybe you could be friends…? I'm always up for making new friends, especially the adorably amusing one's, right?" Lyra giggled as if Gwen was only being silly.

"T-that's not all," Gwen quickly stalled, and Lyra's eyes widened, and she had to suppress the grin this time as this was getting exceptionally juicy, and Gwen's face could heat the world – metaphorically speaking of course. "W-we… I shared my first kiss with Astoria Greengrass, and then she pushed me away looking grossed out calling me filth, and saying 'how dare you kiss me', and then… then she pulled my lips back to hers and we were kissing again, with tongue and everything, holding each other so tight, so needy…

"… after we pulled back from that she just called me a bitch for stealing her first kiss before she snuggled up to me and put the joint to my lips. I only took a drag on autopilot. I didn't know what to think. I was really confused… we had kissed, and I liked it, and it seemed obvious she liked it too or she would have ran away – she must have been confused too.

"We stayed like that for a while smoking the rest of the joint before she put it out. Then… then out of nowhere… she… she just started nibbling my ear and neck before we were kissing again, and she slid onto my lap, and she… she was even groping my chest, but I let her, and I felt good, and I groped her butt and she let me…

"We slept in the corner together that night and when we woke up, at first she was angry, then she was in tears. She looked so freaked as she threatened to kill me if I ever told anyone what we did, and last, last Lyra, she kissed me before running away…!"

Lyra was bright red now and trying not to think naughty thoughts, and certainly trying valiantly not to grin and tease her darling friend about her first kiss. It was all so adorable, Lyra pictured Astoria, and she was quite the cute girl, so Gwen lucked out there, and thinking, Astoria's sister Daphne grew a little faster and bigger than many of the other girls, so if Astoria was like her sister, Gwen got lucky, right, as Gwen didn't have very big boobs herself?

"Well… you had some confusing fun, and enjoyed yourself, right?" Lyra asked after a few moments of delightful thought.

"W-we've been making out all over the school since then," she spoke quietly, but Lyra heard her and felt happy that Gwen was still enjoying her knew friend. "And… we haven't got stoned since, or drunk or anything. At first, it was odd; we bumped into each other alone in a corridor. She was like 'I need a word with you bitch', and I was 'whoa' as she dragged me into a classroom and slammed me against the class door, her lips pressed to mine. I couldn't resist and kissed back.

"Well, it was infrequent, but got to be every day, sometimes several times a day. Then, I started hunting her, and it became mutual, and then came the groping. I was surprised when after a while she started staying with me for longer, and we would find quiet hideaways to go, kiss and cuddle, and we started talking, most of the time we talked at first, she was very rude but her eyes… I knew she didn't mean the bad things.

"T-then," Gwen had tears pooling in her eyes, and Lyra was quick to pull her into her arms and hug her. Gwen held onto Lyra tightly as she sobbed into her chest and Lyra didn't feel as great and happy for her friend anymore, but so confused. "It was just before we came home, she took it further than I thought of," she sobbed, whimpering. "She put her hand in… w-well up by skirt, and-and on my panties, and… she… you know. She d-didn't ask for it in return… after she just wanted to cuddle, she smiled…

"She told me that she loves me, and I was so shocked that I couldn't respond. I felt like crap. I could see she was hurt, but she told me I didn't have to answer her until the new school year. I… I really wanted to answer, but, how can I?"

"Silly, darling," Lyra kindly reprimanded stroking her friends hair and kissing her head. "I'll be here for you, and I'm sure your family won't hate you. You can't choose who you love any more than you can choose your family… well, you can choose your family after the fact I suppose, but that's beside the point. You should tell her how you feel."

Gwen looked up at Lyra with red puffy eyes in panic. "I… I can't let anyone know. I'll be d-disowned… Ron might even attack me; you know how he is."

Lyra rolled her eyes. "Don't be silly," Lyra gently reprimanded. "If your family love you at all they'll get over it. After all, I'm sure you're not the first person to fall in love with a Slytherin. Heck, I've checked out the occasional cute Slytherin before – well, there's not actually that many – but, have you seen Astoria's older sister; now that girl could make anyone look at least once," she said jokingly.

However, Gwen snorted while looking hysterical. "I'm not talking about her being a Slytherin you idiot! I'm talking about us both being GIRLS!" she hissed before looking to see the black light still holding Hermione before looking back at Lyra, as tears streamed from her eyes and down her cheeks.

Lyra looked confused as she wiped away some of Gwen's tears. "I don't see what that has to do with anything, Gwen."

"I'm a girl, she's a girl?" Gwen growled out with angry tears while Lyra nodded, and Gwen couldn't, didn't know how her friend could not understand, how she could be so supportive, but Gwen finally hissed it out, forcing the words passed her lips knowing they would disappoint her friend, this time for a reason she could scarcely believe. "It's sick and wrong. Its unnatural!"

Lyra eyes widened, and for the first time, she showed something other than acceptance. "Don't talk like that… I may or may not be gay, who knows?" Lyra replied as she calmed as she realised her friend needed her love and kindness, not an angry lecture, Gwen was scared and confused. "If… if others in the magical world think like that, I don't give a shit, Gwen. I love you. You're one of the greatest friends a girl could have… and my sister is gay," she said the last startling Gwen. "If you want to pretend and break that girls heart, and that's not to mention break your own heart, I will be here for you through everything, but don't demean yourself with lies – with things you don't believe, darling… you'll always have family with me."

"But-but," Gwen stuttered but she held onto Lyra tighter and got another kiss to her forehead. "If anyone like Dumbledore or the Ministry finds out… I'll be expelled and, on the streets, –like a thing!"

"Fuck those loser!" Lyra said coldly startling Gwen. "Dumbledore's a hypocrite. Those pricks have no power, and soon those bastards will all be audited, and I wouldn't count on any of them being free someday in the near future," she said to Gwen's shock as she could see no false bravado. "And in the meantime, if those bastards ever think of or ever hurt you or Astoria, I will make them wish I brought hell down upon them. Don't you ever worry, if anything ever happens, I'll make sure both of you have everything you need.

"But, if you break her heart, and your heart by not telling her how you feel…" Lyra said shaking her head and cuddling her friend tighter. "… you'll feel like a total bitch and hate yourself." Lyra slid her fingers over Gwen's cheek and lifted her teary freckled face to look at her, to show her the love in her eyes. "Don't ever… never again be an idiot to yourself. You can hide your relationship all you like, and I'll help you, but between the pair of you, you and Astoria Greengrass. I think you owe it to her, and yourself to not lie. And I'll be here for you…

"I'm not a tool of the light, and the world is in the process of change, so I want you to admit your feelings, and snog her brains out for me," Lyra finished with a huge grin as she wiggled her copper coloured eyebrows in a naughty way as she pulled Gwen's face back into her small chest, and Gwent held on tight with a huge grin hidden with her tears.

"Thank you, Lyra, I love you too," Gwen whispered as she felt excited to tell Astoria how she feels for the first time since Astoria confessed to her. "I'm going to tell her, and hold her, and apologise… it must have been so much harder than it should have been for me to confess," she said sounding a little muffled.

"We have to go…!" a soft voice startled them as it interrupted, and Gwen pulled from Lyra and watched in horror as Raven walked out of the shadows. "I can't hold us here for much longer, and the other girl's dreams are boring and full of her worshipping books – although, ever since your more assertive letters, she had a few dream clips of worshipping at your feet," she said smirking at Lyra while she and Gwen turned to look at the dark skinned bookworm as she slept peacefully.

However, Hermione stirred as the black light flickered, and panted in her sleep. Lyra looked to Gwen. "Did you know Hermione was like that?" Lyra asked her fellow redhead.

Gwen shook her head. "It could explain why she sides with the teachers so much," she said sheepishly embarrassed and more so as she saw she had gotten Lyra's tee shirt all wet and snotty and looked totally embarrassed.

"No worries, Darling," Lyra said while Gwen's cheeks lit up as Lyra pulled her tee off and showed off her white sports bra and the muscles gently showing her hard work. "You keep it," she said as she hoped off the bed and leaving the tee in Gwen's hands as she lit up with a glow of white and black light coming from her wrists and neck, and then the light spread as it burnt on the new outfit.

Lyra's hair had darkened and was tied to her left side, hanging down her small chest as it had also grown down. She wore a black mask around her eyes with deep shadowing that made her eyes look darker, and because of some kind of power, Gwen had never seen before, if she had not watched this, she would never recognise, Lyra. Lyra was wearing some kind of leather/plastic/metal looking armour that defied Gwen's belief, and fit her like it was a normal material of some kind.

Lyra's new outfit was amazing. It had a black collar around her neck to her collarbone as the rest of her body was in tight white down to her boots. She had a black belt hanging to her left at an angle connected to a half skirt that hung to her feet with a thin lined white pentagram of some kind, and giving Gwen a spin, that same pentagram was on her back in black with a baggy black hood lined with her black collar, and last, black sleeves tight to her thin arms starting at her mid bicep and down to black gloves with white pentagrams on the back.

"Hey there cutie-pie, I'm Mana, its wonderful for you to meet, me, I know," Lyra said as she glompped onto Raven's right arm and squishing it into her body with a huge grin while Gwen could only stare in awe. "But remember. I love you, and I got your back!" she said before Gwen could only watch as all the darkness was pulled back towards Lyra's strange new friend and swallowed them in the huge form of a bird of some kind, and they were gone.

"Lyra!" Hermione whimpered in her sleep and Gwen turned to her in shock. "I've been a bad friend," she added and there were tears in Hermione's closed eyes, spilling down her caramel cheeks, and Gwen sighed as Hermione was feeling guilt and must know at some level that she was in the wrong. "You must punish, me, yes, yes, just like that-!" Hermione gasped and sat up sharply in bed looking around in worry.

Gwen quickly used, Lyra's tee shirt to wipe her eyes and hope it was dark enough Hermione didn't notice she had been crying. "If you're going to have weird dreams Hermione," Gwen said with a gentle smile, startling Hermione, and those geeky girl cheeks pinkened enough to see in the moonlight from the window. "I'm sure Lyra might give you a spanking if you repent enough!" she teased.

Hermione's eyes widened in shock as her dream played out as it was fading. "Please don't tell her I said anything weird," Hermione begged shyly. "I'll never hear the end of it; I can't control my dreams, I'm just… I'm worried about, Lyra… she was the only person my first year who wanted to be my friend – who wanted anything to do with me… but… but Dumbledore, and the light, and the Dursley's, and she's safe, and this brother and sister…?"

Gwen lay back on her bed thoughtfully observing Hermione. "Do you think she has been taken by somebody bad?" Gwen asked thoughtfully.

Hermione nibbled her lower lip but shook her head. "No… but she's not safe wherever she is, and-."

"Dumbledore can't find her," Gwen said laughingly. "And this Harry Avalon has been vetted by the bloody Goblins… he is her brother and her legal guardian, and when she tells me she is safer where she is than if she was locked inside a Gringotts vault inside Hogwarts, I believe her, don't you?"

Hermione sighed as she lay back down. "I don't know why, but I never ever doubt her, but I still question her, and I feel bad-."

Gwen laughed as she turned on her side to look at Hermione. "I think that is, knowing someone enough to know you can trust them absolutely – it's not something everyone can achieve. Do you trust Dumbledore like that?" she asked, and Hermione looked over and she couldn't answer that. She knew the answer, but she couldn't say it 'no', she tried silently, but Ginny continued on as if Hermione did reply. "Exactly… but Lyra… Lyra doesn't ever lie to us, or even tell half-truths… not to people she cares about," Gwen said sheepishly. "She sometimes doesn't tell us the truth, but she won't lie about it, she just won't tell us, even if we ask. She keeps our secrets, and when she smiles at you… at me… you know she cares because she is open with us even if she refuses to tell us more, and that makes her an amazing friend."

"I wish I could be that amazing."

"I think… you just have to try. Lyra will appreciate the effort."

"Thank you. Gwen."

"You're welcome."

"Gwen?"

"Yes Hermione?"

"I think your brother is stalking, Lyra."

"Yeah. I think we're somewhere in the middle of the line for murdering him."

"I see. Goodnight, Gwen."

"Goodnight, Hermione."

To Be Continued…