The Disgraced of the House of Black - A Multi-Character Fanfiction - Part One

83. Returning Home

"Sirius, another letter," Amara said, looking up as he entered as a dog into the cave, clutching a newspaper from Hogsmeade in his mouth.

Transforming back into a man, he asked, "Harry?"

"Who else," Amara replied. "He freaked when he found out we came back."

"What did he say?" Sirius asked, taking the letter from her and frowning as he read.

Sirius and Amara,
I reckon I just imagined my scar hurting. I was half asleep when I wrote to you last time. There's no point coming back, everything's fine here. Don't worry about me, my head feels completely normal.
Harry

Sirius scoffed, smiling in amusement as he asked, "Harry seriously thought we'd buy this? Even if Althea hadn't also owled us and told us everything, this is utter tosh and he knows it."

"Oh, I already replied," Althea assured, smirking slightly.

"I love you sometimes," Sirius said, bending down to kiss her.

Drawing away before his lips could reach hers, she raised an eyebrow, repeating, "Sometimes?"

"Always," he rectified, catching her chin and bringing her lips to his own.

.

Lyra was standing at the window, looking out over the clouds far below them as they travelled across England. She could not see where they were, but she knew she was back, back in England. It had been so long now she hardly remembered the parts of it she had known.

"How much longer, Madam Maxime?" a girl, Lyra knew her to be named Celine, asked.

"Just a few more minutes," she replied absentmindedly.

Almost instantly after the words left her mouth, they began the descent. Lyra grabbed hold of the back of someone's chair, keeping herself upright as they finally landed on solid ground. They quickly lined up, beginning, of course, with Madame Maxine in her dark colours and her large opals before Lyra took her place. In cooperation with the event, she had exchanged her green dress for a blue one. It was also made of light silk, but it was a far deeper blue than the uniforms.

Her dress had the same style at the neckline as her green one, but reached all the way to the floor, covering her usual black heels from sight. The sleeves, too, were slightly different, as they split instead at the middle of the forearm instead of the elbow, and the entire dress was emblazoned with gold detailing, rather like vines.

Behind her followed the rest of the students. Once the door had opened and Madame Maxine descended, Lyra followed, accepting the help of the boy, Jean, who had opened the door for them, as she went down the steps. When she was stable, she looked up, instantly seeing the faces of the Hogwarts students. Brushing her long, curly hair off her shoulder, Lyra followed Madame Maxine as she approached an old man with silver hair and beard.

"My dear Madame Maxime," the man Lyra assumed to be Dumbledore greeted, kissing the headmistress's hand. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Dumbly-dorr," she replied in English. "I 'ope I find you well?"

"In excellent form, I thank you," Dumbledore replied kindly.

"A pleasure to meet you, Headmaster," Lyra greeted with a smile, shaking his hand.

While speaking English, she had an odd mixture of a British and French accent, but the result was rather charming.

"Zis is Professor Lyralle," Madame Maxime explained.

"Ah, of course," Dumbledore replied.

"My pupils," she added, gesturing back to the shivering students.

Lyra felt incredibly cold as well. She had forgotten the difference in temperature between England and South France.

"'As Karkaroff arrived yet?" Maxime asked.

"He should be here any moment," Dumbledore replied. "Would you like to wait here and greet him or would you prefer to step inside and warm up a trifle?"

"Warm up, I think," she replied. "But 'ze horses-"

"Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher will be delighted to take care of them," Dumbledore assured. "The moment he has returned from dealing with a slight situation that has arisen from some of his...er....charges."

Lyra raised an eyebrow, curious as to what might have happened. When the matter of the horses had been settled, Madame Maxime led the students up to the castle with the request that Lyra be allowed to wait and greet Karkaroff on her behalf.

When Lyra had taken her place beside Dumbledore, he asked, "Forgive me, Miss Lyralle-"

"Just Lyra," she corrected.

"Very well then, Miss Lyra," Dumbledore said. "Your accent confuses me."

"I am British by birth," she explained, frowning slightly. "But I have lived in France mor for a number of years. The accents have mixed."

Dumbledore nodded, but an odd expression had crossed his face as he glanced quickly back toward someone Lyra couldn't see.

.

"I wonder who that is," Hermione said, pointing to the woman standing by Dumbledore, watching as her curly white-blond hair moved as she turned her head, sweeping from her lower back to her hip.

"A teacher maybe," Harry guessed. "Maybe Assistant Headmistress or something."

"Maybe," Hermione replied.

"She must be frightfully cold," Althea said, watching as she crossed her arms across her chest, bundling her arms in her long sleeves.

"Why didn't she think to wear warmer clothes?" Ron said with a frown.

"It's warmer at Beauxbatons," Althea explained, watching as the woman smiled, a pink blush dusting her ghostly cheeks.

"Can you hear something?" Ron asked suddenly.

A faint rumbling had reached their ears.

"The lake!" Lee Jordan yelled. "Look at the lake!"

Lyra, having heard the student's shouts, looked over toward it. The moment her eyes latched onto it, she saw a gaping hole appear in the middle of the water. A whirlpool had formed, swirling and swirling so quickly it nearly caused her head to ache. Then suddenly, a huge ship appeared from the depths. Lyra hugged herself tightly for warmth as she watched the students from Durmstrang approach, followed by Professor Karkaroff.

"Dumbledore!" Karkaroff called heartily as he approached. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?"

"Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff," Dumbledore replied, shaking hands with the man.

"Madame Maxime sends her greetings," Lyra said with a gracious smile. "She has taken her students inside, but asked me to greet you on her behalf and on the behalf of Beauxbatons."

"And I send my solitutous greetings in return," Karkaroff replied kindly, taking her hand as well.