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

117. Chilling Return

Remus was fast asleep, a book laying on his chest. He had been trying to wait up to wait for some kind of message from Eliana about the final task of the Triwizard Tournament, but instead, he had rather quickly fallen asleep. Just before going into deep sleep, however, a sudden sound caused him to jolt awake. A faint creaking reached his ears from the direction of the front door.

Cautiously, Remus set aside his book and drew out his wand. Rising to his feet, Remus began to move silently through the house, making his way steadily for the front door. Just before he reached it, however, a figure came into sight.

"Merlin, Sirius," Remus said with a harsh exhale, lowering his wand. "There was no need to scare me."

"Remus, it's happened," Sirius said tensely, ignoring his last comment.

"What has?" Remus asked, his brows furrowed in concern.

Sirius hesitated a moment before he explained, "Voldemort. He's back." A numbing chill instantly spread through Remus' body. "Harry saw him come back. He killed a boy, the other Hogwarts champion."

"But Harry," Remus said weakly. "He's all right? Althea, Eliana, they're both all right?"

"No one other than Cedric was hurt," Sirius replied. "Althea and Eliana are fine. I've already told everyone else what happened. If I had to guess, Dumbledore's reforming the Order."

Remus sank onto a chair as the blood drained from his face.

.

Lyra didn't know what to expect when she apparated to Malfoy Manor, but what she could say was that she had not expected for it to feel so strange to be there. She had given Madame Maxime her resignation with more than a few tears from not only the two of them but also the students. There was nothing else for it now. She had severed the last tie. She had been shocked at herself, changing her mind so easily just because a man she didn't know gave a little speech.

How long she stared at the house she didn't know, but at long last, she approached. The door she found to be unlocked. A little surprising, she had to admit, but perhaps they had such belief in their own power that they thought they didn't need a lock.

As Lyra stepped through the dark halls of the home she only just remembered, the black silk of her floor-length dress rippling around her, she suddenly heard voices. Coming to a stop outside of the dining room, she heard a high, cold voice speaking.

"When can I expect to see her?" it asked.

"Soon, my lord," her father's quivering voice said.

Closing her eyes, Lyra reminded herself of the character she and Ellis had agreed she would play. Opening them, she rolled her eyes, pushing open both of the high doors into the dining hall. With a careless look around the room, she stepped inside, her heels clicking against the hardwood as she tossed her curls over her shoulder to tumble down her back.

Narcissa's eyes widened in surprise as she realized who she was. Ignoring both her parents, Lyra came to a stop in front of Voldemort, a sly smile crossing her lips.

Her grin widening, she said, "I'd heard you were back."

A devilish smile crossed Voldemort's pale face as he rose to his feet, studying her curiously as she met his gaze, unflinchingly.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you," Lyra said. With a slight bow of her head, she added, "My lord."

Lucius stared at her, attempting to hide his confusion. She was not the little girl he remembered sending off to France, or even the one he remembered speaking to just a few months prior.

.

Althea was sitting on the dock at the edge of the lake, dangling her feet in the cool water as she stared down into the depths. Soft footsteps reached her ears. Turning, she was unsurprised to see Neville. He sat down beside her, crossing his legs as he leaned against his knees. There was a long silence. It was peaceful, yet Althea couldn't help but feel the crushing weight of questions.

Harry had not told anyone what happened that night other than Dumbledore, Sirius, and Amara. Amara had, at Harry's request, told Althea the whole tale, but now that she knew, she wished she didn't. It was too horrible to think about. She couldn't imagine how much she worse it had been to live.

"Althea..." Neville began before breaking off. Finally, he finished, "I know Dumbledore said Voldemort's back."

Althea did not look up. Neville glanced at her, searching her face for any expression.

Finally, she said, "I don't know how to be there for Harry after everything that's happened. I mean...how do you comfort someone whose every moment is pain?"

Neville was silent as he thought. Looking up, he saw she was looking at him, looking far more lost than he had ever seen her before.

"You be there," he said finally. "Simple as that. There isn't much more you can do."

"Yeah," Althea sighed, beginning to fidget nervously with her hands.

"Althea," Neville said suddenly after they had been sitting in silence for nearly an hour. She looked up, meeting his gaze curiously. "If what Harry said is true, which considering Dumbledore agrees with him, I'm inclined to do the same, then that means we're facing another war." Althea felt some of the blood drain from her cheeks, but she said nothing as her fidgeting hands began to shake. "Remind me when the war comes not to let myself become a coward."

Althea smiled for the first time since the third task had begun as she replied, "Oh, Neville. The fact you even said that tells me you will never be a coward, not really."

Neville smiled, gently catching hold of her shaking hands in his own. Althea released a long, soothing breath, gently squeezing his hand back.

"We'll survive this," she whispered, keeping her eyes shut. "We'll survive this."