INSTEAD, james potter [1]

Chapter Six

Summer was always a welcome break from the hectic days of Lyra Black's life. It meant no school, no gossip about every little thing she did, and especially no homeworks or exams. But being done with her fourth year meant that her O.W.L. year was approaching dangerously quickly, and it honestly scared her. 

And there were cons to going home. It meant the pressure of perfection being put upon her by her parents, and seeing Bellatrix slowly delving into some sort of madness as Narcissa would keep commenting about how it was really time for Lyra to get a make-over. She was only fifteen, she felt like she didn't have to care about makeovers yet. 

But still, home is where the heart is. And Lyra's heart was with her family. Especially when they got her gifts. Her mother and Narcissa had supposedly been out shopping a few weeks before she came home and there had been a surprise for her on her bed.

She was standing in front of her full-length mirror, her new dress on. She hadn't even been able to zip it up, not able to reach it. Luckily, her mother walked through her bedroom door, smiling sweetly. "You look beautiful, darling. You'd look better if it was zipped up, though."

Lyra chuckled as her mother approached her. She had a letter in her hand, but she put on her daughter's desk. She grabbed the zipper of the dress and started pulling it up. "Thanks, mum. For zipping me up and for the dress."

"No problem, sweetheart." Druella turned Lyra around so she could look at her fully, and she grinned widely at her daughter's beauty. "Oh, you are growing up too fast. You are becoming too beautiful for your own good."

"Mum!" Lyra groaned, but smiled. She couldn't help but appreciate the time she had with her family when she didn't see them most of the year. "I'm never going to be nearly as beautiful as you."

"You already are," Druella stated. She reached for the letter she had put on the desk and her smiled widened. "I got a letter this morning. From my old Potions professor, Horace Slughorn. I'm very interested in its contents."

"Well, open it!" Lyra exclaimed, curious herself. She doubted he was just inviting her mother over tea this summer. If he would send a letter to anyone for more connections, it would be Lyra's father. 

Druella gladly started opening the letter, but a bit to slowly for Lyra. Still, she eventually got the parchment Slughorn had written on out of the envelope. "Dear Druella. I hope this letter finds you well. I'm actually not supposed to tell you this in about a month or two, but Hogwarts have made their choices regarding their fifth year prefects, and it's my pleasure to inform you that Lyra has been made the female Slytherin prefect! The badge will be coming with her Hogwarts letter in August. I hope you are quite proud. I can assure you I am. Hope to catch up soon, have a wonderful day. Horace Slughorn."

Lyra gasped and started jumping in joy. "Really? I'm prefect! I can't believe this!"

"Quiet down, darling." Druella was happy for her daughter but didn't really approve of the overexcited way she was reacting. Lyra stopped and sighed, trying to contain her smile but failing. "I'm very proud of you. I had a feeling this would happen, but I am still very proud."

Lyra smiled and turned to look at herself in the mirror. She wasn't surprised that she was prefect, considering the competition. Most of the Slytherin girls were more concerned with getting good husbands than a good education. She couldn't blame them, as it was how pureblood girls had been raised for centuries. 

But something had changed in the last few years since the war broke out and ravaged the Wizarding World. Dark magic was in style again, and this time it wasn't reserved just for the blokes. Bellatrix was a good example of that.