INSTEAD, james potter [1]

Chapter Sixty-Six

Lyra could faintly remember the first time she boarded the Hogwarts Express. She was eleven, though closing in on twelve, and had so many hopes and dreams for her time at school. Why wouldn't she? Everything was left to be experienced and nothing was set in stone. 

She could remember struggling to lift her trunk as her and Sirius finally found a compartment they wanted to sit in. Then her knight in shining armor, a boy, although scrawny, had been strong enough to help. 

That was the first time Lyra Black met James Potter, and she had no idea then how important he would be to her.

 She didn't know that for years, actually. From eleven through fifteen, she thought he was a bit of a prat. From fifteen to seventeen, she thought he was alright but annoying. From seventeen to eighteen, she was so madly in love with him that she couldn't breathe. Now, less than six months from nineteen, it hadn't stopped. Just because it was over didn't mean it stopped. 

It didn't feel real though, boarding the Hogwarts Express for the last time. There were no more hopes and dreams for her life. Why would there be? Everything had already happened and her future was set in stone. 

She just had to remember why she was doing all this. For Sirius, for Remus, even for Peter. For James. It had to be worth it in the end, and it would be if they were safe and survived this bloody war. 

Lyra had been so wrapped up in her own depressing thoughts that she hadn't even thought about the girl she was sharing a compartment with. Lucinda was drying a tear, thinking the blonde didn't notice. "Are you alright?"

"I just can't believe all this is coming to an end," the brunette sniffled. "This has been our home for so long and I have so many good memories from here. It's just so sad that we won't have any more."

Lyra smiled softly at her, reaching out to grab her hand comfortingly. "Just because we can't make memories at school doesn't mean we can't make memories at all. We're not just school friends, Lucinda."

"You're right. I mean, come on. The best memory is yet to come," Lucinda exclaimed excitedly, clapping her hands together as she quickly cheered up. "Well, if you promise to invite me to your wedding, that is. I can't wait for it!"

"Of course you'll be invited! I promise," she responded sincerely. While part of her still doubted their friendship due to the way Lucinda had abandoned her when she found out about James, she was still her friend. She didn't have many of those left.

Lucinda smiled thankfully, not knowing what else to say. She looked to be debating with herself over something, but she hesitantly spoke up. "You know, Rabastan finally answered one my letters. I got it yesterday."

"That's great. I think," Lyra added the last part after tilting her head. She was surprised, of course. If Rabastan was going to send letters to anyone, she didn't think it would be Lucinda.  "What'd he have to say?"

Uncomfortable as she thought back on it, Lucinda looked away, finding herself staring out the window as the train moved quickly by yet another unknown location. "He mostly just talked about you,"

Lyra frowned, and for two reasons. One, because she still felt bad that Lucinda was always so jealous of her friendship with Rabastan. Second, because she was worried about what he had to say about her. "What about me?"

"About your engagement and things like it. Fine, it wasn't that much," she admitted, only having noticed it more than everything else because of her blind jealousy. "The letter wasn't very long actually. Didn't say much."

Lyra looked at her, not really understanding the situation with her old friend. She hadn't understood anything about him in a while. "If he wanted to talk about me then he could have sent me a letter. There had to have been something else behind it."