Where Secrets Abound

Goddess of the Moon

"They told her they'd have the leaves by tonight? Ha!" Lovetta snorted as she walked beside Remus. "Lyra said that it took her brother ages to smuggle her one. I bet it'll take them till third year."

"I've tried telling them that they need to be smarter about it," Remus agreed. "Say, is Mau meeting us for tonight?"

Lovetta found it slightly amusing how Remus and his friends had resorted to discussing Lyra by using the awful nickname she had come up with on the spot. It hadn't been meant as anything that would last, but it turned out to be a convenient way to make plans without any Slytherins - particularly Lucius Malfoy - finding out who they were talking about. In the end, it had turned out as something good, but it was still funny how it came about.

"Yeah, she's going to see if the plan even really works. It'd be a shame if she did all that just for us to not even notice her and continue on as normal..."

"I guess we'll find out," Remus said. "Dumbledore mentioned that we should be extra careful tonight. He said that the enchantments to keep us in our own rooms have worn off for some reason, but there's no time to redo everything."

That was concerning. "But what if we hurt each other?" she wondered worriedly. "Or do you reckon that we'll be alright? I mean, we might be used to one another after spending every full moon the next room over."

Remus looked anxious, but he was doing a better job of controlling it than Lovetta was. "I'm not sure. I guess that just means that we had better hope Mau's plan works."

Out of nowhere, Lovetta was sent tumbling to the ground. Evidently, she'd just run into an older student, and from the look on the boy's face, he didn't care. Neither did any of his friends. Lovetta recognized them; Lyra had pointed out a bunch of blood purist family students. Lattimore was this one's name. Fifth year.

"Mind watching where you're going?" she demanded.

"Vetta..." Remus warned.

Lattimore - a Ravenclaw, Lovetta noticed - sneered. "Watch where you're going, Mudblood!"

"Sectumsempra!"

The very moment the insult had hurled from his mouth, he was thrown backwards across the courtyard. Lovetta and Remus jumped, and Lattimore's friends whirled to look for the attacker. Everything had happened too fast for anyone to hear what spell had been used, but the Ravenclaw boy was lying on his back on the ground, hands covering his face. There was blood dripping down onto the grass.

"Miss Malfoy!" came the sharp voice of McGonagall. Everyone in the courtyard was now focused on the girl, and Lovetta couldn't help but be concerned for her friend as the Head of Gryffindor House marched over to her.

"What in Merlin's name would make you think it permissible to attack another student?" she demanded. "What manner of spell was that?"

"I'm sorry, Professor," Lyra whispered.

Lovetta didn't think she looked very sorry at all.

"Answer me, now. What was that spell? What incantation?"

Lyra's face was unreadable.

"He called Lovetta Mudblood."

McGonagall's expression softened, but she was still as stern as ever. "Was it a Severing Charm, perhaps?" It almost seemed as though that was what she hoped it was.

Anyone who didn't know her well enough would have believed Lyra when she nodded her affirmation, but Lovetta knew better. Something was up.