Style // Sirius Black

Chapter V

Despite living the dream of a witch, the reality was harsh. There was always someone vying for more power or trying to overthrow the Wizarding World. People always believed that their blood status was superior to others. Lyra had been fortunate enough to have parents who didn't care about familial lines or whether or not their twins were in the same or different houses. James could have been a Hufflepuff while Lyra was a Slytherin, and it would make no difference in their family roles or dynamics.

Sometimes she wished the two had been in separate houses. It would have allowed Lyra to establish herself as an individual, not just James Potter's younger twin sister. She could have made a new name for the Potters. She sometimes wondered if the Sorting Hat got her wrong and she belonged somewhere like Ravenclaw. But when she threw herself in the line of danger constantly, everyone knew Lyra was where she was meant to be.

But sometimes, even the deadliest disasters aren't detected by the great Lyra Potter. Sometimes, the devious snakes of the world slip under her radar and don't give her the chance to pluck them up and hang them out to dry. She may be smart, but she was no genius. Or, as Lily says, she was no Sherlock Holmes.

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A week had passed since the start of the school year, and everyone was settled nicely into classes, and new friendships began to grow. Sirius, however, didn't seem to want to get over his grudge against Pierre, leaving the Potter twins in charge of keeping the two apart and away from each other's throats most of the time. Lyra had taken to Pierre quite quickly, and the two were bonded in a way that she wasn't used to.

There was clearly a mutual attraction between them, but neither seemed to want to rush whatever it was. Despite only knowing one another for a few days, Lyra felt like she could tell the french student anything. The only person she had allowed in as quickly as Pierre was Remus when the two started school. They were just as fast to become friends and hadn't wavered since. The blonde of the two knew that Remus was closer with James, but no jealousy ever came.

"Ever wonder what would have happened if the boys weren't able to become animagus?" Lyra asked as she and Remus sat in the library on Saturday morning, flipping through books.

"I think my entire situation would have been a lot more complicated," the brown-haired man sighed as he pushed one of the books he was reading to the side, "Did you ever consider doing it with them?"

"I did," Lyra sighed, "But I realized I wouldn't have been able to do it without Lily suspecting something. Yours would be a wolf, y'know that Moony?"

"I did," he chuckled, "And yours would be a reindeer, Rudolph."

"Wanna know what's cool," Lyra grinned, "James is a stag, and only male deers have antlers. But with reindeer, the sister species, only females have reindeer. So we're like...twins."

Remus stared at Lyra with his eyebrows raised, "You're so smart, Lyra."

It took the blonde a moment to process what was so funny to the boy across from her. When it did finally sink in, she snorted and rested her forehead against the wooden table. Despite questioning her house sometimes, Lyra was positive that she was no Ravenclaw. Sometimes even the most obvious jokes or comments just fly over her head. She wondered if it was because of the proximity she had to James in the womb. Or because she thought with instinct before she thought with her mind.

"Shove off, Moony," Lyra grumbled, sitting straight up again, her cheeks flushing red, "You know what I mean."

"Bonjour," Pierre's voice sang as he joined the two at the table, "Mind if I ask why it looks like dear Lyra here painted her cheeks red?"

Lyra shot the boy across from her warning glare. The last thing she wanted was for Pierre to think she was an idiot, and the comment she had made would only further that. Remus raised his hands, feigning innocence. The younger Potter twin let out a sigh of relief, the heat in her cheeks subsiding as she glanced to the side at the boy that had just joined them. Even in the mornings, Pierre managed to look like he was runway ready.