Style // Sirius Black

Chapter XI

"The plan I mentioned earlier...Well, that may just fit right in with what you want to do."

"Tell me."

"You just got yourself a fake boyfriend, Lyra Euphemia Potter."

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They didn't want to make it too obvious, so the two decided to make more public appearances with one another over the following week. They'd walk through the halls with each other, spend time in the library, even went as far as holding hands in the courtyard. People began to take notice, specifically James, Sirius, and Pierre. Either James wasn't sure what was going on, or he didn't know how to approach Lyra about it because he had avoided her ever since she and Regulus set their plan in motion.

Regulus was dead set on the fact that Pierre was a Death Eater, so he would bring Lyra home with him for Christmas and 'integrate her' into the family to learn all the secrets and run into Pierre. Most Death Eater meetings were held in the Black house, and Regulus knew one was going on. If they could get proof of Pierre being there, they could expose him to Dumbledore and take him down before whatever he was planning went beyond stopping.

On the other side of it, Lyra was using this plan to get back at Sirius. Subconsciously, it was killing her, but the reasons why were something she wasn't prepared to come to terms with. So instead, she would hold onto Regulus's arm whenever Sirius was around, laughing at something he said and putting on her best flirtatious smile.

"You swear they won't actually try to make me a Death Eater," Lyra whispered as she and Regulus sat in the Slytherin common room, her legs thrown over his as they sat curled on the couch, despite there not being anyone around, "Because I'm doing this to destroy the Death Eaters, not join them."

"Hey," Regulus whispered, lifting her chin with his middle and pointed finger, breath fanning her face, "I promised you I'd protect you there. We just have to make it look believable."

Lyra nodded and dropped her head, sliding her chin from his fingers and staring back down at the book in her hands. Even when no one was around, she and Regulus didn't want to risk their plan being exposed, so he insisted they continued acting like a couple. He had even gone as far as telling his mother he was bringing home a nice pureblood girl home for Christmas. He and Lyra agreed she would go home to the Potter Manor for a few days so her parents weren't suspicious but would spend the last week at the Black home.

She had told her parents that she was seeing Regulus Black and vaguely explained that she was doing something for the war effort. Both Euphemia and Fleamont trusted Lyra and agreed. She had made sure to do it in a code they always used to send important messages between the family, so no one could figure out what was going on.

"Hey, why don't we ever go to the Gryffindor common room?" Regulus questioned, drawing small patterns into Lyra's shoulder after he wrapped his arm loosely around her.

"I think James would have a fit," Lyra lied, not lifting her gaze from the words on the page, knowing damn well the reason she never wanted to go there, "Plus, we'd have to really lay on the couple façade thick."

"Is that such a bad thing?" Regulus hummed, nosing Lyra's cheek gently, "Pretending to be in love with me?"

"You're ridiculous," Lyra chuckled and shut her book, shoving him weakly, "You know that? Don't tell me you genuinely want to be a couple."

"Mm," Regulus mumbled as he dropped his face into the crook of her neck, "No, but you act like it would be the worst thing in the world."

Lyra placed the thick book to the side and rested her cheek on the top of Regulus's head as he nuzzled deep into her. She had to admit; it was nice being held and having someone's devoted attention. But she had to remind herself this wasn't for her benefit but to teach Sirius a lesson and expose the spy within Gryffindor. She wouldn't deny that she worried Regulus's lingering touches and constant affection worried her. The last thing she wanted was for him to fall for her genuinely.