Style // Sirius Black

Chapter XXXII

"Wait–" Sirius pulled away, "Are we about to shag to annoy your brother?"

"...Yes?"

"Alright."

-----

Lyra and Lily were silent in the morning, neither speaking as they muddled about the kitchen prepping breakfast for the boys that were still sound asleep upstairs. Both knew one another more than they cared to admit and were more than likely both aware of the intentions behind the lack of a silencing charm the night prior. Lyra had a wisp of a smirk across her face, silently proud that both managed to have a slight limp as they worked in tandem.

While cutting strawberries and melon, the girls wound up across from one another at the island, both having mirroring expressions. Lyra was the first to meet the ginger's eyes, and before either could say anything, they both raised their hands and met in the middle with a high five. A fit of giggles erupted from the Gryffindors as heavy blushes rested on both of their cheeks.

"Oh, Lyra, you wouldn't believe–"

"I would rather choke on a snitch than hear what my brother did to you in bed."

As small talk erupted between the two, more about what Sirius did to Lyra behind closed doors, Lyra felt a sense of familiarity return to the wild whirlwind life she had lived through the past few months. Her and Lily hadn't had girls chat in ages, and Lyra missed the way they were before her own life was tossed around at the will of others. Ever since the last blow-up on the female section of the Marauders, there had been an odd tension between the two. Lyra suspected it was because Lily saw right through the blonde's facade of normalcy and feeling okay.

Lily and Lyra were quick friends, much like the latter and Remus were. But the difference was they had a different understanding of one another. Whether it be that both were females or that the two were as different as they come. Lily and Lyra were like day and night, dawn and dusk. There were the odd commonalities between the two; but the differences outweighed the crossovers in the Potter and the Evans daughters.

Having come from separate walks of life, both varying in the most drastic terms of one another, the girls respected one another differently. They could see the disparities and took them with grains of salt and developed a friendship despite them. Without the contrasts of the two, there wouldn't be that understanding between them. Lyra was thankful beyond words for the ginger that sat across from her now, cutting strawberries.

"Which one do you think will come down first?" Lily questioned.

Before Lyra could even get a word in, the slamming of two doors above them cut her off. Lyra pursed her lips and set the knife she held down, sliding back from the island and grabbing the bowl, adding both fruits to them. She wondered which would crack first; Sirius or James. Or, truth be told, Lyra might smack her brother before her boyfriend could even give her a good morning kiss.

James had done well so far with the two being a couple, something Lyra had hoped for when he caught them not too long ago. She loved Sirius like he was her lifeline, bringing her a new sense of vibrancy whenever he caught her eye. It was the exact feeling she had avoided for years before, masking it with hatred. She didn't blame herself for how she acted, seeing as he hadn't exactly given her a reason to let the feelings she had to prosper. Sirius made her miserable, only adding to the torture that loving him was.

Sirius Black was one thing in Lyra's life that had been the exact thing she dreaded but managed to bring her joy beyond words. He was the thing that Lyra dreamed of when she laid to rest at night and the nightmare that shocked her awake. He was a living contradiction in her eyes, and she fell in love with every conflicting aspect of him. His anger, his kindness, his harshness, his gentle nature. He was everything Lyra despised and everything she longed for. He was a juxtaposition that contrasted against everything Lyra Potter wanted and yet made camp in her mind with a refusal to leave.

"I give James until we start eating," Lily whispered as she walked past Lyra, toast and eggs in hand as she wandered out the back door towards the patio.

Lyra grumbled curses under her breath as both of the boys bounded down the stairs, picking up the pitcher of orange juice and wandering out after Lily with fruit salad and drinks in hand. There were no neighbours anywhere near the Potter manor, but James demonstrated he had no problem being loud and obnoxious in the face of pettiness. Much to Lyra's dismay, though, neither did Sirius, and both boys had a bit of a temper that quickly exploded when need be.

Lyra winced at the slamming of the door behind both Gryffindors as they wandered down the porch steps of the manor. James quickly changed his gloomy expression into something sweet, while Sirius let the shit-eating grin stay on his face as both of their partners came into view. Lyra beamed brightly, contrasting her previous expression, when Sirius rested a gentle kiss on her forehead, sliding into the seat next to her, across from Lily and James, who mirrored the actions.

A few beats of silence passed after everyone collected their food and poured their respective glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice. Lyra kept her mind focused on the plate in front of her, barely able to meet her brother's eye after what she had heard. She didn't doubt he felt the same, and a sense of remorse did scream through her mind at the idea that he had had to listen to the same noises from her.

They were both adults though; surely James wouldn't make a big blowout about sex.

"Silencio," James began, "It's quite a simple charm. Something that the talented Lyra Potter should know like the back of her hand."

"Here we go," Lyra huffed, dropping her fork and staring across at her twin, "For someone who knows it so well, you sure as hell didn't bother."

"Paybacks a bitch, Ly," James continued, not bothering to meet his sister's gaze as he shovelled a forkful of eggs into his mouth, "Y'know, I never thought I'd have to hear my best friend and sister shagging, yet, here we are. Again."

"And I never thought my brother would be a child about a few noises from two adults having consenting intercourse," Lyra shrugged, her annoyance showing, "And yet here we are."

"It's time like these that I remember you two are twins."

"Shut it, Snuffles," James snapped, pointing his fork at the boy, "You're just as guilty in this as blondie beside you is."

"Hey," Sirius retorted, "You and Lyra need to stop it with the Snuffles; it'll catch on."

"It's a good nickname."

"Don't you start, Evans."

"All I'm saying," James continued, turning his attention to his twin sisters finally, "Is that you and your boyfriend need to keep it down."

"I will if you will."

"Are you five?"

"Are you?"

'You both are quite obnoxious.'

Lyra dropped her fork onto her plate, stomach-dropping from her behind as that all too familiar voice shot through her head like a bullet. It had been weeks, no, months, since she had heard the voice of the Dark Lord echo through her brain. She had revelled in the peace, almost taking it for granted as it came screaming back like a noisy bird. She didn't want it; she wanted it to stop. She had enjoyed her time off; all of her training with Regulus had helped. Hadn't it?

"Lyra?" Sirius questioned, shaking the girl's shoulder, "Are you okay?"

"He's back."