lyra | harry potter

five | bad news

THE LIBRARY WAS SILENT except for the occasional turn of a page or hushed whisper. Madam Pince had been kind enough to help Lyra find a few books that might have some information in them, and the young witch carried the lot of them over to an empty table in the corner of the room. She sat by herself,quietly skimming through the pages of one of the books as she looked for any information that might help her.

"Blood traitor." Lyra glanced up at the harsh words to see Blaise Zabini sneering over at her. Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode and a few others Slytherins were with him, all snickering at her as . "What, you all shacked up with Potter now, eh? Draco told me the bloke actually had the nerve to stick up for you the other day."

"You don't know what you're talking about," she told him, returning her attention to the book in front of her and opting to ignore him.

"Don't we?" Pansy spoke up next,laughing coldly. "I beg to differ. Wasn't it you who ran away from your dear mumzie like a coward? What – you're living on the streets now, are you?"

They all snickered again. "Well, it won't matter where she's living soon," Blaise said with a smirk. "As soon as they find her, she'll be dead."

"All because little Lyra is a bloody coward," Pansy cooed at her. "How does it feel to have no one, hm? Poor Cedric Diggory must be turning in his grave at the thought of ever tolerating your company. Pathetic bastard."

Lyra slammed her book closed and began to gather her things. She couldn't stay there if they were going to talk like that, especially about Cedric. "Don't," she hissed angrily.

Pansy fake-gasped. "I think the blood traitor's feelings are hurt!" She exclaimed to the others before smirking at Lyra again. "If only there were someone who actually cared about your feelings."

"Leave her alone." Everyone looked over, surprised for a brief moment as Hermione Granger stepped out from behind a bookshelf, two novels tucked under her arm. There was a fierce glare on her face as she stared the Slytherins down.

Blaise laughed. "What's this? The blood-traitor and the mud-blood are bosom friends now?"

"Don't call me that," Hermione snapped.

The boy stepped closer to her, sneering in her face. "I'll call you whatever I please."

Lyra clenched her jaw in annoyance. "Don't you all have anything better to do with your lives?"

"On the contrary, we have plenty of time to do other things with our lives. You, on the other hand – you'll be dead as soon as they find you, Burke."

"Filthy blood traitor," Pansy snapped at her. "That's all you are. A cowardly blood traitor."

The blue-eyed witch fixed her gaze upon Pansy with a blank stare. "I don't care what you think of me, Parkinson," she said bluntly. "I don't think about you at all." Holding her books to her chest with one hand, Lyra reached out with her other and grabbed Hermione's arm. "Come on, let's get out of here." The two girls left the library, ignoring any further comments the group behind them made on their way out. For a moment they walked in silence, until Lyra spoke up. "You didn't have to do that."

"Didn't I?" Hermione disagreed. Her voice fell to a hushed whisper so no one else would overhear. "Contrary to what you might think, Lyra... you're not alone. The Order has taken you in -- and they're not going to let anyone hurt you." Lyra didn't know what to say to that. She cleared her throat awkwardly, adjusting her grip on the books in her arms. 

Suddenly, Hermione's eyes widened when she saw the back of Lyra's left hand, and she reached out and grabbed it. "Umbridge is responsible for this, isn't she?" The Gryffindor girl asked. Lyra swallowed. "Harry's got the same marks on his hand, just... different words." Hermione paused and let go of her hand. "Someone's got to report this -- you two aren't the only ones she's been using those quills on. There's also been Fred and George, and Seamus Finnigan, and I think even Dean Thomas had detention with her, too."