lyra | harry potter

eighteen | unbreakable vow

THE NEXT MONTH BROUGHT THE ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST game of Quidditch for the year. It was all the rage, especially because the two rival houses were up against each other; Slytherin versus Gryffindor. Lyra had yet to tell her friends about her spot on the Slytherin team, and their faces when she walked into the Great Hall sporting her team's gear were priceless. "By the way," she said with a small smile, gesturing to her gear as Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Neville all stared. "I did a thing."

"You certainly did," Luna said, her voice as airy as it always was. The eccentric blonde wore a large lion hat on her head, and briefly Lyra wondered if she made it herself or purchased it at one of those muggle costume shops. Knowing Luna, it was probably the former. "Oh! Now I'll have to wear something green to make sure I'm supporting all my friends!" The blonde reached over and grabbed a cloth napkin, transfiguring it into Slytherin green. She then wore it like an ascot and smiled at Lyra. "Better?"

"Better," Lyra said with a laugh before looking at Harry and Ron. "Anyway, I just wanted to wish you guys luck. I might play for Slytherin, but between us I'm sort of hoping Gryffindor wins."

"Does that mean you'll take it easy on me?" Ron asked nervously.

"I'm not a Chaser, but either way you don't need anyone to take it easy on you," Lyra encouraged him kindly. "You've worked really hard for this, Ron. You'll do great."

"What position are you, then?" Hermione asked curiously. "Are you a Keeper, too?"

"Seeker," Lyra informed them. Harry's eyes nearly fell out of his head. "What?"

"You mean I have to go against you for the Snitch?"

Her eyebrow rose. "That's typically how the game works, yes."

Hermione snorted. "Oh, we're done for," she muttered in amusement.

Lyra wondered what she meant by that, but didn't have time to ask as Urquhart called out her name. The Slytherin team were gathered together at their table going over the plays for the game, and he was annoyed that she was talking to Gryffindor players instead.

Rolling her eyes, Lyra shot her friends one last smile before reluctantly joining her team. While Urquhart had made good on his promise to make sure the team respected her during practice and such, it was still clear that she was unwanted. They glared at her anytime she made eye contact with any of them. Only Daphne Greengrass seemed neutral about the whole ordeal. It was getting really annoying.

Nevertheless, Lyra loved playing Quidditch, even though she wished she could be on a team that actually made her feel welcome.

Like the Gryffindor one, for example.

"Any sign of it yet?" Harry called out to her as he flew his broom closer to hers.

She shot him a playful smirk before continuing her search for the golden snitch. "As if I'd tell you." Ron blocked another one of Zabini's shots, and the crowd went wild in applause for him. "He's doing really great. I don't know why he was nervous earlier."

"Yeah, uh, he thinks I slipped some Liquid Luck into his drink at breakfast," Harry admitted with a sly grin. "Seemed to do the trick."

Lyra laughed, but then took off as soon as she caught a glimpse of the tiny object she'd been looking for. Harry followed right after, having seen it as well, and the two raced neck-and-neck for it. He wasn't expecting Lyra to fly so fast, but he should have known by then never to underestimate the blue-eyed witch. She was always taking him by surprise.

Just when Harry thought he was going to catch the snitch, Lyra ducked her broom beneath his and brought it back up. The motion gave her the jolt of speed she needed to get just enough ahead of him to where she could reach it first. In the end she was the one to catch it; but due to Ron's impeccable Keeper skills and the number of goals Ginny and the other Chasers had made, Gryffindor still won. Lyra didn't care;she had done her part and succeeded, so the other Slytherins only had themselves to blame for the loss. She left the Pitch in high spirits,having been invited by Harry, Ginny and Ron to the party Gryffindor was going to throw for their win. No one in their House cared that she was a Slytherin anymore; she had long since proved that she wasn't like the rest of her House.