Remedy For Guilt

Chapter Four - Potions

Sleep has never came easy for Lyra Lestrange. Often she lay in bed thinking too much so she decided that she would stay up fixing her room until she knew she was tired enough to pass out. She woke up in her new sleeping quarters with light pouring through the window above her bed and she felt somewhat rested. Lyra rolled out of bed and got dressed, hoping that she had woken early enough to keep her promise to Professor McGonagall.

Lyra made her way through the empty hallways until she found herself at the staffroom. During the school term teachers would eat in the Great Hall along with all of the students but if they needed some space and privacy they would use the staffroom. Lyra entered the room and the staffing team were gathered around a large table together with plates filled with food. The teachers greeted her with smiles and waves. She looked for a spot and there was a vacant seat between Professor Flitwick and Professor Snape. The Charms teacher waved and patted the spot next to him, encouraging her to sit there. The expression on Snape's face showed that he would rather her not sit there but she expected that with Minerva there he could not object.

Lyra took her spot and engaged happily in conversation with Filius, he also insisted that she call him by his first name.

"Oh, Lyra," he gushed, "I am so happy that you are joining us. Do you think you could help with the frog choir? Or even music classes? I would love for you to perform at the Welcoming Feast or the Founding ball."

Lyra gave a sheepish laugh, "Oh, Professor Flitwick, I haven't touched music since I left Hogwarts."

"Call me, Filius or Fil even," he said, "But that is honestly a shame. You should get back into it, you showed real talent."

During Lyra's schooling years she was involved in the school choir as she showed talent in singing and Albus believed that it would be a great way to forge relationships with students outside her house. It worked initially, Lyra even took up music as an elective subject for her last four years, but there were a few incidents that occurred that caused her to distance herself from the other students. In fact, Lyra didn't have many friends from her years of schooling which she blamed on her study and work commitments but was truly due to laziness.

A few of the teachers conversed with her, including ones that hadn't spoken to her before but Severus did not seem to warm to her like the others did. She noticed him happily chat to other staff members apart from her, including a face she didn't recognised who she assumed was the new Muggle Studies teacher. For some unknown reason she felt a pang of jealousy. She attempted to dive into another conversation as a way to distract herself from her want to gain the Potion Master's approval.

"Lyra," Minerva approached with the witch she felt jealousy for in tow, "This is Charity Burbage, she's new this year to Hogwarts. She's taking over Muggle Studies whilst Quirinus is away."

Charity extended her hand, "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Lestrange."

She smiled in return and took her hand, nodding whilst they shook hands. Charity went on a spiel about muggles, sharing her approach on her subject whilst Lyra feigned interest.

The remainder of meals with the staff seemed to follow the same pattern. Lyra would interact with her old Professors who took interest in what had been happening since she left, she would then retell stories of interesting patients that she had met and then they would dig for how their lessons aided in her treatments. Madam Pomfrey was quite impressed when she joined for dinner one evening and they traded spells and other remedies that they found useful.

There was only a few days left until the Welcoming Feast. It was a Thursday night and she noted Professor Snape leaving early and she decided to follow.