Shades of Silver and Black

Chapter 10

"Diamond heels, Miss Black?" He asked, amused. "Are they difficult to walk in?"

Lyra gave an almost unnoticeable shrug. "No more than regular heels."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Quite true, Miss Black. I remember that one day I wore heels... It wasn't a pleasant experience, but I like to believe I 'rocked' them, as you youngsters say nowadays." He mused.

Lyra gave him an amused expression. Her 'scarf' choose that moment to move, revealing itself to be a snake. A very poisonous one, if it was the correct species that Albus assumed it was.

Lyra seemed to notice his look. "Don't worry, Headmaster," She said in a mixture of calmness and amusement. "I have the anti-venom."

"Well that makes everything better." Dumbledore said cheerfully before a somber expression took over his face.

The snake hissed at him before unwrapping itself from her neck and slithering to the floor of his office. Then, it started to curiously wander around. Albus chose to ignore it.

He led the girl towards his desk and motioned for her to sit. She compiled. Her beautiful face began masking itself into the famous pureblood mask as soon as he started speaking.

"I apologise for not having prevented this incident before it occurred." He said regretfully. 

Lyra kept looking at him expressionlessly. 

"How fares young Mister Black's condition now?" Dumbledore asked, genuine concern in his eyes. 

"Mother demanded I wear black for this visit." Lyra said instead, with a blank face and monotonous voice. "She said that we don't know when Sirius will die, so we best be ready. The Healers say that nothing short of a miracle can save him now, so mother has already started preparing for his funeral. She says that if he does die, then this way the funeral can happen immediately and I won't have to change outfits." 

"I'm sorry." Dumbledore said again.

"Stop saying that." Lyra continued speaking in her emotionless voice. "Sorry won't help my brother."

Dumbledore smiled sadly at her words. "Then is there anything I can do to help?"

"You can help me find the Chamber of Secrets and let me trap Snape in it forever." Lyra said drily, but seriously. "Or you can throw him in the dungeons for now. And don't even try to deny it, I know Hogwarts has dungeons."

Dumbledore chuckled at her words, but refused to comment on either requests. "May I ask what House Black will be pressing for in the Wizengamot?" he asked politely.

"You can ask." Lyra smirked. "That doesn't mean I'll answer."

Dumbledore chuckled. "I suspect that much." he admitted. 

"Although..." Lyra Black started. "You should know that whatever will happen at the Wizengamot in two days is all because of you, actually."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

Lyra tilted her head a little to the left and smiled, enhancing her heavenly features even more. "We decided early on that the options we would press for in the trial would be based on your actions to ensure justice to my brother."

Dumbledore looked into her eyes. Lyra held his gaze unflinchingly. Neither of them quitting.

Finally, Albus Dumbledore broke the contact and smiled wearily. "You are a very hard person to read, Miss Black."

Lyra gave a slight shrug. "You are lucky that it is me and not my father."

"Don't take this the wrong way my dear girl, but frankly, I would prefer your father." Dumbledore said bluntly.