Easter dinner was interesting. Her Aunt Bellatrix was far from a lady and far from graceful. She swore, and drank like Lyra only saw men do. She was amazed, seeing a woman act like this. Lucius wasn't pleased, but didn't say anything. She brought her husband, a skinny man. His name was Rodolphus, he was quiet, hardly said a word. He had long black hair and dark eyes, almost black.
Abraxas was at the table as well, but he retired early because he was tired, but it could be because he didn't like Bellatrix. But Lyra took this as a win. She felt her bracelet vibrate and she smiled at her plate and replied to his message. He was just thinking about her.
"I think Snape is untrustworthy, but if our master trusts him, who am I to deny?" Bellatrix said as she spoke to her sister.
Lyra and Narcissa hadn't talked since then, but she knew she'd have to speak to her mother and she dreaded it. She needed permission to go to Diagon Alley. She could ask her father, but he was more authoritarian and was more likely to say no. But her mother wasn't happy with her. Will Lyra have to lie or tell her a small detail to go? She dreaded it greatly.
"Lyra, sit up straight." She heard her father order.
Lyra did as he asked. She poked around her Easter dinner, waiting for dessert. When it came, it seemed Bellatrix found more to say. Lyra only half-listened.
When the meal was done, the children left the adults to drink and smoke. Lyra grabbed a cloak and went to the back garden. She walked her property, waiting for her mother's office light turn on, and it always did.
Lyra laid down on the fountain and looked at the stars. She could connect some invisible dots. She then thought about what she'd tell her mother. She wasn't so sure what she could say.
"Hi mum, I'm in love with a Weasley and I don't want to marry that French frog."
She'd die of shock. She could just tell her she was indeed seeing someone, and liked them very much. She had the throw her a bone.
It seemed every day Lyra was getting closer to answering her hardest question: should she stay? It broke her more and more that the answer was yes. But she couldn't let go. This was all she knew. She wouldn't leave until she had to. When it all was too much.
When she saw the light turn on, she got up and entered the manor. She walked the many dark corridors and went up many stairs until she reached the corridor to her mother's door. She knocked on it, and heard a soft reply.
Lyra opened the door, and saw her mother at her desk, writing a letter. She wore her reading glasses, her mother looked up with a frown. "You should be in bed."
Lyra shut the door and sat down in a dark pink chair before her mother's large desk. "I like a boy in a year ahead of me. We've snogged, a lot. And I really like him." Lyra admitted, to her mother's amazement.
"Oh," Her mother said softly. She was in disbelief. "Is he smart? From a good family? Is he a Pure-blood? Or Half-blood?"
"His family isn't wealthy, but they make do. He is really smart, though he hates academics. He doesn't work hard unless it benefits him. He's a Pure-blood." Her mother was frowning. "And I love him."
"You're sixteen, you do not love him." Her mother scoffed.
"I want to meet him in Diagon Alley. We plan to get lunch." Lyra replied, ignoring her comment.
"And you think I'm going to let you?" Her mother inquired.
"I was hoping. He's leaving soon. And I'm going to miss him."
"Lyra, I didn't want you to get attached to boys." Narcissa sighed. "There was a boy named Thomas, I was obsessed with him. Dreadfully so. I thought I loved him. But I had to say goodbye when we graduated. It was the hardest decision of my life. But, I was paired with a good man. I love your father with all my heart and I don't regret marrying him"
"I'm not you." She said softly.
"I know." She sighed. "You must break it off, Lyra. Soon."
"Can't I have an affair?"
"That's not funny!" Narcissa snapped. "No you cannot." Lyra sighed and leaned back in her chair. "I never said it'd be easy."
"Can I go?"
Her mother stared at her in thought. It was quite agonizing. "Yes, but I want you home within two hours."
Lyra tried to suppress her grin. "I can make it work. Thank you!" She got up and left her mother's study.
Lyra sent him a quick letter, telling him she'd be able to meet him for lunch. She was over the moon ecstatic!
When Tuesday rolled around, she spent her morning trying to pick out a cute outfit. She tore her wardrobe apart, unable to find a dress she liked best. Did she have anything red? She searched and searched and settled on a simple long black skirt and a chunky red jumper. She sat at her vanity doing her makeup, patting her cheeks with rouge. She used a mascara brush to make her eyelashes pop. She smudged some eyeshadow on her lip. She was looking at a Witch Weekly photo of the latest styles. She tried her best to copy the picture of the model. She was upset that she didn't look like the model, but it would do. She didn't look awful.
She got up and grabbed her cloak and money purse. She walked out of her bedroom and tried to calmly go to the family room where the Floo Network was connected to. Lyra almost made it without interacting with anyone. But that would have been too lucky.
"Lyra," She heard her father call. She internally groaned.
She turned on her heels to find her father walking towards her with his blithering cane. He walked like a king. "Yes, Father?" She asked, trying to sound civil.
"Where do you think you're going, looking like that?" Gesturing to her face.
"What's wrong with it?"
"It's far too grown up." He replied sternly. "Go take it off."
"I like it. And mother wouldn't mind it." She was arguing back, why was she arguing back? "I have to go, father. I'm meeting friends in Diagon Alley."
"Not until you take that paint off your face. Do not argue with me." His expression was ice cold.
She heard heels clicking and knew it to be her mother. "What is all this noise?" Narcissa joined her husband and looked at Lyra. She was surprised to see her daughter wearing makeup. "Darling, that's too much rouge. Come here." Narcissa walked up to her and used her thumb to rub it in more. Lyra held still, only slightly pouting. "There, now you look proper."
"Father wants me to take it off." Lyra grunted.
"What? What's wrong with it?" Narcissa inquired.
"Cissy, it's too grown up for her. She looks like Nilly Gout!" Lucius bickered. Lyra didn't know who this Miss Gout was but she knew what he was saying wasn't s compliment.
"She's almost seventeen, Lucius. I think it's about time she looks more like a lady. Go on, Lyra."
Narcissa was making the decision for her to go. It was strange to see her not be docile by her husband's side, she took the reigns. Lyra scurried away, knowing there would be a fight between them.
She grabbed the powder and shouted, Diagon Alley. She was sent to the Leaky Cauldron. When she arrived, she had eyes on her by strangers. They whispered a bit but most turned away and resumed what they were doing. Lyra saw a tall ginger talking to Tom, the barman.
Lyra approached the too, Tom gave her a friendly smile. He was a bald man, who slouched a lot. George turned to face her and smiled big.
"Well, look who it is." He greeted. "Ready?"
"Yeah," Lyra replied. Lyra followed him to the back where they entered Diagon Alley. It wasn't as busy for it being the holiday break and families are spending time together. There were older folks who paid them no attention. George and Lyra were risking a lot. So much. But she laced her fingers with his anyways.
They walked down the pavement and when they started to pass a tall purple building that looked abandoned. George stopped and gestured to it. "This here is going to be Weasley' Wizard Wheezes. Fred and I had some plans on how we're going to fix it up."
"Then I hope to visit when it's up and running. I'll buy your things, though I am not much of a prankster."
"We're going to have a line of products, don't you worry. Acne cream, bruise cream- the one I used on you. We'll have some products for your nerdiness, some autocorrect quills." He went on about his plans, and she just listened. Even when he repeated things that she had heard time and time again. She just smiled up at him.
They carried down back alleys. They passed some questionable characters, but they greeted George as if he was an old friend. They looked at her, unable to tell she was a Malfoy from lacking the features. They just tipped their hats at her.
They finally entered a small pub. George led Lyra in. The bartender greeted George, which Lyra was beginning not to be surprised by.
"How's your father doing?" The woman asked him curiously.
"He's much better, Susie." He replied before having Lyra sit down in a booth before he sat across from her. "Two butterbeers please, and a menu."
"You got it." She replied with a smile.
"Look at you." Lyra teased.
"Fred and I come here a lot." He shrugged.
"I can tell." Lyra said. "How was your Easter dinner?"
"Quite typical." He replied. "Mum made a great dinner and me and brothers muggle dueled."
"Come again?" She questioned.
"Oh, muggles, they brawl without wands. They use their fists and body." He explained. Lyra then thought about how he fought her brother.
"Oh,"
"Yeah, we mainly try to pin each other to the ground. Ginny keeps score of the wins. Once she brought Ron down though, that was funny."
"We don't do that. It's quite boring in my manor. We had dinner, my grandfather is getting weak and often is sick. I don't have to hear him call me a whore for showing my collarbone. He retires early in the evening. I think he's on his last leg. I think he's dying."
"I'm sorry, Lyra. And I can't believe he'd say that to you."
She shrugged. "It's fine. He was more tolerable a few years ago, but his mental state and his health has been declining quite rapidly. Is it bad that I want him to die? Not because I hate him, it's just the man living with us isn't him. It's like he's a stranger." He grabbed her hand and held it, giving it a small squeeze of reassurance. "Let's not think about that. Let's have a good date." She gave him a small smile, he gave her a slight nod.
Their butterbeers come to the table and they thank Susie. She then pulled out menus for them before leaving again.
"What are you getting?" He asked her, scanning it.
"A hamburger, I don't get to have one often." She beamed.
"Really?" He gasped.
"No, mother would never have that served for dinner."
They sat down and talked and when they got their food, they ate and Lyra didn't have to act polite. She got ketchup on the corner of her mouth, making George chuckle.
"What?" She asked. "What's so funny?"
He grabbed his napkin and leaned over and wiped it off her face. "Not very lady-like." He teased.
"Would you like me teach you how to eat like a lady? It's not very fun. I should avoid touching the food with my fingers as much as possible. It'd be shameful if I made a mess, I can't lick the condiments off my hands or shove food in my mouth. I have to take small, calculating bites. I noticed you took another bite, even though your mouth had a bite full, that isn't proper, you swallow what's in your mouth before going back for another bite. You make sure your hands and mouth remain clean. A lady also never talks with her mouthful. Or talks at all, unless she's spoken to."
"That sounds horrible." George replied with his mouthful, making Lyra laugh.
"My grandfather used to say, women and children should be seen, not heard."
"Fuck him," He said without thinking, making her burst into a fit of laughter.
"I've never heard anyone say that before. Like anyone saying it's wrong. I don't really like talking about it much though. Because it's not very glamorous. I'm on a tight leash. Mother always gives me a look, telling me not to fight back, to just remain quiet, it's better that I'm quiet." Lyra looked at her boyfriend. "Am I talking too much?"
"No," He replied with a smirk. "Never,"
She grabbed his hand, only to pull back because she got ketchup on his hand, causing her to giggle some more before apologizing and wiping her hands.
Narcissa couldn't hold back anymore. She went to Diagon Alley and checked the pubs. When she didn't spot her, she almost gave up. Until she remembered one that hardly anyone went to. She kept her hood up and rounded the corner and peered inside.
Narcissa couldn't see anything at first until she saw in a corner, under a lamp light, was Lyra laughing. Narcissa couldn't help but smile at the sight of her daughter being so happy. She saw the boy then, he held her hand. He leaned forward to kiss her hand and she saw the red hair, and she was frozen with disbelief. No... No...
It had to be the trick on the light. It must be! That's not a bloody Weasley. Lyra wouldn't do that to her family, she wouldn't disgrace them. But then she saw them stand and grab their cloaks as the boy went up to the counter, he looked like one of Arthur's older sons. Though there were many. He paid for their meal. Narcissa wondered if he nicked the Galleons. Wouldn't put it past the lot.
She then pulled back and in the side of the building. She waited for them to exit. She heard the door open and Lyra giggling.
"That was fun, George." Lyra said happily.
"We can do this more in the summer. I got plans for your birthday." George replied as they started to walk away.
Narcissa heard Lyra's response before it turned to murmurs. "Oh, you don't have to do anything for me."
Narcissa gripped the wall, her daughter was dating with a Weasley. What was she going to do? Was she going to tell Lucius or keep it to herself? Does she confront Lyra? That would go over horribly. It seemed this fantasy Narcissa had in mind was crashing down onto her, and she was frightened that boy would take her daughter from her.