Quidditch was something Lyra was reasonably good at. She wasn't on the team and didn't desire to be. She preferred sitting in the stands and cheering on her house team with her best friends at her sides, rubbing it into the Slytherins faces when they beat them. Lyra liked the parties afterwards and the celebrating that followed. She enjoyed drinking until she could barely remember her name and partying until her feet were numb. It was easier than training with the team and playing the actual game.
James had tried to convince her thousands of times to join the team. She would have made an excellent chaser, he told her. Lyra had the lithe body type and the focus to be an outstanding player, but she never felt the want to commit to the sport. Playing mock games with her family during Christmas and summer holidays was enough for her. Plus, she was nowhere near as good as James, and she didn't need to hear the whispers and comparisons between the two.
James and Lyra Potter were an infamous duo throughout all of Hogwarts. However, the eldest of the twins was always the first person on everyone's mind when the name Potter is spoken. Whether it be his unwavering loyalty, his renowned pranks, or his way of charming everyone. James Potter was famous in the walls of Hogwarts, and Lyra was there by association. Not to say she wasn't disarming in her way. Students loved her between the houses, and teachers adored her to a certain extent.
But she was always the one who got the less fortunate genetics. She was easier to anger, had a much dirtier mind, and was never one to commit to something entirely. Many professors had pulled her aside and explained that she would do great things if she applied herself. But that was precisely why she didn't try. She didn't want to be known for something she did or who she could be. She wanted to be known for who she was and what she was. Whenever McGonnagal tried to push Lyra to try harder in transfiguration, she'd put less work in. If Sprout told her to apply herself more in Herbology, she'd skip most classes.
The last thing Lyra wanted was for more people to tell her what to be. Sirius told her to be better, so she became worse. James told her to be herself, so she lost it. Lyra was tired of people telling her who to be, but she didn't know who she even was herself.
She dreamed of becoming the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts one day. It was her favourite class, and it was the one she excelled in. No one ever told her what to be or who to become in that class. Lyra was a skilled defensive witch and had an arsenal of charms and hexes that should send Voldemort running. The Professor always told her to watch out and that the skills she had were what Death Eaters wanted on their side.
He warned her that her closed-off nature and aggressive reactions might catch the eye of people who want to cause more harm than good. Lyra brushed off his claim, chalking it up to the Professors being paranoid about the looming war that was seemingly right around the corner.
Lyra knew better than to fall into the hands of a Death Eater. She may be impulsive and reckless, but she wasn't stupid.
-----
A laugh escaped from the blonde's lips as Pierre's hands gripped her shoulders, steering her towards the Quidditch pitch with the other girls trailing close behind. She quickly nudged him off before falling in line with Lily, wishing the newest Gryffindor good luck as he jogged off to meet James and the others. A gentle sigh escaped Lyra's throat as she leaned her head against the ginger's shoulders, basking in the warmth of the September day.
"Something on your mind, Ly?" Mary grinned as she tugged at the girl's sleeve, "Never seen you laugh so much."
Lyra rolled her eyes before fixing the sleeve of her floral button-up, standing up straight again. As much as she hated it, she wouldn't deny that Pierre made her laugh and kept a smile on her face the entire time they talk. She also knew that her best friends would tease the crap out of her if she started to fall for the mysterious new French guy that showed up at their school.
"She's probably thinking of James falling off his broom," Lily chuckled, swooping in to save her best friend, "Anyone want to bet a Butterbeer that it happens?"
"You have so little faith in your own boyfriend," Dorcas scoffed, "Though I do think Emmeline Vance said she was going to try and knock him off."
"Any idea who's all trying out this year?" Lyra asked as the group of four began ascending the stairs to the stands, "I saw a few third years getting ready before we left the common room."
"Just the regulars," Lily sighed, tugging at her jean shorts, "James said that Pierre is trying out for Keeper but also said he's going to convince him to go for Beater."
"You all have so little faith in Sirius," Remus's voice laughed as he and Peter beckoned the group over to where they sat, "I'm pretty sure he would have been able to hold his own against Pierre just fine."
"Mm, but I heard he was almost scouted for the French National Quidditch Team," Peter piped up, "Caused a bit of an uproar, seein' as it's a primarily female team."
Lyra cocked an eyebrow at the excited tone in Peter's voice, "You sure ya' don't gotta' crush on him, Petey?"
The blonde rolled his eyes at the girl's comment before averting his bright blue eyes towards the pitch again. Lyra loved Peter, she did, but sometimes she wondered if he was all there. He was always looking off into the distance and always had a dazed look on his face. During parties, he would always distance himself at one point or another, sipping his drink solemnly. With the war raging, Lyra wondered if Peter wondered what would happen if he was on the other side. So she kept her distance, despite acting like an adopted sister to the boy.
The younger Potter twin turned her head and saw the group of players take to the fields, walking towards Sirius and James in the centre. Lyra sighed and leaned her head back, staring at the bright blue sky above her as the sun seeped into her skin. As entertaining as the tryouts were, the real reason Lyra came was to see Sirius have to fight his ass off for the spot as Keeper. She wondered if James's words worked, and Pierre turned towards the Beater position.
"Looks like Pierre and Sirius might be 'aving a little tiffy over the Beater spot," Dorcas commented, "Anyone wan' bet that this ends with a scrum?"
"James would step in before that happened," Lyra sighed, lifting her head and watching as the dark-haired Gryffindor and French student had what seemed to be a heated conversation, "Then again, he does enjoy fights."
"It seems Pierre might be being the bigger person," Lily replied, pointing at the two as the lighter-haired boy turned away and grabbed a paddle, "Well, there you have it."
Lyra smiled to herself as Pierre hopped onto his broom, readjusting his gear and lifting off the ground gracefully. She watched in amazement as he soared through the air, light brown hair shifting in the wind. He turned on his broom, waving at her from his position. Lyra blushed deeply before returning the action, sinking back further in her seat at the teasing sounds from around her. Pierre had made an impression on everyone, but the way he acted with Lyra was something new.
She was used to being flirted with and tossed around like a toy. Boys never wanted anything much with her. And as much as it hurt her self-esteem, Lyra knew it was safer than making deep connections that would leave her hurt. Anytime there was someone she grew close to within a romantic sense, she would become cold and condescending. When she had feelings for someone, she was rude and insensitive instead of warm and welcoming. It was all much easier than admitting her feelings or desire for security. But she wondered if Pierre would be the one to break her vicious cycle.
"Rumour has it he and McLaggen may have had a little quarrel in potions," Marlene piped up, "Over you, dearest Lyra."
The blonde raised her eyebrows and turned her head to look at the girl, "McLaggen? What does that dunderhead want?"
"Reckon he wanted to ask ya out," Remus teased, poking at Lyra's side, "Pandora let it slip during Herbology. Surprised ya haven't noticed him starin' at ya, Ly."
"Oh, am I supposed to spend my time looking at that sleazy git?" Lyra scoffed, "What else did you hear, Marls?"
"Reckon a sickle will get me to talk," Marlene grinned, wiggling her eyebrows and stretching her hand towards the young Gryffindor, "As the muggles say, a penny for your thoughts."
"That's if you want to hear Lyra's thoughts."
"Shove off, Evans," Marlene muttered, leaning closer to Lyra, "Apparently, Frenchie's got his eyes on takin' you to Hogsmeade."
Lyra rolled her green eyes before waving the blonde girl off. She didn't usually believe most of the gossip Marlene gave her, seeing as she was like a female Sirius and would most likely use it to prank Lyra. But it didn't stop her cheeks from heating up at the thought of Pierre wanting to ask her to go to Hogsmeade. She'd never say no to a weekend trip to the infamous town. Her favourite thing to do was eating a pound of chips with James while they raced to see who could drink their Butterbeer faster. It was a tradition; the first weekend of each month, the two had to see who could eat and drink the fastest. All of the Marauders would join in and time the two, and whoever lost had to pay the tab for the group.
"Well, he'll have to talk with James about that," Lyra grinned, "Not sure he'd be willing to give up the infamous Butterbeer Battle."
"Or he could come with us," Lily offered, earning an odd look from Remus, "What? He's a new kid, he may be charming, but there's no doubt it's hard. We've all known each other for years; he's still finding friends."
"Not sure if Sirius would be too fond of that," Remus muttered, "And we don't need infighting."
"Mm, I'm with Lils on this one," Lyra piped up, "Like back in our first year, you all took me in as me, not James's sister. It's a similar setup. I say we give 'im a chance."
Peter and Remus shared a look that had the group of girls confused. At the party, everyone seemed chummy and friendly with Pierre. Even earlier, Remus and Peter were all over Pierre like he was a new book. But Remus was always closest with Sirius, so maybe by association, the lycanthrope was hesitant with the new guy. Lyra still didn't understand what Sirius's issue was with Pierre; he had been nothing but nice to everyone.
"Ly and Lil are right," Mary sighed, glancing at Remus with sorry eyes, "He's the new guy. The least we can do is see if he's a nice guy."
"Majority rules!" Dorcas exclaims, hopping to her feet, "We shall invite Pierre to the first Butterbeer Battle of the year!"
Lyra chuckled at the girl's excitement before turning her attention back to the pitch. James was shouting out commands as the others ran through a mock game. The blonde found her eyes locked with the obsidian ones of Sirius Black, leaving her with a shiver running down her spine. He had that same stone-cold look on his face that he had on the night before and whenever his eyes landed on Pierre. She didn't know what it was about Pierre that seemingly pissed Sirius off to no end, but she didn't care to find out either.
She didn't care who Sirius liked or not.
-----
A chorus of laughs echoed through the staircase as the group of girls made their way towards their dorm. Peter had almost gotten a broom to the head when the Snitch zoomed past the bleachers. Sirius had nearly fallen off of his broom when Pierre sent a Quaffle his way, and even James laughed so hard he practically went flying. All in all, the tryouts went well, and Lyra had a hunch where her twin's head was at.
"Sirius for Keeper, eh?" Lyra hummed as she slipped from the group and leaned on the boy's dorm entry, watching as her brother hunched over a parchment, "You didn't even give Pierre a chance to show you what he can do."
"Sirius was going to be the Keeper no matter what," James sighed as he beckoned his sister in, "Pierre's good, but the team listens to Sirius more. He's more agile and quicker on his broom. Pierre's our beater."
Lyra hummed and dropped onto her brother's bed, kicking her shoes off, "Do you like him? Pierre? He seems like a fine bloke, but you're a better judge of character than I am."
"He seems alright," James nodded, dropping his quill, "I like him. Remus and Peter do too. But I'm not sure what's got Padfoot worked up about him."
Lyra turned her head on the pillow to look at the brunette, who had a thoughtful look on his face as he stared at the parchment. She knew James and Sirius were two peas in a pod, and she knew that the two having different first impressions of the new kid would set off a string of issues. But James was a good judge of people, and Sirius usually trusted that, but Lyra also knew that Sirius was stubborn as all get out. So if he didn't like Pierre, there was no swaying the animagus.
"Ready for the Butterbeer Battle this weekend?" Lyra asked, breaking the tension, "The girls and I were gonna invite Pierre. He's new, and we wanna give him a fighting chance at some friends."
"I think Minnie will kill us if we corrupt another," James grinned as he turned to face the younger twin, "She'll say that he's got potential and yell at us for wasting it."
Lyra laughed to herself before letting her eyes flutter shut. Every so often, she and James would spend the night just like this. She would nap or sleep in his bed while working on Quidditch strategies and plays. However, Lyra would always end up back in her bed by the morning, ready for the next day. Despite looking nothing alike and having polar opposite personalities, the two worked in tandem. Though, they weren't as different as she believed.
Lyra may act like a maneater and push boys away before anything begins, but she still longed for the security and domesticity her brother had with Lily. He had always wanted it, and secretly, so did she. If she could find someone who loved her like James loved Lily, Lyra was sure she would die a happy woman. But with war threatening them around every corner, she knew that love should be the last thing on her mind. The blonde wanted to fall in love with someone so aggressively it scared her and comforted her all at once, just like James and Lily had.
"Why don't you go get into your pyjamas, and we can spend the night here," James sighed, shaking his sister's shoulder, "You can help me make Quidditch plays."
"You sure Sirius won't try and kill me in my sleep?"
"It'd be a hell of a way to go."
"Whatever."
Lyra grinned as she hopped off the bed, wandering out towards the girl's dorm. She tugged her hair out of its updo, letting the light waves fall over her shoulders as she tugged at the buttons on her shirt. As she stumbled into her dorm, the girls she shared it with immediately tugged her over towards her bed. She groaned and grabbed the note from her pillow, flopping on her back as her shirt fell open, leaving her in her bra and jeans.
"Read it out loud, you ass!" Marlene groaned as she bounced next to Lyra's bed.
'Lyra
You at the Quidditch tryouts was a sight to behold. That should tell you my house
Seeing your eyes meet mine was a moment I'll never forget
Whenever I see you, though I may not show it, my day gets better
- Secret Admirer'
"WHO IS HE!?" Mary whined as she tugged the note from the blonde, "Why can't I have a secret love letter relationship?"
Lyra rolled her eyes and waved the girls off, leaving her alone with Lily on her bed as the two searched for any clues as to who it may be. They analyzed the writing and tried to figure out if the wording was similar to how anyone they knew spoke. The paper was too messy to be Pierre's but too eloquent to be someone like Peter's. Both came up with nothing as they stared at the words, deciphering everything they could.
"So he was at Quidditch tryouts," Lily announced, biting on her lip, "Can we be sure it's even a he?"
"You make a good point," Lyra muttered, "Although cryptic, I think it's safe to say they are a Gryffindor. I asked them about their house last time, and this is their response. It was Gryffindor tryouts. That would make sense."
"Alright, yes, now respond."
Lyra sighed and grabbed a quill and parchment, laying it flat against her knee as she hummed over what to write. She wanted to figure out as soon as possible who was writing these notes. She was no Ravenclaw and despised puzzles and riddles. So trying to figure out who her secret admirer was was an event out of her nightmares.
'You're quite the talker.
Quick question though, are you a male, female, non-binary even?
I'm down for all, just curious
Where did I see you at the tryouts?
- Lyra Potter
"And done," Lyra sighed, placing the note down on her bed again, "Maybe they'll come in tonight, so watch out. I'm staying with James for the night."
Without another word, the blonde dropped the note and went to change. She needed to know who it was behind the letters before it ate away at her. She hated not learning things, and being in the dark about who she was talking to was even worse. Lyra knew that it could be a prank and that it could just be a few younger years messing with the bulldog of the Gryffindor house. But she also hoped, secretly, it was someone who liked her.
Maybe it was them that would melt the ice on her heart.