Word Count: 2,621
Warnings: None
"Lyra," he spoke, a nervousness in his voice.
My breath shook, heart quickening at the sound of his voice. The man was disheveled, as he had seemed to be in The Three Broomsticks. The unique outfit worn by those in Azkaban blended into his pale skin and his black hair was tight against his neck.
He took a step forward, moving towards me. I moved away from him, keeping the same distance between us. He sighed at my actions.
"I'm not going to hurt you Lyra," he answered, almost pleadingly.
I shook my head, "I don't know that." I watched him smile softly at the sound of my voice.
"I'm not going to hurt you," he repeated, stronger this time. He moved forward, hands outstretched in a surrendering manner.
"Well it was good meeting you, but I really must be returning to the Quidditch match. Potter with either need my congratulations or my sympathies." I turned around quickly, trudging my way through the forest. I wasn't sure which way the stadium was.
I heard Black laugh warmly. "You're just like me, you know? Making sure Potter is okay. James was like a brother to me, and I've got the feeling that the two of you are the same." I stopped walking, turning my body to face him.
"You're like me in so many ways. Your eyes." Sirius Black continued, pointing towards me softly. "They're like looking in a mirror." He took a breath. "You know Moony told me that you have a problem with teachers and yet you're the smartest girl in your year. He told me how you use my little nickname for Severus and then he rambled on about-"
"What is the point of this information?" I cut in. "Why are you telling me things I already know?"
"Because I'm trying to show you how similar we are."
"We are nothing alike." I spat. "And if we were, what are you trying to prove? That we have the same genes?"
"I'm hoping it will make you understand."
"Understand what?"
"Why I left." I didn't answer.
I shook my head, scoffing, turning away from him. "You know what? There's no point. You're just as fucking cryptic as Moony."
"I knew he wasn't right." I watched him smile. "He said that you understood. That you forgave me for what I did, but I knew it wouldn't be that easy. Not if you were anything like your mother."
I shook my head. "I get it, but that doesn't mean I understand it. And it certainly doesn't mean I forgive you."
He decided to move closer to me, slowly walking across the grass. I didn't move away this time. "Well, we have time." He whispered. "I'm not going away again. I'm not leaving you again. So, hit me, punch me, scream at me, call me names, curse me, I don't care. I'm not abandoning you again. Never again."
I took a deep breath, feeling my eyes begin to sting and my heart clench. He was giving me an opportunity to take whatever anger I had left out on him. I could say anything to him. Hit him as hard as I wanted. But searching my thoughts, I found that there was no anger there.
"Why did you leave me with Moony?" I asked suddenly, Black's face turned surprised at how calm I was. "Why did you go after the rat, whoever he was? Why did you leave me?"
He took a deep breath. "You sound just like your mother. Not angry, just disappointed. I can hear the pain in your voice and it's killing me."
"Then answer the fucking question." He laughed, shaking his head.
"Not all your mother then." My father took a step back, brushing a hand through his mangled hair. When he turned to face me again, my breath caught in my throat as I saw the tears in his eyes. His head shot up before he could speak, face hardening.
"What?" I asked. "What is it?"
"I have to go." He ran.
I shook my head, staring at where he had been only moments before.
"Oh, Merlin no. You are not getting away without answering my fucking question." Moving forward, I followed Sirius Black into the forest. I was getting my answer.
ᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜ
The trees were thick in the Forbidden Forest, making it hard to follow him. Sirius Black. I was chasing my father. That was a pleasant change of pace.
I knew my way through the forest, this not being the first time I had been running through it, but the tops of the trees created a sort of canopy, blocking the light trying to enter the woods. This made the path harder to see.
I found myself bursting out from the trees, the Whomping Willow coming into view. I watched Sirius slide through the hole. I followed quickly.
"Come on Hermione!" I heard Harry's voice echo. I turned my head, finding Harry and Hermione, accompanied by Ron. They were quickly making their way towards Hagrid's.
I gasped, looking from them to the tree. If I didn't move now, they were sure to see me. I could talk to them. Tell them where he was so we could alert the school, or I could follow my father down the rabbit hole. It was an easy decision.
I ran, making way across the grass. Sliding along the mud, I found myself at the bottom of the Willow, the tunnel to the Shrieking Shack in front of me. Sirius stood only a few paces away. He turned to me.
"What are you doing here?"
"Following you," I started, brushing the dirt from my trousers. "You didn't answer my bloody question."
"So you followed me?" he asked, moving towards my figure.
"Well, I'm done waiting."
"You're insane."
"I've been told."
My father laughed warmly, a smile making its way onto his face before I was suddenly embraced by his arms. I stood rigid, feeling his hand move to the top of my head, holding me against his chest.
"You smell." I muttered, relaxing slightly. He laughed again, sniffling. I felt him kiss the top of my head.
Bringing my arms away from my sides, I clasped them around his waist, feeling my heart begin to clench. He sighed, pulling away.
I grasped his waist again, pulling him into me this time and pressed the side of my face to his chest. He scoffed playfully, wrapping his arms around me again, inhaling strongly.
I pulled away, stepping back from the man and shaking my head. "You still didn't answer my question."
My father nodded, turning away from me as he started towards the room at the end of the tunnel.
"I didn't want to leave you," he started. I quickly followed after him.
"I had planned to stay with you. Just stay with you and Moony, but I couldn't," he paused, turning to glance at me. "Not when I knew."
"About Pettigrew?" I asked, earning a strange expression from the man in front of me.
"How did you figure that out?"
"I didn't. I guessed, but judging by your response, I was right."
Black sighed, continuing forward. We entered through the bolted door, making our way into the Shrieking Shack. It was a mess. More of a mess than usual. There was a pile of blankets nestled in the corner of the room, apart from the bed. He noticed me looking at them.
"I couldn't sleep on the bed. It was too comfortable," he explained, now looking nervous. "I just realized that this mustn't be the first impression you imagined."
"I imagined worse." I shrugged. "I thought I'd be meeting a murderer." My father straightened again, ear pricking upwards.
"Oh for fucks sake, what is it now?" I asked, watching his face turn to look at me softly.
"I have to go again, but I'll be back." he started for the door back through the tunnel.
"You're not going to disappear this time, are you?" I asked. He turned back.
Taking my face in his hands, he bent down so we were at eye level. "I'm going to come to back, and once I do, I'm never leaving your side again." I nodded.
Sirius Black left the Shrieking Shack.
ᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜ
It hadn't been long since Sirius had left the room. I looked around it in wonder. I had watched him leave, hadn't I? I hadn't imagined it.
I found myself smiling as I thought of his last words to me. "I'm going to come back, and once I do; I'm never leaving your side again."
My thoughts of him were interrupted by a strangled cry coming from behind me. Towards the Whomping Willow. It was high-pitched and unrecognizable. I frantically searched the room, finding a door to my left. Quickly walking through, I slammed it shut behind me.
"Lumos," I heard someone whisper, a white light shining under the door. Someone had lit their wand.
"Ron – are you okay?" I heard Harry speak.
"Harry," I breathed, beginning to open the door.
"Where's the dog?" Hermione voiced and I found myself freezing, closing the door again.
"Not a dog," Ron moaned. He sounded like he was in pain. "Harry, it's a trap –"
"What –"
"He's the dog...he's the Animagus..."
I listened to the voice from behind the door, it's squeak familiar. I pressed up against the wood, trying to hear the voices clearer.
"Expelliarmus!" I hear my father croak, something hitting the floor second after.
"I thought you'd come to help your friend," he said hoarsely. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher... it will make everything much easier..." I couldn't help but hear the satisfaction in his voice. He was clearly talking about Peter.
"I didn't get a teacher because they wouldn't have let me come. They would have pushed me to the side. If Lyra found out she'd go mad and follow them, and there is no way that I am letting her anywhere near you." I pushed the door open slightly, watching as Potter stepped forward slightly.
"Thank you." Sirius muttered. I watched Harry's face contort.
"What do you mean, you murderer?!" I heard Harry's voice begin to rise.
"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" Ron spoke fiercely, though the effort of standing up had drained him of colour, and he swayed lightly as he spoke. Only now did I look towards his leg. It was bleeding. Badly. I hissed.
"Lie down," my father spoke quietly to Ron. "You will damage that leg even more."
"Did you hear me?" Ron said weakly and I could see him clinging painfully onto Harry so that he could stay upright. "You'll have to kill all three of us."
"There'll only be one murder here tonight," Black continued. I saw Ron's face grow more scared.
"That was the wrong thing to say father," I muttered to myself, shaking my head.
"Why's that?" Harry spat, trying to wrench himself free of Ron and Hermione. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew... Didn't mind abandoning your daughter for 12 years... What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?" I flinched, and looking to my father's figure, I watched him flinch too.
"Harry!" Hermione whimpered. "Be quiet!"
"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry roared, and with a huge effort he broke free of Hermione and Ron's restraints and lunged forward –
I burst out from behind the door, grasping Potter's arms before he could get to Sirius. I watched his eyes widen as he pushed at me.
"No, Potter!" I pushed him back, causing him to stumble slightly.
"Lyra, what are you doing here?" he asked, looking me up and down.
"I'm not going to let you attack him for something he didn't do." I explained, watching his face become shocked.
"You're defending him?" he asked, looking around him. I watched him spot his wand, picking it up from the ground and pointing it towards me.
Sirius tensed behind me, moving his arm around my waist as he tried to push me behind him. I shook him off, moving closer to Harry.
"Lyra." Sirius warned, but Hermione had picked up her wand, pointing it towards the man behind me.
Harry moved closer, the wand now approaching my neck. I closed the distance, pressing the wooden tip against my neck. "You're not going to do it Harry. So, why don't we put the wands down and just talk about this?"
"He killed my parents Lyra. I'm not letting him get away from me."
"Harry..." I started, bringing my hands up, but was interrupted by the sound of footstep coming from behind me.
"WE'RE IN HERE!" Hermione screamed suddenly. "WE'RE UP HERE – SIRIUS BLACK – QUICK!"
The door of the room burst open in a shower of red sparks and Harry's hand loosened as the stranger entered the room. I grabbed the wand from his grasp, turning it on him as I pointed it towards his chest. I turned my head slightly, watching Lupin walk in the room.
"Expelliarmus." Lupin shouted and Hermione's wand flew from her grasp and into his. He passed it to Sirius.
"Where is he, Sirius?" Moony spoke and I watched Harry's face knit together.
Sirius looked at him, expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then very slowly, he raised his empty hand, and pointed straight at Ron. I followed his hand, watching the red-haired boy. My eyes fell on the rat nestled in his lap.
"The rat." I whispered, turning to look at Lupin who had a similar look of astonishment on his face. That's what Lupin had meant when he talked about the rat. He wasn't talking about a simple spy. My father was an Animagus. As was James. It only made sense that Peter was one too. A rat.
"Professor Lupin." Harry spoke loudly. "What's going on –?"
But Harry never finished his sentence as Moony seized my father's hand and embraced him tightly. He pulled back, grasping the side of his face. "Are you okay?" he asked.
Sirius rest his hand over Moony's. "I got to meet her Remus."
Lupin's eyes then landed on me, standing there with my wand pointed towards the raven-haired boy. He smiled and I returned it.
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed.
"Merlin Hermione, you are a loud fucking screamer." I commented, moving my gaze to her. "Take it down a notch, would you?"
"You – you –" she continued, shaking her head at him.
"Hermione –" Lupin started.
"- you and him!"
"Hermione, calm down –"
"Would you cool it?" I input.
"I didn't tell anyone!" She shrieked. "I've been covering for you –"
"Covering for you?" I asked, turning to my uncle, dropping my wand. Harry didn't move to take it.
"Hermione, listen to me, please!" Lupin shouted. "I can explain –"
"I trusted you," Harry burst, my head turning back to him, "and all this time you've been his friend!"
"And you," he started, turning on me. "I thought you didn't believe he was innocent!"
"I told you I didn't know what to believe. You have to learn how to listen properly and not only hearing what you want to!" I replied.
"How could you side with him? A murderer?"
"He's my father Harry, and he's not a murderer!"
"Harry don't trust them." Hermione shot.
"Do you ever shut up, you whiny little bitch?" I asked her, watching as she ignored me.
"They've been lying to you, Lupin most of all. He helped Black into the castle; he wants you dead too – he's a werewolf."