Taking time away from a place sometimes is more influential or even valuable than taking time away from a person. The physical look of a site can cause stress or worry within people, especially if traumatic or anxiety-inducing events occur within said area. It can completely redefine the outlook someone has on life or the events currently transpiring. Going to a safe space helps heal those routinely opened wounds in the triggering area.
It's okay not to enjoy a place. Whether it be school, work, or even a place you call home. Not enjoying somewhere because of the feelings it brings you is a normal and healthy response. No one will come down from above and punish or penalize you because of a mental or physical reaction to a particular area. You are allowed to react to whatever life has thrown at you the way you see most helpful and beneficial for you.
Going to a place you feel safe can be described as a feeling of euphoria or bliss when leaving a significant stressor in the past. Having time away from whatever was causing turmoil and pain can even help you reevaluate your own outlook on life. It could heal strained relationships and even change your perspective on the aforementioned place.
It helps if the place you find safe is a sprawling manor.
-----
Summer of 1979. The war outside of the Potter manor wars felt like a topic of the past, something distant that couldn't touch the inhabitants within the home. There was no way to comprehend the blossoming and lush fields plagued by the blood and souls of those wounded, staining the white gardenias that sprouted at each corner of the lot. Even the darker vines and ivy that coated the brick walls seemed untouched by the nightmare of reality. The rabbits and mice that skidded through the forest just outside of the lot, and those within it, lived in ignorant heaven from the horrors that raged on just miles away.
Bliss was a word Lyra Potter knew well when Euphemia and Fleamont left for a week for business a few days after the returning of their twin children and the tagalong boy they had taken in. The elder twin had convinced the parents to give him the keys to their summer home for him and his lover, leaving the presumed single others home alone. An entire manor was empty and available for their leisure. Little to Euphemia, Fleamont, and even James's knowledge, the two had kept their love quiet for months, including the time they were home.
But there were no longer prying eyes and skeptical glances tossed towards Lyra Potter and Sirius Black, leaving them to their own devices – and their hormonal wiles. With no supervision, the two Gryffindor students took advantage and let the entire acreage know just who each other belonged to and the love they shared.
"Did you know that you make a squeaking noise before you orgasm?" Lyra razzed as she traced the tip of her finger across her boyfriend's chest.
"I do not!" Sirius scoffed, looking down at his slightly-drowsy partner, "I'm silent most of the time, asshole."
"Hardly," The blonde rebutted, resting her chin on his sternum and glancing upwards at the mock-offended boy, "If we weren't on a manor too big for my parent's own good, I think our neighbours would've heard you – actually! It wouldn't surprise me if they did."
"Your neighbours are over two miles away," Sirius reminded, lifting his ring-clad hands and running his knuckles down the girl's cheek, "You're a bit dramatic, y'know that blondie?"
"Says the man who refuses to take off his rings when shagging his girlfriend."
"They make it better."
"Not really."
Sirius rolled his eyes, and Lyra peeled her naked body off of his, throwing off her comforter and stepping down onto the hardwood floors beneath her. The man below her whined and gripped at her hips as she stood beside the bed, attempting to tug her back into the warm mattress. She winced slightly at the tapping of the bruises he had already left there, but her frown quickly turned into a smirk at the memory of the grip he had while she was beneath him. Sirius was nothing if not a generous lover and knew precisely how to give Lyra just what she needed in order to reach absolute delight. However, the blonde had told their lycanthrope friend they would meet him for dinner down in Godrics Hollow, and she had to shower and rinse away the sheen of sweat Sirius had elicited from her.
Remus and Lyra had agreed they were going to subtly introduce Sirius to the harmful ways of their precious Head Master. Lyra had slowly been explaining to him her own hesitations but chalked it up to being cautious during wartime. He had agreed half-heartedly, neither committing to nor refuting the feelings of weariness from his girlfriend. Of course, Sirius supported almost every endeavour Lyra took upon herself; he'd been swell at that ever since the two first got together that fateful date in March.
However, Sirius was still his own person. Even with Lyra at his side, the disenfranchised Black son was still living his own life separate from her. There were still aspects of his life he couldn't bear to open up to her about or share his thoughts on specific points in the life he's lived. Sirius had an attachment to Dumbledore; Lyra knew that, because of the home the Head Master had given the boy when he ran from the one his mother thrusted him into. That's why she was so hesitant to provide him with her whole story, worrying he may not believe her.
"Moony can wait," Sirius whined, sitting up from his horizontal position and leaving feather-light kisses on the blonde's lower back, "We only have two days until James comes home, come back into bed."
"No, Pads," Lyra chuckled, grabbing his raggedy Muggle band shirt that laid across her lamp and sliding it over her bare upper body, "It's already three, and we're meeting Rem at 5."
"We have two hours."
"Do you know how long it takes for you to get ready?" Lyra questioned, slipping from his grip and throwing his boxers at him, "Get up."
Sirius groaned and caught the underwear before they hit him in the face. Lyra grinned at his annoyed expression and slid on a pair of underwear before wadding off towards the bathroom to run the shower. Puckering her lips, a tune of a whistle sang through as the water began to heat up next to her. Looking in the mirror, Lyra ran her fingers along the swollen outline of her lips from the previous administrations she and Sirius had gone through. Small indents still sat on her bottom lip from the teeth of her lover, reminding her just who it was that she belonged to in the most intimate moments of her life.
Just as Lyra was about to strip herself down to the bare bones once more, a sound of crashing came echoing from just outside of her bedroom. Furrowing her eyebrows, the blonde pulled the bathroom door open and wandered into an empty bedroom. Sirius was nowhere to be found, yet the sound of faint yelling echoed from just below her in the kitchen. Lyra tugged on a pair of Sirius's boxers to hide her most private parts before tearing through her doorway and down the wooden stairs.
"Let me explain!" Sirius's voice exclaimed from the kitchen, striking fear in the youngest Potter child as she raced down the halls and slid into the kitchen.
"Babe, what's– Shit."
James stood in the kitchen centre; cheeks beat red and glasses skewed. She placed her hand over her math and tugged down the boxers she wore, ensuring that everything was out of view. She was sure if neither made it obvious, they could play it off as something more minor. Perhaps even convince Lyra's twin that they were just fooling around. That was bound to go over better than them hiding their relationship for just over three months.
"We were just shagging!" Lyra yelled out, causing James to turn his attention back to Lyra with what appeared to be an even angrier look, "Or...Not?"
"Just shagging?" James repeated, looking back at Sirius, who was as pale as the snow that fell across the fields in December, "You can't even be bothered to date her!?"
"No!" Sirius exclaimed, smacking himself on the side of the head, "I mean, yes! Yes, James, we're dating. Fully."
"She just said you're only shagging."
"She lied!"
"Did you?" James questioned, chest heaving rapidly as his eyes fell on the shorter of the two.
"...Yes," Lyra nodded, arms out in defence as she approached her angered brother, whose wand was near snapping in his fist, "Please, let me explain."
"Yeah, yeah, let Lyra explain," Sirius rambled before Lyra shot him a deadly glare, causing him to quickly shut his mouth, "Sorry."
"It was back in March," Lyra began, reaching forward and sliding the wand from James's grasp and placing it onto the counter beside them, "After my episode, Sirius came to see me. Both of us put everything on the table, and I gave him a tough ultimatum. It was my idea to keep it quiet for as long as we could, for various reasons. One being...well, this exact situation. I didn't want you to freak out."
Lyra knew she was being hypocritical. She had scolded Sirius and thoroughly chewed him out for not giving her a choice in how she would act, yet she was doing something similar to James. Though, what Lyra was doing was mainly to keep Sirius alive and avoid James going to Azkaban for murdering his best friend. No one wants that to happen, especially not Lyra. Despite the two being back to normal and James and Sirius moving on from the rough few months all three in the room went through, Lyra knew James was still up-in-arms about what Sirius did to her.
"...You've been together for almost four months?" James asked in awe, pointing at the two that stood in front of him, "Does anyone know?"
Lyra shook her head before speaking, "No. Regulus might; he's been helping me get my powers under control, and he may have seen, but he hasn't said anything. You're the first person to know officially, and we'd appreciate it if you let us tell everyone at our own pace."
The way James stared and Lyra and Sirius was impossible to read. The blonde could pick up on the anger he exuded but also the joy and tenderness that flickered across his cerulean eyes. James wanted Lyra happy, and even if it hurt him, Lyra knew he was aware of how Sirius did that. Through the time they only spent nights together, Lyra was happier. She was less angry, not as aggressive and hostile towards people. She no longer snapped at the smallest of inconveniences because she had someone other than her twin to rely on. Someone who understood her differently than Lily or the other girls and saw her for the vulnerable and scared little girl that she hid behind steel walls.
Sirius's presence was something that brought her shelter beyond that of four walls and a roof. His existence was the water she needed in a desolate wasteland and the thing that kept her from joining the loveless bodies that piled up beneath her. She had gone through nineteen years with him in her life; whether by choice or not, losing him would be the last straw that broke Lyra's back. She would be nothing without him. James, Remus, Lily, and Sirius were the four beings in the whole world that kept Lyra from the grave. Without them, she would be a shell.
"Do you love her?" James asked, his eyes still trained on Lyra, but she knew that the question was aimed directly at Sirius's heart.
"I love her the way that the sun loves the moon," Sirius initiated, stepping behind Lyra and placing his hands gingerly on her shoulders, "I'm not me without her."
"If you hurt her–" James responded, voice cracking as he spoke, tears glistening in his eyes, "I swear to God, I will have you six feet under before you can even register what's happened."
"You'd have to catch me first."
"Wanna say that again?"
"Nope."
-----
Lyra let out a strangled grunt as she, James, and Sirius landed down the street from where the couple was supposed to meet Remus. Lyra had tried with all of her might to convince her brother not to come with them and just let her and Sirius meet up with Remus. However, James was nothing if not a stubborn arse and had to join the two in their quest to meet the lycanthrope. Sirius didn't dare go against James, not since the latter had walked in on his sister and best mate fooling around...again.
The blonde of the trio dusted off the deep brown pleated skirt she wore, readjusting the forest green and white striped button-up she wore. She hated travelling by floo; it always left her dishevelled and slightly disoriented. But then again, apparating typically resulted in her hurling into a bush whenever she landed. Lyra wasn't all too keen on magical transportation methods, to begin with.
"So," James exclaimed, turning to face his younger twin, "Where are we meeting Moony?"
"You weren't supposed to be," she snipped, "Sirius and I were meeting him at The Boiling Garden...but I suppose that's where the three of us will be meeting him."
"There are so many better spots!"
"No one asked you to come, mate," Sirius responded. Lyra sucked in a breath as James turned to face the slightly taller boy, "Sorry!"
Lyra rolled her eyes and double-checked she had her wallet in her over-the-shoulder leather bag before beginning the trek down towards the restaurant. James was right, there were a lot of places in Godrics Hollow that were better than The Boiling Garden, but it was the most private. Plus, they had the best fried potatoes aside from Euphemia's, but that may just be Lyra's taste. Remus also had an affinity for a good plate of potatoes, so Lyra hoped this place was up to his standards. Her side quest within the meeting would go best within this restaurant, seeing as it had silencing charms placed over each table.
"Y'know, Lils and I were thinking that after school we'd get a place down here," James explained as the group walked down the cobblestone streets, "It'd be nice, living in a quaint area; like this."
"It's a nice area," Sirius agreed, "Good place for a family. You and Lily talked about that?"
"Oh yeah," James nodded, a heavy blush resting on his cheeks as he stared down at his feet with a bashful air, "I want a big family; she's telling me two."
"Well, she is the one carrying them," Lyra chuckled, sliding her hand into Sirius's as they rounded a corner, "But she's told me you two have talked about names, too."
"Harry James for a boy," James quickly added, earning a hearty laugh from both Sirius and Lyra, "I've got the middle name of my father; it would only make sense!"
"Whatever you say, mate," Sirius teased, running his thumb along Lyra's knuckle, "And for a girl? Have you thought of that?"
"No," James responded, his voice softer and less enthusiastic but still heartfelt, "We haven't really talked about a girl's name yet. But we do know we want her middle name to be Lily-Lyra.
Lyra couldn't stop the smile that broke out across her lips. It never occurred to her that James would want to name his child after her in any way. Hearing him say the names that he had settled on with Lily if they had a girl etched themselves into her heart. James and Lyra were more than just the Potter twins that everyone at Hogwarts knew and even those within their town. They were siblings, yes, but above all, they were two halves of one whole. Each had qualities the other perhaps lacked, finding a perfect equilibrium between the two in a much-needed balance. The names that fell off her lips in repetition felt comforting, warming her to the core.
"Harry James Potter."