It was finally the news they waited twenty-four hours for. After dinner, all the students looked on eagerly. The twins were turned back to their typical selves, thankfully. Watched Professor Dumbledore approach the tall goblet.
"Now, let me be clear. If chosen, you stand alone." Professor Dumbledore announced ominously. The first name. "Viktor Krum!" No one could be more excited than his headmaster, he was clearly his favorite. But Draco clapped enthusiastically. "Fleur Delacour!" Lyra sighed and clapped. She looked over to see the twins whistling, making her blister with anger. Each champion was led to another room with their headmaster and the ministry officials. "Cedric Diggory!" Lyra clapped extra loud for their champion. He seemed to blush as he walked away. But when everyone thought it was over a fourth name came out, shocking everyone.
"What's this?" Lyra questioned.
Everyone watched Professor Dumbledore read the paper closely. "Harry Potter..." Absolute silence. There couldn't be anyway. "Harry Potter!" They watched Hermione push the hesitant boy up. He seemed just as shocked as everyone else.
"Figures. Can't help the spotlight." Draco growled.
"I don't think so... Not this time." Lyra whispered.
There was silence as the door closed. But everyone was quickly ushered to their dormitories for bed. Everyone seemed to be whispering about Harry Potter. Of course they would be. This was all surprising.
The next day Lyra joined her friends in the library to study. They seemed to be gossiping more than studying.
"I can't believe he'd do that. But if course he would, Harry always needs the spotlight." Katie scoffed. "Cedric is our rightful champion. I can't believe they are letting a fourteen years old participate."
"I don't know if I believe it. I bet someone put his name in as a joke." Lyra injected. "Did you see how scared he looked?"
"No way... Do you think so?" Alicia questioned.
"I believe Cedric is our rightful champion as well- of course I do. But I think something fishy is up... A fourth name... None of you find that oddly suspicious?" She added.
The two Gryffindors look at each other. "I don't know, Lyra. It's odd, but something odd happens here every year." Katie stated. "Are you really surprised?"
"I just have a bad feeling."
"You think you-know-who is coming back?" Katie laughed. "Get off it, don't read too much into this."
"I didn't say that! I'm just saying it's weird."
"No one is denying- shush."
They all quickly looked back at their books as they heard Madam Pince's footsteps coming closer. She walked down the aisle of bookcases. The girls listened in until her footsteps grew quiet.
"All of this is so odd." Lyra whispered. "But it is Hogwarts."
They all agreed on that and started getting back to studying. Slowly the girls backed up and left, leaving Lyra to do a little bit more reading so she had the next coming weekend to herself. She let out a loud yawn and decided to finally call it a night. She walked down a dim walkway until seeing one person occupying a table. It was Hermione Granger, she had a big box and seemed to be really dedicated to something. She had been wearing a pin lately saying S.P.E.W. Lyra decided to pluck up the courage to ask what all if it is about as she was growing curious. She had noticed Draco making fun of her in the corridor.
"Er, hi." Lyra greeted awkwardly.
Hermione nearly jumped out of her seat. She narrowed her eyes at her. "What do you want, Malfoy?" She asked roughly. Rightly so.
Lyra tried to give a friendly smile. "What's Spew?" Hermione looked down at her pin before giving her a suspicious look. "Only curious."
Hermione thought for a moment. "It's just something I've come up with."
"What does it mean?"
Hermione pulled her lips into a tight line, getting prepared to be teased. "Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare."
Lyra nodded her head slowly. "That's a mouthful." She stated, letting out a dry laugh. "Why are you starting this group?"
"Because the elves are treated as slaves and they are beings of their own." Hermione replied haughtily.
"D-don't they like being servants?"
"They are brainwashed and forced into being slaves to wizards. Dobby-" her eyes grew large.
"Dobby? That sounds like my old house-elf."
"Well... It's a common name. I'm busy. So if you can leave me alone."
"W-well..." Lyra felt overwhelmingly guilty for the torment she caused the girl. "I'll join your organization."
"What?" Hermione looked suspicious once again. "Why?" She narrowed her eyes.
"Why not?" Lyra shrugged. "Everyone deserves to make their own choices- even if it is to serve a family loyally, that should have the choice, right?"
"Yes?"
"Alright then, I'll join." She shrugged. "I quite like my house-elf Minky. She's nice."
Hermione bit her tongue and handed Lyra a piece of parchment. She noticed only Hermione's name and Ron and Harry's. Lyra gave her a soft smile and wrote her name down on the parchment.
"Won't you be in trouble for talking to a filthy mudblood?" Hermione still sounded dark.
"Most certainly I'll get in trouble wearing this pin. But it's for a good cause, isn't it?"
"Yes..."
Lyra grabbed a pin. "If anyone asks, Draco is a liar and we have no idea what he's talking about." She giggled. She pinned it under her prefect badge. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight..."
When Monday rolled around, everyone noticed the Spew badge. Draco went up to Lyra angrily.
"Conversing with a mudblood I see. Be careful, one might think you're getting pulled below with them."
"Draco, it's not my fault you can't put aside your differences. I am solely involved for the Elfish rights."
"The what?"
"It's an organization to promote the welfare of elves. You know, like Minky." She replied casually.
"Have you been imperioed?" He questioned. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Nothing, I just like elves." She gave him a soft smile. "Are you going to tell on me to daddy? Because that's quite shallow when I've heard you were caught in the corridor snogging Pansy."
"You wouldn't."
"I would. You have a choice. Make the right one."
"You are acting like a blood traitor."
She almost struck him across the face but she gave him a solid smile. "And you're acting like a prat. Shove off, Draco. Leave me alone." She pushed passed him and joined her friends for a potions lesson.
The rest of the day she felt like she made a huge mistake. Maybe she shouldn't have joined SPEW, but she felt so bad for picking on Hermione. What should she do? She felt so...
The stress from school and her moral compass got the best of her as she spilled her guts on Professor Snape's floor. The room went silent.
"Lyra? Are you alright?" Alicia asked worriedly.
"I-I am so sorry professor-"
"Go to the infirmary, I'll deal with it, Miss Malfoy." Snape replied roughly.
She didn't want to cause anymore damage so she fled his classroom. So many thoughts filled her mind.
Is she a blood traitor?
Has she betrayed her family for being nice to a muggle-born?
Is she an embarrassment?
Will Draco tell on her? Merlin, she hoped the answer was no.
What if she fails her OWLs?
What if she doesn't become a healer?
What if she's forced to marry wealthy?
Her heart began to race and she felt like she couldn't breathe. She was numb and sweating oh no, was she dying? She raised to the infirmary.
Madam Pomfrey was there to help her. When Lyra listed her symptoms, she gave her a soft look.
"You're having an anxiety attack." She replied before going to a cabinet.
"A-An anxiety attack?" Lyra managed to get out.
"Yes, are you stressing over your OWLs?" She asked returning with a bottle.
"Yes, very much so. I-I have to pass my OWLs. I want to be a healer. What if I can't be? What if I'm forced to marry rich?" She asked, spilling her thoughts. "I don't want to disappoint my family." She started crying.
"Stop crying this instant. Take that potion and sit down until it kicks in. You're going to be just fine."
Lyra nodded her head and sat down in a chair while she went to deal with children with tied tongues. Her fingers shook on the bottle as she brought it to her mouth. It tasted awful going down.
Lyra took a deep breath and slowly felt calmer and she dried her eyes. Everything would be okay. She'll be okay. Right?
Maybe she should talk to her mother, though her mother wouldn't understand. She just trying her best.
"Better?" Madam Pomfrey asked.
"Y-yes, thank you. Though I-I originally vomited in Potions class..."
She sighed and turned on her heels for another potion. This year was going to be emotionally long.