Ginny took the meeting for Neville and I as we sat on a couch, observing. They had been given the task to work out another way of blocking spells than standard protection or throwing another spell back. Tonight it was time to find out what they had come up with.
It was frustrating to watch from the sidelines, but I couldn't do much more. In a way, it was good - I was watching from afar rather than taking part, and so I could give them pointers from this new angle, make them stronger and better.
Before the night was over, Ginny informed us of our next plan to annoy Snape and the Carrows. Small bundles of tissue to be spread about the school, a timer on them until they transformed into leaflets about Muggleborns in wizarding history. They couldn't be destroyed, at least not by common spells, and they wouldn't be noticed while they were spread.
We left in turns as usual to return to our common rooms, in small groups so not to attract attention. I left last, telling them I'd catch them up in a bit. Ginny was unimpressed, citing that I couldn't walk alone while injured, but I shooed her away.
I needed to see Snape.
He sensed my arrival, waiting at the door the second I stepped in. He was wide-eyed, looking at what I imagined was a frail, thin body, and visibly deflated at the sight.
"I'm fine," I said sharply, "And I know you had no choice, if you had taken us down, you would have been found out. It's our own fault, you warned me not to do it again, but I ignored you. Neville and I both lived, and we'll be good as new in a few days."
"Still, I am sorry," he pinched the bridge of his nose, "Having to see you there..."
"My back is already almost healed, the pain is gone," I shrugged, "I just figured, since you wouldn't have seen me due to my friends hiding me away, I should let you know I'm fine."
"I am relieved," Snape sighed, "Your brother informed your parents. They have been owling me non-stop about you, but I haven't been able to tell them anything. Your brother is particularly worried."
"Do you know where I might find him?" I questioned, and he nodded.
"He avoids the Slytherin common room these days," he told me, "I often see him out near the Black Lake. He was there half an hour ago, it's likely he still is."
"Before I go," I stopped, "Can I write a letter to my parents? It can be hidden with yours, just so they know it wasn't your fault and that I am alright."
He nodded, handing me parchment and a quill. I wrote to them, telling them how Snape had tried to warn me he couldn't protect me if I kept acting out, but I ignored him. Telling them it was the Carrows, not him, and there was nothing he could do to stop it lest be accused of betraying the Dark Lord. I told them I was fine, scarred but the injuries had healed, my friends had cared for me. I told them not to worry about me, I'd see them at Easter, but I couldn't promise to keep my head down.
"Lyra, before you go," Snape stopped me, "I thought you'd like to know your friends are together again. They destroyed the Horcrux together, they've figured out the Dark Lord is after the Elder Wand too."
"How did they destroy it?" Snape's eyes darted to the empty display case, "The Sword? How?"
"I sent it to them," he said, "Hid it and led them to it. They don't know it was me, but now they have the tool required to destroy the rest of them."
"So, the diary, the ring and the locket," I frowned, "They're halfway there."
Snape froze slightly before nodding. He was hiding something, I didn't know what.
"Go find your brother," he finally spoke, "And Lyra - I know my words mean little to you, but do be careful. That's all I ask. The Carrows know you are at the head of this... rebellion, shall we call it. They are being meticulous in searching for evidence, and I fear that the next punishment will be worse than what you and Neville faced."
"We're being careful," I nodded, "We just made a mistake. Believe me, I don't intend to let it happen again."
"If you plan something that big again, tell me," he sighed slightly, "If I hadn't walked into the Great Hall..."
"I know, I wasn't thinking," I frowned, "But you probably would have been forced to punish multiple people, not just two of us if you hadn't seen it. It was... better this way."
"I don't want you hurt again, it's a full moon tomorrow," his voice was strained.
"Trust me," I smiled, before turning on my heel and heading for the Black Lake.
Draco was sat where I used to sit when I needed to think. I cleared my throat on approach, and he jumped slightly, relaxing when he saw my figure.
"How are you?" His voice was strained as he examined me.
"Healing," I shrugged, "It could have been worse."
"Lyra, you hung there for three days in a pool of blood," he said stiffly, "I... the other Slytherins were... I couldn't..."
"I'm fine," I offered him a smile, "My friends healed me, I'm good as new, and I'll be more careful in future."
"Or you could just stop doing it!" He cried out.
"Draco, you know I can't," I stared across the darkness, imagining the magical creatures swimming through the black water, underneath the calm still, "If things are going to blow up, and you know that will happen right here, the Order will need people on the inside. The more we can convince, the more likely we'll win."
"I don't want to lose you," he said gently, "You don't have to be on the Dark Lord's side! You just have to..."
"Not oppose him," I finished for him, "I'm sorry, I can't. My friends need me, Harry needs me. Draco, I know you have seen how things really are, you know it's the right thing!"
"I... I can't," he whispered, "I'm afraid. For you, for our parents. If we make a wrong move, he'll kill us all. I don't have a choice!"
"I don't blame you," I sighed, "Things are... difficult. But know, whether you choose to stay how you are, not opposing but not helping, or join me, I'll still love you. And mother and father. But I can't do the same, I can't not help, no matter how much pain it causes me."
"Just... be careful," he said quietly, "The Carrows are out for you. Each time they catch you will be worse."
"I know," I smiled at him, "I don't intend to be caught again. It was painful enough this time around."
"I don't want to lose my sister," he said.
"You won't," I said firmly, "We'll get through this and we'll be a family again, without the Dark Lord hovering over us. Trust Harry, he knows what he's doing. And he has all the support he needs."
Over the next few days, I worked out a better form of communication with the Order while I healed, both from my ordeal and the full moon torture. There was already something called Potterwatch, a secret Order radio station, but we didn't have access to it so by communicating through Aberforth, we managed to get our own radio plus emergency broadcast system. If anything happened, we would know, and we could also contact them if there was anything they needed to know.
The radio stayed in the Room of Requirement. We listened together whenever it was on, pausing practices to hear if Harry had been caught, or if any of our friends were killed or missing.
I frequently spoke with Lupin, using the magical transmitter to communicate directly with him. He informed me that Tonks was pregnant, plus they had got married, and I was over the moon for him. He seemed to avoid the topic somewhat, focusing instead on what he had heard from Aberforth about my injuries.
"I'm fine, Remus," I promised, "Snape still cares for me, I won't die any time soon. Focus on yourself and your family, not me."
"But I worry. Especially with what they do at the full moon," he said, and I knew now that he'd heard of the torture curses flung my way every month.
"Listen, Harry is going to succeed and it won't go on for much longer," I told him, "I have friends looking out for me, the other teachers too. We will get through this."
"Just keep safe. I know the DA is important to you, but is it worth your life?" He paused, "Many people will die in the coming months, but I don't want you in that statistic."
"I won't be," I promised, before disconnecting with a sigh.
"How are things?" Neville approached, his face concerned.
"The same," I leaned back, "Tobias is staying with him for the time being, apparently... apparently he was warned in advance. That's the first I've heard of him since coming to Hogwarts, he's helping the Order. Still no sign of Luna, though something happened with her father. Apparently, Harry turned up and he ratted them out, but they escaped. He's in Azkaban now."
"He ratted them out?" Ginny was aghast.
"They'll have taken Luna for what he wrote, and he'll be desperate to get her back," I stood, my back still stiff but the pain mostly gone, "He'll be trying anything for her."
"But Harry's still alive," Neville confirmed.
"Yeah," I nodded, "And Remus seems to think they are well on their way with their mission."
Remus had no clue, but he was a good scapegoat for what Snape had been telling me.
"Do you think he'll come here?" Ginny asked suddenly, and I thought back to conversations I had with Snape.
"I think he'll have no choice," I affirmed, "The Dark Lord will have hidden one of the things they're searching for here, no doubt about it. I just wished we knew what it was, so we could find it in advance."
The Carrows clamped down on us even harder after the leaflets. All houses but Slytherins were kept closely under watch, but we discovered another way to get into the Room of Requirement. As long as somebody could get to the room, they could open it to each common room in turn, allowing meetings to still take place. Neville and I usually left separately, both heading for the room of an evening - we were only willing to risk ourselves, and if one of us was caught, the likelihood was that the other would still make it.
Death Eater presence in the school rose, the Dark Lord's numbers seemed to be growing outside, more people press-ganged into joining. We had to be more and more careful, as did Snape. My meetings with him seemed to cease completely, I had no inside information on the Death Eater, lest we both be caught.
It felt like something was brewing as the Easter holidays drew closer. Our meetings became more intense practices, we knew we had to be prepared. I was being harsher than ever before, not allowing any mistakes, picking up on every single little thing. The war was coming, and we would be fighting against fully trained adults. Mistakes would mean death.