After all the muggles had gone, and they did a scan of the pond, they aperated back to the Stones.
The house was dark and empty when they got back. A note taped to the door saying that Lyra's parents had gone shopping. Lyra helped George ease into a chair before dropping into her own.
Lupin and Tonks checked the house before coming back into the kitchen.
"Looks like you guys lucked out with Lyra's parents being gone."
"Nah," Lyra said "They wouldn't have cared. Why don't you two stick around for a bit, they'll be home with dinner soon."
"Thank you," Lupin said sincerely, "But we have to be getting back, we were only supposed to watch you while you were away from the house."
Lyra nodded in understanding. "have a good night then, be safe."
"You too." He turned to the twins "No more trouble, you two understand?"
"Yeah, yeah," Fred said waving him away.
"We'll be on our best behavior," George added.
As soon as they were gone Lyra was up on her feet. "Right, Fred could you help George to the bathroom I'm going to grab my bag-"
"I'm not letting you go anywhere near me until we take a look at that head of yours."
"George your in a lot rougher shape than me-"
"I'm not letting you near me until we take care of your head."
She sighed exasperatedly slumping back in her seat. Fred chuckled.
She turned to him. "Fred, would you be a dear and grab my bag from my bedroom please?"
Fred aperated upstairs, and then back down bag in hand in an instant.
She took it from him and pulled a small bottle out. She poured out a measured amount and took it.
"There. Taken care of. Can I please do you now?"
George could feel her desperation and annoyance. He sighed. "fine."
"Great."
Fred helped his brother to the downstairs bathroom. Placing him on the tub.
Lyra placed her bag on the sink. She was glad she took the wide-eye potion after all it helped with the pain in her head.
"Alright Weasley, pants off."
"What?" He asked his head snapping up.
"Your leg is badly hurt, I can see the blood seeping through your jeans. You probably got cut by Mac's skates. Which means you've lost a good amount of blood and I need to take care of it immediately."
Blushing, and trying his best to ignore Fred's snickers. George unbuckled his belt and slid his jeans off. Lyra was right of course. There was a large gash on the side of his leg.
Lyra looked up at Fred. "Could you get him some PJ bottoms to change into when I'm done?"
"Sure thing," Fred said pushing off the wall.
Lyra pulled George's leg into her lap. A familiar potion in her hand. "This is going to sting a bit love." She said softly.
"It's okay." He said back, just as soft.
She dripped the potion into his cut causing him to wince. The purple smoke admitting from it.
She pulled out her wand and slowly traced it over the gash muttering "Vulnera Sanentur" as she traced. She said the incantation twice more, completely healing the gash.
George blinked down at his completely healed leg. "That's pretty handy," He said.
She looked up at him with a smile. "Thanks. Just your face next."
She reached up to touch his cheek but he gently grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry, about all this. I lost my cool again."
"It's okay, I lost my cool too."
He smirked, "now that was pretty hot. I didn't know you knew how to muggle duel."
She laughed. "Don't go saying that. It was my first time in a fistfight."
"Well, you could have fooled me."
"Seriously though George don't be sorry. I should have warned you two about Mac. I knew he'd probably be there and should have known he'd start something with you."
"What did he say to get you so worked up?" Fred asked George entering with his pants.
He looked at Lyra. "He called Lyra a freak."
Lyra broke out in a grin. "You broke Mac Taylor's nose because he called me a freak?"
"Listen." George said, "Nobody gets to make fun of you but us Weasleys, and no one is allowed to bad mouth you period."
"Guess this is why you didn't let me tell him about the Slytherins," Fred said.
Lyra gawked at him. "Weasley you snitch!"
Fred quickly ducked out of the bathroom before Lyra could turn her wand on him.
"What about the Slytherins?" George asked narrowing his eyes.
"I'm not telling you this until you swear not to beat anybody up."
"You're not in a place to make demands."
"Yeah? And how about I don't patch up your face, and you can go home and explain to your mother that you've been fighting with a bunch of muggle kids?"
"Fine." He sighed. "I will refrain from punching anymore Slytherins in the face on your behalf."
Lyra smiled, "thank you."
He reached out and grasped her arms, tugging her close to him. "Now tell me what happened? With Mac and The Slytherins."
She gave him a confused look.
"You were nervous about seeing Mac, I could feel it. I just didn't understand why until it was too late."
She wrapped her arms around herself, growing smaller. It was the exact opposite of how she was on the ice. "Don't take Mac too much to heart. He was just some neighborhood kid I grew up with... We never really liked each other very much. Before I went to Hogwarts I didn't really have an easy time making friends. So I knew there was a chance he'd say something if I showed up with you two."
"And the Slytherins?"
"Same deal." She shrugged "I am kind of weird George. I have a hard time opening up to people at first, so it leaves a lot of room for people to make up their own version of me. Nothing like a mute mudblood to make a Slytherin snob happy."
She felt George's mood swirl with anger. She tried to send him calming energy.
She leaned into him, "Relax George. I'm okay." He reached up and touched her cheek, his hand red and swollen. "I have you and Fred, and everyone else now. Why on earth would I care what they think, when I get to be with you?"
He wrapped his other arm around her, tugging her closer. "it doesn't hurt you?"
She shrugged. "Some days, but not most. Plus, it rarely ever happens anymore. Probably has something to do with hanging around with Hogwart's most famous trouble makers."
That at least got him to smile. "Alright, but if I stand by no girlfriend of mine is going to take lip. If I'm not allowed to handle it you have to stick up for yourself."
"That's so much work though."
"You can just let me handle it then." He said grinning.
"And have to patch you up every week? No thanks. Now sit still I've got to finish healing you."
She patched his nose and busted lip using the Episkey spell, and then pulled out a thick yellow paste for his eyes.
"What is that?" George said leaning away from her as she reached up to put it on his face.
"It's a bruise removing paste. Now sit still or I'll paralyze you."
He hesitantly closed his eyes and allowed her to apply the paste. Finally, she turned to his hands. Healing the small scrapes and ordering him to soak them in murtlap essence tonight before bed.
"You finished?"
"Yes, if you start to develop more bruises let me know."
He stood," brilliant! now sit,"
She looked at him confused, "why?"
He reached up and gently touched her temple causing a sharp pain through her head. She hissed in shock and waved him away.
"That's why dummy. Now sit and let me patch you up. You're covered in blood too."
"I am?" Lyra turned around and looked in the mirror behind them. Sure enough dried blood was crusted all down the side of her face, neck, and in her hair. Her skin was pale, and what she had originally thought to be just a scrape, was a fairly decent cut. No wonder George was pissed. "oh." She said Lamely.
George chuckled and sat her down on the edge of the tub. He quickly retrieved a washcloth wetting it in the sink. Then he knelt down in front of her and gently began to wipe away the blood.
Her heart sped up at his closeness. "Y-you know I could do this myself, you really should be resting..."
"Another word of resistance Stone, and I'll strip you down and wash every inch of you."
She leaped back in shock almost falling over, he steadied her while trying to suppress his amusement.
"D-don't tease me." She said trying her best to glare at him.
"Sit still and I won't have to."
Beat red and refusing to look at him. Lyra settled back down onto the edge of the tub and let him continue. After all the blood was washed from her face, he cleaned and bandaged her cut.
"Thanks." She said standing and wrapping him in a hug.
He kissed her forehead. "Of course love."
Soon Lyra's parents were home with dinner and groceries. Her father held the bag of take out food in the air with glee.
"We've got your favorite!"
Lyra's mood sparked, "Chinese takeout?" She asked excitedly taking the bag from her father.
"Yes, we figured it's probably been a while since you've had it."
"Months." She groaned beginning to pull the food out from the bag and put it on the table.
"I hope you boys don't mind," Amelia said, "We probably should have asked before getting it."
Fred shrugged "We've never had it before, mum's always cooked for us."
"Always?!" Amelia said shocked, "that poor woman."
Lyra handed each boy a plate and a set of chopsticks. "Well, no time like the present to try it. I think you two will like it!"
Fred held up the chopsticks "what on earth are these?"
"Right maybe we better start you off with forks," Lyra said reaching out to take them back.
Fred jerked away, "what are they?"
"Chopsticks, you eat with them, I can show you how if you want to learn."
"You muggles are bizarre."
After the groceries were put away and everyone had their plates made, Lyra showed the boys how to use the chopsticks. She held her own pair in the air.
"You hold them like this," she raised her chopsticks demonstrating.
"This makes no sense," Fred grumbled trying to pick up different foods from his plate and failing.
Lyra giggled, able to scoop up her noodles just fine with the two sticks. George watched her perplexed and tried to copy her to no avail.
Eventually to Lyra's amusement, the two gave up and switched to forks.
"I meant to ask earlier Lyra, did you fall today on the ice?" Amelia asked conversationally causing George to almost drop his plate and Fred to choke on his drink.
"Sort of," Lyra said not meeting her mother's gaze. "I tackled Mac Taylor, and he took a swing at me in retaliation, I scraped my head when I hit the ice."
George and Fred looked at her slack jawed and horrified. Was she mad?
Both Lyra's parents were looking up at her now. Her father's gaze stern. "Why did you tackle Mac?" He asked calmly.
"Because he was punching George."
"Why were he and George fighting?" Amelia asked still in that strange calmness that honestly scared George more then his Mother's yelling.
"Because Mac went pushing buttons, as always. Guess he pushed the wrong ones this time."
"It was the way he was treating you." George blurted out defensively. Her parents looked to him now and he blushed. "I don't know. It just got under my skin, it's not just that he flat out called Lyra a freak... It was his whole attitude towards her."
"He kept asking if we were her cousins, and then just laughed us off when we said no." Fred added, "he was kind of a prat from the start."
"It was like, it was like he was mad that we were her friends or something, it just rubbed me the wrong way..."
"It's about time someone hit that kid," Amelia said again causing the boys to almost fall over in shock.
"Amelia," Walter scolded, "Don't say things like that."
"Why? It's true. That kid practically tortured Lyra since they were in diapers. If at 16 he's still going to act that way he deserves to get hit."
Walter sighed. "I don't condone what you did. BUT, thank you, boys, for sticking up for Lyra."
Fred leaned over to Lyra whispering in her ear. "No offense Stone, but your families kind of odd."
After dinner, they all watched a movie together again and headed to bed. It didnt take long this time before Lyra heard her door creep open and a certain redhead to appear at her bedside.
"Did I wake you?" He asked peeling off his shirt and crawling into bed with her.
"No, I was waiting for you."
"I figured as much." He sighed wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. She yawned and wiggled even closer. "Tired?"
"Exhausted, aren't you?"
He shrugged but she could feel him slipping away into sleep.
"Goodnight George," she whispered giving in to sleep herself.
"Goodnight Love." He whispered back. "sweet dreams."