THE RAVENCLAW PRINCESS

chapter 15 - goodnight, from the great hall

"That's enough!" Penelope yelled.

Every prefect and the Head Boy's mouth snapped shut immediately, giving the Head Girl their full attention.

"Look," she started. "Obviously, having all the houses sleep in the Great Hall is not ideal, but we are leaders at this school and it is up to us to make sure everyone stays safe while the professors look for Sirius Black and protect the castle. So, this time, without any bickering, prefects are to walk around the hall and help first or second years from any house who are not feeling well. If I hear so much as a sniffle from a student that is not being helped, so help me house points will be the least of your concerns."

If the prefects were dogs, they're tails would be well between their legs as they left the mini prefect meeting to circle the Great Hall. Lyra's face burned slightly at being part of the reason Penelope yelled, but honestly Adrian was just as much to blame. She cast a glance at Mieko and Charlotte. More than anything she wanted to keep her friends close but she had a job to do and dutifully made rounds alone through the Great Hall.

Even in the massive room with individual sleeping bags, division was prevalent as every house found its own corner to sleep in. Lyra walked along the left wall towards where the professor's table had been transfigured into a smaller table of water and light snacks. Whimpers and a pull at her sweatpants stopped Lyra. She turned and looked down to find a Ravenclaw boy looking up at her. Quickly she crouched down to his level and smiled calmly, "hello, I'm Lyra. What's your name?"

Holding his blanket tightly around him he said, "Arjun- Arjun Khatri. I'm not scared," he said quickly. "I just- I don't want to get up and- I was- I mean can you get me some water, please?"

"Of course, Arjun. You sit tight and I'll be right back with the water, okay?"

He nodded and Lyra cut through the Ravenclaw and Slytherin sleeping bags to get a quick cup of water for Arjun. She filled up the water, smiled in acknowledgement at another prefect doing the same and walked back to the boy's sleeping bag.

As Lyra approached Arjun's sleeping bag again, she found a few third year Slytherins very clearly bullying the trembling boy. Before Lyra could get close enough to reprimand them, a third year Ravenclaw she didn't know stood in front of Arjun and spoke, "get lost, Malfoy."

"Oooh, she speaks," Crabbe taunted.

"Yes, she does. And unless I'm mistaken, this first year isn't Potter. Go obsess over him, Malfoy. We all know you're deflecting right now."

Finding it a good time to intervene as she was now close enough to speak to them without yelling, Lyra said, "actually, unless you want house points taken away, I would get back to your sleeping bags."

Malfoy looked like he was going to respond but the unwavering death glare Lyra gave him forced his hand. He and his two friends simply glared back at her before leaving without another word.

Lyra knelt down and handed the water to Arjun who took it gratefully and slipped away to talk to another first year. The other Ravenclaw addressed her then, "I didn't mean to push him to Harry, but it's true that's what he does."

Lyra smirked, then smiled kindly and asked, "it's alright. What's your name?"

"Padma Patil," she smiled. "Nice to meet you, officially."

"Pleasure to meet you too. I have to keep up with rounds, but I think I can trust you to keep this area safe while I'm up and about, right?"

"Definitely!"

Lyra's eyes fluttered open and she looked around. Stunned, she sat upright abruptly before remembering why she was in the Great Hall. The terrific escaped convict, who may or may not be related to her, broke into the castle in an attempt to kill Harry. What a bloody fantastic Halloween.

She was fully awake now and her parched throat forced her out of the comfort of her blanket. Lyra slipped out of her sleeping bag careful not to wake Charlotte or George who slept on either side of her. Mieko was sleeping closer to the wall by Katie, Lee, and Iliana. All four looked very peaceful and Lyra smiled softly as she got up and walked to the other end of the Great Hall.

Two Hufflepuffs were whispering as they snacked on crackers by the table. Lyra quickly drank the small cup of water, disposed of it, and walked back to her sleeping bag. While walking back she passed the younger Gryffindors and smiled down at their peaceful faces as she passed. Before sleeping earlier, Lyra had checked on Hermione and Ginny. After what happened with the basilisk last year, she promised herself to look after them.

Lyra got into the sleeping bag and sighed as she stared up at the starry magical sky. The Great Hall's ceiling looked like this at the Halloween Ball, she thought. When her mind had nothing in particular to think about for the past few days, it always seemed drifted back to the ball.

"Psst."

Lyra turned to see George's sleepy, smiling face. "Hey," she whispered, turning to lie on her side, facing him.

"Thanks for checking on them," George whispered.

Lyra shrugged as best she could while lying down, "became a habit... after last year,"

"Yeah, me too."

George's eyes darted quickly behind her before raising his eyebrows at her and shutting his eyes. Lyra took the hint and quickly followed in pretending to sleep.

"-if Hogwarts is the fortress you claim, Lupin, tell me how he was able to enter," Lyra could distinguish Snape's slow, irritating voice easily.

Lupin spoke quieter than his companion, "you know as well as I do, that secret passages exist and-"

"Interesting how both you and he know this fact," Snape said smugly.

"I don't have to explain anything to you, Snape!" Lupin hissed. "I know what you think of him but you don't know what that place can do to a person."

"Clearly neither do you. He is just as reckless then as he is now."

Lupin responded almost sadly, "I know better than anyone how reckless he can be."