The Black siblings were experiencing their first moment of freedom from their parents since the summer of 1976 began, and it was wonderful. Walburga and Orion never deigned to accompany their children to Platform 9 3/4, calling it a "cesspool of impure blood." Lyra rolled her eyes just thinking about it.
As the three reached the scarlet train, Regulus pulled his sister into a hug. Lyra hugged him back. "Stay safe, Reg, hm?" she whispered.
Regulus rolled his eyes good-naturedly as he pulled away.
"And you'd better talk to me all the time this year, understand? Because I swear, if I catch you pulling any more of that 'strong, silent, tragically moody Slytherin' shit this year, I'll toss you in the Black Lake."
The youngest Black raised an eyebrow at Lyra, then announced, "I think I see my friends. Sirius," Regulus said, holding out his hand for Sirius to shake. Sirius, however, ignored the gesture and pulled Lyra closer towards the train.
"Bye, Reg!" Lyra took a parting glance at the dark-haired boy. Turning now towards the older Black brother, she said, "You could make more of an effort with him, you know."
Sirius scoffed. "I find it best to let him slither away..."
"Oh, haha. He's our brother, Sirius. And I've had just about enough of your refusal to acknowledge that." Lyra's grey eyes had turned a stormy kind of sad as she glared at her twin. "Honestly, I-"
Lyra, much to Sirius' relief, was cut short by a jovial voice breaking through the noise of the platform.
"Padfoot! Over here, you prat!" James Potter was wildly gesturing for Sirius and Lyra to join him, knocking his oval frames askew in the process. As they walked towards James, Lyra watched a tall, scar-faced boy snort as he reached down to fix James' glasses, saying, "Real smooth, Prongs."
A small boy with mousy hair turned towards Remus asking, "Isn't he supposed to be athletic?"
When Sirius and Lyra reached them, James clapped Sirius on the shoulder. "Alright Pads?"
"Never better, Prongs." And with the first genuine smile that Lyra had seen on him in months, the two best friends embraced as if they'd been separated for decades and not months. Peter gave Lyra a quick hug, saying, "Missed you this summer!"
Lyra returned the kind gesture, a true smile on her face, too. Turning around as she let go of Peter, Lyra nearly crashed into Remus.
The boy smiled down at her, his chocolate brown eyes soft and kind. "Welcome back, Etta."
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Wisteria (R. Lupin)
FanfictionA war is brewing outside the treasured safety of Hogwarts' walls, and it will stop for nothing. But even as the world seems to fall around them, Lyra Lovetta Black and Remus John Lupin manage to find time enough to fall for each other. And as the Ma...
