Wisteria (R. Lupin)

Four

"What I don't understand is how she knew who you were, Lyra. Sort of a stalker move if you ask me."

"That's what I'm saying. Where did she even come from, I-"

"Could we stop getting our knickers in a twist over this? Bloody hell."

Remus' comment seemed to shut the Marauders up. "I'm sure Dumbledore pointed Lyra out to Larkspur, with her being the Herbology professor and all." He lowered his voice. "Especially when you consider what happened last year." The boys shared a look.

Lyra stared out one of the common room windows, watching fat droplets of rain roll down the panes.

"Lyra?" said Peter in a small voice. When the girl didn't answer, Sirius walked over to where she was sitting and smacked her in the face with a throw pillow.

"Ow, Sirius, what the hell?"

"Welcome back to the conversation. Nice of you to join us."

"That was completely unnecessary, you son of a-"

"One normal conversation. Is it really so hard for us to accomplish one normal conversation?"

"Now look who's getting their knickers in a twist, Moony," said James, lying so that his head dangled off the couch.

"Ah, now we've done it, Prongs. We've upset the sock-folding werewolf."

"WOULD YOU KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN?"

"Geez, Mum, relax..."

The rowdy voices of the four marauders bellowed up the dormitory staircases. A common occurrence and the reason that earplugs were so very popular amongst Gryffindor students. Yet, in all the predictable commotion and friendly bickering, no one had noticed that a certain raven-haired girl had slipped up to bed.

<3

The first morning of classes dawned bright and far too early, especially for a certain group of Gryffindors who had stayed up scheming long past curfew.

Lyra was stuffing her satchel in the common room and making conversation with Lily when four bed-headed boys made their way down the stairs.

Lyra snorted at their disheveled appearances. "Looks like you lot slept well."

Remus groaned. "Prongs kept us up later than should be legal. I should've," he paused to yawn, "docked house points."

Sirius scoffed and Peter laughed, but James' mind was otherwise occupied.

"Morning, Lilyflower."

The red-headed girl merely rolled her eyes, bade goodbye to Lyra, then opened the portrait to leave.

"You know what they say, Prongs, 7,534th time's a charm." James frowned.

"Let's go to breakfast, yeah?" said Lyra, placing a hand on James' shoulder. "I've got double Potions right after and don't feel like being late."

Sirius groaned, collapsing onto a couch. "Too. Bloody. Tired."

Remus sighed good-naturedly, then smiled as he looked at Lyra. "C'mon, I'll walk with you."

<3

"Are you sure you can't come to Potions with me?"

"Etta, I love you, I really do, but I'm not even taking Potions anymore," laughed Remus.

"Ugh. Fine. See you after, you traitor," said Lyra as she turned to head for the dungeons.

The cold hair hit Lyra halfway down to the classroom, and she shivered. Walking into the dimly lit room, she kept her eyes on the chalkboard, trying to see what Professor Slughorn had written. Distracted, she bumped into someone, causing them to drop their book.

"Oh damn, I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"Watch where you're going, Blood Traitor," sneered the towering boy.

Lyra groaned internally, and moved away, saying, "Piss off, Mulciber."

She gasped when she felt him grab her wrist, and pull her back. "You don't get to speak to me like that," he sneered. "You're not quite pretty or  pure enough for that, Lyra."

She shuddered and pulled away. "Leave me alone."

When she'd found a seat, far, far away from Mulciber, Professor Slughorn finally walked in and started class. Lyra's face felt hot and flushed, and her eyes pricked with tears. Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry. He's too stupid to make you cry. Don't cry.

The rest of the class passed uneventfully. Hot and slightly sweaty from the potion she'd finished mixing, Lyra had nearly forgotten about the incident with Mulciber. As she cleared up her station, a small scrap of parchment floated gently onto her table. Suspicious, she opened it.

In still fresh ink read the scrawled-out words, 'Watch your back.'