I. social casualty | blaise zabini ✔️

MIDNIGHT RIDES

PROLOUGE

MIDNIGHT RIDES

Lyra Knight couldn't sleep on August 31. In 12 hours she would be on her way to Hogwarts. The eleven year old had spent the last few weeks preparing for

She turned to look at the time: 11:01. Lyra groaned and shoved her face into her pillow. Could this night go any slower?!

Usually Lyra loved the night time. She would sneak out and ride Midnight, her horse, for hours until she was too tired to even stay on him. But tonight, she just wished it would go by faster.

With a sigh she threw off the covers and walked to her trunk. She had checked it at least five times but once again she went over the list, making sure she had everything. She grabbed her wand, which lay on her nightstand, and put it back in the box. Carefully she placed it above all her other things and closed the trunk.

She looked at the clock again: 11:23. Lyra rolled her eyes, it's gonna be a long night. She thought.

Finally, she stood from her spot on the ground and pulled on a pair of sneakers. Careful not to step on the noisy floorboards, she snuck down the steps and out the door. She walked to the stables where she found Midnight already waiting for her.

Lyra was given Midnight when she was seven. Her father had been riding horses since birth and he passed the tradition on to his daughter. Since she was five she had been learning to ride horses and for her seventh birthday, she had been given the best gift of all, her own horse. Midnight had been given to Lyra when it had just left his Colt years, he had been trained by Lyra as he grew.

Lyra sometimes felt that Midnight knew her better than she knew herself. She had spent so much time with him in the past few years that it was like they were connected. It was like Midnight was her soulmate.

"Hey Midnight. Ready for our midnight ride?" Lyra chuckled at her own pun. But Midnight gave her a look that said, 'you can't be serious.'

"Yeah alright." She said, grabbing on to his reins and hoisted herself onto the saddle. "Lets go buddy."

And they were off. Lyra had always loved the turning feeling in her stomach when Midnight made a jump. She loved the wind that slapped her face as they speed up. She loved how her hair went flying backwards, making her feel free.

When Midnight slowed down, she patted his side, "Nice job, buddy. Ready for another round?"

But before they could take off , Lyra heard a throat being cleared. She turned to see her father, leaning against the wooden fence that kept the horses in the stables.

"Lyra. It's 12:30, you should be asleep." He said, his voice stern but soft.

That was the thing about Elliot Knight. He was always calm and caring, never raising his voice or being too serious. Elliot was a handsome man. With chestnut colored hair and brown eyes, that Lyra had inherited. He had a kind smile, that Lyra also had received, which never seemed to leave his face.

"I couldn't sleep."

Elliot's face softened, " I couldn't either when I was going to Hogwarts the first time. I was nervous and excited. It created a bubbly feeling in my stomach."

"Like a fizzy drink." Lyra said, she knew what her father was talking. She had been feeling that way for the last week.

Her father chuckled, "Exactly like a fizzy drink." The father and daughter fell into a comfortable silence. "Tell you what. We do a race around the stables and back and then off to bed. Let me go get Odysseus and we'll be off."

Lyra nodded as her father left to grab his white stallion. When he returned already on Odysseus they took off. The distraction was much appreciated as it kept her mind off of Hogwarts. The two ended up spending much more than just one race. They went around the fence, outside, through the hills, over a river, in the trees and all the way back to their stables.

When they finally returned Lyra was breathless.

"Alright kid," Elliot panted, "Off to bed with you. You've got a big day tomorrow."

Lyra nodded, a smile graced her face as she jumped of her horse. Her father took the reins from her, saying he would take care of Midnight.

The brunette walked back into her room. She took off her shoes and turned to the clock: 2:20. It finally hit her how tired she really was.

With a yawn she plopped down onto her bed and pulled the covers over her. She was asleep in minutes.