BURNED DREAMS▪️ F. WEASLEY ▪️ REWRITING!

chapter II: lyra

''He had read it, Rue. . .I'm sure he had.'' she whined, the wisps of her dark hair splattered over her best friend's lap. Friday. Third week. Time was a cruel thing, too cruel for Lyra's taste. And it passed too fast, for Lyra had only blinked and her weekend was overflown in homeworks and library.

''. . .and she had just gotten out. I haven't seen her in fourteen years.''

''He hadn't read it, for God's sake, woman.'' there came a voice behind the doors of their bathroom. Lyra sat up, anger taking over her.

''What do you know, Dakota? You're not in this mess because of your own name.'' she huffed angrily as the dark-haired girl turned to them and rolled eyes.

''But I still carry that burden on my back,'' Dakota hissed at her and watched her fall back on Ruelle's legs. ''And if he had read it, Gryffindors would be the first ones to babble out your little secret.''

Lyra held her tongue. Perhaps she was right, but she still didn't know how it felt to have your name be a stigma in the whole wizarding world. Even Dumbledore's eyes sparkled when Lyra showed her temper; and he was supposed to be kind and not judge. Bullshit, she thought.

''I'll kill them all if they say a word.'' she jumped off the bed and took over the bathroom to change. Katherine would never understand her, and that was exactly why she wasn't there. Selwyns were a pure family with a clean name and allies all over the Ministry. Lestranges? Not so really. Lyra hated being dependent of Malfoys. The idea of having to succumb to someone's icy voice or threat hurt her ego, crushed her pride. That was her problem — she was too proud to listen to someone's orders like a blind puppy. But now? Not anymore. Her mother was home.

It was nothing special, but a dark shirt with sticker Requiem and heavily ripped jeans perfectly fit her. While Draco grew up listening to classical music, Lyra slowly sank in the world of genre called rock'n'roll and she loved it. Besides waving her wand and uttering incantations, the music helped her calm down. At least, she had something of her own, something that Narcissa and Lucius couldn't have control over.

''I love chicken.'' grinned Ruelle as fourth years shot her a horrified look. Lyra reacted the same — she didn't really enjoy having to look at her mouth full of food.

''Gods, Ruelle, do you have to show your teeth when you're eating?'' said Katherine as she was settling down with hands full of parchments. Her white hair was in a messy ponytail and her usually blue eyes were so dim that you might have thought the lights had gone out in The Great Hall. Though they didn't, Lyra still felt like that. Gryffindors were the table furthest from Slytherins and still somehow Fred Weasley had managed to send her a smile full of pity. Pity. The one thing she hated was pity.

I don't need that, I have honor amongst thieves. I'll give him a reason to pity.

The answer he received was her eyes unleashing fury upon him and getting up. She wasn't hungry anymore; all the reasons that led her to belief he hadn't read it melted away. He was a stupid ball of red hair, the bloodtraitor , the dirty —

''Hi, Lyra.''

Perfect. She hated her luck; it was never present in her life, and when it was, it was in the wrong time. He took her by the wrist and dragged her near the stairs that led to first floor in Hogwarts, ignoring the looks of the other students as if they were merely statues.

''You let me go right now or you'll be sewing your own hand back.'' she had snarled, her voice so quiet that he let go of her hand and put it back in his pocket where she assumed was his wand.

"Alright, woman!" said he and raised his hands defensively as if waiting for her to strike him. ''Always so feisty. . .''

''What? What do you need?'' snapped Lyra at him. If he had not been who he was, she would have liked him. Her family would have even been satisfied with a Ravenclaw.

''I — I, well. . .''

''You what?'' she gazed at him as his face slowly began turning into different shades of red. She had that gaze from her mother, and it made her remember who she was whenever she looked at the mirror, except. . .except she didn't know if it was a good or bad thing.

''I'm sorry about the letter.'' he said and scratched his red hair. It was messy and sticking in different ways, yet somehow it made him look cute — with those red streaks and a playful smile — oh my God —

Cute? No, Lyra, what is wrong with you?

''Well, '' she started, crossing her hands over her chest. ''I would accept the apology, but I suspect it would encourage you to keep talking to me.''

Fred raised his eyebrows as his lips gave a small twitch. No, he wasn't ugly. Why was she thinking he was? He had that typical red Weasley hair, soft brown eyes with freckles — and he was tall and muscular. Why was he attractive to her? What was wrong with her?!

''Don't worry, '' he sent her a wink. '' I can't be discouraged from talking to pretty girls.''

Yes, he was only physically attractive. His attitude wasn't her type. Just as she was preparing to snarl at him, around the corner came a voice she knew, perhaps, too well. She didn't mind it, though.

''I would never find myself in a bloodtraitor's — ''

''Lyra! I was looking for you!'' said Evan as he ran up to the two of them, not even bothered by who was she talking to. Fred's face darkened, but Lyra's did the opposite and she shot him a smile. ''Dakota's been looking for you.''

When Evan caught Lyra's hand and she didn't jerk out of his, Lyra thought the red-haired Weasley would lose those pretty hazel eyes. The Slytherins walked away as Fred stood at the same place, with silent tongue and mind in clouds. His day would have been fine, perfectly fine if little Miss. Lestrange hadn't said that she would never find herself in bloodtraitor's arms.