LANDSLIDE, james potter [2]

Chapter Fifty-Three

Harry Potter had gone to Hogwarts and been spotted by several of the Death Eaters working there. Lyra had been with her sisters when she heard, and, for that brief moment, she knew they had reached the endgame. It was the night that would determine everything. 

Voldemort had seemed ready for this day. He had spent the entire year preparing for it, the night he would finally be able to kill Harry Potter and solidify his hold on the British Wizarding World. He had given them a half hour to give him to him, enough time for the Death Eaters to get to Hogwarts in case there would be a fight. There was no doubt in Lyra's mind that there would be one. 

Lyra gripped Lucius's hand as she watched the Death Eaters attempt to break down the strong protections of the castle. She could feel some watching her, wondering what she was doing there, same as they wondered why Narcissa was there. Lyra honestly wasn't sure if they would have been there if it wasn't for them being with Bellatrix when they found out. 

It did not take them too long to enter the castle, surrounded by students who were of age, of members of the Order of the Phoenix and their allies, including the employees of the Ministry who had once fought against them. Lyra had underestimated their numbers, she realized. She'd thought the Death Eaters significantly outnumbered them, and that only Harry could win them the war. Maybe they could do it anyway. Maybe Lyra could help.

The Death Eaters were running around, trying to find someone of their foes, someone to hurt, torture and kill. The students and the Order were defending themselves, defending their castle, defending their beliefs. 

Lyra stood frozen in place for a moment as people ran around, lights blinding them throughout the night darkness, flashing red and green. She had no longer eyes on Lucius, who had gone off somewhere with Voldemort. But she needed to see Harry, to see Draco. She needed to know the boys were alright. 

Lyra watched as one of the first casualties happened. Fenrir Greyback was digging his teeth into a teenage girl, who was trying to fight her way out of there, to save herself. And Lyra clenched her jaw and lifted her wand. "Stupefy!"

"Protego!" Someone jumped in front of Greyback, making it impossible for the spell to reach him, even if Bellatrix Lestrange hadn't blocked it. Her hair went off in all different directions, her eyes wide and dark while filled with madness. She was breathing heavily, glaring at her younger sister. "Lyra, what are you doing? There are other people to fight, people who aren't our own."

Lyra had long been too scared of her sister to stand up to her, to tell her what she felt and who she truly was. But she knew that if she was ever going to proud of herself, to feel like she's done something worthwhile with her life, she'd need to do so now. 

She had been a member of the Order of the Phoenix. She had been the girlfriend of James Potter, the cousin of Sirius Black and she was still the best friend of Remus Lupin. They'd been brave, and they'd fought for years, until two of them died. Lyra hoped James and Sirius were watching over her in that moment, feeling the pride that she felt for herself. 

"I'm not one of yours, Bella, I have never been one of you!" Lyra hissed, though she wasn't sure how her sister heard her over the loud explosions and screams of the battle. "Screw you, you hateful bitch. This time, you're not going to control me. I'm gonna love watching you die after all you've done to me, to my family. To the Order of the Phoenix, those who I actually consider my people."

"What I've done?" Bellatrix scoffed, raising her wand and pointing it in her sister's face. Lyra kept her chin up high, listenting to what she was saying. "I always knew you were a filthy little blood-traitor, like Andromeda and Sirius before you, though not that you must have been so much like them. I thought there might be hope for you. But I see I was wrong, if these are the people you wish to associate yourself with. I guess I'll have to remove the filth you've brought to our family tree."