Shades of Silver and Black

Chapter 50

-------------------> LYRA TRIED NOT TO THINK ABOUT HER FIRST ENCOUNTER with the up-and-coming Dark Lord, Voldemort; feeling grateful for the first time ever that the end of an academic year was so stressful that it almost successfully kept her mind off it.

Almost.

Voldemort's eerily soft voice and glowing red eyes haunted her nightmares while his enigmatic statements and curious actions plagued her thoughts at every waking moment.

To keep others from learning the depths to which her mind swam, she masked her face most of the time. Lyra honestly didn't know whether she should be proud that nobody noticed something was off about her or offended that they didn't realise that there was something disturbing her.

Either way, the goal remained the same and none observed anything different to question her about.

The Slytherin Battle Royale that took place that year once again saw two Blacks competing in each year, this time sisters.

Lyra happily played the part of the referee while Narcissa and Leonard led the fifth years against Andromeda and Penelope. Creative curses, horrifying hexes and terrifying jinxes filled the air, but in the end, the seventh years -much to the disappointment and anger of Narcissa- came out victorious. The final round to crown the victor saw elemental spells and animation transfiguration put to use where Andromeda and Patrick competed for the title.

Channelling all the nasty names she had been called the past few months for announcing her love for Ted, Andromeda's display of spells left no doubt in anybody's minds that in the end, she was a Black.

Poor Patrick, who had taunted her with the phrase 'mudblood lover' had had to experience the first word personally, as he watched Andromeda's gleefully cruel face with descending horror as he felt the blood in his body slowly turn to mud.

Lyra had quickly put an end to the duel after Andromeda had used that particular spell, and had had to spend the rest of the day turning Patrick back to normal again.

Coincidentally, that was also the last day anybody called Andromeda any sort of name, at least to her face.

Fun fact, but the term 'mudblood' originated from this very curse which had been used by famed potion maker and spell inventor, Lord Altair Black in the medieval ages on a muggleborn after said muggleborn had accidentally splashed mud on Altair's favourite robes.

Lyra was sure that her family would be happy that Andromeda had paid homage to their ancestors in her duel.

The incantation, wand work and the runes that had to be drawn for putting into application the 'mud blood curse' was a deep family secret of the Blacks, and was only taught after a member had made a vow to never spread the knowledge to anybody who won't either be born a Black or marry into the Blacks.

Also, the story of how Altair Black had taken a small incident and made it the very fundamental foundation for such a deadly curse was told as a moral lesson and word of caution by other families to their children about how overly dramatic, completely apathetic and personal a Black would take an insult and exert revenge on those that had wronged them- accidentally or purposefully.

In other news, the end of year exams were as easy going as a summer breeze and Lyra admittedly felt disappointed by how bored she had been while writing them. Then again, it could have been just her if they were going by how Fabian had banged his head against a wall after completing the transfiguration theory examination.

Narcissa took her O.W.L.S and when Lyra had asked her how they were, she had been rewarded with a blank stare along with the words, "Never again."

The new members of the Royal Slytherin Court had already been shadowing their positions and diligently taking notes ever since Easter, as always, and Lyra, after finalising the list with Lucius with both of them consulting their respective seconds and the other members, unveiled the list of the members of the Slytherin Court and the positions they would hold the next academic year, which Lyra realised, would be her last.

o.| Lyra Black ~ Silver Ruler (Year Seven)

o.| Lucius Malfoy ~ Green Ruler (Year Seven)

o.| Narcissa Black ~ Silver Second-in-Command (Year Six)

o.| Theodore Nott ~ Green Second-in-Command (Year Seven)

o.| Dennis Yaxley ~ Silver Espionage and Networking (Year Seven)

o.| Alexandria Flint ~ Green Espionage and Networking (Year Six)

o.| Katherine Fawley ~ Silver Management and Organising (Year Seven)

o.| Septima Shafiq ~ Green Management and Organising (Year Five)

o.| Flavius Avery ~ Silver Strength and Muscle (Year Five)

o.| Harold Day ~ Green Strength and Muscle (Year Seven)

o.| Amaya Shafiq ~ Silver Education and Academia (Year Six)

o.| Augustus Rockwood ~ Green Education and Academia (Year Six)

o.| Leonard Rowle ~ Silver Sports and Fitness (Year Six)

o.| Thomas Nott ~ Green Sports and Fitness (Year Three)

Thomas had nearly fainted upon seeing his name and Theodore had looked so proud that his brother was a member that it was adorable. Lyra was sure he would have bragged about it to his crush, Cassandra Greengrass, a confirmation she received a week after announcing the list where Cassandra had begged her to order Theodore to stop repeatedly mentioning that.

James and Sirius had been the sole reason for Gryffindor losing nearly five thousand points over the school year, thus putting them at last place, but the two boys looked more proud than disappointed at that fact.

Regulus had impressed Professor Slughorn so much with his potion skills despite only being a first-year, that the potions master had not only awarded him an advanced invitation to the Slug Club, but also invited Regulus to attend a potion convention in Brazil with him.

Her youngest brother had also topped the first year batch, and according to her mother's letters, her father had actually framed Regulus' perfectly flawless history marks at his office in Stella.

Lyra clapped loudly when Slytherin was once again handed over the Quidditch Cup and the green banners that decorated the Great Hall stayed the same, signalling yet another victorious year for the snakes.

They chatted and joked as they boarded the Hogwarts Express and talked the whole ride through. They got down at the station, where Lyra was greeted by the handsome face of her father, like always; who once again, didn't care much for public opinion as he hugged his three children and James tightly.

Lucius, her father and Regulus had also chatted for a while on history-related things while Lyra and Narcissa listened to James and Sirius' explanation of '10 reasons why Gryffindor is better than Slytherin' with amused expressions.

Andromeda had bid them goodbye at the stations, having decided to alter between staying at Ted's house for half of the summer and Estella, the residence of Pollux and Irma, at the second in order to plan her wedding with him. Lyra wished her luck while Narcissa wished her health and the three girls shared a hug before Andromeda apparated away with Ted, who tossed them a grin and a wave.

After giving Lucius a goodbye kiss -something that made Narcissa coo, her father cringe, Regulus' nose to scrunch up in disgust, Sirius to let out a cry of his eyes going blind and James to make a vomiting motion- the Blacks side-apparated (Orion leaving with Regulus, Lyra with James and Narcissa with Sirius) to the Planetarium where a small return party was held for them, with only family in attendance.

No matter how wonderful Hogwarts is, nothing beat the feeling of coming home to your family.