The Black Sheep | George Weasley

Twenty-Five

Christmas eve, her mother held a Christmas party. The Goyles, Notts, Parkinsons, Greengrass', Crabbe's, almost all of their inner circle was there in their large reception room.

Lyra was allowed to drink wine, she wore a very conservative dress, but she was used to that by now. She was forced to sit with the girls who mostly ignored her.

She gripped her glass tightly as she saw Flint narrowing his eyes at her. Higgs was there, talking to him. Lucius didn't want to invite them but if they didn't, Abraxas would ask and their dirty secret would get out. Lyra tempted the boy with her feminity. That shame couldn't get out.

"What about you, Lyra? You must have someone in this room that you'd shag, possibly Marcus, since he's already seen your knickers." Penelope snickered. All the girls but Astoria and Lyra joined in.

Lyra quickly got up and walked away. She could hear their laughs carry. She downed her glass instead of throwing it into her face. Was George having a grander time? Probably was.

Lyra noticed her mother playing the part so well, the good housewife. She felt something in her gut. She stared around the room and felt more of an outsider than when she was forced to speak to Angelina. This wasn't the place for her. She didn't want to be her mother. To be a good aristocrat.

She didn't belong with them. Why didn't she belong with them? It should be so easy to get comfortable in her lifestyle. The best clothes, best food, best... Everything. She had never struggled, and yet she felt so alone. So out of place. She didn't belong there.

She sat her flute down and snuck out of the reception room. She glanced back but knew no one would miss her. She went upstairs towards her bedroom. She raced up the stairs and entered her bedroom. She kicked her heels off and turned on the lights. She noticed a neat letter on her desk. Her house-elf must have brought it in. Ellie had returned safety after sending her letter off. She must have brought one back that she missed.

She walked towards it and looked at it under her lamp light. "Georgia?" She smirked. She opened it up with a broad smile on her face.

Lyra,

Dad is doing much better! He is home from the hospital and gets to enjoy Christmas with the family. I hope your Christmas will be fun, filled with your boring prat talk and big words. I imagine they have you in an ugly dress with a big ugly bow.

Also! Do you like my name? I'm your gorgeous girl friend named Georgia. I'm way hotter than my twin sister Fredrika... Shut up it's a work in progress. Send a letter and let me know if I got your Christmas right.

Georgia, your hot friend.

Lyra couldn't stop smiling. She sat down and was about to write a letter when her door opened. She quickly grabbed George's letter and threw it under the desk into the darkness.

Her father entered her room without knocking. She could have been changing, such an invasion of privacy. She tried to hide the fact that she was writing a letter.

"Your mother wants you downstairs with our guests." He said sternly. "It doesn't look proper that you're up in your bedroom." He took a step closer. "What are you doing?"

"N-nothing, father." Lyra replied nervously. "I-I left because the girls were being mean. I didn't want to see Marcus either."

"They are being rude to you?" Lucius asked.

She nodded her head. "A crude joke. They laugh at me, making jokes that Marcus has seen... My knickers..."

"What are you doing at your desk? Can't imagine you are studying." He took a step closer.