𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐘 | James Potter

15 | "this is very boyfriend-ish of you potter"

JAMES HAD BEEN WAITING for at least twenty minutes for Lyra, he wasn't really keeping note of the time, just that she was late. He had been ten minutes late himself. James had entered the Potions' room expecting the girl to be there with a haughty look upon her face, glaring at him for being late, but she wasn't.

Ten more minutes passed and she still hadn't arrived, so James took it upon himself to go check up on her. As he arrived at the door, he muttered the password and let himself in, where he found Lyra sitting on her sofa and reading. He was a bit confused.

She also didn't hear him come in, so she just sat there. "Black?"

"Potter?" her head shot upwards, "oh shit, sorry. I forgot it was Thursday."

"I'm definitely not complaining, I hate potions," he grinned smugly.

He flopped onto Lyra's sofa, next to her, "Everything alright? It's not like you to forget something like that."

"Yeah, I'm just tired," she looked back down at her book. James knew she was lying, she couldn't make eye contact when she lied. But he left it, not wanting to push any boundaries.

"No sex then?" he pouted, only messing around with her.

She laughed lightly, "No, unless you want me to fall asleep half way through."

"Awh," he pouted again, "how about a kiss?"

"This is very boyfriend-ish of you, Potter," she looked down again.

"What checking up on the girl I'm sleeping with? That's not boyfriend-ish. I'm just being nice," he sassed.

"Okay, whatever you say, Potter."

James then swooped forwards and surprised her with a kiss, holding her face with his hands. She laughed a bit, before pressing back, only slightly melting into his touch, she wouldn't show him that though.

As he pulled off, he stood up and said, "I'll be off then, got to go see Pads."

"Your real girlfriend?" she smirked.

"No, he's my husband," James nodded, she snorted in return.

He headed towards the door, but stopped before he left, "That spot is only offered to you, darling."

James swiftly shut the door behind him, smirking as he walked away.

"Stupid Potter," she said aloud, "what are you doing to me?"

Suddenly, the door swung open, Lyra looked at it with a smile on her face, expecting it to be James again but instead was met with a rather distressed-looking Regulus.

"What's wrong, love?" she asked.

Regulus just sat next to her saying nothing.

"Reg?" Lyra put a hand on his shoulder.

"He's gone," Regulus replied.

"Who is?" Lyra gently pushed.

"Tommy."

"What do you mean gone? As in...?" She rested her hand on his shoulder again.

He shook his head, "No, they took him out of school to join Him."

"But he's only 16! He's a child still."

Lyra was shocked. She knew there was war was brewing outside the sanctuary of Hogwarts, but this was the first time she had heard of it first hand. Sure, there had been the occasional attack on muggles or muggleborns, it was sad and cruel but nothing ever extreme where hundreds died. This made it a bit more real. Regulus' best friend was taken out of school to become a Death Eater. It meant they were growing and they weren't going to let anything stop them. That scared Lyra a lot, more than she liked to admit.

"What happens if they make me join, Lyra?"

Lyra's heart broke at the cracking in his voice, instantly forgetting any of her tiredness or anxiousness and she wrapped her arms around her younger brother, holding him tight.

"I won't let them, Regulus," Lyra whispered, "there's no way I will ever let that happen to you."

"How can you say that? You can leave. You're brave enough to! I'm not. I can't even say no to Mother. How could I ever leave when I can't even say no?" Regulus sounded on the brink of breaking down.

"Because I won't leave without you. I'm in this with you till the end, Regulus. Whatever we do, we do together. We can get out, I will very literally drag you from that house, if that's what it takes," she told him firmly.

Regulus knew he shouldn't argue with his older sister, "Promise?"

"I promise you I will never leave without you."

Regulus sniffled, "I miss Tommy already."

"He'll be okay, I'm sure," Lyra told him, rubbing his back, "we can go see him at Christmas too."

"Maybe we should leave at Christmas," Regulus said, leaning back from Lyra, looking hopeful.

"I think," she started, "unless something happens, like what's happened with Tommy, we should save our money and wait till the April holiday or the summer, so I can get a place for us. But either way, I'm of legal age now so I can legally look after you and get a flat. But it'll have to be in a Wizarding area, or else we won't because you have to be eighteen in muggle flats, I think."

"Sounds like you have it sorted," Regulus chuckled.

"Maybe I've been planning it since I was fourteen, but you'll never know," she shrugged, smiling slightly.

"Who am I meant to sit with now though?"

"Me?" Lyra questioned, "I have shitty friends anyway."

Potter, she scolded internally, he's rubbed off on me.

"But hanging out with your sister and only your sister is just sad," Regulus pouted.

"Okay, decline my offer then," Lyra huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I guess I'll have to though, because I don't have anyone else," he grinned.

"Glad I'm your first choice," she huffed again.

bit short but idk what i'm doing anymore so enjoy xx