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After the class, Professor Lupin met Lyra in the hallway.
"Lyra, could you come with me for a moment, please?"
Lyra hesitated. Lupin wasn't the type of teacher to call students out unless he had a reason. And the way he had said her name so softly, but with a weight behind it told her this wasn't about silly boggarts anymore.
She simply nodded as they returned to the classroom, which was empty now.
"Is everything alright, Professor?" she asked, keeping her voice steady, though her nerves were getting the better of her.
Lupin smiled kindly, gesturing for her to sit down. "Please, Lyra, take a seat." He waited until she was seated before continuing, his tone shifting to something more serious.
"I wanted to talk to you about what happened with the boggart, about your mother."
Lyra stiffened. She hadn't expected him to bring up her mother. The mention of her made her stomach twist uncomfortably. "What about her?"
Lupin leaned back slightly, his expression thoughtful. "I knew your mother, Lyra. We were in the same year at Hogwarts." He paused, watching her carefully for a reaction.
"Miselda Arakan was, well, she was always very proud of where she came from. The Arakan name carried weight, much like the Malfoy's or the Black's."
Lyra's jaw clenched at the mention of the Black family. Lupin's connection to her mother didn't surprise her entirely, Hogwarts was full of old family ties.
"I imagine it must be difficult carrying the expectations of a family like yours," Lupin continued, his tone gentle but probing. "Especially since I know that our- I mean your mother's circle included people like Sirius Black, as well as Regulus Black, and many believed they had something going on in the shadows."
Lyra raised an eyebrow at the mention of Regulus black, and the mention of Sirius Black. Lupin's eyes were studying her carefully now, as if waiting for her reaction.
"Why are you bringing him up?" Lyra asked. She hadn't spoken about her search for Sirius to anyone at least, not openly.
Lupin folded his hands in front of him, leaning slightly forward. "Because I believe you looked for him, a couple months back, didn't you?"
Lyra's breath caught. She had tried tracking down Sirius Black, trying to uncover what had really happened all those years ago. She had thought she'd been careful, but it seemed Lupin had seen through her.
"Why does that matter to you?" she asked defensively, crossing her arms.
She didn't like feeling exposed like this, even if Lupin didn't seem to mean any harm.
Lupin's expression softened, and he let out a small sigh. "Because I was friends with Sirius too. I know what kind of man he truly was, and I know he's not the monster people think he is."
Lyra blinked, her mind racing. All the stories she had heard, all the rumours that had spread about Sirius Black, she had always believed there was more to the story. And now, here was Lupin, confirming it.
"You believe he's innocent?" she asked, her voice quieter now, a mix of hope and confusion.
"I do," Lupin replied without hesitation. "Sirius never betrayed James and Lily Potter, it was somebody else. I know it in my heart. And if you're searching for him, Lyra, you must believe that, too."
Lyra's mind whirled. So much of what she had heard growing up, from her mother, from the people in her family. Sirius Black had been painted as a traitor, a criminal, someone who had abandoned everything good.
But if Lupin was telling the truth, it meant the stories had been lies.
"Why are you telling me this?" she finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Because I don't want you to feel like you're alone in this search," Lupin said softly.
"I can't imagine what it's like, carrying the weight of your family's expectations, especially if you've been questioning everything you've been told. But I want you to know that if you ever need help, or someone to talk to, you can come to me. I understand better than most what it's like to be caught between two worlds."
Lyra felt a lump form in her throat. She wasn't used to people offering her genuine kindness or understanding, at least, not from someone like Lupin. His words made her feel both seen and vulnerable, and it was a feeling she wasn't entirely comfortable with.
"I don't need anyone's help," she said quickly. "I can handle myself."
Lupin gave her a knowing smile, "Of course you can. But that doesn't mean you have to do it alone."
The silence stretched between them for a moment before Lupin spoke again, his voice gentle.
"Your mother was a complicated person, Lyra. She always carried the weight of her family's expectations, and I imagine that weight was passed down to you. But you're not your mother. You don't have to carry that burden the way she did."
Lyra's chest tightened at his words. She had spent so long trying to live up to the impossible standards her mother had set, trying to be something she wasn't. Hearing someone say she didn't have to.
"I..." she hesitated, unsure of how to respond.
Before she could find the words, Lupin stood up and smiled gently. "You don't have to say anything now. Just know that the door is always open. You're more than welcome to come back anytime if you need to talk."
Lyra nodded, feeling a strange mix of gratitude and discomfort. She wasn't used to this kind of openness, but something about Lupin made her believe he meant every word.
"Thank you, Professor," she said softly before turning to leave.
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But before she exited the door, she turned on her heel.
"Could you tell me what you meant when you said that people believed something was going on between my mother and Regulus Black?" She asked.
Remus Lupin leaned back in his chair, his eyes distant as he recounted a story that felt like it had happened a lifetime ago.
Remus hadn't spoken about Regulus in years. Even now, speaking with Lyra stirred old memories, memories of a time when the war had barely begun, and hope still felt like something tangible.
"Regulus Black," he began, his voice heavy, "was not like his brother."
Lyra's sharp eyes watched him, waiting for him to continue. She had likely heard stories about Regulus from her family, that he was cold and calculated. They liked him far more than his brother.
"Sirius and Regulus were different. Sirius was rebellious and headstrong, Regulus was quiet, obedient. Regulus was the perfect heir to the Black family, even though Sirius was the older one."
" He was even willing to become a Death Eater." Remus paused, as if the words tasted bitter on his tongue. "Sirius hated him for it. They were close once, but when Regulus took the Dark Mark, that bond was gone."
Lyra's gaze darkened, and Remus could see the tension in her shoulders. She too, understood the weight of family expectations.
"I wasn't there the day it all went wrong," Remus continued, his voice softer now. "Neither was Sirius. But from what we've pieced together over the years, Regulus tried to back out of his service to Voldemort. He realized too late what he had gotten into. He saw the horrors, and then he was dead."
"Backing out of being a Death Eater isn't something Voldemort took lightly." Lyra's voice was quiet, but there was a hardness to it.
Remus nodded. "No, it wasn't."
Lyra's expression was unreadable. She had heard this before, in one form or another. But what she likely hadn't heard was the part that came next.
"Your mother, Miselda Arakan, was deeply involved in Regulus' life," Remus said, his voice softer now, as though the memory was more fragile.
"They were in a relationship, one that was hidden from most people, especially her family. Miselda wasn't the type to defy her family openly, but for Regulus, she would have done anything."
Lyra looked startled, her brows furrowing. "My mother, with Regulus?"
Remus nodded. "It was a secret, but one Sirius and I knew. Although I suspect the rumours have spread to other people, death eaters, followers of you know who, even teachers here at hogwarts.
"They kept it hidden because of the war, because of the sides they were expected to take. Miselda couldn't become a death eater. Regulus loved her, and Miselda loved him."
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes clouded with the past. "Regulus gave her something before he died. A locket, an old, yellow locket with a 'S' engraved on it."
Lyra's eyes widened in recognition. "The locket. She always wears- wore that locket." Lyra corrected herself. She knew her mother was a death eater, that she wasn't imprisoned in Azkaban like she should be, but she didn't know if Lupin knew this.
"Did she?" Remus questioned. "That locket was important to him. After Regulus died, your mother changed. She went mad with grief, but it was more than that. She became obsessed with the idea that the locket held some dark secret, that it was connected to Regulus' death somehow."
Lyra's face paled. She had likely grown up hearing about her mother's instability, but this was different. This was tied directly to Regulus, to the man who had tried to do something noble, only to be consumed by the darkness he wanted to escape.
"Your mother," Remus continued, "was never the same after Regulus. She cut herself off from many people, even from those who tried to help her. Miselda's grief drove her to the brink, and she became obsessed with protecting that locket."
"And you?" Lyra asked quietly, her voice trembling slightly. "What did you do?"
Remus looked away for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "I cared for your mother, Lyra. Before Regulus, we were friends. But after his death, she pushed everyone away, even me. I tried to help her, but the grief was too much. She believed the locket held the key to understanding what had happened to him, but it also became a symbol of everything she had lost."
Lyra was silent, processing the information of what she had just learned.
"I never found out what became of the locket," Remus said softly. "But I do know that Regulus wanted your mother to have it, and that he believed it was important. And if she still has it, well, it might be worth looking into."
"I know she's not locked away in Azkaban, but that locket is too important to get locked away, that's why I haven't told anyone anything." He continued.
Lyra clenched her jaw, her eyes distant. "I'll look into it."
Remus nodded, knowing the weight of the burden she now carried. "Lyra, I know this is a lot to take in. But I want you to understand that your mother's madness wasn't just the result of grief, it was also the result of love. Regulus meant the world to her, and when he died, a part of her died with him."
The silence between them stretched for a moment.
Finally, Lyra stood, her posture stiff, but her voice steady. "Thank you, Professor. For telling me the truth."
Remus gave her a small, sad smile. "You deserve to know, Lyra. If you ever need help, you know where to find me."
Lyra nodded curtly before turning and leaving the room. As the door clicked shut behind her, Remus sat back in his chair, the memories of Regulus and Miselda weighing heavily on his mind.
And as the Slytherin girl exited the room, Lupin couldn't help but break out in tears.
The memories of his friends returning to him.
Sirius.
James.
Peter.
Marlene.
Lily.
Mary.
Regulus.
Dorcas.
Everyone.
And Miselda Arakan.
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