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It's been a month since school ended, and a month since Lyra got the awful and shocking news from her father.
She sat on the edge of her bed, the thick curtains in her room drawn tightly, blocking out the sunlight as she stared at the cool black tile walls of her room.
The silence felt oppressive, like a weight pressing down on her chest. A month had passed since her father told her the news. The news about her mother. The sting of her mother's disappearance had not dulled.
She had been gone without a trace, venturing off on her own to continue the search for Sirius Black, a search Lyra had once believed was over ever since she recieved the news from Harry Potter.
Her father didn't want to worry her while she was at school, so he waited until she came home. Of course she had no other way of knowing the news, since her mother is believed to be locked away in Azkaban.
She ran her fingers along the edge of her desk, where her family's heirlooms were neatly displayed. Items that now felt like relics from another lifetime.
The yellow locket. The one she had wanted to ask her mother about, was now gone. Lyra could never know when, or if her mother would turn up one day, and if she got the chance to ask the questions she had so long pondered on.
Her father's voice echoed in her mind as she recalled the night he'd given her the news. Zephyr Arakan had been unusually somber when she arrived back at the manor after the term had ended.
The day should have been a celebration, but instead, it felt like a start to something dark. Her mother. A fiercely independent and secretive mother had gone off alone, ignoring her warnings, as if she had been on a mission she couldn't be stopped from completing.
At the time, Lyra had barely been able to process the words.
"She's gone, Lyra."
Her father had said, his voice heavy with unspoken fear. "I don't know where she went, but she's left, again. She's taking matters into her own hands. She's gone after Sirius herself."
Lyra's heart had dropped to her stomach. The silence in her mind was deafening. She couldn't speak for a moment and her lips became numb as she tried to make sense of the impossible.
"She's left me, Father. She has left, us?" Lyra had whispered in disbelief, her hands trembling as she gripped the edges of her chair she was seated in. "How could she do that? How can she keep on doing that."
Zephyr Arakan kneeled down infront of his daughter and reached out to comfort her, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "She didn't leave us, Lyra. She left to finish something important. I can't explain it all, but I know she will return when the time is right."
But Lyra didn't feel comforted. Her mother had always kept things close to her chest, but this time, she had taken it too far.
Now, she had been gone for four weeks.
A sharp knock at the door startled her from her thoughts. She quickly wiped her eyes, wiping away the tears that had formed out of nowhere. The last thing she needed was her father seeing her like this.
"Come in." she called, her voice hoarse.
The door creaked open, and her father stepped inside, his expression kind but still heavy with the concern that had become a part of him these days.
He closed the door behind him and walked toward her slowly, sitting down on the edge of her bed. His gaze softened as he looked at his daughter.
"You've been holed up in here all day again," he said gently. "You know, it's a beautiful day outside. I thought you might want to take a walk with me."
Lyra bit her lip. She didn't want to go for a walk. She didn't want to do anything that involved pretending everything was okay. But she had learned long ago that her father wouldn't give up easily, especially when it came to his daughter.
"Father..." Lyra began, her voice faltering as she looked up at him. "I know you're trying to cheer me up, but it's not the same. She's gone, and... I had so many things I needed to ask her."
Her father nodded, his gaze thoughtful. "I know. I know you were planning to ask her about Regulus and the locket, and I'm sorry I can't answer those for you. But sometimes, things don't go as we plan. All we can do is take each day as it comes."
Lyra's heart clenched as the memories of her mother's behaviour over the years came rushing back. There were things her mother had never told her. Things she had kept buried. Now, those answers were slipping further away with each passing day.
"I had so many questions," Lyra whispered, her voice barely audible. "And now she's gone, and I can't even get answers. I don't even know why she kept looking for Sirius, it is Regulus that mattered, and he's gone, so why look for his brother. It doesn't make sense."
Zephyr sighed, running a hand through his hair. He had been in a similar state of confusion, though he masked it well.
"Lyra, I don't know all the answers either. But I promise you, she will turn up eventually. She believed Sirius Black was a key to fix things in her past. We all have our burdens, our obsession and sometimes, we're just trying to fix something we can't."
"Your mother is very ill, and I know you know that." Zephyr deeply sighed, a hint of hurt flashing through his eyes.
Lyra nodded in agreement. It was the hard but honest truth. But still, she had never understood the depths of her mother's obsession with Sirius Black, but now, the pieces were falling into place. She is too mentally ill to let go of the past.
She lives in the past, not in the present. She always have.
"I know you miss her," her father added quietly. "But maybe it's time we start focusing on the things we can control. The future."
Lyra turned her head slightly, casting a curious glance at him. "What do you mean?"
Her father's face softened, his lips curving into a small smile as he spilled the news, more positive ones this time.
"I've made plans for us, something to take your mind off things. The Malfoys are attending the Quidditch World Cup next month. And since your mother won't be here this time (she usually takes polyjuicepotion every time they do something together, to keep her appearance hidden.) they've invited us to join them. It'll be a chance for us to get away from all of this."
Lyra blinked and a soft smile spread across her face. "Really?"
Her father's smile grew a bit wider. "Yes. Draco and Astoria are going as well, and I talked to your friend Daphne, since you guys already planned to go together, she will be coming too. It'll be good to see your friends again, don't you think?"
Lyra didn't know how to respond, but she was happy. She hadn't seen them since last school day, they were all too busy with their own life, and the thought of being around them, especially in such a lively and public setting, seemed like both a blessing and a curse.
But there was something in her father's tone, something sincere that made her want to give it a chance.
"It wouldn't hurt anybody," Lyra admitted, shifting slightly on the bed. "And if it makes you feel better, It could be good to get away, to not think about things for a while."
Zephyr reached out, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "I know it's been hard. But sometimes, we need distractions. And maybe this trip will help you find a little peace. It's time for us to move forward, Lyra."
Lyra sat quietly, contemplating her father's words. For a moment, she allowed herself to believe in the possibility of a distraction, of escaping the present and the past and moving forward.
"It will be fun," she said softly, more to herself than anyone else. "Thank you."
Zephyr's face lit up with a rare smile. "You're welcome, darling. We'll make the most of it."
As they sat there together, the weight of her mother's absence heavy in the room, Lyra felt a flicker of hope. It was faint, but it was there.
Maybe this trip would help her find a new path that that would lead her out of the dark and into something brighter.
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Days went by quickly after her conversation with her father, and suddenly the day of the Quidditch World Cup had finally arrived, and for the first time in weeks, Lyra felt a genuine spark of excitement.
The lingering sadness over her mother's disappearance hadn't completely faded, but she had decided to push it aside for now. Today wasn't about grief or unanswered questions, it was about fun, friends, and a quidditch game. Her three favourite things in the entire world.
Lyra was dressed in a sleek, classy black dress trimmed with silver. She had done her hair in a neat and low bun, with a small silver pin in the center of it, pulling it all together.
Lyra stood by the grand fireplace of the Arakan manor, and heard the footsteps of her father. She glanced at Zephyr, who was adjusting his own robes with an air of calm authority.
"You look beautiful, my dear." He warmly greeted his daughter with a genuine smile. She gave him a small smile and chuckled softly.
"You don't look half as bad either." She joke, earning. a small laugh out of his father. They both stood before the big fireplace, which they used as a floo system.
He gave her a reassuring nod before tossing a pinch of Floo powder into the flames and spoke out loud. "The Malfoy Manor," Zephyr said firmly, and the flames roared green.
Lyra stepped into the empty fireplace as her father disappeared. For a moment, she felt stressed. She was all alone in the cold manor.
"Better get on with it.."Â She whispered to herself as she took a handful of the floo powder, before speaking out loud.
"The Malfoy manor." She said as she threw the powder down towards her feet. In a second, she was spinning through the Floo network, and then eventually, she stumbled gracefully out into the Malfoys' grand drawing room.
The room was as immaculate as ever, with polished marble floors, intricate chandeliers, and an air of superiority that only the Malfoys could pull off. Lyra brushed the soot off her robes and looked around her surroundings.
She has been at the manor before, but it had been awhile since the last time. She stepped out, and followed the voices coming from the other room, mostly voices from her father and Lucius Malfoy.
She went over to the door, intently listening to the convorsation.
"He wants us there, Zephyr."
"If he wants all of us, Miselda will probably show up.."
"Possibly, but if she won't.. You know what happens to wizard who reject the dark lord."
Her head dropped by the mention of her mother, but quickly, she heard a soft feminine voice behind her, startling her.
"Lyra, dear," Narcissa greeted, her voice soft yet commanding. "It's so lovely to see you again."
"Oh, thank you, Mrs. Malfoy," Lyra replied politely as she turned around, acting like she hadn't just eavesdropped on her father and Narcissa's husband, offering a small smile.
She noticed the way Narcissa's eyes lingered on her, filled with an unspoken understanding.
Narcissa knew about Miselda's disappearance, of course she did, and she felt bad for the poor girl in front of her. The Malfoys were always in the know about the affairs of powerful families like the Arakans.
"I've told you this before. Call me Narcissa." Narcissa smiled ever so gently, her eyes half closing as she did. Lyra gave the woman a smile, nodding.
Lucius Malfoy appeared next, from behind Lyra, the door sending a gush of wind throughout the cold room. His expression as poised as ever, but perhaps a bit irritated. "Lyra," he said with a startled glare, looking down at the girl with concern as he realised he had almost hit the poor girl with the door.
"There's my girl," Zephyr smiled smoothly, placing a gentle hand on top of his daughters shoulder.
"She has grown up to be quite the beautiful lady, Zephyr." Narcissa smiled ever so teasingly, giving the Slytherin girl a warm smile. "Careful, or I might suggest a marriage arrangement between her and Draco." She joked lightly.
"That won't be necessary. Him and Astoria seems to be getting on just fine." Lucius said beside his wife, and his comment made Lyra's mouth drop.
As on cue Draco and Astoria entered the room, both looking impeccably dressed. Draco's platinum hair was neatly combed, and he carried himself with his usual smug confidence. And Astoria was all smiles, her bright eyes lighting up when she saw Lyra.
"Lyra!" Astoria exclaimed, rushing over to embrace her. "I'm so happy you came!"
"Me too," Lyra said, genuinely happy to see her friend. She returned the hug, feeling a warmth she hadn't expected.
Draco smirked, leaning against the doorframe. "Took you long enough, Arakan. We've been waiting."
Lyra raised an eyebrow at him, her usual sarcasm returning. "Patience, Malfoy. Not everyone has the luxury of spending hours perfecting their hair."
Draco rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of a smile on his face.
Narcissa clapped her hands together gently, drawing everyone's attention. "Shall we? The Portkey is ready, and we mustn't be late."
"Wait, where's Daphe?" Lyra asked confused, giving Astoria a small look.
"She will be meeting us there, but of course my stupid sister decided to ditch us for Nott." Astoria spat in disgust, like the sentence tasted awful.
"Oh, so they weren't lying about their plans this summer." Lyra smirked, her chest swelling with proudness for her friend.
Then, the group moved to the front lawn, where a gleaming silver goblet rested on a pedestal. It was a Portkey ready to take them to Dartmoor. Everyone gathered around, placing their hands on the goblet just as the countdown began.
"Three, two, one."
The sensation was an interesting one. Lyra felt the familiar feeling as they were whisked away, the world spinning around her. A moment later, her feet hit solid ground, and she staggered slightly, catching herself before she could fall.
When she looked up, the sight before her was breathtaking. The Quidditch World Cup stadium loomed in the distance, but before that there was hundreds, maybe thousands of tents scattered throughout the field.
Students and even adults flew above their heads on their brooms, laughing and chanting.
"Wow," Astoria breathed, her eyes wide with wonder.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Draco said, his tone smug as he glanced at Lyra. "This is nothing compared to the view from our seats."
"Oh, of course not," Lyra replied dryly. "I'm sure your father personally ensured the best seats in the stadium."
Draco grinned. "Naturally."
But before heading to the stadium, they would join the Nott family, aswell as Daphne, in their tent.
It didn't take a long time before they figured out which tent belonged to who. The Notts had definitely outdone themselves this time.
The tent was a distance away from everyone else, but even so, it was like it casted a shadow over everyone else. The tent was resembled a mini-manor, the beautiful tile wales glistening in the sun as the group made their way over.
As they reached the tent, Lyra was the first one to walk in, and she looked around, impressed by the detail.
But before she could say anything, a familiar figure jumped infront of her, blocking her view.
"Surprise!"
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