THE RAVENCLAW PRINCESS

chapter 17 - ravenclaw v hufflepuff

"George, the match against Hufflepuff is in a few hours, I can't discuss this right now."

"Right but you said you wanted to talk about it," George remarked across from her at the Ravenclaw table.

Lyra frowned and stabbed a grape before forcing it down her throat.

"Alright, even if you don't there's no reason your food has to take the brunt of it."

Lyra had come to the Great Hall at six this morning after another restless night. This time she was being yelled at by her birth parents who had black circles where their faces should have been. Their voices screamed how pathetic she had been as a child and labeled all her insecurities as reasons for abandoning her. The most unsettling part of the nightmare however came when the ghosts of her parents left and Adrian, of all people, was there to comfort her. The whole ordeal left her quite shaken up.

Lyra sighed and put her fork down. She reached for her now cold cup of coffee with shaking hands only for George to stop her by grabbing her hands in his.

"Ly, look at me," he urged.

She glanced up and maintained his eye while he spoke, "I understand that it's not the easiest thing to talk about-" She scoffed and looked away momentarily but he continued, "But it's killing you, and I'm not the only one who sees it. Look we already know you're going to destroy Hufflepuff, so let's come up with a plan!"

He paused before gripping her hands slightly stronger and whispered, "please."

Lyra dropped her head to face her barely touched plate of food. She took a staggered breath, then looked back up at him with that resilient and headstrong look he loved. "Alright, do you have any ideas?"

As she agreed, a smile quickly graced George's face and just as fast morphed into confusion. "Um, I hadn't really thought that far ahead. Do you think he has any old things that could link him to Black?"

Lyra just stared at him and deadpanned, "Does he look like the type to carry around memorabilia of a deranged murderer, George?"

George threw his head back and groaned, "no, but alright- you think of something then. I can't be the brains and beauty of this operation."

Lyra rolled her eyes. "Please, I'm the brains and beauty of this operation. I'm still thinking though. Any other ideas?"

"Legilimency?"

Lyra glared at him. Legilimency was a gift she was born with and had learned to hone in while at Hogwarts. She had a few lessons with Dumbledore which went well enough but she had been frustratingly put in place when he called her massive achievements at 15 'simply ordinary to a skilled Legilimens'. Though she was nowhere near ready to read the mind of a professor, she could start researching the subject again to prepare her for the next lesson, whenever it would be.

"Right, yeah. Not my best idea. Umm classic breaking and entering? See what we can find in his office?"

"Yeah, alright. I don't think we'll find much but we can go tomorrow night because-"

"Because tonight we'll be celebrating Ravenclaw's win!" He proclaimed as more people entered the hall, including cheers from members of Ravenclaw's quidditch team.

As Mieko walked up to the pair, George pulled his hands from hers and replaced the warmth she had from him with a fresh cup of coffee.

An hour and a half into the game and Ravenclaw was up 90-40.

Hufflepuff beater, Anthony Ricket, narrowly missed Lyra with a bludger. As she regained balance from swerving away from the bludger, Lyra's gaze focused on the quaffle. Hufflepuff chaser, Malcolm Preece, was currently in possession. With help from a bludger from Ravenclaw's beater, Jason Samuels, she stole the quaffle from Preece.

"And another score by none other than Ravenclaw's best seeker! I'm telling you folks, she is carrying this game so far!"

"Jordan, less bias please-"

Lyra laughed and gave Lee a wave as she passed by the commentator's box then looped around the back of the hoops. She joined Davies and Jeremy Stretton in stealing the quaffle back from Hufflepuff's Heidi MacAvoy who was almost at the goal.

"-and blocked by Ravenclaw's new keeper, Grant Page! I told you he was good, Fred! Blimey if he's still that good by the time Gryffindor plays Rav-"

"Mr. Jordan, keep focus on the game-"

"Sorry professor! Oh! Looks like Hufflepuff's seeker has sight of the snitch! And, no worries Ravenclaw's Cho Chang is right on his tail! Neck and neck now!"

Lyra slowed slightly to see Cho and Cedric racing to the sky. She yelled, "SAMUELS! INGLEBEE! FIREFLY FIVE!"

At once, Ravenclaw's beaters came together and struck the bludger at the same time. Cedric spotted it and quickly dove out of the way. Cho took the opportunity and accelerated, stretching her hand out so much her chest was flush against the broom, her hand centimeters from the golden snitch.

"CHO CHANG HAS THE SNITCH! RAVENCLAW WINS!"

Lyra quickly descended at the same time as Cho and pulled her into a hug. The rest of the team joined them and whooped and hollered at their victory. Lyra pulled away to greet Cedric and shook his hand, "good game, Ced!"

"You too! Have to say, the double-bludger defense caught me off guard. Maybe it's time Davies gives up captain to you, huh?" He replied with a smirk.

"I'll talk to him. You coming for the party? You know Cho is going to be there," Lyra replied cheekily.

Cedric flushed red, "yeah, yeah I'll go but not for-"

"I TOLD YOU YOU WOULD WIN!" George shouted from behind her, pulling her into a sideways hug.

Lyra laughed as she looked up into George's eyes. Before she could respond Iliana grabbed her arm and screamed, "VICTORY PARTY!!!"