Effervescence | h.p.

i | i. effervescence

Remus John Lupin and Sirius Orion Black never imagined it would be possible for them to have a child between them. Yes, they had always wanted a child that could grow with the son of Lily and James, Harry, but they knew the chances were slim.

That was until they were given a chance to have their own child with the use of a magical technique that was in early testing-stages.

With this technique, one sex cell would be converted into that of the opposite sex. When this transformation occurs, a child can be produced. To convert a sex cell, an extreme amount of magic is used and this process alone is extremely dangerous to the spell's caster.

For this reason, the Ministry of Magic came in and stopped all experiments they could find before anything came of the whole ordeal.

But one test-subject was not found until 3 days following the Ministry's previous search. This subject would be known to the world as Lyra Lily Lupin-Black.

As a child born through the use of magic, Lyra could be very valuable to some in the wizarding community. Others may see her as a threat to the very same place they call home.

Some very powerful wizards would love to get their hands on the young Lupin-Black, with the previous inclination being that she is a very powerful witch due to her way of development. One particularly power-hungry wizard previously went by the name 'Tom Riddle' during his days at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But now, he is widely referred to as 'he-who-must-not-be-named' or, to those daring few who find no fear in speaking his name, 'Voldemort.'

Today, October 31st of 1981, Lyra could be seen playing with her animal plush toys in her play room at Lupin Cottage. The windows of the house were open, allowing for a light breeze mixed with the laughter of trick-or-treaters to enter the house's rooms.

"I have to go get the door for James, Lily, and Harry, darling. I'll be back before you can attempt to say 'Quidditch'" Sirius joked while walking away from his favorite girl's tea party. He wasn't the only guest, of course, but he was her guest-of-honor. Others in attendance of the legendary tea party were Lyra's grey plush wolf named 'Moony,' a black stuffed dog who went by 'Padfoot,' an enormous brown plush stag called 'Prongs,' who could always be seen with his plush-partner, a doe named 'Flower.' Prongs and Flower were sitting just across the table from the only living party attendant. Lyra had previously owned a stuffed rat, but it was lost one night while she played in the garden. Sirius and Remus had planned on replacing the toy eventually, but hadn't had the opportunity to go looking for a new stuffed 'Wormtail' for their daughter.

"Otay!" The little girl responded, with her adorable little lisp, while nodding her small head to reassure her Papa that she had understood his message. She smiled to her Papa as he briskly walked away from her small set-up. She knew he enjoyed spending time with her on the floor at the table he had built especially for these special evenings, so she also knew he would return before she would even need to reach the tea pot that rested at the table's center.

While the small girl with slightly waved, golden brown hair and blue-grey eyes remained sitting upstairs among her inanimate friends, her father approached the front door of their small home. Upon opening the door to the cottage, a man with raven-hair, a woman with red hair, and an infant could be seen. Unlike the other knockers from throughout the night, these ones were knocking to request entry and an opportunity to greet one of their best mates.

As Sirius embraced his brother that he had since they were sixteen, his daughter could be heard giggling in the upstairs room while she offered Prongs a refill on his tea, which she claimed had gone cold due to a lack of attention. His heart swelled in his chest whenever he heard the blissful, light sound.

After welcoming his honorary-sister, his brother, and his godchild into his home, Sirius extended an offer to Lily and James in which he would bring Harry upstairs to join his young daughter's tea party. With no reason to turn down the offer, Lily handed Harry off to Sirius as she stood to make everyone a pot of coffee.

As soon as Harry was in Sirius' grasp, a shrill, high-pitched, ear-piercing scream could be heard from the play room. Everyone stood frozen in fear and shock.

Lyra was always a quiet little girl.
And she was the only one upstairs, all alone.

Upstairs, while Sirius had been attending to the guests, an unwelcome guest could be seen entering the house through an upstairs window. The guest could only be viewed by the little girl who, sadly, was his target audience.

She had just plopped herself back onto her butt after refilling Prong's small, pink, plastic tea cup when she looked toward a sound that she had heard behind her. Her back had been facing the window but now, it had been facing a . . . man? It didn't really look that much like a man, but it had a body and stood on two feet, leading little Lyra to assume it could be called a man.

"Why hello, little one," an eerily cold, clear, and high voice spoke to the young Lupin-Black. "May I join the party? I certainly see an open spot that I would be more than willing to take, if it is not occupied."

"H-hewo?" The girl questioned, not understanding why or how this thing wanted to be in her room. It couldn't be that the thing simply wanted to join her exclusive tea party, was it? "W-who are you?" She asked, in a small voice, just above a whisper.

"Now, now. I do not believe that is how we greet guests, is it? I figured your blood-traitor father would have taught you better. No matter, it would be impolite of me to not address myself as you have asked" the voice spoke. "I am Lord Voldemort."

"W-why are you h-here?" Her little voice could be heard only to those in the room with her.

"Why, I am here . . . to kill you. A pity, really. You seem like you were such a nice, pretty little girl. But, only I can truly live forever."

And as soon as she opened her mouth to question what the man had meant by this, she heard, what she would consider an odd combination of words that she couldn't understand.

"Avada Kedavra."

As the curse collided with her small stature, all the little girl could do was scream.