Effervescence | h.p.

i | iii. where'd all the time go?

It had been nearly ten years since that terrifying night's events had taken place. All the parents - Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus - had let their fear of the event reoccurring decrease. Ten years had passed without incident, leading the adults to let their guard down slightly.

Lyra and Harry were always seen together. While they went through a Muggle primary school together, upon Lily's insistence, they were stuck to each other like glue. It had always been 'Harry and Lyra' and everyone else knew that they were inseparable. Occasionally, a daring soul would try to form a trio with the duo, but it would never last too long. The outsider would feel . . . well, like an outsider. For this reason, people didn't frequently try to join them.

The kids were popular among the school for how confidently they carried themselves, strutting about the halls, even if Harry wouldn't admit to the form of transportation. Even the biggest bully in the school, Dudley Dursley, couldn't touch them. If he tried to, an uproar against the big baboon would break out.

Today, Lyra sat in her normal spot in the lunch room, waiting for her best friend to join her. She opened up her lunch bag, which had a woodland scene covering it, and pulled out her sandwich to start eating. The previous night had been a full moon so the little girl, who had sadly acquired her dad's lycanthropy, was exhausted. Her dads had wanted to keep her from school for the day, but she refused to stay home and miss out on any opportunity to learn.

Harry, who had to basically hold the girl upright because she was too exhausted to stand by herself, had just sat down on the other side of the table when he heard the small voice of his friend across from him. She could be heard by only him, saying, "Thank you, for helping me today. I feel a lot worse than usual after . . . well you know what so, thank you for sticking through it."

Harry, caught off guard by the grateful exclamation sat silently staring for a moment before collecting himself enough to respond, "Yeah, it's not a problem. I know you would do the same if the roles were reversed. Really, it's no trouble at all, El," he finished off with the nickname only he was allowed to call her. There were a few other names he had for her that they reserved for only each other, but this seemed like a good time to refrain from joke names.

He didn't really know where her appreciative comment had come from, as he had always been there for her after full moons. Scratch that, he was always there for her in general, he was just more clingy following the nights when she shifted under the moon's full form.

Lyra had started to feel guilty for needing so much help after her long nights full of wolfish play. She knew Harry didn't mind giving his full attention to her at any moment, especially when she was feeling under-the-weather, but she couldn't help the creeping feeling of being a burden to him. He wouldn't be able to focus completely on his school work due to watching her protectively when she was feeling weak. He couldn't always sleep properly, worrying about if she was in pain after an unexpectedly long night in her wolf form. He would constantly ask his mum and dad how she was doing until they would eventually just bring him to Lupin Cottage to, as his parents say, 'See how she's doing for himself.'

"I just . . . feel like I don't thank you enough for staying around. I am, truthfully, very grateful for you. I should make a note in order to remember to tell you more . . . " she broke off, falling into a world of her own while thinking of places to put small notes that will remind her to thank him more. When a few places came to mind, she smiled softly to herself, happy that she would make certain Harry felt appreciated.

When Lyra let the corners of her mouth, unknowingly, raise slightly, Harry couldn't help but smile to himself, happy that she was happy. His best friend's joy and excitement always transferred quite easily straight to him. Unfortunately, her sadness and frustrating did have the same habit. It wasn't often that she was upset with others but when she was, you better hope you aren't the reason behind the calm girl's temper. In that case, not only would you be dealing with her fury, but the wrath of her best friend and the rest of their admirers.

Suddenly, both friends were snapped out of their thoughts by an announcement over the lunch room's intercom.

"Would Miss Lyra Lupin-Black please report to the front office? Again, will Miss Lupin-Black report to the front office, please? Thank you," the voice requested, politely.

"What did you do?" Harry teased the girl.

"Shut up and come on," she grumbled in response.

She felt bad that she would be making Harry miss part of his lunch to assist her to the office, but she didn't think she would make it all the way across the school without falling asleep out of exhaustion.

Both children got up and headed for the office, not knowing what was waiting for them. To say they were surprised would be an understatement. They were astounded to see Sirius and James there, presumable to take the kids out of school early.

Lyra and Harry simultaneously wondered how Sirius could have known that his daughter had been in desperate need of the day off. She hadn't told him the extent of her exhaustion that morning but one could assume that due to the lack of her other father's presence, he was having an equally difficult time overcoming his tiredness.

"I hope neither of you forgot about your appointments today, we only reminded you four times today already," James joked upon seeing the look of surprise etched on both children's faces.

Sirius added to James' statement, saying, "Yeah you two, we have to be across town for your appointments by 12. We only have 20 minutes to get there, so I hope you brought your things."

Smiling gratefully to their fathers for making up a small lie to remove them from school for the rest of the day, the two kids left to get their things before walking out of the building, hand-in-hand with each other.