Constellations of Black

Chapter 38

Regulus paced his study; he could not just go to the school again. Especially now with Moody there, but still something wasn't right. Moody was a young Auror when Reg 'died' and deflected from the Death Eaters. No one besides family, immediate friends, and the Death Eaters themselves ever knew of Regulus' involvement with the group. Severus had warned him of the ex-Auror after the children went to class. He had also been the one to tell Regulus what happened from Draco's view. Lyra wasn't asked about the situation, out of respect and avoidance. Plus, people quickly moved past the incident, more focused on the Triwizard Tournament.

Reg was beyond furious, wanting nothing more than to storm the castle and Avada Moody for hurting his little girl, his constellation, in front of her friends, cousins, and the entire class.

"Kreacher!" Regulus yelled.

"Yes, Master?" Kreacher was hesitant to enter the study, hearing Regulus' anger in his tone.

"Get me something to eat and some tea, please. I will need it to study some way to get into Hogwarts without detection."

Throughout the past millennia, stories and myths of dragons remained prominent in wizarding and muggle communities from dragons protecting gold to kidnapping royalty. Every place had different stories they told down generations. Ancient Greece had dozens of stories and myths of sea and land dragons, from sea and water dragons protecting the springs of the gods to land-based dragons terrorising cities, kingdoms, and islands.

To muggles, that was all they were: stories and myths. To wixen, they knew dragons were real. Wizarding England used their heartstrings in their wands and dragon hide for clothing, shields, and briefcase. Parts of wizarding Europe feared them to the point of worship. Some wixen across the world studied them. And one of the Weasleys was one of those wixen. However, many wizen, like Lyra and Cetus, were flat-out petrified of notably dangerous dragons like the Hungarian Horntail and the Hebridean Black.

Stories and myths often reflected in the stars above. The constellation of Draco, the Latin word for dragon, was named after the dragon that the goddess Athena threw into the sky during the Great War. The constellation of Cetus was named after the sea serpent from the myth of Queen Cassiopeia and Andromeda. The Lyra constellation was named after Orpheus' lyre. The exact lyre which protected Jason and the Argonauts from sirens during their hunt for the Golden Fleece. Orion, the constellation of the mighty hunter, was named after the hunter who fell in love with a group of seven sisters before Atlas turned him into the stars above.

The entire school filled the stands, some students lingering as they slowly made their way to any open spots left. Everyone was buzzing with excitement for the first task of the tournament. A group of Slytherins took their place in the stands, waiting for the first task to begin. There was no point in placing bets as most of them had the same agreement: anyone but Potter.

"What do you think it is?" Pansy asked, getting a shrug from Lyra.

"I heard it was dragons, Weasle-bee's older brother brought them from Romania or somewhere," Greg announced.

"Dragons?" Lyra echoed, a sense of dread filling her heart.

She had heard the terror stories with Cetus every time they went to a country with well-known dragons. She had heard of the death count the Hungarian Horntail and Hebridean Black had obtained. It was significantly higher than that of the Antipodean Opaleye or assumingly the Catalonian Fireball and the Portuguese Long-Snout.

"Your attention, please. This is a great day for all of us," Someone called, projecting their voice with their wand.

Harry was beyond nervous as he walked towards Cedric and Fleur. The Gryffindor and Hufflepuff froze, Fleur looking towards the tent flaps as a dragon roared. Three of the four competitors continued, finishing any last-minute adjustments to their uniforms.