ᵀʰᵉ ᴸᵃᵘᵍʰⁱⁿᵍ ᴴʸᵉⁿᵃ

Class

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Sirius's POV

"Hello, class! Today, we're going to write an essay about a star of your choice!" The students groan in unison, but I just chuckle. "I know, I know, essays aren't the most exciting thing, but it'll be easier since you'll be working in pairs! And you get to choose your partners!"

The kids cheer, and the room erupts into a flurry of activity as they scramble to find their ideal partners. I smile and take a seat next to my brother, Regulus, at our desk. As I settle in, my gaze wanders around the room, observing the students, until I feel a sudden jab in my ribs. I let out a soft groan and shoot Regulus a glare, but my expression falters when I see his face.

For once, his usual stoic mask has slipped, revealing a look that's trying to convey a message. His eyes seem to hold a secret, and I find myself intrigued, my annoyance forgotten.

He leans in closer, his eyes fixed intently on something. "She's here!" he whispers, his voice barely audible.

I look at him, confusion etched on my face. Who's here? What is he talking about?

But then, it clicks. "She's here?!" My eyes widen in realization as I turn my head in the direction he's staring.

And then, I see her. Lyra, my daughter, sitting with a girl. She's talking, laughing, and playfully flirting, but it seems like she's trying not to draw attention to herself. My heart skips a beat as I take in the scene, my mind racing with emotions.

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Merlin, I need to get out of here, I think, feeling suffocated by the weight of my family's gaze. I can sense their guilt, but I don't care. It's his fault for abandoning me, and I hate him for it.

I try to shake off the emotions and focus on Selene, who's engrossed in her work. "Come on, Darling! You promised to talk to me if I let you sit here!" I whine, attempting to sound charming.

She sighs, looking up at me with a stern expression. "We must finish this, I don't want a bad grade." I tease her with a grin, "But talking to me is far more enjoyable than writing a boring essay. And I'm really good with stars, so I can help you finish it!" I say proudly.

Selene raises an eyebrow, her face scrunched up in thought. Then, a sly smirk spreads across her face, and I'm struck by her beauty. "Okay, we'll make a deal, alright?" she says, extending her hand.

I nod eagerly, but instead of shaking it, I take her hand and place a soft kiss on it. "Deal," I say, my eyes locked on hers.

I grab the paper, quill, and ink and get to work. Twenty minutes pass before I finish the essay, beaming with pride as I hand it to her. "Done," I say, eager for her approval.

Selene takes the essay, reviewing it carefully. Her face lights up with a proud smile, and she looks gorgeous with her happy expression. "Good job, this is an amazing essay!" she exclaims, her eyes sparkling with delight.

My face radiates with joy at Selene's praise, craving more of her approval. I want to bask in her admiration, to prove myself worthy of her pride. But before I can respond, the bell rings, signaling the end of class. Selene giggles, "Oh, it seems class is over." She leans in, her whisper sending shivers down my spine, "See you soon, Lyra~."

She submits our essay to the professor and exits the room, leaving me stunned and speechless. I realize she intentionally left me wanting more. A soft smile spreads across my face as I think, Merlin, what a woman~

As I gather my belongings, a voice makes my jaw clench in anger. "Lyra, can you stay back, please?" Sirius asks, his tone laced with pleading. Regulus stands beside him, his expression unreadable. My instincts scream at me to flee, but my feet seem rooted to the spot.

I scoff, my voice dripping with disdain, "I have far more important things to attend to." My gaze settles on my father, and I sneer, making my contempt clear.

Regulus takes a step forward, his eyes pleading, "Please, Lyra, let's talk." But I'm unmoved. My hands clench into fists as I take a step back, my anger simmering just below the surface.

"I'd rather die than waste my breath on any of you!" I spit out the words, my voice rising in fury. With that, I turn on my heel and storm out of the room, leaving them behind. The door slams shut behind me, a satisfying punctuation to my exit.

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Regulus sighs, his expression sympathetic. Sirius's eyes well up with tears, his head bowed in shame and sorrow. Regulus places a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's alright, Sirius. We'll talk to her eventually."

But Sirius shakes his head, his voice barely above a whisper. "How do you know? Regulus, she hates me... I saw it in her eyes."

Just then, a gentle voice interrupts their conversation. "No, she doesn't hate you. She's just hurt." Sirius and Regulus turn to face the speaker, finding Ariel, Remus, and James standing there.

Remus immediately goes to Sirius, enveloping him in a warm hug. James pats his back comfortingly. Ariel's soft voice continues, "She's angry and hurt, but she doesn't hate you, Father." Her eyes are filled with conviction. "I know my sister, and when she talked about you, I saw the hope in her eyes that you would return."

"Come on, let's stop moping and come up with a plan!" James says, determination etched on his face. Sirius sniffs, wiping away tears, and nods. "Alright." He turns to Ariel, "What's the plan?"

Ariel's face lights up with excitement. "Okay, so here's what we'll do. Lyra knows I'm friends with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, so she won't suspect anything. I'll just keep hanging out with them and bring Lyra along. They'll talk about how great you are, Dad," she says, smiling at Sirius, "and once Lyra gets comfortable, she'll be happy to talk to you."

The men in the room exchange skeptical glances, clearly unimpressed with Ariel's plan. Remus nods nervously, trying to soften the blow. "Yeah, um, that's a good plan, but maybe we should come up with something else?" The others nod in agreement, except Ariel, who pouts and crosses her arms, looking away. "Fine, whatever."

Sirius pats Ariel's head affectionately and turns to his friends and brother. "Any other ideas?"

Regulus sighs, rubbing his temples. "Why don't we just keep trying to talk to her?" He turns to Ariel, "What are her interests, Ariel?"

Ariel's face lights up, eager to share. "She loves quidditch, animals, pranks, fighting, drawing, painting, stars, rings, piercings, tattoos... and me!" She grins, clearly delighted to talk about her sister.

Regulus chuckles, nodding. "We can try discussing those topics with her whenever possible." He pauses, considering. "And maybe Ariel's plan has some merit. If Lyra spends time with Harry and his friends, she might see they're not so bad."

The group nods, determination etched on their faces. Sirius is resolute in his quest to reconnect with his daughter, Regulus and Remus determined to regain their niece's trust, James determined to help his goddaughter heal, and Ariel determined to bring her family together. United in their goal, they vow to support each other in their efforts to reach Lyra.