Our Legacy

Rounds Ch 40

James POV

I went back to the dorm after my chat with Hermione and everyone else after being chosen. Dad hadn't said much to me, though he looked less worried than when my name was announced, and I walked into McGonagall's office. I wanted to talk to Lyra, and I knew she would be up because we were both on rounds tonight. I also knew that she would want to start training me on everything she could as soon as possible. Some people might even think she was the 7th year and I the 6th. I knew that there were plenty of things that I knew that she didn't, but then again she probably just looked them up in the library or asked her parents. She was incredibly intelligent, and I knew she was going to push that onto me so that she could keep me safe. It was quite sweet of her actually. I was smiling idiotically, walking back to the dorms thinking of how much we both cared for one another. 

When I arrived, I told the fat lady the password and went inside. There was hardly anyone still in the common room, and I realized how long I had been after dinner. Lyra was sitting in a chair near the fire, reading a book. She did that most nights, and if she wasn't reading, she was doing homework or devising ways to do better on her N.E.W.T.s. Mind you; she didn't have to take those until next term. It boggled my mind how much ahead she was of everyone. This must be the reason she was helping me, as she had told me numerous times.

"Hello, Lyra," I said as I approached her. She looked up from her book, which I now saw from the firelight was a book on magical plants.

"Your father used Gillyweed, and I am just reading up on some other plants in case we need to find some." She didn't bother with hellos. 

"Well, that is useful," I said, sitting down in the chair closest to her.

"Did they tell you what the first challenge would be?" She looked at me curiously, closing her book.

"No, they did not, but they didn't tell my father, did they," I said, slumping further in the seat.

"I find that absolutely ridiculous." She said, copying my movements. I never saw Lyra sit in a chair like that before, and it caught me by surprise. "I mean, you are risking everything for this tournament, and you know the last task will be the maze, and I am sure there will be a clue for the second task. Why not at least give you a clue for the first one." 

"I am not sure; those are all very good points, though. Maybe if I could get Ivan and Brielle on board, we could ask them."

"No, don't do that. If they tell you, people will accuse you of getting it easy because your dad is here. And that is the last thing you want." She was right, of course. I was trying to prove to people that I wasn't my dad, and I could do things independently.

"When would you like to start our rounds?" I asked, having nothing left to say about the tournament at the moment.

"Now would be fine. I want to get up early tomorrow and go down to the library, so not being out late doing our rounds would be helpful." She said, standing up.  I followed suit, and we headed out.

We walked down the staircases toward the main corridors hand in hand. This year's rounds were certainly different from last year. Doing them with Scorpius or Molly, we talked, but it never felt as relaxed as this. When I did rounds with them, it was always about getting them done quickly so they could study, or I could go practice quidditch. With Lyra, we just walked at a normal pace, checking the classrooms as they came up. I had the map and saw no one out walking around, to begin with, but even so, Lyra said it was our job to check the classrooms, and so we did. 

After we finished up our rounds and started walking back towards the Gryffindor dorms, Lyra asked me about quidditch, "Are you disappointed you do not get to play your final year James?" 

"A little. I mean, it would have been nice to play and lead the team again. This tournament will be a good change of pace, though. A challenge, and maybe there will be brooms after all." I replied. I was more upset about not having matches than I was letting on, but I didn't want her worrying about anything more than she already was.

"Maybe before everyone leaves and the tournament is over, I could ask McGonagall if I could organize a game." She was thinking out loud, but I knew in her head she was already making plans.

"What kind of game?" I said I liked it when she was passionate about something. When she would ramble on for hours about a particular topic, telling me every detail, I knew this was going to be one of those times.

"Well, we could do like a tournament. Instead of house teams, you can make your own teams. Pick names. We could draw for who plays who. Have a bunch of games going at once, and there could be a Tri-Wizard Champion quidditch match. The schools could mix up, and all be on teams together. I think it would be a great addition." 

"I actually think that is a good idea, Lyra. You should talk to McGonagall about that. Are you still taking lessons with her?" 

"No, we had to stop them. I have gotten much better at controlling it, and we have been doing better. We have held hands this entire time, and nothing has felt like it is pulling us together. I still feel you, of course, but it isn't like that time we shared our first dance." She smiled at me, and I remembered what she was referring to. I felt so strongly for her; it was like there were magnets inside of us, pulling us closer to one another.

"So, next year, do you think you will be captain of the team?" I looked curiously at her, wondering if she would even want to be captain.

"I would like to think I would be. Only if you promise to come to watch my games, though." She smirked at me, and I started laughing.

"Of course I will; I wouldn't miss the opportunity for you to destroy my brother." At this comment, she started to laugh. We had reached the dorms, and I said the password, and we walked inside. I wasn't tired yet and asked Lyra if she wanted to sit on the couch with me for a bit before going to bed. 

"I think a little while longer wouldn't hurt. No classes tomorrow anyway." She sat down next to me and laid her head on my shoulder. My arm was resting around her, and she took a deep breath, her body sinking into mine. It was like we were cut from the same stone, destined since the beginning of time to be with one another. We fit perfectly together. I smiled at the thought of this and made a mental note to myself to remember this moment and these thoughts, one day; I would want to tell her about how I felt right now. 

For now, though, I wanted us to have fun and smile. Being serious could come later, "So if she lets us do a quidditch tournament, who do we want on our team?" I asked her.

"I could be the keeper. Lily, Isabella, and Scorpius the chasers. Albus and Molly, the beaters. And you, the Seeker. Simple. No one would beat us." She replied without hesitation.

"I was thinking the same thing." Before I knew it, she had fallen asleep, and I had too, the vanilla from her shampoo filling my nose with each breath. A wonderful smell to fall asleep to.