FLUORESCENT ADOLESCENT ► harry potter ¹

003. Trials of Suffering

CHAPTER THREE

LYRA BLACK HAD ALWAYS detested the judgments cast upon her due to her father's actions. Yet here she was, comfortably seated at the Slytherin table, grappling with a nagging sense of irony. She found herself unable to ignore the bullying that Tracey had gone through, Tracey Davis, whose father had been imprisoned in a Muggle facility. To make matters worse, Tracey was Half-blood. The cruelty she faced from her peers was something Lyra empathized with deeply, knowing that she, unlike Tracey, had come from a well off family.

Lyra watched as Tracey's tormentors continued to jeer and taunt her. Unable to tolerate the injustice, Lyra stood up, drawing the attention of several students as she walked purposefully towards the source of the trouble. At the end of the table, a group of fifth-year Slytherins was making Tracey's life miserable. Tommy, one of the ringleaders, sneered at her.

"Oi," Lyra said sharply, drawing Tommy's gaze.

"What's this then? Can't you see you're a bit busy?"

Tommy, taken aback by Lyra's sudden intervention, jerked his head towards Emily, who looked up at them with a mix of fear and hope. "Leave her alone, Tommy," Lyra said smoothly, though the boy's persistence was evident as he continued to mock Emily, snatching her books from her grasp.

"What's it to you Black"

"I said, leave her alone, Tommy," Lyra repeated, using his full name. The added formality seemed to have an effect, and Tommy halted, looking uncertain. "Dear old Dad wouldn't like what he's hearing from ministers that's he's being unfairly kind to Lucius Malfoy niece that he's hurting her, Just because you don't get enough attention home doesn't mean you have to make everyone's life miserable," her tone dripping with a mix of sarcasm and threat. Lyra had a knack for unearthing secrets—students often spoke freely in the common room, neglecting to cast the Muffliato charm, a flaw she exploited to her advantage. This skill, inherited from her cunning mother, served her well.

"Leave her alone. Now," she hissed, her eyes turning from their usual ocean-blue to a cold, glacier-like stare. The sudden shift in her demeanor was enough to make Tommy and his group scurry away, leaving Tracey alone and with a few streaks of tears down her cheek which she tried to cover up but it was no use.

Lyra turned to Tracey , her expression softening. "Are you alright Trace?" she asked gently. Tracey nodded, though her face was still pale. "Walk with me to Divinations," Lyra suggested, Lyra took Tracey hand that was shaking a bit before guiding her towards the North Tower.

As they climbed the spiral staircases, Lyra could feel the tension in the air. They emerged into a narrow hallway and approached a trapdoor, which opened to reveal a silvery ladder. They descended into the Divination classroom, a space that looked more like an eccentric attic than a place of study.

The room was dimly lit by crimson lamps, with heavy curtains blocking out the outside light. The air was stiflingly warm, tinged with the sickly-sweet scent of a fire burning under a crowded mantelpiece. Shelves lined the walls, cluttered with dusty feathers, candles, playing cards, teacups, and crystal balls. It was a chaotic mess, evoking a sense of cluttered mysticism.

"Do you know where she is?" Lyra asked Tracey, who simply shrugged. They took a seat at a round table, and Lyra glanced around the room. Her gaze landed on Harry Potter, who gave her a small, hesitant smile. Lyra responded with a cold, uninviting glare.

Professor Trelawney made her entrance, her gaudy attire and exaggerated mannerisms drawing immediate attention. Her thin frame was draped in a spangled shawl, her large glasses magnifying her eyes to an unsettling degree. Chains and beads hung around her neck, and her hands were adorned with an array of rings and bangles, making her appear as though she had raided a costume shop.