xvi

16

I M P E R V I U S

( im - PUR - vee - us )

" to make waterproof  "

_______________

LYRA HAD HER nose stuck in a book for the days after her near death experience. Her mind was preoccupied with the facts that filled the yellow stained pages, moulding theories and questions inside her head.

The book also had a name etched in cursive on the front page, Tom Marvolo Riddle 1942 - 1945.

She shut the book with a loud snap, hitting herself on the forehead with the dusty, grey cover. Lyra dropped gracelessly onto her bed. Her hair sprawled across the lemon yellow sheets like spikes of fire. She gazed at the ceiling, watching the stars she charmed to be their on her first day at Hogwarts.

The name had appeared three time now, always the same; just different years beside it. Her eyelids fluttered shut, her eyelashes tickled her under eyes. Memories flashed in the darkness.

Lyra was curled on her bed by candlelight, the girls in her dormitory were already asleep. The leather journal had practically jumped out at her when she browsed the Restricted Section.

Her conversations with 'Tom Riddle' had been far from exciting. However, her opening line peaked his interest greatly.

I did something today, I've been able to hiss and talk to snakes for ages now; but I wanted to watch myself do it. I opened something in the girl's bathroom when I hissed. Now everyone's screaming about the 'Chamber of Secrets'

There was no instant reply this time, usually his words would soak into the page quickly. A cloud of whispy grey smoke danced from the pages, taking the form of a young man in front of her.

He looked at be a fourth or fifth year Slytherin, he was rather attractive in a conventional way. His uniform seemed outdated and old compared to Lyra's new Hufflepuff robes.

"Right, well," Lyra dragged out, "That's a bit odd."

He raised his eyebrow, not even a ghost of a smile graced his lips. He was stoic, and held an air of authority.

"Only you can see me," He said in a smooth voice, "I don't have very long."

She didn't question it, after all, she was at a school for magic. "Right, okay. What are you doing here?"

"You've opened the Chamber of Secrets." He let the corners of his lips turn up, "Which means you're a parselmouth, like me."

Lyra let her mouth hang open in bewilderment as he walked towards her. She ran a hand through her hair roughly.

His eyebrow raised, "That's a nice ring."

"Oh," She looked down at her hand, waving it at him, "Family heirloom."

His outline began to fade, "You're mind is falling asleep." he walked back to the foot of her bed, "I'll be gone soon, you and me, we aren't so different, Lyra Fairfax."

He disappeared.

The grey book soon became interesting, she looked down at his name once more, "Well then, Tom Riddle, lets see what this is all about."

She felt traitorous for the first few chapters, a Hufflepuff reading about Salazar Slytherin. Then again, the man was probably turning in his grave at the thought of a muggle-born reading his ancestry.

Descendants of Salazar Slytherin are known for their ability to speak parseltongue (the skill of conversing with serpents) they are also famous for being a family of the 'Sacred Twenty eight' and also descendants of the Pervell brothers.

Lyra pulled on her lower lip, transferring her cherry lipgloss onto her fingers. When she turned the withered and yellowing page she felt her chest construct tightly at the large picture.

It was a double page spread of all known, magical, ancestors of Salazar Slytherin. She followed the tree with her pointer finger, circling down to 'Tom Marvolo Riddle jr.' It displayed a cartoon-like picture of the boy she had seen in first year.

Her hands moved on their own, flicking the page to read on.

Elpis Gaunt married Matthew Harris and had three children, their eldest, Philip Harris married Emma Ames. Their children were called Athena Gaunt (b.1928) and Eridanus Gaunt (b.1935).

Eridanus died of dragon pox seven years later, Athena went on to marry a muggle named William Fairfax. They had five children who were all muggles.

Of their children, one had a muggle-born daughter, Lyra Lily Fairfax. It is unknown whether she possesses the ability to speak parseltongue. Along with Harry James Potter, they subsequently ended the line of Salazar descendants who were sorted into Slytherin.

Lyra stared at the page, unsure of how to feel. She rose from her bed in silence, leaving the common room without so much as a cheerful hello to those inside.

"Lyra, dear," A soft voice called from a portrait, "Is everything alright?"

She span of her heels to see Helga Hufflepuff smiling brightly at her. Her robes were mustard yellow from dust, once originally a brighter shade; her cheeks were full and round with a healthy glow.

"Not really, just reading up on my... ancestry." She raised the book and shook it slightly, "At least I know why I was almost a Slytherin."

"How're you taking it, dearie?" Helga's voice was soft and comforting.

"As well as one would if they were a cousin of Tom Riddle," Lyra sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I think it's best I keep this between myself and Harry for now."

"You're a smart girl, my dear." Helga grinned, "Don't let this knowledge affect you."

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Lyra had finished explaining her news to Harry by the weekend, the two wandered after supper so Harry could read the book, too. They eventually made it out to the Quidditch field, which was deserted.

"Could we discuss it in the summer?" Lyra asked timidly, "I don't feel like talking about it yet."

Harry nodded with a small smile, lurching forward when Lyra tugged him into the centre of the field. The rain had started out as a light drizzle, barely there. Lyra and Harry lay in the centre of the Quidditch pitch together, looking up at the storm clouds, spotting constellations littered across the darkening sky.

Lyra cast a nonverbal shield charm on Harry to protect him from the rain that was beating down harder from thick black clouds.

Thunder began to clap loudly above them, making Lyra jump each time. The thick drops of rain had already soaked to Lyra's skin, her clothes clung to her tightly.

Her cheeks stung with ever drop of rain that hit the pink skin, water hung in her eyelashes, making them appear thicker and darker. Her hair looked just like it did in the second trial, an autumnal sunset of auburn and honey.

Harry glanced at her; she wasn't scared or frightened, her eyes were closed. She was at peace and serene. Her chest would rise and fall, each time thunder vibrated and lightening struck, she would jump and tighten her shoulders.

"This is my favourite smell," Lyra hummed, turning to look at Harry through coated lashes, "It's called petrichor, the smell after rain."

They looked back up at the sky, the Dog Star was shining above them. Lyra showed Harry with a grin.

"Do you ever think about everyone up there?" She asked wistfully, "Do you think your parents are watching us right now."

"I'd like to think they're always watching me." Harry choked out, his words were soft.

"Can I say hello to them?" Lyra asked calmly, "Would you mind?"

He furrowed his eyebrow sceptically when she grinned at the sky, "Uh... yeah, sure." He said with confusion.

"Hello, Aunt Lily, Uncle James," She began airily, "I think I would've liked to have you as aunt and uncle, especially with Severus and Sirius."

Thunder rumbled loudly as she spoke.

"I'm not clear on how you knew my dad, all I know is Gran introduced Uncle Severus, and then dad met the boys and you, Aunt Lily." Lyra grinned brightly,

Harry watched the sky begin the bleed pockets of pink.

"I think I'll ask Professor Lupin if I can call him Uncle Remus, then all of you can be my uncles," Lyra chuckled.

A bolt of lightening hit the ground near the castle.

"I'll take that as a yes," Harry laughed too, "We must look a right pair, Harry looks like you, Uncle James, and I look like you, Aunt Lily. I'll look after Harry, I promise, he needs all the help he can get."

"Oh, thanks a lot!" He said sarcastically, "Don't embarrass me in front of my parents."

James and Lily Potter watched their son joke and laugh in the rain with Lyra Fairfax. It had been a long while since someone had directly spoken to them. At the beginning, Lily was shouting back, in the hopes Lyra and Harry would hear her.

"This is what I'm missing out on!" She cried, "I don't get to see them grow up."

James wrapped an arm around his wife and held her close. "I know, I know. But we can watch them, look at them now."

She looked at her son and Lyra spinning in the torrential rain. They looked just like herself and James as students, carefree and happy.

"They do look hauntingly similar to us." He remarked.

"A ghost joke," Lily deadpanned, "Really?"

"Sorry, dear." James smiled, Lily scowled and huffed when his contagious smile crept onto her lips.