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20

P O R T U S

( POR - tus )

" to make a portkey "

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LYRA WAS DRAGGED alongside Harry towards the small side room next to the Great Hall. The room was only ever used for the first years waiting to be sorted.

"I'm not a champion," Lyra whispered to Harry, whose arm was into linked with her, "Why've I got to come?"

Harry shrugged, a displeased look on his face, "It's for champions to see their families, I don't think the Dursley's are behind the door."

The quiet hum of chatter could be heard from outside the wooden door, Lyra rolled her eyes with a smile and pushed open the door. She glanced over as Cedric and Amos who each waved ebulliently at her.

"Who's that?" Harry whispered, pointing towards a lonesome man in the corner.

Lyra twirled around in a flurry of orange and yellow, like the embers of a fire. She blinked, wide eyed at the man with dark hair and bright ice blue eyes, lined with faint purple.

"Dad?" Lyra squealed, running towards him.

Lyra was engulfed in a loving embrace by her father. Harry stood awkwardly, taking in the man who stood in the corner.

To Harry, he was quite odd. He looked nothing like his Uncle Vernon, nor Arthur Weasley. Instead, he was tall and soft faced, dressed in posh muggle clothing; compared to the teachers in wizard robes.

"Harry!" Lyra called out, pulling her father towards him, "This is my dad, James."

James offered his hand for a handshake, Harry grabbed it awkwardly, "Hello." He said nervously.

"You look just like him," James said bewildered, "You look just like y' father."

The rest of the champions and their families watched with peaked interest. Amos and his wife were pleasantly surprised to meet Lyra's father, even though the raven hair man was intimidating on first glance.

"You want to see something really scary," A voice called from behind Harry and Lyra, "Make them stand next to each other."

Sirius appeared next to James, embracing him in a long hug. The pair's laughter and words got intermingled into a flurry of affection. Harry and Lyra stood beside each other, like Sirius suggested.

"That's frightening," James said, looking at Harry and Lyra, "They look... that's scary."

James and Sirius could only see Lily and James. Nothing else. All they could see was James and Lily, happy and smiling like everything was normal. They felt like teenagers again, for a moment.

Sirius wiped his eyes discreetly.

James turned to Harry, "That Gadalf thought it would be a good idea for me to come and support you," Lyra laughed heartily, "I tried to get custody of you after Sirius was set to prison, but that's a tale for another time."

Harry's heart leapt, despite not knowing Lyra's father, he seemed much more fatherly and homely than Vernon ever had been.

Lyra watched the three raven haired men talk about Harry's parents. Her chest fluttered, her cheeks were stained a rosy pink, aching from the large grin on her face. A warm feeling blossomed in her stomach, like niflers dancing.

"You're crying." A voice whispered beside her.

Lyra jumped in shock and wiped her cheek, she felt the tears stain her fingers. Lyra turned to Cedric with a bright smile, squeezing him in a tight hug.

"You stay safe today, alright?" Lyra muttered, leaning on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

Cedric laughed, "Of course I will, I'm gonna win this," He winked with a confident smile, "Now, wish me good luck, Sunshine."

"Good luck, Ced," She whispered, resting her head on his chest, "I'll see you when you win."

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Sirius and James hadn't stopped talking, considering the hadn't seen each other in twelve years. Lyra smiled wistfully at them and bounded down the stairs towards Daphne, who for once wasn't connected to Theo.

She squealed and hugged her tightly, something Lyra felt she had done too much that day. Theo and Blaise cheered when she arrived and participated in a group hug.

"Sunshine," Theo started tentatively, "There's two men behind you, I'll blast them."

Theo pulled out his wand, Lyra reacted quickly, tearing her wand from her makeshift bun, "Expelliarmus!" Theo's wand shot into her hand.

"Quick thinker, aren't you?" Sirius congratulated from behind her.

"Theo, Blaise, Daphne," Lyra listed, "This is Sirius Black," She pointed to the man behind her.

Ever since he was deemed innocent, people were still weary around Sirius Black, but it never stopped him from being his usual boisterous self. Dress in a patterned muggle suit, topped with a burgundy waistcoat and pocket watch.

"And this," She pulled her father forwards, "This is my dad."

"Hello." He waved and nodded his head awkwardly, before taking the seat in between his daughter and Sirius.

"Your dad's pretty hot." Daphne whispered.

"Ew! Ew! Ew!" Lura creased her face in disgust, "You have a boyfriend." She reprimanded.

The crowd fell into an anticipated silent when Dumbledore took to his podium and addressed them. Lyra glanced over at Draco, who was sat three seats away beside Blaise. She gave him a quick, sweet smile and turned back to listen to her headmaster.

"Earlier today, Professor Moody placed the Triwizard Cup into the maze," Dumbledore announced, "Only he knows where it lies."

Lyra absentmindedly gripped the hairpin hidden in the pocket of her jeans. Her eyes wandered over to Mad-eye, who was watching her rather intensely. She shifted uncomfortable and turned back to Dumbledore.

"Now, as Mr. Diggory," Dumbledore was cut of by a roar of cheers from the crowd, including Lyra and Daphne. "And Mr. Potter," Sirius hollered the loudest. "Are ties for first position, they will be first to enter the maze."

Lyra caught Harry's eye and gave his two thumbs up.

"Followed by Mr. Krum," Dumbledore called out, "and then Miss. Delacour. The first person to touch the cup will be the winner!"

The stadium erupted in cheers from every section, some student held up banners, others - like Draco Malfoy - cheered and clapped reluctantly.

"If at any time, a contest wishes to leave the maze, they must send up red sparks with their wands." He informed politely.

James lent towards his daughter, "You can really do that?"

"Only scratching the surface there, dad." She giggled.

Her father smiled and ruffled her hair, she rolled her eyes and giggled. Her eyes sparkled with excitement in a blend of blue and green, she but her bottom lip softly, tasting her cherry lipgloss — which Daphne had gifted her for Christmas.

"Champions, prepare yourselves." Dumbledore ordered. Each contestant was stood in front of an opening to the large maze in the Quidditch field. Harry stood beside Moody, who looked oddly pleased with himself.

"On the count of three," Dumbledore looked towards Argus Filtch, who was stood behind a cannon, "One!"

The cannon went off, signalling the beginning of the final task. A cheering tune floated in the air, Harry and Cedric disappeared into a mix of mist and shrub.

Quiet chatter broke out in sections of the stands, nobody knew how long it would take for the champions to find the Cup.

"Bets on who's winning?" Blaise asked, leaning towards Lyra and Daphne.

"Hogwarts," Lyra stated, "It'll be Harry or Cedric, no doubt in my mind."

A shrill scream resonated through the stadium, red sparks crackled in the air over a section of the maze. Lyra felt an unsettling feeling hang in the air, it felt like thick static, suffocating.

She felt her magic grow hotter in her veins, pulsing through her body. Her arms shook occasionally, Sirius heard her hiss through her teeth. The feeling soon went away, replaced with the usual comforting warmth.

A second set of red sparks flew into the air.

"Let's hope that Krum." Theo muttered.

The crowd wee on the edge of their seat, waiting expectantly for a champion to emerge with the cup high in the air.

A blue light beamed from the centre of the maze, replicating the wispiness of an 'expecto patronum.' With a fleeting glance to Moody, she saw him nod his head at her.

She swallowed thickly and pulled the hairpin from her back pocket. When she pointed her wand towards it, the row looked at her oddly; even Malfoy was intrigued.

"Lyra," Her father muttered, "What're you doing, sweetheart?"

"A job for Dumbledore," She smiled, although her stomach flipped and twisted in fear, "I'll be back in a minute."

"Portus." She whispered, with a warm smile at her father and uncle, she gripped the hairpin.

James watched his daughter vanish in a flurry of blue.

Dumbledore was making his way towards their seats hastily, holding up his robes as he ran - to the best of his ability - up the stairs.

"Where's she gone?" He asked urgently.

Sirius laughed nervously, "She said you gave her a job and she portkeyed out of here."

"I never gave her a job!"