Chapter 5

School ended, and summer came. I was working hard for the dark lord. Turner was still trying to apologize. I wouldn't let him through. Our parents found out and told me I had to decide to call off the wedding or not. I did. How could I not? He cheated, and I can never forgive him for that. During the day, everything was easy; I threw myself into the role of the dark lord secondhand and worked hard so that everyone knew I earned that position. I had done some terrible things I won't deny it, but I'm not proud of it. The nights are the hardest. I always lie alone in my bed, crying myself to sleep. It was like there was an empty hole in my heart that only Turner could fill up.

I was sitting at my desk writing a letter to Sirius when an owl tapped on my window. I was used to random owls showing up with messages from death eaters needing something, but this owl was different than ones I've seen. I let it in, and it dropped the letter on my desk. I grabbed some treats and opened the letter.

Dear Lyra,

How's your summer been? Mine's been good. I can't stop thinking about you and really want to talk to you. My brain can't seem to stop playing the night in the astronomy tower over and over again. We called each other by the first name, not the last name, if you didn't realize. Is there any way I can see you this summer? I really want to talk to you again.

Sincerely,

James Potter

To be honest, I couldn't stop thinking of that night either. Everything seemed to be different since that night. I tried to avoid him since the O.W.L.S. He said he wanted to hang out, but how could I face him after everything I had done this summer. Does he even know it was me? I monitored the Daily Prophet every day to see if anyone had caught sight of me. No one has yet, so my identity hasn't been discovered yet.

I grab a piece of parchment and start a letter to James.

Dear James,

My summer has been good, pretty dull. I've just been sitting around the house most of the summer. I'm glad your summer has been excellent. I also can't stop thinking about that night. I don't know if I can talk to you this summer my parents have the house on a tight lockdown maybe we can talk when we get back to Hogwarts. We can always communicate via owl too.

Sincerely,

Lyra Black

I finished the letter to James and Sirius. I handed the letters to James owl and gave the owl a few treats before sending him off to deliver the messages. I sat at my desk for a few more minutes, trying to decide what I would say to James when I saw him again or if he was over Evens. Could he ever like me?

~ ~ ~ ~

Summer was going by fast. I had the marauder over most of the summer, which took my mind off thinking about her during the day. But the nights are when I let my mind wander too her. She had taken over every little piece of my brain, and I don't even know how she did it. Soon I couldn't take it any longer and decided to write her a letter.

My dearest Lyra,

No. Lyra hates all the gushy romantic stuff. I threw that piece of parchment out and grabbed another one and started again.

Dear Ms.Black,

I tried again, but it sounded too formal this time. I threw that one out also and grabbed another piece.

Dear Lyra,

I hope you've had a lovely summer.

N.O.O.O.O. I sound professional. I need it to be played back. I don't need her to know I think about her with every waking moment.

Dear Lyra,

How's your summer been? Mines have been good. Would you maybe want to hang out sometime?

I groaned. This was all wrong. I didn't want to come off as obsessed with Lyra as I was with Lilly. I know she hated that. I threw away that piece of parchment and grabbed another.

Dear Lyra,

How's your summer been? Mine's been good. I can't stop thinking about you and really want to talk to you. My brain can't seem to stop playing the night in the astronomy tower over and over again. We called each other by the first name, not the last name, if you didn't realize. Is there any way I can see you this summer? I really want to talk to you again.

Sincerely,

James Potter

I think this was as good as it was going to get. I couldn't ask the guys what they considered to cause no one knows about that night, and I didn't want to tell them. It was an intimate moment between Lyra and I. I took Ozwald out of his cage. I sealed the letter and handed it to the owl. "Lyra Black," I said to Ozwald, and he took off into the afternoon light.

I waited on my bed anxiously for Lyra to respond. Would she even respond to me? Did she also like me? She did seem like she was avoiding me after the night in the astronomy tower. Was I too straight forward with asking to see her again? Then Ozwald flew in with two letters attached to his leg. I grabbed untied them and looked at the names. One was for me and the other for Sirius. I left mine in my room and went to knock on Sirius's door.

He opened the door, shirtless in joggers. I rolled my eyes and peeked around him to see Moony under the covers. "Here, Ozwald delivered this to the wrong room. I think it's from Black," I said, trying to sound reasonable. "Thanks, Prongs," Sirius said, shutting the door in my face.

I turned back around and too my room. I rushed in and closed the door. I sat down at my desk and stared at my name, printed on the front of the parchment. She had lovely handwriting. I gently opened the letter trying to preserve it. I took out the paper and unfolded the letter.

Dear James,

My summer has been good, pretty dull. I've just been sitting around the house most of the summer. I'm glad your summer has been excellent. I also can't stop thinking about that night. I don't know if I can talk to you this summer my parents have the house on a tight lockdown maybe we can talk when we get back to Hogwarts. We can always communicate via owl too.

Sincerely

,Lyra Black

Oh, thank Godric, she was thinking about me too. I was a little upset that she couldn't meet with me, but it also didn't say she wanted me to stop sending her letters. I really want to talk to her, but I guess writing letters is better than no contact at all. I can't wait until we return to Hogwarts so I can see her again and just talk to her gorgeous face again.