Open Growing up

Lyra Potter

Mother of 2
 
Messages
1,371
OOC First Name
Kait
Blood Status
Mixed Blood
Relationship Status
Married
Sexual Orientation
Heterosexual
Wand
Curly 11 1/2 Inch Flexible Vine Wand with Chimera Scale Fragment Core
Age
12/2027
Lyra Potter's green eyes followed Kingsley and Kamryn carefully as they played in the park. It was hard to believe that the twins would be four in a few short months. She still hadn't returned them to Carter, and she wouldn't until she thought it was safe. One of her hands rested lightly on her ever-growing stomach. At a little more than four months pregnant, the blonde had a slight bump. It was unusual for her as she had always maintained such a fit figure with Quidditch, which she was strictly benched from until after she gave birth. Not for the first time, Lyra wondered how she could have let herself get into this position that she had never wanted to be in.

Lyra had just been to the healer that morning, and she had received both good and bad news. Instead of finding one heartbeat, they heard two. It wasn't that surprising considering she was a twin herself, but the healers also warned her that twins automatically turned this pregnancy into a high risk one, just like Kiera's had been. Lyra still didn't know who the father was, but she knew she couldn't leave Ezra or Felix like her mother left Carter. They would both be devastated, but better that she cut ties now before it happened. Lyra finally understood why her mother had been so willing to let them all go for the two tiny creatures in front of her because Lyra would willing do the same thing for the two growing inside of her. She smiled at Kamryn as the little girl ran up to her with a flower. Lyra took it into her hand, ruffling Kamy's hair before she darted off to resume playing with her brother.
 
There were many things that Kelsey had worried about in her life, her friends, her classes, exams, work, shopping, shoes, her hair, but all of it paled in comparison to how she worried incessantly over little Elio. He was a curious boy, much like she had been at his age, but he was far more social than she had been. As a child, Kelsey had Kieran with her always and so she commonly had him to hang on to, being a little bit shy. Elio, on the other hand, had no family with which to do that. Kelsey avoided her parents like the plague and she couldn't even remember the last time she'd seen her siblings, Kieran not-with-standing, but, it was almost as if Elio was happy just to do his own thing. He chatted away to objects in the apartment and he was quite adept at entertaining himself, another thing Kelsey had to worry about. She was scared he'd never develop socially or emotionally like she thought maybe he should, because she never spent time with other mothers or children because she knew that most of them would judge her for her circumstances. So she wasn't made of money and had to work to make ends meet, but, it wasn't like she left him alone, she had him with her always, which was again something she worried about because she was convinced she was smothering him. She'd never felt so vulnerable and out of her element than she did as a mother and honestly, she was connived she was ruining her son.​
The part was the only place she could go where Elio could be around other kids. As she walked over to sit on one of the benches, a small child, about Elio's age, ran up to give a flower to who Kelsey assumed was her mother. She was very young, but Kelsey didn't judge. How could she? After what happened, people had been surprised she'd been twenty five before having Elio, and then even more were surprised when they had heard the circumstances. After all, no one would ever have said that Kelsey was a genius. She worked incredibly hard for everything she had and in the end, all she really had was Elio. The son that she loved more than life itself. She put Elio on the ground and he took off quickly, chasing the girl, who appeared to have a brother. He was so social, she was sure he'd have no problems convincing them to let him play too. She approached the woman on the seat and smiled kindly, a small basket on her arm full of food for herself and Elio. "Hello, sorry... Do you mind if I sit here with you?" She asked, noticing that the girl looked a little bit lost.​
 
The blonde was surprised when another woman approached her and asked to sit down, but she nodded her head. "Oh..um yes. Of course." Lyra said with a smile as she slid over to make room for the other woman. She didn't love strangers as she had a hard time trusting them, but she wasn't completely unfriendly. The woman seemed nice enough, and the boy appeared to be about the same age as her siblings. She noticed the little boy latch on to Kamy easily, and the little girl was more than happy to oblige. She ran off towards Kingsley with the little boy trailing closely behind. Lyra smiled, happy that she at least seemed to be doing the right thing for the twins. "Looks like you came prepared." she said with a slight smile. Of course, being new to this whole raising children thing, she had not brought any snacks with her. Hopefully, Kamryn and Kingsley wouldn't be hungry while they were here.
 
Kelsey smiled at the woman and sat beside her, placing the basket carefully on the ground. She turned then, to watch Elio, and laughed loudly as he instantly made friends. That was children, they could make friends faster than they could think, sometimes. She wished it was a quality still inherent in her adulthood. Though maybe she did still have it, since she tended to get herself into trouble with people, though, not so much since Elio. He made her both a pariah and approachable. She turned back to the woman and nodded. "Oh, yes," she flicked the lid open to reveal the picnic. "I intended to have a picnic with him, he enjoys that, though now it appears he has made friends with your little ones, I think it might be hard to get him to eat now." She commented, looking down at the food she'd made. Sandwiches, carrot sticks, avocado dip with hummus chips, salad and some butter beer for her, with juice for Elio. She'd gained some culinary knowledge in her time abroad. "He might eat the carrot sticks, I hope."
 
Lyra smiled at the woman as she revealed the feast she had inside her picnic basket. Yes, she was certainly more prepared than Lyra. She seemed like a proper mother, and she assumed Lyra was one too. "Oh no, those aren't my children, or at least not in that way. That's my brother, Kingsley, and my sister, Kamryn. I'm only taking care of them for a little while for my step-father." she explained without providing any more detail. She didn't want anyone outside of her family to know what was really going on. Certainly not some stranger. "Though I can see why you might think that. I suppose I have my own little ones on the way." she said, lightly touching her growing stomach. "I'm Lyra." she said, intentionally leaving off her last name. The woman didn't seem to recognize her, so she'd rather her name not draw any attention.
 
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Kelsey felt embarrassed for having thought the girl was the twins mother, she certainly didn't look like she was old or anything, she'd just assumed it. "It's not that you look old or anything like that, I hope I didn't offend you." She thought the children's names were a bit curious, the name Cameron Kingsley sticking out for her for some reason, but she wasn't sure why. She'd spent a lot of time out of the country, so she hadn't followed a lot of the politics, or any of the Quidditch games either, so that meant names like this didn't always register with her. "Your siblings have lovely names, and you're very kind to be watching them for your step-father." She thought it wasn't something everyone would do and she knew herself that she would never have volunteered to before she had Elio. She realised the girl had mentioned that she was expecting and Kelsey clapped her hands together. "Oh, that's so very exciting, congratulations!" She said, nodding as she said her name. "Lyra, what a nice name, I'm Kelsey and the gremlin is my son, Elio."
 
"Oh no. I'm not offended. Really, it's an easy mistake to make." Lyra said with no animosity in her voice. She knew that would be the assumption most would make when they saw her with the twins. After all, Lanithro had three children about the same age as the twins. If he was the father, it would make child four and five for him. The Styx family was certainly able to take care of them, but she found herself hoping that Felix was their father. She knew he would be great with them even if she wasn't there to help with them. "It's a pleasure to meet you both, Kelsey." Lyra said kindly. "Elio is a cute name. How did you come up with it?" Lyra asked curiously. She had just started thinking about baby names, though she didn't want to actually name the babies until they were born.
 
Kelsey was glad Lyra wasn't offended, it was the last thing she wanted to do to anyone. Despite everything, Kelsey was still a kind and caring person, who never wanted anyone to dislike her. It was part of this flaw she perceived herself to have as to why she was always so worried about Elio. "I suppose it is, but perhaps it is not a bad thing, since it may prepare you for what you will no doubt soon experience?" She asked, gesturing pointedly to the three children, who seemed to have quickly got over normal strangers hesitation and were chasing each other with sticks. "Oh! They seem to be playing at Aurors, how exciting!" Kelsey had loved that game as a child, and for a brief time she'd wanted to be an auror, but she'd never had the grades for that. She turned to look back at Lyra when she asked about Elio's name and she blushed lightly. "Oh, Elio means Sun in Spanish and that's where I had him... I called him Elio because he is the light in my life." She'd been such a wreck when she was pregnant with him, but now, she saw him as such a blessing to her, even if he caused her anxiety and stress, he also caused her many joyous memories and made sure she never felt lonely of sad about anything.​
 
"Looks like they are really getting along. Noah would be proud." Lyra watched the children running around the playground with the sticks, pretending to cast spells. Noah had just been accepted as an auror in training, maybe the twins had gotten the idea from that. "I suppose so. I never wanted any of this though. I didn't want children, but here I am." she said, revealing more than she intended. "Oh god. I shouldn't have said that. Please, forget I said that." Lyra said, not knowing what had come over her. Maybe it was the fact that Kelsey was a stranger so why should Lyra care if she judged her? "Oh. That's beautiful and sweet. I've started trying to think of names, but it's so hard especially on your own." she said lightly.
 
The more they spoke, the more Kelsey got the sense that Lyra was feeling a bit lost with everything. She wasn't sure what the young woman's situation was, and though she would once have pried, she had since learned against doing that. She smiled Kindly again, and flipped the lid of her basket closed again. She assumed, from what Lyra had said, that this Noah person was an Auror, she'd never known many Aurors in her life, not any, from what she could recall, but she knew it to be a good and noble profession, since she had wanted to be one herself. Of course if Elio ever decided he wanted to move into that line of work, Kelsey was sure she would worry about him all the more. She couldn't imagine anything ever happening to her baby boy. "Please don't worry, I understand what it is to be judged by others who have no business judging people, we may not know each other, but I've often found that people who judge others just don't understand the other persons life or choices, I believe we all should be free to choose, if you did not want children, you had your reasons and I am sorry if that choice has been taken away from you." She said, shaking her head. As a young girl, she'd always thought she would have wanted kids, but she'd always assumed she would be married to a man she loved deeply and living in a lovely little home with a white picket fence and a dog. Sometimes things didn't happen the way we wanted them to. "Life has a way of changing your destiny." She said, thinking of the seer she'd once known who had told her she was going to be left out in the cold. If only she had paid more attention then. At the mention of being on her own, Kelsey turned to give her full attention to Lyra. She had thought this Noah might have been the father of her children, but perhaps he was not in the picture? "Does Noah not want anything to do with the children then?" Perhaps she was prying now, but it was only as a means to continue the lovely conversation. It wasn't often she could just sit and talk to someone like this.​
 
Lyra felt a sort of connection with Kelsey that she didn't usually feel with strangers. It was hard for her to make friends because it was so hard for her to trust people she hadn't known for a long time. She found it comforting that the woman was so obviously not judgmental, and Lyra could really use a friend like that. The blonde smiled at Kelsey. "I didn't want to leave my children without a mother like my mother did. She died giving birth to Kamryn and Kingsley. And, honestly, I'm terrified that's going to happen now. Life certainly does change your destiny. This is not what I imagined my life would be like at all." she admitted out loud. All her plans were down the drain. If she could spare Ezra, Felix, and Lanithro, that was all she could do now. She didn't want to cause them any more pain. Lyra was taken aback when Kelsey asked about Noah being involved with her child. She was sure the look of surprise was written on her face. "Oh no. Noah is my cousin. We are a very close family." she said, trying to clear up that miscommunication. "I have more than enough going on in the romance department. I'm actually not sure who the father is, but all three options are involved. It's a complicated story. More than you would be interested in, I'm sure." Lyra said, hoping Kelsey really didn't judge her.
 
Kelsey hadn't really had a strong conversation with another woman, potential mother or otherwise, for a very long time. She'd lost touch with most of her friends years ago, but, maybe not surprisingly, there was something in Lyra that called to Kelsey and she was just genuinely enjoying their conversation, whether it went beyond this park or not. Kelsey knew the kind of hurt one could go through when being judged by others. She had been judged her whole life, and she tired very hard not to allow that kind of prejudice influence her as well. Many years ago, someone had tried to hurt her with judgemental words and at the time, she'd thought that everything they'd said about her was true, but now, Kelsey had a bit more maturity and could understand that they were just trying to hurt her and the words they'd said were not a true reflection of the person she was. As Lyra started talking more openly, Kelsey covered her mouth a little in sympathy for what she appeared to have gone through. Though Kelsey's own relationship with her mother was strained, she couldn't imagine having lost her, the pain was still very clear to Kelsey and she almost hugged Lyra, though she stopped herself quickly, unsure what that kind of intimacy would seem like in this situation, after all, they didn't actually know each other, despite how well they clicked. "Lyra, I am so incredibly sorry you are going through this. What your mother must have gone through, I simply can not imagine, but you seem so strong, I think you need to believe in your own abilities more." Of course, she knew nothing about the woman in front of her, but she just got a sense that there was some hidden depths in her, that perhaps even she didn't know she had.​
As she began to speak more about her situation, Kelsey realised she had mistaken this Noah, and nodded at the miscommunication. "Ah, of course," but Lyra was not finished. It seemed, at least from what Kelsey could see, that Lyra was having some difficulty and didn't quite know what she was going to do. Whilst she had never been quite in that situation herself, she could understand the feeling of being alone, as the father of Elio was not in the picture at all. "Oh, Lyra, that must be an awful situation for you," she could see why this might be hard, trying to put the feelings of three people on the same side as what would be best for herself and that of her children, it was not a simple task and one not well suited for an expectant mother. All things aside, the simplicity of having only one possible father, even if he was not around, made Kelsey grateful. Though she knew she would likely never see him again, she was glad all of that stress was far behind her. "I think perhaps you are in a complicated situation," she began. "It can be hard to try and accomodate everyone involved and it doesn't matter what you do, someone is going to get hurt in the process. Eliminating one man, will hurt him, but then he will have time to process the occasion, the last two may be the most painful, as they likely will have their hopes up after not being the first to be eliminated." She felt sorry for Lyra, but not pity, she hoped she would be able to resolve her situation and find herself at peace. "I believe in you, Lyra, which, I think, is something you need to hear?" She asked, wondering just what kind of life Lyra lead and why she felt the need to confide her stress to a complete stranger.​
 
Lyra knew that what Kelsey said was true. She was strong, but it had been a necessity growing up with the surname Potter and the Minister for your uncle. Her family had often been published in the Daily Prophet with their moves scrutinized. She lost her father at the age of five and her mother at the age of eighteen. "It changed me. I think it changed us all. Nevertheless, it makes my own feelings about becoming a mother very confusing." she admitted. After all, Kelsey already had a child. She would know this feeling of apprehension and dread. Like she was going to somehow screw it all up on the first day.

Lyra was a confident person, or at least that was the aura she projected, but she was in over her head without a parental figure to turn to. It should have been Carter, but he wanted nothing to do with her. She was too much like Kiera for him to stomach being around her. Lyra nodded her head. "One of the potential fathers is just a friend. He won't really mind, but the other two will be difficult." she said, knowing she could be there for hours trying to explain her complicated relationship with Felix and Ezra. She knew she needed to severe ties with Ezra and Felix to keep them from getting hurt. She loved them both too much. It would hurt her the most.
 
Kelsey nodded. She could certainly understand the confusion of motherhood. There had been many times Kelsey had doubted her own abilities, but one thing she had learned was that every mother was different, and they all tried to do what was right for their children, no matter what. She believed this to be true of Lyra's mother too, even if she did not know the woman. "I think that's perfectly normal, I wouldn't try to hard, Lyra, it will come to you, I felt this same confusion and apprehension when I had Elio," she said, turning to smile at the small group. Oh, to be young and untroubled again. "I think you will be amazing, and... I know we don't know each other, but I just want to say that you will be a great mother," she had that feeling simply because she was looking after her siblings and she was worried for her children even before they were born, it spoke volumes of the kind of person this woman was, even if she didn't know it herself. "Lyra, don't doubt yourself. Motherhood is a great gift and even if you never thought about it for yourself, I think it will be a path that will truly show you the kind of person you are, I really believe that." She said, a smile blooming on her face that she'd not felt in a long time. She genuinely liked Lyra, and she wished only the best for her.​
"Perhaps you should think about what is best for you," she started, hoping to alleviate some of the guilt the girl was feeling, because she was still just a girl. "Don't worry about how the others will feel, this isn't really about them right now, this is about you, your feelings, how you want to do this, what you think is best for you," she continued. "Someone is the father of these babies, you know that much, maybe it doesn't matter so much who fathered them biologically, but who you place the most trust in as a partner." She said, wondering if this might help. "Who do you think would be the best fit for the way you want to raise your babies, or, maybe, do you think this is something you would prefer to do yourself?"
 
Lyra listened to Kelsey talk about motherhood, trying to absorb what she was saying. After all, the other woman had several years of experience, and it looked like she had everything under control. It wasn't like she could ask her own mother about the challenges she was facing, and Kelsey's words were helping her. Kelsey's faith in Lyra made her feel like she was going to be all right, as long as she could make it through the birth to be around for her children. "Thank you. You are really kind. I don't really have any friends outside of the potential fathers, and I can't talk to them about this. Well, I can Lanithro, but I think you have better advice." she said with a small smile. Falon might have been one of those people, but they weren't friends anymore, and Maddie had too much history with Lyra for her to open up in the same way. Lyra liked Kelsey, and she hoped that it wouldn't be the last time that she talked to the other woman. Kelsey seemed like just the type of person she needed in her life.

Lyra listened to Kelsey's advice about who she wanted to raise her children with her. Who did she want to be her partner in this, and the blonde found herself unable to answer. She couldn't see past the birth to know what she wanted. Her fears were too strong for her to focus on making a logical decision about this. "I think...I need to go this alone for now. I don't feel capable of making this decision with everything going on. Felix and Ezra both want to marry me, but it's too much for me right now. I don't want to hurt them if things turn out like they did with my mother. It's best for everyone if I just do this myself." she said, a familiar determined look in her eyes. The blonde turned her attention back to Kelsey. "How did you get to be so wise? Does that just come with being a mom?" she asked curiously.
 
Kelsey had several years on Lyra, as much as she didn’t want to think about that, it was fairly obvious. They were having a lovely conversation and Kelsey had the feeling they could very easily have been friends in school. She didn’t think they’d gone to school together, or if they did it was only for a year or two, in which case Kelsey probably would never have taken notice of her, since she was pretty busy in her last two years. She’d wanted so desperately to be a healer, but hadn’t quite made the grades to do so, then she’d gone traveling for a while learning all sorts of herbal and medicinal purposes for different herbs and that had been a lot of fun, but she’d learned quite quickly that sometimes the best laid plans can fail and you can’t always control the way your life would go. Lyra, though she didn’t know her, certainly seemed the type who’d had a specific life path chosen and it now all seemed to have been put in jeopardy. Kelsey looked over at Elio, he was a testament that sometimes life had a way of giving you what you needed. Kelsey certainly would have preferred the circumstances to have been different, but she would never wish away her greatest gift and deepest concern. She would worry always for him, as any mother would do her own child. Kelsey turned back to Lyra and laughed slightly at the compliment to her skills as an advice giver. “Well now, advice is only as good as the people who take it!” She told her. “I could sit here and speak until my face was blue, but it’s up to you to actually take it.”

Elio came racing over then and grinned at Kelsey. “Do you want some food, hun?” She asked, quickly flipping the lid of her basket and pulling out the whole container of carrot sticks. “Do your Kamryn and Kingsley like carrot sticks? Elio will share, won’t you darling?” He nodded and Kelsey grinned back at him, handing off the carrot sticks as he rushed back to his friends. “He doesn’t have a lot of kids his own age to be with, this will be good for him I think”. She nodded to herself as Lyra mentioned wanting to go it alone. She, more than most, could understand the stress of trying to please everyone, she was a born pleaser and it had been terrible, she was learning now to try and put herself first, well, Elio and then herself anyway. “That’s certainly a tough decision,” she said, frowning slightly in thought. “These boys,” she said boys only because she assumed they were younger than herself and quite honestly they all sounded immature, even Lyra, “they know you aren’t aware who the father is and yet they seem to be causing you even more stress?” This poor girl certainly had her hands full, that was no question. “It will be difficult to do this on your own if one of those two, Ezra and Felix, are the father. You might be okay if it is this Lanithro of yours, but I feel that even he may wish to interfere in some way, you can not always tell with men.” Boys. Kelsey had almost forsaken them, almost.​
She stopped then, because something Lyra had said suddenly clicked for her. Lyra was terrified she was going to die in childbirth - just like her mother had done! “Oh, Lyra - I didn’t click, sweetie,” she couldn’t help herself with a little pet name, “Do you think you’ll die in childbirth?” She couldn’t believe she hadn’t clicked before! It made sense now with what she’d said earlier and about being scared. Oh the poor girl. Kelsey couldn’t even answer her question because her mind was racing with what she could say to reassure the girl, not that there was much, there was every possibility that she very well could die in childbirth after all, no matter how slim the chance. “Sweetie, I think you need to stop thinking about that, if it’s causing you so much grief. Have you spoken to anyone about this? Perhaps your Stepfather could help in some way, I assume he went through this when your mother died, yes?” She has no idea how close Lyra was with her stepfather, but he was at least someone that knew a bit more about the situation probably. Surely there was someone the poor girl could speak to? But then, if that was the case, why would she feel the need to onload herself on a complete stranger?​
 
Lyra smiled at Kelsey's boy as he came up, asking her for a snack. The blonde shrugged her shoulders at the question. "I'm not entirely sure, but they tend to like most fruits and veggies." she said, still thinking that was odd for the typical four year old, but healthy eating had always been important in her mother's house. She doubted things had changed in that department. "He's welcome to play with the twins whenever. We can set up playdates." she suggested. Just as Lyra had suspected, the twins were happily munching away at the carrots.

Lyra pursed her lips at Kelsey's question about the boys that she loved, because she did love them all in different ways. "I have a complicated history with them all. Lanithro was my first boyfriend, but his father said no Potters, so we broke up. We've stayed best friends since though, and he's on my Quidditch team. If he's the father, we could co-parent just fine. I love him, and he loves me. He's always there for me. No matter what I do." she said, with a small smile. Really, she was quite lucky to have Lanithro. "Felix was my boyfriend during my sixth and seventh years at Hogwarts. When my mother died, I broke his heart. He was going to propose the night I broke up with him. I love him. I always have, always will, but I've hurt him so much. He actually proposed again about a month ago, but I told him I wasn't making decisions like that until after the baby was born. I don’t know if I can live without him. Every day is a struggle to stay away." she admitted. Lyra didn't know why she was spilling her guts to Kelsey, or why she thought the other girl would be interested in the slightest. "Ezra...I met him in a bar, but I knew him from before. He's the brother of one of my ex-boyfriends. He caught me by surprise. I never expected to love him or for him to love me, but here we are. He's been so patient and understanding. He doesn't push me, and let's me come to my decisions in my own time. We've been dating unofficially for nearly three years, and officially about five months. We live together." she explained. She didn't want to hurt Ezra or Felix, but it seemed unavoidable.

Lyra looked at Kelsey as she made the connection to Lyra's fears. "Yes. I am afraid of exactly that." the blonde said, biting her lip. She didn't want her secret getting out. Especially not to Felix or he would never give up on her. “I don’t have many friends.” she said quite honestly. Lyra snorted as Kelsey suggested she ask her stepfather for advice. "Carter is the reason I think I need to make a clean break from Ezra and Felix. The last time I talked to him, he was drunk. He threw a glass at me, which missed and shattered on the floor, and called me my mother's name. So, I took the children. I didn't think it was safe for them there. Carter's been a disaster since my mother died. He's nothing like he used to be." she said, getting to the root of the issue. "I don't want to wreck anyone like my mother did Carter, or like my father did to my mother when he disappeared. It's just....too much."
 
Kelsey watched the kids as they played, she was grateful to know there were some children Elio's age. After all, she was concerned about his development, he could talk, sure, but he didn't talk much like a kid, since he only had his mother to emulate and she'd never been interested in baby speech. She'd been speaking to her son like an adult, which helped her a little, because having only a child to speak with could be tiring, she needed to have adult conversation too, which is why working in the shop was so good, she could strike up a conversation with some of the patrons and her boss was lovely about letting Elio stay with her, as long as he kept away from the owls of course, which was harder than it ought to be, since Elio was convinced he could become an owl and maybe he would one day, but not today. "That would be wonderful, yes, I think we would both like that." Elio could have his fun, and Kelsey could relax with a glass of wine for a while, she didn't like to drink often, she knew how that turned out for some people, but she liked the occasional drink, just not around Elio and she didn't drink enough to get drunk as she always made bad decisions when she did so. She turned her attention back to Lyra then, and listened to what she had to say about the men in her life. It was certainly a lot and Kelsey was beginning to see more of a picture of what her life was like. There was just... so much complexity, clearly more than the poor young woman was wanting and yet, try as she might, Kelsey couldn't really think of the right words to say. It all was more than she'd ever had to worry about. She'd had only two boyfriends in school and only one, if Elio's father could be called that, after school. She'd tried dating a bit, but having a small child in tow, it was difficult. Lyra was certainly more experienced in that area than she was, and yet there was something in what she was saying that was hesitant, unsure, seeking wisdom from Kelsey that she longed to provide, but was unsure if she had the ability to do so. She was good with people, she knew that, but this was something else entirely. Given the wrong advice, Lyra could make the completely wrong decision and the thought of that was daunting at best and terrifying at worst. "That's certainly a rather complicated situation you seem to have fallen into." She said, tilting her head slightly as she looked out at the kids and crossed her legs. She wanted to say something, even just to reassure Lyra that she was listening. She certainly seemed to need to unburden herself and this was clearly the first moment she'd had to do so. It spoke to her character for sure.​

Kelsey was preparing to comment when she realised that Lyra actually wasn't finished. Her guess about what was happening with her potentially dying had been correct it seemed, and there was more, regarding her step father, it was all... well it was quite an unsettling situation that was the truth. Kelsey had never considered herself a particularly strong person, she tended to run from her problems, and overreact to a lot of situations, she had grown rather a lot since her school years, but her first instinct was still to run from heavy situations, an instinct she was sure would have kicked into high gear were she in Lyra's position. The Potter girl... Potter girl? Kelsey went back over the conversation quickly in her head, yes, she'd mentioned her boyfriend Lanithro's father hadn't wanted him dating a Potter, as in Harry Potter? A quick glance at Lyra and those famous green eyes told her exactly what she needed to know. This was Lyra Potter, daughter of the late James and Kiera Potter, Granddaughter to Harry Goddamn Potter. Kelsey was talking to a Potter. She momentarily stopped breathing as the implications of such started to settle into her mind. She'd seen Harry Potter once when she was a little girl, the scar was what she remembered most, and the green eyes. He was much older than his pictures, probably because he himself had been older. It had been at a Quidditch match when she was about seven or eight. He'd seemed so... normal, if that was the right word. Sitting with his wife and daughter. She hadn't know it was him until a bit later, but the memory had stuck with her always. She shook her head. That wasn't important. She was talking to Lyra, not Harry Potter, and besides, that was half a world away, not here and now. She could fan girl over this all later. Kelsey remembered when she'd heard the rumours about James Potter though, she'd been in about second or third year, she thought. It had been shocking, no one had known what had happened and she was pretty sure that was still the case. Knowing who Lyra was, she also remembered reading about Kiera's death in the international news too. Kiera... Kaster, she thought, which would have made her step father... that Carter guy, the one who'd run in the recent elections. Kelsey probably would have voted for him, if he'd stayed in the running, as it was she'd voted for Cat, there was just something about her that Kelsey had liked. She couldn't believe she'd taken this long to work out just who Lyra was. She never really paid attention to that stuff, but the Potters? They were big news for everyone, as much as she was sure they didn't want to be.​

"You have certainly been through a lot." She said, stunted. She couldn't keep the shock, or the sadness out of her voice as she looked back over to the three kids playing. So unburdened, completely oblivious to the deep conversation taking place between the two adults and Kelsey envied their ability to switch the rest of the world off. A skill she wished was still present in her life. It would have made quite a few things a lot easier. "I don't quite know what to say, but..." She wanted to say something, anything to her, to take some of the burden off her, let her know she wasn't alone. There had to be something she could say, surely? She wasn't normally so hesitant to speak, but she could see the strain of the situation on her, she could empathise with her plight, even if she couldn't completely understand it. "Regarding your... suitors?" It probably wasn't the right word, but, oh well. "I see why you might be concerned. That certainly seems like a situation you'll find hard to control." She would have liked to know more about these boys, she was sure there was more too this, but she didn't know Lyra, well, she was beginning to, but she didn't know her history of her story, not really. She could only know what she was receiving from the woman as she spoke, and whatever small tidbits of information shared in the papers, that she tended not to read anyway. "Having a friend by your side would be ideal, and if this Lanithro can be that for you, it will help you out, definitely so. It's easier to share the burden of parents, I should think. You may have different parenting methods however, and you may not agree on how you want to raise your children, so that is something you should consider." At least, she assumed so, she'd only ever had herself and Elio, so she really wasn't speaking from experience there. "Felix sounds a little like he would try to love a baby that wasn't his, but may eventually find that he would want a child of his own, it's hard to say how he might grow into that, but I expect he may transfer any love for you onto a child, perhaps smothering you both because he's overcompensating." She didn't mean to speak ill of anyone, but she was only saying what she was getting from descriptions. The last boy that Lyra spoke of, Ezra, he was an outlier, she was finding it hard to get a read on him from his description alone, not being pushy could mean anything and it could mean he wouldn't try to fight for her if things got tough, something she was sure would happen with Felix. Lanithro would probably let her do her own thing, which is what she wanted, but if she wanted this Ezra person to fight, Kelsey felt it might be something she would have to let him know, since he seemed to be a little too casual perhaps. She'd really need to know them to know that for sure. "Ezra seems like he might let you go, if you really tried."

"I think you're making the right choice for you. I'm not saying I think you're right, or that I agree with what you're saying," she hastily told Lyra, making sure she understood that this thought of dying was best left behind her. "But, if you honestly believe this is something you ought to prepare for, then I think that maybe you should. Leaving this world with nothing in it, having no way to say good bye, I imagine that would be horrible for everyone. But, Lyra," She said, smiling slightly. "You must know that you can make your own choices in this. If you let yourself believe in something too much, you can make it happen, stressing about what is going to happen in the future and trying to change things, make things better or worse, ignore reality, it can make your fears become a reality." She said. "Magic happens around us all the time, and... I know that you may not believe this, but, I think you might be whipping yourself up into a nightmarish false panic about something that may never happen." She said, turning completely to face her whole body to Lyra. She carefully reached out and grasped Lyra's hands with her own. "Lyra Potter, I know who you are now. I've heard you speak about your life, I've read about your family," she said, hoping Lyra wouldn't take offence to that, "if there is one undeniable truth of everything I've ever read, it's that no one, not even death, can stop a Potter who's determined to compete something." She hoped that she was helping at leas a little bit. She did like to be helpful, but sometimes it was really hard to tell.​
 
Lyra knew that what Kelsey said about Lanithro and Felix was mostly true. She already knew Lanithro was a good father as he had three other children he loved and cared about. Lanithro would stand with her through anything. She just knew he would. He'd never desert her. Felix loved her more than he loved anything in this world. He had proven that time and time again by choosing Lyra over everything. The blonde had no doubts he would love her children as much as he loved her, no matter who the father was. He had already told her as much, and she would never doubt his words again. It was her job to protect him from himself. However, it was Kelsey's words about Ezra that had her shaking her head in disagreement. "No. Ezra would never give up on me. He waited for me for almost three years. I will have to lie to him to get him to leave now. He's promised to protect me and the children." she said, glancing at her brother and sister. "I think I might be the only thing he's ever truly loved. I can't let him break his promise." she said, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. She brushed them away hastily. She hated to cry in front of other people.

Kelsey continued on, saying Lyra was making the right choice for her. It relieved her to hear someone else voice that she was doing what was best. If she did manage to survive the birth, she could make her choice then. She knew Felix and Ezra would forgive her for what she did....or at least Felix would forgive her. He already had. She heard what Kelsey was saying. That this sort of negative thinking could end up coming true if she dwelled on it, but she didn't believe it. What was going to happen would happen no matter how Lyra felt about it. "No. I'm not saying goodbye. It's not any easier. My mother wrote us all letters, and it was horrible. I won't do that to them. A clean break is the easiest way to heal." she said with certainty.

Then, Kelsey surprised Lyra by taking hold of both of her hands. Lyra's green eyes widened as Kelsey said her full name. So, she figured it out. It did not ease Lyra's mind to hear that Kelsey had read about her family. She hated the stories in the Prophet that detailed her private affairs and private grief. Still, the other woman would have found out soon enough because Lyra did think Kelsey would be her friend. But, her words were too much. Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. "I'm not sure I believe that or else my mother and father would still be here." she said, quietly. This was much too public a place for Lyra to be crying.
 
Kelsey nodded at Lyra spoke. It was good that she knew these boys so well, as that would become important down the line. She couldn't believe that all of this seemed to be falling into place at once. It was beginning to make much more sense to her as they went along through this conversation of the kind of person Lyra was. She certainly couldn't blame the poor girl for what she'd gone through, after all, it wasn't like this was the kind of situation most people got themselves into. "If you think that is true, you would know him better than me, so I can't say what is true and what is not." She said, nodding. It was nice that she seemed to have some kind of support. She wouldn't want Lyra to suffer what she had, it was incredibly lonely to raise a child by yourself. She listened to Lyra talk and she could understand some of what she was saying. Kelsey thought she might prefer to know what her loved ones last thoughts were, but she had not endured what Lyra had, so it was hard to know for sure, since Lyra had something to base her decisions off of, and Kelsey did not. "You are doing what you think best, I can't tell you any different and nor should anyone else. You're a strong person Lyra, I think you'll do exactly what you need to do." She told her, nodding. She believed everything she said without a doubt. As Lyra seemed to grow sadder, Kelsey could see the tears starting. Kelsey smiled slightly at her. "If you wish to leave, feel free to do so. I understand how hard it can be to cry in front of others." She'd done so herself and to this day she didn't know how the other girl felt about it. "I didn't mean to upset you." She added, feeling back she'd caused this reaction in the girl.​
 

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