Unlikely Friends

[Madeline Walden]

Maddie still couldn't believe what she had seen only a few seconds ago. Falon and Lyra, fighting. The two girls who always seemed to have each others backs had been seen to be at each others throats. Maddie had been sitting on one of the benches going over her Muggle Studies homework when she had heard raised voices. She had heard something about Fee and Lyra had ran off not long after. Despite their differences, Lyra had attempted to be friendly with Maddie and they had tried to piece together a friendship as much as they could and as such Maddie felt like she needed to chase after Lyra to make sure she was okay.

She had followed Lyra all the way to the Quidditch Pitch and she waited to catch her breath before approaching her fellow Gryffindor. "Lyra?" she said softly "are you okay?"she asked her, knowing full well that it was a stupid question as she obviously wasnt. Maddie hung back a little in case Lyra wanted to be alone, after all, they were not that good of friends yet so she could more than understand if Lyra didn't want to talk to her.

 

[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra was slight in stature, and she could move quick. She ran. Her feet flew over the ground as she desperately fled the scene. Away from Falon and Felix who she could help but think of when she saw his twin's face. Lyra hadn't stopped running until she found the familiar green grass of the Quidditch pitch. Thank Merlin it was empty today. She needed time to process. It was worse than she thought. Her face was wet as tears ran down her cheeks. Lyra sank down on the grass, putting her head between her hands.

Lyra wiped her cheeks quickly as she heard a voice speaking to her. She thought she had been alone here, but looking up, she saw Madeline. The other girl looked concerned as she asked if she was okay. Once, Lyra would have been tempted to lash out against her, but not now. "Not even close, and I never will be again." she answered with exhaustion in her voice. Lyra believed it too. Not without her mother. Not without Felix.
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[Madeline Walden]

Maddie frowned, she had never seen Lyra like this before and it was quite disconcerting. She knelt down on the grass next to her fellow Gryffindor and in a rare show of affection for the girl she lightly stroked her arm. Despite their differences in the past, Lyra seemed to be in genuine pain and Maddie didn't like seeing her like that."I'm sure it can't be that bad. What's happened? I saw you arguing with Falon... I thought you guys were best friends?" she asked Lyra tentatively.

 

[Professor Lyra Potter]

The blonde was surprised when Maddie reached out, stroking her arm in a gesture of comfort. Lyra's apology early in the year had helped, but their relationship was still mending from all the years of hating each other. At least she hadn't heard everything from the fight, but Lyra didn't play to lie to Madeline about it. "We were, but that was before I broke up with Felix." Lyra said, looking up at Maddie. Her face was stained with tears. She was more vulnerable than she had ever been in front of Madeline. "Apparently, he wanted to marry me. Or that's what Falon says. I didn't let him get that far." the Gryffindor girl said, tears slipping from her eyes.
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[Madeline Walden]

Maddie was relieved that Lyra didn't pull away from her and she took it as a good sign that she could ask her roommate more questions. However, she did not expect to hear that Lyra and Felix had broken up. Most of the drama from the previous year had been to do with the fact that Lyra and Felix were completely besotted with each other so to hear that they had broken up truly shocked Maddie. If Lyra and Felix felt only have the love that Maddie and James felt for each other it would be hard to see how they would have gotten themselves into this situation. She always thought that the two were as loved up as Maddie and James were but she was obviously wrong.

Unable to hide her confusion Maddie withdrew her hand and rested it on her cheek "I.. I don't understand though... I thought you two were happy... I thought... he was who you wanted?" she asked Lyra, trying not to sound too accusatory. It was a shame that the reason they hated each other all over these years seemed to no longer be an issue. They had spent so long disliking each other for absolutely nothing. "Oh Lyra, i'm so sorry" she said bringing her fellow Gryffindor into a hug. She couldn't imagine how Lyra was feeling. To hear that someone wanted to marry you after breaking up with them only moments before would confuse and upset anyone.

 

[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra heard the surprise in Maddie's voice, and the undertone of judgement, even if she was trying to hide it, and Lyra appreciated the effort. Especially with their history. Before she knew it, Madeline Walden was hugging Lyra Potter, and Lyra was hugging her back. Never in a million years would she have imagined that Maddie would hug her. Rip her hair out? Sure, but not showing her affection. "Oh, but Felix is the one I want, Maddie. I can't imagine ever loving anyone else, but I can't marry him. Not now. Not ever." Lyra said adamantly. She didn't know if Maddie would understand. Falon certainly didn't, but Lyra had hurt her brother. "Felix is resilient. He will find someone else." she said, telling herself the same line she had thought a thousand times before. The thought of Felix with someone else was excruciatingly painful, but she did want him happy. Lyra would always only want the best for Felix. He deserved it.
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[Madeline Walden]

Madeline couldn't believe the situation that the two Gryffindors found themselves in. Hugging... each other! If someone had told Maddie that she would be hugging Lyra Potter she would have laughed in their faces. But some things were more important than petty arguments and Lyra was genuinely upset. Maddie pulled out of the hug for a second and looked at her, she felt incredibly sorry for the Gryffindor. "If you love him so much why did you break up with him?" Maddie asked Lyra, she couldn't understand it. Anyone could see that Fee and Lyra were soul mates and from the way Lyra was acting and the things she was saying she thought the same, so why did she break up with him? Maddie shook her head at the lie that Lyra told her "you know that's not true Lyra" she said taking her hand in her own "Fee is obsessed with you. He doesn't want anyone else. He's never wanted anyone else" she added, thinking about her own relationship with the Hufflepuff boy. She smiled in spite of herself, it was so obvious back then but they were all too stubborn to admit it. It was easier to hate each other. "Come on Lyra, he'll take you back in an instant. You two are good for each other. I know you don't really want this!" she said looking at her.

 

[Professor Lyra Potter]

Lyra heard everything Maddie was saying, and she was mostly right. Felix and Lyra had always been meant for each other even though they didn't realize it until last year. Only, Lyra wasn't so sure that Felix would take her back that quickly. She had hurt him, and he was angry with her. Not that she was going to try to get him back. Lyra hesitated, deciding whether she could really trust Maddie to keep her secrets, and deciding to try to trust her. "Did you know my mom was pregnant?" Lyra asked. It might seem like she was changing the subject, but she wasn't. "Well, she had another set of twins on Christmas Day. The babies are tiny and perfect, but my mom died." she said, wrapping her arms around herself as she struggled to get the words out. She spoke quickly, unraveling the story for Madeline before she lost her nerve. "I know these things sometimes happen, but she knew. She made the choice to stay pregnant even though it would likely kill her." the blonde said, trying to keep her anger at her mother out of her voice. "I've seen what losing my father did to my mother, and what losing my mother did to my stepfather. I've lost both my parents. I don't want to hurt Felix like that. I'm never getting married. I'm never having children. I don't want to make anyone feel the way I feel, or the way I've seen Carter feeling." she said, her voice shaky. She didn't know if Maddie would understand. Falon didn't. "Felix can't ever know. I told him I don't love him anymore, but that's a lie. If he knew that, he'd never let me go and move on. Please don't tell him, Maddie. Please." she begged the other girl.

 

[Madeline Walden]

Maddie shook her head at Lyra's question she didn't know that much about Lyra's family really, apart from Link. The two had never really got close enough to exchange facts about their home life and their families. Maddie was not prepared for what Lyra was about to reveal. She instinctively went to rub Lyra's arm in comfort once more and tried to stop her own eyes from watering. Maddie couldn't even comprehend how Lyra must be feeling. To lose one's mother must be one of the most painful things in the world but it made Lyra's recent actions make a bit more sense. "Oh Lyra, I can't even imagine what you're going through. Losing your mom has to be the worst thing" she said and to hear Lyra's mom's sacrifice meant she felt lots more sorry for her. "I understand why you're upset Lyra, but your mom probably thought she was doing the best thing. She knew the risks but she was being quite selfless by choosing to bring your little siblings into the world" Maddie replied, trying to make Lyra feel better but she didn't know how effective her words would be in a situation like this.

She took Lyra's face in her hand and looked her directly in the eyes "Lyra. You cannot let this stop you from having love in your life. Everyone experiences loss. It is the worst pain in the world but with that you get your happiest moments too! Do you think you stepdad would have taken all those years with your mother back? Definitely not! Would your mother wish that she hadn't spent all that time with your father? I bet you she wouldn't! There is no way that she would want this to stop you from being with Felix. Loving him. Spending your life with him!" she said, exasperatedly "you can't punish yourself like this. You're strong Lyra!" she said to her fellow Gryffindor.

Maddie shook her head in frustration, she knew Lyra still loved Felix and she was fooling herself. She took a deep breath when Lyra begged Maddie not to tell him her true feelings. Despite having no loyalties to either Lyra or Felix she nodded her head in agreement, eventually. "Okay, I won't say anything to him Lyra. But you have to think about this again. He would understand how you're feeling but he would also reassure you. He wouldn't care. All he wants to do is spend every second with you and I know you feel the same. But, of course, I wont say anything to him" she said, reluctantly "but, as a friend to a friend, you're making a mistake" she warned her. Maddie wanted Lyra to be happy and she knew that this wasn't the way.

 

[Professor Lyra Potter]

"Losing my mom has been worse than losing my dad. You would think that I would be more prepared, but it's different. I was so young when my father disappeared that I don't remember it as well. I mostly remember my mom's reaction to it, and how a piece of her seemed to die with him. Aunt Kat came to stay with us for a few months. My mom was gone all the time, searching for him, and every time she came home, her eyes were a little less bright and a little less hopeful." Lyra said, knowing that she never talked about her father's disappearance to anyone. Felix had heard some of it, but it still wasn't something she liked to discuss. The aurors thought it was some old enemy of her father's family that took him from them, but one of the worst parts was that they would never really know what happened. The case had grown cold and just stopped. "It's the same with Carter now. He just looks so...lost and alone. I can't do that to Felix. I just can't."

Lyra was surprised when Madeline put her hand on Lyra's face and said all of those things about Felix and Lyra. She even called Lyra a friend. It was what Lyra wanted, but she hadn't been sure it was possible after their tumultuous relationship over all these years. Kindness was not something Lyra had ever associated with Madeline, but maybe it was just because Lyra had been too jealous and petty to even give her a chance. "I appreciate your efforts, Maddie, but I never really deserved Felix to begin with, and I don't want that pain for him. I want him to live a happy life. He'll find someone new that won't ever hurt him. I can't make that promise. I can't promise to stay with him forever." Lyra said, holding on to the other girl's hand tightly. "Thank you. Thank you for keeping my secret. I know you don't agree, but I appreciate it all the same." she said, placing her head on the other girl's shoulder.
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[Madeline Walden]

Maddie hadn't expected Lyra to open up to her as much as she had done in the past few moments. She had no idea about her father and now to lose her mother as well, Maddie couldn't imagine such heartbreak. Despite everything that she thought about the Lyra and Felix situation she understood why Lyra was pushing him away so much. Maddie wondered what she would do in her situation, to lose her own mother and father and how to she would treat James. she couldn't imagine pushing him away, she would want to keep him closer than ever and she only wished that Lyra would want to do the same with Fee.

James had just lost his own father and luckily for Maddie, there didn't seem to be much change in him. Certainly not towards Maddie anyway which she was grateful for, but she would have never let him push her away. There was just no way that, that would have happened. They had waited so long to get together and she was absolutely confident that nothing would get in between them. If only she could convince Lyra to feel the same way about Felix but she was so stubborn and she was so set in doing this course of action.

"I had no idea about your Dad Lyra, I'm so sorry about him. That must have been torture for your family" she said, comforting her friend "your mom was strong, you are strong you take after her. You can handle anything, and if not... I'll be here to support you aswell" she added smiling at Lyra, deciding to put everything that had happened between them definitively in the past. She felt a rush of emotion when Lyra continue to hold her hand and continued to show affection by placing her head on Maddie's shoulder. She sighed deeply and rested her own head on Lyra's "you'll be okay Lyra, we'll get through this" she said.