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Behind the Veil	By : Leo Category: Harry Potter AU/AR > General Views: 3541 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I own no rights to the Harry Potter franchise and seek to make no profits from the distribution of this fictional work.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
Pairings: FemHP/TMR, LP/JP, SB/OC, RL/NT, DM/DG

Disclaimer: I own no rights to the Harry Potter franchise and seek to make no profits from the distribution of this fictional work.

A/N: Thank you to those who reviewed my previous chapters, you serve as my source of motivation to push ever forward with this story. For some of you, I hope you enjoyed your Spring Break; I had the pleasure of going to Washington D.C. over the break, so thank you for your patience in waiting for this chapter to arrive.

Behind the Veil

By StycianLeo

Chapter VI

Hogwarts, Unplottable Location, Scotland, UK

December 20, 1991

Winter was settling in, the weeks since the Quidditch game with Slytherin had brought increasingly colder days and at some point in mid-December Hogwarts had woken up to snow covered grounds and a frozen over lake.

The Weasley twins had gotten into trouble for enchanting several snow balls to continuously pelt Professor Quirrel on the back of the head, and with Iris' knowledge of Harry's memories she couldn't help but find the implications of that enormously funny.

The school children had filled the afternoons after their classes with playing out in the snow or in Iris' case getting a seventh year to transfigure an old pair of trainers and some steak knives into ice skates so that she could skate on the lake.

There was a certain release to ice skating, a fluidity of movement that could not be duplicated anywhere else; it was as close to flight as one could get. Not the flight of broomsticks, which while exhilarating, was confined to the broomstick; but the freedom of flight that only the birds knew and that was what Iris found on the ice.

Alas, the days were becoming shorter and as daylight faded the students of Hogwarts retreated from the cold, white landscape to the relative warmth of the castle; where once chilled extremities seemed to be filled with molten fire as feeling returned to numbed hands and feet and through their wind bitten faces.

While the Common Rooms and gathering areas of the castle were warm and cozy with their blazing fireplaces; the hallways were cold and drafty, it was not uncommon to see small clumps of snow in the corridors and where the snow melted the winds had chilled it into thin sheets of ice. Madam Pomfrey had been kept rather busy with a slew of children who had gotten injured by slipping or gotten sick from exposure to the elements.

The students had discovered that the very worst of locations was down in the dungeons, while Draco had assured Iris that the Slytherin Common Room was quite comfortable; having fireplaces arranged in each corner of the room to keep it warm and toasty, it made little difference in the Potions classroom that was abhorrently frigid.

The only thing that made the classroom bearable was the fact that Iris' robes had been ensorcelled with a warming charm and the fact that she was huddled with her blonde cousin around the fire that their cauldron sat upon but their breath still misted in the air as they exhaled and she was constantly rubbing her hands together to keep them from going numb.

Iris had discovered that Potions class was not so terrible when Professor Snape wasn't trying to torture you and while the man was known to play favorites with his Slytherins and made life nearly unbearable for the other Houses, Gryffindors in particular, he had let Iris slide unscathed.

Perhaps that had been the reason that she was doing exceedingly well in the class, well working with Draco helped considering that the Potions Master was his godfather and having someone on one lessons with a man as skilled as Snape would undoubtedly leave its mark, but it didn't change the fact that she had developed a knack for the subtle art of brewing and her instincts for it were good.

In this particular class for instance they were brewing a Cold Curing Concoction; a simple formula that needed no further explanation as to what it did. It was a straightforward potion to make, switching temperature at the appropriate times, moving it off and over the flames when adding certain ingredients and ultimately just following the directions that were written on the board in Snape's spidery script.

Towards the end of the brewing, Iris and Draco were looking at a livid pink fluid with the composition and texture of clotted cream and all that was needed was for them to stir the potion until it had even out into a smoother texture. But Iris had felt a nagging, not one that had come from Harry's memories but more of a gut feeling and she had looked at the table beside them while Draco was stirring.

The boy looked at her frustrated expression with a raised eyebrow, "Iris, you look like you're about to flip the table because it did something wrong. What's the matter?"

"I don't know, I have the feeling that we're missing something; but we followed the instructions exactly and there isn't anything in the book about another step!" Iris said as she ran a hand through her hair as she narrowed her eyes at the pink potion like it was mocking her.

Draco gave her a curious stare but nodded his head as though he was used to this kind of reaction, "Check my kit, it's a bit more filled out then yours is; pays to have a Potions Master as a tutor right?"

Iris looked at the boy skeptically but circled the table to rummage through his kit, unsure what she was looking for until she found it; she triumphantly extracted a small pouch of menthe leaves. Taking out a pinch of the strong smelling leaves Iris added them into the potion as Draco stirred them in and turned the fluid into bright neon pink and the texture softened into a watery blend with a refreshing scent.

The change didn't go unnoticed as Professor Snape descended upon them, he plucked the bag from Iris' hand gently and pulled out a pinch of the leaves before looking at the raven haired girl, "Miss Potter, would you like to explain to me why you have decided to add an ingredient that wasn't listed in the instruction?" The question came out softly, and there wasn't any malice that Iris could detect so she decided to answer honestly.

"I'm not sure Professor, I told Draco that I felt the potion was missing something and he offered to let me search through his kit. When I found the menthe leaves, I just knew that I needed to add them." Iris replied and half expected Snape to explode at her for her unfounded compulsion; but he didn't, instead he just nodded approvingly.

"Those are some very strong potioneer instincts you have their Miss Potter, I do recall your mother having the same trait. While menthe leaves due increase the curative properties of the potion, it also increases the potency of the Cold Curing Concoction; so it is only used in the more extreme cases when the risk of phenomena is apparent." Snape said with just a touch of pride in his voice, and Iris couldn't help but brighten under the praise.

"Five points to Gryffindor and Slytherin, for an exceptional potion." Snape said as he set the packet of leaves back into Draco's kit and turned around to continue examining the rest of the classes work. Of the class, only three more student pairs were successful in producing the rich pink and creamy texture that indicated a correct brewing, a few more achieved weaker strength potions with the rest of the class failing to produce the potion correctly.

As they were leaving the class, Iris had been allowed to keep a vial of her extra-strength potion; not because of any prevailing need for the liquid but rather because she was proud of having done the work well. Having hung behind after the class to fill the vial, her Slytherin companions had left without her; but Hermione had waited behind for her.

As they exited the classroom, the girl slipped it into her bag while the clever bushy haired girl was trying to figure out how to maneuver around a giant fir tree that was in the way, apparently being supported by two massive feet.

"Hello Hagrid, would you care for any help?" Hermione asked the half-giant, Iris looked at the brunette with a raised eyebrow, she could appreciate her desire to help but really what could she have done to help him move an object that sized at her age.

"Nah, thanks for the offer though Hermione." Hagrid replied sounding slightly out of breath, not that one could blame him; he was carrying a tree through the castle…

"Oh, how cute is that! The mudblood is sucking up to that oaf!" The words were practically dripping with venom and Iris could see Hermione's back stiffen at the derogatory term; there was even a muted gasp from the gamekeeper at the use of the word.

Iris turned towards the origin of the scathing remark and was unsurprised to see the pug-like face of Pansy Parkinson; the girl was as ever neatly composed but it was apparent that no matter how much effort she put into her images, she would never be attractive.

Not with how spoiled and rotten she was, it was almost an affront to the laws of nature that she wasn't in a leprosy colony; but that would be more cruelty than those poor people should ever have to deal with.

"Careful Parkinson, I've already broken one nose this year; I wouldn't mind adding a second to my tally before we usher in the New Year." Iris growled icily at the Slytherin, who had the common sense to actual pale at the threat.

Unfortunately, it seemed her mouth moved faster than her brain could filter; "You wouldn't dare Potter! What is an heiress like you doing with filth like that, anyway!" It was evident by the look on her face that she was regretting her words further stoked the Seeker's ire.

"If I'm filth, than you're the scum underfoot Pansy! I wasn't born into the magical world or to privilege but at least I have made the effort to learn… you've got the intelligence of a concussed troll!" Hermione spat back angrily, although her anger was much more frightening than Iris'.

With Iris, you got the heat and fury; but Hermione was cold, controlled, the kind of anger that resembled an early winter freeze. It invited you to walk over the ice right until it cracked under you and you were plunged into the water with no chance of getting out.

The Slytherin assailant faltered in whatever insult she was trying to retort with when she looked at Hermione in apparent shock, the hesitation was all Hermione needed to engulf the girl in that deathly cold grip as the ice broke.

"Now if you so much as think of using that word again and I promise you Parkinson… you won't like the outcome. Not. One. Bit." Hermione sounded out each word as she glared maliciously at the other girl, who could only widen her eyes at the brunette's words.

For all that could be said of Pansy Parkinson, she at least had a decent enough survival instinct to know when to back down; unfortunately the same could not be said for her heavy set bodyguard Millicent Bulstrode.

While it would be unfair to call the girl stupid since she wasn't particularly dim witted, her biggest issue was that fact that she saw the world in a light where the biggest and toughest dominated the fight. And she would be right if one were talking about a barroom brawl.

To her misfortune, she would have to be educated that in a world with magic; it was the clever that thrived and not the brawny. So when Millicent stepped forward to respond to the threat and muttered; "Better watch that tone Mudblood, show some respect when your betters are talking at you."

It was not surprising when Hermione whipped out her wand and transfigured some of the needles on the fir tree's boughs into actual sewing needles, like they had learned in Transfiguration, which pricked the girl's arm and caused her to recoil sharply. Losing her footing, the heavy set girl feel backwards and toppled over crushing Pansy and Tracey Davis under her bulk.

A quick "Finite" from Hermione reversed the transformation and she quickly pocketed her wand as Snape burst from the dungeons and saw the mess of tangled limbs that his Slytherins were trying to untangle themselves from.

Iris was rather surprised at the brunette's quick response and her defense of herself; she wasn't sure why it should have surprised her. Perhaps because Harry remembered Hermione at this age as being an annoying know-it-all, but Iris had encircled the girl with confident pureblood heirs for friends and been fastidious with her friendship.

With people like Draco and Daphne for friends, it was no wonder that the timid little brunette had become more outspoken and self-reliant; traits she hadn't developed until she was much older in Harry's universe and shaped by her trials. Iris could only wonder what a confident and strong Hermione could accomplish when surrounded by likeminded peers, but it would be an exciting thing to see.

"What is the meaning of this?" He demanded sharply as his gaze settled over Iris for a moment before moving onto Hermione, it took only a glance at the three girls on the floor to know what the incident had been about.

"It weren't their fault Professor Snape, 'em girls were provoking Hermione. Then one of just slipped and knocked the rest over, gotta be careful round 'ere. Floors can get righ' slippy this time o' year." Hagrid said, the gamekeeper backing up the Gryffindors; though he had been blind to the actual events by the tree he was carrying, his ears were working perfectly fine.

Snape could not discredit the half-giant's words and even though these were his snakes, he couldn't prove that Hermione or Iris had done anything wrong; nor did he particularly want to. "Very well Hagrid, well girls if you need to see Madam Pomfrey I suggest you extricate yourselves from this mess and get on with it. Miss Granger, Miss Potter; if you have nowhere to be at the moment, I would suggest you accompany Hagrid to the Great Hall."

Knowing a dismissal when they heard it, the Gryffindor girls nodded their heads and followed behind the gamekeeper while Parkinson and her gang followed them with glares as they pulled themselves up from the cold stone floor of the Entrance Hall.

Stepping into the Great Hall, the two girls stood entranced by the decorations; Harry's memories had been grand but seeing it with your own eyes was like comparing a photograph of the sun to feeling the warmth of its rays and the stinging of the light against your eyes; in that there was no comparison.

Towering fir trees lined the hall and the Professors of Hogwarts were bequeathing them with laurels and ornaments, Flitwich conjured up golden spheres and hung them on the tree limbs while McGonagall wrapped them in shimmering ribbons. From within the shadows of the boughs, the trees shined forth with numerous tiny lights of all different hues that constantly shifted and winked.

Hagrid broke the spell as he looked down at the two girls with a smile, "So how long 'til the holidays fer y'two?" The man asked warmly, his beady black eyes shining with warmth and kindness as he roused the girls.

Hermione responded first, "Just one, the train arrives tomorrow to take us back to London." The girl replied with a hopeful expression on her face, it was obvious that she was excited to see her parents after being away from home for nearly four months; undoubtedly the longest she had ever been away from home.

Even Iris was excited to return home, she missed her parents dearly and it would be the first Yuletide with her family since her merge with Harry and she could feel the anticipation and excitement that dwelled deep inside her stemming from the part of the young man's consciousness that composed half of her own.

Hagrid could see that they were both bubbling over with enthusiasm at the prospect of returning back to their families, "Well then, I suppose yer won't be stayin' here at Hogwarts; can't says I blame yer wanting to be wit' family and all. Christmas at Hogwarts is somethin' right special though; I heard Ron and Neville will be stayin' 'ere so I suppose that they can tell yer all about it."

Iris smiled up at the man, she could tell that he wasn't just saying that to say it; he was hoping for some company over the break. It must be lonely out in his shack with no one but Fang to keep him company with the majority of students leaving; she would make it a point to send him a gift so that he knew he was thought of.

Wrapping her arms around the man's massive thighs, Iris gave the man a fond hug and looked up at his surprised face, "We'll miss you too Hagrid; but it's only for a fortnight, we'll be back before you notice we're gone." Iris said with a smile as Hermione mirrored the hug around the man's other leg, the effect was apparent as his eyes got all misty with emotion and he patted the two girls affectionately on the heads, taking great care not to wallop them accidently.

They departed soon after both feeling quite pleased with themselves as they had made Hagrid happy, the Gryffindor girls climbed the stairs and headed for Gryffindor tower though they planned a stop at the library so Hermione could return the books she had checked out.

Unfortunately, despite Madam Pince's warmer disposition towards them, there was still less than a snowball's chance in hell of them taking a book out of Hogwarts for the break.

Ascending up to the floor quickly the two girls were making their way towards the library when they heard a familiar cackle from above them; without bothering to pause, Iris grabbed Hermione by the arm and pulled her into an alcove just as the spot they were in was doused with a balloon full of something that was most definitely not water.

It seemed Peeves was taking potshots since today would be the last time to pull anything on the students until they returned from their holidays. Taking off at a run the two girls dodged and weaved around the corridor as Peeves continued to torment them in his usual fashion, though thanks to Iris' skill as a Seeker and perhaps because Harry had gotten quite good at dodging curses, the two managed to avoid the balloons.

It seemed Peeves had gotten fed up with their avoidance tactics because he swooped low over them and heaved the largest balloon in his arsenal and he practically dropped it on top of their heads. Of course, Iris was having none of that so she once more tugged Hermione by the arm and dove into a room, pulling the brunette after and on top of her so she wouldn't get injured.

With a flick of her wand, Hermione shut the door behind them just as the balloon ruptured on the floor and there was the definite sound of liquid impacting the door as Peeves cackled on down the halls having had his fun.

"Damn poltergeist, one of these days I'm going to make a charm that'll stick him to the Bloody Baron!" Iris growled to herself as Hermione rolled off the raven haired girl, nodding her head in agreement. "If you want any help, let me know; I'd be quite pleased with giving him a bit of his own medicine."

Looking around the expanse of the room, Iris was struck by the familiarity of the stacked desks and as she cast her gaze over her shoulder she could make out the tall mirror that rose up to the ceiling of the old classroom. And she wasn't the only one to notice it; Hermione was looking at the silvered glass and it ornate framework curiously.

It struck Iris that Harry had never revealed the Mirror of Erised to Hermione, undoubtedly he had told her about it but by the time she had returned from the break it had already been moved to third floor and used as the final protection of the Philosopher's Stone.

The two girls approached the mirror carefully, Hermione examining the frame work closely as she read the inscription aloud, "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi." The brunette looked puzzled over the nonsensical gibberish before she took on a triumphant smirk.

"It's mirrored writing, 'I show not your face but your heart's desire.' That's what it really says!" The brunette said as she turned back to look at Iris who gave her a nod of confirmation as she read the inscription backwards herself.

"You're absolutely brilliant 'Mione." Iris praised her friend with a smile and gestured for her to take a look into the mirror since she had deciphered the inscription. Iris knew from Harry's memories what the mirror did, and that as she watched Hermione's reflection in the silvered glass she would not be able to see the girl's deepest desire.

But she could see Hermione's eyes go wide as she reached out to touch the glass, "I'm older and Head Girl; top of the class and you're right beside me Iris! We've passed all our N.E.W.T.'s and we're being asked to join the Ministry! I'm older still, I'm sitting at the Head Table; I'm a Professor!" Hermione was beaming radiantly at the image the mirror reflected, "I'm old now, like McGonagall but I'm still at the Head Table… only I'm not where I was before, I'm in the middle! I'm Headmistress of Hogwarts!"

Iris smiled at her friend, it was fairly obvious that the brunette's aspirations were great and it was a pleasure to see the girl so extremely happy at the prospect of what she saw. They both knew that the mirror was only giving Hermione a reflection of what she wanted, but there was no reason why she couldn't achieve those desires.

Hermione backed away from the mirror, casting one more look over her shoulder at it; undoubtedly there were more images that the mirror held for the girl but they would be personal and Iris wouldn't pry into those affairs.

Instead she smiled at Hermione and stood in front of the mirror herself; she was curious to see what her own desires were. Harry had been a child when he had looked into the mirror and his greatest desire was to have known his parents and to have been loved by them.

Iris had two loving parents, a sister she loved, her godfather and his family, and Remus to call her family; she knew she was loved and she wanted for nothing, Harry's innocent desires had been satisfied.

But he was an adult when he had merged with Iris and even now the eleven year old body had the thoughts of a much older persona, she could see beauty and appreciate history in ways that she couldn't before. She could look at a person and find their features attractive or their personalities were wanting.

Thoughts like that were not typical to the stage of physical development she was in, and she knew that her body would not react to those thoughts for some time to come. But she had them, and she could only imagine what her adult desires would be now that she was awake to them but incapable of acting upon them.

So as she stood her ground before the mirror she watched as scenes began to take shape around her reflection. At first the images were hazy and unclear but they soon drew themselves into clear relief and the image that was reflected left her terribly confused as pride, happiness, and trepidation washed through her in a giant flood of emotion that left her standing weak kneed and shivering from a sudden cold that gripped her spine.

There in the silvered glass was an image of her, later in life; gowned in robes of midnight so dark that when light shown upon them the threads glistened with reds and purples, blues and greens in thousands of different shades that the human eye could not comprehends. This older Iris was regal, powerful; she exuded a serene and unshakable calm that drew all attention to her with a single finger raised into the air.

Behind her and to the left were her parents smiling proudly at their daughter and besides them were Siruis and his wife, Narcissa Malfoy, the Lord and Lady Greengrass , a couple she did not know but bore a striking resemblance to Hermione and a tall beautiful women with dark olive skin that coukd only be Blaise's mother.

On her right were Hermione, Draco, Blaise, and Daphne; each one was older in dressed in clothing more suited for battle then for an audience in the majestic hall that Iris saw the mirror reflecting but each was striking and it was apparent that they belonged there.

Just behind the four were Liatris, Pollux, and strangely enough Remus; these three looked less regal than the other four standing there but it also struck her that the seven assembled all had the look of people who had earned their place and were watching on the events with hard eyes.

Before her kneeling were the bowed forms of Dumbledore, marked by his silver hairs and flamboyant robes; Grindewald who could not be identified by his face but by the Deathly Hallows stitched across the back of his robes; and lastly Voldemort with his too pale flesh, serpentine features, and red slit eyes.

The older Iris looked down at them triumphantly and that was when Iris noticed the small crown in her counterpart's hair. Why was she wearing a crown? Why were the three most powerful wizards of the century kneeling before her? What had she done to earn their submission?

The questions just kept mounting and Iris broke her gaze from the mirror and took two steps away from it to clear the image of the reflected image before she paused, she felt something instinctual telling her to look back at the glass but she didn't know if she dared; didn't know if she wanted to know what her greatest desire was or what it meant.

"Ah, it seems that you two have discovered the Mirror of Erised. By the puddle of ectoplasm outside the door I can only assume you ducked in here to avoid one of Peeves' more sticky pranks." The voice was soothing, old and full of wisdom; or that was what it would have sounded like if Iris was paying attention to the Headmaster who stood at the threshold of the room.

Hermione however was quick to respond to Dumbledore, "Yes Headmaster, we didn't mean to intrude but we were just trying to get away from that poltergeist." The brunette said quietly casting a worried glance at Iris was still by the mirror and half turned away from it, obviously distressed by what she had seen.

Dumbledore was quick to notice the other girl's state as well and his face took on the concerned look that a grandfather, "Come away from the mirror child; tell me what it is you see."

Iris half expected to feel a wave of compulsion thread through her but it didn't come, whether that meant the old sage was genuinely concerned or simply didn't see any way this figured into his machinations the girl nodded but swallowed heavily.

She cast one last look over her shoulder at the mirror, seeing the same image as before though her reflection was staring back at her; the older woman had a faint smile that transformed the regal woman into someone considerably more human.

The woman was seated in a massive and ornate throne of silver that was carved with so many images it was hard to differentiate what was there; but beside the throne was another just as massive although considerably less elaborate, but seated there was a familiar face.

The man wore an expression she had never seen before and there was a look in his eye that defied her comprehension; a raw mixture of emotions that no effort had been taken to hide. He was completely open if only to Iris' gaze, she doubted anyone else could have read anything from that man's eyes. The man nodded at her, a slight but genuine smile was playing on the edges of his lips as he turned to her reflected image, rising from his throne and pulling the older Iris out from her seat and holding her in his arms.

And she watched as the man planted such a searing passionate kiss on the woman that was so regally dressed that Iris was forced to turn away flushing hotly, feeling as though she had been intruding on something extremely intimate. But she felt a happy warmth in her gut and she couldn't help the smile that pulled at her features as she stepped away from the mirror with a much different reaction to the first image.

Dumbledore noticed immediately and he raised in eyebrow in curiosity at the young girl's flushed face and the way her hands were fiddling nervously as she ran her fingers together in embarrassment at the Headmaster's expectant face. Even Hermione saw the changed expression and was decidedly interested in her friend's reaction, but she knew she had seen a few things in the mirror that she wasn't going to share with anyone.

Iris looked at the two other occupants of the room and shook her head slightly, "I appreciate your concern Headmaster but what I saw was a bit too personal to share without getting to know you much better first." The girl said with look that told him he wasn't going to be getting anything more out of her.

The wizened Headmaster nodded his head as he stood aside and allowed the two girls to leave but his gaze never left Iris, something about the girl piqued his interest and she continued to be an enigma that he could not unravel. What he did know was that she was strong with the potential to become powerful, and that meant she was worth the time and energy to recruit.

As the two girls walked down the hall arms linked, Dumbledore knew that war was coming; it would only be a matter of time before Grindewald returned and with that Dark Lord's return would come the death and destruction that had been left unfinished a decade ago, and fifteen years before that.

He would pay any price to ensure the survival of the Greater Good, use any means; he just prayed that by the end of it all his sacrifices would be enough. But he suspected that with that Potter girl on his side that it would be, he just had to make sure she knew the right people to fight for and perhaps take out a little insurance to keep her on the right side.

Hogwarts, Unplottable Location, Scotland, UK

December 21, 1991

Iris stood out on the Hogsmeade train platform, bundled up warmly in her winter cloak with its heating charm with Hermione tucked in under it; to ward off the bitterly cold wind that swept down from over the lake and into the town. While their bodies were quite toasty, both of their faces were chilled numbingly by the breeze, leaving their noses and cheeks reddened and their eyes watery as the air stole away moisture.

The scarlet train engine pulled into the station with a shrill cry as brakes clamped down on hot iron rotors and metal grinded on metal filling the air with the scent of something resembling burnt rubber as the hulking beast shuddered to a stop.

It took Iris little time as she lifted her feather light trunk and Hedwig's empty cage; the snow owl having flown ahead of them with a missive bearing what time the raven haired girl would arrive in London, to gather her items and climb aboard.

She took the opportunity to claim one of the larger compartments for herself and her friends knowing full well that she would be sharing the train ride with Draco and Daphne as well as Hermione, the possibility existed that Blaise, or some of her teammates might show up to join them and that ensured that a smaller compartment was simply too tiny for all of them.

The compartment was unlike the one that she had taken to Hogwarts with its two benches facing across one another with a window bisecting the small room; instead this compartment was considerably larger at the rear of the train, the benches making a U-shape with the door at the open section in the front. Two large windows were on opposite sides of the long portion of the room.

Hoisting her trunk above her head with an easy grace, she slid the leather case with its ornate fleur-de-lis emblazoned opposite the stylized lily flower onto the rack overhead. Hermione didn't have the benefit of thrice weekly quidditch practice to make her lean and wiry nor did she have a trunk that weighed next to nil; so Iris took the brunette's and heaved it up alongside her own before plopping into the comfortable seat across from the door.

Hermione sat down a little to her left and stretched languidly so Iris could turn sideways on the bench and lay her head down on the girl's lap which caused the bushy haired brunette to roll her eyes but she made no move to displace her raven haired friend.

Rather, she began to card her fingers through the untamable semi-curly, semi-wavy hair; seeking out the small tangles and knots that were bound to form and work them free. The sensation was deeply relaxing and Iris soon found herself staring up at her brunette friend through half lidded eyes, if she was a cat she would be purring contentedly.

"Hermione, if you keep that up she'll never let you stop." Came the familiar drawl of Draco as the platinum blond sauntered into the room with a mischievous smirk on his face. Iris gave the Malfoy heir a halfhearted glare as Hermione giggled, "I know Drake, I had the misfortune to play with her hair once while we were studying. Now whenever we're in the Common Room, her head is always in my lap!"

Draco gave her a pitying look, "You poor, poor child; you'll never be free of her now. Trust me, I know." The words were said with such sincerity that you would have thought he was mourning the passing of a friend but he took the weight out of the words with that smug little smirk of his.

Iris waved her hand at the boy lazily, "Shuddup Malfoy, I've got Hermione now; I no longer have need of your services, you may considered yourself relieved from duty." Iris put as much of an aristocratic and pompous air into her dismissal and it would have been rather convincing if she didn't look like the cat that got the cream.

The boy chuckled as he lifted his trunk into the racks overhead just as Daphne stepped into the large compartment; the honey blond heiress gave the room an approving nod and handed her trunk to Draco who stared at it askance for a moment before he folded under the Greengrass' pout. Taking her trunk off her hand, she rewarded him with a smile and a quick peck on the cheek before sitting at the corner of the U at Iris' feet.

"'Ello my lovely lionesses, I see Iris has found a new groomer in Draco's absence and she's practically catatonic." Daphne emphasizing the first part of the word, to which Iris gave her best imitation of a purr which wasn't half bad since she had had a cat in her youth before Liatris had learned about pranks and scared the animal so bad that it had to be given to a neighbor of Aunt Petunia's.

That set the girls into a small fit of giggles and even Draco gave a snort of amusement, "Well since the Gryffindor Princess is being groomed, do you have any plans for Christmas Hermione?" Daphne asked, switching her point of interest to the brunette who was reading a book along with stroking Iris' hair.

"Yule actually, but no; I'll be staying at home with my parents since they've closed their offices for the winter break barring any emergencies that might crop up." Hermione responded without looking up from her book, it was fascinating how the girl could manage to pull off holding a conversation and reading simultaneously, but since her eyes were cast down and not at the heiress she missed the girl's startled expression.

"Pardon, but did you say you were celebrating Yule and not Christmas?" Draco asked, picking up the conversation from Daphne's shocked silence before the situation could become awkward and because he was rather interested in the girl's words as well. Neither of the blonds could see Iris' triumphant smirk from their positions.

Hermione hummed her affirmation as she raised the cover of the book she was reading to show the title of the book, 'Wizarding Rituals and Traditions' written in gold relief on the auburn leather. "The Princess here has been gracious enough to bestow upon me the traditions of the old faith." The brunette replied with a faint hint of amusement in her voice as she playfully picked up Daphne's title for Iris.

"I hated being ignorant of the wizarding world so I took it on myself to learn as much as I could; I hadn't even considered that there might be different beliefs and faiths than from the Muggle world. Ignorance of it just proves the bigoted purebloods right, Muggleborns lead to the deterioration of the old ways because they do not bother to learn them and instead introduce their own faiths into the system." Hermione continued to say as she looked up into the pleased face of Daphne and the steadily growing smirk the Draco was wearing.

"Hogwarts has a class for Muggle Studies for wizards to learn how to interact and blend with the non-magical community; but there isn't a class at Hogwarts for us Muggleborns to learn about the magical community. We're taught the spells and potions but none of the philosophy or theology; I refuse to remain ignorant!" Hermione said with an air of finality that left no room for questioning or second guessing her decision to learn.

"'Mione, you've gone and done it now…" Daphne said as her pleased look grew to wicked proportions, a Cheshire cat like smile splitting her face, "… you have got to come to the Greengrass Estate now! I was going to invite you regardless but since you're celebrating Yule you really must experience it properly; I already have the consent of Mother to extend invitations to the Houses of Malfoy, Potter and Zabini to join us on the evening of the twenty-fourth until the wee hours of the morning on the twenty-fifth."

The girl was obviously enthused and animated by the idea of having her friends over on such an auspicious day, especially since it would be the first time Hermione would be observing Yuletide and the traditional practices of celebrating the winter solstice, the winter feast and exchanging gifts with her peers. Probably more excited for the latter of the three then the first two, not that anyone could fault a child for being excited over presents or anyone else for that matter.

But as if mentioning his name had summoned him, Blaise Zabini stepped into the compartment with his trunk in hand. The young boy of Italian descent had olive skin and dark chestnut brown hair that was almost black in color but when the light hit the locks just right it turned alive with browns and reds. His eyes were a molten gold at present but lightened to honey when he was in a good mood or darkened to crystallized amber when he was angry.

He was slim and athletically built for an eleven year old, so he was obviously into some kind of physical activity but Iris didn't know the boy very well. He had become something of an acquaintance in recent weeks though Draco seemed to know the boy well, which was to say far better than the girls in the compartment because the boy was exceedingly quiet and reserved. Not because he was overly anti-social but rather because he was almost constantly brooding or mulling over the question.

He was a better chess player than even Draco was and although Iris had eight years of memories with Harry playing against Ron, more often than not she would lose to the Italian. Never spectacularly but their matches lasted for hours at a time with the boy undoubtedly taking into account every conceivable move before moving a piece on the board.

Blaise took a moment to look around the spacious compartment and nodded his head approvingly as he lifted his trunk up onto the rack beside Draco's and then sat himself on the opposite bench from the only other boy in the room but only nodded his head in silent greeting, but Iris was having none of that.

Instead she gave a feline stretch before rolling onto her side, her head still firmly in Hermione's lap and she fixed the boy with a stare that he met unblinkingly. "Hai una domanda o ti piace che mi fissava?" The dark haired boy asked with a raised eyebrow, his voice suave if slightly high pitched due to his age; which leant the notion that when he was older he would have a voice that would be able to knock a banshee silent to listen in.

Iris gave the boy a dark look, "Why can't it be both, you do have rather nice eyes after all?" Iris replied with a mischievous smile but it failed to get a rise out of the Italian. "You're no fun; I don't even know why Lady Greengrass extended you an invitation for Yuletide celebrations." Iris stated sulking, a definite pout on her face as the Italian gave a small smirk.

"Actually, Mother invited the House of Zabini; not Blaise specifically, more like his mother and immediate family which just so happens to be Blaise." Daphne stated offhandedly as she and Draco had taken up a small game of Exploding Snap and she was rather distracted.

It was of course common knowledge among the Wizarding families that Isabella Zabini had been married five times at present and each of her husbands had perished mysteriously, while she had never been implicated in any of the deaths and never out right accused of any foul play; it could not be argued that she had profited immensely from the deaths of each of her spouses.

On the other hand, Hermione was not of the magical community and had no knowledge of the stigma attached to the Zabini name, "I don't mean to be cavalier but I was under the impression that the patriarch of the family was 'in charge' in the pureblood society but Daphne only mentioned Mrs. Zabini." The brunette put in curiously, actually looking up to convey her sincere interest and a wary smile that she hoped would assuage any hurt feeling caused by her question.

Instead Blaise gave the brunette an ambivalent smile, which while exceedingly rare seemed to make the boy even more handsome; a shame that he didn't do it more often. "While it's true that in most pureblood families the household is 'ruled' by the patriarch, my household isn't what you would consider typical. There isn't really a patriarch in my family, in fact the name Zabini is mia madre's surname." He explained completely at ease with the conversation, though he didn't elaborate on the cause of the matriarchy of the family.

Iris had learned that the children of pureblood families or at least the heirs to pureblood fortunes were immersed in politics and manipulations seemingly from the cradle. Blaise's careful omission of the truth, Neville seeking allies at the sorting ceremony, Draco's posturing and Daphne's social attempts were all indicative of a higher level of expectation and awareness that played into the lives of the children.

It was no surprise that the purebloods wound up predominantly in Slytherin, cunning was as essential as breathing if you wanted to get through the machinations that sprung up around you; otherwise you wound up like Longbottom with a broken nose, or worse.

Hermione was sharp though, sharper than most actually, and she had caught the Italian's careful phrasing and she measured the boy with a calculating gaze. Whatever was going through her mind she obviously decided that it was not a good decision to delve further into the subject at present since she did not press for more information, instead she spelled out 'w-r-i-t-e m-e t-h-e s-t-o-r-y' against Iris' scalp.

Iris nodded and couldn't help but find her Hermione to be brilliant and just as cunning as any of the snakes in the compartment with them; she knew that she was a bad influence on the clever bookworm and that the Slytherin purebloods were just as corrupting, but she wouldn't trade this confident and clever brunette for the bossy know-it-all that Harry had befriended. As close as the girls were to their counterparts, they really were worlds apart.

The conversation settled into more mundane topics and with Hermione massaging Iris' scalp and playing with her hair it wasn't long before the raven haired Champion was out like a light and dozing comfortably.

The first thing that Iris noticed when she was jolted awake was that she was no longer laying on her side with her head cushioned on Hermione's thigh, instead she found herself nestled into somebody's side with her head resting against their shoulder. She knew it wasn't Hermione because the brunette's hair always smelled like lavender and coconut.

She was also fairly certain that it wasn't Draco because she knew him well enough that she could tell that the shoulder she was laying on was a bit broader and this boy didn't have the smell of sandalwood and honey. Actually, this boy smelled very different, exotic; there was the scent of the sea about him mixed with a sharp smell of spices and under all of it was a faint hint of cloves.

She could feel someone gently shaking her shoulder now obviously trying to rouse her from her nap, batting a hand lazily at the offender Iris tucked herself tighter against her new pillow, her head now lying over the person's chest as she could hear the steady heartbeat and the rise and fall of his lungs.

. "Lemme alone, pillow smells good…" She mumbled drowsily which earned her a chuckle from her pillow, with her ear against the boy's chest she could her the beginnings of a rumble in the boy's chest as she was pulled away by her rouser.

"Come on Iris, don't want to leave your parents waiting for you on the platform do you?" Came Draco's familiar drawl, though she could hear the smile in his voice as she was pulled upright. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and blinked blearily at the mishmash of shapes and colors until Draco slipped her glasses onto her nose and the world came into focus.

Thanking her cousin she turned towards the only other male in the compartment, "You're comfy, I'll remember that for later." She said as she stood and patted him on the head still half asleep at this point. Her pronouncement earned more laughter and she smiled though a part of her knew that they were laughing at her loopy behavior, she was still too out of it to really care.

Instead she allowed herself to be pulled to her feet and she could feel a brush going through her hair briskly, Iris knew that the task was doomed to failure; you could get out the knots and snarls but her hair would never be tamed. But the brushing did serve to wake her further as it snatched onto the tangles and worked them out with sharp jerks.

By the time Daphne pulled the brush away finally, Iris was completely awake and feeling refreshed from sleeping through the train ride. Looking around she could see that all of the trunks had been pulled down and were sitting in the middle of the compartment, hers had Hedwig's empty cage resting on top of it and her friends were stretching out to work out the kinks from having been seated through the ride.

"Told you she would sleep through a blizzard as long as she was against someone she knew." Draco was ribbing Blaise, the Italian was flexing his right hand and rubbing feeling back into the limb after Iris had fallen asleep against him.

"Why was I sleeping on Blaise? Don't get me wrong he's comfy; but I remember falling asleep on 'Mione." Iris questioned as she pulled the black ribbon that was tied around her wrist off and used it to pull her hair back into a tail to keep it out of her face. She didn't care to have the wind blowing it around and into her mouth when she greeted her family outside.

"Well 'Mione needed to use the loo but you wouldn't let her up, everytime she moved you hugged her legs and hissed something in your sleep. Blaise took pity on the girl 'cause me and Daphne couldn't breathe; once he picked you up you had him in a deathgrip and that was it." Draco informed her with a smirk as Daphne coughed into her hand politely covering her giggle.

Iris flushed slightly in embarrassment but she refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing it so she stepped over to her trunk and lifted the case, resolutely making her way to the compartment door as her friends filed out behind her still tittering at her expense.

Stepping off the train, a lance of cold air sliced through her clothing and leeched the warmth from her body, tearing a gasp from her lips as she shivered fiercely. Drawing her cloak tighter to shield herself from the wind, Iris cleared the way while searching for her parents; a task that was eased by the excitedly jumping Liatris, the younger girl's dark red hair was bouncing about her head and the breeze caused it to fly about wildly.

The sight split Iris' face into a grin and she all but ran towards her little sister, although it was difficult to call the girl little at the moment since she was standing practically eye to eye with the girl. Still, as soon as she got close enough the redhead charged her giving her just enough time to set down her trunk before catching the girl as she wrapped her arms around her neck and her legs around her waist in a fierce hug.

Thankfully, Iris had the strength to support her sister's weight and she hugged the girl just as tightly in return before she felt a set of arms envelope her, and the siblings were hoisted up simultaneously by a pair of strong muscular arms. Looking past Liatris' fiery mane, she could see the happy face of James Potter as he held both of his daughters in his arms; with Lily standing by his side and smiling radiantly at her children.

James set the two girls down carefully and the siblings untangled themselves from one another's embrace before Iris wrapped her arms around her mother's waist and was in turn squeezed back just as fiercely as kisses were planted in her hair. As they separated, the family huddled close together in what Iris noticed was a warm pocket without any wind; a nifty spell that Iris made a mental note to learn.

"Merlin, I missed you guys!" The raven haired girl declared with a sincere smile as Liatris planted herself firmly by her sister's side, the younger but not-so-little redhead smiled warmly, "Of course you did Sis; no one around to get you in trouble, no one to get out of trouble, no pranks to worry about or vengeance to be planned because of a prank. I'm surprised you haven't died of boredom yet!"

Iris rolled her eyes but didn't lose her smile, "You know, I'm surprised too; between classes, homework, tutoring, invading trolls, and quidditch; you'd think I'd have enough excitement in my life, right!" She retorted with a snort as Liatris nodded her head in mock solemnity, though the play was tempered by the gentle squeeze on her shoulder that had been broken from her fall on the stairs.

Even James looked slightly put out at the reminder of his daughter's near death encounter with a troll; Iris had filled them in on her school life after the game with Slytherin. Of course a letter had been sent to her home informing them that there had been an incident at the school and she had gotten injured but had made a full recovery.

The full story had stunned them and after the game where her broom had all but bucked her off as a result of a jinx, it had taken all of her coercive skill and that of Daphne and Draco to ensure that she wasn't withdrawn from Hogwarts in favor of being sent to Beaubaxtons. Even then her parents had made them swear (not on their magic) that Iris was not to be alone when it couldn't be helped; which had made getting away to study her Parselmagic books all that more difficult with her full schedule.

She had yet to really begin practicing any of the magic since the tome she was currently reading was mostly on the history and nature of Parselmagic and to that point all magic really. She had discovered that magic was not just an ability but that it was a genetic mutation, mankind had never been a magical species; what little power they had exercised had come as a result of intensive study of the natural world.

Instead, the first dramatically powerful wizard in British history had been Merlin; the child of an incubus and a mortal woman. The infusion of creature blood had created an offspring with tremendous magical talent because the genetic 'switch' had been thrown; allowing the man that was born to wield incredible tolerances of magic because his body and mind could handle the stress and power of a magical core.

Furthermore, the nature of the creature that provided the genetic link to magic often influenced a person's magical abilities; Merlin for instance as the advisor to Arthur, had displayed a gift of oration and teaching as a result of his incubus sire's seduction magic. It also influenced a person's magical affinity, while any wizard or witch could theoretically perform any spell so long as they had the capability there would always be spells they would have a innate predisposition for.

Her ancestor, one Aleksandra Peverov a great granddaughter of Ignotus Peverell, had discovered her ability to communicate with serpents; she had not known why she could when her parents could not even though they were both magical. She had devoted her life to learning about her gift rather than simply accept them and her search for answers had led her to India.

According to local legends and religion the Naga was a snake-like being, half man and half serpent; sentient and powerful they had been protectors and guardians of lore and temples for time immemorial. Beyond this facet was another, how they protected the Buddha; mystical men who had transcended the boundaries of their brethren.

Aleksandra hypothesized that like Merlin, the original Bodhisattva had been the progeny of creature and man; thusly they had been endowed with magic and from their genetic inheritance the ability to commune with snakes which indicated that their sires were most likely Naga considering the region and spiritualism of the area. As wizards mixed and people dispersed around the world, genes would get pushed around; becoming recessive or dominant as the creature blood that spawned them became diluted over generations.

But these genes coming from magical origins were preserved in the genetic code of its carriers never fading away from the sequence and when conditions were right, those genes manifested themselves prominently; for Aleksandra it was the ability to commune with snakes, for Merlin it had been a unique compulsion that he exuded, Morgan le Fay had been an exceptionally powerful healer.

Undoubtedly there would be more mixing then Nagas, Incubi, and Fae as Vella, Centaurs, Leprechauns, Merpeople, and Goblins existed; Humans just happened to be the perfect receptacles, they were an adaptable species which was why they had survived for so long.

Iris of course, had found the entire work thoroughly engrossing and quite compelling since it explained Squibs by virtue of the explanation for wizards, they simply weren't born with the gene for magic; but they would be carriers for the gene so later progeny might display the gene. By that reach of the mind, one could argue that there were no Muggleborns; they were simply descendant of Squibs from older Wizarding lines unless the Muggles that parented the child had developed the magic gene for themselves.

The theory of it all was simply mind boggling and it opened the mind to whole new avenues of thought; but her ancestor had never gone public with her work. As well documented as she was there simply was not the technology available to present a concrete case before the Wizarding community and she had seen no reason why she should drag her family name through the mud for something she couldn't defend.

Iris suspected that the technology for Aleksandra's research to be proven true would never come from the magical community; they were too set in their ways to accommodate the rapid development of technology when spells and potions suited them just fine. Harry had memories of the Muggle world and what they were capable of; televisions and movies that made magical photos seem dull in comparison, automobiles and planes some of them so fast they could break the sound barrier which was a sight more than what a broom could do even if the Floo network and Apparition were faster, but Muggles had developed nuclear bombs which could exterminate entire cities in seconds.

That was something even wizards couldn't do, much could be learned from the scientific progress of the Muggle world and it would bear watching as well, despite not having magic they were still human and perhaps in light of the fact that they did not have magic; Muggles were expanding their technology so quickly it would only be a matter of time until they figured out what was going on under their noses.

In any case, Iris was prompted from her brooding over the books by Daphne, the honey blond girl had wandered away from her parents and her younger sister Astoria to the Potter's. "Good afternoon Lord and Lady Potter, the Ancient and Most Noble House of Greengrass extends to you an invitation to attend a Yuletide celebration at the Greengrass Estate." The young heiress stated formally with a curtsy that left James blinking in surprise but Lily was alert and on point.

"Greetings Miss Greengrass, The House of Potter graciously accepts the invitation." The matriarch responded as she gave a curtsy in return, though hers was pointedly not as deep as she observed the rules of conduct that the formal invitation had required.

Daphne nodded seriously but broke into a smile as she adopted a less formal air now that she had completed the invitation; smiling widely she embraced the Potter's fondly in way of greeting which was warmly returned by the family before she zoomed off to repeat the invitations to the Grangers, which was quite amusing to watch the Muggles, or quite possibly the Squib and the Muggle, receive an invitation so formally.

But Hermione responded perfectly, dipping into a deeper curtsey for Daphne since she was not of an Ancient and Most Noble House and giving the ceremonial reply; Iris wondered briefly if the two had rehearsed at all on the train for this or if the brunette simply had memorized the proceedings from the book that she had borrowed. Either way, from the way that Lady Greengrass was nodding her head in approval, it seemed that the young witch had impressed the aristocrat.

Further down the platform, Draco was greeting his mother and father; catching her godmother's eye Iris waved to the woman. Narcissa Malfoy gave her a smile and wave in return though Iris could tell there was a certain tightness around her mouth and eyes that meant she was still aware that while the two were back on friendly terms that the events from the prevous summer were still in her mind.

Iris was certain that her godmother would retain her feelings of guilt and unease until the girl came out and told the older woman that things between them were back to normal. After the series of letters that they had been exchanging over the course of her stay at Hogwarts she was comfortable enough to fully forgive the woman, Narcissa had been nothing but honest and open with her in her letters and the trust between them was back, brittle, but back.

Besides the Malfoy's were Blaise and his mother, Isabella Zabini was an exceptionally beautiful woman and it was no wonder that despite her infamy she was still constantly being Courted for her hand in marriage. She had the same deep auburn hair as her son and the same eyes of molten gold, with dark olive skin that appeared to be butter smooth. Her body was trim and curvaceous, almost voluptuous but there was an underlying muscularity to the woman that hinted that she was anything but a soft woman.

"Alright Iris, you ready to head home? I'm sure Moony is anxious to see you again," Lily suggested softly as she watched Iris wave goodbye to her friends though they would be seeing each other in just a few days. She couldn't help but notice that her daughter seemed so much more vibrant than she could ever remember seeing her before; it was evident that life at Hogwarts had done the child good, her inner circle of friends had doubled with the inclusion of Hermione and Blaise.

Not to mention the camaraderie and friendship she had gotten from her teammates as a result of Quidditch and the other Gryffindors she had befriended. The quiet and isolated child that had found her friendship in the pages of books had been replaced with a happier child that was outgoing and surrounded by others.

Her experiences told her that this was still her daughter, the same girl that she had given birth to and nurtured lovingly for the last eleven years. The transformation in the raven haired girl had been sudden and dramatic over the summer but the Iris that she was looking at now had blossomed into a radiant child with a magnetic personality. And while it pained Lily, she couldn't help but love this girl all the more for being so much more… alive, than she had been before.

She wondered if that made her a bad mother, for loving her daughter more now that she was this social creature that had enjoyed cooking and spending time with her, who wrote to her about school and included her in her life rather than sit around quietly in her room away from everyone.

When Iris looked up at her with those shining emerald orbs that mirrored her own, and they were glowing with an internal light of someone who was teeming with life and the contentment of being alive to live it; it made her heart skip. Because those eyes belonged to someone much older, someone who had lived through too much pain, and despite how that person had come to reside within her daughter as a part of her daughter – she knew that they had healed and that healing had given her a daughter with so much love, she could not resent that presence.

Iris could see the recognition in her mother's eyes, a testament to the woman's experiences and brilliance that she could identify without asking what had happened to her daughter and she could also see beyond a shadow of a doubt that those eyes held nothing but genuine love and compassion for the girl that was reflected in the black of those pupils.

"Yeah mum, I would like to go home." Those words, simple as they were held such meaning now and between the mother and child there was a silent conversation as their eyes met that expressed volumes of emotion that could never be explained in words. In that moment, both of them knew that the bond between them had healed completely and was stronger now than it had been before; and as Lily closed her hand over her daughter's she was content with the notion that she was a bad mother for loving her daughter more.

Because her daughter was an exceptional child and deserved her love and all that she could give her.

The Potter family Apparated away.

Greengrass Estate, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

December 24, 1991

The days between her return home and the night of the Yuletide celebrations had been marked with the reuniting of Iris with her 'uncles' Remus and Sirius as well as with Sirius' wife Sarah and their son Pollux. Together the extended clan of families had been vigil through the night of Iris' return for the Winter Solstice, observing the longest night of the year with a small ritual where they burned incense and gave an offering of tidings to Magic.

While it had seemed insignificant, the moment of the Solstice had been quite powerful as Iris had felt a tingly wash of magic across her senses and the familiar smell of fresh dittany that always accompanied Hecate's presence. But the touch had been fleeting and the goddess' champion was certain that everyone that had observed that moment had been granted the same brief touch.

After that night, Iris had spent her time between completing her winter assignments and being with her family after four long months away with only a single visit and a series of letters.

While the assignments weren't that harsh for the most part since the instructors were quite aware of the likelihood of getting anyone but seventh year students to write out five feet of parchment detailing the theory and principles behind a certain piece of magic, they had still demanded at least a foot long essay.

A demand which Iris could belt out well enough but her time with Hermione and Daphne had made her a particularly competitive student academically so she had little difficulty going over the minimum length and writing full expositions on the topics. Especially considering how her parents were experts in Transfiguration, Charms, Defense, and Potions; she was packing a loaded deck in her favor.

She wrestled with some guilt knowing that Hermione didn't have the valuable resources that her parents were but considering how the girl had been top of her year in Harry's universe she got over it quickly enough and redoubled her efforts to have a truly amazing essay for her Professors to read.

On the other hand, she tempered her schoolwork with keeping her Quidditch skills polished; joining her sister and father out on the pitch despite the frigid conditions and practicing the various techniques that she had been drilled in… and the ones that she hadn't been drilled in but wanted to practice anyway.

Cooking with her mom again was a welcome change, as much as she had enjoyed the house-elves cooking at Hogwarts over the past four months; you really couldn't beat a home cooked meal that you had a hand in making. Especially her pie, Iris was particularly proud of her apple pie which had left everyone comatose after tasting the warm and gooey blend of fruit, cinnamon, and flaky crust.

Besides the cooking, her mother had been quite surprised by the extra-strength potion that Iris had presented her with as well as the story behind it. It wasn't very common that a person had an instinctual compulsion to add ingredients to a potion; often times it got you blown up more than anything else.

But it wasn't unheard of for wizards with strong cores to connect with potions and work them based on the magical signatures that complimented the brew; Lily had displayed the trait and Severus had come into it as well by his fourth year at Hogwarts. Lily recalled Draco had the same trait which was why he had been given an upper level apothecary kit; he had his godfather to thank for recognizing his talent and helping him to expand it.

It was another facet to Iris' abilities and one that had not been influenced by Harry's presence at all, this was all Iris; most likely as a result of growing up in a house with magical parents that had encouraged her to develop her power rather than punish her for her 'freakishness.'

Lily had acknowledged the development by taking her daughter to her warded labs in the basement; introducing the girl to the only area of the house that she hadn't seen before. The eastern section of the labs were a storage area with a door at the far end that was bolstered with enough protections and wards that it could only be Remus' room during the full moon, though it had been described more as an emergency bomb shelter for the family.

The northern wing was reserved as Lily's enchanting workshop; the area was strongly warded as well though there was a secondary precaution that ensured the person working in the room was protected from themselves. Working with experimental magic had back lashed in the past and killed many an enchanter, so trust the mother of two to develop an amulet that would protect her from her own magic; applying a powerful shield around her whenever her own magic was in use.

Essentially, as long as she was working on a spell or enchanting an object she was protected from fatal backlash; she was working on a variant of the protection that could be keyed to other magical energies that she could sell to cursebreakers; it would prove to be an invaluable tool that could potentially save lives.

The potions workshop to the west was different in regards to the fact that it had very little protections, not that there weren't inherit dangers that were associated with brewing as Neville Longbottom could verify; it seemed regardless of universe, Snape was capable of driving the boy to failure if for different reasons.

Rather than fail out of nerves, the boy was now failing out of arrogance; he was so determined to prove himself to everyone that he disregarded or misread the instructions in an effort to recreate the wheel.

Lily was just so in tune with her brewing and competent enough in her art that she rarely made mistakes; her methodology and meticulousness had as of yet produced only a handful of errors out of the decade of work she had been involved in.

Iris had been fascinated by her mother's work and Lily had offered to let her daughter work with her when she was free over the summer and over her breaks having already keyed her into the wards save for the ones at the end of the storage room.

James had put in for time off so that he could spend the week off from work to be with his family for the winter break which had been a feat in and of itself since his shift commander was a royal prick; the man waited until the day before the Hogwarts Express was due to arrive, to approve the time off that James had put in for months ago so they could actually make plans to go elsewhere.

But having him conscious during the day had been a welcome change since it provided the family with the opportunity to go out on day trips at least and enjoy some time away from the Manor. Great Britain was an exceptionally beautiful country to explore and with none of the constraints regarding travel; the Potter's had spent the second day of Iris' return home to travel to a little Wizarding village on the coast of Greece.

With access to the coastal waters of the Mediterranean and a bit of spell work that preserved the warmth of the summer; a day on the beach was not only possible but exceptionally enjoyable. For Iris, such trips had been common in her younger days but they had been sparse in the last few years since her father got promoted.

Conversely, Harry had never spent a day on the beach with his family; the only events that he could clearly recall spending any time by the water at all had been the horrid summer before his first year at Hogwarts when the Dursley's had bustled him off to some shack in the middle of nowhere only to have Hagrid come through the door to his rescue.

So in Iris' mind this trip was sentimentally important because it was a chance for Harry to experience the happy childhood he had been deprived and as those psychological injuries that he didn't know he had were healed the schism between what was Harry and what was the original Iris became less defined.

The evening of the party was rather hectic, because they had been invited by the Ancient and Most Noble House of Greengrass there were certain considerations that had to be taken into account for this party that weren't of major concern for more informal parties.

For instance, to an informal Yuletide party that the Potter's threw it would have been acceptable for Iris to wear a comfortable jumper and a pair of well worn jeans; instead she was wearing a fitted dress of navy blue velvet that fell to her ankles with full sleeves that hugged her upper arm and then billowed loosely from her elbow down; the hem of the gown done in gold and made a pattern of arches, within each arch was a rune stitched almost transparently in glossy colorless silk.

Around her waist was a belt of supple leather, dyed in gold with scrollwork stitched all the way around until it met the oval buckle that was made to look like the Potter coat of arms, a crowned stag etched so finely that one could almost believe it was breathing and hanging about its neck was chain of lily flowers. James Potter had added that last design in commemoration of his wedding to Lily, and he had wanted the world to know his love for her.

Overall, Iris thought she looked entirely too fine; she could admit to herself that the dress was beautifully cut and made and that she herself looked rather pretty with her hair falling a tumble in a mass of soft ringlet curls with some dark eye liner that made her emerald orbs appear all the brighter as she stared into the mirror the full length mirror and looked herself over.

But she was more at home on a quidditch pitch than a pureblood party, she wasn't a burgeoning socialite like Daphne was nor did she have the practiced cool that Draco had or the reserve that Blaise had. It was rather amusing actually that a part of her had stood before a Dark Lord and been ready to die but she was nervous about going to a party with a bunch of aristocrats… many of whom had been at that Dark Lord's side.

Perhaps she was nervous for all the right reasons then.

Turning away from the mirror, Iris stepped into a pair of flats that awaited her at the foot of her bed by the chest; these too were made from exceedingly supple leather, both comfortable and soft to the touch, they were dyed in a sensible black so that they could be worn with an assortment of clothing.

Iris found it a small mercy that at eleven she was not expected to wear the outrageous heels that would be expected of the young aristocratic women that would be in attendance. Her mother had regaled her with stories of a younger Lily that had to learn to dance in stiletto heels for her wedding reception.

With that thought twisting the corners of her lips into a grateful smile, the Potter heiress stepped out of her room and descended the stairs to the parlor at the front of the house on the ground floor to see her parents patiently waiting and talking amicably to Remus who would have the Manor to himself that evening, Liatris was sitting on a nearby armchair with a scowl on her face.

While Iris was uncomfortable at pureblood events, she would have friends at the party with which to interact and bleed of her discomfort. Liatris was loathe to attend any social event, she was devoid of just about every social grace that could be conceived of and much like their dear father; the filter between her brain and her mouth never seemed to work properly.

While things could always change, it was quite clear that Liatris was quite content to be the younger daughter in the family; she would be covered for everything she needed and would have none of the social pressures that Iris would have to deal with.

Entering the room quietly the only person who noticed her entrance was Remus, you couldn't get anything behind that man's heightened senses, and his scarred face split into a wide grin at the image that his 'niece' presented. The facial expression alerted her parents to her arrival and they turned as well to see their daughter, James' eye blew wide open and Lily smiled at her daughter.

"I'm sooo screwed…" James said to himself as he shut his eyes tight and pinched the bridge of his nose to Remus' amusement though Lily smacked him on the arm as Iris came closer with a frown on her face.

"Don't mind your father pup; he's just thinking of all the marriage contracts he'll be receiving in the next few years. You look a vision!" Remus said as he drew Iris into a careful hug so that he didn't frazzle her appearance, James grimaced at the mention of marriage contracts and Lily rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Merlin James, you'd think we were attending a funeral by the look on your face!" Lily muttered at her husband's childish antics though she smiled delightedly at her daughter and seconded Remus' sentiment while Liatris joined the group with an air of displeasure though she had wiped away the scowl she had sported before, all the better since she looked much nicer without it.

James produced an embossed letter that had been delivered by owl earlier in the day and held it out so that everyone who was going could lay a finger on an edge. Remus back away and bade them a good evening while Iris grabbed a hold of a corner and suddenly she felt the yank behind her navel that meant she was traveling by portkey.

There was that awful sensation of being sucked through a straw again and then she was slammed to the ground on her feet, though to her credit she managed to keep her balance and look unperturbed by the delivery system. Liatris had not been so lucky and it had taken James' quick reflexes to steady his daughter lest she wind up on her back in the grass and running her pale blue gown.

Taking a look around, Iris was at once besieged by the grandeur of the Grenngrass Estate; they were standing in the middle of a gazebo to the side of a massive walled garden, the area had obviously been ensorcelled because while the rest of England was in the grips of winter, the gardens they were standing in were comfortably warm and seemed to be in the middle of spring.

Trees and flowers of every kind filled the grounds with brilliant foliage and the aroma that filled the air was a sweet perfume as the moonlight shone down and illuminated the green expanse, soft glowing motes of light hung in the air like faeries and the entire atmosphere of the place was soft and beautiful. Whoever had been responsible for arranging the garden's landscape had done a remarkable job.

Stepping out from under the gazebo, the family of four walked along a small stone path with a quiet brook running alongside it to an open pavilion in the middle of the garden, where the brook became a tiny moat that surrounded the large rectangular platform.

Along the outer edge of the pavilion were tables and chairs and in the corner was a small band that was playing softly and on the short side of the rectangle beside the musicians was a buffet table bedecked with all sorts of delicacies that made the mouth water. The center of the platform was cleared and by the looks of the people shuffling along quietly it had been reserved for dancing.

Evidently, the Greengrass family didn't believe in doing anything halfway and while this wasn't one of the formal gala events that the pureblood society took part in several times during the year, it was quite the spectacle one would expect from opulent and exceedingly wealthy aristocrats.

It took only a moment of standing on the edge of the pavilion confusedly before Daphne materialized from somewhere and stood before the family looking rather pretty in a red dress with her hair pinned in an elaborate updo that left two locks of her honey blond hair to rame her face. She curtsied politely to the family which earned her a slew of answering curtsies and a bow, before she broke into a wide grin and gave Iris a welcoming peck on the cheek.

"I'm glad you could make it, this party has been awfully droll without anyone to keep me company." Daphne whispered in Iris ear, causing the girl to giggle in amusement as the Potter's were led over to a table at the edge of the pavilion beside the high table that dominated the other short side of the pavilion; the table they were led to was right on the corner and indicated a place of importance at the side of the hosts.

The position was not lost on the Potter's as they stared at the table quizzically though Daphne waved it off simply by saying, "Mother said that I could have a table close by for my friends and their families." While the comment was innocent enough, Iris was smart enough to realize that this was networking at its finest. Through their daughters and heirs, the Greengrass and Potter families were tied together as allies so long as the children remained on pleasant terms.

It wasn't a political alliance, not yet, but if the girls came of age and were still close friends then as heirs to their respective familial positions the position would become quite clear. For now though, it was just a passing fancy of the heiress of Greengrass to have other children close at hand. It wouldn't stop the gossip and intrigue that was the bread and butter to the elite families though.

Before long, Lord Eduard Greengrass and his wife, the Lady Claire Greengrass, came to greet their guests; Iris gave them a polite curtsy in greeting and after the niceties were observed, she was pulled away from the table by Daphne while Astoria, Daphne's younger sister, joined Liatris at the table and began to converse with the auburn girl.

Astoria was about as physically different from her elder sister as Liatris was from hers; as Daphne had the same honey blond hair and blue eyes as her mother, Astoria was possessed of the chestnut brown hair of their father and his slate grey eyes. Those eyes of course were quite striking, it was easy to see why Astoria had few friends her own age because her eyes had an unnerving quality about them; they seemed to see everything and pinned you down to your seat.

But Liatris wasn't the sort of person to be intimidated by anything; quite to the contrary she was charged headlong into a situation without ever thinking of the consequences. It had caused her parents much grief in the past, she spoke her mind freely and was oblivious to the feathers she ruffled when she did so. But impetuousness was a small price to pay because where the girl lacked any social decorum she loved passionately and freely.

It was often joked about the house that if ever there was an unloved creature in the world, a day with Liatris would leave them insipid. She was just that kind of person, headstrong and zealous but she was incapable of being anything but honest and compassionate.

So it was no surprise that the moment that Astoria fixed her with her penetrating slate gray eyes, rather than flinch away of politely excuse herself; she met the girl's eyes with her own expressive hazel ones.

"Your eyes are kinda creepy but they're really cool!" Liatris said bluntly but the endearing grin on her face took out any of the insult that might have been in her words and Astoria blinked in surprise. She had been expected the girl to bolt or ridicule her, not to compliment her; no one complimented her eyes.

"Um… thank you." She responded slowly as she struggled to find something adequate to respond with but all she could come up with was, "I like your hair, it's a lovely color." She felt lame the moment the words came out of her mouth, she really was socially stunted. At nine years old, the only friend she had in the world was her sister and an old cat that constantly hung about her.

Regardless, Liatris just smiled brightly at the girl and Astoria couldn't help but smile in return if a bit timidly since it seemed that a grin from the auburn haired girl was an infectious thing.

"I'm Liatris Potter, pleased to meet ya!" Liatris introduced herself and stuck out a hand to which the grey eyed girl leaned away from as she anticipated the shove that usually accompanied someone coming near her. But after a wary moment where Liatris just fixed her with that openly friendly smile she reached forward and took the girl's hand in her own, "Astoria Greengrass, the pleasure is mine."

Strangely enough, she found that she wasn't just saying those words; she meant them and somehow that meant something to her. As Liatris squeezed her hand gently, the second Greengrass daughter could feel the difference in the grip from her own. Where her hand was soft and delicate, more suited to the instruments that she had taken solace in playing well; Liatris' hands were rough and callused from handling broomsticks and climbing trees.

"How old are you Liatris?" Astoria asked curiously, it was seldom that she got to talk to anyone and now that she had forged a burgeoning friendship with this girl she couldn't help but want to know more about her.

"I'm ten, turning eleven in May so I'll be going to Hogwarts next year with our sisters." Liatris said excitedly though she noticed the wilting look that fell about Astoria when she said those words. "I'll take a guess and say you're nine so you won't be going to Hogwarts until the year after next, huh?"

However tedious Liatris might have found schoolwork, it was quite one thing to call her unmotivated and another stupid. Astoria nodded her head slowly, surprised by how observant the other girl was; "Close, I just turned ten at the beginning of December but I still can't go to Hogwarts next year since I can't get my wand until way after the school year starts." The girl said as a frown twisted her lips but all it did was give her a pouty expression that was much nicer to see then the crumpled expression that Liatris' face took on when she frowned.

Still those grey eyes clouded with an almost forlorn expression and there was a desperate sadness in those eyes that compelled Liatris into action. So she simply pulled the other girl into the seat with her and threw her arm over the other's shoulders in a one armed hug as she did her best to comfort her new friend. She didn't try to tell the girl it would be okay or make any promises; she simply let the girl know that she was there.

There was something to be said about the empathy of children, that they needed no words to comfort one another; that the most genial of actions could prove to be as comforting as the most eloquent words. That was something that people forgot as they got older, they tried to fill silences and comfort with words when it was actions that spoke the strongest.

For Astoria that simple hug meant more to her than all the placations that could have been given in their stead; because for once there was no insult or accusation or pain that came from those thin arms. Children could often times be cruel, like all humans they reacted to things that scared them but they did not have the age or maturity to temper their instincts and so they lashed out harshly, far more harshly then was strictly warranted at times.

So she took comfort from that innocent hug oblivious to the wrathful glare that seared her back and should have lit her aflame as Pollux Black watched from the edge of the pavilion his own family arriving for the Yuletide celebrations.

By midnight the party at the Greengrass Estate was in full motion, earlier in the evening there had been the perfunctory welcome from the hosts and they had invited their guests to enjoy the food and drink, the music and the dance floor. And so the food had been consumed, liquor had chased it down; the music had been good and the dancing great.

Iris had been surprised at just how fun dancing could be, she had of course taken lessons as it was something required of her, expected as an heir of an Ancient and Most Noble House; but she had never taken much enjoyment out of it since her instructor had been a rather sharp and demanding woman who had given little compliment and demanded perfection.

But her friends had been much more amicable company, Draco was a fine dancer and he had proven to be incorrigible in his desire to dance. At eleven the boy was graceful and precise and he had spun and twisted the raven haired girl like a top and when she had stumbled he had played it into the dance with a dip or swirl that put her right back on her feet.

By the time that Blaise cut in, she was giddy with pleasure and comfortable in her steps and motions that she had given herself totally to flying about the dance floor. They danced juvenilely, lacking polish and the finesse of some of the older dancers but they made up for it with the childish abandon and enthusiasm that made the adults grin and show off a but themselves as they rekindled their pleasures from the children.

Even Hermione had gotten into it, the fact that she was even there had taken a lot of the other attendants by surprise but she had been welcomed by Lady Greengrass herself and so they were held by protocol to accept her presence as demeaning her would by extension be demeaning the powerfully placed woman.

The brunette had few choices in dance partners though but she didn't seem to mind much as her friends taught her the steps and just as frighteningly fast as always she learned them almost immediately. After that it had been nothing but taking turns with the two males in their party or dancing with Daphne and Iris when the mood struck them.

It was another one of those things that was wholly of Iris; Harry had detested dancing though that might have been a result of his learning in the arms of McGonagall and being forced to attend because of his status as a Triwizard champion.

By the time she settled on the garden swing with her friends, they were sweaty and disheveled with a throbbing ache deep in their muscles that felt rather good at the moment but would leave them sore come morning.

But as Iris watched the festivities go on, she was recognizing faces tying them with names and she realized that a good number of the people in attendance here were Death Eaters or had been Death Eaters in Harry's universe. It was a perturbing feeling because at the moment they all looked to be enjoying themselves, having fun as they drank and danced; they were all so… normal and human.

They weren't monsters, just people and they didn't seem all that much like bad people either really; Iris had danced with a few of them when her friends were dancing with each other. She was certain that some of them had done horrible things, unspeakable things a decade and more ago but certainly not all of them were cold blooded murderers.

It was difficult to come to terms with that, on an intellectual level she knew that there were really no such thing as monsters; the world was simply a subjective thing. These people had a view that they had been ready to stand for, fight for, and die for; they were zealots, radicals, terrorists. But as was often the case, one man's terrorist was another man's freedom fighter.

Things were muddled in a way they hadn't been for Harry, he had been led onto path to fight a man that had wanted him dead and had killed his parents. It had been a battle for the right to survive; there had been no greater political aspirations or intent behind their confrontation. That wasn't to say there hadn't been serious ethical and moral differences between Harry and the Dark Lord, mass murder and terrorism went strictly against his ethos.

But these people had found something compelling enough behind Voldemort's tyrannical approach and Grindewald's that they had been willing to kill for it. Good people did terrible things when they were pushed hard enough and while bad people had slanted the ethical considerations of the war; wasn't it the case that the victor wrote the histories.

A bell chimed in the night, twelve clear reverberations that cut through Iris' thoughts and silenced the musicians as they were drowned out. December twenty-fifth had rolled upon them quickly and cries rose up amongst the crowd.

Iris turned to her friends as they shared a collective smile and spoke in unison, "HAPPY YULETIDE!"

While her brooding thoughts were not far from her mind, the raven haired girl put them to the back of her mind so that she might partake in the revelry of the occasion with her friends. Grabbing the night purse that she had brought along for this, Iris snapped open the clasp and opened the handbag so she could fish out the presents she had stashed away for just this moment.

With a flick of her wrist, her wand slid down into her hand from the disillusioned holster wrapped around her forearm, and she tapped each package so that they ballooned from their shrunken sizes to their genuine proportions.

They exchanged gifts until each person had four in their lap and grinning like mad urchins, they tore apart the nicely wrapped presents to get at the hidden contents. From Blaise, the most enigmatic of their small troupe Iris received an empty journal with a card; "They say I am the most reserved of us but I know that you are the brooder even if you don't want to show it. Brooders keep their own counsel, so here is a gift to do just that; a drop of blood to the first page ensures that no one but you will ever be able to read the contents."

Reserved and observant, despite knowing the boy for a scant three months she was quite certain the youth had them all pinned down to the way they chewed their food. His gift was significant and Iris was certain that she would put it to use in the months and possibly years to come; a journal only she could access would be useful.

In turn, her gift to him seemed inadequate but he seemed all the happier for it, a looking glass that could see through glamour charms and illusions, she had written to him as well, "To the person who sees all and reveals little, a tool so that nothing may escape your notice; use it fondly." The spy glass was simple in design, made from ironwood and cast in a copper it extended forward to three hands in length.

From Draco, the sarcastic peacock that had wormed his way fondly into her heart as her favorite 'cousin' had given her a comb, enchanted to bestow upon the user glamours of their choosing and it could actually be used to comb one's hair. Carved from dragonbone, it was a pale onyx in color and it was engraved with fine lines revealing a picture of a field of flowers in bloom.

From Daphne, the heiress and Iris' oldest friend she had received a charm for her bracelet and a rather interesting one at that, the charm was a pentagram in a circle. At each point of the pentagram was a glass bead in a different color that represented each person in their quintet, green for Iris, gold for Blaise, red for Hermione, silver for Draco, and blue for Daphne.

The back of the charm was likewise interesting since Daphne had given the same gift to all of them though mounted differently; by touching one of the beads or all of them a message could be sent that would appear on the back of the charm which would warm if a message was waiting for you.

Hermione had bestowed upon each of her friends a heart supply of their favorite sweets, including an ample amount of fudge chocolate to Iris; but the brunette felt slightly out of place considering that she had given enough candy to rot their teeth and had been lavished upon with fine gifts. A fine winter cloak that warmed and held back the elements, the pentagram on a delicate gold chain, several anthologies about magical history and lore, and a wand holster of fine craft with the same disillusionment charm on it as Iris' so that it never need be far from hand.

On top of it all, she had been given quite the sum in gift vouchers for various shops as belated birthday presents; considering that she had been a new friend and they had not known what to get her then.

It had taken a bit of cajoling and reassuring to get the girl to accept the gifts though she did so hesitantly, for all the girl's brilliance she was a Gryffindor through and through; too noble to accept a gift she didn't think she deserved rather than simply take it. It was an endearing trait for someone like her to be so modest and humble when she demanded perfection in herself in all her endeavors.

The night was quickly settling down as everyone was feeling the effects of full bellies and a long night of revelry. Before too long, Iris' parents came to collect her and she bade her friends a "see you later" rather than a goodbye before they took hold of their port key invitation and were jerked back to Potter Manor.

Iris would remember the Yuletide celebration as one of her fondest memories for years to come, and then there was the fact that even more gifts were waiting at home beneath an evergreen tree though those would have to wait for morning as James and Lily bustled their children off to bed.

Author's Note: I made an egregious error last chapter when I suggested that I was going to get through Yule, the Quidditch match and Norbert in a single chapter. When I began writing I had every intention of doing so, but for some reason I began to write about the Winter Break and I was just engrossed with it. Most of this chapter is just filler though there were a few points of interest that were vital to the storyline.

Next Chapter: Quidditch and Norbert
- 6
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Behind the Veil