The one day that Iris Potter was treated most like a human was her birthday. Not that there was anything wrong with being ignored, but at the very least life had become more bearable when the hag called Petunia finally took her side in an argument against her walrus of an uncle Vernon. She supposed it helped that the apple of his eye, her cousin and their daughter Abigail, was more than happy to treat her like a person.

Sure she still had more chores than her whale of a cousin Dudley who didn't do any of them anyway. Her favorite, not to mention her only other choice Abigail had several of her own to do. The gardening was mostly left to Petunia so Iris was often tasked to do the cleaning and the cooking with Abigail assisting in the capacity a six-year old could.

No such luck today, Iris mused, as the Dursley family plus one Potter went to one of the lower end restaurants. She supposed it would be too much to ask for a relatively normal day. Then again, she supposed a day without Vernon yelling at her or Dudley hitting her was in its own way better than usual.

Abigail hummed happily, it wasn't difficult to please her, with a sweet tooth as large as Dudley's sadistic streak she was the easiest to bribe among the Dursleys. Picking at a platter of chicken, she glanced up to where Dudley was busy stuffing his face with chips, wincing at the disgusting sight.

Often, she wondered at what life would have been like had her parents still been alive. She wondered if she'd have parties like some of her other friends did, even if they did throw her a bit of a surprise party a few days ago when the Dursleys were busy with an event or other. She wondered if her mother would cook food at home or if her father would chase away boys that had taken a fancy to her.

Somehow, she knew that her uncle and aunt were lying. Her strange dreams never added up. Absently, she lifted a lock of her red hair and ran a finger down the length of the jagged bolt-shaped scar on her forehead. Iris was by no means a stupid child. She researched into cars and car crashes after getting over the fact that her parents were dead. It was cold, she knew that, but she also knew that her councilors were right, and that she had to move on.

She remembered that night. However, she remembered that man, dressed all in black with a white face and eyes red as blood. She shivered, and brought herself back to reality as Abigail was poking her as a small cake was placed in front of her. Not that she'd be able to touch it, Dudley would be getting the whole cake when they got home so she did what she always did and politely declined, raising her voice loud enough for those nearby to hear that she was full.

Dudley gave a smug smile, hidden to all as Abigail's mouth watered at the sight of all that sugar. Instead, Iris grinned and ruffled the hair of her cousin, passing a frosting flower over to her who devoured it greedily.

For the rest of the day, and in her dreams, those blood red eyes haunted her mind and the flash of green light blinding her before she awoke with a start.

It was the laughing that caught her attention first. That new kid, Iris groused, he's drawing too much attention to himself. The lanky bespectacled boy was currently on the ground with the usual schoolyard bullies surrounded him and laughed. She sighed, standing and walking over to their little spectacle with a raised eyebrow.

Drawing closer, she could hear him sniffling. If he cried on her, there'd be hell to pay by both parties. "Hello Thomas." Iris said sweetly, smirking at the suddenly blanched faces and expressions of terror on the other kids' faces.

Whispers of 'it's her' and 'it's Potter' rang clearly in Iris's ears. She smiled at them, a false gesture that didn't reach her eyes. "Er, Potter. Fancy seeing you here."

The messy-haired boy on the ground was wide-eyed at the girl that stood up to her tormentors. With a disappointed sound, Iris took a few moments to assess the situation, watching azure tendrils pulse towards their heads and she began listening in to their thoughts. "You don't learn, do you Thomas?"

"D'you want? You know this kid?" he asked, though the bravado in his voice was cracking under the scrutiny of her gaze. "He's a freak. A nerd."

Smirking Iris stepped closer and whispered into Thomas's ear. "If you don't want me to tell your friends that you were snogging Justin Winter in the classroom, you leave this boy alone." She said sweetly. Blanching, the much larger boy backtracked.

"Come on guys. We have better things to do anyway." He said, his group following him like chicks after their mother hen. Laughing, Iris turned back to study the boy who looked up at her with disbelief and admiration clear on his face.

"You can't let those brats keep bullying you like that." Shaking her head, Iris held out a hand. "I'm Iris, nice to meet you."

With some effort, Iris brought the boy to his feet and they shook hands. "I'm Hector, by the way. Hector Granger."

Whistling, Iris sat by Hector as they ate lunch under the shade of the tree in the yard. She found that she enjoyed his company. He was funny when it suited him and was definitely smarter than most other students in their year.

Nibbling at the corner of her sandwich, she leaned against the boy, enjoying the fact he tensed up at her touch. Boys were so cute when they didn't know what to do, she mused as she listened to the quiet whispering in his mind. Laughing, she disturbed his thoughts. "So, how do you like it here?"

"Honestly? I feel like a curiosity here. Too smart for our grade, but not smart enough for next." He groused, taking a bite of his own sandwich. "It's always, Hector partner up with me or Hector how are you so smart?"

Iris laughed. "That's only because they don't apply themselves. It's not your fault they're lazy." She observed.

Truth be told, Iris looked forward to the days she spent with Hector at the park. "No complaints there." Hector agreed, taking a mouthful of water from his canteen.

Like all good things, they eventually ended. "Hey. Potter." Her whale of a cousin just had to show up, right? "This your boyfriend? Got advice for you. Stay away from the freak."

Remaining silent, Iris just sat as Hector sat up and looked at Dudley and his gang of bullies. "I am. Staying away from the whale that walks." Hector said casually. He raised an eyebrow at the look of offense that Dudley showed, his three friends looking mixed between snickering and yelling at Hector in anger.

"You won't be laughing when I'm through with you, nerd." Dudley said, cracking his knuckles. The image of a rather rotund boy cracking his knuckles, double chin wobbling wouldn't be frightening. To Iris, who knew her cousin's nature, bowed her head. "Potter. Don't talk to this boy."

"Or what?" Hector asked, his lanky form rising from his seated position as he pushed his glasses further up his nose.

"Wanna fight, nerd?" Dudley said. "Four of us, only one of you."

That was one line that Iris could never cross. As much as she hated her cousin, she still feared her uncle's temper more. "Hector. Don't." Iris said quietly. The one person she could never use her gift on was her cousin, he was like a blank in the sea of color she saw over everything, nothingness where all else was color. Something that completely and utterly terrified her.

"Iris." Hector said. "You don't have to listen to this bully."

Giving Hector a pained look, all her previous bravado gone, Iris smiled. "It's alright, really. I'll . . . see you around." She said weakly.

"But~" Hector began to protest.

"You heard her. Get lost." Dudley smirked as Hector didn't know who to feel angrier with. Dudley for ruining a perfectly good day, or Iris, the strong girl who told him to stand up for himself and didn't do so for herself. "Go."

With a parting glare at Dudley and a look of disappointment to Iris, he left the park and started walking towards his home.

Staring at his retreating figure, Iris barely noticed when Dudley roughly grabbed her wrist. She studied her feet with interest, a deep stirring feeling of pain in her chest, feeling her tears begin to rise. She wouldn't give Dudley the satisfaction. He wouldn't see her cry.

Hello everyone,

Here with the sister story to The Lion's Rose, and I'd like to say it's rather fun to write shorter chapters than I'm used to. As I've said in The Lion's Rose, this will hopefully be updated on a weekly basis (rather ambitious for me). This follows the story of what would happen if Harry were born a girl. She seems weak now, but a lot can happen between now and Hogwarts, so I ask you to give me a chance to tell this story.

Rate and review, favorite and follow. I'm always grateful for Constructive Criticism so get reviewing. I'd appreciate it if nobody posts anything insulting to me or other readers.

We're only as strong as our lowest moments,

Arilia