It had all begun in the springtime, on a day that had seemed normal enough.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in the common room with the warm fire from the fireplace breathing down on them as they were sitting in the middle of piles of books studying due to Hermione's forceful suggestion.
It was their sixth year at Hogwarts and the time of spring had arrived but the wind outside had not yet realized this factor and howled on as if in winter. Furthermore, to irritate the students inside, the wind brushed against the glass shaking it hard enough to rattle it.
Harry was particularly irritated by it and a few moments he pointed his wand at it and practically screamed, "Silencio Window," across the room. The rattling stopped but more than a few of his Gryffindor schoolmates gave him a questioning look.
Not that Harry cared; he was so used to strange looks that he was practically immune to them. Still, he did wish that they would stop.
After a few too many hours of studying Ron suddenly closed his book and yawned.
"Well I think I'm going to go to bed. I didn't exactly finish my herbology homework but then again I never really do anyway. So why start now, right." Ron said starting to get up.
Hermione looked up at Ron sternly.
"Ronald Weasley! How could you be so irresponsible as to not finish your homework? This is why you did so badly on your O.W.L.S!"
"There you go again Hermione, shouting out my business to the whole bloody world! Why don't you just mind your own." He snapped back.
Hermione stood up to glare back at him. She opened her mouth to retaliate and by now Harry understood that he was in the midst of another fight between his two best friends. He decided to leave.
Harry walked up alone to his room and lay on his bed thinking. Spring was here and Harry cringed as he thought about it. Soon all of the people in Hogwarts (At least the older one's) would start to pair up and Harry would be all alone.
He no longer liked Cho, but he did want to be with someone, or for everyone else to be alone. He wouldn't be able to stand it if he became pitied in school.
He fell asleep briefly and had a dream that Malfoy had a girl in his arms and was looking at Harry with pity in his eyes. P-I-T-Y. Pity! He woke up.
"I'm going to end up like Snape." He yelled waking. Dean rolled over and looked at him from across the room, half-asleep.
"Shut up Harry, you're nothing like that git." Dean said and fell back asleep.
'Dean is right,' Harry thought to himself, 'Besides at least I still have my two best friends. They don't go around goggling eyes at every member of the opposite sex they pass. Yeah they'll be with me."
Harry contented himself with this fact and slowly fell in to a deep sleep, with no weird dreams to ruin it.
Ron and Hermione were still in the middle of a fight. The other Gryffindors had one by one slowly left the Common room, leaving the two of them alone.
"That's your problem Ron, you have so much potential. Use it for goodness sake!" Hermione growled.
"Hermione just shut up!" Ron said moving so close that Hermione could feel his breath on her forehead (He was considerably taller than she was).
"Make me!" Hermione yelled defiantly looking straight up in to his eyes.
"Fine," he said and bent down and kissed her full on the lips.
Hermione stood there in shock, and then she kissed him back. After a minute or so Ron backed away and looked at her guiltily.
"I'm sorry, that was inappropriate." He said gloomily.
Hermione looked at Ron and smiled.
"No it wasn't." she said and pulled his face down to hers.
They started kissing again and for a few moments there was no one in the world but them.
When Harry woke up the next day he was in a much better mood. He walked downstairs and opened the window. It was a warm and bright day, perfect for playing Quidditch. There was no game scheduled but he could at least practice. Especially since there were no classes.
Harry sat down in a chair and waited for his two best friends to wake up so that they could go down to breakfast together.
Hermione was the first to come down. She was humming a sweet little tune and gliding across the room.
"Glad to see you're feeling better." Harry said with one eyebrow raised in suspicion.
"Really? When did I ever feel bad." She asked seriously but with a smile that seemed to be plastered on her face.
"Yesterday when you were fighting with Ron." Harry answered getting a little irritated by her mood.
"Ron." She said dreamily.
"Did someone call for me?" Ron asked walking downstairs with a huge grin on his face.
"No, Hermione and I were just talking about last night." Harry offered getting the feeling that he had missed something.
"Last night." Ron said dreamily and then looked over at Hermione for a long time.
Hermione blushed and looked down at the floor. Ron turned beat red but did not take his eyes off of her.
"Did I miss something?" Harry asked looking at them.
"Well actually yes…" Hermione started embarrassed.
"You see yesterday after me and Hermione stopped fighting, we sort of started kissing." Ron finished turning even more red than he had before, as impossible as it sounds.
Harry gasped and stood up.
"You mean the two of you are a…" Harry started but he couldn't finish the sentence.
"Yes Harry we are a couple now." Hermione finished for him. She seemed to drag out the word couple as if she enjoyed the sound but other wise seemed normal as she spoke.
"I know this is a lot for you to take Harry. It's so sudden and all, but you figured it out a while ago yourself, at least that I liked her." Ran added nervously.
Harry had figured that out but he hadn't expected them to act on it. After all Ron was as slow as molasses when it came to girls but now here he was, sitting down next to her as her boyfriend. It was all so very odd.
Harry put on a fake smile and congratulated the two of them. Then, mostly because the sight of the two of them making eyes at each other gave Harry the feeling that he was going to throw up, he left them alone telling them he'd let them have some privacy. They didn't seem to mind to much as Harry stepped outside of the porthole.
He went for a walk around the school to clear his head. But that proved to be a bad idea. On his way he had the unfortunate displeasure to bump straight in to Draco Malfoy who was arm and arm with a beautiful, exotic looking girl. Harry didn't recognize her, but looked down at her robes to realize that she was in Ravenclaw.
'I thought they were supposed to be smart.' He thought as Draco got up.
"What is it with you Potter? You seem to always be in my face, and frankly I'm getting sick of it!" he spit looking at Harry with venom in his eyes.
"Draco! Why can't you be a little nicer. Really! I have half a mind to dump you right here, right now. Remember what you promised me." She said looking at him angrily.
Dracos face softened.
"I'm sorry Potter." He spit out, then he put his hand out and helped Harry up. Harry watched for tricks but Draco just wiped his hands on his robes as if he had just touched Dragon dung.
The couple started to walk away. The Ravenclaw girl looked back as they walked and said with a shrug,
"Well it's a start. We can't let him get away can we, he's awfully cute when he's nice."
Then they disappeared around the corner. Harry stared in wonder. Malfoy with a girlfriend. A Ravenclaw at that matter! Harry could not believe his eyes.
He continued his walk and noticed that everyone was pairing up. He saw Ginny with Dean holding hands. Lee Jordan had his arms around a Hufflepuff girls shoulders. Seamus was talking closely with Lavender Brown, and even Goyle was with Millicent. There were many others that Harry didn't even look at.
Harry felt sick. He decided to go have a talk with the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore always knew the right thing to say.
He headed for Professor Dumbledore's Office. He stood outside waiting for Dumbledore to come out. Dumbledore knew everything; he just had to know that Harry was outside of his office waiting for him. He just had to.
Harry saw the passage open. Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall walked out laughing. Harry was pleased to see them.
"Hello Professors." He said beaming.
"Hello Mr. Potter." Professor McGonagall said cheerfully. She wasn't acting normal.
"Harry it's good to see you again. I trust all is well. But you want to speak to me about something." Dumbledore said.
"Well as a matter of fact…" Harry started.
"I'll be with you in a minute Harry." Dumbledore said walking over to Professor McGonagall.
"I trust I'll see you later Albus, at dinner of course." She said smiling.
"Yes Minerva, I'm looking forward to it." He said and leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek.
Professor McGonagall blushed and suddenly they both seemed much younger than they had ever been.
"Well yes. That's all Mr. Potter." She said trying to regain her composure. She walked away and Dumbledore turned around to give Harry his full attention.
"So Harry what is it you wanted to discuss with me?"
Harry looked up at him.
"Never mind Professor, you just wouldn't understand!" Harry said to a shocked Dumbledore, as he walked away.
Harry decided that he wanted to be alone. He trudged up to Gryffindor Tower and went directly to his room. He closed his eyes and hoped for sleep. Eventually, it came.
A few days later Harry was still in a foul mood. He'd spent most of his extra time alone in his bedroom while all of his school friends went around acting like romantic drones.
Eventually he realized that he couldn't spend the rest of his life hiding in his room. He got up and walked down to the common room. Also as an added bonus, he heard rumors that Fred and George were planning on visiting sometime that day. If anyone could make Harry laugh it was the Weasley twins.
Sometime after lunch, Harry was walking passes the door of the entrance hall when he saw two familiar looking red heads. He grinned.
"Oh 'ello Harry. What have you been up to? No good I hope." George stated grinning back.
"Not much at the moment. It's been really strange around here lately." Harry admitted.
"How so?" Fred asked looking around for differences.
"Everybody's gone all romance crazy. Even Ron and Hermione!" Harry answered.
The twins laughed.
"So Ron's gone and finally admitted to Hermione that he likes her?" George asked curiously.
Harry nodded.
"Well it's about bloody time! He's liked her for years and hadn't had the guts to tell her or ask her out. He definitely didn't get that from us. We've had plenty of girlfriends." Fred added.
"But don't worry about us." George said at the look on Harry's face.
"We don't go in for that Lovey-dovey stuff." Fred finished for him.
Harry looked relieved.
"Thank goodness." He said walking with them down the corridor.
They were deep in the middle of a conversation about Quidditch when Fred remembered to ask Harry something.
"Oh wait Harry, we forgot to ask you. Who's the new master trickster around here since we've left? We need to see if he's living up to our expectations. Maybe we could give him a few…er…pointers." Fred flashed.
"Well…actually…" Harry started, he didn't know how to break the news to them, "there are two of them."
The twins burst with pride.
"Twins are they." George asked.
"No."
They looked slightly disappointed.
"Are they at least related?" Fred started.
"They are cousins. And they live next door to each other if that helps."
"We'll why didn't you say so? That's just as good as brothers." George answered happily.
"Another thing they aren't exactly boys. Their Girls." Harry said getting to the point.
"Girls?" Fred said skeptically.
"Are they even in Gryffindor?" George asked hopefully.
"Yes that they are. They transferred this year and just took over." Harry said happy to give them some good news.
"We have got to see this. Be a good friend and bring us to them, Harry." Said George.
"Alright but it will be hard to find them. They're always up to something." Harry said wondering where they could be at the moment.
"What grade are they in?" Fred asked curiously wondering how they were chosen.
"Sixth. My grade." Harry answered.
"Well at least they're not too young." George offered.
Just at that moment two broomsticks came flying over their heads.
"What the bloody hell!" George burst out.
Two girls, who were riding on the brooms, circled the room laughing. They dove between a Slytherin couple kissing. The boy raised his fist threatening.
"Are you off your bloody rockers?!!" he yelled.
"Sorry but the sight of two Slytherins kissing makes me want to barf. What about you Katie?" The red haired girl yelled.
"You know perhaps we were a bit harsh," Katie, the blonde haired witch started, "here have some Bernie Bott's Every flavored Beans on us."
As she said this she pulled out her wand and started shooting the beans at them. They ducked and started to run.
"That's right Nidava, you had better run. If we see you trying to mess with another Gryffindor I swear we'll do worse than that!" Katie yelled, then she swooped to the ground at an alarming speed and pulled her broom up suddenly to stop it from moving.
The red haired girl however landed slowly and gracefully.
"Showed her didn't we Beth." Katie said to the other girl.
"Yes, I'd say she'll think twice before double crossing a Gryffindor." Beth answered moving her hair from her face.
"Oh hi Harry." Katie said casually walking up to him.
The Weasley Twins were in a state of shock. They snapped out of it as the girls neared.
"Hi Katie, Hi Beth. I see you've been terrorizing some more Slytherins today." Harry said beaming. Here were others not drooling over anyone.
"You know that's our favorite hobby Harry." Katie said with a look towards Beth.
"Oh by the way, this is George and Fred Weasley, the previous head pranksters in school." Harry interrupted.
The girls looked at them skeptically. "Boys," they mumbled to themselves, the twins didn't seem to have heard because the next thing George said was,
"Harry I'm sure they've heard of us. We're Hogwarts Legends."
"Oh yeah, I vaguely remember hearing something about pranks with fireworks and brooms, or something. Then there's that little puddle in the Great Hall. That about covers it right?" Beth asked Katie looking slightly board.
"Kids stuff." Katie added looking as board as Beth.
Fred and George gaped at them in disbelief. Then Fred snapped out of it first and looked at the two of them with his arms folded on his chest in front of him. George turned and followed his brothers' example, he also added a smirk for the effect.
"Kids stuff huh? I'd like to see you do better." Fred said loftily.
Beth looked over at Katie and laughed.
"We already have." Katie said confidently.
"And will again." Beth answered looking at the boys with pity.
"And what pray tell might that be?" Fred asked moving closer and towering over Katie while George followed standing over Beth.
"There's so many to choose from. Would you like one from Hogwarts or our old school?"
"How about here since Hogwarts is the best Wizarding School ever." George answered prolonging the word Wizarding.
"Katie tell the one about our oh so unworthy Defense against the dark arts teacher. I love that one especially." Beth said with a mischievous grin that made George stare.
"Well. Beth and I were in the hallway thinking up a wonderful scheme involving Malfoy and a certain unbreakable wrap around toilet spell when we saw our very dear defense against the dark arts teacher swooping out of his office looking rather distressed. Well of course we could not leave him in such a bad temper now could we?" Katie stated looking the picture of innocence.
"No we could not. It's bad for your health don't you know." Beth added as the two girls looked at each other in remembrance.
"So as he was just about to turn the corner Beth here, always the quick thinker, conjured up a nice unreachable ice water spell. Down it came and poured on to dear Professor Snape's head." Katie said and with a flick of the wrist showed the memory to them in a projected memory.
Harry laughed out loud and tried to stifle the rest of his laughter feeling a loyalty to the twins.
"While Snape was cooling down, or rather being cooled down, I shouted a vanishing spell and we were both hidden as we went to go walk away. Obviously Snape had realized someone was there. He snarled something about Harry Potter and looked around. He tried to stun in our direction but Beth threw it off with a defensive spell and he thought we had been hit. Of course he didn't know it was us but he thought someone had been hit. Then by a stroke of luck Peeves showed up at this very moment to taunt the Professor. As you can imagine Beth and I could barely contain our laughter, so we scurried off listening to Snape growl, "Peeves" and he never knew it was us the whole time." Katie finished triumphantly.
"No way! You two got Snape. That's incredible!" George started, looking impressed. Fred hit him hard in the ribs, "I mean yeah that was good to." George tried to cover but Katie had already realized that he was impressed and gave Fred a smug grin. Beth however, did not seem overly concerned with Fred as she blushed slightly at George.
"Oh it was nothing…" she began and George said promptly, "Anyone that can block a defensive spell against Snape deserves a huge amount of credit."
Fred tapped his foot angrily waiting for George to stop acting like an idiot.
"Well I suppose it was good but still nothing compared to our pranks." Fred began more to Katie than anyone else.
It seemed that Beth and George no longer cared who was the better prankster.
"My name is George Weasley in case you didn't know. Arthur Weasley's son." He introduced himself properly.
Beth giggled and put her hand out. They shook.
"I'm Elizabeth Flume, daughter of Ambrosis Flume. Ever heard of him?" she said mischievously.
Fred and George both turned to look at her. George hit Fred on the chest.
"Fred what did she just say?" George asked making sure he wasn't hearing things.
Fred looked at her dumbfounded. Then answered,
"I reckon she said she's Elizabeth Flume, Ambrosis Flume's daughter."
"OF HONEYDUKES!" George retaliated.
Beth nodded smiling.
"The one and only." She said trying not to laugh.
Fred wheeled around to look at Katie.
"And who are you, the owner of Zonko's joke shops daughter or something." Fred asked amazed at his brother's luck.
"No, sorry." Katie said with a shrug.
"Oh," Fred said looking slightly disappointed. Then he looked up and smiled at her, "doesn't matter, doesn't matter. I think your quite interesting even with out a famous dad. Your more my type. You're still not the prankster I was, but I think I could teach you a few things while I'm here." Fred looked at her for a second.
She laughed at his expression, then said,
"My name is Katie Botts. Nice to meet you Fred Weasley." She stuck out her hand.
"Katie Botts, Bertie Botts daughter. The Bertie Botts every flavor beans daughter?" Fred asked stopping her in her tracks.
"Yep," she said as if it was nothing. Then she tapped Fred's nose with her finger, "Now I don't want that to change anything ickle Freddie, after all I'd hate to miss out on those incredible lessons you'll be giving me while you're here." She added sarcastically.
She started to walk away switching her hips as she went, with Beth trailing behind her.
Harry laughed. Those girls were always a riot, and up to no good. He turned to the twins who looked as if they had been stupefied.
"Well do you want to go see Ginny and Ron?" Harry asked the twins, who shooed the idea away with their wands.
"Not now, not now." George said then decided to run after Beth.
"What about you Fred?" Harry asked rolling his eyes at George but was still in a good mood because the scene was funny.
"You know Harry, I'm going to have to get back to you on that. At the moment it seems to be that I have met the future Mrs. Weasley and for some reason I feel like I should run over there pick her up and never let her go." Fred said quite to Harry's amazement.
And Fred did run across the room and pick Katie up. Quite a few girls looked upset as they watched Fred lift Katie into the air but they could not stay that way for long because Katie had taken her wand out and stuck it in Fred's nose. He moved around a bit, and while still holding her, but with one arm, he took the wand out of his nose. Fred scowled,
"Now what was that for?" and the others chuckled, even Katie.
Harry laughed for a few seconds but as he watched he felt that lonely feeling from the pit of his stomach.
It was dark outside when Harry decided to go down to the lake and clear his head. The Gryffindor common room had been unusually packed with couples. Not only that but there were also couples in his shared room since girls can visit the boys dormitories. So Harry decided to take his invisibility cloak for a spin.
As he came closer to the lake he heard singing. But it was not the shrill, high-pitched sounds of the mermaids above water. It was a mesmerizing sound as Harry was drawn to the angelic human voice that sang so beautifully. He followed it down to the lake, took off the cloak, and saw a beautiful looking girl facing the water and dipping her hands in the lake as she sang.
Harry stared, speechless. He had never seen her before and wondered how he could have missed such a stunning girl. Her hair was long, straight, and black. It flowed silkily behind her as she turned her head. For a moment she froze when she noticed him, stunned that she had been watched.
"Oh." She let escape as she stood up.
Harry once again stood motionless as he looked into her face. She had the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen and her skin was a pale tan color that looked exotic.
He could not tell what house she was in because the robes she had on had no crest on it. He opened his mouth to speak but found that he could not.
"I…I'm sorry I didn't know that anyone was here." She said startled, looking around for others behind him.
Finally Harry found his voice,
"No, please don't be sorry." He said shifting uncomfortably. He moved closer to her and she looked up at him alarmed.
"What are you doing?" she asked taking a step back.
"I'm not going to hurt you. I was looking for your crest, I know you don't have to wear it but I've never seen someone choose not to. Except you I see." He rambled looking rather timid.
"Oh that's alright then." She said but did not reveal her house either and Harry felt not to press the issue.
"My name's Harry." He began hoping to find out more about this Mysterious girl.
"I'm…I'm Iris." She said hesitantly, then her eyes widened as if she had told him a huge secret and she stopped in her tracks.
"Iris," Harry said dreamily. He turned around with his back to her in thought, "That's a pretty name. My mother Lily was named after a flower t-"
Harry turned around to see that the girl had vanished. The only thing that was left was a black cat, the lake, and himself. He sat down and put the cat in his lap as he petted it absentmidedly and spoke to it,
"You must be Iris's cat. She'll probably be worried about you in the morning. She is a rather extraordinary girl isn't she? I'll just take you up to my room and return you tomorrow…or try anyway."
With that he picked up the cat and made his way to his room. Soon after he was asleep.
In the morning Harry woke up in a relatively good mood. Once he got out of bed he moved over to Ron's and shook him.
"Ten more minutes Mum." Ron said waving Harry away.
"Ron I am not your Mother, its Harry I have to talk to you." Harry said shaking him again.
"Unless Voldemort is outside our door performing an unforgivable I don't want to get up. I'm having the most wonderful dream so go away." Ron said half awake.
Harry stood up straight and looked around before he was hit with an idea. He smirked and said,
"Morning 'Mione."
At that Ron jumped up still groggy and brushed back his mane of red hair with his hand before saying,
"Hi 'Mione I wasn't sleeping in, just…" he trailed off as he opened his eyes and found no Hermione. He glared at Harry. "That wasn't funny." He said but he was awake now.
Harry just laughed as Ron noticed his friends extreme mood change.
"So what's was so important that I needed to be woken up at 5 o'clock in the morning?!" Ron asked annoyed but no longer angry.
"I met someone." Harry said happily.
Ron smiled back, no longer annoyed,
"That's great Harry. Hermione and I were worried about you yesterday. We were gonna try and set you up but now we don't have to. So who is it? What house?" Ron said shaking Harry hand.
Harry blinked slightly,
"Well the thing is I don't really know."
"What do you mean I don't know?" Ron asked raising an eyebrow.
"I only spoke to her for a few minutes down by the lake last night." Harry answered sheepishly.
"Last night Harry? I you sure it wasn't a dream?" Ron asked looking at Harry with pity.
Harry looked at Ron in shock. That his own best friend didn't believe him,
"It wasn't a dream! Her name is Iris and look I brought up her cat!" he said turning around to look for it. But the cat was gone.
Harry sat down on his bed and frowned. 'Could it be that the mysterious Iris was just a dream?' he thought to himself. Then he sighed out loud.
Ron sat down and patted Harry on the back,
"It's alright mate. Look why don't we go down and get breakfast I'm sure you'll feel a lot better on a full stomach." Ron said pulling Harry out of bed.
"But it was so real!" Harry said allowing Ron to drag him.
"I know mate, I know." Ron said sympathetically.
Harry trudged down the staircase into the Great Hall and plopped down in his seat. He started playing with his food with a sad expression on his face.
Hermione, after being informed by Ron, sat beside him and patted his back reassuringly. Ron looked thoroughly uncomfortable, whether it was because he was not use to an emotional friend or because Hermione had her hand on Harry's back we may never know.
"It was so real though!" Harry exclaimed throwing his spoon in the air. It landed with a clang on Neville's head 6 Gryffindor's over. "Sorry Neville." Harry mumbled looking gloomily back down at his own food.
"'s alright Harry." Neville said cheerfully as Luna Lovegood ran over from to the Gryffindor table and patted his head affectionately.
Harry scowled before lifting his head up to look around the hall. Everyone seemed so annoyingly happy to him…well almost everyone. There was one very shy looking girl huddled at the front of the Ravenclaw table. She was nervously running her hand through her hair with the other hand propped up so that she could lean on it. Her chair was closest to the teachers table and she sighed as she looked up at it. Deep in though Harry noticed that she looked very unhappy, maybe even more than himself. Then as she looked towards the Gryffindor table and scanned the room Harry's heart practically stopped beating.
'Those eyes, that hair, can it be…" Harry thought.
All of a sudden Harry jumped up from his seat causing Hermione to jump back in surprise and Ron to fall off his chair. Ron was the first to recover,
"What, what is it Harry?" he asked quickly as he got up, concerned that it might have something to do with the scar on his forehead.
Harry beamed and punched Ron in the arm.
"That's her Ron! The girl from the lake! She wasn't a dream." Harry said pointing to the shy girl he had been looking over before.
Ron looked where Harry was pointing and whistled,
"Alright Harry! Nice taste mate." Ron said excitedly.
Hermione stood up and shot Ron a nasty look, more like a glare really. She pinched Ron on the arm.
"Ow…" he started and then thought about it, "of course I prefer lighter features myself. Oh and I like a girl with confidence, no shy girl for me. Only my lovely Hermione."
Then he leaned down and kissed her forehead. She melted under his touch and laughed at her own jealousy.
"Nice save Ron." She added while laughing.
He smiled smugly, briefly reminding Hermione of his infamous twin brothers.
Harry literally jumped over his chair and started to walk quickly, almost ran really, towards the Ravenclaw table.
"Go get 'er Harry!" Ron said as Harry almost ran.
"Don't be to anxious Harry." Called the more sensible Hermione.
"Now why'd you have to go and say that Hermione? Can't you see the boys infatuated? He's going after what he wants." Ron countered.
"I am merely asking him to be careful. Not every girl in school want to date you know!" Hermione retaliated.
"Really? Name one person!" Ron began but Harry could no longer hear them bickering as he was fast approaching Iris.
Iris looked up and noticed that he was coming. She stood up and froze. He was coming and she couldn't move. She hadn't been stupefied, no wand had risen against her, yet her knees buckled and would not let her move. A few of her friends noticed Iris's strange behavior and stood up.
"Oh dear." She let out as Harry was closing in by walking down the length of the Ravenclaw table.
Finally her legs let her go and she started to run. She ran passed Harry who had to change directions, honestly you'd think a seeker could catch a girl when she ran right passed him.
"Wait, Iris!" Harry called as he turned and ran after her.
He ran and then found himself falling. In fact, he had been tripped courtesy of Draco Malfoy.
"Scaring poor defenseless Ravenclaw girls in your free time Potter, even I didn't expect that from you." He sneered pointing his wand down at Harry, who was rising from the floor.
"This is none of your business Malfoy." Harry snarled.
Malfoys girlfriend squeezed Draco's hand as she stood beside him,
"Maybe its not how it looks Draco, darling."
He ignored her statement and turning back to Harry,
"It is always my business when a Gryffindork is bothering my girlfriends house. The magnificent and brilliant Ravenclaws cannot be associated with riff raff like you," he sneered, "besides call me old fashioned, but I like to help girls in distress. I'm kind of like a knight if you think about it."
"That's very kind of you Draco but I think we can handle it from here." A Ravenclaw girl said walking up to Harry with a group of girls behind her.
Draco Malfoy bowed and then walked away with his girlfriend. She turned around and said,
"He really is cute…it's a work in progress." Then they left the hall.
The girl, who seemed to be the leader, looked him over appraisingly.
"And what do you want with Iris?" the girl began.
"It's none of your business either." He said starting to walk away.
"Solidify." The girl yelled and Harry found that he could not move.
"What is it?!" Harry yelled not able to move anything but his mouth.
"We want to know your intentions that's all!" another Ravenclaw spoke up from the middle of the group.
"They are good, now let me go." Harry said testily.
At this point Ron had come over and was poking Harry to see what spell they had used.
"Oy! That spells bloody brilliant, that is!" Ron added leaning against Harry as if he were a statue.
"Not helping." Harry said stiffly wishing that he could reach his wand.
"Let him go!" a voice boomed from behind him.
The Ravenclaw girls backed up when they saw her. Hermione lifted her wand impressively and pointed it at the Ravenclaw group. Now they looked nervous.
"Get 'em Mione!" Ron said enthusiastically not lifting his own wand but rather very calm about the scene before him.
"Hermione Granger, I wouldn't think you would stick up for a boy who would scare an innocent girl." The leader said carefully as the group slowly backed away.
Hermione laughed,
"That's not it at all. Harry likes Iris." She explained.
The girls put down their wands and smiled. Some let out an "Awe" as they put their wands away.
Hermione lowered her own.
"Is that all? Why didn't he just say so?" the leader said smiling as she took the spell off him and he fumbled.
Ron, who had been leaning against him fell over completely.
The Ravenclaw leader laughed then looked back at Hermione with respect.
"You know I always thought you'd fall for a Ravenclaw, I was surprised when I heard about him, despite the rumors.: she said pointing at Ron who was being helped up by Harry.
Hermione turned around and smiled at him.
"Yeah me too but he makes me laugh and he's so cute, especially when he's embarrassed." She said with a sigh.
"Well if he doesn't work out I know a bunch of Ravenclaw guys that would love to date, or even talk to the famous Hermione Granger."
Hermione blushed glad that the boys were not in hearing distance.
"I appreciate it Regina but I don't think I'll need it." she answered walking over to Ron.
"Well the offers always open." Regina yelled as the Ravenclaw girls went back to the table.
"What was that about?" Ron asked putting his arms around Hermione.
Hermione smiled,
"Nothing Ron, she just told me that she could find me a good study partner in Ravenclaw." She said slyly.
Ron stiffened,
"I don't think so. Your studying with me." Ron said taking her hand in his and starting to walk.
"Harry are you alright?" Hermione asked stopping Ron who seemed to want to go to the library right away and show her his…studying capabilities.
"I'm going to talk to her someway." Harry said, more to himself than Hermione and Ron.
"Why don't you do it in class? We have double defense against the dark arts with Ravenclaws next and get this, Professor Lupin is substituting. It seems that Snape isn't feeling well." Hermione said matter of factly.
Ron and Harry stared at her incredulously.
"How is it that you know everything?" Ron asked suspiciously.
"I am very trust worthy and responsible person Ron. People find it easy to talk to me about such things and I make it my business to listen." Hermione answered.
"Hermione you're a genius!" Harry said beaming.
He walked out of the Great Hall to be early for Defense Against the Dark Arts.
When class started Harry made it a point to sit next to Iris. She looked nervous that he was sitting next to her and blushed when she noticed him staring.
Professor Remus Lupin noticed too, since they were sitting in the front row. He smiled,
'To be young again.' He thought to himself.
"Good morning class, as you may have noticed Professor Snape is not feeling well today and I will be taking his place. Today we will be working on worst fears and greatest desires. Everyone has them but we must learn to overcome our fears and embrace our desires." Professor Lupin announced.
"Alright Professor." Ron said before leaning over and giving Hermione a lingering kiss on the lips.
Hermione sat back as if she had defied school rules in front of a teacher while Ron smirked,
"Good idea, embarrassing desires." Ron mused.
Professor Lupin laughed heartily,
"That's not exactly what I meant Mr. Weasley but good try anyway." He said kindly.
The class looked up at him intently. He smiled at them and revealed a human sized mirror that hovered above ground and circled the teacher's desk slowly.
"So who's first?"
Everyone raised their hands except for Harry and Iris. Professor Lupin looked straight down at them.
"Ms. McGonagall, how about you?" Professor Lupin said kindly.
The class murmured looking around for the infamous professor of the same name but Iris was the one that stood up. Harry was the most surprised by this turn of events. Could Iris be related to McGonagall?
"Now get out your wand and be ready for it. Your greatest fear will come first. After you overcome it you will be taken over by your greatest desire. If you embrace it you will be let go, if not then it will happen by force." Lupin said backing away to watch.
The mirror stopped in front of Iris and became like a movie screen. She was in the middle of a crowded hallway and people were all whispering, 'Have you heard?' 'She's so strange' 'I can't believe no one guessed' 'No, not until she started dating…him' 'She's probably just dating him to show off' 'Probably controls the poor bay' 'She scares me' 'She's not normal.'
The crowd was whispering and all looking at her trying to get out of her way. Then Iris started to sing in the mirror and the TV crowd ran from her. Iris tried to calm down but she couldn't. The TV Iris fell to her knees,
"It's not fair! I can control it! I will control it really! Just don't leave me!" she screamed in a tight voice just about ready to cry.
Harry was watching the movie, wishing that he could jump in and save her but he couldn't. This time she would have to save herself.
The real Iris screamed,
"Enough!"
Then suddenly she began to sing for real in human form. The tape stopped and the class became mesmerized, all except for Professor Lupin who was smiling at her with cotton in his ears. Objects floated in mid air in front of her and she stopped abruptly in mid song.
The class was still mesmerized as Professor Lupin walked over to Iris, a smile plastered on his face, as she looked up at him in shock,
"How did you…?" she started but couldn't finish her sentence. The word was now implied by Professor Lupin put his hand on her shoulder and patted it.
"I could tell that you were part banshee. A small part that is." He commented.
She slumped,
"Is it that obvious?" she asked pathetically.
Lupin grinned sympathetic to anyone with such a problem,
"No, no my dear, half-breeds know other half-breeds, and part breeds, and full breeds. When your older you understand." He said spreading his hands in front of him.
"You mean you're a…" once again she couldn't finish but she pointed at herself with wide eyes.
He laughed again his eyes filled with that mischievous twinkle that doused his perfect teacher act and proved that he had once been a marauder despite the parent like chiding.
"No, no most banshees are female anyway, sorry I'm just a lowly werewolf." He stated but teased slightly with a little bow.
"Your not lowly your wonderful." She said as she blushed slightly.
When he had been a permanent DADA teacher she had, had a crush on him and now she remembered why.
"Thank you Ms. Mcgonagall." He said cordially.
"Your welcome." She mumbled embarrassed.
"Now will it be just you and I see you embrace your greatest desire or would you like to bring the rest of the class back?" he asked sitting behind his desk and taking out a chocolate bar, handing her a piece.
"Er…thanks professor I think I'll just leave it between us…well someone else may be involved." She said as the professor raised an eyebrow suggesting that he might know of whom she was speaking. But he kept his mouth shut and watched as the mirror begun to play.
The mirror showed Harry chasing Iris and catching her up in his arms. He looked deeply in her eyes and told her that he didn't care that she was a banshee. Then the movie stopped and Iris looked towards Harry wondering if he'd really understand or shun her. Professor Lupin seemed to understand this and offered,
"It has been my experience that Mr. Potter is very understanding when it comes to these sort of things."
And then he left it at that and pretended to be absorbed in his chocolate bar and a paper on his desk. Iris took a deep breath before making up her mind and walking over to Harry desk. She clapped her hands in front of him and Harry was suddenly out of his trance. He blinked looking slightly surprised,
"What happened I feel like I blanked out? Iris? Well never mind," he said waving it away as if he had something more important in mind then spacing out, "I wanted to talk to you."
He fell silent though at her expression.
"Harry I'm part banshee." She blurted nervously.
Harry scrunched his face up in confusion,
"What?"
"It's sort of like a veela but only of the mermaid species. And the powers only work when I sing. When I stop…then so does the power. That's why you were drawn to me I'm afraid." She said on the brink of tears.
"Professor McGonagall is a…" he started but she shook her head no.
"No she's my great aunt. My Grandfather is her brother. I got the part banshee from my grandmothers side." She told him.
Harry stood looking at her in deep thought. Then he said,
"Your powers only work when you sing right?" he asked slowly.
"Yes." She answered not getting why he was asking her this.
"Good. That means that if I would have only liked you for your voice then I wouldn't have stayed."
Iris looked taken back. Then excitement shown on her face,
"Your right, you really must like me then after all what boy would have taken in a cat you thought was mine if he didn't care for the owner." She said turning around and thinking it over with delight.
Harry looked her over suspiciously,
"Wait, if that wasn't your cat then whose was it and how do you know about it?" he asked confused.
Iris giggled.
"Oh, Harry didn't you realize when you woke up and I was gone? I was the cat." She said as if it had been obvious.
"So not only are you part banshee but also a werecat? Is there even such a thing?" Harry asked in disbelief.
Iris laughed and shook her head.
"Your lucky that your cute," she said biting her bottom lip, "I'm an illegal animagi. I thought I'd be a dolphin or something but no surprisingly I'm more catlike. Oh, Professor Lupin please don't tell!" she pleaded remembering suddenly that he was there too.
The professor had a sly grin on his face,
"Oh, I believe that somehow I'll keep this little secret safe." He answered before going back to his rather large chocolate bar and pretending he wasn't there.
She turned back to Harry who looked a little shocked but content.
"You're an animagi? Wait! I changed in front of you!" he said horror stricken.
She laughed again and put a hand on his arm causing him to relax,
"Amazing I tell you I'm a monster nothing, I tell you I'm an animagi still nothing, I tell you I was in your room and you freak. Anyway to sooth your mind I only watched until your shirt was off. Besides you have nothing to be ashamed of, you are very muscular Harry Potter, Quidditch has been very kind to you." She said grinning as she moved closer.
"I am, am I?" he said almost in a whisper.
"Harry your just so wonderful!" she said giving him a hug.
"I really like you Iris." He said easing closer.
"I know and that makes me like you even more." She said tearing up
He leaned even closer.
Iris grabbed the back of his head and gave him a kiss. He backed away for a second and looked at her.
"Why is it that every time I go to kiss a girl she starts crying? Am I really that bad?" he asked jokingly.
She smiled and looked back up at him,
"Harry your perfect. Here let me show you again." She said and kissed him again.
Iris clapped her hands behind his back and the students returned to normal. It took them a few moments to register the scene in front of them. Then Ron let out a,
"Yeah Harry way to get her!"
Hermione looked up at them shocked. She was appalled at that they were doing this during class though she was secretly happy that Harry had found someone. She looked over at Professor Lupin disapprovingly before saying out loud,
"Aren't you going to stop this?"
He stopped eating the chocolate,
"Stop who for doing what?" he asked as if he did not see two students making out in front of the class or hear the applause and catcalls from the rest of the class.
Ron walked up to her desk and tapped her shoulder. She scowled up at him,
"Your not suppose to be standing in class Ronald."
"Yeah well their not suppose to be snogging in the middle of class either."
"That doesn't give you the right to break them Ronald Weasley!" Hermione hissed folding her arms in front of her.
"Harry is leading by example…shouldn't we…er…follow his lead?" Ron suggested hopefully.
"RON!" she yelled as if completely giving up on his ability to understand.
Harry and Iris stopped to hear Ron and Hermione arguing back and forth. They smiled.
"Cute couple." Iris commented as Harry slid his arm around her waist.
Harry smiled brightly,
"They were made for each other, or deserve each other, either way."
With that he shook his head fondly.
Hermione was ranting about something or other and then suddenly in mid rant Ron leaned over and kissed her. She straightened up eyes wide with shock, sat down, and looked forward as if she had broken the biggest rule in Hogwarts. Ron smiled, pulled a chair next to her desk and started peck-kissing her arms and then her neck, and the side of her face.
Hermione was turning bright red, but she did not move or speak. Harry watching let out another laugh at her expression,
"Looks like Ron has a little Fred and George in him after all."
"Who?" Iris asked with a smile still on her face.
"You've got a lot to learn about me Iris." He said kissing her lightly on her forehead.
"We've both got a lot to learn."
"Where do I start?" he asked pretending to be full of himself.
"The beginning Harry, its always best to start at the beginning." She said and then they sat down together and both were happy.