Five years later.
Severus sat opposite Albus in the headmaster's office. He looked paler than normal. Dumbledore finished reading the letter sent to the younger man.
Dumbledore sighed, 'Tom's request may mean he is still keen on getting close enough to Harry to kill him. You will be seen as a link to get to me and the boy. He could assume you to be a double agent or still a Death Eater who successfully pulled the wool over my eyes to escape Azkaban. He may simply require your potions expertise. He may risk a gamble either way. Fawkes will accompany you to make certain of your safety. You are only to use him to escape as a very last resort. Tom will know for certain that you are no longer his ally if he sees him. It will mean you are however completely protected from harm in the worst-case scenario. Fawkes will need to protect you at all costs. We need the names of Tom's allies. How many supporters he has accumulated? Which countries have been infiltrated? This is what we need you to find out, Severus. We are completely in the dark.'
Severus's dark eyes shimmered. He knew what he had to do.
A little while later, after Severus and Albus discussed the letter, Remus Lupin was walking through the village of Burton to the home he shared with Sirius and Harry. Albus had let him know Riddle had made contact with Severus. They should know soon just what Riddle's plans were. Albus had been right. Tom had been silent for five years. Nothing had been heard. No whispers. Everything had gone underground. Remus considered Harry and Sirius and the last five years. Sirius had known it would have been difficult for Remus to keep a job in the Wizarding World. Eventually, his absences around the full moon would become obvious to employers and the discrimination against werewolves was fierce.
Sirius had logically invested in a book shop for Remus to manage in London. They were preparing for war. This would also operate as a discreet headquarters and safe house for the Order. Sirius didn't want his good friend to feel like a charity case and this worked out well for both of them. Sirius was wealthy and could have easily paid for Remus's living costs, but Remus had his pride. Remus had turned out to be a good manager and the shop made a decent profit. Sirius could also take over when Remus had his furry problem to deal with. Severus had surprised him and made Remus his wolfsbane potion every month without a snide comment. Remus paid his way with both of them and they each felt a very balanced friendship because of this.
Sirius had, against his mother's predictions, been very careful with his wealth. He spoilt Harry a little but didn't overdo it. The financial freedom he had enabled him to be available to the Order as he had the most free time. Dumbledore would ask him to investigate the leads he had. The book shop was very well located. Discretion was vital. Sirius's Auror experience would prove very useful in the future.
Harry attended the local village school to develop his social skills and non-magical academics.
Remus helped tutor Harry in the evenings with more of a magical angle and found he was a natural born teacher. Fortunately for Remus, Harry was a reasonably smart boy. Teaching him was a breeze. Harry did gravitate more towards practical studies. He liked to practice the wand motions Remus would show him although Harry was more inclined to pursue the great outdoors. His broom was his absolute most favourite possession. His passion was flying and Remus had to admit he was a natural. Just like James.
It was early days, but they could see he definitely had the talent needed to make the Quidditch team when he was older at the very least.
Remus contemplated Harry. His large emerald eyes were so much like Lily's. The young boy was generally fairly quiet. Remus had thought a son of James would be much louder and boisterous. Then again, it was like Harry had inherited his father's looks and skill with a broom, but they say the eyes are a window to the soul and Remus really only saw Lily behind the young boy's eyes. His personality was much closer to his mother than his father. Harry had a natural love for animals. He loved his cat. Remus had bought him a green-eyed, black-haired kitten for his fifth birthday. The kitten had reminded him of Harry. It was love at first sight for the two of them. Harry was ever so gentle with her. He named her Lily which Remus and Sirius thought a little strange but they would see Harry talking to her softly when he thought no one was nearby.
The kitten would be looking up at Harry, snuggled up with him with her little paw on his arm. They left them alone. It seemed to bring the young boy a sort of peace talking privately to the kitten about things he couldn't say to people. Harry had several framed moving photographs of his parents, which took pride of place on his bedroom shelf. He would sit with Remus and Sirius for hours listening to stories about their school days. He would ask a lot of questions on what they were like.
They had the talk with Harry about his parents when he was old enough to start asking questions about where they were. It was emotionally draining for all of them.
'They can't ever come back?' Harry had whispered.
Remus and Sirius had looked so mournful at the little boy that he knew it to be true.
Andromeda and Tilly had been a godsend with the practical help of raising a child. She knew all about the right foods and medicines. Ted was good for scraped knees and bruises. Nymphadora spent a lot of time with Harry and he was still fascinated with her Metamorphmagus abilities and enjoyed her easy-going nature.
Molly Weasley had visited them after her meeting with Iris. She and Sirius had ended up having a big row about her. Molly had told them about the Angel and Bellatrix having the dark mark removed from her arm. An impossible task according to Dumbledore. Sirius had sneered and said it was probably just Bellatrix playing a stupid prank. Molly gave up at this. Andromeda had tried her hardest to get Sirius to listen but to no avail. Molly had left saying he would regret his stupidity in the end. Molly had mentioned to Remus that Harry had an open invite to the Burrow. Ron and Ginny were around the same age as him and if Harry liked it there he would be welcome any time.
'You can bring him around Remus. It will be good for Harry to be around a few magical children nearer to his age. Nymphadora is more of a big sister to him. I don't want Sirius in my home. He enrages me,' Molly had told him forcefully. Remus did not even attempt to argue with her. She hadn't in all this time changed her opinion.
Remus let himself into his home and smiled and greeted both Harry and Andromeda who were playing a magical board game that had little objects floating above it. They both waved and smiled back.
Remus had eventually taken Harry to the Burrow for a play date when the dust had settled. A four-year-old Harry had looked in wonder at the rambling place and his face had lit up. The Weasley's had been very excited to meet 'The Boy who lived,' and had made him feel very special. He had grinned at the big family of redheads who lived in disorganised chaos. He couldn't quite explain it, even to himself, but within a few hours, he felt just as at home with them as he did with Sirius and Remus. He liked both Ron and Ginny immediately. Ron was open and friendly. His little sister was much the same once she got over her shyness with him. The identical twin boys, Fred and George were very silly. They were a loud, boisterous, happy family.
It was a definite contrast to his own home. There always seemed to be the slight air of melancholy around Sirius. A sadness that he hid well, but Harry was a very perceptive little boy. He cared about Sirius very much. They spent a lot of time together and had a lot of fun, but Harry knew there was something very wrong with his Godfather. Harry could relax completely here at the burrow.
Molly fussed over him a lot as Andromeda did. He knew they were trying to make up for his mother's absence and he appreciated them both very much for how thoughtful they were. He absolutely loved the Weasley Quidditch pitch and their rampaging gnomes.
A few years had rolled by and Harry was six. He and the youngest Weasley's had become very secure on their training brooms and they were permitted to play properly, as long as they didn't go too high. Molly put a lot of cushioning charms around for them. Harry stuck up for Ginny when she wanted to play and her older brothers said she couldn't because she was a girl. She was clearly upset at this. Harry didn't like unfairness and he liked Ginny's company. In the past, he had been involved in some playground fights at the local village school in Burton. There were a couple of older bullies there and because Harry was quiet and wore glasses they would sometimes pick on him, but he would always fight back. Eventually, they had left him alone.
Harry had also come to the rescue of a few of the other children. Together they had joined forces and beaten the bullies off. Something Harry was very proud of. Harry had learned to stick up for what he believed in and so when he put his little foot down in defence of Ginny her older brothers had relented and let her play. Ginny had a big smile on her face the whole day. It turned out she was a good player.
Sirius had taken him to his vaults at Gringotts. Harry had been amazed by the goblins and how much money had been in both vaults. His trust vault was stacked with galleons. His family vault was enormous. He was told the main vault could be accessed by him at age seventeen. He had been fascinated by the sights of Diagon Alley. Sirius had kept Harry truly protected. Harry rarely ventured further than the village of Burton and the Burrow. He would play with some of the Muggle children he was friends with. He knew he had to keep his magic secret when he was with them. It could lead to all sorts of problems if they found out.
Sirius had covered his scar and had changed both his hair and eye colour and his own and walked with Harry around the shops that day. Harry had bought plenty of thoughtful presents for each of his 'important people.' He wanted to show how much he appreciated them. He wasn't good with expressing his emotions verbally, but he hoped with the gifts they would understand how fond he was of them. They each took the gift he gave them with grace and a soft smile. The Weasley's genuinely liked having him at the Burrow. He was a nice kid. He also stood up for himself if one of the Weasley's pushed him. They respected him for it.
'I reckon you're defo going to be a Gryffindor, mate,' said George after Harry had returned a dodgy foul to Fred with kind on the Quidditch field.
'I reckon you're right, twin of mine. Young Harry won't tolerate our nonsense,' had retorted Fred from the floor on his back as the others had laughed.
Yes. Harry liked it very much at the Burrow with the Weasley's and occasionally their nearest magical neighbours, the strange yet affable Lovegood family and their unique daughter Luna.
'They walk to the beat of a different drum,' Molly had diplomatically told Harry when she saw his curious looks at some of their odd behaviour. When he was home he had his Godfather, Remus and Lily his cat. He also liked his time spent with his other little family. Andromeda, Ted, Nymphadora and Tilly. He even liked going to the little village school. These people were his world. His family. Sirius didn't want Harry going too far away. He worried about him.
'There are dangerous people about Harry. You're safe here and at the Burrow,' Sirius would tell him.
Harry knew his family's history. He understood the danger he was in. He had been told all about Tom Riddle. Or by his other names, Voldemort and He who must not be named. That was an old one now the taboo was gone. Most called him Riddle in a whisper. Few except the very brave would use the name Voldemort. He knew Tom was still out there. Harry hated him. He would look at the photographs of his family and vow to get revenge for them. He had been told all about the betrayal by the rat Peter Pettigrew. They didn't hide any truths about what happened that night to his parents. But they were hiding something from him. Harry would watch Andromeda, Ted and Remus occasionally. Their eyes would linger sometimes on Sirius when he wasn't looking at them. Their expressions were odd. Judging. Disappointed. Sirius had never taken him to the Burrow. The others would do that. Molly wouldn't explain when he asked why Sirius didn't visit her.
'That's for him to tell you,' she had said abruptly. He hadn't asked Sirius. He was waiting for Sirius to tell him. Harry was curious, however. It was clearly something that bothered his Godfather a great deal.
Harry had been shown reports of Tom's trial in the Daily Prophet. Had seen the photographs of Tom Riddle and Peter Pettigrew in his cell. He had memorised their faces and those of the other prisoners. Harry had noticed certain lines blanked out, 'Swearing,' Sirius had said shortly when Harry questioned him. Harry knew Sirius was lying. He just didn't know why. He had asked his Godfather once if he was ever going to get married. A strange look had passed over his handsome face as he shook his head.
Harry knew they all worried about him. Sometimes his scar would hurt a little. Faintly. He didn't want to worry anyone so he didn't say anything. Sometimes in his dreams, he would hear a high, creepy laugh. Always the same laugh. It sounded far away, however. Like a distant echo. If it got worse, he would tell them. They had already done so much for him. Harry could sense change was brewing. Sirius had been spending more time out of the house. He told Harry he was helping Dumbledore with something. Andromeda and Ted would sometimes stop a conversation when he walked into the room. Remus had seemed preoccupied recently.
Harry had felt a major shift that evening when Remus had walked in. Sirius had come into the room and Remus started to inform Sirius of something that looked to be important. Eventually, Andromeda had stopped playing the board game and sat quietly watching them. He had heard them talk to each other. They all looked very serious.
'It's time that Harry was told the rest,' Sirius had sighed. His grey eyes looked solemn.
Harry peered at Sirius through his glasses. He would finally know what Sirius was so reluctant to tell him. Andromeda and Remus both looked a mixture of apprehensive and relieved. Harry looked at Sirius in anticipation.
'You have probably noticed that there has been a bit of an atmosphere around here?' Sirius began.
Harry nodded. Even his cat had been looking around with suspicion at the other resident's sly behaviour in the cottage recently.
Remus spoke, 'Tom Riddle is moving again in the shadows. We have been waiting for this to happen. There have been whispers. He has finally made contact with one of our allies.'
Harry kept peering at Sirius through his glasses. This was not surprising. He had known that this was inevitable.
Sirius looked at Harry wearily, 'Our side is better prepared than we had been the last time. We know now things we didn't. There is real hope that we have a way to end this. I am one of many who want to stop him. He has destroyed so much of my life and he hurt so many others. He took your parents from me. He almost took you, Harry.'
Sirius shifted in his chair. Andromeda and Remus sat quiet and alert. Harry sat watching his Godfather cautiously.
'When I was a young man I was married, Harry. To a woman who I thought I could trust. She is called Hayley Greengrass.'
Andromeda's jaw clenched. Remus put his hand to his mouth. He had tried to talk sense into Sirius but had eventually given up. It was pointless. Sirius was the most stubborn person he knew. Remus could only hope time would reveal the truth. Harry continued to peer at Sirius.
'She lied to me. Her father is actually Tom Riddle. The man who murdered your parents. Voldemort,' Sirius stated slowly.
Harry gave a jolt at this. His eyes flashed an intense green.
'On the night you got your scar Tom's body was destroyed, but he has very dark magic that stopped him from dying. He was able to get his body back by using special magic. My wife was part of a blood ritual at my mother's house. They had conspired together,' Sirius spat the words out, 'The force of this magic caused her to slip into a coma for three years. More fool her for agreeing.'
'Sirius,' Remus said sternly. Sirius ignored him. Then he continued.
'Tom Riddle isn't human. He may look like he is but he isn't. You see. He is a Dark Lord. They can deceive so easily, Harry. I grew up in a dark Pureblood family. I know how much they enjoy manipulating and twist anything decent. It is a hobby for them. My mother is still doing it even now,' Sirius shook his head with incredulity, 'When I realised I had been deceived by my wife I took the necessary steps to escape evil. The same night I found out about her betrayal I used a Pureblood law to flee from their clutches of misery and despair. She had lied about who her father was which meant that Magic could grant me my freedom. I couldn't risk you and the others I care for being hurt. Evil is all that is down that path. He has eyes and ears everywhere. We need to be so careful who we can trust.'
Harry was confused, 'Who are his eyes and ears?' he asked.
Sirius looked defiant, 'There are many but there is one you will need to be on your guard against. I had a child with the woman who was my wife for a time. Her full name is Iris Ursula Black.'
Harry felt a coldness run through him at his Godfather's words, 'You have a daughter?' he whispered.
'I have no daughter. I used magic to break that poisonous connection. She is nothing to me now. She will be nothing to you. I have no doubt she will try to get close to you. Use you. Manipulate you. She may do this at her Grandfather's request. She may do it possibly just because she wants to hurt you. And make no mistake she will enjoy it if you were to perish.'
'That's enough,' Andromeda snapped, 'You know none of this for certain. You merely speculate. There is no evidence she will be anything like him.'
'Lord Voldemort,' Sirius said to them all, 'The darkest Wizard this country has ever known. Hayley and Iris have his blood in their veins. Are you really so naive? I listen to what people are saying out there in our world. A lot of them think like I do. They are on his side. They are hiding in plain sight.'
Harry was still trying to comprehend what he had heard.
'Iris is the same age as you. You met her when you were very young. My wife,' he spat, 'had your mother fooled. She pretended they were friends. They had playdates. How innocent. If I didn't know for certain it was Pettigrew I would have thought she would have been the one to betray your parents. No doubt she would have jumped at the chance.'
'You should stop this Sirius. You know none of this is certain. You even looked at Rita's Pensieve memories. You are entitled to your opinion, but don't tell Harry any of this is a fact,' Remus was getting agitated.
'That performance was all for show, in case of witnesses. Hayley was very smart. She played the role of victim to perfection.'
Andromeda stood up sharply, 'I'm going home. I can't listen to any more of this,' she turned to Harry, 'Don't believe everything your Godfather tells you.'
Harry gazed at Andromeda. He had never seen her so stern.
'Don't you dare contradict me in front of Harry,' Sirius looked angry now.
'I will if you're going to fill his head with this deranged nonsense. Isn't it enough you abandoned them? Now you want to turn everyone against them. What the hell is the matter with you?' Andromeda had narrowed her eyes at him.
'I have to protect him. They are nothing to me now. They are Riddle's spawn,' roared Sirius.
'They are something to me,' Andromeda was deathly pale now, 'Iris is my blood too. My family. I'm not turning my back on her like you found it so easy to do.'
Sirius questioned her, 'Have you kept in contact with Hayley? Knowing how I feel about this?'
'Of course I have,' Andromeda snapped back, 'Iris is a Black Witch first and foremost. I have spent the last five years mending and strengthening the bridges with Bella and my aunt. I spend time with Hayley and Iris. They are not evil. I refuse to believe it. Hayley is a bloody healer, for Merlin's sake. She saves lives. Not takes them. We've all tried to tell you, but you do not listen. I just don't mention their names to you because I know how hostile you get.'
'They will destroy you all,' Sirius whispered dangerously.
Andromeda's eyes narrowed. She looked at Sirius harshly, 'Stop it,' she said sharply.
Harry sat there looking back and forth between them all. They all looked weary.
Sirius turned to Harry, 'This is what I mean by Tom's influence. Evil. It causes ripples. Damage,' he breathed out a long sigh.
Remus looked at the young boy. 'It is a lot of information you have listened to Harry. Have you any questions?'
Harry was in a state of shock, 'Just, Iris is like Tom? She is evil like him?'
Remus stayed quiet as Sirius answered. Andromeda looked aghast.
'I'm afraid so, Harry. There is a long road ahead of us all. The dark side wants to destroy all we hold dear. Iris and Hayley will be a part of that darkness. When you are older you will meet her. You must not let her near to you. She will use tricks. Manipulations. She is already fooling people. She makes up stories. My cousin Bellatrix is already helping her in her twisted little games. My mother will encourage her deviant behaviour and will educate her in my twisted family's ways. Tom will be coming back to rejoin them.'
Harry nodded cautiously. Sirius cared for him. He truly believed what his Godfather was telling him. He understood now why Sirius suffered from such miserable moods. He was betrayed by both Peter and Hayley.
Without another word, Andromeda left the cottage.
Remus looked at the two of them left and shook his head gently.
'I'm going to the pub,' he announced shortly. He needed to remove himself. He felt unsettled. Sirius just nodded to him. It was a relief to get out into the fresh air. He thought he would stay out of the cottage for a while.
A little later that evening across the country Andromeda was sitting down to a cup of tea with Walburga and Bella. None of them had seen Narcissa in years. Their blonde sister had chosen her side. Her husband. Bellatrix was still cross about it. All they knew is that both Narcissa and Draco spent a great deal of time abroad. Iris had been sent to her bedroom once Walburga had seen how enraged Andromeda was.
'It's all becoming real now. Sev will get the information we need. Fawkes will be with him just in case. The future. More will be happening. At least Harry knows now. Sooner or later someone was going to drop that clanger about Iris to Harry. This way Sirius gets in first. I'm afraid to say his truth may very well be Harry's. Remus and I tried to get him to stop but to no avail.'
They all sat around the table contemplating the event, 'What was he saying exactly? Bella asked.
Andromeda described the uncomfortable conversation.
They all winced.
'He has completely and utterly convinced himself that Iris and Hayley are pure evil. Dark Ladies in training. You say others agree with him?' Bella inquired.
Andromeda nodded despondently, 'Sirius claims they are saying Riddle is coming back for them. That they will rule over the country together. That Tom has planted Iris so she can infiltrate the light side from within.'
'I always knew the Wizarding World lacked common sense, but this…,' Bella mused, 'After meeting Gabriel I refuse to believe she will turn into Riddle. No way would magic have allowed that gift to fall into his hands.'
'How is Iris coming along with her training?' Andromeda asked her aunt to change the subject.
'Early days. Gareth and Hayley used their brains by putting Daphne and Iris in the local Muggle school. Dawn agreed. Astoria will be going as well. Under normal circumstances, I would have argued against this, but none of this is normal. The more they know about the Muggle world the better. If things get really bad in the future they may need to go and hide in it,' Walburga seemed resigned.
Andromeda agreed this was a good idea. For any Greengrass or Black to go to Muggle school was unheard of previously. Times were absolutely changing.
'How are they settling into it?' she asked.
Walburga seemed to pause a little, 'Well, according to Gareth and Hayley they have both adapted well. Daphne is very smart. She is doing well in her schoolwork. Both of them socialise well with the other children and they have always got along very well with each other. Gareth said they are rarely apart. Iris isn't as academic as Daphne. She seems to be fine with her reading and writing, which is the main thing so I'm not too worried. She isn't a dunce, but her math skills are not good. There is time for improvement. Iris just doesn't seem to be too interested in her school work. It's just she does seem to be, well, fascinated by the Muggle world.'
They all noticed from Walburga's expression that she didn't seem as fascinated by this development.
Andromeda hid a smirk, 'How do you mean?'
'I know when she's here, she's been sneaking out at night in her other body to go around London. I can't prove it. When I wake her, she can just snap right back in. We can't see her, no one can. Not even Albus, so I'm not worried about her safety. I imagine she would call one of the Angels if she had any problems. You know she doesn't need much sleep, don't you? She pretends to go to bed. Dawn said Iris told her she only needs a few hours of proper sleep,' Walburga pursed her lips, 'She keeps mentioning movies she's seen. I had to look it up in my Muggle dictionary.'
Bella and Andromeda smirked. Walburga was so out of touch with the Muggle world.
Walburga continued, 'There is a cinema a couple of streets away. I think she has been sneaking in there at night. I don't think those movies are appropriate for a young girl. She has been mentioning watching car chases and gun shootouts and a man called Sylvester Stallone who she seems to idolise. She wants me to take her properly so she can get some popcorn. Whatever that is. Music as well. Not the proper music we listen to on the radio but Muggle music. I cannot be sure but I think she goes and spends her time in the nightclub down the street. Some of the songs she has been singing around the house are not suitable at all for young people. She's even been teaching the elves. It is not becoming for a young lady,' Walburga had her lips set in an unimpressed firm line.
Andromeda tittered, 'Oh thanks, Aunty. I needed that.'
Walburga frowned as Andromeda explained, 'What Iris is doing is the most normal thing a kid her age would do. She has the power of invisibility. She uses that for watching movies she shouldn't be watching and listening to the top 40,' Andromeda beamed. Living with Ted had introduced her to more Muggle ways than she had grown up with.
'She should be more restrained. Gareth and I are trying to raise her to be refined,' Walburga sniffed.
Andromeda's face fell a little, 'The thing is, as much as he wishes it wasn't so, she is Sirius Black's daughter. If you think Muggle music and films are not appropriate just prepare yourself for when she brings her first motorcycle home.'
Walburga looked so aghast that both Bella and Andromeda couldn't help smiling.
Little Iris sat invisible watching in the corner. She had been curious about Andromeda's behaviour. She was normally the most relaxed of the family. As Iris had got older the more information she had acquired about her history and family. She understood her Grandfather was pure evil. Her mother and Grandmother had explained everything to her. It had been devastating for the young girl. She was astute enough to understand why Sirius had done what he had but despised him for his treatment of her mother and her. He had not even listened to any of the evidence. Iris, even at that age realised there was nothing to be done. Sirius had made his choice. Harry. If it hadn't been for the close friendship she had with Lily and James then she may have been very bitter at the boy. Lily had spoken very angrily about her sister, Petunia, and although she was very mad at Sirius on Iris's behalf, Lily was relieved he had taken Harry home and was raising him in a better environment.
Iris didn't need much sleep. When she returned to her body, she would have a few hours nap and wake up fresh. It had allowed her time to explore much more than she would have. When she was younger, she would stay near to the veil. The others had told her she was too young to go exploring further. She could roam as she liked on Earth. She was perfectly safe. She only had to think where her body was and she would teleport back into it. She could hear it when Walburga would wake her up.
She only had to visualise the doorway and she would be back. At first, she had been in a large white room with an endless ceiling. People connected to her would visit. They could visit the Earth in the Astral Plane too, but as less than ghosts. She had also made good friends with the Angel Gabriel. As she got older he would accompany her further along. They would apparate her around Equilibrium. It was similar in some ways to Earth but so much more. The colours were brighter. The magic filled the air. Trees and plants grew in abundance. It was a soothing place to be. Her mother had the same gift. Hayley could will her spirit to the next world too and then return to her Earth body.
The people she met all looked around the same age as Lily, James and her mother. Her Grandmother, Greta and Grandfather Orion looked the same age as Regulus.
'The young stay the same age, the children who arrive eventually stop growing, the old become young again,' Gabriel had told her. 'This is what has always happened.'
Iris followed the drawing-room conversations. Her Grandfather was in the shadows plotting his quest for global domination. No rest for the wicked. She had sighed. She had heard in one of the films she watched that you couldn't choose your family but honestly. One had to draw the line somewhere. She was thankful for her Greengrass and Black families. Bella was really helpful in a vicious sort of way.
Even at her young age, the penny had dropped big time for her what was facing her when she was older. A stunning spell simply wasn't going to cut it. Things could be a lot worse, however. She wasn't alone. Her ears had pricked up at the word motorcycle. She liked the sound of that. Sylvester Stallone rode one of them. They looked like fun. She wondered where she could pick one up. Did they do them in kid size? They might have one through the gold doorway. They had lots of things there. She would ask next time she visited.
'How is her magic progressing?' Andromeda asked Bella. Bella had taken charge of teaching Iris the basics.
'Mostly good. She is a natural at wand motions. Steady hand for potions. Good chopping. She can handle a knife already. That will be useful. As Walburga said, her maths is atrocious. Runes will not be her forte and she certainly will not be successful in Astronomy. She certainly did not inherit her mother's brains in that area. Hayley tries, but it just isn't happening. Charms and Transfiguration may be a better fit. We're just waiting till she's a bit older before we dive into the good stuff. The Black Grimoire. And I'll teach her some self-defence, both Magical and Muggle. When Riddle and his motley crew make their appearance, she'll need both. She already has the wand motions for Protego down. When she has her wand she should find it easy. She knows that is going to be her bread and butter spell. She is going to be a target. There is no escaping that. Every day that goes by I can feel her magic getting stronger. I'm most interested in how the bond to the other side will develop.'
The others nodded at this. Ivy Caralage had contacted Walburga several times for her patients. Each of them had been affected by dark magic. Each time Iris had been successful. The patients had been sedated before Ivy bought Iris in. It was discreet and secure. The Angels enjoyed their Earth visits. They only needed to hold Iris's hand now to get through the veil. As long as Iris was near they could stay anchored. They commented they could feel her magical strength improving which enabled them to stay longer. So far they decided not to risk any more experiments with the others till Iris was older. The Angels even said they were dealing with the unknown. There was a danger in taking another human soul through the veil whilst the girl's magic was still forming.
Iris had told them Lily wanted to speak to both Severus and Harry in person but understood the risks and the situation on Earth. They had decided to wait a little while longer for Iris's magical strength to grow. Severus had been very quiet at this news, but his eyes looked hopeful. It was much more than he had expected.
Iris had told them in the past that, 'They can see us. Like me, they can visit. You just can't see them. Grandpa Orion and Uncle Regulus pop down to visit you, Gran. They didn't ever leave you properly. They say they miss you but are glad to see you happier. I can give them your messages if you like.'
Walburga had been quietly emotional at that. She had excused herself after a few minutes to be in private.
In the quiet of the drawing-room, the Black women sat in contemplation. A few minutes later Iris knocked on the door of the Witches Coven. She had bought a friend with her.
Gabriel followed her into the room as they each gazed in wonder at the Angel. Iris couldn't quite understand why. She didn't really understand their reverence. Angels were just like nice, helpful people. There were more urgent matters so to speed up the process she started talking quickly.
'I happened to be walking by, getting a cup of tea and minding my own business,' she started as they all looked at her suspiciously, 'I heard you say Uncle Sev and Fawkes are going to meet Grandfather. Gabriel said he wanted to help him. He'll be able to have a good look around. They won't be able to see him.'
The expressions were a mixture of annoyance and relief.
'You shouldn't be listening at doors, Iris,' Walburga said sternly, 'This is grown-up stuff. But, it would be very helpful for Gabriel to be able to do that. We don't know how much access Sev will have to the operation.'
Gabriel smiled warmly at them, 'I'm proud to assist such a brave human. I'm also very curious indeed to meet the illustrious Fawkes,' his full voice resonated around the room.
The Black family were never one to look a gift horse in the mouth and smiled gratefully back.
Iris grinned, 'Cool,' she said.
They looked in confusion at her, 'Are you cold, dear?' asked Walburga.
'Oh, no. I meant that everything is good. It was in a film I saw,' Iris replied.
Walburga frowned.
'Gran. You said it yourself, I must understand the non-magical world. I'll need to be able to blend in. I can't do that if I don't know the first thing about it.'
Not being able to refute the argument Walburga regarded the rest of the Witches and Gabriel in the room.
'We will hear back soon about the date of Severus's departure. With Gabriel and Fawkes with him, I'm not as concerned as I was. I'm still worried, make no mistake, but I have confidence he will get back home,' Walburga stated as the others nodded in agreement. They would all feel a lot better when they returned. Hopefully, the little group need only be there for a few days. It was January now.
By the time Severus returned home to England, it was summertime.