Time was ticking on. They had spent some time in the common room getting used to each other. Hermione especially was very interested in how everything worked and who everyone was. Many of the Gryffindors were nice to them and they were particularly interested in Harry but they noticed a few dark looks from some of the older students.

Iris knew she had one more thing to do before the others went to sleep. They went upstairs to their dorm as she climbed down into her trunk, coming up again a moment later.

She approached Hermione holding a little tub. She held it up to her, 'This is a Black hair care product. For all that is holy, please take it and use it. Use only a pea-sized amount. It will only take a moment to work. No excuses,' Hermione looked terribly offended, 'Please,' Iris practically pleaded. Hermione gave a huff and put a small amount on her fingers and ran it through her bushy mane. The effects were instantaneous. Her hair looked much better. Glossy and wavy instead of out of control. Iris sighed with relief.

'That's much better. Thank you, Hermione. Your mane has been bothering me since the train.'

Lavender and Parvati looked at the change with wonder on their faces. Hermione went to open her mouth to launch into a rant when she caught a glimpse of her reflection and gasped.

'How? I have tried every hair product that Boots had to offer. I even tried that sleekeazy's hair potion and literally nothing would tame it.'

Iris grinned, 'Heavy-duty House of Black Magic. Harry and I have the same problem as you. Muggle products just aren't strong enough. Neither is anything you can get on Diagon Alley. Without that product, we both look feral.'

This explanation seemed to placate Hermione somewhat and with a vast improvement in her hair, she made her way to her bed with a smile.

The others had now gone to bed as Iris pulled the drapes and went down into her trunk. Bella had put silencing charms on the trunk so she could make as much noise as she liked. She put on her guilty pleasure album, Bananarama's greatest hits, and fussed Esmerelda and contemplated the day. A real mix. She was very concerned about Draco. The older students were very much on her mind. Something toxic was happening at Hogwarts. Iris was happy with her little Gryffindor gang. She'd warmed to Neville immediately. There was something very likeable about him. He had taken her to one side in private to officially thank her for helping bring his parents back. It was very much a need to know basis. What with that and the train ride incident, she felt they had the beginning of a real friendship. Trevor was always lurking close to her too. Hermione was entertaining. She was certainly going to ruffle feathers here.

Iris felt a slight familiar pull on her magic. James and Lily were in the Castle. Harry was going to use his invisibility cloak to sneak out to meet them. Albus had arranged a private room near the Gryffindor common room for them. People who visited from Equi all felt slightly different to her. Quite a few people had popped over for a visit over the years. Orion and Regulus frequently. Fabian and Gideon had visited Molly. It was quite incredible the effect this had on those people on Earth. Just knowing for certain that they really and truly still existed was like a balm for the soul. It was still sad they couldn't truly live here permanently but the grief had dissipated. Molly especially was much more sprightly after she had seen her brothers again.

Iris pondered the ghosts. She felt for them very much. They had seemed desperate. She pictured the doorway to Equilibrium and put her head through the veil and called for Gabriel and then waited in her living room. A few minutes passed and then Gabriel appeared. She smiled at the sight of him.

'Hello, Iris,' the Angel said softly to her.

'It's good to see you, Gabriel.'

'How has your first day been?' he asked.

Iris explained the day she had. Gabriel had listened carefully. 'There appears to be a rogue element in the school for such

brazen behaviour,' he mused.

'I think a professor may be manipulating this. Daphne mentioned a man called Quirrell. He broke a curse here at the school. Albus said Riddle created it.'

Gabriel nodded in thought.

'The main reason I called you is about the Hogwarts ghosts,' Iris explained what had transpired, 'The good news is they seem to have got everyone to back off for now. What I need to know is do you think there is any way to help them?'

'They are in an unusual situation. Because they feared the veil they didn't pass through when they should. You say they have served their penance for wrongdoing?' Gabriel asked.

'They have been here for centuries in this half-life. I think they have endured more than enough,' Iris stated truthfully, 'I think the veil will agree.'

'We can try at least. You say they have tried everything?'

'That is what Lady Ravenclaw said.'

'It is unusual to be sure. The Muggle ghosts can eventually pass on. Magical people must need magic to do so.'

'I'm hoping this ring will help send them through. It worked wonders with all the squibs.'

Gabriel smiled, 'That it did, Iris. I have been watching them. They are like small children on Christmas day. It has been truly joyful to witness. There is a caretaker here who goes by the name Filch.'

Iris remembered the dour man. Severus looked like a happy clown next to him. She had removed his block and he had been stunned into silence. He had whispered a thank you and had disappeared.

'He is a changed man, Iris. Truly. You have gained a friend for life with him. And his cat, Mrs Norris. He will make himself known to you in time. All of them will.'

'We're going to need all the help we can get, Gabriel,' Iris said being realistic.

'Tell the ghosts to meet you in the hall this Sunday evening after dinner. We will begin. I shall speak to Albus. He can join us. Prepare them for failure. This has not been attempted before. We had no way of being in our physical form before taking them through. There is only one known veil to our world. It is in the Ministry. Deep down in the department of Mysteries. Only someone alive can go through, but cannot go back. The Unspeakable's think it is a travelling device to other galaxies. They don't realise the simplicity of it. I would assume the ghosts have tried to go through that already.'

Iris nodded, 'They said they tried everything. I'll let them know.'

After Gabriel left Iris settled herself in for a rewatch of a great movie with Esmeralda. Terminator Two. The rare time a sequel was better than the original. It was later that evening and Arnie and Sarah Connor had just destroyed an office block when Iris felt the pull of James and Lily leaving Hogwarts. Almost eleven. Time to see her mum and gran and recharge in a land of restful grace. She stopped her DVD player. It was the next leap in Muggle technology and one of her most prized possessions. Also, it was a real space saver compared to the video. She left Esmeralda on the sofa sleeping and stepped through the golden veil to Equi.

Eight hours later and much refreshed Iris stepped back into her living room. She'd had a lovely snooze at Equi. On arriving at Equi, James and Lily had been there to greet her with her mother and Gran. Much tea and biscuits were consumed as Iris told them about her day. Harry had already briefed James and Lily. He had thought all the day's shenanigans glorious. He had been further back in the hall when the Ghosts had mentioned Lucifer and Salazar and the gobsmacked reactions had been hilarious to him. How Iris had told off Draco for being rude to Hagrid had both Hayley and Lily hugging her. He also mentioned the train incident which was very concerning for each of them. Iris asked them how Harry was finding Gryffindor.

'He loves it. He has had his heart set on Gryffindor since he found out both James and I were in that house. That both you and Ron are with him and the twins is the icing on the cake. He's happy there. He mentioned a girl called Hermione. He isn't sure what to make of her. She bosses them about a lot and she gets along a bit too well with Percy. They both like reading the rule book. It gives them a false sense of control and order,' Lily smirked.

'On the other hand, the fact that she got involved in a brawl on her first day to protect Neville and you gives her badass kudos so he's confused by her,' James added.

'Hermione reminds me of Bella a bit. She's very blunt,' said Iris with a smirk, 'She has Alpha female written all over her. I think she's a decent sort though,' her face fell a little, 'I'm concerned for her. Students were aggressive to her just because she is Muggleborn. No other reason. They are not shy about telling her either.'

Lily looked a little sad, 'It brings back some bad memories of my time here,' she said, 'It seems worse this time though. The blood purists were not as blatant as that when I was at school. It was much more subtle. Harry said some things as well. You handled the blood traitor slur well,' Lily grinned as Iris blushed at the praise, 'The time for being polite and quietly dignified towards that is over. They clearly have gone way past reasonable behaviour already. I'll talk to Minerva. As long as it's for a good reason you get as many points deducted as you like,' Iris looked astonished.

'You were Head girl! You shouldn't be telling me this,' Iris was scandalised.

James was laughing, 'You hadn't even sat down at the Gryffindor table before you lost us points. Sirius at least waited until pudding. If I remember rightly he threw it over Lucius for a similar reason!'

Iris smiled ruefully.

'It's Riddle and Hitler's usual tactics. Divide and conquer. Tried and tested throughout time,' Hayley sighed who had been listening to this all, 'They are establishing a dominant hierarchy. Eventually, they want only white Pureblood at the top of the global Wizarding World. Hitler will have his equivalent in the Muggle world. Everyone else at the bottom. No middle. It is starting again in the Muggle world. I didn't realise it would be so soon. Gabriel said the Nazis and Riddle's henchmen will be doing their ethnic cleansing training in Bosnia soon. It's a country that is out the way. Western governments will lazily say out of sight out of mind till it reaches the inevitable ugly end. Then it will be the usual verbal diarrhoea. That lessons must be learnt. Never again. Till the next time. Then it happens again. Useless bastards. Their numbers must be very high already to even consider this.'

Greta sighed, 'I was only young during the last war but this is the same pattern. Governments bury their heads in the sand and hope it goes away. They don't know who to believe because of all the lies. It took Hitler a decade last time to own Europe because no one opposed him directly until it was all too late. It was just yap, yap, yap for years. Then they saw the tanks driving up their streets. He had been organising as they thought it would all just go away and just talked shit in their Gentleman clubs. He isn't starting from scratch this time either. Riddle is even more unreasonable than Gellert and Hitler invested and retained huge amounts of Nazi wealth. He learnt from his mistakes. He is going in through the back door this time.'

Iris sighed, 'It's the waiting that is so frustrating. The suffering of those people. We can't really do anything till they truly go public and actual countries' militaries get involved. The non-magics won't move because of all the lies. That Riddle is using Salazar's name for this makes me so angry. Salazar would not have wanted this. Not this destruction of life and the world. He built things. He helped build Hogwarts. This is a good place. The ghosts told me Salazar thinks Riddle's a lunatic. We name-dropped Lucifer as well. Shook them all up. I hope Riddle hears about it. I want him to worry. I watch all these people just going about their day when I visit the Astral plane. Mums with their kids in the park. Dad's taking their kids fishing. They don't know what is coming. Can't the Daily Prophet start printing things? There is evidence. I know what Sirius and Bella are doing. They aren't the only ones.'

'Cornelius Fudge will deny, deny and deny again. He wants everyone to think all is well,' James said bitterly, 'There are many people in the Ministry whispering sweet nothings into his ear. Plentiful donations. No doubt he is inflating his own personal expense account. He is living in a golden age. He doesn't think to question where exactly the money is coming from. Until Riddle is sitting on the throne of England he will pretend it isn't happening. Money corrupts many Iris. Don't be surprised if he joins their ranks.'

Iris looked sombre. Then she smiled at their downcast faces, 'But we have the prophecy, the Angels and the magic of Equi. And Rock N Roll,' they perked up a little, 'I don't fear death. I get to be with you. I like it here much more than Earth. It can be a very cruel place. But I need to make them pay for what they did and are doing. We have to stop them.'

Their faces had fallen when Iris said she preferred death to Earth. Still, she was young and hadn't got a grasp on the implications. Earth was where all life began. No babies were born in Equilibrium. Earth had its cold and warmth. Tenderness and cruelty. It was intense compared to Equilibrium. But, ultimately worthwhile.

Iris had excused herself to go flying on an Equi motorcycle for a few hours followed by a few hours for a nap. This cleared her mind for the next day.

Back in Hogwarts Iris got herself ready for a new day. She looked at Esmeralda, 'Would you like to come with me and look after me, Esme?' she hissed at her familiar.

Esmerelda nodded, 'Yessss, verrry mucchhh,' she hissed.

Iris told her they needed to be discreet but in case anyone started anything Esme was to come out and play. Esmerelda's hissing had sounded very excited. The golden snake wrapped around Iris's middle and snuggled into her robes.

Taking a deep breath Iris left her trunk and joined the others. They had promised to stick together that day. They were to be given their schedules at breakfast. They all gave each other small smiles.

'Well,' said Hermione in her distinct voice and with much better-groomed hair, 'Here we go.'

They stepped out of the dorm room into the corridor and walked into the common room. Iris was struck again by the simple beauty of this room. A few of the older students peered at her. Out of the corner of her eye, Iris could see a very large silver snake on the wall. She spotted another one. They seemed to be slithering along. She blinked. There were a few more of them. Hermione and Lavender had seen them now and were gazing a little worriedly at Iris. Other students had noticed and stopped what they were doing to see this. They watched as what seemed to be a dozen of them slide down the walls and towards Iris. Pavarti gave an eep and stepped back. They slid over on the ground and surrounded Iris in a circle.

'Welllccoommee Irrisss,' hissed the largest one as they all swayed around her. They were all quite a bit taller than her.

'Hello,' grinned Iris as she hissed back to them in parseltongue, 'It's lovely to meet you all.'

She was so interested in meeting these snakes that she didn't notice the other students moving into the common room and hovering around the room with varying expressions.

The tallest one addressed her, 'Sssalaazzaarr haasss assskeed uuss to prroottecctt you. We isss magicaalll. Weee wiilll sstttrrrannnggllleee aanny who haarrmm yoou and your frriendsss. Our bitesss will poissson.'

'Oh, you guys. That is so nice of you. Although, don't kill them. Just hold them nice and tight. Can you keep an eye on the kids that are getting bullied and protect them too?' Iris hissed back to them as they swayed around her. They all hissed to her they would. She bought out Esmeralda and heard a few gasps in the background. She introduced the delighted snake to the gang as they became acquainted. Iris then went around the circle and took each of their names and gave them each a bit of fuss which they seemed to enjoy.

'Um, Iris. It's time for breakfast,' said Hermione quietly.

Iris straightened up and said goodbye to the silver snakes who slid back into the walls. Turning around to the others she gave a start. The common room was filled with Gryffindors who were blatantly staring at her.

They all looked at her expectantly waiting for an explanation. Iris cleared her throat and spoke directly to the students. Dean and Seamus were watching with their jaws dropped. Ron, Harry and Neville were the last ones down and looked curious.

'My great, great, great etc Grandpappy Salazar has asked them to protect me. They will restrain anyone who tries to hurt me. They're also going to keep an eye on any kids getting bullied in the Castle. That is so lovely of Salazar to think of me. What a thoughtful welcoming present,' she grinned darkly to a few of the older students who looked to be in varying levels of discomfort. The Weasley twins had let them know of several of them they suspected of being Riddle sympathisers.

'Though, I can't imagine anyone at Hogwarts being such a cowardly piece of shit that they would attack eleven-year-olds or would gang up and bully others five against one,' Iris said sarcastically as a few of them shuffled awkwardly, 'It goes against everything the founders stood for. They would not consider that greatness in the slightest,' Iris said the last part with a deep, dark bitterness that was clearly understood by everyone in the room.

The memory of the young Gryffindor beaten to an inch of his life was very fresh in their minds. Hermione had been delicately informed of this the evening before by Percy as he warned her to be careful and not to walk around the Castle alone.

Iris glanced around the room, 'I will find out who did that to Dylan. They are not fit to be at Hogwarts. Whoever is responsible is a disgrace,' she said simply. On that final sentence, Iris and her little gang of firsties left the common room to silence.

They walked up the corridor to the Great Hall.

Lavender had regained her composure, 'Are you sure you want to make enemies already, Iris?' she asked.

Iris sighed. She understood Lavender's thought process and had asked herself that question many times.

She told Lavender this. As they approached the large doors she stopped them, 'Any of them in that room who felt threatened by me saying that is already my enemy. In time, if you have any decency they will become yours too. We're protected for now anyway. That's a big relief.'

'You know more about what is happening, don't you?' Hermione stated. Iris looked at her and gave a small nod.

'How bad is it really? Just what is going on here? The train ride was an ordeal. Is that what I have to get used to here?' Hermione asked these questions rapidly.

'No. We'll all make sure you don't ever have to get used to that,' Iris said shortly. She didn't want to go into much more detail just yet. Harry gave Hermione a comforting pat on the arm. Ron looked at Hermione sympathetically. He had been shaken up by what his brothers had told him about Dylan. Merlin, Hermione got on his nerves a bit when she was in one of her bossy moods and she got along a bit too well with Percy for his liking but he was genuinely worried about her too.

Harry spoke quietly to her, 'Look at the facts, Hermione. The Granddaughter of Voldemort considers Salazar Slytherin, the House of Black and the Dark Angel Lucifer, the good guys,' he said to her flatly.

The colour that had come back into Lavender's face quickly faded. Ron and Neville went to speak but found their mouths dry. Dean was looking worried. Even the stoic Seamus looked nervous. Parvati was deep in thought.

Harry and Iris nodded in agreement. Harry had summed it up perfectly. They moved with a very sombre Hermione into the Great hall.

They sat down at the end of the Gryffindor table where they started on their breakfast. Iris ignored the many looks they were receiving. Crabbe, Goyle, Nott and Draco sat a bit further away from them on the Slytherin table and were talking in hushed voices to a few of the second years. Blaise appeared and with a subtle motion sat next to Daphne. Iris mused. Blaise clearly knew more than he was revealing. White power, ethnic cleansing and brutal dominance would hold no appeal for the darker-skinned young boy. The Zabini family being pushed down the ladder in the New World Hierarchy would be a certainty. Zabini had been a powerful name in Europe for centuries. Zabini would bide his time and be careful.

Iris wondered if he would approach her. It wouldn't be the first time the Zabini family had allied with the Black family. Walburga had briefed her on the histories of the Pureblood families well. The Parkinson's had helped finance the last war in Riddle's favour. That was for control of Britain's Ministry over a decade ago. She wondered what they truly thought of global dominance and what was actually required to sacrifice to obtain it. The Bulstrode family were Pureblood but not society or particularly wealthy. Millicent's family had a few farms in Cornwall which had been in their family since Merlin's day. They had a good life and distrusted politicians and the Ministry immensely. The Bulstrode's millennium-long ongoing war with the taxman was legendary. They had infuriated the tax office for centuries as they could not quite get enough evidence to prosecute them for tax evasion.

That Tracey was a Half-blood was obvious. Daphne seemed to have struck up a friendship of sorts with her.

Still, Iris thought. It was a start for Slytherin. A few of them may turn away from RIddle. If they knew there was a strong opposition some may reconsider. It wasn't too late. The silver snakes would keep the peace. It was what was happening in the world that vexed her. Esmerelda stretched against her which soothed her nerves. Her Equi magic waved out into the small group which cheered them up.

Severus Snape glided past them with his black robes rippling with dramatic flair. His long, dark hair swished gently. He held the Slytherin schedules in his hand. Minerva was making her way over to her cubs.

'Right my young snakes. Schedules. Gemma Farley will be escorting you to your classes for the first week so make sure you familiarise yourself with the Castle,' he said in his soft, low voice. They were handed out to the group who looked at them intently.

Minerva handed the schedules to her firsties who also looked at them. Hermione was particularly earnest.

Severus glanced over to the Gryffindor table, 'I trust there will be no more theatrics today, Miss Black?' he said smoothly.

'I can't promise anything, Professor Snape,' Iris answered honestly. Minerva gave a huff.

'I see,' Severus's mouth twitched, 'Word has reached me about Salazar's welcoming gift to you.'

Minerva looked at Severus curiously.

'Already? Yes. It was very kind of him to do that,' Iris spoke earnestly, 'Salazar is very concerned about my safety at Hogwarts.'

'Try not to have the entire house of Slytherin strangled by dinner, Miss Black. It will be very tedious for me to have to repetitively explain to their grieving parents what happened,' Severus said with a faint upturn to his mouth.

'I'll try my best,' she answered seriously as Minerva looked perplexed, 'I spoke to the snakes. They will merely keep the bullies in a death grip. They're going to keep an eye on all the students for now,' Iris added sarcastically, 'As we all know being attacked by older students is so unlikely. That never happens here so no one should be worried, right,' Iris sneered, 'After what happened to Dylan Baker, I think we are right to be concerned. I think the silver snakes are fair, under the circumstances,' Iris explained.

Minerva nodded in agreement. She looked intently at Iris.

Severus gave a wry grin, 'Then I shall endeavour to explain to some of my harder of hearing students the consequences of their actions. After all, one must not put their head into a crocodiles mouth. They have a habit of biting,' Severus looked at her with his dark eyes flashing.

With that Severus turned on his heel and made his way further up the table.

Blaise looked at Iris, 'How is Salazar doing this? And why does he think you need protecting? You are, well, his descendant.'

Blaise had asked two reasonable questions. Iris deigned to answer. He would find out soon enough regardless.

'Salazar was and is a genius. As for why he thinks I need protecting, it is because those who actually know my dear old Grandad personally know for a fact he isn't one for family ties. Those people who think I am in league with him don't know Riddle. He is not interested in passing down his legacy. He sees family as simple tools at his disposal to use as he sees fit. He likes to use us for his blood rituals. Poison us and then we are disposed of. Some of us he likes to practice his killing curses out on. He's got to stay match fit somehow. Alternatively, he likes to frame us for crimes he has committed. Because, well, why the hell not? Who knows how psychos think? Pointless using any energy trying to understand them. If he decided to start wearing a tea cosy on his head I would not raise an eyebrow.'

Blaise just looked at her in horror. Draco was rigid. His grey eyes staring straight ahead.

Daphne was looking at her schedule. This particular conversation was stale news to her, 'Potions first with the Gryffindors and Snape. In the dungeons. You lot may as well walk with us,' she told the Gryffindors

When the Slytherin prefect, Gemma Farley had arrived to take them to the dungeons they had all gathered their things together. Hermione spoke to Percy saying he need not show them. Gemma paused a moment but decided not to comment on the Gryffindors following with her Slytherins out of the hall. First lesson. First day. The Ghost of the Baron floated to Iris as they were leaving.

He looked at her with such an earnest expression she almost laughed. Holding it together she walked with him and told him that she had spoken to Gabriel and he was willing to try. Albus would join them in the Great Hall after dinner on Sunday for any of the Hogwarts Ghosts who wanted to attempt this. She did softly tell him that they should not get their hopes up. This hadn't been attempted before. They did not know the dangers.

The Baron simply smiled at her, 'It's the closest we have ever come, Miss Black. It is a step forward,' he flew away.

Pansy and Hermione had been ear wagging as they continued back down to the dungeons.

'Gabriel will be here at Hogwarts on Sunday?' Hermione asked Iris as Pansy looked wide-eyed.

Iris nodded to Hermione, 'You can meet him then but it's probably best you don't stay. It is going to be an emotional night regardless of the outcome of this experiment.'

Hermione's eyes looked very bright as she nodded back enthusiastically. Pansy had a half-smile on her face. Draco looked like he was storing this information in his mind.