After a mild charm lesson with Flitwick, the young Gryffindors had regained their composure after quite a stressful first day. Although with all the drama they had all quite forgotten to be nervous.
Iris couldn't wait till the end of the week when everything settled down. She had suspected the first week was going to be fraught.
Still, things were getting there. Salazar's snakes had put her mind at rest about their immediate safety. As a change to their normal schedule, Minerva took her Transfiguration class to show them the library and to explore. They had the Ravenclaws with them. Hermione looked like the happiest bride in the world on her wedding day as they entered the large room. The Ravenclaws also looked around with sheer joy on their faces at the room. They were home. The librarian, a stern woman called Madam Pince gave them the library rules and regulations. Hermione, now fully briefed, left quickly to explore and worship at the altar of literacy. Lucas kept a subtle distance to watch over her.
The rest of the Gryffindors were not nearly as enthusiastic as Hermione, but were still interested and separated to look around.
Iris, Parvati and Lavender wandered around taking it all in. Hogwarts certainly had an impressive collection. Iris noticed the restricted section. Even from a distance, she recognised a few of the titles from Bella's collection.
She made a mental note of how everything was divided up. There were so many books. It would take years to read them all. There looked to be some useful books here as well.
They found Hermione on a corner table with a big stack of large books around her. It looked like she was trying to choose which ones to book out. Her decision-making process looked like it was truly stressful for her. Her hair was starting to frizz as she kept biting her lip in anguish. Iris was astounded. The Black hair care product should last a day at least.
'You can only take out four at a time, Mione,' said Lavender, stating the obvious dilemma.
'Hermione,' Hermione said through gritted teeth, 'Please don't butcher my name. It is only one extra syllable. Her. That is all. It's not difficult. I'm hopeful people can learn to cope with that.'
Iris sniggered at Lavender's insulted face.
'I was just trying to be nice, Hermione,' Lavender said in an offended tone, emphasising the Her.
Hermione looked up with a manic look, 'I'm sorry. I'm vexed. I need all these books. I need these eight. I can only take four.'
Iris looked at the titles, 'Some of these look interesting. I'll book out the other four. We can share them, yeah?'
Hermione looked at Iris with relief at this simple solution. 'Brilliant. Thanks,' the large books were stacked up as they both took an armful to Madam Pince.
They received a lecture on how to care for the books. Any damage would be paid for. Iris did not doubt it in the slightest judging by the woman's fascist tendencies that this was an idle threat. She decided not to ask sarcastically if an unreturned book warranted a trip to Azkaban. Some people were devoid of humour. Madam Pince was clearly one of them.
Professor McGonagall let the class go. It was their first day and had been a daunting one for them. They had plenty of time before dinner to go to the common room and relax.
Many of the Ravenclaws stayed where they were, quite content to be surrounded by their beloved books. The Gryffindors trudged back to the common room. Iris was starting to get a feel for the castle. It would take a while before she was confident of the layout. It was enormous. She wondered at the secrets it held.
The Gryffindor common room was filling up and was quite a loud place. Hermione looked a little wary. She looked at her books and was clearly looking around for a quiet corner. There was none to be found. Iris swore she actually saw Hermione's hair get even bigger at that moment.
'Dorm room?' said Pavarti, seeing Hermione's dilemma.
Hermione nodded as they all trudged up the circular stairway with the books.
The problem with the lack of study space was clear when they looked around. The beds took up most of the space.
Hermione's hair got a little bushier, 'I suppose I can go to the library to study in the evenings,' she said out loud, admitting defeat.
Iris wasn't happy about that. Even with Lucas as a bodyguard, she didn't feel it wise for Hermione to be wandering about too late in the castle by herself. She considered her trunk. It was intended to be just her sanctuary. But. She considered. She knew how to do silencing charms if she wanted to play her music. She thought of Dylan and Nott and her mind was made up.
'You can study in my trunk,' she blurted out before she changed her mind, 'If you want. It's up to you. It would just be safer.'
Hermione stared at her with a peculiar look, 'It's a little small, Iris.'
They all grinned at her. Of course. Hermione didn't know about trunk room expansion charms yet. They could only really be afforded by the filthy rich. Not normally bought even for filthy rich Hogwarts students either. The magic was very advanced. All sorts of bells and whistle spells were involved. Lavender looked curious. Much had been made of Iris's Black side of the family and Riddle. Because of that, her Greengrass roots had been overlooked. Lavender had made it her business to know plenty about that side of the Wizarding World. Gareth was one of the richest Wizards in the country.
'Did Gareth Greengrass buy you that trunk, Iris?' Lavender asked slyly.
Iris nodded. Lavender beamed. It certainly wouldn't be a little storage room.
'Can we have a look?' Parvati asked. Clearly on the same page as Lavender. Hermione looked at them all oddly.
Iris caught on. Oh well. She managed one whole evening of peace and quiet. Although her muggle influenced style flat may put Lavender and Parvati off from visiting too much. She knew it was a little selfish but quiet was essential at times and it was starting to look like Lavender and Parvati were not followers of calm tranquillity.
'Come on then,' Iris sighed.
Parvati and Lavender grinned. Hermione followed them over to Iris's trunk and watched Iris climb down. She looked over Lavender's shoulder and down. Hermione had a brief recollection of the Mary Poppins bag. Iris was at least a metre down some steps. Lavender climbed into the trunk and followed Iris. Parvati followed. Hermione climbed over the side. She didn't know what to expect.
Iris led them into her flat. Esmerelda unwrapped herself as Iris lifted her into her glass cage so she could eat her dinner. Kreacher had been here earlier.
Lavender and Parvati were very excited at this glimpse into Iris's personality. A person's room told you a lot about someone. Hermione looked around with a small smile on her face.
'Look at the windows, Parvati. The jungle. Oh, Iris what's this view of?' Lavender was intrigued.
'That's the view out of my bedroom at Grimmauld Place. That's London during the day. Bella charmed it. It's the same day. It just goes in a loop. The jungle window is for Esmeralda. It makes her feel more at home. Bella did that one too,' Iris explained.
'Who's that?' Lavender enquired pointing at the large framed photograph of a man on a motorcycle.
'James Dean,' Iris said smiling. 'The king of cool.'
Parvati picked up a small portrait of Salazar on the mantelpiece, 'No prizes for guessing who this is,' she grinned. There were a few other moving photographs. Iris with various people. Parvati recognised Daphne. Parvati smiled at the one with Iris surrounded by several enthusiastic house-elves all putting thumbs up to the camera.
Hermione had wandered over to the television. She was looking at Iris questioningly.
'You can't get actual television here. The magic interferes too much but I can play my movies. Here, look.'
Iris opened up the cabinet to show the dozens of DVDs. Hermione was looking with great interest at the titles.
'I have a ton of batteries to power it. No electricity here at the castle, obviously. Here is one of my most valuable possessions,' Iris opened up the other cabinet to show her stereo, 'My cd's and records are kept in here,' Iris opened up another trunk. Even she felt a little embarrassed by just how many were in there. In fairness, a lot had been bought for her by her Greengrass family.
Hermione was beaming now, 'You have a Kate Bush album,' she breathed out in reverence, 'You have proper speakers. I bought my walkman and some batteries. I thought about doing this but there wasn't enough room in my trunk for my stereo and large batteries. This is so much better.'
Iris nodded, 'I love music. So much of it. Different sorts. The Beatles are in there too. Pop. Blues. Rock. Motown. Bring your music down here if you like. I like most things. The trunk has silencing charms on the outside,' Hermione smiled.
Lavender had sat on one of the sofas, 'This is so comfortable,' Iris nodded in agreement. Comfort courtesy of a little magic. Parvati was at the table.
'You can definitely study properly in here Hermione,' Parvati said across the room. Hermione was looking around with a broad smile on her face and nodded.
'Is that a real motorcycle?' Hermione had spotted the Triumph Bonneville.
'Oh, yes. Sirius bought it for me. It's powered by magic. It actually flies. So much better than a broom. I can resize it too so I can have the same one when I'm older. We go to the racetrack together sometimes. It's our attempt at bonding.'
'Not a fan of brooms then?' Lavender asked, smiling.
'Brooms are ok but you can't beat the real thing,' Iris answered honestly.
'Not a Quidditch fan?' Parvati asked.
'I like watching it but I'm not much of a fan of playing it. I play chaser sometimes but I really have to be in the mood. The Weasleys and Harry are mad for it. Too much crash, bang, wallop for me.'
'You have a lot of books,' Lavender had noticed the bookshelves. Hermione followed Lavender's eye line and wandered over to have a look.
'So, this is my sanctuary. There is a little kitchen where you can make snacks and drinks over there in the corner. There is a small bathroom in the back,' Iris told them.
'The Greengrass family really are filthy rich, aren't they?' Lavender beamed. Wealth by association was catnip to her.
Iris gave her a wry look, 'They aren't destitute if that's what you mean. The Manor costs a lot to maintain. They can't be foolish with their wealth.'
'The Manor,' Parvati said with raised eyebrows, 'Yeah. Best to keep an eye on those sickles. However will the Greengrass family afford new shoes?' she said sarcastically but with a grin on her face.
Iris moved over to her stereo. Lavender and Parvati watched with interest what she was doing.
'Any requests?' Iris asked them.
Parvati and Lavender shrugged, 'We don't know any Muggle music.' Lavender told her.
Iris gasped, 'None? It is time to get to know it then. You're missing out. Hermione. Anything you want to listen to?' Iris asked.
Hermione had a strange expression on her face as she looked at Iris steadily, 'Um. No. Put what you like on,' she said quietly.
Iris had a look through her collection. 'Eurythmics. Everyone likes them,' she said confidently. This was probably not true but a lot of people did like them.
Within a few seconds, 'There must be an Angel,' was playing through the speakers filling the room with music. Parvati and Lavender sat quietly and listened. Slowly smiling.
'So that's Muggle music. I like it,' Lavender said. Parvati agreed. The next single started to play.
'There's so much more in there. Different types as well,' Iris explained. Hermione was still looking through the book collection that Iris had. By now Iris had realised what had changed Hermione's mood.
Parvati glanced at her watch, 'Oh, dinner is soon. Can we come back later Iris? I want to listen to more of that. And can we see one of your movies on the tele thing?' Lavender and Parvati were standing up.
Iris nodded to them both. 'Of course you can. Art should always be shared,' she added solemnly.
'You two coming?' Lavender asked as Parvati and she made their way upstairs.
'We'll see you down there,' Hermione said looking at Iris who looked back at her steadily. The other two girls left as Hermione sat down on the sofa with one of Iris's books.
Annie Lennox soulfully sang in the background as Iris turned the volume down.
'I want the truth, Iris. What do you know?' she asked simply.
Iris breathed out slowly. Hermione didn't seem the type to be fobbed off. Iris should have thought this through before bringing them down. Most of the books she owned were about the second world war.
Hermione raised her eyebrows high and kept looking at Iris pointedly.
'Once you know it, you can't unknow it, Hermione,' Iris said to her in a warning tone.
Hermione frowned at that. She looked at Iris, 'My grandmother Elsie's maiden name is Silverman. She is Jewish. She managed to escape to Britain from Germany in 1938 with just a small suitcase and the clothes on her back. She fell in love with an Englishman and made a new life here. Her story was one of the few from that time that had a happy ending. The rest of our family was not so fortunate. There is clearly something poisonous happening in the magical world. Anyone can see that. You seem to be taking more than a passing interest in the Muggle world. Why so many books on Nazi's? I want to know what Nott was so angry about so I'm going to ask you again. What do you know?'
Iris felt her heart sink. She ran her hands through her hair. She sat next to Hermione on the sofa.
'I, er,' she stuttered. How was she going to say these words? Hermione looked incredibly intense. Iris shrunk back at her piercing eyes, 'There is opposition to all of this. You have to know that.'
'What is it, Iris?' Hermione asked more quietly but with a determined tone.
Iris clenched her jaw. She really didn't want to tell her. Hermione kept looking at her. Hermione was going to find out sooner or later. May as well be now. Seeing as the bushy-haired girl was well and truly in both firing lines, she needed to know for her own safety. Iris reached into her pocket and bought out one of the photographs Severus had managed to acquire on his mission. She kept it on her at all times. She took a deep breath as she handed Hermione the moving photograph of Riddle and Hitler together surrounded by obvious Death Eaters and Nazis in full uniform, 'Riddle has allied with the Third Reich. They never really went away. They have been in the shadows for years regaining strength. Hitler didn't die in the bunker. It was a setup. Hitler and Eva Braun had already fled to South America days before Berlin fell. It was Riddle who broke Gellert Grindelwald out of prison. They are working together to finish what they all started.'
Hermione sat motionlessly. She gazed at the photograph.
Iris started to ramble nervously, 'They started over in South America years ago. Gabriel and Severus have seen it for themselves. They already have concentration camps in operation. Kids. Families are in them. Innocent people. The governments and military there are bought and paid for. They will be testing their strength in Bosnia next. They are focusing on ethnic cleansing. The most effective ways to properly and efficiently kill as many as possible. Hitler wants to wipe out anyone who isn't perfectly Aryan. If they succeed most of the Aryans who do survive will be used as a slave race to support the elites. Riddle and Hitler are combining Muggle and Magical Might. They want to expose our world. Riddle will run the Magical. Hitler the Muggles. They are determined to have a New World Order. Dumbledore thinks eventually Riddle will betray him. They kept all that Nazi wealth. It had all been stashed and hidden in Switzerland. All those investments. They run global corporations now. They have trillions. The money is being used to lure the white Purebloods all around the world to their side. Military weapons. Scientists. Potion makers. Politicians. They are everywhere, Hermione. Riddle cannot be killed by conventional methods. Hitler has sons and generals more than willing to take his place. Even Lucifer is concerned enough to work with Gabriel on this. They must be stopped. The Angels think they are mad enough to destroy the Earth with a combination of magic and nuclear. Earth is where all life begins before we move on. They cannot be allowed to succeed.'
Hermione's brown eyes were shimmering.
'Hitler is still alive?' she whispered faintly.
'Yes, his alliance with Gellert gave him connections in our world. There are potions and dark rituals that can slow the ageing process in Muggles,' Iris told her, 'A lot of the Nazis escaped at the end of the war. They resettled. It's only a matter of time now before there is another war. They have had years to infiltrate governments all around the world. They are building up their military. The magical people they have are now helping them to do this. Muggles who oppose them either have their memories wiped or are killed or disappear. We do have people undercover. They have a good idea who is part of this. Riddle and Hitler are taking their time. They are not going to make the same mistakes they did in the past. Dumbledore is recruiting as well. The Angels are helping them. They are going to sabotage the camps in Argentina at some point in the future. They think it will force the Nazis out into the open in retaliation and hopefully, with that level of evidence, it won't be ignored. Amelia and Dumbledore can then form alliances with other countries before Riddle and Hitler can execute their master plan.'
Hermione was staring at her intently. Iris ran her hand through her hair as she continued.
'With the advancements in the muggle world, it could cause the deaths of millions. Billions possibly. The Purebloods in this world have been promised all the riches and power by Riddle. They don't seem to get that the Muggles have the weapons to potentially destroy everything. With magic combined with Muggle power then Riddle could flatten cities. Countries even. Gabriel has been using the Astral plane to gather information from them. He says that they are eventually planning for Israel to be the first country to be decimated. This will officially launch his comeback,' Iris said bitterly, 'The middle east will be next. Gabriel said they will be using chemical warfare to kill the people there. They are developing a potion that has both magic and non-magic ingredients. Hitler was always very interested in the pyramids. He wants them for himself. He doesn't want them destroyed. He wants Egypt all to himself. In the chaos, they will then attack other countries that will then fall like dominoes. Then they will enslave the survivors. This won't be for a while. They are still building their forces. They do not expect to be defeated when they are ready to strike. There is time to prevent this.'
They sat in silence as Hermione focused on the photograph in front of her.
'Start from the beginning Iris,' Hermione seemed to find her voice, 'I want to know why you don't talk like most eleven-year-olds. I'm a borderline genius. I'm not being arrogant. It is a fact. It is what I have been told by the education board.'
Iris smiled for the first time in what felt like hours, 'Why aren't you in Ravenclaw then?' Hermione didn't answer. She was waiting for a valid reason for her question, 'I don't need to sleep much. It has given me more time to learn,' Iris said, answering her question.
Hermione drew a sharp breath at that, 'Are you a vampire?' she asked in a pinched voice.
'No. I am not a vampire. I am eleven. Just. I have seen a lot in that time. I read a lot. I've seen a lot,' Iris said in a defensive voice.
'I thought it wise to check,' Hermione did not sound apologetic, 'I am literally expecting anything at this point.'
Iris tilted her head, 'Touche.'
Hermione motioned to her to continue.
'Ok. Some of this you may have read. But I'll start from the beginning,' Iris started from the time that Greta Greengrass met a young handsome man called Tom Riddle.
Hermione let her talk freely. Now and again she asked Iris to confirm a point. When the subject of Equilibrium came up Hermione was spellbound.
Being very careful to tell Hermione not to touch it, Iris closed her eyes and pictured the veil doorway. The tingling went down her arms.
The golden swirling mass of colours made Hermione gape.
'That's the gateway. We dare not test it yet with anyone other than me and the Angels. Inside you go into a tunnel full of stars. There are two other portals inside. One goes to Equilibrium. One to Hell.'
Hermione's eyes widened.
'Lily and James visit Harry a lot but they have to use the Astral plane. It would be breaking universal laws for them to return to earth permanently. I have to be within a thirty-mile radius of Harry for them to do that. As I keep getting stronger the distance improves. Anyone who visits from Equilibrium has to hold my hand for it to work at first. It took a year of regular use for the connection to work as well as it does for the Potters. A lot of the others from Equi have visited their family too. I can also use it as a sort of apparition point as well. I just need to focus on where I want to go before I walk through. It works in England so far. I use it to go to Grimmauld Place mainly. It works in the castle. I tried it earlier. It helps if I know where I'm going. If not I can get close anyway. I don't want to risk taking anyone through with me yet. The Angels and Lily think it best to wait till I'm older.'
Hermione had the familiar look that others have had.
'The Potter family. It's real then? Heaven?' she whispered.
'Very much. They have different names for these worlds. It's so beautiful there Hermione. One day I hope I can take people there to visit. Once you see it for yourself there is no fear of dying. There are hundreds of worlds out there. But only on Earth can babies be born. My mum can visit Equi too. Although she has to use the Astral plane to travel to it at night when she goes to sleep. Her body stays on Earth. Up to my eleventh birthday that is how I did it too. When I turned eleven it all changed. Now I don't have to. I feel lighter and stronger now on Earth. Like I do on Equi all the time. I can still use the Astral plane but now I have to use a mirror to get into it. Any big mirror will do. Here, I'll show you,' Iris was excited to show Hermione this. All the bad news she had given the girl had clearly upset her. She wanted Hermione to get some good news. She had told her of the prophecy. Dumbledore was adamant it referred to Harry and her. Hermione needed to be assured there was hope. Hermione had slowly begun to regain her composure.
'Put your hand against the mirror,' Iris said to Hermione. Hermione put her hand up. Her fingertips feeling the cool glass as she moved them away.
'Now, look,' Iris put her hand up and stepped into the mirror. Disappearing. Hermione gasped.
Iris stepped back out, 'That's how I get into the Astral plane,' she said simply, 'It's great for spying. I used to go around London cinemas and nightclubs. Gran couldn't prove it. She knew. It drove her mad. Certainly opened my eyes to the Muggle world. You should see what happens in the nightclubs at two in the morning,' she grinned.
Hermione wasn't paying much attention at this point. She sat down on the sofa trembling, 'I knew the magical world was going to be different. I had no idea.'
'Most Witches and Wizards can't do this, even in the magical world. Some non-magicals can get to the Astral plane though. No one can get to Equi in their actual-earth bodies like me though. Riddle has pushed magic too far. Gabriel thinks his boss has enabled this. A lot of theories are going around. No one knows for sure why any of this is happening although it is very much about the Resurrection Stone for sure,' Iris wandered to her bookshelf. She picked up a copy of Beedle of the Bard and handed it to Hermione, 'The Deathly Hallows are real. The tale of the three brothers is genuine. The Peverell brothers are the ancestors of Harry and me. Riddle abused the Resurrection Stone with the darkest of magic. He defied forces greater than him. He will pay for that. Not all these books are based on war, Hermione. There are some more positive ones.'
Iris showed her the Peverell ring, 'It's how I healed the squibs. It gives me the strength of Equi. In time I think it will help all of us. Equi magic is getting stronger in me. People and animals become stronger when they are around me. My mum is the best healer in the country already. Riddle thought that I was just another relative to donate their blood to his cause. Harry is going to be the one to finish the bastard off. Dumbledore thinks I'm the power Riddle knows not. I'm going to help Harry do it. Although, honestly, and don't tell Harry I said this but, although we're not at Crabbe's level, we're not exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer. Daphne can run circles around me already in most lessons. Harry and I are both good at the practical stuff. Lily and mum have tried to teach us more complex magic like runes and astronomy. It's hopeless. Is that true what you said? That you're a borderline genius?'
Hermione gave Iris an obnoxious withering look of disdain and didn't deign to answer her question. Iris grinned.
'We're going to need people with brains to help us,' Iris left the request hanging in the air.
Hermione looked at her. Something passed between them. Iris saw a quiet strength flood Hermione's eyes.
'Consider me well and truly in, Iris. This is very personal now,' they shook on it.
They both heard a meow, 'Trevor,' Iris exclaimed looking down. She bent down to pick the ginger cat up. He purred as they rubbed heads.
'Who's a good boy? Are you a good boy? Yes, you are,' Iris did her cat talk to Trevor. Hermione took a breath and sat back down. She had had a very intense time and was still absorbing it all. Her mind was racing.
She looked around the room. Gareth Greengrass had been thinking ahead, clearly. He had provided Iris with a safe house of sorts. Her mind went back over the time she had walked into Kings Cross to now. Had it been only two days? The image of James Dean looked moodily at her from across the room. Salazar Slytherin seemed to be pondering her. Annie Lennox was singing in the background. Esmerelda had eaten her rat for dinner and was now snoozing. Hermione gave a little shudder at that thought. She was the daughter of two dentists, brand new to the Wizarding World. She was astute enough to know she was very much out of her depth. She stroked her wand nervously. She paused. The magic in her fingers seemed to pulsate a little stronger. The Equi magic floated in the air.
She mused as she looked across at Iris. Iris was now rubbing noses with the delighted Trevor who was using his paw to pat her face. Hermione gave a wry grin. Was this truly one of the people standing up to Riddle? Lucas slithered gently down the wall towards her. Large, silver. Majestic. The sight of the golden veil had awed her. What did she have to offer in this? Her eyes glanced over at the bookshelf. Knowledge, books and cleverness. That was her forte. She had an almost perfect recall of anything she read. A photographic memory.
Iris had the tools but did she know how to use them properly? The dark-haired girl's admittance at their need for more brains would suggest this wasn't so. The sorting hat had originally suggested her for Ravenclaw. She had asked it to dig a little deeper. It had. The hat saw all. She had grown up with the tales of the holocaust. How Draco had spoken to her had triggered those memories. Her Grandmother had been very diligent in explaining to the young Hermione how it had all started in Germany. She warned the young girl to always look for certain signs of things that were to come. Draco had helpfully slammed a neon signpost up in front of her on the train.
She had read and reread all she could get her hands on before that train journey. Due to Rita Skeeter, the ritual to bring Riddle back to his physical form was well documented. His trial had been a farce. She could not believe how corrupt the Ministry had been. Muggle politics was shady at the best of times but this was a whole new level. That Purebloods did not have to take Veritaserum on the stand at that time but that others had to reeked of injustice to her. Fortunately, that was the first law Amelia Bones had passed to prevent that from happening again. Even then they had only managed a majority of two and there had to be considerable evidence even then. That Riddle and his followers were still out there had been a harrowing thought. That the I.C.W had cleaned it up, for now, was a comfort.
Certain Pureblood laws had been eradicated but not all. She had not spoken to her parents about her discoveries. They would worry. She did not want them to prevent her from going to Hogwarts. Magic was a part of her. It had confused and delighted her when she was younger. Strange things happened around her she could not explain. She knew she was different but not why. When Minerva had arrived to shine a light she had been excited. She needed to know how to use it. She needed a new life. She hadn't been one for getting on well with other children when she was little. She knew her faults. She was naturally bossy and demanding and far too clever for the other kids. She tried to stop it but her strong personality wouldn't allow for it. She had been bullied because of it. She looked at Iris. A girl who seemed to want her friendship because of her character traits, not in spite of them. She had shown her Grandmother some of the evidence of the history of this new world. There were clearly divides within it and she asked for her advice.
'The house of the brave, Hermione. Gryffindor. Make sure you get in that one,' her grandmother had advised her, 'Brains alone count for nothing against that sort of violent bigotry. Trust me on this. As a young girl, I saw Nazi scum round-up scholars, doctors and scientists to the camps and their deaths. We tried to reason with them. It did not work. You will need brawn too. We learnt in the end. When it was all too late to save them.'
Like the others, what Hermione had expected Iris to be and what she actually was seemed to be the other side of the same coin. She had witnessed Iris sorted. She had still been reeling about the ghosts at that point and her head was swirling with news of the Angels. The blood traitor slur shouted out to Iris in the hall had twisted through her mind. She knew immediately the implications of those words. Thousands of Germans had been imprisoned and murdered alongside their Jewish friends and families because they had tried to protect them. The sheer look of disdain on Iris's young face to a boy twice her size and the short girl's rebellion to him had made Hermione more determined than ever to join her in Gryffindor. Dumbledore's old house.
When Neville, Harry and Ron had also sat down at the table with her she had breathed a massive sigh of relief to herself. The only ones besides Daphne and the twins she had met on the train who hadn't been hostile or cold to her. The treatment by many of the other students had stung. She had to admit that to herself. When she pushed for clarification from the others she had known deep down the answer. Their silence spoke volumes to her.
The silver snakes slithered around the castle. That Salazar himself ordained this meant Hermione knew for certain these threats were very real.
Pavarti popped her head down, 'You two still here? You missed dinner. Harry wants to see you, Iris. He tried to get up the stairs but they turned into a slide!'
'Ta. I won't be a minute,' Iris shouted back up.
'Make yourself at home, Hermione. I'll be back later, ok. There's some food in the kitchen if you get hungry,' Iris left her.
Hermione waved goodbye and sat down in the comfort of the sofa. Trevor had flopped down curled up in the corner. Esmerelda gently snoozed. She moved over to grab some food from the little kitchen and then went to have a proper look at the films. She tutted at the number of films that were clearly not age suitable. Then grinned as she spotted some of Iris's less cool titles. The Parent Trap. With a flourish, Hermione put the film on and settled in with Trevor on her lap. She needed some real quality Muggle time to restore her sanity. Hitler. It still hadn't really sunk in. The books could wait for a couple of hours. That was just how overawed Hermione was with her current predicament.