The exhausted Gryffindors had made their way back to the common room all in various states of shock and bewilderment at all they had witnessed. Even Lavender and Parvati were mute. Iris didn't expect that to last too long though. Iris had held back and made arrangements with Draco. She told him she would speak with Walburga and Bella the next day to organise his mother and Draco's retreat from Malfoy Manor. She confirmed with him that he knew the potential consequences. He had smiled shakily but with a definite air of determination. Like Gabriel had asked of her she didn't ask any more of him.

It was getting very late and the other students had gone back to their dorms. The common room was empty. The first years each gathered around the sofa by the fire. Iris didn't think they were ready to be apart. They watched the flickering flames for a while as they each absorbed the evening. Trevor and Lily were fussed and curled up next to Iris.

Seamus was the first to speak, 'Me mam has said bad things were happening in the world. She wouldn't say much more than that. Just, she told me to be careful. That if I wanted to go home I could. But this is going to be happening everywhere, isn't it? he said quietly.

'That Nott,' Dean said in a queasy voice. 'It makes my skin crawl just thinking about him. He was here, under our noses all this time. I knew he was not right, you know. But to do that…'

'Flint as well,' Ron said, 'Neville hadn't done anything to him. That's just who we know about for sure. I'm not blind. I see the way a lot of the older kids look at us. At Harry especially. Like they hate us. Hermione. Dean. Now Iris. George and Fred have told me some more stuff about what has been happening here. It's awful. Even Percy is worried,' he looked around at them, 'They thought I should know. Those silver snakes are even more valuable than I thought.'

'Well, that Salazar himself thinks Hogwarts needs them is not comforting. They are only activated in times of great strife, the book said,' Hermione sighed.

Lavender sniffed, 'It's all just really sinking in. Nott. How could he and his father do that? Flint..,'

Harry gazed around the room at his housemates, 'Riddle never really left. Everything since that night I got this scar has been on pause. It all just went underground. They are getting stronger and louder now.'

The young Gryffindors sat in silence some more.

'We can stick together. It's up to each of you,' Harry said in the quiet. They looked at him in contemplation.

Iris looked around at them, 'Daphne always says there is strength in numbers. But, if you're thinking of leaving Hogwarts you need to know that Seamus is right. This isn't going to just go away if you go home or to a different school. It's going to be everywhere. We're preparing for it if you want to join us. They think we have a few years till this really starts to get going.'

The others looked at her deep in thought.

Parvati glanced at Iris, 'When you hugged Harry. The calm, nice magic. Can you do it again? I just feel so ...,'

Iris smiled and closed her eyes. She thought about Dobby and Kreacher and making cakes in the kitchen with Bella. The soft white flowing magic of Equi flowed throughout the room. Lily and Trevor purred loudly as the kids relaxed.

When she opened her eyes the kids had small smiles on their faces.

'Thanks, Iris. We can always feel it but there are times we need a big chunk,' Ron said with a grin.

'I know exactly how you feel,' Iris said to him.

Harry had relaxed, 'Time and a place for everything. The other stuff is something else.'

'Ay. That's the truth. I felt like I could eat nails on it,' Seamus added.

The others nodded, 'When we're older we have to test that,' Hermione said

'Not eating nails,' she said quickly as they looked at her oddly, 'Just if the power is transferable. I'll be checking Neville when he gets back. He was filled with it.'

Iris nodded at her, 'I'm willing to try anything.'

Lavender gazed at Iris, 'I'm still getting my head around the Dark Angel. You sure he won't hurt us?'

Iris shook her head, 'All the Angels are on our side. Gabriel said that. They're going to protect us.'

Harry had a beaming smile at that, 'That's something at least.'

'Salazar and Dark Angels are actually defending us. This isn't just going to be a normal war is it?' Parvati whispered, 'This is going to get really bad, isn't it?'

Iris and Harry gave a short nod. Ron grimaced.

'Yeah,' Ron said, 'It's going to get really bad.'

'On the bright side, Nott's trip to Hell and back will be making the rounds soon. He won't be coming back to Hogwarts. Kingsley looked like he wanted to strangle him,' Seamus said with a determined expression.

'Flint won't be coming back either. Crabbe was bricking it,' Dean said.

'See. We can fight against this,' Harry said.

What with the group talk and a bit of Equi magic the forlorn group had cheered up immensely.

'When Lucifer said, 'Give my love to Bella,' What did he mean?' Lavender asked cautiously.

'Oh, they're good friends. He pops around now and again to see her,' Iris said simply.

Hermione went to speak then decided it best not to pursue this path as Harry couldn't keep the smirk off his face.

Lavender wasn't satisfied with this answer and prodded Iris as she looked back at her in confusion.

'I mean, what exactly are they to each other? Are they more than just good friends? Does he look like that when he pops round? How does he fit in the house?' Lavender persisted.

'Oh, rIght. Well. They haven't said anything. Lucifer can change his shape. He can make himself smaller if he likes. He has had more success with travelling to Earth than Gabriel over the years. A lot of people seem to want to request his presence and keep doing these rituals to open the gate for him. They worship him. He has learned how to blend in better than Gabriel. Gran did say he's her type. Something to do with authority figures. Bella has said how difficult it is to find a good quality Wizard these days. She divorced Rodolphus years ago. After what RIddle did to her I think she's very much off Earth men for now.'

Lavender nodded in earnest, 'My mum was saying she was lucky with dad. She did say to me before I left for Hogwarts that I need to make sure I get a ring on my finger before I leave it for good. She said it is slim pickings out there in the Wizarding World. Most of the good Wizards are off the shelf by then.'

Parvati chimed in then, 'So did my mum. She told Padma and I the same,'

Hermione looked a little perplexed by this conversation, 'How old were your parents when they got married?' she asked them all.

Her eyebrows raised when she realised all her housemate's parents had been married by the age of nineteen.

'But, that's absurd!' she spluttered.

'There was a war on when our parents married,' Harry said to Hermione whilst he pointed to Iris, 'But, yeah. It's normal in the Wizarding World to be married by twenty at the latest.'

'But, that's just mad. My mum and dad were almost thirty when they married. They dated for a few years first. You can't possibly know that young who you want to be married to for the rest of your life,' Hermione was adamant.

'It's tradition,' Ron said, 'It's how it's done. Some Muggles marry young don't they?'

'And they divorce a lot too,' Hermione snapped.

'Hey, this is the way we do it,' Ron got a little tetchy.

'Hardly anyone divorces in the Wizarding World,' Parvati said, 'It's seen as something shameful,' she almost whispered the last part.

Hermione and Dean were shaking their heads in disbelief at this.

'When my Aunt Bella divorced people gossiped about it for years. Some of them still do. And her husband was a known Death Eater who escaped Azkaban and abandoned her. There are still some in the Wizarding World who still say she should have worked more at her marriage. Bella said it was more a marriage of convenience from the start though. Their parents pushed for it. I really don't think she's bothered at all about the actual end of it. Rodolphus sounds like a nasty piece of work.'

Dean and Hermione's mouths dropped at this information from Iris.

'There are a lot of really good marriages too, Hermione,' Lavender told her, 'When we get older and our magic matures we find our magic is very compatible with our future husband or wife. Mum said it's a good indication of success if your magic likes the other person's magic. She said we'll feel it. She said we'll know for sure when it does happen. It's very different from our normal magic.'

Hermione's face lit up at this information, 'Oh, that's so interesting.'

'Yes, before you ask there are books about it,' Parvati said smiling.

'It makes sense then, getting married so young. Magic acts as a compass of sorts to find the right person,' Hermione looked pleased by this explanation.

Ron nodded, 'Yeah. My mum and dad have been together since they were teenagers. Their magic just clicked. Mum knew he was the one when she was sixteen. Dad was too shy to ask her out so she had to slip him a love potion to get him to ask her,' he grinned as Iris looked horrified.

'Only the once mind,' Ron put his hands up to Iris, 'Dad needed dutch courage. He told his friends he wanted to ask her on a date but he was too nervous. His friends told her about it.'

Iris relaxed.

'Love potion?' Hermione queried.

'Exactly what you think it is. It makes someone fall in love with you for a few hours. Why that isn't illegal is beyond me. The Imperius is. It's the same thing. They sell it in Diagon Alley,' Iris told her.

Hermione's mouth went into a wide O.

'It's just a bit of fun, Iris,' Seamus said.

Iris looked at him with an eyebrow raise, 'How would you feel if Flint gave you a love potion?' she said drily.

They all went pale at that, 'I get your point,' Seamus admitted.

Trevor purred and stretched in Iris's lap.

'Neville should be back tomorrow,' Parvati said, 'It feels strange without him. I've got used to him being there already.'

'Nice, isn't it? I was so nervous about starting school, but with a few exceptions most of our year mates are decent,' Lavender said.

'It's what happens to them when they get older that worries me,' Harry said.

They all nodded in agreement.

'I noticed that at the sorting,' Hermione said, 'The first and second years seem alright then something seems to change in a lot of them.'

'It's certainly more than just being a stroppy teenager,' Ron added, 'Do you think someone is doing something to them? Nott has this look in his eyes that isn't normal.'

Iris shrugged, 'A lot of it is brainwashing. The Nazis did this to children in the thirties. In the end, they would hand their own parents to the Nazis if they were not completely supportive of the regime. Although, yes. I think a lot of this is down to twisted dark magic. It does things to people when it's abused. It messes with the mind. Who knows what goes on behind four walls with them?'

Harry picked up Lily and gave her some fuss as he pondered, 'People here like the Weasley's and Tonks are not going to be approached. They're too close to Dumbledore and me. They are going to be careful who is chosen.'

Iris leant back, 'Draco is the exception. Not the rule. He's had a front-row seat to what has been happening. He has actually seen the consequences. Not just the talk. He doesn't want this. Pansy said growing up he spent most of his time out of the country. I don't envy him in the slightest. Did you see Goyle's face after he heard what Nott had done? I can't be sure but he looked genuinely upset. So did Pansy. This is a good thing. There may still be time for them. Crabbe is, I dunno. I can't be sure. Daphne being with them may swing them to us. Blaise has already made it crystal clear with his actions he knows what is actually happening.'

Dean looked up then, 'What does he know, Iris? Why do you talk about the Nazis? What exactly is happening?' he asked quietly.

Iris kicked herself. She hadn't meant to talk so freely. She looked at him tongue-tied.

Hermione took over then, 'I think he needs to know, Iris. He's in the same boat as I am. So is Parvati.'

Iris looked at Harry and Ron. She looked across at Parvati who looked back confused. Harry's emerald eyes looked at her in a determined way. He nodded at her. Ron gave a slight tilt of his head.

'You have to know Governments everywhere are burying their heads in the sand over this,' Iris reached into her robes and bought out the moving photograph of Riddle and Hitler and their followers, 'Snape bought these back. There are others. They say they are fake. Snape was there. In that room. They are real,' she handed the photograph to Dean who looked down at it cautiously. She heard him inhale sharply.

'No,' he said sharply, 'This is fake. There is no way.'

'Hitler escaped Berlin a few weeks before Germany was defeated. He has contacts in our world that have used dark magic to keep him from ageing as quickly as he should have,' Iris said in a low voice.

Parvati and Lavender had their hands over their mouth, 'Let me see that,' Parvati said in a low voice.

Dean handed it to her with a shaking hand. Iris looked up at the two girls. They looked quite unlike themselves. She saw in their expressions why the sorting hat had put them in Gryffindor. They were livid.

'It's real, Dean,' Parvati said in a clear voice.

Seamus took the photograph from them. He looked at Harry then Iris, 'This is why Salazar gave you the snakes, isn't it? Why Lucifer was here. This has gone way past Pureblood crap.'

'Yes and no. It's the Muggles Pureblood crap as well,' Iris told them, 'Although it's just politics. An excuse to divide people. They are only interested in themselves,' Iris said bitterly. 'Riddle and Hitler have allied. When Riddle tried to kill Harry and the spell backfired he went into the Astral plane. He said a spirit there told him this was the path to take. Magic and Nazi wealth and weapons properly combined. They are building up their forces. Weapons. Medical experiments. Chemical warfare. The best potion master's mixed with the best scientists. They own corporations all around the world. They had transferred the Nazi wealth before Berlin fell. It was Hitler's training ground. Riddle used Britain for his. They know every trick in the book. Most politicians have a price. The ones who don't are in great danger. Riddle broke Grindelwald out on Hitler's request. They are working together as they did before. It will be enough to take complete control if no one fights against this. A New World Order. Gabriel keeps us updated. They already have concentration camps in South America. They have started the ethnic cleansing training in Bosnia already.'

Hermione clenched her fist.

Dean took the photograph again. 'I, er,' he couldn't speak. He put his head in his hands.

'What else did Gabriel say?' seethed Parvati.

Iris closed her eyes tight. 'Are you sure you want to know?'

'Tell me,' she demanded.

'From what he has seen Gabriel doesn't think this is going to be happening for a few years. Their eventual plan is to first destroy Israel and everyone in it to officially announce their return to the world. Then immediately afterwards they will release chemical warfare in the middle east. Hitler wants the pyramids all to himself. Any survivors will be enslaved. In the chaos, they will launch attacks on any countries that defy them with a combination of Muggle and magical weapons. They have people everywhere who are covering things up. They control a lot of newspapers already. Imperius journalists if they need to. Riddle waves magical trinkets in front of the muggles. Hitler waves money and power to them. The Nazis go undercover first. See who they can corrupt most easily. There are many more Muggles than they thought that can be bought,' Iris trailed off.

'How is this happening?' Seamus asked in disbelief.

'Years of planning. At the end of the war, they moved to South America with all the money that had stolen and stashed during the war. Trillions of dollars of investments and corporations built up since the war,' Harry said quietly, 'They learned from their mistakes the first time.'

'What is it they want in the end?' Dean asked them.

'The world,' Hermione said in the quiet, 'What they call white Purebloods on top. A global cull, they call it. Only the strongest with the skills to survive will be spared. Ethnic cleansing. They will keep some people alive to maintain the power structure. Slavery. Concentration camps. Horde other countries' wealth for themselves. Of course, one side is bound to betray the other. Both Riddle and Grindelwald believe magical people should be running the world so they will turn in the end on Hitler. By the time it reaches that point though, billions will be dead. They have nuclear power. Gabriel says they have been experimenting with magic and nuclear combinations. Other countries have nuclear weapons. Someone is going to push that button when this goes public. The Russians, maybe. They used to really hate Nazis but governments are being infiltrated so who knows who will stand up to this. The Chinese? Who knows what will happen. The world, the oceans will be poisoned. It won't be fit to live on. The animals will all die. Nature won't be able to function. I doubt even the cockroaches will survive. What is left of the human race will end up underground. Have any of you ever read the Time machine? Most of the human race will be wiped out, the few survivors living in caves and resorting to cannibalism. That is what will happen if they are not stopped.'

Iris and Parvati nodded. They had both read that book.

'They are mad enough to do it. They may not think that will happen but it is inevitable,' Harry said to them all, 'They will say they are in control but once this really starts there won't be any stopping it.'

'Why isn't anyone doing anything?' Lavender spoke then.

'People are undercover, Lavender,' Iris spoke then, 'Plans are being made. It's difficult. Riddle has both magic and huge amounts of wealth. This is all happening behind the scenes. All cloak and dagger stuff. Riddle's people can do memory charms on Muggles. Imperius them. Anyone who speaks against or who refuses to join them has accidents. They disappear. People don't know who to trust. Riddle's Purebloods took their time in the Ministry. Rebuilt everything from the inside bit by bit. Pushed out people who would oppose them. The Ministry lost a lot of decent Wizards and Witches in the first war. We are the next generation but we're too young to stop this from the inside. Gabriel says the Auror department is the only clean team left now that is fair.'

'Well, the Minister for Magic has to be told,' Lavender said.

Harry solemnly looked at her, 'He already has been told. He was shown photographs. Reports. He calls them fake. He threatened to cut the Auror's budget even more than they have.'

Dean stood up quickly and moved nearer to the wall, clenching his fists.

'But, he wouldn't do that,' Lavender said in disbelief, 'My dad said he's one of the good guys.'

Ron gave a tutt at that, 'Fudge would do that. He has done that. Susan Bones will tell you this. Her Aunt told her if you don't believe us. Nazi wealth is astronomical. They have trillions in Muggle money. We have people undercover who are tracking who is who. There are people in the muggle government being bribed to look the other way for now. Ignore evidence. Riddle has had muggle money converted to Galleons. The goblins globally only care about money and themselves. They didn't ask questions. Both British governments are being paid off. The Nazis see this as an investment. They make all of it back if they succeed. Gabriel says this hasn't even made a dent in the Nazi vaults. Galleons were distributed to all the Pureblood families around the country. Dad said the donations to the Ministry are in the millions. It's common knowledge. The Ministry doesn't ask any questions. Of course, Fudge will deny this is happening. The Ministry has more wealth now than it ever has in its entire history under his watch.'

They heard Dean kick the stone wall hard.

They waited a few minutes in the quiet for everyone to take all this information in.

'Money,' they all heard Dean whisper, 'Always. It's always about money.'

He went quiet again.

'Do you want to talk about this Dean?' Seamus said to him nervously.

He turned to look around at them, 'It's never going to stop is it?' he said bitterly to them.

'What isn't?' Lavender asked him.

'Slavery,' Dean said in a defeated voice, 'As soon as you said donations. Money. As soon as that starts changing hands it's real. It's how it always starts. My family taught me since I was young to always look for the signs.'

Hermione gave a start at that, 'My Gran did too,' she said to him.

He looked at her in confusion.

'My Grandmother's Jewish. She escaped Germany just before it really started. She was the only one from her family to survive the war,' Hermione said softly.

Dean looked at her in understanding.

'Look. I know this is a lot,' Iris said to them, 'Hermione saw immediately that something here wasn't right. She noticed my books about the war. She wanted to know. Um. We wanted to wait until you were older to tell you this. You're too young for this.'

'We're the same age as you,' Parvati said, 'We need to know this, Iris. We're not dumb. Don't you think we're not seeing the same things at Hogwarts and in the streets that you are?'

'It's just, Harry and I grew up knowing all this. The Weasley's too. We've had more time to get used to this,' Iris said to her.

Dean sighed, 'Hermione, Parvati, me. We all grew up with this, Iris. Do you think our parents didn't tell us what this world is? What some people can be like. They didn't keep us ignorant. If you're ignorant then you're vulnerable. You don't think the kids in the playground or strangers in the street don't yell things at me? At Parvati?'

Parvati gazed at Dean for a while, 'My mum and dad keep us in the Wizarding World because of it. They don't want Padma or me to go into the Muggle world. But, yes, even in this world, there are unpleasant comments.'

Lavender hugged her friend.

'Yeah,' Seamus said, 'Me dad's a Muggle. I've got grief for that already here. Nothing too bad yet but, well, they make it a point to let you know they're aware of it.'

Parvati looked at the photograph again then at Iris, 'I'm glad you did what you did to Nott. He's one of them. I'm not going to lie. Your red eyes and that portal scared me, but I get it now. Why you did it. He really meant what he was saying. But you aren't looking at me like that. That's all I need to know.'

'Why are you so against this Pureblood thing?' Seamus asked Iris.

'Mainly because it's a lot of nonsense. Look. I have three very good reasons. Reason one is it can't carry on for much longer anyway. Nature wins in the end. I'm not marrying any cousin of mine. That's for sure. Seeing as I'm related one way or the other to most of the school I have to be realistic. I'll show you a memory of Morfin Gaunt one day. You'll understand why I refuse this when you see what inbreeding does in the long run. Riddle just uses the Purebloods as a tool and they are too greedy and selfish to see it. Reason two is they are frightened of and pander to an absolute maniac who wants to use my blood like some sort of vampire. If they all worked together they could get rid of him. But they don't. They even gave him Pureblood status because he's Slytherins' heir. They are weak hypocrites.'

'And the third reason?' Seamus asked.

'I never could stand the Pureblood laws since I was old enough to understand them. Sirius used them to break our family up. He really hurt my mum,' Iris said to him after a moment.

'Oh,' Seamus said. His questions all answered.

Hermione gave Iris a side hug. Iris didn't have an official father because of the unfairness of these laws.

All of them knew the stories of that most famous week in the recent Wizarding history of course. From Riddle's ill-fated trip to the Potters to his escape from his trial. Iris and Hayley were as famous as Harry in the Wizarding World. Riddle's The reports from Rita Skeeter and the trial transcripts had been kept in cupboards and drawers all across the land. Some had even been framed and put on the wall in some Witches and Wizards homes. Kids had a habit of finding them even when they were hidden. Parents gossiped too. Iris releasing the squibs magic and Harry and Iris both starting at Hogwarts had resurrected all the old stories for the next generation.

The young Gryffindors knew all about Sirius Black. Harry glanced uncomfortably at Iris. She had taken his rose-coloured glasses of his Godfather. He saw him as he should see him. A good man, but a flawed man in many ways. He had never met Iris's mother except for when he was a baby and he couldn't remember her. She kept away from the house. His own mother had told him Hayley had done more than could be expected of her even letting Iris see him. He had glimpsed Hayley Greengrass when they boarded the Hogwarts Express as she was saying goodbye to her daughter.

Harry had thought her an incredibly poised, beautiful woman. She had long blonde hair and he could see her bright blue eyes from a distance. Iris really only had her nose. She had been one of his mum's good friends from school. She was now regarded as the best healer in the country. He dared not speak to Sirius about her. His Godfather would never speak a word about her. His mother had told him that Iris had inherited her mother's love for animals of all kinds from her. Aside from that Iris was much more like her father.

Harry sighed. That was an even more impossible situation to fix than the RIddle problem. Iris had never once in the year's Harry had known her called Sirius dad. Hayley in all this time had never requested a meeting with Sirius. The famous coldness of that line was truly real. Harry wondered if Sirius would want to meet with her if she ever did get in contact.

Ron yawned, 'It's getting late. I'm going to bed. I'm shattered,'

Harry looked at the time. It was almost midnight. Luckily it was the weekend and they could sleep in.

He approached Iris as the others were leaving and spoke quietly, 'I left a note for mum and dad in that classroom saying about that meeting. Can you let them know what happened? I'll see them there tomorrow night. Usual time.'

Iris nodded. 'Sure. I'll do that. You ok?' she asked him.

'I'm glad the others know.'

Iris looked at him speculatively, 'I hope this is ok. A lot of adults couldn't handle what they have just listened to.'

'Yeah, but they're Gryffindors. We're butch. Not wimpy adults,' Harry grinned at her.

'True,' Iris smiled. 'Get a good night's sleep. I'm taking Draco to meet Gran and Bella tomorrow. We'll catch up soon. Night.'

'Night, Iris.'

Iris made her way up the stairs to her dorm room. There was no one there. Her eyes went to her trunk. Iris climbed down to see the others.

Her eyes went to a gobsmacked Lavender and Parvati. An awkward-looking Hermione stood next to Lily and James who were looking a little sheepish.

'We fell asleep on the sofa with Esmerelda. I made the mistake of putting a soft rock album on and your sofa is so comfortable,' Lily admitted.

'Iris. What are the Potters doing in your trunk?' Lavender asked in an unnaturally high voice.

Hermione looked a little stressed.

'Ah, yes. I'm able to bring people from Equilibrium to visit. Lily and James have been doing it so often they don't need me near them to do it anymore. They like to check in on Harry regularly and Lily is tutoring Hermione. As long as I'm within thirty miles from them they can do that.'

They heard a thud. Parvati had fainted.