Iris had a brief moment of lucidity as she realised she was on a bed with her left arm in unimaginable agony as Madam Pomfrey was making her drink something before she passed out again.

Iris awoke later in the relative calm of the infirmary. She kept her eyes closed as she felt the aftershocks of spinning. She moved her fingers on her left arm. A flood of relief went through her. They hadn't needed to chop it off then. Merlin, that had been excruciating. She opened her eyes and looked around. Ron, Harry and Hermione appeared to be floating by the right side of her bed looking at her anxiously. Daphne sat by her left side. Albus, Severus and Minerva were sat further down as they all stood upon noticing she was conscious.

'Oh, thank Merlin. You're all alright,' Iris slurred as the room span.

'Try not to speak too much, Miss Black,' Madame Pomfrey had approached the bed, 'You have had a very nasty experience. Your arm had been completely shattered. It is completely healed now, but I'm going to keep you here overnight for observation.'

Iris breathed out slowly, 'There's a place I can go to heal,' she said.

'No,' Madam Pomfrey said sternly, 'I'm your Guv'nor at the moment. My infirmary. My rules. You are staying here overnight for observation, Miss Black. Understand?'

Iris gave a small grin, 'Yes, Guv.'

Minerva had found the title very amusing when she had learnt Iris called her that and it was a bit of an in-joke amongst the staff.

Madam Pomfrey bustled off. There was a rather embarrassed fourth year Ravenclaw further down who, in the panic in the Great Hall, had jumped out a window and had broken his ankle. Madam Pomfrey checked on him and then gave him something that sent the boy straight to sleep.

Hermione had a range of emotions on her face and seemed to be mute as she kept staring at the faces around her. Daphne put her hand on her sister's shoulder in a comforting way.

'Thank Merlin you're alright, Iris. We saw the veil open up. You bloody Gryffindors. You gave me a heart attack when you all dashed through,' Daphne admonished though she was smiling. Severus nodded his agreement with the young Slytherin.

Iris looked at Harry and Ron, 'Of course. You got through the veil,' she stated dumbly.

'I, yes,' Harry looked apologetic, 'I know you said you didn't want to risk it, but I wasn't thinking and Hermione…,' Harry trailed off. Ron, Daphne and Hermione didn't know he could talk and understand parseltongue.

They looked at Harry suspiciously.

'Harry. You looked like you understood what Lucas was saying. Can you understand the snakes?' Ron asked quietly.

Iris and Harry looked at each other as Hermione put her hand to her mouth.

Severus and Minerva held their breath.

'Yes,' whispered Harry, 'We're not sure why. Whether it's because of Iris or Riddle we can't be sure.'

Ron and Daphne both paled at that.

'Still. You all showed great bravery tonight. Miss Granger. Your friends have shown great valour in coming to your rescue,' Albus smiled.

Minerva looked a little sterner, 'You should not be running into danger so swiftly like, like…'

'Gryffindors?' Harry said with a smile.

'We can't help what we are, Professor McGonagall,' Iris said slyly, 'We act first. Nerve and daring and all that. It's a little unfair to be too angry at us. It would be like telling a Ravenclaw off for being in the library.'

Albus stifled a laugh. Even Ron and Hermione deigned a cheeky smile.

Minerva huffed, 'It should have been left to a member of staff.'

Ron's ears went red at that, 'If we hadn't got to Hermione when we had... she only had seconds Professor. No one else could have got there in time.'

A silence filled the room for a moment.

'How did you two feel when you went through it?' Iris asked them.

'Like I felt the magic sort of ripple through me,' Ron said, 'It didn't hurt though. It was really nice.'

Harry echoed similar sentiments.

Iris sighed in relief, 'It worked. That's the main thing. You two were brilliant in there,' Iris praised them as Ron grinned.

'Thanks,' Ron and Harry both said.

'You weren't so bad yourself,' Ron said.

'Yeah. The force of that club. I couldn't think properly. My head was spinning. At least I know now I can use the veil to get us out of something like that again.'

The avoidance of the word if was plain to all.

Iris looked at a still shaky Hermione, 'What were you yelling? I fainted.'

'Oh. It was the Wingardium Leviosa charm we had been learning earlier. Ron used it to get the club up and then dropped it on the troll's head. Knocked him out,' Hermione said to Iris.

'Brilliant idea. In the Muggle world that would be what they call a team-building exercise.'

Hermione nodded in understanding.

'What's going to happen to Quirrell?' Iris asked in the quiet.

'He alerted us to the danger. Without him bringing attention to the troll there would have been numerous casualties,' Severus said sarcastically.

'Is that his story? How convenient he got the location of the troll wrong,' Iris said dryly.

'Yes. Apparently, the troll must have got into Hogwarts without any help from anyone. The troll managed to lock the door to the girl's toilets from the outside with just him and Hermione inside. All by himself whilst eluding detection. My, trolls are getting very smart these days. They used to just smash their way into places,' Severus said this with disdain.

'It may not have been Quirrell,' Minerva said, 'We cannot prove it. He is thought very highly of by many people here. They would not believe him capable of such a monstrous act. The fact he found the troll in the first place, surely means he is innocent.'

Iris snorted, 'Cunning you mean. He was specifically targeting Hermione. I thought I saw a flash of a wand in the defence class. It wasn't till I saw Quirrell missing at the feast did I realise what he had done. He put a spell on her. How are you feeling, by the way, Hermione? I meant to ask, but I'm a bit disorientated.'

'Better. I felt normal after twenty minutes. Then the troll came in. I tried to leave, but the door was locked. The troll was too strong for Lucas.'

'Whoever did this must have been using an Invisibility cloak,' Harry said, 'Or a disillusionment charm.'

The others nodded at this. Iris stroked the quiet Lucas who was next to Hermione and hissed praise to the silver snake for moving so quickly. He rubbed his head on her cheek.

'Still, there is no proof it was Quirrell,' Minerva said a little shaken at this hissing as they all stared at Iris.

Iris rolled her eyes, 'This was deliberate. Whoever it was, they are definitely going after anyone connected to the Order or Harry and I. I'll give them their due. This was excellent. If it wasn't for the veil they would have succeeded.'

'I think they are testing our capabilities,' Albus said to the group.

'They are certainly upping their game,' Harry said. 'Just, who next?'

They mulled for a moment. Harry looked at his watch, 'Mum and dad are meeting me soon. I'll let them know about tonight,' he always had a smile on his face whenever he said anything like that. He waved goodbye to Iris and the others as he left.

The others took this as their cue to leave, but Hermione stayed with Iris a little while longer with Madam Pomfrey's permission. She looked perturbed.

Iris felt suddenly nervous, 'Are you alright?' she asked her.

Hermione sat looking at her with a peculiar expression on her face.

Iris thought back over the evening. What must have been going through her friends head? She must have thought she was about to die.

Iris closed her eyes as her heart sunk, 'It's getting too dangerous for you, isn't it?' she said to her as she faced her. Hermione tilted her head at Iris.

Iris sighed in disappointment, 'Look, I don't want to say this. I like being your friend, but if you want to go home I understand. This is the second time you almost got really hurt.'

'Stop,' Hermione cut in, 'It is dangerous, but that isn't what I'm thinking. I grew up without any real friends. I never really fitted in but tonight I had three people risk their lives for me. I think that that is just about one of the best things I have ever known to happen to me.'

Iris looked at her in astonishment, 'Well, yeah. You're our friend. You were in danger. Of course we were going to help you.'

Hermione beamed a massive smile that lit her whole face up, 'I know what is at stake Iris. I'm prepared to fight. This matters as much to me as you. We survived it tonight by fighting together. We needed each other. We helped each other.'

Iris grinned at her friend, 'We did, didn't we.'

'When Harry stuck his wand up that troll's nose, my word,' Hermione giggled, 'I was delirious at that point.'

They both laughed. A cathartic moment for them both.

Hermione smiled softly, 'After tonight, no. I don't want distance. We're all in this together. I can't go home. I need to be here, at Hogwarts.'

'If you're sure. You know what we're up against. We have protections for now, but tonight has proved they can be got around,' Iris said to her.

'I know, but I think I'm going to be in danger wherever I am. At least this way I can actually do something to help.'

Madam Pomfrey bustled by, 'Time to go Miss Granger.'

Iris had an idea. Closing her eyes, she pictured the doorway and her trunk. She felt her arms tingle as the veil shimmered as they could just about make out the flat, 'You can go through that way. Save you the walk.'

Hermione looked at the veil mesmerised, 'Hold it. I want to walk back through.'

Iris looked in amusement as Hermione held her fingers to the shimmers, took a deep breath and walked through. She came back through a moment later smiling, 'Amazing.'

'It will certainly make trips much easier now you can all go through with me. Although, I will always travel by the Hogwarts Express. I enjoyed that train ride very much.'

Hermione grinned as she picked up Lucas. They disappeared through the veil. Iris cleared the image of the door from her mind as the doorway faded away.

She looked up to see Madam Pomfrey staring at her with an incredulous expression, 'Portals?' Madam Pomfrey whispered.

Iris nodded. She had become so blase about the gift over time, 'Yes. I can go anywhere in the country through them. I just have to picture it in my mind. It should be a big help in the future.'

'I have heard that you can go to other places too,' Madam Pomfrey said to her, 'I thought they were exaggerations, but..'

'Riddle had tampered with magic he should not have done,' Iris said. 'It is why I can do the things I do. What have you heard?'

'I have heard you can visit the dead. You took the ghosts to the next world. They talk of Gabriel and Lucifer. Lily and James. I have seen the elves and the healed squibs for myself.'

Iris nodded calmly.

'Yes. This is all true. I can go to the beyond. Equilibrium is the name of the place we go to first when we leave Earth. If you haven't been too unpleasant in this life that is. You go to one of the circles of hell to seek redemption and receive your punishment if you have made other people's lives a misery. Lucifer has permitted me to take people there. The veil to hell only works if they truly deserve it.'

Madam Pomfrey gasped.

'If I hold their hand people can visit Earth in their physical form. I spent so much time with Lily and James that our Equi magic has merged a lot. They don't need to hold my hand anymore. They visit Harry a lot. Molly Weasley too. Her brothers, Gideon and Fabian have visited the Burrow. Other people. Regulus. Orion. They had been able to use the Astral plane before, but we couldn't see them.'

'What's it like there?' Madame Pomfrey was intrigued.

'Beautiful. Like Earth but not. Huge. Vast. Full of magic. Nature. There are other worlds too. But the Earth is where all life begins. The Angels look after Equilibrium.'

'Can you tell me all about it?' Madame Pomfrey asked. So Iris did.

The nurse looked spellbound by what Iris described, 'Do you ever think it's too much?' she asked Iris.

Iris contemplated brushing it aside, but something about Madam Pomfrey made her stick to the facts, 'I do. Dumbledore has asked me to use my instincts which I'm doing. I just worry sometimes about what will happen if I get it wrong. Things seem to be on a path of sorts. Just, so far the signs have been clear and the ring wants this to happen. What I have done makes sense to me. It's when everything gets messy. That's what I'm concerned about.'

Madam Pomfrey considered her for a while, 'Mistakes will happen Iris. Not intentionally, but life is messy. Look what you have used this for already. I believe you are here to balance the damage that Riddle and the Wizards and Witches like him have done over the years and continue to do. What force has enabled you this power has faith in you. You have your family and your friends to help you.'

'Let's hope you're right,' Iris sighed, 'I hope it's going to be enough.'

Madam Pomfrey left her then with a small smile. Iris lay there contemplating the last few months for a few hours as she gazed out of the window at the night sky as she eventually fell asleep in the early hours of the morning.

The ripple effect of the troll incident involved the first years from each house making sure each other was always with someone. The whispers when Iris walked around the castle had reached epic levels now. Pointing was normal. Even Harry hadn't received so much attention and he supported Iris as well as he could. Iris just kept her head down and got on with it. She wasn't a shy person by any means, but even she was starting to get tired of it all.

'I just don't get why they keep talking about me. They must just be repeating the same things over and over again. Surely they must be getting bored by now?' Iris complained to Hermione one day at lunch.

Hermione sat stunned at this statement and then went off into peels of laughter.

Iris wasn't amused and sat waiting for Hermione to finish. Eventually, she did. Drying her eyes, Hermione went to speak. Seeing Iris's disgruntled face seemed to trigger another attack of the giggles.

'Have you quite finished?' Iris asked her after several minutes.

Hermione put her hand up, 'Almost.'

Iris finished her pudding as Hermione got the last of it out of her system.

Eventually, Hermione began to speak, 'Oh, Iris. I know to you, all this is old news. Ghosts. Portals. Angels. To these people, they will be talking about the last two months for years.'

Iris considered this, 'I suppose I grew up with this so it's not that unusual to me. It's like normal.'

Hermione looked at her properly, 'Now we can use the veil to travel through to get around the castle I'd like to see if I can access the tunnel. I have been incredibly curious about this.'

Iris contemplated this, 'Yes. I think it's time. The portal should operate on the same principle.'

Hermione inhaled sharply. She looked about to burst with excitement.

'We need to start seeing what this ring is truly capable of Hermione. Time is running out,' Iris said to her somberly, 'The tunnel would be a good place for us to hide if we need to. You are not under any circumstances to let go of me though when we test this.'

Hermione nodded vigorously, 'Equi?' she asked.

'I think we could try it soon. I'll ask Lily and get her opinion. You have been around my Equi magic a lot. It may help but I think we should do some tests firsts. Lily had been wondering about using one of the silver snakes to see if we can push it through the veil into Equi. It is powered by Earth magic, so perhaps it may be useful to see if it can go both ways.'

Hermione had already got her pad out and was writing a few ideas down, 'Can we try tonight? Lily said she was going to tutor me at nine,' Hermione asked.

Iris agreed.

On the way out they passed Quirrell. Iris gave a polite smile which was returned.

'You still think he is responsible?' Hermione asked.

'I do. McGonagall was right. We can't prove it, for now,' Iris said, 'He'll trip up eventually. In the meantime, I'll play nice. He will not be as cautious if he thinks we don't suspect.'

Hermione glanced at the back of Quirrell, 'I just don't see it.'

'People didn't see through my grandfather until it was too late. They all thought he was lovely too,' Iris said succinctly, 'People are not always what they appear to be. Except for Ron,' she added with a grin to lighten the mood.

Hermione laughed. After the troll incident Harry, Ron and she had been getting along with each other much better. Near-death experiences tended to have that effect on people. Hermione now felt more secure and as a result of that, she wasn't quite so on edge. She still liked to assert herself though and she really wouldn't take any nonsense but she was more relaxed. She was also becoming incredibly obsessed with the ring that Iris possessed. She would stare at it sometimes like it held the mysteries of the universe. In some regards, it had the potential to. Hermione would daydream about the Equi library.

Nine o'clock came around quickly. Lavender and Parvati had disappeared to talk very seriously about a second-year Hufflepuff called Jake who had smiled and said hello to Parvati after dinner. Lavender required every single detail of this encounter and the reasons for why this had happened.

Lily arrived in good time. Hermione began to ask immediately about the tunnel. Lily had sat them both down.

'I thought we could try the tunnel. Harry said to us he told you what happened with the veil and the troll,' Iris said to her.

Lily had been both terrified and intrigued when she had heard the story about the troll from Harry.

'Lily. These threats are going to increase. No one can find us in the tunnel. We would be safe there. Like our very own bunker,' Iris told her.

'I also think it's time to test Equi too,' Hermione said, 'Iris said you mentioned using a silver snake.'

Lily had taken this on board, 'I have some theories. Certainly, I think the tunnel would be safe. You can use the portal to travel around the castle already.'

Iris took a deep breath. She pictured the veil into the tunnel that led to Equi.

'We'll just go in a little way. Only the Angels and I have been able to go into the tunnel so far. Everyone else uses the Astral plane,' Iris said.

Hermione looked incredibly excited as her hair started to become bushier.

The Black hair product could only do so much.

Iris took her left hand and gripped Hermione's hand tightly as they moved cautiously to the shimmering veil.

'Ready?' Iris said to her. Hermione nodded as Lily watched intently.

'Ok. Slowly.'

Lily watched Hermione put her right hand gently into the shimmering light and then grin, 'It can feel it. It's like liquid.'

Iris was watching Hermione's face, 'It doesn't hurt? You're not feeling any strain?'

Hermione shook her head, 'None. It's like Ron said. It sort of ripples. It feels more solid than the other portal though.'

'Ok. I'll go half in and see what happens. Put your arm through and hold it there for a few minutes. Anything feels odd and we come straight out.'

Hermione was more than ready. She put her arm through. The veil was about a yard long and Iris could see her hand waving the other side.

Iris watched Hermione's hand intently. It appeared to be fine. She went back to the other side. Hermione looked at her expectantly, 'I feel fine. Good, actually Iris.'

Lily nodded to Iris to continue.

'Ok, I'll go back. Put your other hand through and we'll see if we can get you in.'

Iris went back to the star-filled tunnel and took Hermione's other hand and moved backwards watching the swirling veil. She had held her breath as Hermione walked through. Iris stared at Hermione to make sure she was alright. Hermione had lifted her eyes to look around and Iris heard her gasp.

'This is…,' Hermione went silent. Iris watched her. She had never seen Hermione speechless before.

Iris gave her time to find her voice as Hermione looked around in wonder.

The stars twinkled and glowed. Thousands of them surrounded them. The two portals were further along. Perhaps about fifty metres. The vast space went on for infinity.

Hermione appeared to be physically fine, although her eyes were darting around and taking it all in.

'We'll stay here for now. Just, I need to make sure you can breathe,' Iris told her.

Hermione gave a slight nod. She was absorbed in her surroundings.

A few minutes went by in this fashion. Iris was certain Hermione was fine. She let go of one of her hands as they walked further up the tunnel, getting closer to the two portals. The floor was about ten metres wide. Iris had looked over the side before, but it was simply more stars as far as the eye could see surrounding the tunnel. She took Hermione to the edge and showed her. Hermione was smiling softly at all of this. Her brown eyes fascinated by all of this. Iris took her to the two portals. Hermione recognised the scarlet and gold portal from Dumbledore's office. The silver and grey swirling portal to Equi was the one she fixated on.

'Equilibrium,' she whispered in reverence. She walked them closer to it and gingerly lifted her hand.

Iris pulled them back, 'We test it first Hermione,' she said, pulling Hermione out of her daze.

'Of course,' Hermione seemed to come back to herself, 'Extraordinary. This whole place. It is the most beautiful place I've ever seen.'

'Defies logic?' Iris said cheekily.

Hermione tilted her head to one side, 'Yes and No. Lily has told me about the physics of Equi. It is different from Earth. Oh. This is unbelievable. I know the Peverell ring and Riddle have inadvertently opened this gateway to you. The potential is infinite.'

They made their way back to the portal and Lily. Pausing slightly they made their way through to the other side. Lily breathed a sigh of relief.

'Your ok,' Lily stated.

'I am. I feel better than normal actually,' Hermione observed, 'The tunnel is truly amazing. Stars are everywhere. The potential is unprecedented Lily.'

Lily looked cautiously at Iris, 'Yes. It is.'

Iris looked at the two of them. The troll incident had shaken her up more than she had admitted to herself. Riddle was clearly on the move. Someone in the castle had acted on his orders.

'We need to start seeing what I'm truly capable of. Riddle isn't messing around,' Iris said to them. She hissed to Lucas and asked him if he would be willing to risk a trip to Equi as an experiment. Lucas had seemed delighted with the opportunity. He hissed back that he would risk it. He would simply regenerate if it was dangerous.

'I don't know how useful this will be but if Lucas can get through and back without harm it bodes well for us,' Iris said to which Lily and especially Hermione agreed.

Lucas wrapped himself around Iris as she stepped back into the portal and made her way back to the familiar silver and grey.

'Ready?' she hissed to Lucas.

'Reeaddyy,' Lucas hissed back. She walked through into the white room feeling the ripples flow through her. Looking quickly at Lucas she was relieved to see him still alert and very interested in the room. Iris carried on through into she got into Equilibrium properly. She was fussing Lucas all the way.

They stood out the front and looked around. It was morning here. Iris stood with Lucas for a while, enjoying the quiet and the scenery. Trees and plants thrived here. Lucas seemed to wriggle in pleasure at the change. Iris made her way back to the tunnel. This would be the hard part. She went through the stars and paused. With a deep breath, she held onto Lucas tightly and eased through the veil into her trunk.

Lucas was still fine. She felt hot, molten blood surge through her as she smiled wildly at Hermione and Lily.

'He's alright. FIne. Better than fine,' Lucas was slithering over to the sofa to curl around two enthralled cats. Trevor and Lily. Even Esmerelda had woken to gawp at the experiments.

Hermione had collapsed on the sofa as the enormity of what had happened that evening sunk in, 'This may actually be possible?'

'Yes. He wasn't affected in the slightest,' Iris hissed over to Lucas asking him how he felt.

He hissed back that he felt good.

Lily, like Minerva, still felt a certain dread when she heard Iris speaking parseltongue but she pulled herself together.

'Lucas says he feels good. Like you did,' Iris said to Hermione.

Lily gazed at the two of them, 'Harry?' she said to Iris.

'We definitely need to talk to Dumbledore and Gabriel about that. There are complications with him,' Iris said, 'But yeah. In theory, I could bring him to Equi. Whatever that connection is he has to Riddle should be exposed in limbo. Like with what happened with my mum. Just. You remember what happened to her, don't you? Three years mum was in a coma.'

Lily shuddered, 'Damn Riddle,' she whispered.

'No one will know what could happen. If we can prove this works. That I can bring people back through the tunnel as long as I'm anchored to them in Equi then, in theory, I could bring back Harry,' Iris said.

'That's twice you've used the word theory, Iris,' Hermione said softly.

'With mum, she was able to use the Astral plane. Her physical body was here, but her soul was in Equi. With Harry, he would have to bring both his body and soul to Equi. I just, we don't know exactly what Riddle has done to Harry or what it could do to him. Mum and I can only guess.'

Lily pondered, 'We'll have to look at this properly. We need to talk to Harry as well. It is his future at stake. The one positive is the prophecy.'

Iris brightened, 'Of course. His destiny. Yes.'

Hermione looked curious, 'Prophecy?'

Lily looked gently at her, 'Very few people know it. It is why Riddle was so hell-bent on hunting my son down. He only heard part of it though. You shouldn't know all of it. It could be pulled from your mind very easily by Riddle. He is after all of it.'

Hermione went pale at this, 'Riddle considers Harry a very real threat because of it?' she asked Lily quietly.

'Yes,' Lily said simply.

Hermione nodded, 'Good. That means we have hope.'

Iris and Lily both looked at her.

'There is always hope, Hermione,' Lily said smiling.

Iris sat back on the sofa as she relaxed with the cats. Tonight had been another step forward.