Iris was clinging on barely as her nerves tightened. She was doing her best to ignore what was in front of her. She felt her body start to become sluggish as the noises in the room subsided. A light mist began to swirl around them.
Riddle Hermione was becoming more solid, her red eyes burning as Iris watched in great discomfort as she then straddled her and ran her hands down Iris's neck and torso. Iris could feel the weight of the Horcrux magic on her. The body on her felt real, her own blood started to fluctuate as Hermione pushed down on her, moving her hands over her thighs as Iris grimaced in annoyance. She tried to move away but the image followed her.
'Get off me, Riddle,' Iris slurred in anger. She could hardly speak now.
The Horcrux of Hermione gave her a taunting smirk, 'Oh Iris, you are so bloody dull. So boring. kisses by the waterfall? How quaint, how nice. You're no fun. You know I need so much more than that to be kept satisfied,' Riddle Hermione eased up and down on her as Iris clenched her jaw, 'Touch me or I'll find someone else who actually knows what to do with me,' the very real image of Hermione sucked down on Iris's neck as Iris sat rigidly. The magic was torrid on her skin now. She couldn't lift her arms properly.
The image of Hermione tightened around her. It became even more solid. Iris was finding all this incredibly harrowing.
The Horcrux magic was sending shivers down her, she could feel it rippling through her body, 'Do you want me to beg you for it, Iris?, the Horcrux Hermione whispered in her ear as she sunk between Iris's thighs and looked up, pushing against her. Iris could feel the pressure against her as the magic seeped inside her, flooding her.
'Please, Iris, Hermione purred, 'I need all of you, I want it all,' she purred as she moved further up her. Hermione's hands were stroking her thighs as she began to taste Iris's neck. Iris tried to shift awkwardly away but with growing panic realised she couldn't move at all now. She could feel the feverous magic against her skin.
Iris stared straight ahead. This was all extremely galling. She desperately tried to ignore this very libertine version of Hermione. Hermione gave her a devilish grin.
'You like this, don't you?' the Riddle Hermoine gloated at her in a conceited way.
'No, you're not Hermione, she's not like this,' Iris sputtered out. She could barely speak. Her mind was getting very muddled.
'You'd like her to be though,' Riddle Hermione smirked as she purred in her ear.
Iris narrowed her eyes in distaste. She could feel her own magic merging with this Horcrux. The others had been there awhile. They must be getting closer to finishing this. She just needed to hang on.
Iris felt her arms become weaker as her brain began to slow down. She tried to move but felt her movements being pushed back. The Horcrux magic was pressing down into her. Iris could see many of the other grotesque figures turning to her. She could feel her own black magic being pulled out of her by the Horcrux. A grey mist started to form around them. Iris could barely make the Order out now. They were on the other side of the Hall. Riddle Hermione was feeding off her black magic. She sidled up to her face, nose to nose as her eyes flashed with something resembling mirth.
'Look at me,' Hermione whispered. Iris felt her eyes look up reluctantly.
Riddle Hermione morphed into an older version of Tom in front of her. His features were like distorted marble. His pale skin glowed and he had two slits for a nose. His soul was completely butchered by this point. His red eyes looked at her with an aloof expression. Iris could only gaze at him. She felt heavy and drowsy.
She could hear Tom's mocking voice in the distance, 'I see you,' Tom said with scorn as Iris felt her face go slack.
RIddle Hermione appeared again at the side of Tom and ran her nails down his chest as Iris felt her eyes grow unnaturally heavy.
Tom stared at Iris, 'You were foolish to come here, Granddaughter. You have walked into the snake's den. Since the moment you all walked in here I have been draining your magic. I shall be whole once more. Magical rituals always have a higher chance of success the closer the relative and your black magic is the most marvellous gift you could have given me. I see you have caused me many problems. This will be the end of your interference.'
Iris could only gaze at him. She needed to keep calm. If her black magic surged this was over. Her mind was scrambled. She tried to call for Death but her head was too muffled. Her thoughts distorted. Her mind couldn't form words properly as she went further down the black tunnel in her head.
'I shall make sure everyone you care for will be destroyed from within with my very own special brand of magic. They shall be bent to my will. My servants,' Tom jeered, 'Like so many of the others. Have a look at their future, Iris. This is your fault. Your stupidity.'
'My Lord,' the Riddle Hermione said as she knelt in front of Tom and looked up with a sycophantic expression on her face.
Iris could only stare in mute horror as Tom jeered at Iris.
Iris tried to close her eyes but they were fixed rigidly. She tried to turn but found she could barely move a muscle.
The Riddle evil was gloating at her. His eyes were dark red and menacing as they glinted maliciously at her. Iris felt her heart rate slow right down. Her blood seemed to have frozen. She could feel the thudding of it as the room became strangely quiet around her. She could distantly make out the beginnings of the spells hitting the Horcrux protections on the other side of the Hall.
She couldn't see through the mist anymore. It was too thick now. If it hadn't been a matter of life and death she would have made a run for it. Although her frazzled mind could barely register it, her legs felt like lead. She couldn't move her hands or her magic. She grimaced. She had no choice but to endure this. They had to end this now. They couldn't leave the room until the Horcrux was destroyed. She couldn't leave without the others. Albus had better get his skates on.
The others could feel the intensity in the room rising. The figures were moving closer to them. The whispers and accusations were becoming crueller and more ruthless. They had each lifted their wands and fired at the shield with frantic brutality.
Iris felt her black magic being siphoned out of her as Tom ran his pale hands over the body of the Riddle Hermione and watched Iris with a mean look on his snake-like face. Iris watched nauseated as Hermione writhed in pleasure at Riddle's touch. He pushed her down onto her knees and then he bit into Hermione's neck hard enough to draw blood. Iris watched with sluggish eyes as he burnt the dark mark into her arm. Her guttural moans of pleasure echoed around the room. Diabolical whispers flooded Iris's senses.
'What do you say?' hissed Tom whilst he stared at Iris with a glint in his eyes.
'Thank you, my Lord,' Riddle Hermione whimpered in reverence with a frenzied look on her face.
'Once they take my mark they are mine for all eternity,' Riddle gloated.
Iris could only stare fixedly at this image of Hermione with a building tension.
'She will be mine to do with how I please and she will beg me for more. She will spend her life under my power, subservient to my every whim and impulse. Aware of every pain and humiliation, but with no free will to prevent any of it. Every cruelty I can conceive of will be lashed upon her for the rest of her miserable life,' Tom boasted as his red eyes goaded Iris, 'This will be my revenge on you for all the damage you have caused me and a lesson for any others who try to get in my way.'
Iris was screaming in her own mind now as she stared with dread at this abomination in front of her. Tears were rolling down her face.
The strong Horcrux magic in the room had seeped into her own head now, powered by her black magic. She could hear the sibilant words of Tom dripping into her mind.
Iris heard the shield being blasted by spells. The shield still held. She tried to sluggishly move further away from the distressing figures of Tom and Hermione but she was cemented rigid.
She could barely hear as more spells hit the shield. She heard a distant crack through the mist.
This eerie version of Hermione put her hands on Iris's knees. Iris could feel the warped magic of the Horcrux pulsate into her. She watched this twisted version of Hermione give her a scorching look and smirk at her. Tom gave Iris an imperious look of contempt. Iris couldn't move her body anymore. She couldn't close her eyes. She was paralysed and could only gaze helplessly at this Horcrux tormented her and drained her black magic.
The Riddle Hermione moved up between her thighs and licked Iris on her lips. Then forced her tongue into her mouth as Iris desperately tried to move away from her. Iris could feel the sickly magic entering her as her stomach churned, 'Not real,' Iris dug the mantra out of her head, her stomach clenching in wretchedness at the wicked look on this Hermione's face as they locked eyes.
Tom smirked at her, 'Oh Iris. This is very real. In a few moments, I shall have taken all of your magic and life, and you shall be dead. I shall take my anger for your transgressions out on those you care for.'
Iris felt molten red rage that she never thought possible thrash through her in waves. She had lost her tenuous hold on her own magic. She felt the black magic contorting and surging all around her, merging with the magic of the Horcrux.
A huge smash down the end told her they were through the forcefield. She just needed to hold on a few more seconds, She couldn't move a muscle. She felt the twisted dark magic of Riddle begin to seep inside her as she growled in despair.
She felt the backlash from the shield exploding and the mist began to clear. She watched as Albus stabbed the crown with a swiftness that defied physics as a tar-like black substance started to splatter out. Iris watched the Riddle Tom and Hermione explode and she heard the shrieks of the Horcrux as it echoed all around her. The images around her dispersed as she felt her strength returning. It had gone down to the second.
Her cheeks were wet with tears. They had all come so close to the most nightmarish end.
Iris could barely stand up properly. Her legs felt wobbly. The Hall was starting to disintegrate all around them, revealing thousands of stars. The others were making a swift exit as she made it to the portal to take them back through.
When people need to move, they move fast and within a few moments, they were all back in the Dungeon struggling to catch their breath.
Iris collapsed and slid down the stone wall. Albus quickly put up a shield to block that particular mirror.
'Is it done?' Severus asked with urgency.
Albus nodded, 'Yes. It's done,' he looked weary. They all did.
'Iris?' Hermione walked over to her as Iris looked up at her with trepidation.
'Not now,' Iris said in a flat voice. She couldn't look at her. She couldn't stop her hands from shaking. She could still feel the putrid dark tainted magic of Riddle seeping inside her, swirling in her mind.
Hermione frowned at this crumpled heap on the floor. Iris looked rough. Really rough. Worse than the others who had been in the portal, truth be known. She looked like she was crying. Iris looked at the people in the room. She saw the real Draco and Ron and couldn't stop the look of malevolence that crossed her face as they stared back in confusion.
'I need to be alone,' Iris said in a strained whisper.
'Wait, Iris. You're in no fit state to go anywhere,' Hermione had raised her voice.
Iris ignored her as she opened up the portal to Equilibrium and without another word ran through it, much to the concern of those in the room.
Iris was flying on one of the bikes in Equilibrium. Flat and straight through the dark sky. It was night time here. The quiet was soothing. The scratch on her hand had disappeared. Her breathing had returned to normal. Her blood was flowing. The tainted Horcrux magic had left her. It had taken a long time for her to stop shaking. She ran through what had happened in that room. Oh, Salazar. It was all Riddle. She never thought it was possible to hate someone so much. They had been an inch from a fate worse than death. What he would do to Hermione if he got hold of her. Because of her. Iris vowed with all her heart to never let that happen. Her mind went to the start of that ordeal. At every single insecurity that the Riddle Hermione had spouted with relish at her.
She was thinking a little more clearly now. Did Hermione want more from Draco? Would she go back to Ron? There had been Viktor. She liked men too. Merlin. Iris chastised herself. This was Hermione. Riddle did that though. Delved deep into the depths of your mind to pick apart any tiny little doubts you had. Did Iris truly believe Hermine was only with her for the ring? Was she really that insecure? Iris shook her head. It made no sense. They had always been best friends. There had been no need for Hermione to want more if that was really the case. Iris shook her head. Riddle was an expert at twisting things.
Iris focused on the breathing exercises that Anthea had taught her.
Iris and Hermione were very tame together. Iris wasn't naive. They were hardly passion personified. Their bond was strong but they were taking things slowly. Did she really think Hermione was bored with her? Hermione wasn't cheating on her. Would never. If she ever wanted to be with someone else she would arrange a meeting with Iris with a list of reasons why she was finishing the relationship with a conclusive summary at the end of the report. She was an incredibly organised person.
That was all Riddle and his disgusting twisted nature. No Harry mentioned except to rub it in that Sirius thought more of him than her. Harry and Hermione had always had a close friendship. Iris shook that out of her head. Was she so bloody weak that she going to suspect every man Hermione spent time with? Sirius cared for them both. It was different. Not one that was lesser. Equal but different. All those things said about being used for the ring. Iris sighed. She had faith that they were all proper friends. She sighed. Would her dad have had anything to do with her if it wasn't for Lily and James? Iris had spoken of all this with Anthea and had, over time, resolved these insecurities. She thought she had put all these issues to bed. It was a wretched Iris that flew through the night.
It was a couple of hours later that Iris made her way back to Hogwarts. Subdued but at least not hysterical.
There were a few of them who remained, scattered around the Dungeon room. Clearly, people were resting. That had been gruelling for her. It would have been for them as well.
Hermione spotted her and walked up to her cautiously.
Iris felt her mouth dry. Damn. Images flashed right through her mind as she looked away. The tainted dark had gone but those images were emblazoned forever. Iris took some deep breaths.
'Iris, what happened?' Hermione asked gently. Iris looked very pale and shaken, 'What the Hell did you see in there?'
Iris shook her head despondently, 'Er. The Horcrux. Tom. We walked right into it. He tried to drain me of my magic to kill me. If Dumbledore hadn't got to the crown when he did he would have succeeded.'
Hermione felt her legs give way. Iris quickly grabbed her as they moved gingerly over to a couple of chairs.
Hermione was as pale as her now. She looked terrified.
'Where's Albus? He should know,' Iris said flatly.
'He's resting. Destroying the Horcrux took a lot out of him. All of them actually,' Hermione said worriedly, 'They are all taking a break. It sounds brutal what happened in there. They're tough and even they are really shaken up.'
'The Horcrux was using the black magic for power,' Iris told her, 'It just kept getting worse and worse in there. It was mental.'
Ron and Harry ambled up as Iris stood frozen at the sight of this Ron and what the other Hermione had been saying. She turned her head away from him. Hermione was looking even more worried as Iris switched to focus on Harry. Then she remembered what the Horcrux had said about Sirius only caring about Harry. She looked down at the floor.
'Are you alright, Iris?' Ron asked. Iris looked so weird right now.
'No,' Iris said shortly, 'It was fucking dreadful in there. I don't want to talk about it.'
'What happened?' Ron asked curiously.
Iris opened her mouth and then closed it again at the moronic question. Her cheeks flushed as she turned in her chair and put her back to him.
'Ron, for fuck's sake, try to be a little sensitive,' Hermione said angrily. Even Harry looked at Ron in a withering way.
There was a moment of quiet.
'Bella said Riddle was in her head the whole time whispering the foulest things to her. She's a little traumatised as well,' Ron informed her, 'You know it was bad if it got to her of all people.'
Iris felt a tiny bit better.
Hermione frowned, 'Come on. Do you want a cigarette? We can go to the astronomy tower if you like?'
Iris gave a tiny nod. She must look worse than she thought if Hermione was suggesting that.
Hermione shook her head at Harry and Ron's questioning looks. This was to be a private conversation, just between them.
'What did you see?' Hermione asked tentatively when Iris inhaled on her Marlboro. From the way Iris couldn't look properly at any of them she could only assume they were somehow involved in what happened in that room. Hermione took a moment to gaze at the Hogwart's grounds and try and get her head together.
Iris looked at the floor.
Hermione looked sternly at Iris, 'Right, well. You're not due to see Anthea for a few days. You need to talk about this. No doubt you've been mucking about in Equi filling your head with all sorts of inane nonsense about this.'
Iris scowled, 'It's not that simple. There was so much happening. What Riddle threatened you with was...I can't even begin to explain how that made me feel. There was other stuff too. I could feel his dirty magic all over me,' Iris looked back at the floor.
'You're going to have to discuss this, Iris. We still have three mirrors to get through and we only have a little time left. We can't have you moping about. This is crucial,'
Iris pouted, 'I'm going to need to smoke. I'm a mess,' she said stroppily, trying to find a way out of this conversation and hoping Hermione declined to pursue this.
To her consternation, Hermione simply sighed, 'Right. I'll make that concession as long as you talk to me. We'll go to your trunk. It will give us some privacy.'
Iris sighed but opened up the portal to their flat.