Iris had freshened up in the castle as they awaited the next group. She was looking forward to going to Equilibrium that evening. Hermione would be going with her. She wanted to see her mum and both grans. Greta and Walburga would be very pleased this nightmare was finished with. She was also curious to know what had happened with Riddle. The Peverell ring was, for now, still fixed on her finger. She wasn't sure how much longer the ring would be staying with her.
The next group through was the Welsh Muggles who looked surprised at being inside a castle but instinctively understood they were out of danger. Hermione was relieved at the larger numbers coming through now. The too few Hogwarts students had shaken her completely. The Muggles also had their children with them. Albus had kept the unicorn in the Great Hall. Kreacher would be along for her later. It cheered all the arrivals up to see the beautiful vision when they arrived. A cup of tea also went down a treat. The Scottish came through after. Then the English. The Irish. Then the French. Hermione gave a quiet smirk and sat back to enjoy the entertainment. Iris had been enjoying the day immensely but when the first Veela came out she froze. Her eyes went fully golden as she threw herself behind Hermione to hide and held tight.
The blonde Veela stood outside the portal with a look of supreme intensity as her eyes roamed the hall. Iris quickly threw the portal up to the Ministry as Albus moved very quickly and moved the woman straight through. Hermione on the other hand felt the magical force rippling through every cell and leaned back and let out a guttural moan that even surprised her.
'We'd better get out of here,' Iris said in a strangely tight voice as Hermione went very flush.
Albus was shooing them out anyway. His blue eyes twinkling very rapidly as they made their way back to their Gryffindor dorm rooms. It was rather bare in here. Just beds and a side table for now. Hermione was trembling. Iris sat down on her bed and looked up. Her eyes roamed up and down Hermione. Still golden.
'I'm sorry. I've been holding a lot back since I saw you. I was trying to wait until we got everybody out. But then, that could take a least a month,' Iris admitted, 'The Veela, she sort of opened the gate and being so close to you, I couldn't hold it back,' Hermione could feel their magic flaring up. It was always there in the background but this she could feel easing inside her.
'Was that that felt like between you and Fleur?' Hermione asked in curiosity.
'It wasn't as strong as that. Whoever she was must be at least half. Fleur's only a quarter. With her mother...,' Iris trailed off.
Hermione could only stare. 'No wonder you two put some distance there. My goodness,' Hermione shook herself. She still felt the delicious waves crashing through her.
Hermione waved her wand to lock the door as she prowled nearer to the bed, 'Iris, I know it's not on the schedule, but hey, why not be spontaneous,' she said in a low, sultry voice. Iris didn't need to be asked twice.
Hermione shivered as Iris pulled her towards her. Removing her top and stripping her bare as Hermione did the same. Hermione looked into those golden eyes as her own darkened. Something was different this time. The magic felt warmer. Deeper. Iris ran her hands down the smoothness of Hermione's back. Putting gentle kisses down her front and laying her back on the bed. This magic was hypnotic as the room heated up. She felt Iris lips on hers and pushed into the kiss. Everything in her felt like it was being massaged and pushed into exquisite contortions. Iris groaned as she pressed deeper against her. Her own body rippling. Hermione felt the heat building inside her. She felt her thighs spread wide open as Iris's hand ran up her thigh. Gently at first. Teasing. Iris nuzzled into her neck, leaving light kisses as she made her way down as Hermione found herself reaching for part of the brass headboard to hold herself steady. She looked up at Iris, her mind spinning as the most blissful sensations roamed through her. Iris had a slight smile on her face as her eyes pierced into Hermione's.
'I've been wanting to be this close to you so much,' Iris stated simply.
It was the plain truth that set Hermione's heart rate rising. Iris moved down further as Hermione's grip on the brass tightened. Her toes curling as the pleasure she was receiving came in waves. Hermione groaned as every part of her tightened, thumping and twisting, coiling up into molten heat as for the longest time it was only her and Iris in the world. Iris whispering words she would only ever say to her. With one hand gripping the brass and the other in Iris's hair, Hermione saw the stars again. Her orgasm was relentless as it exploded within her. The aftermath making her a quivering wreck.
Iris had held her gently in the quiet, 'I love to see you come undone. It does things to me, being able to make you feel all that. Seeing you like that,' she told Hermione who had simply kissed her arm with a satisfied look. It was all her body could manage for now.
Iris kissed her cheek softly as they lay back on the mussed up bed. Iris moved her fingers slowly, up and down Hermione's body as Hermione wrapped around her. The flickering magic resonated more subtly now. Hermione looked at Iris, noticing her eyes were still golden.
'That felt different,' Hermione said quietly.
Iris gave a jolt, 'Was it bad?' she asked in a tense tone.
'No,' Hermione said sharply, 'It was wonderful. Just, the last time we were together like this was wild, volatile. This was deeper, somehow. Warmer. More personal, I think.'
Iris gave a shy smile, 'I wasn't sure I would ever see you again. I can't find the words to say what that did to me. Seeing you here, alive, healthy and us being together again was more than I could have hoped.'
Hermione turned fully and gazed up at Iris, 'That was your happiness. Your joy. That's what I was feeling,' Hermione sat back, satisfied she had solved the question she had asked. She was feeling less limp now.
Her hands started to run up the inside of Iris's thigh who gave her a wicked smirk, 'Are you going to show me how happy you are to see me?' she asked with a grin.
Hermione's eyes darkened, 'Absolutely,' she purred back as Iris kissed her.
It was a long time before they left the room. By the time they had returned to the Great Hall, not only had the French left, so had the Belgians and the Spanish. The Italians were arriving by the time Iris and Hermione arrived rather sheepishly. Albus had smothered a big smile.
The weeks passed by. The logistics of relocating the survivors hadn't been as arduous a task as they had feared. Albus's portkeys were a huge success and were being replicated in their thousands. The Muggles were loving them. All they needed to do was go to their Ministry, register their travel destination and then bobbity, bibbity, bosh, they were there. No more long flights. No more travel sickness. A few wobbly legs on arrival and a queasy tummy for a few moments for the more delicate amongst them seemed to be it. It was a revelation.
The international communities were all closer than they had ever been in human history. Israel and the Middle East had seen a huge surge in their own populations. They had found many survivors on the alternate planets. The mistakes of the past wouldn't be repeated any time soon. The message that the lands were not theirs, only borrowed, had been heard loud and clear throughout the globe. Respect the Earth. Respect for each other. Judgement day was real. If they ever went down that dark path again then humanity would pay the ultimate price.
A new age had begun.
Bellatrix was at a loose end. She had fulfilled her life's mission. Years of undercover missions, Horcrux hunting and information retrievals had paid off in the end. They knew who could and couldn't be trusted because of her and Sirius. She was fierce in battle and had helped drive the Nazis and Death Eaters out of Britain. She helped put Riddle's immortality into jeopardy. She hadn't managed to bludgeon the bastard of the entire century to death herself, but a member of House Black had and that was close enough for her.
Bella had taught Iris those moves and she felt a little bit of personal responsibility for ending his reign of terror. She had been one of the many who had watched from the castle walls they were protecting in anticipation of the glorious moment as she shot stunners down to the climbing soldiers. All eyes had been on Riddle and Iris to witness that sweet kill.
The bomb and the landslide had been coming for them as they all made their way to the Great Hall. Albus had been very clear. Just defend. Keep yourselves alive. Satan's minions would be the ones to attack. When Riddle was dead they would know. Bellatrix had watched the swarms of Demons, Devils and Hounds rush at their attackers at a speed that stunned her. Lucifer had given her a wink goodbye as she waved them all off.
Bellatrix had been bursting with pride when Iris made the courageous run into the mirror. Bella hadn't been entirely sure if she would make the cut on Judgement day but finding herself in a bubble next to a serene looking Luna Lovegood suggested she had.
The return to Earth had been splendid. Grimmauld Place was how they left it in a much-changed London. Amelia had offered Sirius his job back as Auror which he had readily accepted and had let bygones be bygones. It had only taken Amelia fifteen years to forgive him for his insubordination. Bella was impressed. Amelia was softening in her old age. Sensibly Amelia hadn't offered Bellatrix the same position which required a certain amount of tact and going by the book. She did instead award all those who had fought against Death Eaters and Nazis the Order of Merlin which Bella was a recipient of.
Bellatrix had hung it proudly in the drawing-room of Grimmauld Place and had sat and mused. She had plenty of money. The Black businesses were up and running again and their vaults were heaving. Families all around the world had sent so many donations and presents to the Black family for all their hard work that they had to open another vault at Gringotts new premises.
The House of Black was now considered a respectable family. They were still regarded as ever so slightly dangerous which was a nice compromise for Bella. Still, Bella was restless. She had never been a lady of leisure and truth be known, she was a little bored. She turned her attention to her family for want of something to do.
Narcissa had been a welcome addition to Grimmauld Place. She had truly been to Hell and back. Riddle had murdered her Draco in her own timeline. He had been given the task of murdering Albus and couldn't do it. He couldn't kill an innocent man in cold blood. Bella had been enraged at the death of her nephew and in the heat of the moment had gone for Riddle. Riddle had killed her instantly.
Lucius was as demented and perverted there as he had been in this world. His son's death had been mocked by him. 'Draco simply wasn't man enough,' Lucius had sneered. Blaming Narcissa for his son's failure. Narcissa's punishment was to live and endure that pain of loss and the humiliations of her husband. Narcissa had a gentle smile on her face as Bella regaled Lucius's fates in this world and the other and the blonde woman was especially nice to Iris from then on.
Draco and Narcissa were realists. They understood they were each different from their counterparts but they found some comfort with each other. Narcissa was pleased that this Draco had turned out so well and was very proud that her counterpart had walked away from Riddle and had caused him so much damage in the process. Draco enjoyed the presence of this woman who reminded him of his own mother. His own mother was only over the hill after all.
Iris could take him to visit her anytime. Something this Narcissa was intrigued by. The Horcruxes had been a revelation to her. In her world, Riddle had risen from the dead a week after the curse had rebounded off of Harry Potter. Hayley Greengrass had died before the Auror's could get to Riddle. The house-elf had tried to apparate the little girl out in desperation when Riddle started firing killing curses and murdered Mad-Eye, Walburga and Kingsley.
Their Iris had died with the force of the apparition and a misdirected spell, whilst Riddle escaped with Pettigrew before the Auror's could break in. Rita Skeeter had reported the tragic evening and what fate Iris would have faced if Pettigrew and Riddle had kidnapped her as they had intended.
Riddle had broken his Death Eaters out of the Ministry the same night and they had escaped to South America. They had joined with the Nazis. Sirius had spent a decade trying to hunt down Riddle, only for Pettigrew to shoot a killing curse into his back when he finally got too close. Harry had been heartbroken and never quite the same after losing his Godfather at such a young age. It was just too much in their world.
Nazis and Death Eaters had ravaged almost everything by the time her Draco was fifteen. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, the twins and Molly had been murdered by Riddle and his motley crew on a routine trip to Diagon Alley just before his third year. Riddle had fired several killing curses at Harry to make sure the boy was dead. It had left the remaining Weasley's a husk of a destroyed family. Arthur's mind had given up. He had a breakdown and hung himself. Only Hogwarts had remained at the end.
Narcissa, in a rare display of emotion, told them she knew her son had been broken. She believed a part of Draco had wanted that killing curse. Wanted to end it all. Albus was all that stood between Riddle and the murder of his classmates. Draco wasn't going to hand them over to that fate himself. With what little strength he had left he had walked away from Albus and handed himself to Riddle saying he had failed. It was suicide.
Narcissa herself was contemplating the poison at this late stage. Their world was not worth living in. She had finally rebelled against the regime in a futile attempt to help. Riddle had Hogwarts under siege in the last few days. It was all he needed to defeat for complete domination of the world. She was smuggling food and medical supplies into Hogwarts but they were just delaying the inevitable. Narcissa had welcomed Judgement day in her world. When the lands had started to crumble she had stood outside Malfoy Manor and had just waited for it all to be over. When she was lifted into the cosmos by a bubble she thought she had finally descended into madness. She had been taken into white light. Convinced her mind had finally broken when she drifted off into a deep sleep. Seeing this new Earth had been like a dream for her for many days.
Narcissa was still getting used to this new way of life. Draco had inherited Malfoy Manor after all. The Queen had insisted on it. He had already changed the name to Black Manor immediately. The decorators were currently renovating his childhood home and removing all traces of Lucius. Narcissa had no desire to darken the doors of any Malfoy Manor ever again.
She liked it at Grimmauld Place. She liked that she could simply walk down the street and pop to Diagon Alley whenever she liked. Simple things one took for granted in peaceful times. She could read a book and not worry about atrocities in the basement. She was very interested in this world's history. The Peverell ring had certainly had the last word with Riddle. She had connected well with this world's Andromeda and was gradually meeting the others.
Everyone had their own tales to tell. The unbelievable story of the house-elves transforming and moving to Valinor fascinated her. The squibs being healed had been astounding. Death himself leading the British rebellion were tales for the ages. Hermione Granger was one of many writing memoirs for the next generation. Narcissa had viewed countless memories from many of them of this world's history.
The truth of these tales was staring her in the face. She watched memories in loops, time and again. The Slytherins standing alongside Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. Standing with Muggles, fighting to the death. She had felt enormous pride in her old house for having the guts to defy Riddle and his monsters. Iris Black, her relative, featured a lot. So did Draco. Harry Potter. Sirius and Bella were in many of the other memories that people shared.
Narcissa had stared Death in the face when the entity possessed Iris and brought Hell itself to the streets of Britain. The darker part of Narcissa had preened at the hardcore nature of all these people coming together to drive the Nazis and Death Eaters off their lands. Other people whose faces she recognised from her own world were there but so different. Stronger than they had been in her world. Wrathful and defiant. Her eyes had noticed something subtle. She had been told about the restorative healing powers and the fountain of youth of Equilibrium but there was clearly something more here. Iris had quite clearly made the Black beauty spell common knowledge here. Features were enhanced.
People looked much more attractive in this world. Narcissa smirked. It looked like the men had been at it too. Bella had informed her of the insistence of Iris to release the infamous beauty spell into the public domain. She had said it would be good for morale. It was another gift that the Muggles had appreciated very much from the Wizarding World too.
Many Witches and some Wizards had found very good employment in the Muggle beauty salons administering many of the common beauty spells. Narcissa knew the Greengrass influence would prove too much for Iris in the end.
'If you look good, you feel good,' had been the Greengrass motto in her own world too. A mantra Iris had given to the world.
Narcissa mused. It had clearly been of some benefit. They were the winning side here after all. The arrivals to Earth had been greatly soothed by the knowledge of the most guarded secret in the Wizarding World in any universe.
Narcissa had gazed frequently at the Peverell ring and the power it held. That the Founders could use it as a link to Earth was astounding. Salazar, Rowena and the brightest minds in Origin had harnessed and studied the power over the years to help. They had created links to Origin because of it. They were exploring other universes. That something so small could change so much amazed Narcissa.
She collected herself. No. The ring had only offered them a choice. They had done the rest. She had watched in the memories this Draco grow from a tortured boy into a man. She had met Astoria Greengrass. His intended. Even if he didn't know it yet. His mind had been elsewhere. Narcissa had grinned in private. Astoria was elegant. Traditional. Strong. Draco was clearly fond of her already. As he was all the Greengrass sisters. They would make a fine match. This world was so unlike her own. Her mind wandered to the elephant in the room. Lucifer. She had been invited to meet both Gabriel and Lucifer. She had to admit she had been silenced at their appearance in the Black's drawing-room.
Even with all her breeding and social poise, she had struggled to utter a single word. Watching Bella snuggle with Lucifer was like watching a car crash. One simply couldn't look away. Her Bella had always said go big or go home. Dating Lucifer was pushing it though. However, he was charming. He seemed to really care for Bella and it was clear this was mutual. They had been together for years.
'Would you ever consider marrying him?' Narcissa had cautiously asked her one day.
'In an instant. He wants to propose too but there are no loopholes. He can't marry an Earth dweller. No Angel can. Light or Dark. We've checked everything. Even Satan put a good word in for us but we were denied,' Narcissa could only gape, 'I suppose we're going to have to wait until I die,' Bella said earnestly, 'Although I'm not sure what we'd be called even then. Lucifer translates to Morning Star. Mr and Mrs Star. I'm not sure about that. Although, it's tradition to name the Black children after the constellations so perhaps it would be fitting. Bellatrix Star. I suppose it has a nice ring to it. Satan was nice enough to give me the magical ritual to open the doorway for Lucifer to visit me, just in case the ring decides to leave Iris.'
Narcissa could only open her mouth then close it again.
'Lucifer marrying into the Black family may cause a few whispers but we've had worse. No more than a three-day wonder, at most,' Bella had mused out loud. Narcissa had to concede after everything that had happened this was probably true. Everyone here had seen everything. It was difficult to even get a raised eyebrow in this world.
'Would you consider having children in this union?' Narcissa knew she shouldn't ask but she couldn't stop the words from coming out.
Bella shook her head, 'Angels can't have children. Though we've tried really hard for them,' she smirked and then cackled at Narcissa's shocked face, 'Oh, lighten up Cissy,' she giggled as Narcissa gave a rueful smile.
This Bella was much more like the young Bella she had known. Much more fun. Now she knew about the Horcrux around her own sister's neck it made much more sense why she had deteriorated so quickly in her own world. She was amazed that her own sister still had any humanity left in her to defy Riddle for Draco's murder. There had been a shred of her real sister in there somewhere.
They both lit up cigarettes as Bella opened up the scotch. It was early evening now.
'I still can't believe Riddle is finally gone,' Narcissa said.
'Mm. Delicious isn't it? Gabriel put him back together. No more magic for Tom. He's completely burnt out. Rather than put him in the black hole straightaway Satan is making him do some manual work. His pride is taking a real pummeling,' Bella grinned maliciously, 'Satan is going to pop him in sometime in the next five hundred years. I'll crack open the Moet when that happens.'
Narcissa blinked.
'Lucifer has been so busy. They've had to create yet another circle of Hell down there. Death Eaters and Nazis have been pouring in by the bucket load,' Bella continued as Narcissa gave a discreet gulp.
'Satan says once they've got some order back again he's taking a well earned holiday. He's pleased Earth is going to have some peace and quiet for a few centuries. They've been going like the clappers for years. He's handing Lucifer the reigns for a while,' Bella casually informed her.
Narcissa barely found the strength to tilt her head in acknowledgement of this information.
'I still can't believe Merope Gaunt,' Bella said shaking her head, 'It was her all along who told Riddle about Hayley when he was in the spirit world. Goes to show, never underrate the stupidity of a mother's love.'
Narcissa was inclined to agree, 'What happened to her?'
Bella sighed, 'Satan took a good look. So did Gabriel. Her Gaunt blood and her atrocious upbringing did too much damage to her soul. They wiped her memories and reincarnated her. After she saw the devastation Riddle wrecked she agreed with them. She'll be reborn somewhere else. Lucifer said she asked for Australia if possible. She wants to be as far away from Britain as possible.'
'About the only sensible decision she's ever made, I hazard to guess,' Narcissa added as Bella nodded in agreement.
'All those brains and look what Tom used them for. He was funnelling all his malice into the dark mark. All his followers were forced to do this his bidding. Whether they wanted to or not. Merlin, I can't believe I used to idolise Riddle. I was so naive when I was young. Still, you live and learn,' Bella said with a grimace.
They continued to sup on the scotch which was going down a treat.
'Are you looking forward to the Greengrass ball?' Bella asked her alternate sister.
'Oh, yes. Very much,' Narcissa was genuinely sincere, 'It's been so long since I've had the opportunity to attend a proper Ball. It's a good idea. There's been so much that has been dreadful. Life should have some glamour too.'
Bella had agreed wholeheartedly with her, 'Dawn is hoping to play the matchmaker a bit. She wants romance to be brought back to the Wizarding World. Actual ballroom dancing. She has hired a proper orchestra. It is all going to be very elegant.'
Narcissa breathed a deep sigh of relief, 'Elegant is a beautiful word. I haven't seen much of it for years. I should have appreciated it more when I was young.'
'Precisely. A lot of us haven't which is why the Greengrass's are bringing it back.'
Narcissa blew some smoke out. She was finally beginning to feel more like an actual person than she had in years. Iris had taken her to Equilibrium for some much-needed positivity. Iris was adamant that anyone who wanted to regenerate or spend some time with their loved ones over the hill should get in quick now. She didn't know how long the ring would be staying for. It had fulfilled its destiny. Iris thought it a possibility that she may wake up one day with the ring gone. Most had taken her up on the offer.
'Iris,' Narcissa had stated plainly, 'Is an unusual person.'
Bella had smirked, 'Yep. Very. And a Black woman to the bone.'
'That she is,' Narcissa had mused, 'She did a lot for my son. Well, this Draco.'
'She showed him a way out,' Bella told her, 'Draco did the rest. Thank Salazar for him. Draco showed us all the way out in return. The number eight. He saw that when no one else did. He made the connection with the mirrors and the Horcruxes. The importance of the numbers. Still, indirectly the mirrors worked in our favour. Albus changed the timeline when he killed the snake. Tom lost his grip with Nagini dead and his crown destroyed. He didn't think in his madness, and unknowingly pushed forward Judgement day when he let off more nuclear energy on the Earth and destroyed the platform he needed to manipulate time travel. He must not have gone forward to see the future in his rage. Iris thinks the ring was messing with his mind anyway. Feeding him false images of the future. He thought he was on the old Earth a thousand years in the future where he had won. That there had been no Judgement day where he was going. It was why he was so overconfident. His ego was his undoing.'
Narcissa had beamed with pride at the praise of her alternate son, 'Draco was a clever lad in my world too. Imagine making that connection.'
'Always remember Cissy. Your Draco is only over the hill. You will see him again. Rowena is certain they can make contact now with other Origins. They've made real progress. It's only a matter of time,' Bella told her in a rare moment of seriousness.
Narcissa had truly smiled then. Her whole face lighting up.
Bella inhaled on a Marlboro, 'Satan got the truth from Riddle. Gellert and Tom discovered an ancient magical gateway in one of the pyramids. It had been hidden for centuries. They had combined their brains and found a way to adapt it to time travel. I suspect it may have been planted by the same entity that provided us with the mirrors. It lured Tom into a false sense of security. Judgement day has destroyed it all. It is truly over now,' Bella shook her head.
'All those brains they had and they used it only for destruction,' Bella sighed, 'Riddle didn't place the mirrors there. There wasn't enough power to go that far back, even for Riddle. His crown Horcrux was placed in the Giza pyramid in Egypt in a locked tomb buried deep underground under about a hundred protective spells. We would never have found it without the mirror. It was why he greenlit Hitler's plan to use chemical warfare on the Middle East and put the Nazi bases there to protect it. It lessened the tiny chance of discovery.'
'I wonder who did put the mirrors in there then?' Narcissa mused.
'Whoever did put them there is on our side. Who knows? That's all I need to know. The ring is not of this Earth, it could be anyone,' Bella said, 'Those mirrors made all the difference. We'd all be split or lost souls, falling down off an exploding Earth after Judgement day, plummeting down through the cosmos for all eternity without it.'
Narcissa shivered in horror at the horrific picture Bella painted.
'If Iris keeps hold of the ring and Origin find a way to make contact with the other Equilbirum's she'll take you to meet your son. She's always been good like that. She knows how important it is for people,' Bella told her.
'So vicious, yet so kind too. A walking contradiction,' Narcissa mused.
'She did what she had to do. We all did,' Bella told her, 'The fate of this world needed us all to butch up. We had no other choice. Look at your world. How easy it was for the wicked to destroy it all.'
Narcissa accepted this fact. It had been far too easy. So many had perished.
Narcissa raised her glass to Bella, 'To a better future.'
Bella grinned as they clinked the glasses.
They drank long into the night. Narcissa felt more hopeful than she had in years.
Winter was coming. This year, however, there was no woe. No real worry about the future. A bittersweet atmosphere flitted around the world. They were making peace with their past. The New Year was around the corner. 1998 was being ushered in with much more enthusiasm than the previous year had been.
The new arrivals to their Earth had settled in with varying levels of success. Some had found seeing mirror images of their lost loved ones too much to process and had moved on. Others had thrived. Other people who had never met each other before Judgement day had found each other.
The Greengrass Ball was just around the corner.
For the first time in a long time, people were actually looking forward to the future.