To say the rumor mill went ballistic over the news Iris Potter had literally taken out a troll's head with it's own club was an understatement. No one could really believe it, everyone assumed it was all an overblown rumor regardless of Granger and the Ravenclaw Patil twin swearing up and down it really happened, and Iris continued as she had.
While the students believed it to be an interesting, if overblown story, the teachers were another matter entirely.
Dumbledore called a meeting of those in the know about the Moonlit World to hopefully do some major damage control before the school (and more importantly the blissfully unaware people of Magical England) found out about the real world and not their tiny corner of it.
Dumbledore was old, but not a complete idiot. The second the Ministry learned more about what was really out there in the dark, they wouldn't hesitate to bungle things up so badly they'd be hard pressed to keep the Mage's Association or worse the Church from sending the real heavy hitters in. It would be a massacre on a level Voldemort couldn't hope in hell to match.
Dumbledore shuddered to think of the damage that would occur if the students (and by extension their parents) became aware of Undead Apostles or worse the experiments that caused them.
If it wasn't for the fact that most Magus families found it beneath them to harvest ingredients such as unicorn horn and other magical creatures personally for their experiments, it was doubtful they would have tolerated the false arrogance wizards generally possessed.
Just the thought of the Malfoy family directly pissing off someone like the Einzbern gave him nightmares.
He wasn't the only one having nightmares about this issue. Flitwick seemed perfectly calm about the whole thing, but then again why wouldn't he? He basically had the house cup in the bag with a Magus in his house.
For now they would operate under the belief that Iris had simply been taken in by a Magus and hope she was merely exaggerating or mistaken about having the Queen of Shadows, Scáthach, as her Master.
Hermione watched intently at what Lyna was doing. She couldn't help it as the girl was working at a level far above what the teachers were willing to offer.
Lyna was already anticipating Hermione's reaction to her Master's idea of training.
Padma and Parvati had begged off, saying they needed to see their parents as they had promised. Hermione would be going as well, but she was hopeful that she could convince her parents to let her visit her new friend over the summer.
Either Hermione learned to drop her ridiculous curiosity, or she shaped up to actually be worth her time.
"I still can't believe the teachers gave you an all access pass to the Restricted Section," said Padma.
"From what I was told, most of the really bad stuff was removed after the last...incident," said Lyna.
"Incident?" repeated Hermione.
"I'm not the first Magus-born to attend Hogwarts, but it's been over a hundred years and the headmaster at the time made a point to hide the actual restricted books in a separate section of the castle. Besides, I looked at the selection and most of it is really outdated," said Lyna absently.
She tactfully did not mention that the headmaster had the house elves place the real Restricted Section into a separate annex...or rather the Come and Go Room.
The elves didn't even bother to hide it very well...they just put the books in plain sight and let the human's disinclination to look further when there were other more 'valuable' treasures lying around do the work for them.
Which was utterly useless around a bookworm like Lyna. She had already found and looked through most of the "forbidden books" and found the majority of them rather boring. Her teacher's lessons were better, and they were far more satisfying.
"Hey did you hear? Apparently Hagrid has been looking up some rather suspicious books at the library lately," said Parvati.
"What kind of books?" asked Hermione.
"Books about dragons. He's known as a bit creature mad, so it might be possible he got his hands on an egg," said Parvati.
"Aren't those illegal?" said Hermione.
Lyna had to snort at that.
"He's the one who has a Cerberus in the castle. I highly doubt he really cares about the legality," said Lyna. "Though from what I understand of him, I don't think he's the type to raise a dragon for the potion ingredients."
Dead silence.
"I'm sorry, did you just say there's a Cerberus in the castle? As in the massive three headed dog from Greek Mythology? That Cerberus?" said Hermione slowly.
"Well, a half-grown pup at least," conceded Lyna. "Fluffy is a total sweetie once he gets to know you. Poor thing is cooped up on the third floor."
"Ignoring the fact that you've infiltrated the third floor...why would you call a massive three headed dog Fluffy?" asked Padma.
By this point the girls had come to accept that Iris' sense of danger was horribly skewed, and that she also had zero issues dragging them into it. However she was at least considerate enough to not believe they were at the same level she was.
"I didn't name him. I was playing with him when Hagrid came to feed him and he told me the dog's name. He seemed thrilled I was being so nice to the poor puppy, since he gets really bored in that room," said Lyna.
Hagrid, despite being rather fond of the students, had instinctively recognized the danger "Iris Potter" presented.
That being said it was hard to hate a girl who loved creatures and thought most of the 'monsters' were misunderstood like Hagrid did.
"Why don't we go ask him?" suggested Hermione.
The twins looked dubious, and Parvati begged off as Lavender had found some spells that would improve their looks and they wanted to test them.
So the trio of girls went to visit Hagrid...and sure enough there was a suspicious egg in one of his kettles.
"Hagrid, you can't keep it! It's illegal!" said Hermione.
"Actually I don't see why. I mean we're nowhere near a mundane settlement, dragon handling is a career choice for students so it's not like he wouldn't have volunteers for practical lessons, and if it's being kept for lessons then the school could easily outsource the food bill as necessary expenses for the Care of Magical Creatures class," said Lyna sensibly. "Just one question...where exactly where you planning to keep it?"
"Er..." said Hagrid, as that idea clearly hadn't occurred to him beyond the thought of "I want a dragon!"
The three girls shared a look.
"Hagrid, leave it to us," said Lyna.
"Agreed," said Hermione.
"We can look up some legal ways for you to keep it, so long as you agree to follow some sensible precautions regarding the upkeep," said Padma.
Between the three girls, finding a way for Hagrid to legally keep his new pet would likely be easier than trying to hide a dragon in a small wooden hut that barely fit Hagrid.
A few weeks later...
Dumbledore stood up during dinner to make a rather unusual announcement.
"May I have everyone's attention please! As a special treat for the students, our Care for Magical Creatures professor has acquired a soon to be hatched dragon. For those of you who wish to learn more about these magical creatures, there will be a sign-up sheet in your common rooms. Our gamekeeper, Hagrid, has agreed to keep an eye on our unusual charge as an extra part of his duties and will act as assistant professor during the lessons."
The students were all abuzz about an actual dragon being kept on school grounds.
Dumbledore felt it was a small price to pay and hoped it would keep Iris occupied with the beast and not giving them more headaches.
Within a week, the students had erected a new den for the baby dragon that was far more suitable than the hut Hagrid lived in. Since taking care of it was a learning experience (with the agreement Hagrid would take care of it between lessons), the Ministry had no legal reason to care about Hogwarts suddenly having a dragon.
Hagrid was just thrilled he got to keep the newly born Norberta. Fang was less than happy.
"Are you sure you'll be alright without us?" asked Padma.
"I'll be fine. Master said she was coming to pick me up anyway."
"Wait...how is your Master going to pick you up if you're staying here?" asked Hermione.
"Master said that she'd come here, because she doesn't want to deal with the headache of the modern world if she doesn't have to. The only reason she came to the train station before was to familiarize herself with where it was," said Lyna. "In retrospect finding the Forbidden Forest is much easier, especially with Setanta in the forest. He's bringing her directly."
Setanta was the hound that had lead her to Scáthach. He had bonded to her as a familiar, and was quite mischievous. Lyna thought it fitting to name the beast after the infamous Hound of Ireland.
Hagrid had noticed the beast lurking in the woods, but had dismissed his presence once Lyna explained it was hers.
The rules only said she couldn't bring him into the castle...it made no mention of the forest.
The other girls had a headache, but rested easy in the knowledge Iris would be back before Christmas break was over.
A few days into Christmas break, Lyna was walking along the grounds when she saw Sentanta. It barked three times, before heading towards the forest.
She cheerfully followed him and the second she saw Scáthach she hugged the woman.
"Hello my apprentice. Have you been keeping up your studies?"
"Yes Master? Can we please leave? This place is dreadfully boring...the only real excitement came when a troll broke in on Samhain. The teachers were horrified when they found out I took it's head using the beast's own club," said Lyna giggling. "Oh and some idiot left a rather poor copy of Flamel's stone in the castle, but I disposed of it."
"Good girl. Those things are a nuisance just by existing," said Scáthach.
The two disappeared into the mists. Lyna would not return for at least a week, and that was only because she didn't feel like hunting for her Christmas dinner.
Christmas
Dumbledore was rather worried. Iris Potter hadn't been seen in several days, and the elves had confirmed she wasn't in the castle. So you could imagine his surprised and slight relief when the girl came strolling as calmly as you pleased from the Forbidden Forest, as if she had done nothing wrong.
It was the woman beside her that made his heart stop, for multiple reasons though.
He dashed down the stairs to meet the two. The red haired woman had an aura of power that was unmistakable, and it could only lead to trouble should she attack the school.
He found the two casually chatting with Hagrid as the woman calmly observed Norberta. The dragon was positively timid around the red haired beauty, and even Hagrid seemed to instinctively sense she was not to be pissed off.
"Ms. Potter. May I inquire as to where you were for the past few days?" asked Dumbledore pleasantly, trying to maintain his calm.
"Oh, Master came to pick me up! She doesn't really like dealing with crowds overly much and it was easier for Sentanta to show her where I am now than to deal with a pointless train trip!" chirped Lyna.
"Your...Master?" repeated Dumbledore, dread pooling in his stomach.
Lyna turned to face the woman beside her.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, may I present my Master, the Queen of the land of Shadows, her royal highness Queen Scáthach," said Lyna formally. "Master, this is the headmaster of this...school. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."
Scáthach eyed him up, and it was clear she was less than impressed.
"I suppose he would be an adequate spellcaster," she sniffed.
That feeling of encroaching dread filled him. He knew Iris Potter was a Magus of rather extensive training, but he had no idea her claims of being trained by the Scáthach were TRUE.
Even he could tell this was the actual legend, not some Magus putting on airs.
"May I ask...how long has Ms. Potter been your student?" he inquired.
Scáthach thought that over.
"At least five or six years now?" she replied. "I don't really keep track. My adorable little student might be ready to earn her staff in another five years, if she continues to work hard."
Lyna perked up at that. Scáthach knew how to acquire real weapons, not the paltry ones made today.
"Would your Master wish to join us for the evening? It wouldn't do for someone to spend Christmas alone."
More like he wanted to stay firmly on the good side of the infamous Queen of Shadows.
"I suppose it could be entertaining," said Scáthach.
More like her very presence scared all the professors absolutely shitless, particularly Snape and Flitwick. If he had to suffer through this headache, he was damn well going to take everyone else down with him.
(On an unrelated note the Weasley twins got into an epic snowball fight with Iris' master and lost...spectacularly. Scáthach found it amusing enough that she instigated two more before she left.)