HARRY POTTER AND THE BREATH OF LIFE

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other known character from the Harry Potter series. I do own the plot and a few characters.

Chapter 32 – To Error Is Human, To Forgive Divine – part 1

            That night Sirius didn't show up and neither did Remus. In fact neither of them showed up during the whole week. Iris spent most her time in her office waiting for them. But they didn't come.

 On Friday Iris gave up. It was ten o'clock in the night and she was hungry so she decided to take a stroll to the kitchens to grab something to eat. She was heading to the kitchens when an arm grabbed her and pulled her inside a classroom. It was dark inside but she knew who had done that. She had successfully avoided him all week and had constantly overcome the desire to tell Dumbledore what his precious Potions Master had done on the weekend.

" Going to finish what you started?" she asked the figure in front of her.

" No. You have been avoiding me all week so I haven't had an opportunity to explain myself." Answered the now visible Snape.

" Oh! Please do explain why in hell's name were you trying to kill." She screamed at him.

" Keep your voice down. We don't want Filch to find us."
" Why? Are you scared of him?"
" Silence." He ordered.

" You are not talking to one of your students, Severus. I demand respect as much as you do. I could have killed you and your little friends but I allowed you to live. Don't fool yourself into believing it was the other way around. Keep that in mind, Severus. And don't order me to be quiet."
" Very well. I want you to understand that I have no reason to want you dead. However the Dark Lord has. And I was order to follow two fellow Death Eaters to your house to obtain a certain book that allegedly contained valuable information. I did not know who the Death Eaters were and who had given the information to the Dark Lord. I just did what I was told."
" Like the good boy that you are."
" Like the boy that does not want to be killed. I hardly escaped alive after that mission."
" He punished you?"
" Of course. We were given a job and we failed. And those who fail, pay the consequences." He said, his voice hardly higher than a whisper.  

" Must be great working for him."
 Severus looked at Iris like he wanted to smash her head on the wall. Iris returned the look. After two minutes of death looks Iris spoke.

" It has been great talking to you but I'm starving. Going now."
" Have you told Dumbledore anything?" he asked getting on her way.

" No. I'm waiting for you to do that yourself. Now get out of my way. You don't want to mess with me when I'm hungry." She said.

 He obeyed and Iris left to the kitchens. After a very nice meal she returned to her office. She was so distracted that she didn't even notice the terrible looking man sitting at her desk. She made her way to her room but froze at the door. He had gotten up and she had finally noticed him.

" I didn't see you. How long have you been here?" she asked turning to face him.

" Not long. Five minutes."

" You look terrible." She said.

" I haven't been sleeping well. And eating either."

" You brought this on yourself. You realize that don't you?"

" You're right. It was my entire fault. And there is no excuse to what I have done. However I do have something in my defence."
" You do? Let's hear it then."

" Sit down." He said.

Iris obeyed and sat down at her desk with her legs on top of the table. Sirius sat down on the armchair in front of her.

" Sunday morning I asked Dumbledore for permission to go out for a drink. At first he rejected but later he came to me and said that I was allowed as long as I wore a disguise. I accepted the terms and he brought me two vials with a potion that would make me look like someone else. Apparently it was a new recipe and I was sort of testing it. He wasn't sure how long the effect lasted so he brought me two just in case. I did what he told me and I remember looking at the mirror and not recognizing myself. I also remember reaching the Three Broomsticks and this lady coming to me asking if she could sit with me because the place was full. Then it's a blur. I don't remember leaving the bar, I don't even remember getting to her house. All I remember is waking up in her bed, seeing a broken glass on the floor and getting home to that interesting note." He explained

" Maybe it's a blur due to the quantity of alcohol you drank." She deduced coldly.

" I ordered a glass of firewhisky before the woman came. I don't remember it arriving. There was something in that potion."

 Iris made her legs go down and assumed a very Dumbledore-like position. She looked at him and said.

" Who made that potion?"
" I believe it was Snape. Why?"
" No reason. You said you were given two vials. Did you use both of them?"
" No, I only used one. The other is at my house."
" Bring it here. I'll check it and if there is something wrong with it I may just give you another chance."

" Really?" he asked his eyes brightening up.
" Yes. But you have to pay big time."
" Anything. Shall I bring the potion now?"
" No. Come tomorrow, I'm too tired to do anything."

" All right. Tomorrow morning, then."

 Sirius got up and left. Iris went to bed.

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            The next morning Sirius was in Iris's office early. Very early.

" Sirius, it's 7 a.m.. It's too early. Why are you here at this hour?" she asked exasperated when Sirius woke her up.

" I couldn't sleep. You used to get up early."

" Used to. Past, not anymore. I have learned the joys of sleeping until late hours."
" I brought the potion."
" Just give me a minute." She said getting up.

 After getting dresses Iris went to join Sirius. She took the small vial containing a black liquid and looked at it. Then she made her way to a wooden box with golden lines around it. She opened it carefully and Sirius was able to see that it was filled with smaller boxes and vials. Iris took a little box and opened it. Then she picked a bit of its' content and poured then into Sirius's vial. After shacking it little white dots began to appear.

" See that?" she asked putting the vial in front of Sirius.

" White dots. Is that good or bad?"
" For you? It's good. These white dots mean that in this potion resides a certain ingredient that can confuse a person. That's why you don't remember certain things. This thing totally mixed up your head." She explained.

 Sirius's mouth slowly opened into a smirk. His eyes brightened again while he looked at Iris.

" So I get my second chance?" he asked.

 Iris seemed to take time to think. She avoided Sirius's bright eyes and looked at the vial. The white dots were still visible. After a moment of silence in which Sirius moved nervously in the same place Iris looked up.

" Yes. You get your second chance. But remember, you have to make me very happy. You have to bedazzle me."
" Anything you say. I'll make something you'll never forget. I promise."

 It was Iris's time to smile. Sirius took this as a good thing and approached her. She, however, stopped him before he got too close.

" Please, don't get too close. You smell."

" No I don't." he argued.

" Yes, you do. You smell of blonde 'beatche'."

" Iris…" he started.

" Don't say anything. Just go away. Before I change my mind."

" Yes, ma'am. Expect my surprise soon."

 Sirius left Iris's office through the front door. He was now in a corridor. The thing was he didn't know where to go. He wasn't going to stay there for long because he couldn't be seen. He was a convicted murderer known by the whole wizard community. He was reminding himself of that when he heard footsteps. He quickly hid behind a big vase and waited. With the footsteps came voices. Familiar voices.

" Why are we coming to speak with professor Renata so early?" asked a boy's voice.

" Because she doesn't like it when we come at night and I want to talk to her." Said Harry.

" Fine, but I don't understand why I have to come with you? I was having such a nice dream."

" Stop complaining, Ron, and come on."

 Knowing now that it was safe Sirius appeared from behind the vase and confronted the two boys. Only to find that Hermione was also with them.

" Sirius, what are you doing here?" she asked after jumping from fright.

" Good question. " said Harry.

" I came here to talk to Iris. What are you doing here?"
" I study here. I have a very good reason to be here." Answered Harry.

" Very funny. You have you father's humour. I heard you want to talk to Iris. What about?"

" I was going to ask for help with Potions." Harry confessed.

" Ah. Ok. She's a very good potion brewer. Far better than Snape if you ask me."
" You would say that because she's your girlfriend." Said Hermione.

" Well, actually she's… currently… not my girlfriend. But I thought that way before we started dating."

" Wait a minute. You and Iris broke up? Why?" intervened Harry.

" This is not the place. Soon other students are going to pass here and I can't be seen. Drop by my house later." Sirius calmly advised.

" We have Quidditch practice." Said Ron. 

" We'll afterwards. You have a lot of explaining to do." Said Harry.

" Sure. Just don't tell Iris we talked, ok. Please."
" Don't worry. We won't. See you later." Said Harry.

 Sirius ran up the corridor and the trio entered Iris's office.

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            Later that day Sirius was sitting at the kitchen table in #12, Grimmauld Place. He was desperately trying to come up with the perfect surprise but nothing was coming to him. He was about to give up when he heard the fireplace cracking. Two seconds later Harry showed up. Two seconds later was Hermione's turn.

" Hello." Sirius said.

" Hi." Harry and Hermione said at the same time.

" How was practice?"

" Pretty good. Ron is heaps better, Ginny is a great chaser and your new beater are getting pretty good. We have a very good chance of winning the cup." Harry said while sitting down in front of his godfather.

" Great. Where's Ron?"

" I think he said he was coming later. Went to do something." Hermione answered.

" So, start explaining." Harry demanded.

 Sirius told Harry and Hermione the whole story including the current problem with the lack of ideas.

" Well maybe we can help." Suggested Hermione.

" Yeah. We can help. Let me see… a nice dinner."
" Yes, dinner is good. But it has to be her favourite dish." Said Hermione.
" And with candlelight. That gives it the atmosphere. Much more romantic." Continued Harry.
" Flowers. Loads of them."
" I agree. Women like that sort of stuff."

" A nice card to go with the flowers."
" Something very romantic. Like a poem or something."
" Tell her how you truly feel."

" That is all very nice but I don't think that flowers, cards and a candlelight dinner will be enough. She'll be expecting something more." Sirius said.

" Like what?" asked Harry.

" That's the part I don't know. If only I could think of something."

 At that moment Ron appeared covered with ashes.

" Took me so long to get clean and now this. Great." He mumbled.

" Where were you Ron?" asked Harry.

" I went to the prefect's bathroom. I always wanted to use it." Ron said happily.

 With that sentence came light to Sirius's mind.

" That's it. Ron, you're a genius." He said excitedly.

" What?" Ron asked, not quite understanding.

" I've got it. Thanks you guys. I don't know what I would do without you. What day is it today?"

" 21st November, why?" Harry said.

" Perfect. I have a week. I need you to forget our talk. You know nothing. All right?"
" Sure." The three kids said.

 And so it was that Sirius started to work on his surprise. And it sure was going to be a surprise.

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            Friday the 27th arrived fresh and with prospect of rain. The sky was really dark and the atmosphere was wet. It coincided brilliantly with Iris's mood. Through the whole week she didn't hear from Sirius. She had been expecting some move from him but nothing. Not a note nor a flower, nothing. She had in fact expected to wake up to a huge surprise but her office was exactly the same way it was when she went to bed. Filled with disappointment she gave her classes (second and fifth years) without her usual enthusiasm. Ginny noticed this and went to talk to her after class.

" Is everything all right, professor?" she asked.

" Why do you ask, Ginny?"
" I don't know but you look sad."

" It's nothing. I'm being silly. Never mind."

" Are you sure? Maybe I can help."

" No, Ginny. I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
" If you say so. See you Monday, professor."
" See you Monday. Enjoy the weekend."

 Ginny left the classroom straight to Gryffindor Tower where Ron, Harry and Hermione were sitting at their favourite chairs doing some work.

" Hey guys. Do you know if something's wrong with Iris?" she asked the gathered trio.

" Not that I'm aware of." Said Harry.

" Did you talk to her?" asked Ron.

" Yeah, but she seems to be hiding something. She sounded strange."

" Wait a minute. Are you guys thinking what I'm thinking?" Harry asked his two friends.

" The day Sirius talked about. Maybe it's today." Hermione said.

" Yeah. Probably Iris is expecting something but he's making her wait."

" He's very capable of doing that." Said Ron.

" I've got tutoring now so I better go. I'll tell you what I find out." Said Harry.

 He gathered his things and left the common room. Iris had agreed to help Harry with Potions mainly because she had a chance to spend some time with him. Harry was happily thinking about that that he didn't even notice Iris standing at the door to her office, so he bumped against her.

" Sorry. Are you all right?" he asked when she saw the paralysed look on her face.

 She simply pointed inside the room. Harry looked. He opened his mouth when he saw that Iris's office was full of flowers. All types of flowers covered almost every inch of wall available. The flowers were mostly red and yellow but there were also blue, white and pink. Harry thought that his godfather had done a great job.

" Wow!" he said.

 Iris nodded. Then she entered the room and made her way to the flowers on her desk. Harry followed. There was a note on the flowers. Iris read aloud.

" You are my flower. Join me for a special night where memories unfold. I expect you at my house at 8. Don't fail me. Love Sirius."

" Very nice. Are you going?" Harry asked anxiously.

" Of course I'm going. What time is it?" she asked even more anxiously.

" 6:30."
" Well, tutoring time. Did you bring your things?"

" Yep. Let's get started."

 Iris tutored Harry until 7:30 then she told him to go away. Obviously Harry went running to tell his friends what he saw. In the meanwhile Iris got ready to go to Sirius's house. She dressed a blue dress and caught her hair. Then she left to #12 Grimmauld Place where Sirius was waiting.

There you go. I decided to break this into two chapters because it was getting too long. Expect the second part soon.

            Thanks to all who review. You guys are great.

Cheers.