Wheels Within Wheels – Part Three
Iolanthe
Chapter Thirty-One
Iolanthe Astoria's De-Brief
Iolanthe resolved to keep her interactions with Lissette Lestrange strictly compartmentalized until she could get home and engage Harry in a private conversation. It wasn't particularly hard. She had two close friends at Hogwarts, Rose and Scorpius. Rose was in Gryffindor so she didn't sit on a common room leather sofa with Rose, girl-to-girl, swapping gossip and letting go of secrets. Scorpius was not into common room socializing either, much preferring to spend his free time in the library with Brother Glott, or at the little desk in the dormitory where he drafted page after corrected page of his updated tales of Merlin.
The Blacks had a grand time on the journey back to King's Cross. Scorpius, Iolanthe and Rose stuck together, occupying a compartment with Zelda, with occasional pop-ins by James and Hugo. Black cousins passed through in a continuous stream, hugging, extending Christmas and New Year's wishes, even congratulating Zelda on her terrific streak with the quidditch Lions. The last took Iolanthe somewhat by surprise, because the Blacks from the other three houses seemed just as taken with Zelda as were she and Scorpius.
Lissette stayed in the open car at the end of the train. The Slytherins usually got there early in sufficient numbers to repel non-Slytherins. Iolanthe assumed she'd be there so she didn't go back to work the crowd, advising Scorpius she'd prefer he go represent her, so she could stay with Rose and Zelda.
Rose waited until Scorpius was gone and the three were alone in the compartment before getting into her bag and removing an emerald green tissue paper parcel with a silver bow and a little parchment tag that said 'SCORPIUS' in Rose's beautiful script.
"Zelda?" said Rose as she waved her wand at Scorpius' small canvas bag.
"Uh-huh?" said Zelda.
"There is a rule, which you now have to observe," Rose said. Scorpius' bag lay on the seat where Rose had just been sitting. She waved her wand again and the bag opened up.
"Okay," Zelda said a little hesitation evident in her voice.
Rose lay the parcel on top of Scorpius' things, closed the bag and waved it back onto the overhead rack.
"The rule is, you're a witch, just like me, and you didn't see anything," Rose summed up.
"Oh," Zelda said, getting the picture. "Okay! That's a great rule!"
Iolanthe looked on without saying anything.
"The Rule? You do remember the Rule, don't you?" Rose asked Iolanthe.
Iolanthe put her forefinger and thumb together and drew them across her lips in a zipping motion. Then she reached out to Rose, her pinky extended. Rose wrapped her pinky around Iolanthe's and they pressed their thumb tips together.
"King's-X, super-secret, if I'm lyin' I'm dyin'" they repeated in unison, while Zelda looked on.
"Did you just curse yourselves?" Zelda nearly whispered.
"Only according to some interpretations," Rose explained, as the compartment door opened.
Scorpius entered, followed by James and Hugo.
"Almost there, Io-la," James said, reverting to the name he'd used until he was four or five.
"My name is Iolanthe, Jee-Jee," Iolanthe said, implying two could play that game.
Everyone in the compartment had grown up with that insider knowledge so no feelings were permanently damaged. Scorpius got his bag down from the overhead. Zelda gave Rose a co-conspirator look, which Rose gave back.
"What are you bringing home for trophies, Zelda?" Scorpius asked.
"The only thing I got was this," Zelda said, opening a canvas satchel and pulling out a good-sized piece of parchment.
Rose had seen the parchment before, but kept her peace so Zelda could have her big moment. Zelda handed the parchment to Scorpius.
"Zelda!" Scorpius said, handing the parchment on to Iolanthe. "A school record in quidditch, as a first-year! That might be the first time ever! Why didn't you tell us?"
"I wanted to surprise you," Zelda explained.
"That is very impressive, Zelda," Iolanthe said. "Beyond impressive. Do your parents know?"
"What for?" said James, a little frustrated at the delay.
Iolanthe handed him the parchment.
"Most consecutive saves by a keeper," Iolanthe said as James took the parchment, "Ever."
"Ever," repeated Zelda and Rose together.
"We've got to work harder," Hugo said, looking at James. James just stared at Zelda, finally nodding in agreement.
The scene on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was as chaotic as ever. Parents hugged children, only some of whom hugged back, having outgrown parental hugs during the previous semester. Scorpius and Draco stood apart from the general scrum in a little eddy next to one of the great brick columns and let the crowds surge around them. Draco looked Scorpius up and down, assessed he'd neither gained nor lost excessive weight, checked his coloring, haircut and general appearance, and concluded he wasn't showing any physical signs of depression. Draco thought Scorpius might have grown two more inches since September, unless Draco himself had shrunk.
Scorpius did a similar inventory of Draco. He thought Daphne and Tracey would be careful to observe Draco closely, but there is no substitute to being there oneself. Draco looked like he was coping, but Scorpius knew Draco was well-practiced at keeping his own counsel. He resolved to get some professional advice from his Aunt Daphne when the opportunity arose.
The Granger-Weasleys and the Potters were clumped together as usual, although Daphne had skipped the trip to the station. Iolanthe kept a lookout for anyone she thought looked like a Lestrange, but particularly Lissette, because she thought if she caught them far enough away she could turn discreetly so as not to cause undue distress.
Harry looked everyone over. Tracey hadn't been able to come to the station, and Daphne was reclining on something comfortable at Potter Manor, so Zelda was among his charges.
"Got everyone?" he asked, three being too high a number for his primitive brain to understand.
James and Zelda thought it somewhat funny, Iolanthe looked at her feet and let it pass.
"Got everything?" Harry went on. "Bags, wands? Apparation point this way. Bye, all."
There were waves all around, and Rose and Iolanthe blew kisses to everyone in the other's party.
"First stop will be #12 Grimmauld Place," Harry said, sounding like the guide on one of the tour buses. "Your mother knows, so no need to pursue that line of questioning. Kreacher hasn't seen a lot of us and specifically volunteered to take on the laundry of the returning students, and to prepare a light welcome-back tea. I think tea is to give you all strength to continue the journey to Potter Manor. It might also be giving her a little more time to recline."
"How is she?" Iolanthe asked. Iolanthe was getting little notes daily, and Daphne was consistently telling her the same thing—the twins were making her uncomfortable, she was still sleeping but she wouldn't be for long, and Iolanthe was not to worry. Iolanthe took it all as authoritative, most of the time, except when doubts rose up and convinced her Daphne's cheer was fabricated for Iolanthe's peace of mind.
Iolanthe had the ability to control her thoughts. She liked facts. She distrusted stray portents about impending disaster. Even so, she was a creature of the same mental architecture as every other young witch. How do I look? What do they think of me? Did I do something wrong? What if Potter Manor burns down and kills Mother and Father and James and I'm not there? Iolanthe exerted her will, several times a day, and forced herself back from visions of doom emanating from the twins her mother was carrying.
Harry got everyone to a discreet apparation point and worked out grips on hand baggage and each other. Harry regretted the need to apparate. When he had been an auror, he'd often walked the streets around King's Cross. It wasn't just a muggle station, and there were always witches and wizards needing to come and go, hence, there was always a possibility of magical mischief, malpractice or misadventure. Harry had been happy when he drew St. Pancras as his patrol area, especially when he had Ron or Neville as his partner. He knew the blocks in every direction well enough to draw a fairly accurate map from memory. It would have been a refreshing walk for Harry and his flock to Islington, and #12, but he was obliged to watch the time, so they'd have to travel by apparation.
"Here we go," he said, and the group passed through the place that made them all think they were in the neck of a funnel and they emerged with a 'POP' on the top step before #12, just as Kreacher opened the door.
"Welcome, Lord Harry, and all of our young Honorables, Miss Iolanthe, Miss Zelda, and Master James. Your trunks have arrived and the clothing will be going to the laundry. Your other items are on your beds. If you'd like to freshen up, please come along as soon as you're finished and tea will be served in the dining room."
A chorus of 'Hi, Kreacher' and 'Thank-you, Kreacher' rang through the foyer as everyone pulled off capes and jackets and handed them over. Iolanthe and Zelda jogged up the stairs, while James levitated up, backwards, smiling and waving at Harry.
"How is everything, Kreacher?" Harry asked as he washed his hands at the kitchen sink.
"#12 Grimmauld Place is well, Lord Harry," Kreacher said. "Everything is in a kind of dormancy with the family away."
"I understand, Kreacher," Harry said. "I am, too, if that is any comfort. In a state of dormancy, that is. I know they need to be in school, but once we get used to their voices…Well, enough of that. February is coming. Are you ready?"
"Kreacher is ready, Lord Harry," said the elf, "As is your home. The magic of the young wizards will be most welcome."
Harry really wanted to say something nice in response to Kreacher's kind remarks but the feet thundering downstairs precluded everything else. Harry walked out of the kitchen to round up the children
"Dining room, please, everyone," Harry said. "Kreacher has tea and we'll all take a break here. I'd like a short report from everyone, if you can manage."
"I wanted to talk to you about a greenhouse," James said, then, "Thanks, Kreacher," as the tea arrived.
"Teddy built a small one, and I think it should be fairly easy to put one up at the manor. There was one there before, according to Grandfather," James went on.
"Do you have a plan?" Harry said.
"Teddy promised me his," James said.
"Fine," Harry said. "Let's arrange to get the plans and the materials list, I'll organize those and we'll get started. Can we finish it over break?"
"Merlin, something's wrong if we don't," James said. "Like I said, it's small."
"I got this," Zelda said, handing over a piece of parchment.
Harry took the sheet and looked it over, his eyes getting wider and wider. He looked at Zelda and went back to reading. Zelda sat silently while Iolanthe smiled at her from across the table.
"Zelda," Harry said. He searched for words.
"Zelda," he said again, "This is just, just, amazing. A school record in your first season. Does your mother know?"
"Not yet," Zelda said, drawing the words out, "Nor Dad."
"I'm very proud to know you, Zelda," Harry said. "You've written your name in Gryffindor history. Remarkable."
He handed the parchment back with a, "Take care of that until we can get it in a frame. How are you getting it home?"
Tracey and Zelda were the stewards of the Black estate, and technically the occupants, but Harry and everyone else was so accustomed to Zelda's integration into the Potters that they all knew he meant Potter Manor when he said 'home.'
"I have a bag upstairs," Zelda said.
Kreacher's tea and the little cakes and cookies were as delicious as ever, but Harry did have a schedule in mind. He sent everyone to collect whatever they needed before gathering in the salon. Harry took a handful of floo powder, stepped into the fireplace behind the children and said, "Potter Manor."
Daphne heard the 'WHOOSH' of the green flames in the main salon. She lay on a long couch in a smaller room on the ground floor that was still being sorted out. It looked something like a gallery, with a lot of Lawrence Davis originals on the walls, but it had been getting more and more books, which resulted in assembly of more bookshelves, so it was taking on some aspects of a library. No one assigned the room a theme and the family was getting used to its multiple functions, so when Harry thought about it, he thought it might evolve naturally into some new species of magical library-study-gallery, prove useful, and relax into a steady state of some hybrid kind.
"Mother!"
"Mum!"
"Daphne!"
The shouts rolled in from the main salon, followed shortly by the children. Iolanthe and Zelda knelt before Daphne's couch, dispensed kisses and barely contained themselves. They were dying to touch Daphne's belly, but were polite enough to keep their hands to themselves until invited. Still, they couldn't help staring, the phenomenon was that compelling.
"Go ahead, they won't mind," Daphne said. "James…"
Daphne reached up and James leaned down and put a little peck on her cheek.
Zelda and Iolanthe took Daphne at her word and began using their flat hands to navigate around the twins.
"I think this is a head," Zelda whispered, and Iolanthe shifted her hand.
"That was a kick!" Iolanthe said. "Did you feel that?"
"Yes," said Daphne and Zelda together.
December or not, Daphne wasn't wearing a whole lot, the twins taking care of any possibility she might feel a chill. She had a blanket that she kept arranged to preserve some minimal modesty, but Daphne was ready to get up and move around.
"Can I get everyone to give me a moment while I get up and get my balance back?" Daphne said.
Harry stood by the door, closing it behind the young people. Daphne threw the blanket back and held out her arm. Harry thought she looked so beautiful he'd tear up.
"Ready?" he said, pushing up against the arm Daphne had stretched over his shoulder, his own arm around her back.
"You're incredibly beautiful," Harry said.
"No, I barely look human," Daphne said. "Your wizard ego is gloating over this sign that you broke down my defenses and occupied me. Soon I will pop out two more soldiers for the conquering Potter army you have loosed upon an oblivious world."
"That too," Harry said. "You'll feel better when I present the world to you. That's why I'm doing it. Otherwise, what's the point?"
"It has been interesting, up to now," Daphne acknowledged. She adjusted the bits she had on and pointed to what looked like a green tent hanging over a chair.
"I'll need that," she said. She accepted the tent from Harry, flipped it up and let it fall over her. When she thrust her arms through some short sleeves, Harry recognized the silk caftan Daphne had worn in the late stages of her previous pregnancies. She grabbed Harry's arm for balance and stepped into some emerald felt slippers.
"Ready," Daphne said, reaching down and taking Harry's hand. They walked out to the hall, looking for the children. James and Zelda were on the patio, talking to Plum, but Iolanthe wasn't around.
"Hullo, Plum," Harry called out. The faun waved.
"Lord Potter!" said Plum. "Just wanted to mention there is a revel scheduled for tonight, you might recall we talked about it, Winter Solstice observance, of course. There may be some…ahh…"
"Suitable for those of tender age, is it, Plum?" Harry asked, sensing Daphne peeking out over his shoulder. "Impressionable folks? If you get my meaning."
Harry couldn't see Daphne, but he felt her delighted smirk in the way she was grasping his upper arm.
"Mostly, yes," Plum allowed. "Perhaps in the woods, later in the evening…"
The faun was undoubtedly making an effort to communicate without coming right out and saying what he meant. Harry thought it delightful, and very considerate, for a faun.
"Plum, please feel free. Bonfire organized? Do you have it in a safe place? Not too big? And, if there is something that must go on in the woods, we'll leave it to the woodlanders' discretion."
James and Zelda turned around, hopefulness written all over their faces.
"No," said Harry and Daphne together.
"Besides, it's too cold to be outside the way you're dressed. How about some hot chocolate?" Daphne asked.
Hot chocolate did sound pretty good. Iolanthe came down in her own emerald caftan, hair brushed out, and feet bare. Everyone sat around the dining room table, drinking hot chocolate and catching up.
Harry caught Zelda's eye and pantomimed reading a sheet of parchment. Zelda ran out of the room and down the hall to the salon, where she had dropped her satchel when they'd arrived. Dashing back to the dining table, she handed Daphne her certificate just as a 'WHOOSH' sounded from the salon.
"Zelda!" Daphne said. "This is really something!"
"Oh?" said Tracey, who had just tracked everyone down in the dining room.
Zelda ran over and gave Tracey a hug.
"Take a look," Zelda said, and Tracey stretched out her arm for the certificate.
"Oh, Zelda!" Tracey exclaimed. "Oh, I don't think I've ever seen anything like this. This is the game last week?"
"Yup," Zelda said. Iolanthe caught her eye and gave Zelda a thumb's up.
Tracey opened up her arms and pulled Zelda in for some more hugging. That led to more hot chocolate and additional catching-up. The yawns followed close behind, and James left for bed, followed by Tracey and Zelda. Daphne still had the ability to go up the stairs, but Harry walked by her side, just in case.
Iolanthe stopped at the library and looked in. One of the elves had been in and restored order after Daphne had left to join the family. Iolanthe thought the air in the room could stand a change, so she pointed her wand at the window and opened it up. The crisp, clean December air rushed in, clearing out the smoke from the lamps. Iolanthe thought she could smell saltwater, even though the closest body of water would have been the Channel, which was miles away. Maybe the breeze was just right, she guessed.
"Thanks," said a voice from the hall. Iolanthe turned to see Harry in the doorway.
"Your mother is spending a lot of time here. I believe she is looking forward to going to Greengrass Manor and communing with her memories of you and James. I don't know if she sent you a note or not, but she has seen her last patients."
"No," said Iolanthe. "She didn't tell me. When does she want to move to Grandmother's?"
"She is still saying right after the New Year, but I don't know if she'll make it that long," Harry said, using his wand to do a little cleanup in front of the hearth. "Are we done in here?"
"Do you have a few minutes?" Iolanthe asked.
"Sure," Harry said. "She's tucked in and has a nice tumbler of water handy. What can I do for you?"
Iolanthe gave her wand tip a little jiggle and the door to the hall closed. Another flick locked the door, and another brought down the window. Iolanthe cast muffliato, then she sat down.
"I need some advice," Iolanthe said.
"Last year, I did a favor for another Slytherin, who was a fifth year at the time. We aren't close, but we nod and say hello. We're on friendly terms, but not exactly friends. I nodded to her as we were walking to the castle after Zelda's game. That evening, she asked to see me, in the astronomy tower. When we got up there, she wanted to know if I was alone, or if I'd been followed. She even looked down from the landing.
"She told me she'd been warned to stay clear of all the Potters. When she asked what the other person was talking about, he just looked at her. She was clearly scared, so we agreed we'd keep our distance. She thinks it would be easy enough to get someone inside Hogwarts to report on her. I gave her a way to arrange to meet if she felt like we needed to."
"What?" Harry interrupted. "You gave her a way to arrange a meeting? Do you mind if I ask how?"
"I don't see why not," Iolanthe said. "If she needs to see me, she leaves a little note under my pillow, with the time, and a little sun or moon to tell me the place. I check under the pillow whenever I go by my room."
"Okay, did she use your system?" asked Harry.
"Yes, day before yesterday," Iolanthe said. "She told me there are people who want to make some changes at the Ministry. The minister has been there too long, he and his gang should clear out and give someone else a turn. You seem to be a particular annoyance. Thus she is to keep well clear of Potters."
Harry sat there and stared at Iolanthe. His fourteen-year-old daughter had just come home for Christmas and told him she was running an agent inside Hogwarts, with dead drops and coded communications.
"Oh, Iolanthe," Harry said.
"What?" Iolanthe asked.
Harry blew out his cheeks and forced the air out between pursed lips.
"Lots of things. You're much too young for this. Your mother would blow a gasket, in her condition. You could get in over your head. You have no training," Harry said.
"How'd I do?" Iolanthe asked.
"Remarkably well," Harry said. "For an amateur. Okay, that wasn't fair. You have been around here forever, you had to pick up a few things. Remarkably well. That's what concerns me. We have to roll this up.
"I need for you to listen to me, Iolanthe. You've stumbled onto something that is being watched. Your source for this was in that clump of old Slytherins we passed, I take it? I saw a Lestrange, a Goyle or two…"
"Right," Iolanthe said. "She's a…"
"Don't tell me, I'll ask if I need to know," Harry said, waving Iolanthe off.
"It is not thought that action is indicated right now," Harry said. "Although…"
"That could change," Iolanthe finished for Harry. "Father, be careful. She was genuinely concerned for me. I believe she has heard something. I just got the sense that she wanted to open up but was more afraid of letting it out. Does that make sense?"
"Happens all the time," Harry said. "Not just in my department. The aurors get it, daily. So do the diplomats. People really want to unload, but they fear something enough they try to hand over a puzzle piece and let the person they give it to complete the puzzle around their little hint. So, we collect a piece at a time.
"You and I will keep this to ourselves. I'll be as honest with you as I can. You are not to take any more action on this. Keep avoiding contact, if possible. If she asks to meet with you, ask her if she wants to talk to someone official. That's it. If you can let her read it on a little piece of parchment, rather than speaking, that is better for everyone, because she can just nod and you can destroy it immediately. Can you use disappearing ink? Wave the wand, let her read the message, destroy it.
"If she says yes, someone will handle setting it up. You won't be there, you won't know about it when it happens. Just send me an owl with a note, something generic. How about 'January in Scotland?'"
"How will you know who it is?" Iolanthe asked.
"You don't need to know that," Harry said.