Wheels Within Wheels – Part Three
Iolanthe
Chapter Thirty-Five
Iolanthe in Spring
Hogwarts threw off its mid-winter lethargy with the return of the students. The corridors and classrooms were refilled with magic as the students brewed potions, waved wands and clumped in critical mass-level magical configurations. The staircases moved with greater imagination, giving their passengers more inspiring challenges when they reached the top, or bottom. The enchanted ceiling in the great hall paid greater attention to detail, including circling kites and the odd dragon in its replications of the outside sky.
January dragged for Iolanthe. She launched herself into her studies because they were the best way she knew to avoid intrusion of unwelcome thoughts that served no purpose except to disrupt her peace of mind.
The loss of her Aunt Astoria was still never very far away, but she sat often with Scorpius when he wanted to talk about his mother. Sharing memories, they both found, helped them stay grateful to Astoria for all she had done, while driving away despair at the thought she was lost to them, at least for this lifetime. Rose and Iolanthe still monitored Scorpius closely, listening for clues to his internal well-being in all their conversations.
When the calendar turned to February, Iolanthe's mental state changed completely. Her new siblings were literally days away. Daphne's body could decide the twins were ready to come into the world at any time, a manifestation of magic even muggles recognized. Iolanthe tried mightily to focus on classwork and keep herself from sitting in one place waiting for the owl to arrive with the news. Iolanthe spoke to James every day, checking to make sure he had a bag ready with whatever he would need at home when they were allowed to leave. Neither of them struggled with their courses so arrangements were in place for Millicent Bulstrode to take them to Greengrass Manor as soon as the school day was over. Then they would have two full days, forty-eight hours, to imbibe the intoxicating essence of the newly-expanded Potter family before Harry brought them back.
As it turned out, no one needed to worry about school. Harry's owl arrived at the headmistress' office at mid-day on the second Friday in February. Professor McGonagall sent notes to Professor Bulstrode, Iolanthe and James with the instruction to plan on leaving for Greengrass Manor as soon as the last class of the day was concluded.
Daphne didn't have a particularly hard time, once things began to happen. Rather it was one of those cases when the magic that governs such things did not want to make up its mind to get going and stay with it. She was as tired as she could remember ever having been at the end. The runes were right once more, correctly predicting Iolanthe and James would get two little brothers.
The babies took a little nourishment before happily submitting to the usual passing-about. Daphne and Harry had chosen to name the twins Fabio and Kingsley, and had little bracelets ready with the names, which turned out to be very foresighted. The two were undistinguishable otherwise, which would have raised issues of identification unless some measure was in place to differentiate between them.
James paid the necessary courtesy calls on his mother that weekend, then spent the rest of his time back at Potter Manor, outfitting his new greenhouse. Iolanthe, by contrast, wanted nothing more than to sit in a rocker next to Daphne's bed, holding Fabio or Kingsley. She took the opportunity of a captive Daphne to raise a dormant issue once more.
"Mother, don't you think I ought to take a year off from school and help out around here?" Iolanthe asked.
"Your father also waits until I am at my lowest ebb to broach that kind of thing," Daphne said. "Odd. I thought you had more sense than him. Perhaps I'll have to reassess."
"Mother," Iolanthe came back with a slight cluck of her tongue. "I'll learn so much more under your guidance than those professors can teach me. This is real magic, and I won't get it anywhere else. I'll take careful notes of everything. It will be good preparation for when I start producing grandchildren for you and Father."
"You're so humane, Iolanthe," Daphne said. "We'll need to discuss keeping things in perspective sometime soon. I had been under the impression, false, it turns out, that we had covered that."
Fabio looked up at Iolanthe and smiled.
"Oh, look, Fabio likes the idea," Iolanthe reported. "He's been listening already. Such a big boy!"
Gushing enthusiasm aside, there wasn't a very strong case for Iolanthe to drop out of school and stay home to raise siblings. Kendra, Tracey, Victoire and a boatload of elves were all available and enthusiastic baby-holders, bottle-preparers, laundresses and new-mother-helpers. James and Iolanthe were back in class Monday morning, and spent mealtimes updating everyone on the new Potters. Iolanthe reveled in it, but James quickly tired of the questioning. He had a ready-made escape, though, because he had permission to spend any free time he had volunteering in the greenhouses. The small group of students who gravitated to herbology comprised an informal fraternity. Some of the sixth and seventh years had individual projects and spent much of their time in independent study. They also read widely, and brought magical gardening columns of note to the attention of the lower years.
James was already something of a minor celebrity in the herbology group, of a collateral sort, due to his relationships with Fabio and Teddy. Both were well-known among the plant crowd. Those who knew about it pressed James for more information about his greenhouse than they did for his new brothers. James had spent at least half the time he'd been on baby break working on the greenhouse at the Potters.' Hence he could give the herbology fellowship step-by-step reporting on the construction and outfitting of a magical greenhouse.
Rose did not get permission to leave Hogwarts to meet the newborns, but Easter break came around, just after Daphne's relocation to Potter Manor with the twins. Rose would have moved in with the Potters and shared Iolanthe's room if she were not required to return home once in awhile. Some exploratory conversations transpired between Iolanthe and Rose on the subject, but they never went anywhere.
Scorpius also took the floo system to Potter Manor over break. The weather began to get warmer, so Scorpius' new scarf ceased to take a wrap around his throat, but became a kind of stole, as if he were a magical priest, just down from the pulpit, perpetually on his way to the magical sacristy.
Daphne was very run-down when the twins were born, but a houseful of adoring attendants, a sensitive and loving husband and several days of rest soon had her back on her feet. She spent a good part of the students' break in the first floor library, twins at the ready in their cradles, receiving visiting witches from Britain, Ireland and France. She especially appreciated calls from members of Iolanthe and Rose's study group. As a study group alumna, she enjoyed interrogating the young witches about their reading and projects, all the while serving pots of Periwinkle's tea alongside trays of her cookies.
As exhilarating as the birth of the twins was, by the end of Easter break Iolanthe and Rose found they appreciated getting back to the relative calm of Hogwarts, the library and their dormitories. Spring arrived in Scotland shortly after the return from break. The students enjoyed the return of green grass and wildflowers to the grounds. When term was finished and they stood once more on the Hogsmeade railroad platform, conversation turned to the upcoming summer and the necessity of using it constructively.
"Maybe you can sign up for tutorials with James," Rose said. "One can't be too well-informed on the latest herbological breakthroughs."
"Brilliant idea, Rose," Iolanthe answered. "Will you be expanding your haberdashery to include some knitted house slippers?"
"Well," Rose drawled, "I wanted to solicit your thoughts on this design. For a future contingency, when a gift would be appropriate."
Rose slid her hand in the bag that hung by her side and pulled out a green and silver knitted slipper. Iolanthe was initially speechless. Rose had started with a supple leather sole, then knitted a closely-knotted upper of angora yarn. Not satisfied with a basic design suitable for padding about the house when no one was around, Rose used the silver yarn to create a trompe l'oeil loafer, outlining the signature trim of a popular brand.
"Impressive," Iolanthe said. "Without objection, I will take it as established that the pair has to be ready for an upcoming birthday. Better put it back before you spoil the surprise. How did you get his size?"
"Subterfuge, of course," Rose said. "We sat next to each other at an outdoor lesson for Care of Magical Creatures, I deployed my wand for some silent recordare, brought it back to the dorm and transferred the outline of his foot to a piece of parchment."
"Blast that perfidious hat, Rose," Iolanthe nearly cried. "Your talents are so badly needed in Slytherin. I try, but there is only so much one witch can do."
"All the more reason we must distribute our efforts," Rose said. "Although, Zelda is giving me a lot of help with the louts and brawlers."
"The Gryffindors?" Iolanthe asked.
"Yes, according to Zelda, she was innocently eavesdropping on a conversation between the witches Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass Potter…"
"As one does," Iolanthe said, in complete agreement with Rose.
"Absolutely, it's standard procedure," Rose acknowledged. "While Miss Zelda was present, said witches frankly exchanged views on the Gryffindors of their acquaintance, Ms. Davis allowing how they are louts, and a bunch of brawlers, and her companion adding the Gryffindors are strangers to refinement and lacking in subtlety. Well, one does what one may, and gives thanks for the candid comment."
"You are a such a great humanitarian, of the witch variety, Rose," Iolanthe said in a slightly awestruck tone. "If Merope Gaunt had only had a friend like you, just think…"
"At least I can be thankful you'll have me to share your troubles and most intimate secrets with," Rose concluded, as Scorpius walked up.
"Ready?" he asked.
"We are, now that our big, strong escort wizard is here," Iolanthe answered.
"Ouch," Scorpius observed.
"What?" Rose asked. "We really have been waiting for you."
Scorpius looked from one to the other. He knew the witches weren't being completely straight with him, but he couldn't nail down the exact nature of their bent commentary. He decided to cut his losses.
"Zelda, Hugo, James…?" Scorpius asked.
"Already aboard, allegedly," Iolanthe said. "Although, we might want to walk the platform and board down there, just to make sure. Trunks all handed over?"
Scorpius and Rose nodded, and the three turned toward the end of the train. Iolanthe walked by a witch wearing a button with a photo of a man's face, who was handing out leaflets, accepted one, thanked the young woman without looking at her, and kept moving. The leaflet ended up in a pocket of Iolanthe's robe.
It proved unnecessary to walk the length of the train, as James, Hugo and Zelda were framed by an open window, leaning out and chatting with Hagrid. The compartment they occupied was not going to hold everyone for long, as boisterous no-longer-first-years kept fitting one or two more into the fully-stuffed box.
Hagrid drew on his decades of experience and called through the window for some of the later arrivals to vacate the compartment.
"You've just spent spring term bunched up together, it's time to spread out a bit," Hagrid reasoned. A few at a time caught the logic and departed, restoring balance in that part of the universe.
"Hagrid!" Iolanthe called out, causing the half-giant to turn.
"Iolanthe, and Rose and Scorpius Malfoy," Hagrid replied. "Very fine scholars all. Enjoy your summer break and give my best to your parents."
"We'll do that," Rose said. "I hope we see you this summer."
"Now, where would you be seeing me while you're on your summer break?" Hagrid asked.
"Who knows?" asked Iolanthe. "The surprise is the fun part."
"I can't fault you there, Miss Potter," Hagrid said. "Best be gettin' on board, now, don't you think?"
Scorpius climbed the steps at the end of the car, then paused to wait for Iolanthe and Rose. They were walking the corridor, scouting for a compartment, when the engineer sounded the whistle and the Hogwarts Express pulled out of Hogsmeade.
Harry, Daphne and the twins had returned to #12 Grimmauld Place a few weeks before end of term. Trix was at the townhouse most of the time, helping Daphne, while Kreacher focused on housekeeping and the kitchen. Harry and Tracey went to King's Cross station to meet the returning children, found Hermione and Ron, and stood on the platform together while they waited.
"Summer plans?" Ron asked Harry, "Or is that a silly question?"
"Not at all," Harry assured him. "Newborns cut down the number of places where it is convenient for us to go, as you surely remember, but we've got some options. I would guess I could take the family to Greengrass Manor every day and they would be welcome."
"Sounds delightful," Ron said, Hermione giving him a look that involved a single eyebrow raised just half-way to its maximum altitude.
Not long afterward, the Hogwarts Express chuffed its way to a stop alongside Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, and the scholars poured out of the cars to begin the summer holiday. Harry and Tracey spotted Scorpius, Rose and Iolanthe and waved them over. Scorpius greeted everyone, then left immediately to locate Draco. Zelda and Hugo showed up next.
"Who's seen James?" Harry asked, feeling just slightly uneasy that his son was the last to arrive.
"He was on the train," Zelda said, looking around. "There he is."
James was walking with an older witch who wore a button with someone's picture on her cloak. Harry saw her pull a sheet of parchment from a bunch in her hand, and hold it out to James. James took the parchment, then excused himself with something that Harry didn't catch.
"Hullo!" James called as he trotted up, adding a wave with the hand holding the sheet. He joined the group, shook Ron's hand, then Harry's, then Hermione's, before submitting to a crushing hug from Tracey.
"That's from your mother," Tracey said, in explanation. "Welcome back!"
"Thank-you so much," James said. "Trolleys? Or are we to bewitch the trunks and fly them home?"
"There is a line of trolleys ready to go near the baggage car," Ron said. "If they're all gone by the time we get there I'm sure Hermione will conjure us a few more. What do we need? Five? Six?"
Hermione shook her head, having discovered Ron's incorrigibility some years before.
"Could you?" Iolanthe asked, keeping her voice down as she fell in with James on the walk to the baggage car. "Fly one home?"
She didn't think James had the magic to actually bewitch his trunk, at least not in a form under his control, but he had discovered unaided flight. Iolanthe didn't have any reason to believe he couldn't at least bring the trunk along on a short hop.
"Not yet," James answered, maintaining the quiet tone Iolanthe had established. "But I'm working on it. Then I have to master flying and occluding myself at the same time. Maybe by seventh year. Use it on my last trip home."
Iolanthe was impressed with James' self-confidence. She didn't like admitting it, because she was quite mad for her brother, always had been, but she conceded that just possibly Hufflepuff had been the perfect place for James. He was an individual, that was certain. In either Slytherin or Gryffindor, James would have been measured against immediate family, then the outward-spreading ripples of grandparents, cousins and close friends.
Ravenclaw would have appreciated his scholarly qualities, but the Blues' idea of fun leaned toward holding interminable common room debates on the topic of which came first, the acorn or the oak, or constructing elaborate hoaxes. Teddy Lupin had also gone through Hufflepuff, and Iolanthe could not remember ever hearing anyone say a negative thing about Teddy. Sorting into Hufflepuff was without a doubt a reliable indicator that the first year sitting under the sorting hat had the potential to become a stable, generous, tolerant and accepting adult. Much as she loved being a Snake, Iolanthe could not fault Hufflepuff's results.
The group headed for the pile of trunks that had just been offloaded from the baggage car, parting the crowd on the platform with the overwhelming mass of Potters and Granger-Weasleys moving as a body. Iolanthe listened to the patter as they walked, everyone's priorities for their first weeks of liberty rising like cream.
"When will we go to the Burrow?" Rose asked Ron, prompting a vision of Rose and Molly sitting, knitting and gossiping.
"Mother, have you ever heard of the British Museum?" Hugo asked. "It's supposed to be some kind of muggle place with a lot of interesting odds and ends."
"Will Teddy and Victoire be at the house?" asked James. "I sent him an owl. I have some ideas for the garden."
"Which garden?" asked a genuinely-curious Harry, his mind roaming from #12 to Cornwall and the Black estate, to the Potter Manor gardens, to Teddy's expanding greenhouses at Andromeda Tonks' place, to James' personal greenhouse at the manor.
"I was thinking about the one at Grimmauld Place," answered James, "But they all need a little work."
Iolanthe checked her memories of all the gardens James and Teddy worked in, including Fabio's at Greengrass Manor, and couldn't come up with a single feature that she thought needed work.
"That's the difference between Slytherins and Hufflepuffs, I guess," she thought to herself.
They had just gotten the Granger-Weasley trunks and hand baggage on a trolley and begun loading the Potters' onto a second when Scorpius walked by. He caught Iolanthe's eye, ignored everyone else, and tilted his head slightly in the direction of one of the great brick columns.
"One word?" he asked.
"Sure," Iolanthe answered, following Scorpius.
They put the column between themselves and the group. Scorpius held out his hand. He had palmed a small envelope, the size usually used for childrens' birthday party invitations or thank-you notes. Iolanthe opened the envelope and took out a small piece of parchment which was folded over once. Inside it said, "Talk?" It was signed with a single 'L.'
Iolanthe fought the crush of confusing, contradictory thoughts and counter-thoughts, each trying to exert primacy over the others. She had her instructions, from her father, no less, for how to handle the next contact. The instructions did not fit the circumstances. Scorpius needed an answer.
Iolanthe remembered Hugo's question, and pulled a quill from a pocket and stuck the inky end in her mouth, getting just enough ink liquified to write:
"Lunch. 12. Mon. Brit Museum."
She put the slip of parchment back in the envelope and tucked the flap closed.
"Taking it back to her?" Iolanthe asked.
Scorpius looked at Iolanthe, his face saying he wanted to know what this was all about, but he wasn't sure if he ought to ask.
"Just take it, this once, please," Iolanthe said.
Scorpius kept eye contact, nodded once, and departed, circling the brick column rather than walk back through the Potters and Granger-Weasleys.
"Can we…?" Iolanthe asked Daphne that evening after dinner. They were in the garden with Harry, James, Tracey and Zelda. Iolanthe looked Daphne in the eye, then looked toward the door that opened into the second drawing room, then back.
"Of course," Daphne said.
Iolanthe went in Daphne's study, ahead of Daphne, who closed the door behind them. Daphne already had her wand out. She cast muffliato, finishing with a little wave at the lock.
Iolanthe was still standing. Daphne offered Iolanthe the settee, while she sat down on her desk chair.
"So…?" Daphne said. "What's on your mind?"
"The contact I had to tell Father about asked to talk. I got a note at King's Cross. I had to think fast, and I didn't know what to do, so I wrote back I would meet her for lunch at the British Museum at noon on Monday. That's not what Father told me to do, but we were thinking of Hogwarts, not London," Iolanthe said, the words coming out in a rush.
"That's fine, dear," Daphne said. "Just lunch with a schoolmate. Why the British Museum?"
"It was the only place that came to mind," Iolanthe said. "Hugo asked Hermione about going just before. It must have been stuck up here."
Iolanthe tapped her forefinger against her temple.
"Well, Iolanthe, I think you did just fine," Daphne said. "I'm not the professional around here, but you didn't freeze up. You picked a place that is not exactly on the magical circuit, but there are lots of reasons a witch might visit that museum. Some of those galleries positively reek magic, as I'm sure you've noticed. We'll have to get your father in here for a full briefing, but why don't we socialize a little longer? That way we won't call attention to ourselves. If anyone asks, I'll say we just needed to have a little female conversation. That usually puts an end to the prying."
Iolanthe waited patiently while conversation wound down and people drifted off to bed. It seemed like Harry and Zelda would never run out of quidditch stories, but that was probably a function of Iolanthe's anxious state. Finally, Tracey and Zelda took their leave and headed upstairs.
"Looks like it's just us," Harry said, leaning back in his chair for a nice stretch.
"It is," Iolanthe said. "Now we can talk."
"Oh?" Harry said, hearing something in her voice. "Is out here okay, or is it something requiring a little higher level of security?"
"The latter," Iolanthe said.
Harry looked at her.
"Let's go, then," he said as he stood.
Daphne had come back down from checking on the twins and was sitting in her study reading a journal for healers. She looked up at the sound of Iolanthe's knock.
"Oh," Daphne said. "Should I go someplace else?"
Harry looked at Iolanthe.
"No," Iolanthe said, "It's better if you're both here."
Iolanthe closed the door behind them and waited for Daphne to lock it and cast muffliato.
"Father, my acquaintance, the one we discussed before, stayed away from me since we all talked at Christmas," Iolanthe began. "Today, after we got to London, Scorpius asked to talk to me. He took me around behind the column and he gave me a little envelope. Inside there was a note. It just said, "Talk?—L."
"L—that's my acquaintance. I couldn't do what we agreed because she wasn't there so I couldn't show her the note. The only thing I could think of was to invite her to lunch, at the British Museum, noon on Monday. Scorpius was right there, I didn't have time to think…"
Iolanthe got more agitated with each sentence.
"It's okay, no harm," Harry assured her. He wasn't completely certain that was true, but an upset Iolanthe wouldn't contribute to a solution.
Iolanthe looked like she didn't believe him.
"Really," Harry said, "Don't worry."
"How did you invite her to lunch, if you didn't have her there to ask?"
"I had a quill, with dried ink on it, so I stuck it in my mouth and got it wet enough to make a little ink and I wrote it on the note. I put it back inside and closed the envelope and gave it back to Scorpius. I have to assume he got it back to Lissette."
"Okay," Harry said. He sat still for awhile, organizing his thoughts.
"You don't have any ideas about why she waited until now?" Harry asked.
"No," Iolanthe said. "Maybe she heard something on the train?"
"And she didn't use your system again after she told you about being warned off of Potters by someone?"
"No," Iolanthe said.
Harry sat quietly for a little longer.
"If it is alright with your mother, would you be interested in keeping your lunch date?" Harry asked.
"I guess," Iolanthe said. "I like the museum."
"And, if it's alright with you," Harry said looking at Daphne, "Would you consider taking Iolanthe to the British Museum Monday morning? Around eleven, perhaps? If we need muggle money that gives you an hour to go by Gringott's, then back to the museum, a little touring, and then you buy Iolanthe and any of her chums who might wander by a bit of lunch in one of the cafés. Isn't there one that has pizza?"
"Harry Potter," Daphne said, suddenly very serious. Iolanthe caught the change of tone.
"Ahh…should I," Iolanthe managed to get out, before Harry and Daphne both said, "Stay."
"Where does Lissette live?" Harry asked.
"I don't think I ever heard," Iolanthe said. "Our conversations were on other things."
"So we don't know if she can get away to the Museum, at this point," Harry said. "She may be from a village and never comes to London except to take the Hogwarts Express. She might not know how to find the British Museum. In which case, a mother-daughter outing is just that, no cause for anyone to make anything out of it."
"If she were to show up, presently a big IF," Harry went on, "At some point it will be convenient to show her the little note. No reason for her to say anything compromising out loud. If her answer is affirmative, the professionals will handle it from there."
"Are we leaving something out?" Daphne asked. "Sweetheart, what if she just wants to talk? Like chums do?"
"We aren't really chums," Iolanthe said. "She is three years ahead of me, so we didn't have classes together, or sleep in the same sections in the dormitory. I helped her out with something once, in second year. She was really grateful at the time, but we didn't have any interactions after that, until she asked me to come to the Owlery to talk. That's when she warned me she thought something was up that could hurt the Potters."
"Do you mind telling me her last name?" Harry asked. "Lissette…"
"Lestrange," Iolanthe said. "I asked her when we talked the first time if this had anything to do with the other Lestrange blaming Father for the business failure, but she said it didn't."
Harry looked at Daphne, who looked back. Daphne hadn't done anything with her wand after the muffliato charm, so she was sitting there tapping the tip lightly against her finger, keeping her own counsel.
Harry didn't think Daphne meant to curse him, even by accident. Even so, he chose his next words carefully.
"If anyone meant to do us immediate harm, they had their chance on the platform today," he began. "Your friend could have used your system at any time. She wasn't exposed when she used it before. It is possible she feels like talking to you about something with no official or security significance. A little lunch at a public place could fit her needs just fine."
"She's three years older, so she's seventeen now?" Harry asked.
"Must be, unless her birthday is over the summer," answered Iolanthe.
"She could come by herself, depending on how much her parents let her do on her own," said Harry. "You, on the other hand, really ought to be chaperoned, if your mother…"
"Oh, of course I'll go, Harry Potter," Daphne interrupted. "Thank Merlin that hat let you skate out of Slytherin, I swear by my magic I can't name anything or anyone more cutthroat than you, at least not right now. If Severus Snape had tutored you, you'd be a complete monster."
Iolanthe looked back and forth at them from the settee, sporting a stunned look, speechless.
"She probably just wants to see her friend, now that it is summer break, like you said," Harry said, trying to sound soothing. "And Iolanthe, you already know, but I'll tell you again, no one could do a better job of looking out for your safety and security than your mother, plus, she's a great conversationalist. She might come in handy, if you need to break the ice, or anything."
"Now, I think, once you're sure you've got the muggle funds necessary for an excursion to Muggle London, you might want to get there by eleven on Monday, take in the Anglo-Saxons, that gallery is really something, I always feel the magic in that armor, don't you Daphne? They must have been very close to their witches and wizards," Harry said.
"Then once you're done with them, take the stairs down and look at the Rosetta stone, then you're right at the Grand Court and the café. And then…"
"She either shows up, or she doesn't," Iolanthe finished for him.
"And we can get on with our summer!" Harry said. "The Black Picnic, Scorpius' birthday, we haven't taken the twins to see their Great-Grandmother Davis yet, and I'll bet your Grandfather Greengrass would like to get some use out of that apartment in the Faroes. Not to mention Greengrass Lake, then there's The Mill…"
Daphne looked at Iolanthe, studying her face, trying to feel what Iolanthe was feeling. If she'd been asked, Iolanthe would have said she was feeling like beneath the skin she was a chunk of travertine, swirls going around in spirals of spirals of spirals.
Iolanthe's Saturday and Sunday passed in a blizzard of activity, largely of her own making. She spent two hours dueling automata in Harry's dojo before Saturday breakfast, lost herself in The Odyssey, then helped James in the townhouse garden. James was removing everything that didn't fit his vision for the summer design, turning the soil, and planting seeds he'd asked Teddy to pre-stage at #12 Grimmauld Place. James had drawings of each bed, to which he referred while he described the work he wanted done. Iolanthe had never seen James work with such passion and command. James had never known Iolanthe to pick up tools and work beside him to achieve something together.
On Saturday afternoon, Kendra paid a call on the twins. Iolanthe, Kendra and Daphne sat together upstairs in the master bedroom, rocking babies and talking. Kendra thought it might be a good idea for the Potters to come to Greengrass Manor for a few days' stay, soon, so the babies could start getting familiar with their heritage. Iolanthe waited for her mother to observe that the babies were not capable of taking in that kind of information just yet.
Daphne, however, let the opportunity pass. Instead, after noting the twins had been born at Greengrass Manor, in accordance with their heritage, she asked Kendra for her views on the most propitious well-baby charms, and whether there were any special considerations for twins. She listened carefully, dropping in a, "Thanks, I'll definitely try that," here and there. The subject of possible effects of floo system soot on infants' developing respiratory systems arose almost by accident. Kendra did get a semi-commitment from Daphne to keep exploring means of getting the twins over as soon as she could.
Iolanthe left the room for a few minutes, but just once, and discovered the gist of Kendra's conversation with Daphne, in Iolanthe's absence, around eleven-fifteen on Monday morning. They were going from display case to display case, looking at Anglo-Saxon metalwork, admiring the swords and daggers but getting much more enthused over the armlets and great brooches. Iolanthe had made a mental note to scour the gift shop for picture postcards of her favorite pieces, which she could then present to her father to use in commissioning copies from the goblin craftsmen who had made her mother's engagement and wedding rings.
"There you are," said a familiar voice from behind Iolanthe and Daphne. They turned around from the case they had been examining to see Kendra approaching. "Right where you said you'd be! Oooh, look at the hilt on that dagger. How could they think of sticking anything or anybody with that beautiful object?"
"Grandmother," Iolanthe said, in semi-greeting, "Imagine running into you here. What are the odds of that happening?"
"Happening, as in 'just happening?' Why, I'd say the odds are zero, darling," Kendra said. "But I couldn't stay away. Slytherin witches' lunch date? Turn that down? Never. Now, how's it going?"
"All quiet," Daphne said. "It's early. That breastplate is enchanted."
Daphne waved her hand at a case with armor displayed on a pair of mannequins.
"I can't tell what it is, but I can feel it from here," she added.
Kendra's wand was peeking out of her left sleeve. She adjusted it so the knob at the end was in her palm, then half-closed her hand, moving her forearm slowly in front of the glass.
"It feels like a shield charm," Kendra said. "After all these years! Isn't that something? Someone certainly knew what he or she was doing, I'd say."
She looked at the little information card.
"We need to bring Scorpius. These pieces were around when Merlin was, if they've got their dates right," said Kendra. "Perhaps that is a big if."
Iolanthe found herself walking with Kendra, picking out the artifacts they thought might have a connection with witches, assigning numbers for degree of witchiness the item projected. They came to the end of the gallery and Iolanthe looked for more armor, but a sign caught her eye.
"We'd better go see the Greeks," she said. "Auntie Astoria would insist. Maybe Odysseus will show up."
They followed the arrows and found a gallery with some extraordinary marbles. No one occupied the bench in front of one display so they sat down.
"This," Kendra said, "Is full of magic. Can you feel it? Those soldiers are breathing."
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"They're in their armor, just so there is no question. They are ready to defend their city, to the last man, if need be. Challengers are welcome to take their chances."
Iolanthe held Kendra's arm, leaning her cheek against her grandmother's shoulder.
"Three generations," said an approving female voice. Iolanthe turned toward the sound.
A tall woman in a very deep purple dress was sitting next to her. In her hair she wore a finely-wrought tiara, a very simple one that would not have called attention to itself had she been shopping on a high street somewhere. Iolanthe looked at it closely. She thought it was probably silver underneath, with a gilt overlay. She assessed the purple, the jewelry, and the tall woman's bearing.
"You helped my Auntie Astoria," Iolanthe said. "You took her to the mesa to wait for Scorpius and me, so she could tell us about the curse."
Hera just smiled, and nodded.
"Madame," Iolanthe said, standing up. She curtsied before going on.
"My grandmother, Lady Kendra, and my mother, the Healer, Lady Daphne. Ladies, this is Hera, Father Zeus' wife. She…helped…Auntie, with her passage."
"Very astute, dear, your aunt brags about you almost as much as she does her son. She wasn't lying, I'll attest," said Hera.
"Madame," Kendra choked out, "Forgive me, how is she?"
"Astoria is Astoria," Hera said. "She conquers all, no need to worry about her. Now, for your project today, I won't be interfering, of course, but just remember the three of you have assembled an abundance of power here, with all this Davis-Greengrass-Potter magic, so please be careful. My husband's daughter wants these back."
Hera made an encompassing gesture toward the marbles.
"What daddy's little girl wants, daddy's little girl gets," she said, just a little nastily, clearly a bit miffed that her step-daughter absorbed so much of her father's favor.
"Yes, of course, madame," Iolanthe agreed. "Our respects to your husband and his daughter. Our family is in your debt. I am, personally, as well."
"Oh, no dear, that's not how it works. Your aunt did that. Just tell her thank-you once in awhile, that's all you need to do. Well, nice meeting you all."
Hera stood and took two steps toward the marble frieze and disappeared without fuss, bother, or even a little disapparating 'pop.' All that was left was a faint scent, of cedar, or frankincense.
Iolanthe returned to the bench and sat next to Kendra, whose head was on Daphne's shoulder. Kendra was right, Iolanthe thought. She could feel the magic coming out of those marble fighters.
"Grandmother?" said Iolanthe. It came out as a question.
Kendra stood up and waved her left forearm before her face. Iolanthe saw the little knob peeking out of her sleeve a second time. Kendra's tears dried and the puffiness went out of her face.
"Lovely woman," Kendra said. "If I recall, the Rosetta Stone is on the way to the café."
Kendra led the way out of the gallery with the marbles, oriented herself, and set off to get reacquainted with Ramses.