The only time anyone ever talks about a place feeling alive is if it's haunted - it breathes, it sleeps, it feeds. Unlike the unlucky ones, Hogwarts felt very much alive, but it was with somber sighs and melancholy words of departure for Albus Dumbledore. Some students left before the ceremony, but for the many who stayed behind to pay their respects banded together, breathing life back into the castle they call home, if only out of respect for the man who made it so.

Aster and Io sat towards the front beside their uncle who remained stern as always as he looked upon the stone table where his friend and mentor of many years lay still and cold. The gold chairs arranged in front of the Black Lake gleamed in the sun's rays, casting a glow across the grounds. The haunting cries of the Merpeople echoed through the trees. There were many people in attendance, though the girls felt no need to wonder who they were. Albus Dumbledore, after all, was a friend to many and respected by thousands.

The bittersweet cries of a phoenix sent shivers down Io's spine, feeling the blue void of sadness and loss seeping into her skin. She held her sister's hand throughout it all, both of them knowing that while the songs and the tears were for the man before them, it also meant the end of the long journey that began for them so many months ago on a bumpy train ride through Scotland. Never once did they ever think this would be how everything would end.

Then again, this was just the beginning.

When the funeral processions had come to a close, friends met friends, strangers met strangers. The proud, warm glow of unity washed over the crowd, now more than ever willing to push through the sadness and meet someone new if only to provide a shoulder to cry on. When Altair joined the other members of the Order, Aster and Io walked to the edge of the lake to take in the beautiful sight that graced their memories.

"I never realized how beautiful it is here." Aster wanted to smile, but the weight on her conscience was too heavy. "To think I walked here every morning, but only now I really see how wonderful this place is."

"Do you miss Ilvermorny at all?" Io sighed.

"Actually, no."

"Neither do I."

Neither of the twins dwelled on the first thoughts they had on that train to Hogwarts. Back then, their minds were blank, a clear slate only focused on one thing, and from the moment they walked through the doors to the Great Hall, it seemed as if everything snowballed forward and down until it was a great avalanche crashing into the town below. All those months ago when Uncle Altair came to them about the young Seer in his class, they never expected anything like this. So many emotions, so many thoughts, but no doubts at all that this is where they were meant to be. Ilvermorny had helped them grow, but Hogwarts was where they came into their own - two young women ready to fight until the end for the ones they loved.

It was here that Aster discovered herself in all the questions and curiosities shared between friends, and it was here that Io, despite all the faces she'd turned away in the past, learned that there was a magic in love that ultimately no one could really understand.

As the twins held hands, solemnly standing at the water's edge, Io let the foreboding cloud of fear melt away and into the atmosphere if only for a moment of peace.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were standing a few feet away, talking amongst themselves. When Ron was called away by his sister, the twins nodded to each other and walked over, joining the two friends who greeted them with soft smiles.

"Hey," Aster put a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Can we talk?"

Hermione nodded and followed after her to the edge of the forest where no one could hear them. "Are you alright? I mean… your arm."

Aster stroked the gauze before shrugging. "Cuts heal. And you?"

"Healed. For the most part."

"I wanted to give you something," Aster reached into her pocket and pulled out one of the red notebooks.

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed, taking the leatherbound book and turning it over.

"It's empty. Just a notebook." Aster took out the second one. "I have one, too. It's… I used that charm you put on the galleons. In case you wanted to write to me."

The expression on Hermione's face was a mix between confusion and curiosity. Before she could give her thanks, Aster continued to explain.

"You don't have to say anything," she started. "But I know you're leaving."

"But how -"

"- it's complicated."

"Can you," Hermione let out a frustrated breath. "Can you try to explain?"

"I can't." Aster shook her head. "But you always knew Io and I didn't come to Hogwarts by chance."

"I can't say I haven't had my suspicions."

"And I don't doubt that at least a few of those suspicions are correct, as always," she chuckled. "All you need to know is that I will be here to watch over everyone. Harry did a wonderful job teaching them how to defend themselves - let me take over from here. I won't let them down. I'll do everything I can to make sure it will be a fair fight."

After a few seconds, Hermione nodded, seeing the sincerity in Aster's eyes. "I believe you."

Aster ran her fingers through her hair, shielding the shyness on her cheeks from the crowd. "I know we haven't spent that much time together since that day before Christmas. I think I've been avoiding you, and I'm sorry about that. I spend a lot of time in my head, and I guess I didn't know how to look at you as a friend. I'll be here, and you'll be with Harry and Ron. This is just in case you wanted to talk about anything you feel like you can't talk about with them."

Hermione opened and shut her mouth a couple of times, still unsure what to say. "Aster, this is… Thank you."

Aster thought back to what Io said in the Room of Requirement. Even if she couldn't put her feelings into words, she could at least say what she did know to be true. Between that and how Blaise more or less validated those emotions, she was able to find one way to say everything she'd held in all this time.

"I care about you, Hermione." Aster looked at her shoes then back. "I'm not very good at showing it. It's always been me and my sister, and I'm trying to be a bit more like her, the way she doesn't hesitate to tell the few she cares for that she's always there for them."

"Aster," Hermione shut the book. "I -"

"- I hope you know that I value you and our friendship, whatever it is."

The two girls stood, one avoiding eye contact and the other staring.

"Just promise me you'll -"

Aster was abruptly cut off.

Much like that day after one of Slughorn's dinner parties, Hermione lunged forward, throwing her arms around Aster's neck. The very last thing either of them ever expected was for Hermione Granger to kiss her first.

In the theater of her mind, Aster always imagined being the one to make the first move. Maybe if she hadn't been so foolishly hesitant, she would've tried before Christmas. Or maybe she would've found another excuse to run off to Hogsmeade. However, any time her daydreams got to that point, she'd retreat, scared of whatever would happen to the fragile friendship.

Hermione tasted like cinnamon, but she smelled like rose water stained parchment. Her lips were soft and gentle, careful and aware of every next minute move of her muscles. There were no wandering hands or complicated thoughts, just the two of them blissfully unaware of anyone who'd see.

Aster held onto Hermione's waist, keeping her steady, and when they pulled away from each other, they were both blushing.

"Write to me." Hermione was breathless, but she still managed to smile in between the stutters. "I'll write to you. I promise."

At the water's edge, Harry and Io looked over to the small moment of intimacy. Harry smirked, despite his somber mood.

"I can't say I ever saw that coming."

Io just smiled, silently cheering her sister on. "I did. I'm happy it finally happened though I wish they had better timing."

Harry turned to the water, quietly staring onward. They stood in silence, not knowing how to talk about yesterday or the day before that. Even though their friendship had been restored, they knew it would never be the same. Too much had happened, and even though this all started with a bittersweet conversation about their families, now they had a shared experience, seeing Dumbledore die.

"Harry," Io took his hand in hers. "Promise me you'll be careful."

He turned to her, curiously looking at their joined hands.

"I know… About the horcruxes."

"How… Dumbledore told you?"

She nodded.

Harry accepted this nonverbal gesture as he would anything else. After the Astronomy Tower, he couldn't have expected otherwise. Io was, after all, aware of so much more than he would ever know.

"We're leaving at the end of summer." He explained. "I don't even know where to start."

"Everything will be fine, Harry."

"I'm not so sure."

Io pulled Harry towards her, embracing him softly. He sighed into her shoulder, suddenly feeling the overwhelming urge to ask for help, though his pride would never allow him to.

Without pulling away, she spoke into his ear. "You have friends here, Harry. I hope you know that I'm always on your side. Until the end. No matter what happens, promise me you'll remember that."

He tightened his grip around her, feeling her warmth in his chest.

"Are you scared?"

The question was so soft, but it was the only thought to shake him. "I'm terrified."

When they turned to face each other again, Io straightened his jacket and sighed. "I never expected us to be friends, you know."

Harry smirked. "Neither did I. So we'll see you this summer for the wedding?"

"Aster and Uncle will be there."

"But not you?"

"Harry," Io hesitated. "You won't be hearing from me after today, at least not for a while. I can't explain much more than this."

"Are you going back to Ilvermorny?"

"No. There's just… something I need to do."

Io gave Harry's hand one last squeeze before Aster and Hermione joined them once more. The two girls were still flushed in the cheeks, not wanting to explain anything though Harry and Io already knew. Aster pulled her sister away, following the crowd as everyone made their way back into the castle.

Altair approached the girls, taking them both in his arms. He kissed the tops of their heads one after the other. "Let's go home."


The small Visage family sat around the dinner table back in London. The brownstone didn't look much different than what they saw in their father's memory, but the sight of it reminded the twins that the last time they'd been in this house was the very last time their father ever got to hold them. The sour memory lingered in the walls.

Io was quiet, pushing bits of food around her plate until everything was neatly separated.

Aster watched her, wishing that they could have a warm meal without the fear of the future distracting them. She cleared her throat. "Uncle."

Altair looked up at her. "Yes?"

"Could you tell us about them again?"

Their uncle put down his silverware and looked around the small dining room. Though the lights were dim, he could still see the ghosts of his little brother sitting right across from him.

"Girls," he started. "I hope you know that no matter the consequences of that day and what you learned, the stories I used to tell you about your mother and father will never change. Ion was an amazing man. He was… smart. Kind. He was everything our parents wanted him to be, and everything I wish I was. I never told him that.

"The day he told me about Aeris was the day I felt the world shift beneath my feet. I no longer worried about him because she was there. She was fierce, protective. She was the brightest light, and she kept him grounded. And I see them both every time I look at you girls. Had things been different, those two would have died on the same day, determined to love each other until their last breaths."

Io slammed her fork down on the table. Her head hung down as heavy tears rolled down her cheeks and onto her plate.

Aster hurried over to her and held her close.

Io couldn't stop crying. She didn't want to admit that she was content never knowing about their parents because the weight of knowing the truth was crushing her chest. She sobbed, and eventually it turned into wails.

Altair held her hand while Aster cradled her face, slowly stroking her hair.

When Io started to tremble, Altair picked her up and brought her to the couch, laying her down. Aster brought a blanket over, wrapping it around their shoulders.

Once Altair lit the fire, he came back to the twins with two mugs of warm cocoa. Aster lifted the treat to Io's face, and she accepted it if only to feel the warmth on her fingertips.

Altair sat beside them. "Do you hate me for what I've done?"

Io was calm now though her head was pulsing. She took deep breaths. "I couldn't hate you, Uncle."

Aster nodded. "I'm sorry, Uncle. For the way I reacted when we found out."

"There's no need for any apologies. I thought I was doing the right thing, hiding that secret from you both. I thought I was doing what my brother wanted, but maybe it would have been better to -"

"There was no other way to tell us." Io stopped him. "Dumbledore was right. If we'd known earlier, it would have changed everything."

"Papa didn't really believe in blood purity, did he?" Aster asked quietly.

"Of course not," Altair said firmly. "What is blood but a part of life? It has nothing to do with who we are, who we become. It is but a small detail of our existence, and it does not compare to the value of the soul. Don't let the purity of the Visage line fool you. There are so many in our lineage who either married a muggle-born or even married a muggle. It's in our nature - we love who calls us, and you can't control who calls you. I'm sure you know that by now."

"What do you think they'd say," Io looked at him. "About me and Draco?"

Altair took the mug away from her, placing it on the table. He held her hand, stroking her skin softly with his thumb.

"They'd tell you to ignore it all - all of it. His parents and their pride. The Dark Lord and his threats. Everything. They'd tell you that none of it matters. Love him with everything you've got. But mostly, they'd say that they're proud of you and to love him fiercely if nothing else."


Author's Note:

Hi everyone, we're finally at the midpoint to Serpent On Fire! Thank you to the readers who've been along for the ride thus far. Io and Aster are two parts of me, and I hold these characters very close to my heart. I'm very proud of where this is going as it's my first story in a very long time. I initially considered separating the two parts, but I think I'll keep the rest of it going here. I'm about to leave for a week, so there won't be another update until then. Please leave any thoughts you may have - I'd love to read your views! Until then xx