If it had been due to other circumstances, Remus Lupin would find it comical how similar Sirius Black and Iris Potter. He remembers when Lily found out she was pregnant and announced to them it was twins. Sirius had teased the mother-to-be about corrupting them. He had joked about taking one of the twins under his wing and teaching them all he knew. At that point it had been assumed Sirius would have taught the children how to pull pranks, maybe at the worst a few swear words. "It's bad enough they'll have James influencing them, I don't need you corrupting my children Sirius" Lily had said, but there was no upset in her words. If anything her eyes had twinkled with amusement, laughing and batting Sirius away when he seemed to coo at her stomach where the twins were growing,
"Don't worry, your uncle Padfoot will make you the perfect little partner in crime" Sirius had grinned, winking at Lily who rolled her eyes and walked away.
The less than ideal conditions Sirius and Iris had been living in for the last fourteen years were apparently similar enough that despite Sirius not having been an active part of her life, they had ended up with personalities that coincided far too much. Meaning that by the end of October both were near scratching their eyes out to be released from 12 Grimmauld Place and since they were both in agreement that going out and getting caught might just be better than staying another night without any fresh air, it was lucky Remus had dropped by, so he could talk the pair out of it.
The same pair who were currently pouting on the kitchen table. Iris with her arms cross on the table in front of her, her head resting on her arms whilst Sirius rocked back and forth on his chair. "You'll break your neck doing that" Remus told his friend.
"What sweet relief from life that would offer" Sirius dramatically replied. He went to swing back on his chair again when Iris kicked her foot out and nudge the corner of his chair leg, causing a wobble and the man quickly grabbed hold of the table to steady himself.
"Not that eager to find the light then" Iris scoffed. Sirius merely rolled his eyes at her, but the smirk was evident on his face "You going to lecture us again Remus?" The red head wondered.
Remus sighed, he had come before and given them a talk about how important it was for their safety and the safety of the order for the pair to stay inside. All Iris had taken from that talk the first time round was that 'the walls were full of snitches' as she had referred to the portraits that had tattled back to other order members their plans to go for a walk. "You already know everything I'm going to tell you." The werewolf told his godchild who sighed deeply but nodded. "But I have maybe thought of something for the pair of you to do that could help the order" Remus spoke up and both previously sulking figured in front of him perked up.
"What is it?" Sirius wondered.
"Well, we could use a few more healing potions, maybe some more truth serums. Snape can't supply both the school and here whilst also teaching-" at this Sirius snorted his disgust but Remus choose to ignore him and continue "-and that's something you could teach Iris as well. Potions don't require wand work. I also brought a few magic history books, I'm sure you're more than capable of tackling them now Iris" Remus smiled at his goddaughter who had made impressive strides in her reading skills. he made a note to remind Sirius to work with her on her writing as well.
The next day Sirius and Iris made their way into the barely used study, clearing a desk and setting up a cauldron. Whist they were both certain Remus was only suggesting the order needed potions so they would have something to occupy them and it wasn't actually necessary, they were both still glad to have something to do. "Whats the best part of having magic?" Iris asked curiously when the pair were bottling up their first simple healing potion.
Sirius thought about the question he was being asked for a while. "It used to be the freedom the feeling that with a wave of your wand you can do anything. Now it's having a way to defend the people I want to protect. Not that that did me any good in the past" Sirius finished bitterly.
Nodding, the fifteen year old bit her lower lip anxiously "Do you reckon I woulda been any good at it?" She asked.
Smiling Sirius nodded "I think you would have been sensational" he spoke truthfully. "I hate that your magic has been bound. I hate that I can't undo it, believe me when I say I have been looking. Of all the things Dumbeldore has done, how your life has been is what I question the most" Sirius confessed.
Iris thought about what he said. She couldn't help but feel relief from Sirius's words. She had no obligation or dedication to Albus Dumbledore that everybody else in the room had, and so whenever she even hinted and thinking the man had done wrong by her or anybody else it was shot down with a quick "Dumbledore knows what he's doing, you have to trust him" A statement repeated to her again and again with any context or evidence as to why she should.
Picking up the potions book in front of her in an effort to try and look casual Iris piped up "That's what you question? Not his lack of intervention in your imprisonment? I mean, he held a high place in the wizard law keepers, and all the other suspected death eaters got a trial." Iris queried. Sirius felt his head shoot up and he tried to keep his face neutral but anger slipped by. He gritted his teeth and shut the book he was reading with a hard snap.
People made a habit of assuming Iris was oblivious to things. Particularly when learning of her inability in reading and writing. But she was perhaps more observant than her own good. Years of harm being put on her had made the girl hyper aware of her surroundings and the people inhabiting them. She absorbed information like water to a sponge. Iris knew more than she would ever let on, unless it was to benefit her. "When I was a kid, there was this man, he was perhaps one of the worst men I've ever encountered. He… hurt me, but when I spoke up, I wasn't believed. I was ignored and he continued to hurt me for a few months before I was moved." Iris was careful with how many details of the story she divulged to her brothers godfather who was intently listening. "Point is, I'm well aware that this world is full of injustice. And usually its somebody else that had kept us from getting the justice we deserve. I know who stood in my way, I assumed you did too" Iris coyly finished, eyeing the man who hadn't said a word. She wasn't surprised when moment later Sirius stormed from the room and slammed the door shut behind him, another door slamming from upstairs.
