Remus led Iris Potter into the dining room where several people sat. Most of them young like her, most of them also ginger. "My Merlin" A man spoke, standing up slowly and staring at Iris who was pulling at her sleeves uncomfortably. The man- who had well groomed hair and moustache, wearing a burgundy jacket and black trousers- walked around the table with watering eyes. Almost without thinking he tried to give the girl a hug but she was quick to push him away and take several defensive steps back.
Iris's green eyes were narrowed defensively as she took in every face. There was Remus, then the man who tried to hug her and the final adult in the room was a plump woman with frizzy ginger hair smiling at her in a motherly way. The others around the table included a set of ginger twins who appeared older than her, a younger looking ginger haired girl and then one final red head- a boy around the same age as her sat next to a brunette girl who was flicking through a book.
"Come have a seat dear. I suspect you must be tired. I'll admit, we weren't expecting you yet. Dumbledore said it would take weeks to find you, and of course then you would have to be informed of everything. This must all be strange to you. Oh look how skinny you are. Dinner won't be for a while but I'll make some sandwiches. What do you like? Ham? Jam? Honey? Egg?" The woman rattled on.
"I'm not hungry" She managed to lie, still suspicious. "Who are you people? How did we get here? I was on the other side of London? What was that light thing?" Iris demanded. "And how the fuck is that book moving?" She added with wide eyes when catching a picture inside of the brunettes book walking around the page.
An hour later (after the other teenagers had been sent to their rooms much to their dismay) Iris sat in a chair, her backpack hugged to her chest. She was in shock. "You're fucking with me." She finally decided. "You have to be. Magic? Evil wizards? A mass murdered out to get me? Oh and lets not forget the fact I apparently have a twin who was sent to live with family whilst I was sent to rot in an orphanage" she finished sarcastically.
"It's true Iris. We don't know why Dumbledore did what he did but we must trust him. He thought he was keeping you safe. I'm certain he wouldn't have intentionally put you in any harm" Remus spoke calmly.
"Sounded more like he didn't give a damn" Iris spat back. She wasn't really angry. More just frustrated. These people were being calm with her though and Iris didn't know if that was making it better or worse.
"I know it's can be hard to comprehend-" Mrs Weasley tried.
"Hard to comprehend? You just told me I wasn't in fact abandoned by my parents but they were killed? That I'm a witch but I don't have any powers because some guy you all apparently idolise decided to bind them for reasons you're not telling me. And the kicker, I have to stay here now because people are out to kill me because I'm apparently related to some kid that managed to stop said mass murdered fourteen years ago! Despite the fact we were both only a year old might I add! And I'm suppose to trust you? I don't even know you! You told me your names, you told me you were friends with my parents and that you're my godfather. Well news flash, I didn't even know my parents! I've managed to survive fourteen years on my own, I can survive a few more thanks very much" By the end of her speech Iris was gasping for breath. She was stood on her feet and preparing to march straight out of house when ten words cut through the tension she had built and stopped her in her tracks.
"Everybody you've ever cared about will be killed as well." Sirius spoke, eyes boring into the back of her head, knowing he'd caught her attention. "The moment you leave these walls they'll be watching you. And maybe they can't get you, maybe you can protect yourself. But everybody you come in contact with. Anyone you express any remote interest to. Anybody you even smile at from across the street. They'll be killed. All to get to you. You might not trust us, but I'm willing to bet you're more likely to risk your safety and stay here than the safety of anybody else out there."
The fifteen year old felt her eyes water again for what felt like the hundredth time that day. She sunk into the nearest chair, slamming her backpack onto the table and took out a cigarette, striking a match against the wood of the table. She ignored the expression of disdain on Mrs Weasleys face. "How'd you figure that?" Iris finally asks, blowing out the smoke she had inhaled whilst doing so.
"Because you're James and Lily's daughter" Sirius shrugged simply, watching the girls green eyes narrow before she sighed.
"I wish I knew what that meant"