(Coeus Black - PoV)
We stand there, unmoving for a time, while I focus on my breathing, Phoebe's arms wrapped around me reassuringly.
Slowly settling down.
Eventually, she releases me and starts tugging on my shirt. Obligingly, I lift my arms.
After removing it, Phoebe proceeds to help me dress properly. Just like she used to, back before I began to pick up more of an interest in clothes.
Stupid.
It's so stupid.
Retrieving the robes from where I threw them, she smooths them out before helping me don them once more. Properly this time.
Fortunately, they don't seem to have gotten too wrinkled. They aren't pristine, but that's fine. We don't care about pristine, not for visiting him.
I sigh as Phoebe straightens everything out.
She was just right there, in the next room. We do that all the time. It's never been a problem, why is it a problem now?
The memory of Mother's life fading away, almost as if it was being sucked out of her body by the darkness, once more comes forth unbidden.
Damnit.
I close my eyes, trying to banish the image. That damned image. The one that we would never trade for all the spells in the world, but hate more than the Dursleys.
All it does is make me see Phoebe there instead. Makes me wonder if she is going to just fade away the moment she is out of sight. Get sucked away into nothing by the void. Just like Mother...
I shake my head, and Phoebe hugs me again.
"It's fine," she says. "Nothing's going to happen," she assures me.
I know that.
As I said, it's stupid.
This whole thing.
Not a bit of logic.
Ugh, I should have known this would happen.
I chuckle a bit
Phoebe gives me a look.
"I should have known better," I say. "This is what I get for listening to a deranged homeless man."
She rolls her eyes but chuckles as well.
Iris chooses that moment to join us.
"Oh, hey! Is everything ok then? I was worried when Phoebe left..."
I smile at her, even if I am not really feeling it.
"All better now," I tell her.
If you say it often enough, it becomes true, right? Like an incantation.
Considering Phoebe smacks me upside the head, I am not sure she agrees.
"He's lying. But he is at least a little better. Keep him company while I get dressed?"
"Um, ok?" Iris walks over and stands next to me awkwardly while Phoebe starts changing.
I keep my eyes on Phoebe.
"You have no idea what to do now, do you?" I ask Iris.
"N-well, I have one idea, I guess?"
"Wait, really?"
I turn to look at her.
"Yeah. The Phoebe special."
"The wha-"
She hits me.
...
I should have seen that coming.
"Why are all the girls in my life so violent towards me? Phoebe, Dora, Daphne, now even you are getting in on it." I complain.
Iris smiles at me.
"Hmm, wait, no. Draco is just whiny, not violent," I correct, causing Iris to burst out laughing.
"What, something I said?" I ask, acting confused
"When her father hears about this!" Phoebe speaks up from over by the mirror, "she will remember that we are the Blacks, and don't care. Then will get all sullen and even whinier."
I laugh while Iris cocks her head.
"Draco's a daddy's boy, he used to run to him over every little thing. He's gotten better, but it used to be just embarrassing to watch."
I can see where Iris's mind is going, and shake my head.
"No, I know how often we go to Grandfather to get stuff done. Trust me, Draco was so much worse. I swear he couldn't put on his shoes without running to Lucius."
Iris hesitates but nods after a moment of consideration.
"I...can probably see that," she admits.
Phoebe sneaks up behind her with a surprise hug.
*Eep*
"Of course you can, you've met him," Phoebe says, resting her chin on Iris's shoulder.
"He's not too bad now. We are friends, even if we make fun of him a lot. That's what friends do though." I reassure her.
"If you say so..." she mutters before looking around at everyone. Or trying to, given Phoebe is behind her.
"So, uh, are we ready?"
I share a look with Phoebe and shrug.
"I guess so? Sure you don't want to wait longer and see if we can't give Sirius an aneurysm?"
Iris rolls her eyes.
"Pretty sure it doesn't work that way. Anyhow, let's do this! I have a were to get answers out of. Maybe we should bring silver?"
She shrugs Phoebe off and lightly pushes past me, heading out the door.
I stare after her.
Silver, eh?
Rummaging in my money pouch, I pull out a handful of Sickles. Passing a few to Phoebe, the rest go in my pockets.
Let's see, we have the jewelry...Oh!
I pull out my trunk and dig around in the potions compartment a bit. Not the healing compartment, the one for making potions.
Here we are, silver knives!
I grab four before putting away the trunk.
Passing one to Phoebe, we finally follow after our wayward Iris.
(Iris Potter - PoV)
Standing by the fireplace, I cross my arms and begin to tap my feet impatiently.
Seriously, they were right behind me! What could Coeus have possibly gotten into this time?
Grimacing, I stop tapping and look away.
He's only agreeing to this for me in the first place, I can hardly complain that he is dragging it out as long as possible.
Maybe we should just cancel the whole thing? I can always just send an owl, Hedwig wouldn't m-
"Ok, sorry about that."
The twins enter the room, walking briskly. Phoebe looks rather amused about something?
"You mentioned wanting some silver, so I figured I would oblige. Here you go!" Coeus says.
He sticks out his hand, offering me a silver potions knife, handle first.
What?
He smiles.
"Go on, take it, I've got more. You said you wanted silver, right? If Remus gets uncooperative, bam! We have the answer. I've got some Sickles too if you want, and our jewelry is all silver."
Really Coeus? I'm not going to torture Remus for answers!
...
But I take the knife.
...What? You never know when you might need a good knife.
Like when some random homeless man breaks your best friend's mind and leaves him comatose for a day or two.
...
"You know we aren't planning to torture him, right? He was one of my dad's best friends."
Going to! I meant we aren't going to torture him!
I try to correct myself, but Coeus speaks first.
"Of course not, it's never a first resort. But it is always good to have options."
I mean, I guess that's true.
"Besides, actually doing something like that is really dangerous, it is mostly just for the threat."
Ok. Ok, that makes a lot more sense.
I swear I can feel my blood pressure lower.
Right, we need to get out of here before Coeus does anything else.
"Ok, let's just...go."
Turning, I grab the Floo powder.
"Grimmauld Place!" I shout before Coeus can object, stepping into the flames.
(Coeus Black - PoV)
Following Iris into the flames, we find ourselves in a dingy dump.
My wand is in my hand in an instant as I move towards Iris, thinking that we somehow got the wrong house, though Sirius's presence quickly dispels that assumption.
I notice he and Remus awkwardly standing in front of a pair of (ugh) red and gold armchairs, appearing uncertain of how to greet us.
I glance around as Phoebe arrives.
There have certainly been some efforts to clean the place up. Cleaning, curtains, furniture and such, but the...rot? Stains? Have gone deep into the wood, and the condition of everything not brand new is obviously poor.
I am surprised Grandfather let the place fall into such an awful state...I will have to ask him about it.
Our two groups stare at each other awkwardly for a few moments.
"No hugs, scarecrow," I eventually say, referencing our first meeting.
It gets a half-smile and a nod from the man, who, despite my comment, looks a bit better than he did then, and has filled out notably.
"That's fair," he admits. "Though did you all really have to," he gestures at us, "you know. With the clothes?" he asks.
I nod.
"Yes."
He deflates, and Remus chuckles at his expense.
"Fine," Sirius says, pouting. "But I got to pick the furniture here, so hah!"
He smirks before dropping back into his own chair, kicking his feet up on the table in front of him.
Remus gives us an apologetic look.
I carefully examine the other furniture, all of which shares the Gryffindor theme, before returning my gaze towards Sirius.
"You appear to have forgotten something rather important, old man."
"Old? Old!?"
Remus punches him in the arm.
"Ow! Damnit, fine. What? What did I forget this time? I will have you know I still remember Olivia C-"
Remus hits him again, much harder this time.
I shake my head as he winces. I don't know what he was going to say, but I get the feeling he deserved that.
"What you seem to have forgotten, is that we are wizards."
I focus on a good-sized couch.
"Colovaria"
The entire couch shifts to dark green, with a few bits of silver here and there.
I smirk while the two men stare at me.
Unfortunately, I am not good enough to consistently do detail work yet, but from what I've read? The fact I can get any differences in color with one spell is really impressive for a First Year, much less pre-Hogwarts.
Phoebe repeats the spell, adding the finishing touches, leaving us with a Slytherin couch in the Gryffindor den.
We take our seats.
"Much better," I say. "We had to add at least a little bit of class to the place."
Remus snorts, while Sirius throws himself back in his seat.
"Betrayed," he moans dramatically. "Betrayed, by my own blood."
Remus nudges him, before indicating the platter on the table.
"Sorry about him, he's like this. We, uh, have tea and snacks? I made the tea, but the biscuits are store-bought. Neither of us can bake, I am afraid."
"And I wouldn't trust Kreacher not to try to poison them," Sirius adds darkly.
I blink.
"What?"
Remus sighs.
Sirius proceeds to go on a rant about his bigoted old, crazy house elf.
I stare at the bloody idiot.
"Sirius, you are an idiot," I tell him.
He blinks.
"I...what?"
I sigh.
"Kreacher!" I call.
The oldest, dirtiest, ugliest house elf I have ever seen pops up next to the couch, glaring around the room.
"What's this? Who is calling for Kreacher? More blood traitors no doubt..." it mutters.
"Enough of that," I order with authority. I am the heir of House Black, and I expect better of one of its elves."
Kreacher blinks for a moment, before straightening slightly, his eyes focusing on me.
"Sorry, master. Ever so sorry. Kreacher has been alone for so long...Kreacher didn't know Master Regulus had little ones?"
Oddly, the elf continues his muttering, quite loudly.
"Impossible, Kreacher would have known. They can't be. And Master Regulus never spent time with any women. He much preferred to-"
I laugh, interrupting the elf's muttering.
"No, no, sorry. Unfortunately, the idiot over there, Sirius, was Phoebe and I's sperm donor."
"Sperm donor!?" Sirius objects in the background before being hushed by Remus.
I can see Kreacher becoming more hostile but continue on. I can hardly blame him for hating Sirius, seems to be a lot of that going around.
"As much of a failure as he has been, Grandfather determined that we, at least, were proper heirs."
Kreacher pauses, considering.
"Your mother?" he asks.
"Lilian Moon," I answer. "A good, pureblood witch. Far too good for that asshole."
Sirius briefly complains again.
Kreacher nods. Slowly, he stands to his full height, before performing a proper bow. Just for a moment, before returning to his hunched posture, if not quite so bad as before.
I can feel the magic connect as he accepts the bond.
I could have commanded him before, of course, as he was bound to the family. But there is a great difference between a loose, half unwilling, general family bond and a fully accepted bond with a family member.
"Excellent. Now, I can understand things going downhill if you have been alone for so long with no one to serve, but the Black family is back in business. And while I know you don't like him, Sirius is family, ish, so for now, at least tolerate him while you clean things up? It's what the rest of us do."
Glancing over at the man in question, Kreacher grumbles a bit but nods before popping away.
I turn back towards Sirius and lean back on the couch, a smug grin on my face.
"Told you you were an idiot."
Remus covers Sirius's mouth before he can respond.
"I am sure he appreciates your help. He has had a lot of trouble with Kreacher since he moved in, and with trying to get the place livable again. This should be a huge help, and I am sure he appreciates it." He looks at Sirius. "Right Sirius?" He removes his hand.
Sirius crosses his arms and grumbles incoherently for a few moments, before sighing.
"Alright, yes. If he actually decides to help out instead of sabotaging everything...that will be great."
He looks me in the eyes.
"Thank you."
I nod.
Remus smiles.
I want to throw silver at him.
Stupid nice werewolf.
Phoebe...
Phoebe elbows Iris for me. She looks over at us for a moment.
Don't look at us like that, this is supposed to be your show girl!
"Oh! Uh..."
She fidgets somewhat, with everyone looking at her.
Yeah, kinda hard to think on the spot like this, I get it. But it's either this or we pull out the knives, your choice.
I admit, I am kinda partial to the knives myself. Look at Remus, sitting there being all...nice. Helping everyone get along. Bastard.
"I guess I wanted to ask about my parents?" Iris says.
Remus's smile widens, even as he gets a sad look in his eyes, Sirius's eyes light up as he sits up in his seat, looking eager.
"It's, uh, actually the main reason we came? Coeus and Phoebe weren't, uh, exactly eager otherwise."
Remus's smile fades, and Sirius flinches.
Damn, good job Iris.
She verbally lifted him up off the floor and then punched him back down. I am impressed.
"That's, not unreasonable," Remus says. "What did you want to know?" he asks her. "Though do keep in mind that while we certainly knew Lily, especially later on, when she got older, we knew James a lot better."
I listen, but I am not going to lie, I only half pay attention.
I will never deny Iris whatever connection she can get with those people, not when they gave their very lives to protect her. That would be outright scummy.
But I can't say that I overly care about them.
No, I will try to pay enough attention to be polite but, well, they are dead strangers. Pretty meaningless to me.
...
"Bounced the quaffle right off his ass and through the hoop! I nearly fell out of my seat I was laughing so hard," Sirius says, laughing and slapping his knee.
Even I smile at that one.
It seems that James was a hell of a flyer, and played Quidditch for Gryffindor. I suspect Iris got his talent.
Sirius looks at her.
"Merlin, I hope you have half his talent on a broom," he mutters.
"I suspect she has a lot more than half," I interrupt. "We only flew once, but she was at least as good as me, if not better, despite it being literally her first time ever on a broom." I sigh. "I broke my arm, and my broom, for that matter, trying to compete with her."
Iris grimaces at the reminder. I do as well, just a bit, at what could have gone wrong, but she has healed up enough now that it is not really a concern. She has finished her special potions and everything.
I squeeze Phoebe's hand to banish a certain memory that attempts to resurface.
Sirius smiles, then frowns.
"Damn shame you haven't gotten to fly more, you won't get much chance at Hogwarts as first years, stupid no brooms rule. You have flying class, but it is dreadfully boring."
"Not for everyone," Remus responds mildly. "But yes, for anyone with natural talent or experience the class will prove...underwhelming."
Sirius rubs his chin.
"You know, I suppose we could sneak you out to Hogsmead every now and then..."
Remus sighs.
"Rather extreme, for a bit of broomstick flying."
"It's not just for flying!" Sirius defends. "Think of it as a family outing!"
He looks at us.
"What do you think?" He asks.
We look at each other.
More time with Sirius...eh. Not exactly enthused.
But getting the chance to go flying? For real? And with someone with both a lot of experience and a complete disregard for the rules?
Also...
"You know ways to sneak in and out of the school?" I ask.
The smuggest smirk I have seen yet slowly spreads over Sirius's face, and a sly grin appears even on Remus's face as well, a very odd look for the man.
The two look at each other.
"Do we know any ways to sneak out of the school, they ask?" Sirius says, scoffing.
They look back at us.
"Kids, do you have any idea who you are talking to?"
"A homeless man and an ex-con?"
That takes the wind out of their sails.
"You...you just had to ruin this for us, didn't you?" Sirius asks.
I nod.
"Fine. Just try to ruin this then!"
Sirius stands up.
"You can turn into a dog," Phoebe says.
Sirius freezes in place.
Wow, bloody really? This really is a kennel. How lame.
"You and your friends called yourselves the Marauders. You liked to play pranks, and made a magical map called the Marauders Map, which is actually really impressive I admit."
Sirius and Remus stare at her in shock.
Phoebe smiles.
"Did you two really forget she is a Seer?" I ask.
Remus clears his throat.
"I, uh, yes. That may have been forgotten."
Sirius remains standing, seemingly unable to decide if he should still transform or not.
Phoebe shares an image with me.
Oh, Merlin, why!?
"Kreacher!" I call
*Pop*
"Master calls?"
"Kreacher, if you ever catch him turning into a dog and licking himself, dump him in a flea bath. A strong one."
Sirius's eyes widen as Kreacher's light up in joy, and the old elf actually smiles for perhaps the first time in a decade.
"Understood master!"
*Pop*
"That was entirely unnecessary," Sirius claims.
"It really wasn't," even Remus disagrees.
"How does that topic even come up?!" Sirius asks.
"I don't have complete control over what I See," Phoebe says, staring Sirius in the eye. "And I've Seen a lot of things."
He sits down and shuts up, refusing to look at her.
Remus looks properly horrified as well.
Yeah, the Sight is not always fun and games, asshole.
"So," Iris begins, "What did all of that have to do with sneaking out?" she asks.
"Oh, we used to explore the whole castle," Remus explains, eagerly latching onto a new topic.
"As far as I am aware, we found the greatest collection of secret passages since the school's founders, including at least seven leading outside the school. We recorded all the secrets on the map, along with a variety of other functions, but of course we remember most of them."
"So, if you lot want to go flying, or just visit Honeydukes or something, we got your backs," Sirius pounds his chest proudly and smiles, though he still looks anywhere but at Phoebe.
Not going to lie, it sounds like a good deal. At the bare minimum, we can find out where the passages are, then use them ourselves later.
We look at each other, exchange nods, then look back at the "Marauders."
"Alright, I suppose we can try it," I say.
The way Sirius genuinely lights up, in his smile, his posture, and his eyes, everything, the moment we agree, makes me feel...
...
I don't like it.
Stupid bastard, making me feel guilty...
Why can't you just be a cunt so that I can have Kreacher drown you in the tub or something?
Remus sighs.
"We will owl you after school starts, I suppose?"
Sirius nods absently, rubbing his hands together, clearly already plotting.
I nod as well.
Remus hesitates.
"Would it be alright if we accompany you to the train, as well?"
That gets Sirius's full attention. He stops faffing about, focusing on us once more.
I...don't know. I look over at Iris.
She shrugs. She doesn't really desire it but has no objection. Down to Phoebe and I then.
On the one hand, it's him.
On the other hand, it clearly means a lot to him. It would probably make a bit of a scene for a lot of people too, which could be amusing.
Also, I suspect it would make Andy and maybe Dora happy.
I look at Phoebe. Yup, that settles it.
"Fine," we say together before I continue.
"I would say behave, but..."
I shrug.
"Honestly, I don't really care if you do or not? Just don't do anything to hurt Dora, or we will kill you."
I look at Remus. "Either of you. We brought silver for a reason."
The enthusiastic smiles at our agreement rapidly fade.
"Silver?" Remus asks.
I pull out one of the knives.
Remus eyes it before shaking his head.
"You haven't looked up weres in detail, have you? At least not any of the older, real books?"
I cock my head to the side.
"Regular silver, like a potions knife, will generally only burn a were on contact if they are transformed. Only blessed or specifically enchanted silver can burn us outside of it. Silver, or silvered weapons, will bypass our enhanced durability in either form, but, well, you aren't going to get far in melee against a were with a potions knife."
I frown, looking down at my knife.
Testing his claim, I reach into my pocket, pull out a Sickle, and throw it at him.
He catches it with no difficulty.
Holding it up before everyone, he sighs once more.
"This, uh, is actually an even worse example. Gringotts coins are specifically enchanted so that anyone may handle them without harm. They even avoid transferring poisons and diseases. I could actually hold this even while transformed."
"We have plenty of real silverware. You can have Kreacher fetch some?" Sirius suggests.
"Kreacher."
*Pop*
"Master?"
"Find some piece of silverware, or a cup, anything. Real silver. Give it to the werewolf." I gesture to Remus.
Kreacher stares at me for a moment, starting to tear up.
"M-master, master really is the proper heir!"
*Pop*
Sirius rubs his brow.
"Of course the little bastard loves that idea..."
Moments later, Kreacher reappears, shoving a silver goblet into Remus's hand.
We all watch, Kreacher with enthusiasm, which slowly fades into disappointment and confusion as nothing happens.
He looks over at me.
"Master...master, Kreacher is sorry! Kreacher swears, Kreacher swears it is real silver!" he pleads. "It should be working!"
"As I said," Remus says, placing the goblet down on the table. "Despite many people's expectations, it has to be blessed or enchanted to affect us most of the time."
He frowns.
"Generally, at least. Large amounts can get uncomfortable, but again, that is mainly true for when transformed."
Kreacher frowns as well before looking back at me.
I nod.
"You did well, Kreacher, we were only confirming his words. Don't worry, I can still stab him if he annoys me." I show him the knife.
The elf smiles at me before grinning nastily at Remus, making stabbing motions at him, and popping away once more.
"Do you have to encourage him?" Sirius asks.
I cock my head.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm pretty sure he was being serious," Remus tells him.
"Of course I was. That's what the knives are for," I explain.
"Knives? Plural?" Remus asks.
Oh, he noticed that.
I very intentionally keep my eyes focused on him, but he notices Iris fidgeting.
We need to work on her poker face.
She reluctantly pulls out her knife as well.
Really need to work on her poker face.
Phoebe happily shows hers off.
"What the fuck? Did you lot come here to stab Remus to death or something?" Sirius asks, staring at us.
"Of course not!" "Well, that depended on how he answered." Iris and I answer at the same time.
We look at each other.
"I'll let you handle this one," I say.
Iris sighs.
"When we were leaving, I said something about wanting to get answers out of Remus, and how maybe I should bring some silver. I didn't mean anything by it!" she insists. "I didn't really think about it at all, but Coeus is, well, Coeus. He took it seriously. He was right behind me one moment, and then he was gone. When he shows back up, he starts passing out silver knives, and I figure, you know."
She shrugs, looking away.
"Could be handy."
"Could be handy," Sirius repeats, deadpan. "For what, stabbing my best friend?"
Iris glares at him.
"Yeah, well, your best friend broke my best friend's head! Made him go catatonic for a day! So maybe I might need to!" she spits out.
Sirius jerks back and looks over at Remus, who closes his eyes, grimacing.
I wasn't...
I was just...thinking. Right?
Just had to work things through.
Phoebe was there. And Iris.
And...Dora?
Who...
...Right.
Ok. Yeah. I kind of was, wasn't I?
Damn...
I tune back in to find the argument settled back down, but...whatever. I am tired. I want to go home. Why are we even still here?
"I'm leaving," I announce.
Sirius's eyes widen as Phoebe and I stand up, hand in hand, with Iris only a moment behind us.
Remus tries to speak up.
"We will see you on the First, I guess. You can owl Andy to find out what time maybe? I don't know. Bye." Turning around, I all but drag Phoebe to the fireplace, so we can floo home.
