(Coeus Black - PoV)

*Bzzzzzz*

"Nnn..."

*Bzzzzzz*

*Grumble grumble*

*Bzzzzzz*

"Whhhhy?"

*Bzzzzzz*

The bloody noise just won't stop.

"What in Merl- Oh. Classes...Right."

The alarm spell.

I already hate it.

Mnnnn.

"Ugh. Right. We do need to show up those...Phoebe, who do we have...whatever, with today?"

"Idiots."

*Nod*

"Right. Have to show those idiots up."

*Yawn*

"Transfiguration," Iris speaks up as I stretch, bright green eyes looking up at me.

Too bright. Why isn't she all groggy? Not fair.

...

"What?"

She pauses for a moment.

"F-For class. We have Transfiguration today. As our first class. I...Um...I dunno who with..."

"Nnn," Phoebe objects, vaguely flapping a hand in her direction. "Told you. Idiots. Can't even poke."

Poke?

Iris looks over at Phoebe.

"I...Ok? Nevermind. We should get ready, I gue-Wha!?"

She is just starting to get up when Phoebe lashes out without warning, dragging her in close and hugging her tight.

"P-Phoebe?"

"Mmm. You're a good hug pillow."

...

"I...Thanks? But..."

...

"We, umm...Really need to...?"

"Mmm."

...

Phoebe finally cracks one eye.

"Carry me?" she asks.

Iris blinks. Pulling back slightly, she looks around, glancing at me specifically before answering.

"N...No?"

...

"Ok then."

Releasing Iris, Phoebe hops out of bed.

*Streeeeetch*

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she asks, turning around to look at us. "We have to get ready, right?"

Iris yelps as Phoebe grabs her and drags her off the bed. Rolling my eyes, I climb off myself.

"At least we get our own showers," I mutter, heading that way, "That's cool. No more having to threaten Dora to get her out of the bathroom."

We are lucky she went back to her own dorms last night or else that might not be true. I pity her dormmates.

"Wait..." Iris says from behind me as we step into the showers.

Bleh.

Ok, I mean, they're not bad but...kind of disappointing? Lots of little shower nooks with...Oh! That's...not terrible. Running my hands along the fabric, I admit the curtains are actually pretty nice. And the stonework is excellent, of course. It is Hogwarts.

Giving the room a second look, I nod. Ok, maybe I was overly judgemental. It might not be the Black Manor but it is not bad. Not bad at all...

"Mmm. They are going to get in the way though," Phoebe says, poking the green fabric.

True...

Throwing the curtain open entirely, I tuck it away so that it stays open, leaving a lot more space free.

"There we go... That's a bit better, at least."

Phoebe nods.

"It should do for now," Phoebe agrees.

"C'mon then. Let's get your hair started," I tell her as I start undressing.

Phoebe follows suit but Iris lets out a...Is it still a squeak when it is that loud?

"I-I, Umm,"

"Do you want to go first, Iris?" Phoebe asks. "It is so nice having Brother wash your hair. I promise you'll enjoy it!"

She shakes her head.

"I...I'm good!"

Picking a shower seemingly at random, she yanks the curtains closed behind her.

I roll my eyes.

Really, it's not that cramped, especially if we take turns.

Phoebe giggles.

"Iris is going to be rather unhappy when she realizes she forgot to bring a change of clothes with her," she explains.

"...Why would she bring them in the shower?" I ask. "Wouldn't that just risk getting them all wet?"

Phoebe pats my head.

"Less talky, more washy."


"..."

Phoebe doesn't actually say anything as I run my fingers through her hair.

"..."

She doesn't need to.

"..."

"I know!" I finally exclaim, throwing my hands up in disgust.

"I know," I repeat. Shaking my head, I lean back against the wall.

"It's the shampoo! It's terrible!" I complain, glaring at the bottle of gunk.

"Ah."

Phoebe runs her fingers through her hair with a grimace.

"The school must cheap out on the toiletries."

Such a stupid word. Who would put a toilet in their hair?

Then again, it may be appropriate for this garbage.

I glare at the bottle.

"Looks like. And..."

Hesitating, I have to swallow to continue.

"I...I don't think...I ever added any of that stuff...to my trunk..."

The admission hurts.

Not particularly expensive. Easily obtainable. Small. Consumable. Used regularly.

...I should have shoved in a few shelves worth, just in case.

Another oversight.

Phoebe rolls her eyes.

"You didn't, but I did. Now, fetch!" she demands, shoving me towards the door. "Get all of our usual, I doubt the rest of this is any better."


...

...

The water is nice.

...

All cleaned up, finally, we can just relax and enjoy the shower.

...

A little, at least.

...

Phoebe sighs.

"Time to get out?" I ask.

*Grumble grumble*

Reluctantly breaking away, she shuts off the water while I grab the tow...towels...?

...

"Brother?"

Without saying a word, I pass her one of the school towels.

A frown crosses her face as soon as she takes it, turning to a grimace when she tries to actually use it.

"No," she declares, throwing it on the floor. "We have real towels?"

I nod firmly. That I do have.

"Good. This is just disappointing."

Throwing her hair over her shoulder, she strides past me.

"The consumables I understand, but the towels?"

Following her, I grunt my agreement.

Throwing open my trunk, Phoebe rummages around for a bit until she finds the towels and we can finally dry off.

"Ugh," she complains, "Now the floor is going to be all damp,"

"Hopefully it will dry out by th-"

*EEP!*

Iris stumbles as she steps out of the bathroom, nearly dropping her towel before wavering in place.

Wait...

"Phoebe! Get Ir- Oh. Yeah. Thanks," I say as Phoebe hands me another towel.

"Iris! Here," Stepping over to her, I offer the towel.

"The school towels are terrible, aren't they? These are much better."

She alternates between staring at the towel, staring at me, and then quickly looking away for some reason.

What's the deal this time? It's a towel. They aren't expensive or anything.

"Seriously, take it," I demand, poking her with it as I do so. "You are never going to get your hair dry otherwise."

Reluctantly accepting the towel, she promptly retreats back into the bathroom.

Or starts to.

Pausing, she takes a deep breath before draping the good towel over her shoulders and turning around.

I frown at her.

"That's no-"

Sliding past me, she quickly grabs and shrinks her trunk before retreating into the bathroom once more.

...

"O...Kay..."

Phoebe rolls her eyes when I look at her.

"Just get our clothes ready already."

"Ok."

"And my brushes."

"Ok."

"Then you can help brush my hair."

"Ok."

"And kiss my feet."

"O- Wait, what?"


I hate ties...

Phoebe slaps my hand just before we enter the common room to stop me fiddling with it.

Bleh.

Now, where is...Ah!

Iris stiffens up beside me as I lead us over to the notice board.

The cause is fairly easy to guess.

There are a fair number of students milling around and we appear to have attracted the attention of almost everyone, with more than a few blatantly staring.

I frown.

I don't thi- Oh! What exactly did she do differently again? I think I can make it work.

"Close your eyes," I mutter to Iris.

Blatantly drawing my wand, I raise it high and cast.

"Lumos Maxima!" I call out.


(Samuel King, Prefect - PoV)

"No, no. You don't want Ryze's books," I tell the two third years. "Not right now, at least. Don't get me wrong, they are good. Very good. They are considered the best in the subject for a reason. But there is also a reason they are not on your booklist."

Pausing, I silently prompt the two to think about it.

"Because they are...rare?" "Or too expensive?" the two guess.

I shake my head.

"No. Some volumes are, certainly, but those are a different matter entirely. You are better off pretending they don't exist. No, it is because Ryze was the expert on the subject. Even with his attempts to 'simplify' and explain certain ideas through his books, many masters spend years studying them."

Their eyes widen as they (hopefully) begin to get an idea of exactly what they are getting themselves into.

"Yes, they are that difficult. Runes is not a subject you can easily skip around in. Considering that, the regular book is actually quite good for starting out. If you do want extra reading, however, I would recommend some of Tyrus's work. He has several 'beginner' books that, while still demanding, are far more accessible, and a great jumping-off point."

"Here, I'll write you a list of some to look for and some to avoid," I say, withdrawing a piece of parchment.

A certain trio emerges from the dorms as I fiddle with my quill.

Coeus looks a lot better this morning. Pomfrey seems to have done good work, as usual.

Unicorns. I was certainly not expecting Hagrids new "beasties" to be unicorns. Phoebe really pulled a fast one there.

...Probably?

Somehow their visit still ended in a fight and a visit to the hospital wing.

Who starts a fight with a unicorn?

...

Shaking my head, I actually focus on the list.

None of Tyrus's later books. They are far more complex, and he developed...issues.

Nothing from Kegan, obviously. They shouldn't be able to even find anything, it's all been banned ever since he turned, but better safe than sorry. Old books have a habit of turning up in the strangest places, and the worst hands.

The room suddenly quieting down puts me on alert. Looking up, I easily find the problem.

The source is in no way a surprise. Coeus pulling his wand, however, is a cause for concern.

He lifts it into th- For Merlin's sake, Dora!

Knowing what's coming, he is giving everyone plenty of time, I palm my own wand under the table, muttering a quick spell.

My sight goes black for a short moment as the blatantly telegraphed spell goes off and an embarrassing number of Slytherins of all years clutch at their eyes.

*Sigh*

"We really need a good Defense Professor..." I mutter.

My eyes narrow as the three continue on without another word.

Iris may have worse issues with groups than I thought if I am reading things right. But Coeus...

Keeping his wand handy shows good sense, but how is he walking it off as if nothing happened? His cast was atrocious. The only way it couldn't have failed is if he poured magic into it, overpowering a Lumos charm instead of what he intended.

He should be staggering at least, not going on as if nothing happened...

"Sorry you two, we will have to finish this later."

Two teary-eyed faces turn towards me, blinking and rubbing at their eyes.

"And I will see what I can do about getting some remedial Defense lessons going."

"R-Remedial? But-"

Silencing the both of them, and summoning their wands for good measure, I stand up and make my way over to the trio.

One problem at a time, one problem at a time.

"Boring, boring boring...Nothing interesting, really," Coeus mutters as I approach.

"Oh, Phoebe, are we going to do that thing where they show us to the classroom? It's during breakfast, so everyone has to leave early..."

"Pass. Not worth it."

"Hungry, are you?" I ask.

"Not particularly," she replies without bothering to look at me, "but I don't feel like being rushed."

"Understandable. I assume you are hungry, at least?" I ask Coeus.

"Me?" he asks.

I nod.

"You botched that spell pretty badly. First time casting it?"

"It worked, didn't it?" he mutters, looking away.

"Technically? No."

All three of them look at me.

"You didn't actually cast a Lumos Maxima, but overpowered a regular Lumos instead."

"...Oh. That...Ok," he says, before cocking his head.

"What's the difference, then? It did exactly what I wanted it to."

"Efficiency, mostly. When creating very bright lights Maxima is significantly less draining to cast," I explain, eyeing him carefully.

"Makes sense," he replies.

Hmm.

"It can go much brighter as well, partially due to the efficiency aspect. More light for the same effort. There are also some more exotic manipulations that it is better at, shifting into colors we can't see. Very useful for hunting certain creatures."

"Like weres?"

"Not in this case. But that's not the first time you have mentioned weres. Have a bad encounter?" I probe.

He grimaces.

"...Maybe. But not the way you would expect. I don't want to talk about it."

Not-

"We met a 'nice' werewolf," Phoebe speaks up, ignoring her brother's look. "A non-violent one."

Is that even possible?

"He talked Brother into a coma."

...

Everyone is silent for a few moments as I try to process that.

Despite the silence, I get the feeling they are having their own conversation, given the way they are looking at each other.

...

A werewolf that hurts people with words...It's like something out of a fairy tale.

Coeus shakes his head.

"How did you see my cast, anyway? If you were watching closely enough to notice mistakes, why weren't you blinded like everyone else?"

"Protective spell," I reply, tapping my eyes. "Dora has used that trick too many times to not have countermeasures, and you gave everyone plenty of warning."

He glances around the room pointedly and I grimace.

"You gave everyone what should have been plenty of warning. We will have to do something about Defense, and soon. I hope you three will help out if we get something organized?"

Phoebe giggles.

"Oh, yes!" she exclaims. "We will absolutely be there."

...I hope I didn't just make a mistake.

"Excellent. Thank you," I respond, pushing down my misgivings. "As for the spell, it responds to excessive light by automatically darkening your vision. Something like muggle sunglasses, if you are familiar with them?"

They all nod.

"Dora likes them. She has quite a few sets," Coeus explains.

"Had." Phoebe...corrects?

"Had. She had quite a few sets."

He shrugs when I look at him questioningly.

"They got broken. She broke some. I broke some. Someone stole a whole bunch, snapped them to pieces, and left them in front of her door for her to step on after she stole my favorite shirt and got paint all over it."

He shrugs again.

"No idea if she ever got any more."

"I see," I comment, nodding.

Yes, being an only child was for the best.

Frowning, he tilts his head.

"So, if it blocks the light by making it dark, doesn't it just blind you from really bright lights?"

I nod again.

"Yes, that is the downside of the spell. It doesn't actually let you see during whatever cast is blinding you. It does, however, protect your vision from being damaged. So, I was able to look directly at your cast, and while I was technically blinded for a second, I could see perfectly the instant it was over."

Coeus, all three of them, actually, nod in understanding.

"There is another, somewhat more advanced, spell that works differently. A filter. It blocks out all light over a certain brightness."

Coeus blinks.

"So, you never get blinded?"

"Nope. It's like they didn't cast anything whatsoever."

His eyes narrow as he stares at me, rather than asking the obvious

Why don't I use that spell instead?

...

"It filters everything," he eventually says, "And it is...well known?"

I nod.

"Fairly, yes."

"So anyone who suspects you are using it can use it against you? Casting spells that you can't see? Or cast spells that are just off enough not to trigger it."

"Exactly," I reply, nodding once more. "Almost all similar spells have benefits and drawbacks. You have to figure out for yourself which you prefer. What risks to take, what advantages you want or need at the moment."

A commotion interrupts any response they could make, as a (presumably blinded) second-year manages to trip into a group of fourth-years.

"Ah, I should go take of that. Enjoy your breakfast."

Everyone involved is silenced before I am halfway across the room.

"Quintin, if you draw that wand you will regret it..."


(Iris Potter - PoV)

Stepping outside the common room, I take a deep breath.

That was...something.

In front of me, Coeus takes a deep breath himself, before glancing at Phoebe and s-slumping against the wall!?

"Coeus!" I call out, stepping over to him as he slides down onto the floor.

"Nnn. Mm fine," he claims, half waving a hand at me as I kneel down next to him. "Just tired. So tired..."

What? But...

"You remember when you cast the spell on the train?" Phoebe asks. "How drained you were?"

...Oh.

I nod.

The Prefect, he said-

"Brother's cast wasn't quite that bad, but similar. He's been faking it ever since, not wanting to show weakness."

...

Eyes closed, his head rests up against the wall as I run my fingers through his hair.

...Stupid. He wiped himself out, over nothing.

Grunting, he starts rummaging around in his pockets.

"Jus' a moment. I need a- Yes. That. Thank you, Phoebe,"

Taking the potion Phoebe shoves at him, he downs it immediately before shaking like a wet dog.

"Whew!" he declares, jumping to his feet and pacing back and forth, shaking his limbs at random. "Ok. Ok. Forgot how tingly it is when you take one of those..."

"What was that?" I ask, trying to get a better look at the bottle in his hand.

"Invigoration Draught," Phoebe answers. "Gives you energy, lots of energy. For a little while."

Coeus nods, still pacing about.

"I'll crash later today. Shouldn't be till after classes, so, whatever. Just don't make any plans?"

"Anyhow," he continues before I can reply, "We should get going. I am starving!"

Spinning about, he rapidly paces off down the hallway.

"Foooooooooood!"

Glancing over at Phoebe before chasing after him, I notice the amused smile she has on her face.

At least someone isn't worried about Hyper Coeus...