(Coeus Black - PoV)
The last week has been well enough. Great even, to be honest. Andy's continued ban on flying is rather annoying, but having wands? And being able to actually practice magic? More than makes up for it. Sure it's only on some days, we still want to give Iris time to recover in between, but even that is getting less and less, and should be just about over.
Which is good, because Dora promised we would have another training session before we leave for Hogwarts and we are going to put on a better show this time, damn it! Tag is a bit more interesting when everyone is ranged, but I came up with a new game to practice.
War. Each of us starts with a different color. Tag someone with your color, they turn to your side. Eventually, when there is only one color left, that side wins. We only played once, but it was certainly good practice. I expect it would be a lot more fun with more people, however. Something to try at Hogwarts?
Anyhow, while learning new spells and combat practice were the highlights, we did other studying and such as well. I am determined to get ahead on Runes and Arithmancy so that I can enchant something other than explosions (though in my defense, I can make those pretty well). Phoebe has been leafing through Divination books and playing with assorted tools, but I think she is mostly just hanging around with us. Iris, on the other hand, has been working hard. She asked to try out some of the actual good potions books I've acquired from...ok, I have no idea where I got them.
I do sometimes wonder if my trunk has acquired new magic of its own. I mean, I know I put a lot of stuff in it, but I constantly find all sorts of things in there that I swear I've never seen before. Can magical hoards spontaneously acquire more ju-stuff? Something to look into later.
Anyhow, that brings us to the current topic. We made a few more basic potions, and Iris spent much of the week reading through the simpler sections of some of the better books, but today she decided to read a bit more on history.
It's not a problem, obviously. Something to be encouraged in fact! Really, I wish more Muggleborns would embrace their new world with half the enthusiasm Iris has. That said...
"Take what you read with a grain of salt though, yeah? Especially any of the newer books?" I tell her.
Pulling her head out of the trunk, Iris turns to me with a quizzical look on her face.
"What do you mean?" she asks.
I shrug.
"History is...well, complicated? With lots of people and opinions? Most of the older books are really biased. Or that's what Andy says at least. Grandfather agreed though, so I believe her. The new books are just complete nonsense though. Like, outright wrong, completely. Grandfather says it is a mix of revisionism and just making stuff up."
Iris hesitates, looking down at the book in her hands.
Modern Magical History.
I scoff.
"Yeah, that's going to do nothing but waste your time," I tell her.
Hesitantly, she puts the book back, before leaving the trunk entirely and sitting on the bed.
"Why though?" she asks.
I shrug.
"I dunno. Some agenda? Depends on which specific bit of nonsense they are pushing at the time. Heck, you are a great example actually."
She blinks at me.
"Me?"
"Iris, you are in dozens of books. They have entire series about you. Heck, here."
I take my turn at the trunk, digging through to find something appropriate.
Hmm, The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts is not directly about Iris. 1000 Magical Herbs and Fungi should not even be in this section. Damnit Phoebe I know you are responsible somehow. Ah, here we go, Girl-Who-Lived Adventures: Collected Series. Not technically a history book, but tons of magical children are raised on the nonsense so it totally counts.
I pause, halfway out of the trunk with my trophy.
...
Ok, I know I never bought this book. Any of them. We leafed through one of the books at a shop once and hated it. Utter dross. Not just ridiculous, they are just outright, bleh. We refused to have anything to do with them afterward. And that would include dragging one from someone else's collection into my own. Wouldn't happen. So...how did this find its way into my trunk?
...
"Coeus?" Iris asks.
I look up to find Iris and Phoebe staring at me.
"I think my trunk is haunted," I reply. That or turning into a legendary artifact.
No one must know until the transition is complete.
Mine.
...
Fine, I'll share with them, but then I can rub it in Phoebe's face.
...
Really, I think I may have somehow turned an, admittedly high-end, magical trunk into a full-on unique artifact!
And all before I even started my first year. Clearly, I am the greatest enchanter of all time.
*Floof!*
I am brought back to reality by a pillow hitting my face, courtesy of Phoebe.
I didn't see her do it, but it was Phoebe.
"Sorry, I was just amazed by my own greatness for a moment."
Phoebe sighs.
"What?" Iris asks.
"Moving on. Here you go Iris," I tell her, passing over the book. "A collection of Best-bloody-sellers. When you get to Hogwarts? I bet that even now, many of the students will be thinking this is history. Because that's what people wanted them to think."
Iris stares at the book cover, with a ridiculous child version of her wielding a sword riding a unicorn, before opening the book and skimming.
Turning from her, I search around but cannot seem to find my own book?
"Phoebe?"
She raises an eyebrow at me. Typical.
Continuing my search proves fruitless. Fine then! I look, and find it on top of the dresser? Neither of us can reach that high, how? Oh, she levitated it? I know she can't cast silently, just quietly then? Something else to practice.
Turning around, I glare at my traitorous twin.
"Really Phoebe, we finally get Dora off our case and now you start stabbing me in the back?"
She smiles at me.
"Practice, dear brother. Prac-"
We are interrupted by Iris spontaneously combusting.
"LIES!" She screams, standing and throwing the burning book onto the bed. "IT'S ALL LIES!"
Ok, good, it's the book that caught fire, not Iris.
On the downside, the book is on fire.
Oh, and now the bed is on fire.
And Iris is still yelling.
You know, I may not have thought things out when selecting reading material for her.
Phoebe rolls off the bed and stands next to me in the corner while we watch everything burn. Iris is standing in the middle of the room, screaming at the burning book/bed. The fire is growing way, way faster than I think it is supposed to. I assume it has something to do with how she is radiating magic? She must be overcoming the fire suppression charms too, they are supposed to stop something like this. And I think the bed is charmed to be resistant as well. Impressive.
The door slams open, revealing Dora, wand drawn. I wave as she takes in the room at a glance, before aiming at the fire.
"Finite Incantatem"
Oh? I was expecting Aquamenti?
...Right, magical fire. Water wouldn't do much, would it?
I can feel the difference in the room, as the fire becomes somehow lesser after the spell, and Iris sags, before falling to her knees.
Phoebe and I step over to her as Dora puts out the fires.
I expect our bed is a write-off already though. Oh, hey, we have an excuse to get a bigger one now! Good job Iris! Now I don't have to argue with Andy about it.
Smiling, I put extra enthusiasm into the hug.
"Well then," I say.
"Sorry..." Iris mumbles.
"Sorry? Sorry?"
Iris looks at me hesitantly.
"That was awesome!" I tell her.
She blinks.
"Do you want to visit Flourish and Blotts with me? We can go ahead and clear the place right out and blame it on accidental magic."
"You are buying them," Phoebe reminds me.
"Oh, right. Maybe-"
"No burning Diagon Alley or its shops," Andy interrupts, the killjoy.
Turning I find her and Ted in the doorway, surveying the damage.
"What did you do?" she demands.
"Me? Why do you assume it was me?"
Everyone just looks at me.
Everyone but Iris, who speaks up.
"I-it was my fault. I-"
I cover her mouth.
"Nope. None of that now."
I look back at everyone.
"While I resent the assumption, in this case, it may be correct. Ish. I may have made a sli-moderate miscalculation when selecting study material for Iris."
Dora looks over at the bed.
"That was a book then? I can't even make out what it used to be. What the hell did you give her?"
"The Girl-Who-Lived Adventures: Collected Series."
Dora, Andy, and Ted all wince.
Perhaps not my finest moment. In my defense, my mind was on other things, like my amazing trunk, but I don't want to talk about that right now.
"Not the most, realistic, series, even before...everything," Andy says.
Iris makes...a noise. I'm not sure what the noise was, but it was definitely a noise.
I frown. As honestly cool as that was, she is very upset and unhappy.
I look to Phoebe.
Vengeance?
We nod together. Vengeance!
The others yammer on a bit while I consider.
Murder is probably a bit much for this. It wasn't really targeted at her directly, and wasn't that harmful. Whoever wrote and made the books were most likely just greedy.
Hmm. That seems fair.
"We should sue them." I interrupt.
Everyone looks at me. Right, I have no idea what they were talking about before, but it probably wasn't important. Hopefully.
"The Author. And Publisher. Of the books." I explain.
Dora cocks her head to the side.
"Can we do that?" she asks.
"Of course we can," I say, as Andy opens her mouth to reply. "We are Blacks."
She sighs, before speaking.
"As I was going to say, normally, it would be very hard. They were careful enough that most people wouldn't have much luck. With Arcturus lawyers on the other hand? And if you get his backing?"
She closes her eyes and shakes her head before continuing.
"Yes, it is very much possible. Virtually guaranteed even, in this situation." She looks at Iris. "If it is what Iris actually wants?" She asks.
We all focus on the green-eyed girl sitting on the floor between Phoebe and me.
Her expression has been...sad? Despondent? Guilty? All of that. Now? It becomes wrathful, her eyes narrowing.
Yes, come to the Black side! We have...everything!
"Yes," She says simply.
She doesn't say anymore, but I look to Phoebe and confirm. We can feel it.
She wants them to pay, at least in some measure, for lying about her. About her life.
Vengeance!
I barely resist the sudden urge to cackle.
Yes, Iris will be a fantastic Black.
The discussion continues from there, but nothing else really important? I don't know, it is mostly just Andy nattering. Fortunately even she isn't crazy enough to try banning us from books.
I will write Grandfather about suing the Adventures people. Then we will get a new bed tomorrow I think? For now, we will just sleep with Iris, instead of her sleeping with us. Who knows, maybe I will even get to claim the inside so I don't have to worry about being kicked out?
Phoebe looks over and shakes her head at me.
...
Or not.