The Mystic Grill looked like any old family restaurant. Small tables for two and booths were everywhere and there was a pool table and a dart board blending in greatly with the booths and tables.
Iridessa sat down in one booth with her family, hugging her big brother Emmet tightly not liking how some of the people just stared at them all from the moment they walked into the Grill.
A waitress came to take their food and drink orders before walking away and Iridessa was glad to not having her stair at them as much.
"Iridessa, sit up , darling," Esme said softly," Emmet would want to eat too. He won't be able to with you hugging him like that."
Iridessa groaned softly, but sat up and moved to her father's side. He wrapped an arm around her, his hand pulling gently through her hair.
She leaned into the touch, missing when she was little and he used to do that while he sat working on his computer and she clambered onto his lap freshly bathed and dressed in her pajamas.
Esme sighed softly, but didn't comment because she still had everyone wrapped around her fingers. At least she wasn't hugging him. He'll be able to eat.
Then his phone rang and he had to excuse himself for a moment and Esme found herself holding their little girl.
He came back after a few minutes , though, but Iridessa didn't move away from her mother.
" That was Sirius. He wants Iridessa to visit him and Remus for a few weeks. They've warded Grimmauld Place further because Ministry officials are barging into homes that are not as well warded, taking Muggle-Born witches and wizards as well as some half bloods that are seen as blood traitors. They say some are given the Kiss while others are...are..." He shook his head. " It's simply horrible to even think about it all. Anyway, I've decided that maybe the children should visit Sirius while we unpack and everything. I'm supposed to start at the hospital here on Monday. Sirius will have send a portkey to us by then."
" Carlisle, isn't it too dangerous for Iridessa?," Esme asked in a low whisper.
" Not really. Unless she goes to Diagon Alley on her own without protection, she'll be perfectly safe with her uncle."
"Let Iri go alone," Rosalie spoke," I've decided to check out Whitmore next week and see if I can get in next year. I am not doing the whole highschool thing again."
" You don't have to," Edward said," I'm going to pose as a senior in highschool anyway."
" Everything is going to work out just fine. Sirius gave me this books to read to help me develop my sight better. I can now see more," Alice stated proudly.
Jasper smiled softly at her, but didn't say anything.
" I'll go to Whitmore too,"Emmet spoke," I can try getting into football now that my body can't hurt anyone. Sirius did a great job with the bracelets."
" He did, didn't he? I love the designs," Alice chimed , a soft dreamy smile on her lips.
The waitress came back with their food and Iridessa was forced to let her mother eat while she herself ate.
"Oh, the food taste so good," Emmet gushed when he took up his double steak and cheese burger , biting into it.
Iridessa smiled. She was so happy that her family always ate with her. She cannot imagine them never eating with her. Though,when she was at Hogwarts, she ate without them.
" It's sort of your ability," Edward said,"Our bodies functions like yours also, so we don't have to regurgitate anything."
" Ew, Ed, I'm eating here!," Emmet protested.
Iridessa giggled at that. Emmet sounded very funny.
" Sorry, Em. I just answered something Iridessa thought of. Though, we've been through this conversation when she was just a teeny tiny toddler."
" Yeah well, I wasn't eating then."
" Boys," their mother said sternly.
" Sorry ,Mom," they both said sounding rather not so sorry, but she let it go as she watched Iridessa eat her food slowly, while trying to not laugh.
" I'll go with Iridessa," Edward said after a few moments," I have nothing to do until the next school year starts anyways."
" I'll go also," Jasper said," For extra protection."
" I would like to go ,but ..." Alice shrugged. " I'm sorry, I don't want to go visit uncle Sirius."
"Well then, it's settled. You three will go and the other three will stay. I'm sure your mother would like your help Alice. I'm glad that you'll be staying."
Alice smiled, but didn't say anything. She will miss Jasper, of course,but she was okay with him keeping their little sister safe.
⚡💣⚡
" Let me know when you've arrived safely," Esme said to her three children," Don't go looking for any trouble and keep each other safe."
" Yes ,Mom," Edward said. Jasper and Iridessa only nodded.
" If there's trouble, come right back."
" We will, Mommy. Don't worry. We'll be fine. I prom_"
" Huh uh, don't make promises , Sweetling. I know that you always find trouble and you never look for it, so..."
Iridessa sighed. " Okay, no promises. But really, we'll be fine."
" I hope so," their mother said, unconvinced by her daughter's reassurance.
" Okay now, the portkey leaves in a few seconds, Love. Let the children go. Or they'll miss it," Carlisle stated, tapping his watch.
Esme stood back reluctantly, watching as the kids grabbed ahold of a teddy bear that looked quite ancient.
She rather wanted to throw it in a vat of bleach than letting them touch it. Of course they couldn't get sick, but she always worried. Especially about Iridessa, who was only half of a vampire. She still got sick with a common cold and such.
Iridessa hated portkeys, but once the portkey left she felt excitement because she'd be seeing her uncle again soon. She really missed him.
When they arrived in an alleyway not far from Grimmauld Place, her uncle was the first person she saw and then of course Remus and Tonks.
They greeted them with hugs and kisses and then whisked them away to Sirius's home where Kreacher gave them all little warm pies and tea.
For a wonder he was friendly and talked a lot.
" Harry changed him," Sirius explained when Iridessa asked," He gave him the locket that your uncle Regulus died for. Well, the fake one, actually. The real one, I hear, had been destroyed. Harry's alright if you're wondering. They're still searching for a few more Horcruxes. He didn't want my and Remus' help."
" Where are they?"
Sirius shrugged. " I have no idea. I only heard from him a few days ago. Last I heard, he was at Bill Weasley's. Luna Lovegood and the wandmaker Ollivanders was there also. They had been held captive at Malfoy Manor."
Iridessa gaped at her uncle, her tea and little pies forgotten. " Uncle, why did they end up captives in Malfoy Manor?"
" Xenophilius Lovegood's support for Harry earned him his daughter being captured by the enemy. I don't know what they wanted with Ollivanders. I can only guess that it's about wands."
" That's still horrible , Uncle Siri."
" Yes, it is. Finish your tea. I want you to meet Remus and Tonks' child. His name's Teddy. I'm supposed to be his second Dad. He's such a cute little baby. Reminds me of you when you were a baby."
" Is he here?"
Sirius nodded. " Yes, he's he_"
There was suddenly a silvery hound patronus floating around and it told Sirius that the Order of the Phoenix members are supposed to get to Hogwarts ASAP.
Iridessa frowned slightly at that, but then she felt the false Galleon in her pocket heating up and vibrating. Members of Dumbledore's Army were being called to Hogwarts also.
⚡💣⚡
" No, you can't come with. I promised your Mum and Dad to keep you away from any fights," Sirius stated firmly.
" But,Uncle, please?"
" No, Iridessa. You stay here."
Iridessa sighed , but nodded in reluctance. She hated it that she was being kept out of fighting for the good side of the magical world.
" Will you come back?"
Sirius gave her a sad smile." I may not. A battlefield is unpredictable. Anyone can die on it."
Iridessa glared at him." Then I want to come too. I need to save as many people as I can. Please, I can help."
Sirius shook his head. " No. You are staying here. I don't need any arguments from you."
" But ,Uncle..."
" It's final. I'm not changing my mind, Iridessa!"
She huffed and sat down on a chair, folding her arms across her chest." Fine! Go then."
Sirius looked at Jasper and Edward." Watch over her?"
They nodded. " We will,Uncle Siri. Don't worry."
He nodded. " Thank you." Then he was out of the house with Remus and Tonks and Iridessa was really not happy about being left behind. She wanted to scream and yell and stomp her feet like a brat, but didn't.
She only sat there,glaring at the table. Then a smirk formed on her lips and she was up in an instant and running for the front door.
Her brothers didn't stop her. They rather followed her because they understood that she wanted to help too, it would be best to go with her and help her than let her go on her own and get hurt.
They ended up at Hog's Head where loads of people were and Iridessa did her best to hide from her uncle's view.
She ended up following people into a tunnel that lead to the Room of Requirements where she met up with Ginny Weasley, who looked like she could catch snakes at having been told to stay in the room by Mrs. Weasley.
They didn't stay long in there before Harry showed up with Luna Lovegood and he asked them to go into the hallway for a bit because he needed to get into another part of the Room of Requirements that held loads of magical junk.
" We'll help you search," Edward said ," we're here to look after our sister anyway. Might as well do something useful while we watch over her too."
Harry looked towards Iridessa, giving her a small smile before nodding at Edward. " Alright. Just be careful in there. Many of the junk can be quite nasty." He began walking up and down before the wall until a door appeared and he opened it to a room filled with ceiling to floor piles of junk.
" Dessie, stay out here with Luna and Ginny. I don't want you getting hurt," Harry said.
She nodded. " Okay."
Ginny Weasley didn't stay around, however. She just ran away to where the fighting are. Luna gave Iridessa a smile before running after her.
It wasn't long before Ron and Hermione showed up and Iridessa, after getting thoroughly hugged by them both, told them that Harry, Jasper and Edward went inside the room. They quickly went inside and Iridessa just took a seat on the floor to wait for them to come back.
One thought ran through her mind, though, and that was : she didn't get a proper greeting from her boyfriend. That sucked, but she understood that he had to do what he had to do.
He had to find the Horcrux in that room and get rid of it. If he didn't, they'd all be fighting tonight for nothing. Voldemort will win and that wasn't what she wanted.
She wanted peace for magical Britain.
⚡💣⚡
Just a filler . Hope it's okay.