"Sirius," Dumbledore motions for him to sit down, "thank you for coming."
"Get to the point," Sirius snarls, "I have to get Iola on her flight in two hours, so make it quick."
"Flight to where?" Benjy wondered.
"I want to apologize," Dumbledore sighs, "you were right."
"Did Albus Dumbledore just admit he was wrong?" Euphemia gasped, "I can't believe this day arrived."
"I don't need apologies," Sirius looks Dumbledore in the eye, "apologies once you're under fire don't help me much. It's too late for you to fix the issue you've caused."
"I know," Dumbledore sighs, making him look older than ever, "I regret the pain I've caused. I just hope you understand that I never meant to hurt your daughter or anyone else who Severus harmed. I was so caught up in my own hubris, that I neglected to see the truth. I had genuinely thought Voldemort was still alive, there was too much evidence, at least in my eyes, that he still remained. I thought Severus would be needed. He was not."
"I'm glad to see you can admit your own mistakes," Alastor told his longtime friend, "pride gets the best of everyone."
"Indeed," Albus agreed, "it's why I never ran for minister. I guess the issue returned to me regardless."
"I won't forgive you," Sirius sighs, "but I won't fight you. You were a paragon of justice and acceptance during the war, and I can respect that. And with that respect, I'm going to give you a recommendation. You should retire."
"Excuse me," Dumbledore was surprised, "why would I do that?"
"The DMLE is taking steps to investigate Hogwarts," Sirius shakes his head, "they grew especially concerned when you hired an former death eater as a teacher. There's also the case of the cursed vaults. They're also worried about the state of the education. Divination and history are a joke, we haven't gone to any of the inter-school championships in 30 years, and the exchange program was cancelled. The duelling class has been cancelled, in addition to the healing, wizard culture, and art classes. The school is dropping standards, and people are getting involved. If you don't want to come under more fire, you should get out."
"I didn't realize things had gotten so bad," Dumbledore's face whitens, "I'd cancelled dueling and wizard culture during the war because it was becoming a front for politics and fighting, and the healing class was cancelled because of the shortage of healers during the war. I've been so busy trying to catch Voldemort, that I've neglected the school. Perhaps you're right, the school could use change."
"Good on Sirius for bringing these issues up," Augusta said, "even I hadn't noticed how bad it's gotten. Hogwarts used to be the top wizarding school, but now, I'm not so sure."
"Hopefully the future people will mend it," Newt said, "I have fond memories here, even though I was expelled."
"Is it true?" Pomona Sprout whispered to Professor Babbling, "have we truly been ignoring the falling standards here?"
"I fear it must be true," Babbling responded, "but I have high hopes for the future resolving them."
"You should have retired then," Sirius speaks softly, "it was too much to lead the war, and run a fully functioning school all at once. Think about what I said, I have to take my daughter to the airport."
The scene shifts to Iola and Sirius in a muggle airport. Iola is about to board, and Sirius is hugging her. "Be good for Great Aunt Tina," Sirius says, "and don't forget to cause some mischief."
"So she's coming to see me?" Tina says, "neat. I wonder what our relationship is like."
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," Iola recites to her father, "I'm going to miss you Daddy."
"I'll call you once a week," Sirius promises, "now go on before you miss your flight." Iola kisses Sirius's cheek, before running onto her plane. The scene shifts to her landing, and an older lady waiting for her.
"Lally?" Tina whispers to her husband, "I wonder what she's doing picking Iola up."
"How was the wedding?" Eulalie Hicks asks her student.
"It was great Ms. Hicks!" Iola says excitedly, "Cathy really is the greatest."
"Catherine Green was an excellent student," Lally agrees, "she had a talent for martial magic."
"She uses it on Daddy a lot," Iola whispers as they walk to a car, "he gets her mad."
"What is their relationship?" Newt wonders, "Lydia and Sirius have never met Lally. How do Iola and Lally know each other?"
"Does she now?" laly says, "don't forget your seatbelt."
The scene shifts, and they arrive at a beautiful granite castle. Statues of Isolt and James Stood at the front door, and when they entered the entrance hall, four carving were inside.
"Where is that?" Many people asked, in awe of the beautiful place.
"Illvermorny," Tina Scamander breathed, "Iola is going to Illvermorny."
"Illvermorny!" Lydia is shocked, "you sent my daughter to Illvermorny?!"
"I guess I did," Sirius shrugs his shoulders.
"Iola!" A bright eyed girl with blonde hair shouted. She was dressed in the Illvermorny uniform.
"Olivia!" Iola shouted, hugging the girl, "it's been so long."
"It's been two weeks," a dark haired boy rolled his eyes, "you're far too excited to see her."
"Leopold!" a green eyed boy smacked him, "we all know you're excited to see Iola back. We all are."
"Definitely," the boy, Leopold Miller, said sarcastically, "so excited."
"You three are supposed to be in class," Lally points out, and the kids' eyes widen.
"Sorry Ms. Hicks!" they all shout, before running off to their classes.
"Come with me Iola," Lally says, "we need to fill your return paperwork in."
They head to an office, which reads Eulalie Hicks: Headmistress.
"Good for Lally," Newt cheers, "she's worked there for so long, and deserves that position."
"I agree Dad," Lyetta says, "she's an excellent choice."
"Alright," Lally says a few moments later, "you're free to head to class. Don't forget to change into your unifrom."
"Thanks Ms. Hicks," Iola rushes out, and heads to her dorm. In Ilvermorny, you dorm by age and gender, not by houses. She rushes into the second year girls dorm, grabs her uniform, and runs to her math class.
"Welcome back Iola," her teacher, Mrs. Jenny Walker greeted, "how was your uncle's wedding?"
"Great," Iola chirped as she sat down, "saw a lot of family."
"That's nice," Mrs. Walker smiled, before returning to her lesson, "can anyone tell me what the value of y is, if x=3?"
"What on Earth does that mean?" Narcissa Malfoy sneered, "it seems Illvermorny isn't a very good school. It teaches nonsense."
"I agree dear," Lucius spoke arrogantly, "even Hogwarts does better. It must be because the school was founded by a filthy muggle."
"That was 7th grade pre-algebra," Lyetta Scamander sneered, "and if you can't understand what almost every muggle adult can, that's really saying something about you and your education."
"They teach muggle subjects in Illvermorny?" Dorcas Meadowes asked the Americans at the gryffindor table.
"Yes," Nico answered kindly, "after Rappaport's Law was dissolved, MACUSA saw it fit to ensure all witches and wizards were able to properly function in the muggle world. They didn't want anyone to break the statue of secrecy simply because they were ignorant."
"So is Illvermorny better?" Lily Evans asks, "Hogwarts's muggle studies is horribly out dated."
"In certain areas yes," Nico smiled at the curious teenager, "areas like muggle studies and subjects, divination, runes, and arithmancy, yes. In the more common subjects, like transfiguration, potions, and charms, I'd say they're roughly equal, if not a slight advantage to Hogwarts. Hogwarts has it's reputation for a reason."
Leopold Miller raised his hand, looking rather bored.
"Leopold," Mrs. Walker called on him.
"14," he said.
"Good job," Mrs. Walker clapped, "Iola, did you do all the work I sent with you?"
"Yes," Iola answered brightly.
"So can you come up and solve this equation?" Mrs. Walker asks kindly, "I want to make sure you understood it."
Iola goes to the board, and solves one or two algebraic problems. "Excellent work Iola," Mrs. Wlaker clapped, "well done. Now for the rest of the class, I want you all to complete pages 112-114 in your workbooks."
The scene shifts to Iola sitting with her friends by a large snakewood tree. "So you're telling me," Olivia Tare, the girl from earlier, "that our teacher, the ever strict Ms. Anastasia Scamander, actually got drunk at this wedding."
"Yup," Iola insisted, "she's Russian, what did you expect?"
"Bart's Stasia becomes a teacher?" Lyetta asks Nico confused, "I did not see that coming."
"Touché," the green eyed boy, Lawrence Allen-Smith, replied, "did your dad make a really embarrassing speech? Because I could totally see him doing that."
"Yeah," Olivia agreed, "your father sent you a singing, dancing, glitter spraying birthday card last year. I wouldn't be surprised if he pulled something dramatic like that."
"That's what I've been meaning to get to," Iola's smile turns to a smirk, "Dad pulled some massively embarrassing stunt, but not on Uncle Reggie. Honestly, it was more cute than embarassing."
"What did he do?" Lawrence asked eagerly.
"So you know those giant trapezes they use in the circus," Iola began.
"Why would there be a trapeze at a wedding?" Peter Pettigrew asked, "sounds odd to me."
"But knowing Sirius is involved," Amelia Bones rolls her eyes, "it doesn't sound all that odd to me."
"Fair point," Peter agrees.
"Yes," Lawrence, "what doe that have to do with anything?"
"So my Dad, mid wedding, replaced the chandelier over the dance floor with one of those," Iola explained, "and after a bunch of slow dancing, he climbed onto it."
"Interesting," Leopold comments, "I didn't know your father fancied being an acrobat."
"Wait!" Lydia shouted, "we could do that Siri. We could put a trapeze in McGonagall's room, and charm the chairs to do flips."
"That's genius Lyds," Sirius smirked, "I'll start writing up the plans."
"He doesn't," Iola smirked, "anyways, after he got on, he maneuvered the trapeze near Susy."
"I'm starting to see where this is going," Lydia smirked, nudging Sirius.
"Then he lowered it down," Iola describes, "and he appeared right behind Aunt Amy. Then he pulled out a a ring and proposed. In middle of the dance floor. On a trapeze. At his brother's wedding."
Hoots were heard from the Scamanders, and Sirius and Amelia both blushed heavily. Lydia was going to make a joke, but noticing Sirius's tense posture, kept her mouth shut. The joke could be funny, but her brother's happiness was more important.
"No way," Olivia gasped, "you're getting a step-mom?!"
"Not really," Iola suddenly grows nervous, "I'm not really sure what Aunt Amy will be after they get married. We haven't really discussed it. Aunty Dorcas was never my mom, even when she was married to Daddy, so I don't know."
"Our poor baby," Lydia sobs to Benjy, "so conflicted at such a young age."
"There, there," Benjy awkwardly patter her shoulder, 'I'm sure it'll be fine. Sirius will probably talk it out with her."
"You're right," Lydia stops crying, "SIRI!"
"You'll get used to her," Fleamont Potter, his future father-in-law told him smiling, "she really is quite something."
"I get it," Lawrence sympathized, "when my parents divorced, and mom remarried, it was the most awkward thing ever. At least you live with one parent only. I was switching from house to house."
"Same here," Leopold added, "except I only go to my Dad's for the holiday's and some weekends. My parents divorced before I was born, so I lived with my Mom for most of my life. It was strange, and my father felt more like a stranger than a father."
"My situation isn't like any of that," Olivia says, "but my Mum's in prison for attempting to kill the U.S. president, so there's that."
"I just realized something," a girl with blue hair, and light green eyes said, "we all have parental issues. We are literally talking as if we're in a support group."
"I don't know if I should be relieved or sad," Euphemia told Fleamont, "on the one hand, all of our granddaughter's friends will understand and empathize with her. On the other hand, I feel horrible for all those poor children."
'"You're right!" Iola shouted, "quick, Lilah, who of us is the therapist?"
"Lawrence," the blue haired girl, Lilah, answered.
"You're so right," Olivia squeals.
"I just found that really sad," Leopold, ever the Debby Downer says.
"Shut up!" Lawrence smacks him for the second time that day.
"They're so cute," Alice pulls on Frank, "I wonder where Neville is now that he's out of Hogwarts."
"I'm either teaching him myself," Augusta says, "or I sent him to Beauxbatons."
The scene shifts to Iola Potter in her bed, and in parallel to her mother, wakes up screaming with glowing, silver eyes.