UNDER THE NIGHT SKY
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
It took two weeks of non stop letters to her mother, constant reassurance from Hermione, and endless nights of cuddles from Orestes for Iphigenia to finally calm down from the boggart incident.
During that time, she learned that her dog had, in fact, ran away — "I promise that I gave him endless kisses and love Effie, don't blame your mother for a mutt's desire to live on the streets!" — and it was Draco who told her that Lucius Malfoy was out for blood because of his son's injury. With Dementors still seen floating threateningly around Hogwarts and Severus Snape in abnormally vindictive moods, Iphigenia was struggling to keep a smile on her face most days.
Her friends had taken notice to the dimmed light that usually surrounded the Metamorphmagus. She stopped wearing her hair in crazy colors and her laughter no longer came out in a sweet melody. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had even found Iphigenia clinging more to them rather than splitting her time with her other friends. The three Gryffindor's had tried to get their friend to over come the stressors in her life. But, try as they may, nothing seemed to get Iphigenia back to herself again.
When September bled into October, Harry was hopeful that the new month would finally bring his friend back. For something was soon to come that would occupy her free time. Something so enjoyable it even made the grumpy looking Slytherin's to smile.
The Quidditch season was approaching, and Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor team, had called a meeting on Thursday evening to discuss tactics for the new season. Iphigenia, for once, had a wide smile on her face as she listened to her captain speak with his typical dramatics. There was a quiet sort of desperation in his voice as he addressed his six fellow team members in the chilly locker rooms on the edge of the darkening Quidditch field.
"This is our last chance —my last chance — to win the Quidditch Cup," he told them, striding up and down in front of them. "I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it.
"Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. Okay, so we've had the worst luck in the world — injuries — then the tournament getting called off last year." Wood swallowed, as though the memory still brought a lump to his throat. "But we also know we've got the best — ruddy — team — in — the — school," he said, punching a fist into his other hand, the old manic glint back in his eye. "We've got three superb Chasers."
Wood pointed at Alicia Spinner, Angelina Johnson, and Iphigenia. All of the girls batted their eyes bashfully and gave their captain an air kiss.
"We've got two unbeatable Beaters."
"Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us," said Fred and George Weasley together, pretending to blush.
"And we've got a Seeker who has never failed to win us a match!" Wood rumbled, glaring at Harry with a kind of furious pride. "And me," he added as an afterthought.
"We think you're very good too, Oliver," said George.
"Spanking good Keeper," said Fred.
"The point is," Wood went on, resuming his pacing, "the Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry and Effie joined the team, I've thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing..."
Wood spoke so dejectedly that even Fred and George looked sympathetic. "Oliver, this year's our year," said Fred.
"We'll do it, Oliver!" said Angelina.
"Definitely," said Harry.
"Harry and I full heartedly promise to put off any near death experiences for after the house cup," said Iphigenia. Harry rolled his eyes at his friend, but smiled when she gave him a flattering wink back.
Full of determination, the team started training sessions, three evenings a week. The weather was getting colder and wetter, the nights darker, but no amount of mud, wind, or rain could tarnish the Gryffindor team's wonderful vision of finally winning the huge, silver Quidditch Cup.
After one particularly tough practice, Harry had waited for Iphigenia outside of the locker room. It was true that, thanks to Quidditch restarting, Iphigenia had slowly but surely been coming back to herself. Just that morning, Harry had watched as his friend bantered with the Diggory's about Quidditch plays, the eldest of the siblings being the Hufflepuff captain.
But there was a part of Harry Potter that was selfish. The same piece of him that shared a special connection with Iphigenia. A bond that had been forged by being house mates, Quidditch teammates, and growing up with a distasteful pairing of an aunt and uncle. In an odd sort of way, Iphigenia and Harry understood each other at a much deeper level than the boy had ever experienced with either Ron or Hermione.
Which was why, lead by his selfishness to have some alone time with Iphigenia, and in hopes to get her back to herself, Harry waited out in the cold. His dirty Quidditch robes stuffed into his school bag as we waited for his friend to appear from the locker room.
Thankfully, he didn't have to wait too long. An added bonus was Iphigenia walking out alone. Her hair was already dry, from one of the advanced drying charms she always seemed to have handy. She wore an old hoodie of Harry's — that he definitely had been looking for since last Easter — and some wool leggings, her feet warm in a pair of Muggle winter boots.
"Hey, Wonder Boy. Ready to head up?" Iphigenia asked, a tired smile on her face. Despite the two of them having cleaned off the mud and sweat from practice, they were both still cold and stiff.
"Actually, I was wondering...didn't you say that you only had the Astronomy star chart to finish tonight?" Harry asked, a bubble of nerves filling his gut.
Iphigenia hummed in answer, her heart shaped face nodding.
"Me too, and I know the perfect place to do it," Harry said and grabbed her much smaller hand, leading her back into the castle.
Instead of heading up the staircase to Gryffindor tower, Harry lead Iphigenia up toward the Astronomy Tower. All Hogwarts students had been taking Astronomy since their first year and the route was familiar.
"Harry, we're at the tallest tower of the castle in the middle of October," Iphigenia argued once they landed on the final step. She wrapped her small arms around her to fight off the wind chill, while taking in the empty circular room.
"Oh — right — hold on," Harry said while digging a hand into his school bag. He pulled out a jar and, pointing his wand at it, muttered a spell he learned from Hermione. A large flame appeared inside the jar, producing only a small amount of heat enough for the two of them.
"Is that all?" Iphigenia huffed. Reaching into her own school bag, she pulled out her school cloak. With her own wand, she muttered a spell Harry hadn't learned yet and the cloak transfigured into a woolen blanket. Quickly, Iphigenia wrapped them in it, holding the jar for more warmth.
"You're amazing, you know that?" Harry breathed, no longer feeling the cool air from the comfort of the blanket and the closeness of Iphigenia next to him.
"Yes — I tell myself so every morning in the mirror. Now, is their a reason why you brought me here? We're not technically allowed to be in the Astronomy Tower apart from class," Iphigenia quipped, though a smile that Harry hadn't seen in quite some time graced her lips.
"Well, we both have the Astronomy homework to finish and I thought, what better place to do it than in the Astronomy Tower?" Harry said and gestured around the empty room.
Iphigenia glanced around the empty room, appreciating its quiet beauty. An enormous telescope sat in the middle, one that could help you see as far as the Andromeda galaxy. Beautifully designed globes and tapestry's of different constellations filled the darken room. With the only sound of the autumn wind blowing and Harry's natural scent filling her sense, Iphigenia felt at peace for the first time in weeks.
Turning slightly, Iphigenia wrapped her arms around her friend. She didn't need to have an strong intuition to know why exactly he had brought her to the Astronomy tower to finish some lousy homework.
"I love you, you doofus, you know that?" Iphigenia mumbled into his chest.
She felt the rumbling from his chuckle before she heard it.
"Well you do have a tendency to say it nearly anytime you take a step away from Ron, Hermione, or me," Harry said, a serene smile playing on his lips.
Iphigenia pulled away from him, looking scandalized. As though it was ridiculous to even question why she had begun to say those three words to her friends before leaving them.
"Excuse me, but after surviving a mountain troll, detention in the Forbidden Forrest, a three-headed dog, rogue Bludger's, a Basilisk, and Dementors I tend to worry what my last words to you three will be," she admitted.
Harry smiled, tucking a stray ebony curl behind her ear.
"We do tend to find ourselves in trouble, don't we?" Harry mused, gazing into Iphigenia's eyes.
"No, trouble finds us," Iphigenia smirked, repeating what Harry had said on the train last month. "Now, lets get this homework done. Knowing you, I'll have to do almost all of it."
So, sitting as close together as possible, the two friends filled out their star chart. Iphigenia, as having predicted, did have to do a majority of the chart.
"How is Astronomy so easy for you?" Harry grumbled when they were finished, after many corrections Iphigenia had to make on his own chart.
"It's in my blood," Iphigenia said with a casual shrug, shoving her homework back into her bag. "The Black family has always named their children after stars and constellations. Apparently it's because we come from such high royalty that only the greatest of names can be bestowed upon a member of the largest, oldest, and wealthiest pure-blooded families."
Iphigenia said the last part in an almost mocking voice. As though she found the entire idea of it ridiculous. But the truth was that she had not wanted to admit to her friend the real reason why members of the Black family were named after the night sky. Some family secrets had to stay jus that, a deadly secret.
Looking up at the night sky, Iphigenia found her favorite constellation and pointed at it. That right there is the Leo constellation, your constellation."
"I have a constellation?" Harry asked.
Iphigenia rolled her eyes playfully, "For your zodiac doofus. All of us have one."
"Where's yours?"
"In the Southern Hemisphere currently. But look up at yours, do you see that star by the head of the lion? The brightest one."
Harry hated to admit that he couldn't depict out any of the zodiacs from the sky so he only nodded and pretended to keep his eyes on one star that seemed to shine considerably brighter than all the rest.
"No, that's Sirius, look farther over to the left, yes, over there. Do you see the lion crouching in the sky?"
"Wait, Sirius is named after a star too?"
"Yes, but if we talk about him I'll kick you. Do you see the lion?"
It took some time and some more direction from Iphigenia but then Harry found it. Had he the guts to admit it, the stars did not look at all like a lion. But the young wizard was able to find the star she had pointed out earlier.
"Good, well now that you found him, say hello to my father." Iphigenia whispered with a smile in her voice.
"Your dad?" Harry inquired, his voice soft and even.
Iphigenia nodded slowly, "The Regulus star."
Harry stayed quiet as he let Iphigenia work out the thoughts in her head. No one actually knew who Iphigenia's father was. In fact, nearly everyone had initially believed the Metamorphmagus to be an unknown daughter of Sirius Black. Something that had earned her many rude comments and nasty glares from others in the castle. But, when Iphigenia had set the record straight, making sure everyone knew her only sin was having been related to the most least favored Hogwarts professor and Draco Malfoy, people had stopped calling her the "Murderer's Daughter".
Harry even had a distinct memory from his first night ever at Hogwarts. He had sat in his dormitory listening as Ron, Neville and Seamus discussed the scandal that was a Black being sorted into Gryffindor. Dean had looked as perplexed as Harry when the other three boys went on a long rant about the Dark witches and wizards of the Black family. Even shy and nervous Neville had held a look of disdain when he called Iphigenia's family one filled with murderer's and madwomen.
But, still, no one really knew who Regulus Black was. The Slytherin's did, of course. Harry had heard the house refer to Iphigenia as the "Pure-Blooded Princess". Something that greatly irritated the girl and what caused Harry to use the nickname just to tease her. Until, she informed him that the nickname came from her fathers old nickname, the "Slytherin Prince" which pair with her mothers nickname "Slytherin Princess".
Every other Hogwarts house only knew that Iphigenia's mother was the half sister to both Professor Snape and Mr. Malfoy. And that she was the widow of the deceased Regulus Black. But all anyone seemed to know about Regulus Black was that he was the younger brother to the current Azkaban escapee.
"Sometimes, when I look up at the star, it winks down at me. Mum use to say it was dad letting me know he's always watching over me," Iphigenia finally said, her voice so quiet Harry had hardly heard her.
"Do you ever miss him? Your dad?" Harry asked in a quiet whisper, feeling as though their conversation could be overheard heard by the stars in the night sky.
"Do you ever miss yours?" Iphigenia questioned back.
"More than I'd like to admit it," Harry answered, taking in a deep, calming breath of Iphigenia's natural lavender scent. "Which seems stupid doesn't it? Missing someone you've never met."
"Not really, when you think about it," Iphigenia murmured, snuggling deeper into Harry's embrace. "When you grow up without a parent — or both parents in your case — you're constantly told stories about them and how much they loved you. Everyone always seems to have some memory or some connection to them, something that you'll never get to have. So, you create these feelings and ideas built on how you believe life could have been had they never died. Like, maybe what it would've been like to have our dad's there at our first Quidditch match. Or, being able to spend holiday's with a large family rather than alone with my mum.
"I might still have my mom, but I know what it's like, Harry. To have cracks in your life, rips in your past and future that your parents could of filled had they stayed alive," Iphigenia's voice cracked and Harry knew that she was fighting a loosing battle against the same building emotions he felt.
Harry didn't answer immediately. He didn't want to. It had just occurred to him that out of everyone at Hogwarts, it wasn't just Neville who could feel Harry's pain. Because, although Harry and Neville were true orphans — left without parents and forced to be raised by a secondary family member — Iphigenia had also lost a parent far too young. In some twisted way of fate, Iphigenia could understand Harry's pain better than anyone could ever attempt.
"You know, I don't think you've ever told me how your dad died," Harry finally said and immediately regretted it.
He felt Iphigenia tense up in his arms. She kept her head pointed up to the sky, leaning against Harry's shoulder. But he saw how her face became guarded.
"Haven't I?" Iphigenia mused.
"You don't have to," Harry said quickly, tightening his arms around her. "I just...realized I don't know anything about him. You don't ever really talk about him."
Iphigenia allowed that revelation to roll over in her head. Had she never spoke of her father except in passing? Surely there had to been of a time where she had told her friends about the man she never knew. But perhaps not.
It was, after all, difficult to talk about a man whose entire memory remained in a home that was meant to be kept secret.
"Well, I hardly knew him," Iphigenia said after a pause. "He died two months after I was born. Everything I know of him is from stories and memories told."
Harry kept quiet, giving his friend patience as she tried to find the right words.
"Mum doesn't like to talk about dad. I think a part of her died the day he did. Whenever I ask about him her eyes goes vacant and I can almost hear her heartbreaking again. So everything I've learned has mainly come from my uncle's and Aunt Cissa," Iphigenia admitted, taking a deep breath. "I know that he had a love for reading, specifically philosophy and alchemy. But, Mum says that he always held a guilty pleasure for the romantics. He was really smart, too. Mum and Uncle Severus always said that everyone though dad to be the genius at Hogwarts. He even helped his potions professor in creating some medical potions that are still used to this day."
It was the usage of "Uncle" when talking about Snape that had surprised Harry. Just as it always did when the two discussed their potions Professor.
"I've heard all the stories from my Aunt Cissa. How my dad was the quiet one of the Black brothers. Respectful and shy but with a small glint of mischief in his eyes. She always said that my dad and Sirius were inseparable until Hogwarts."
"What happened then?" Harry asked, his interest perking up at the mention of the current murderous prison escapee.
Iphigenia frowned up to the sky. Her eyes darting between the two bright stars.
"Politics," she muttered. "Stupid, ignorant politics. As you know, Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor and my dad into Slytherin. During their time at school, Voldemort was recruiting for his followers and eventual army. This meant that the line you see between the houses today was far larger and taken even more seriously. My dad and his brother weren't even allowed to be seen together by their houses. Then, when Sirius was disowned he abandoned my father and they never spoke again."
Harry's brows rose in shock. Sirius Black, convicted murderer and member of a magically dark family would be disowned. But he could feel Iphigenia preparing to speak again. From the furrow of her brows and purse of her lips, he knew it was something she had been
"You know, everyone was right back in first year. I am a murderers daughter," Iphigenia said with a voice quiet with guilt. "I don't like to think of my father as that, a murderer. But, even if Voldemort didn't have him kill anyone my father was certainly still a foot solider for the bastard. And I'm sure that the initiation to Voldemort's army wasn't something as simple like singing your name on a list."
Harry pulled away from Iphigenia quickly, meeting her face with a look of shock. "Your father was a--"
"Soldier for Voldemort, yeah," Iphigenia said with a disgusted look. "Trust me, I wish it weren't true but mum says I can't look at it as my father supporting a gentrifier. I'm supposed to sympathize my father. See him as a teenager who was forced to join a war because of his family. Apparently, Voldemort had threatened my grandparents to join but they were both far too old. So they had offered up their only son since the other was disowned.
"But, it's still the principle of it all. I told Hermione last year and she told me she didn't think of me any differently. A saint, that witch is. To be friends with someone whose father and entire family actively worked for and supported the monster that hunted Muggleborn's for sport."
Harry remained quiet for some time. It was a revelation beyond any he had ever heard. His sweet, kind, and loving friend? The daughter of a Voldemort supporter?
Of course, he had always assumed that the Malfoy's had stood at the side of the man who killed his parents. It wouldn't even be a surprise if it came out that Snape had joined alongside Malfoy. But thinking of the man who helped in creating an angel like Iphigenia was unbelievable.
"Nevertheless, whatever it had taken for my dad to join Voldemort, it ended up failing. Sometime after, he decided he no longer wanted to be a part of any of it. So, he betrayed Voldemort," said Iphigenia.
"Betrayed?" Harry asked.
Iphigenia's small shoulders lifted in a shrug. "I've always asked how he died. All Mum ever told me was that he drowned and his body was found on shore by some Muggle fishermen. No one knew how or why he traveled from London to the sea in the middle of the night on Christmas. But, Uncle Lucius let it slip out once that my father, "Got what he deserved for being a traitor.""
She said the last part in the same condescending drawl that Lucius Malfoy was known to master.
"That makes more sense," Harry said, cleaning up his words when Iphigenia gave him a confused look. "I mean -- bloody Christ -- I just can't see your father being evil like Mr. Malfoy. It would make sense for him to be forced to join and then try to expose Voldemort at the risk of getting himself killed. Pretty sure you've done the same thing twice already for me."
Iphigenia gave Harry a small smile before looking back up at the sky and continuing on her with whatever had been building up in her head. "I have a theory. Something tells me that my dad had always planned to join Voldemort. But not in the way everyone had expected.
"Mum use to always say that dad almost always had a trick up his sleeve. He was always five steps ahead of everyone and the cunning wit of Salazar himself. Which is why I think he always knew he'd betray Voldemort. Had decided to get into his inner circle to figure out all of Voldemort's weaknesses, learn the Dark magic he wielded. Just to take it all together and find a way to kill him. To ensure that the threat to his loved ones was eliminated"
Harry didn't want to admit it to himself, so when the thought came he erased it immediately. But, had he held the courage the Gryffindor was meant to have, Harry would have told Iphigenia that he could say the same of her. That he could also expect her to go to the extremes to kill Voldemort. Even if that meant selling her soul to the Dark wizard in order to destroy his.
So, instead of speaking, he just held Iphigenia, intoxicated by her lavender scent, and let her speak out to the night sky, loving the smile she wore whenever she looked up to the winking star in the Leo's constellation. When she had finished, he placed a soft kiss onto her head. Caught up in the moment and not caring that he was crossing over the line of friendly comforting. Just happy that she had divulge something to him that no one else knew.
"I think he sounds like an amazing man and I think he would be incredibly proud of you," he whispered and was certain his words had made her smile even wider.
Iphigenia smiled brightly even though Harry couldn't see it. She often battled with herself on whether her father would actually support his daughter being in Gryffindor and befriending a Muggleborn. But, from the loving stories she heard of Regulus Black from his wife, Iphigenia was certain her father would be in the stands ever Quidditch game wearing the Gryffindor colors with pride.
Before either of them could say another word, footsteps were heard coming up. The two quickly jumped apart, grabbing for their school bag's in an attempt to make a run for it. Then, appearing at the entrance of the Astronomy Tower was a very tired looking Professor Lupin.
For just a second, Remus Lupin faltered when he entered the supposed be empty room. His amber eyes taking in the image of two terrified third years looking as though they had been caught red handed. It was all too familiar of a scene, one of a Black sharing a quiet, intimate moment with a friend. A friend who was just as broken and torn on the inside as they were, a friend who could feel what that Black felt all too well.
It was so familiar because he too had once spent many nights in the Astronomy Tower star gazing with his favorite member of the Black family.
"Are you two aware it's after curfew?" Lupin asked, trying to keep his Professor-ly voice. "And that it's nearly freezing up here."
One glance at her wrist watch and Iphigenia knew they were in trouble. Midnight had came and passed nearly five minutes ago.
"Sorry Professor," Harry blurted out, holding a bow empty jar in his hands. "We lost track of time trying to finish our star charts."
"Here I was under the impression that most students were able to finish their homework in their common rooms," Professor Lupin said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Especially considering the circumstance. I hardly have to remind you two that a man is running around outside the castle walls on the hunt for the two of you."
"To be fair, Professor. It wouldn't be the first time Harry and I walked around with a murderer around stalking us," Iphigenia countered,
Harry wanted to tell her now wasn't the time to have a smart tongue with a professor. But, to his surprise, Professor Lupin let out a small, forced chuckle.
"I suppose not. The professors have kept me quite updated on how you two, along with Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger, enjoy to spend your time after curfew," Lupin admitted and moved more fully into the moonlight. "But that doesn't mean you need to repeat it. Seeing as you two were using this room for academic purposes, I won't tell your head of house you were both out of bed after hours. But I must demand you two to return to your common room immediately."
Not giving Iphigenia another attempt to add one of her comments, Harry thanked the professor and dragged his friend out of the Astronomy Tower. By the sound of Iphigenia's care free laugh and the light that reappeared in her eyes, Harry was convinced it was worth getting caught for the few hours alone the two had together.
Because of their late arrival to the common room that night, Harry and Iphigenia had managed to miss an entire dramatic fiasco. One lead by Hermione's cat and ending with Ron's very terrified rat.
Apparently, the first Hogsmeade weekend had been announced. On Halloween night, Iphigenia's fourteenth birthday, of all day's. Something that had every third year and above brimming with excitement.
Following the announcement, came the attack on Scabber's the rat. Crookshanks had chased Scabber's all around the common room, much to Hermione's indifference and Ron's outrage. Which explained why Ron hardly spoked to the bushy haired witch the next day. Not even in Herbology, where the four of them were working together on the same Puffapod.
"How's Scabbers?" Hermione had asked timidly as they stripped fat pink pods from the plants and emptied the shining beans into a wooden pail.
"He's hiding at the bottom of my bed, shaking," said Ron angrily, missing the pail and scattering beans over the greenhouse floor.
"Careful, Weasley, careful!" cried Professor Sprout as the beans burst into bloom before their very eyes.
Iphigenia had rejoined her friends after her fourth-year Potions class and learned that Harry had not successfully gotten Professor McGonagall's permission to go to Hogsmeade. Ron had called Professor McGonagall a lot of names that greatly annoyed Hermione and Iphigenia. Although, the later had been the one to assume an 'all-for-the-best' expression that made Ron even angrier. Iphigenia, however, had made Harry very annoyed by announcing she wasn't going to Hogsmeade if he couldn't go. It took nearly an hour of arguing between the two before Iphigenia relented and finally said she'd only go to bring back Harry a Hippogriff sized bag of sweets from Honeyduke's.
On Halloween morning, Iphigenia awoke to presents at the end of her bed. Her birthday presents were the same every year. Baked treats from her mother along with a new book for her to read. The Malfoy's always gave her a full money bag, followed with a horrid looking card that must've been meant to be expensive looking. Scorpius has sent her a handmade card, a photograph inside of it showing him at his first Dueling competition that season, a first place medal around his neck as he posed with his best friend Viktor. There were other small treats and sweets from her friends all around Hogwarts, her favorite were from her Muggleborn friends who always gifted her Muggle candy.
The Metamorphmagus was chewing on a candy made of chocolate and biscuit — "Twix? Is that a type of slang or something?" — when she entered the Great Hall for breakfast with Hermione. When she saw Harry, looking thoroughly depressed, she handed him the other half of her sweet.
"Thanks, Effie! I haven't had one of these in ages," Harry had thanked, biting into the candy.
"Muggle's may not have magic but I swear that Willy Wonka bloke is real with the way they create candy," Iphigenia said, smiling at Harry's warmed expression.
"Who's Willy Won-Won?" Ron asked through a mouthful of toast.
"Willy Wonka, you troll. And eat with your mouth closed," Iphigenia chided, giving her friend a disgusted look.
"Its a character from a Muggle book," Hermione added, pouring Iphigenia the one cup of coffee she'd allow the girl to drink that day.
Ron gave the girls an odd look, only speaking when he had swallowed his mouth full of food.
"Muggle's have an odd way of naming their book characters, don't they?"
"Ron, you and I were literally raised on a story titled Babbitty Rabbity and her Cackling Stump," Iphigenia chortled, mentioning one of the Wizarding world's most popular children stories.
"Babbitty — what?" Hermione asked befuddled.
"Babbitty Rabbity! That one was my favorite until Fred and George convinced me that if I acted out in school mum would tell the king to actually take all my magic away," Ron said with a pained face.
Only Iphigenia let out a howl of laughter, nearly snorting out the sip of coffee she had just taken. Harry and Hermione shared a look mirroring the same confusion they felt at not understanding what seemed to be an inside joke.
As breakfast neared its end and the Hall echoed with excited chatter for the first Hogsmead trip, Harry's attempt to cover up his upset at not being able to join his friends fell. Ron, Iphigenia, and Hermione did their best to ease his melancholy.
"We'll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," said Hermione, looking desperately sorry for him.
"Yeah, loads," said Ron. He and Hermione had finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face of Harry's difficulties.
"I'll say it again, I don't have to go Harry. You and I can hang out here and do something fun. Like mess with Peeves or try another Quidditch play," said Iphigenia, a determined look on her face that proved she wasn't just trying to placate him.
"Don't worry about me," said Harry, in what he hoped was at, offhand voice, "I'll see you at the feast. Have a good time and enjoy your birthday."
He accompanied them to the entrance hall, where Filch, the caretaker, was standing inside the front doors, checking off names against a long list, peering suspiciously into every face, and making sure that no one was sneaking out who shouldn't be going.
"Staying here, Potter?" shouted Malfoy, who was standing in line with Crabbe and Goyle. "Scared of passing the Dementors?"
"Find another joke, Draco. That one is getting as old like your attitude," Iphigenia yelled back, managing to gain a half smile from Harry.
The raven haired boy parted from his friends with another attempt covering up his displeasure of having to stay at Hogwarts. Although, he blushed furiously when Iphigenia forced Ron and Hermione to give their "I love you's" before letting him leave. Ron had only muttered something under his breath, causing Iphigenia to elbow him hard.
"So, cousin, why exactly isn't Potter joining you to Hogsmeade? Especially with you as a third wheel for these two," Draco drawled when they had passed by Filtch and headed for the carriages that would take them down to the wizarding village.
"You're one to talk about a third wheel. Have those two finally confessed their love for each other, yet?" Iphigenia whispered, nodding to where Crabbe and Goyle walked aimlessly behind them.
"What have I said about talking bad about my friends?" Draco sneered, glaring at his cousin.
"Probably the same thing I've told you about bullying mine," Iphigenia challenged. "Besides, Crabbe and Goyle aren't friends. If you want real ones join Blaise, Theo, Daphne and me at the Three Broomstick's later."
"Oh, so your little Gryffindor's are going to let you spend time with the Slytherin's then?" Draco ribbed.
"Haven't you forgotten, Dray? I'm the Pure-Blood Princess," Iphigenia said with in a sickly sweet tone. "No one gets to tell me what to do. Not even you."
Draco laughed, pulling at one of Iphigenia's ebony colored plaits. Before stepping away to find a carriage with some other Slytherin's, he reached inside his cloak and pulled out a horrible looking handmade card.
"Happy birthday, by the way," he said hastily, shoving the card in her hands. "All bad blood aside, I'm happy to at least have you to make fun of."
"Aw, love you too Dray," Iphigenia cooed, pinching her cousin in his already pink cheeks.
"Stop that, you know I hate the "L" word."
"Least I forget you were the one who went through an entire phase of screaming it to your mummy anytime she left the room."
"I was four!"
"Seven."
"Three!"
"Eight."
"Effie, come on! The carriages are leaving!" Ron called from the one he and Hermione had climbed into.
Giving her cousin a quick kiss on the cheek, Iphigenia ran up to her friends, shoving the card inside her coat. Despite the fact it was badly drawn, and knowing Draco had more than likely rushed it in the night before, it meant the world to Iphigenia that he had at least taken the time rather than money to gift her something.
The carriage ride down to Hogsmeade was filled with loud excitement. Ron and Hermione had joined with the other third year Gryffindor's in one carriage. Lavender and Pavarti had grilled the three-fourth's of the quartet about Harry's absence. Dean had grumbled over the fact that he hadn't been able to sign Harry's form before he had asked McGonagall for permission. But Ron, Seamus, and Neville has directed the conversation back to all they would do once in the wizarding village.
"Pavarti and I are meeting up with two Ravenclaw's at Madam Pudifoot's," Lavender gushed, fixing the rather gaudy looking barrette in her hair.
"You two managed to get dates?" Seamus asked.
"But its only our first trip ever!" Dean explained.
"Didn't you know? All the older kids use Hogsmeade as date trips. Oh, I'm so excited! When did they said they'd meet us, Lav?" Pavarti asked, but it was obvious she already knew and only wanted to continue showing off.
"Right now!" Lavender cheered as their carried made a stop. The two girls bolted out, nearly trampling over Iphigenia and Hermione who sat next to them.
"Katie says Madam Paddifoot's is tacky and only used by boys to get a quick snog in from a girl," Iphigenia told her friends as they began their walk through Hogsmeade. "But Cedric and Maeve think it's beautiful and romantic."
"I'm too young for beautiful and romantic," Seamus grumbled. "I want to go to Zonko's! Come on Dean!"
Although Iphigenia had been to Hogsmeade before, it had never been during Halloween. The heart of the village looked like it could be hung as one of the many picturesque moving paintings in the castle. Falling leaves blew with the autumn breeze, Jack-O-Lanterns greeted everyone at the shop doors, and strings of enchanted candles hung in the half-bare trees. All around them it smelled of cinnamon and pumpkin, lifting their spirits despite missing another in their group.
"Let's go to Honeyduke's last, I don't feel like carrying around an enormous bag of candy for the rest of the day," Iphigenia told her friends as they walked past a music shop.
"Smart, very smart how about — oh! A post office!" Hermione exclaimed, grabbing Iphigenia's hand — causing her to grab Ron's — and pulling her friends inside the most boring of all the shops.
Once Ron and Iphigenia had managed to pull Hermione away from gawking at all of the different type of owl's at the post office, they headed to Zonko's Joke Shop. They waved to Fred, George, and their friend Lee Jordan, as they looked over a packet of Stink Pellets. Iphigenia had purchased what was labeled a Chinese Fortune Stick, which was described to be used for fortune-telling, while Hermione stopped Ron from grabbing a Screaming Yo-Yo.
That was how the friends spent their entire day. Jumping into shops, looking around, and usually stopping Ron from picking up something stupidly dangerous. When they left Honeyduke's, both Iphigenia and Ron carrying large sacks filled with sweets, they quickly walked to the Three Broomsticks's. Trying to fight off the bitter wind that the oncoming late afternoon was brining.
It was extremely crowded, noisy, warm, and smoky. Iphigenia went on the tip of her toes to peer over the many tall people around her, in an effort to find her Slytherin friends. But, having being cursed with a short stature, Iphigenia gave up and headed to the bar with her friends.
"I'm suppose to meet Daph and them here if you two want to join," Iphigenia told Ron and Hermione as they waited to be serve.
Ron looked absolutely scandalized at having been offered such a thing.
"Why? So those Slytherin gits can make fun of my family?" said Ron with a nasty attitude.
"Daphne, Blaise, and Theo have never made fun of you. Only Draco and I always put him in his place," Iphigenia pouted. She never liked how exclusive her Gryffindor friends were. Not even Hermione made an effort to get to know any of the Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuff's Iphigenia knew.
"Effie!" A familiar girlish voice called over the noise of the bar.
Looking up, Iphigenia saw Daphne Greengrass waving her over. Next to her was Blaise Zabbini and Theadore Nott sending scathing looks to Pansy Parkinson who was all but sitting in Draco's lap. Next to Draco were Crabbe and Goyle, both of them looking as though they were on their hundredth piece of candy.
Waving back, Iphigenia turned back to her friends before saying, "I love you both more than I do caffeine. But I promised them I'd meet them here. If you change your minds you know where I'll be."
Giving them each a kiss on the cheek — much to Ron's disgust — Iphigenia headed to the Slytherin's. She had to squeeze between the bodies that stood close together, but finally made it with her candy in tow.
"Hey guys! Oh — you got me a drink," Iphigenia said once she sat down in between Daphne and Pansy. A glass of a pale green liquid sitting in front of her.
"You'll hate Butterbeer, so I ordered you a Gilly Water with a dash of something special," Blaise said and gave her a flirtatious wink.
"You know why I will never marry you, Zabbini? Because you're too controlling. However," Iphigenia took a sip of her drink and tried to control the wince as it burned going down her throat, "you always do have the hookup for the good liquor."
"I'm the one who gets it for him," Theo argued, taking a sip of his Butterbeer that was sure to be laced with Firewhisky.
"Because your father is trying to turn you into an alcoholic," Blaise drawled.
"Don't you mean your father, Zabbini?" Draco said with a smirk.
Blaise gave a shrug, one that Iphigenia had learned from him, and took a sip from his drink before speaking, "I give it two more months before mother kills this one."
"I'm not saying I'm against killing the bastard," Theo said, taking a dramatic pause to wipe off the foam from his lips. "But could you adopt me beforehand? Or at least ensuring I get the inheritance."
"Who's to say I won't kill you for that as well?" Blaise countered, raising one brow in cool indifference.
"Your lousy spell work," Theo joked. "I'd have your wand in my hand before you could even utter Avada."
The table around them roared in laughter, even Iphigenia. When their conversation turned to Christmas plans and who was hosting the ball that year, followed by which country they'd be spending News Years in, Iphigenia couldn't help but compare how different her Slytherin friends were from all the other's. The pure-bloods around her were harsh in their teasing, witty in their jokes, and extravagant in how they lived. But it just took a bit of understanding and a warm heart to love them.
Iphigenia certainly didn't have any trouble doing it. Except maybe the two gorillas who kept trying to steal Harry's candy.
☽
"There you go. We got as much as we could carry."
A shower of brilliantly colored sweets fell into Harry's lap from Ron's arms. It was dusk, and Ron, Hermione, and Iphigenia had just turned up in the common room, pink-faced from the cold wind and looking as though they'd had the time of their lives.
"Unlike Ronald here, this is my much more elegant offering," Iphigenia said, handing over a building bag filled with sweets.
"Thanks," said Harry, picking up a packet of tiny black Pepper Imps. "What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?"
"The post office, Harry! About two hundred owls, all sitting on shelves, all color-coded depending on how fast you want your letter to get there!" Hermione cheered excitedly.
"Honeydukes has got a new kind of fudge; they were giving out free samples, there's a bit, look —" Ron said in the same tone.
"We think we saw an ogre, honestly, they get all sorts at the Three Broomsticks —"
"Wish we could have brought you some butterbeer, really warms you up —"
Iphigenia had taken a seat on the arm of Harry's chair, still a little light headed from the drinks at the Three Broom Stick's. She placed an arm around Harry's shoulder and sighed dramatically as Ron and Hermione spoke excitedly about their day.
"I believe the children have had a fun filled day," Iphigenia whispered to Harry with a playful smirk. "They'll be calling me parent of the year before you."
Harry, having felt more light hearted than when his friends left, smiled up at his friend. A bemused look on his face.
"I thought Collin was our unapproved child."
Collin Creevey was a second year Gryffindor who hero-worshiped Harry nearly as much as Ginny Weasley did. In the previous year, he had always been trying to photograph Harry, in an attempt to prove to his parents that he met the Boy-Who-Lived. Harry found the younger boy annoying, but Iphigenia had grown a soft spot for the Muggleborn. She took him under her wing and was always sweet and motherly when he came around. To Harry's ever growing annoyance, she'd grown to call Collin Harry and her's child. Always making sure the raven haired boy was kind to him.
"Little Collin is in desperate need of siblings while at school. His younger brother won't be at Hogwarts until next year," Iphigenia whispered back, Ron and Hermione droning on.
"How do you know these things?" Harry asked.
Iphigenia shrugged and fixed a piece of his hair that'd fallen over his eyes, causing him to blush. "I ask."
"What did you do today, Harry?" said Hermione, bringing the raven haired boy and pink haired girl to pull apart and look back to their friends. "Did you get any work done?"
"No," said Harry. "Lupin made me a cup of tea in his office. And then Snape came in..."
He told them all about the goblet of steaming potion Snape had dropped off in the middle of Harry's meeting with the DADA professor. Ron's mouth fell open.
"Lupin drank it?" he gasped. "Is he mad?"
Iphigenia gave the redhead a scathing look, a retort on the tip of her tongue to defend her uncle but Hermione checked her watch and gasped.
"We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll be starting in five minutes."
They hurried through the portrait hole and into the crowd, still discussing Snape.
"I'm telling you, my uncle is awful but he's not a murderer," Iphigenia said with conviction. "Besides, he wouldn't dare try to poison Lupin in front of Harry. It must've been something to ease Professor Lupin's chronic illness."
"Yeah, maybe," said Harry as they reached the entrance hall and crossed into the Great Hall. It had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant watersnakes.
The food was delicious; even Hermione, Ron, and Iphigenia, who were full to bursting with Honeydukes sweets, managed second helpings of everything. Iphigenia didn't miss the way Harry kept glancing at the staff table to Professor Lupin. The scarred man looked cheerful and as well as he ever did; he was talking animatedly to tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher.
The feast finished with an entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghosts. They popped out of the walls and tables to do a bit of formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, had a great success with a reenactment of his own botched beheading. Much to Iphigenia's amusement.
Afterward, Iphigenia skipped arm in arm with Hermione, Harry and Ron in step behind them with the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower.
"Best birthday ever," Iphigenia cheered, her hair a beautiful blushed pink. "No mountain troll or horrid Dead Day party. Not even a petrified cat to meet us afterwards."
She had spoken far too soon. For, when they reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.
"Why isn't anyone going in?" said Ron curiously.
The four of them attempted to peer over the heads in front of them. The portrait seemed to be closed.
"Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password — excuse me, I'm Head Boy —"
And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."
People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe. "What's going on?" said Ginny, who had just arrived.
A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved closer to see what the trouble was.
"Oh, my —" Hermione grabbed Iphigenia's arm.
The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely. What gave Iphigenia the greatest fright, was how familiar those claw marks looked.
Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him.
"We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."
"You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice.
It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.
"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle.
"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing." he added unconvincingly.
"Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly.
"Oh yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."