2 | CONFESSIONS° HARRY POTTER

7 | SIRIUS BLACK

ACT ONE, forgotten home
CHAPTER SEVEN, sirius black

If Iris heard one more ill word about Sirius Black, she was afraid she was going to fight someone. She understood that people were afraid but the wizards at the Leaky Cauldron continued to just make up facts about Sirius. Someone even said that he killed his daughter and ate her. Ate her. Iris felt protective of him. She had to. She had spotted Ron Weasley and his twin brothers, Fred and George, when she was getting food and she noticed the disgusted look Ron pulled when he saw her. She knew that he was just looking out for his friend, so she didn't really mind as much.

''She's here.'' Ron whispered to Harry and Hermione before Arthur got the chance to talk to Harry. Harry really wanted to find out more information about Sirius Black.

''Who is?'' Hermione asked.

''Iris Rosier.'' Ron said. Harry noticed that Ron and Hermione were looking directly at him.

''What? I know she's here. Well, I didn't know she was here but I knew she was in Diagon Alley.'' Harry said. Ron looked at him with a raised eyebrow. ''She was on the Knight Bus with me on the way here. She spoke at first, but she started to get really quiet when we talked about Sirius Black.''

''Because she probably worships him for what he did with Voldemort.'' Ron accused. His gossiping stopped as he saw her boots descend down the stairs. Ron tilted his head noting that Iris walked with her head held high as she walked past them. Ron was hit with the strong smell of lavender as the girl dressed head-to-toe in black exited the Leaky Cauldron. ''See. Scary.''

Iris didn't go back into the Leaky Cauldron until the sun had well past set and everyone was asleep. She was sneaking back up to her room when she saw Harry sitting down on the ground beside her door. She frowned at him as she got closer. Harry looked up and his heart raced as he saw her approaching.

''Are you okay?'' She asked, noticing he looked upset. Iris leaned back and studied his face. Harry looked up at him in confusion, because she seemed to actually care that he was upset.

''Yeah, I'm, uh, fine.'' Harry said. Iris looked at him for a second before taking a spot beside him. Harry looked at the side of her face in amazement, because here she was; the most intimidating person he had ever met, and she was willingly speaking to him. Iris, however, just stared forward as if there was nothing odd about this encounter at all. Like them talking was a normal occurence.

''So, I take it you're not expelled from Hogwarts?'' Iris asked. Harry looked at her in confusion. ''The whole blowing up your aunt thing. Which, I have to admit, very impressive. Heard it was wandless and wordless magic, Potter. You're a strong wizard.''

''Well.. she just made me very angry.'' Harry said. Iris chuckled. Harry liked talking to her thus far. Like, actually speaking instead of him trying to force conversation. He hadn't even been speaking to her for more than five minutes and already decided that she was good company to keep.

''I understand.'' Iris nodded.

''Why did you assume that I wouldn't be expelled, though?'' Harry asked.

''The whole Sirius Black thing.'' Iris confessed, turning to stare at him. ''People talk and they say that he's coming after you and his daughter.''

''I thought his daughter was dead.'' Harry frowned.

''No one actually knows what happened to him and his wife. They just vanished.'' Iris said.

''Can I ask you a question? Well, a couple questions actually?'' Harry asked. Iris shrugged. ''Why did you look so upset when Stan starting talking about Sirius Black?''

Iris froze. How could she explain this to him? She couldn't just say 'well, I know he didn't do all the things he's being accused of and from what I can tell he was actually a pretty swell guy. Oh, I'm also his daughter and your parents are my godparents and my parents are yours. I'm also trying to figure out a way to save my real mother from a death-like slumber because I traveled to the past, changed the future, and made it so that she can wake up again to help us'. She was pretty sure she'd be committed if she said that. ''People always like to make up rumors about everything. It's getting old. I mean, he didn't even have a trial. People don't just go crazy, Harry. I mean, sure, he was born into a really dark wizarding family, but so was Calypso Krane and look how she turned out.''

''Calypso Krane? I've heard that name before, but I don't know who she is.'' Harry asked.

''Sirius' wife. She was a ravenclaw and best friends with your parents.'' Iris spoke softly. ''My mum was friends with her, I think. She fought alongside Dumbledore and was an Auror.''

''How do you know so much about all these people?'' Harry asked.

''My family talks about it alot. Especially with the Malfoys. It's kind've a serious subject, because my mum was under the Imperius curse and she... you know, did some things she wasn't proud of.'' Iris said. She didn't believe Cordelia was bad, she couldn't be bad. Maybe she really had been under the effects of the Imperius Curse with Lucius Malfoy during the first Wizarding War. If the Minister believed it and she didn't get sentenced, it had to be true...right?

''Your mum was on You-Know-Who's side?''

''I suppose that's why your friend doesn't like me very much. Everyone's afraid that I'll turn out just like her, except knowing what I'm doing. Like my uncle, Evan.'' Iris said.

''Do you think that?'' Harry asked. She turned and stared at him. They were sitting so close their noses were practically touching. Iris blinked for a second as she looked at him cautiously.

''Do you?'' She retorted. Harry's eyes scanned all over her face.

''No.'' He answered truthfully. He couldn't see it. Maybe deep down, Iris actually had hidden feelings of her own where she knew that discrimination was wrong. That's what he believe, at least.

''I think you're the only one that doesn't.'' She whispered, but Harry heard her loud and clear. And his heart strings pulled when she said that.