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The boys were angry.

Harry knew that Hermione had meant well, but that didn't stop him from being exceptionally cross with her. He had been the owner of the best broom in the world for a few short hours, and now, because of her interference, he didn't know whether he would ever see it again. He was positive that there was nothing wrong with the Firebolt now, but what sort of state would it be in once it had been subjected to all sorts of anti-jinx tests?

Ron was furious with Hermione too. As far as he was concerned, the stripping-down of a brand-new Fireboat was nothing less than criminal damage.

Iris was split in the middle of both sides. While she agreed that there was a definite possibility of Harry's broom being from Sirius Black, she didn't think it was jinxed.

Hermione, who remained convinced that she had acted for the best, started avoiding the common room. Iris tried her best to spend time with both sides, though mostly hanging out with Hermione and consoling her as she cried late at night. 

Harry and Ron supposed Hermione had taken refuge in the library and didn't try to persuade her to come back. All in all, they were glad when the rest of the school returned shortly after New Year, and Gryffindor Tower became crowded and noisy again.

Butterflies fluttered over the great green lawn. The giant squid was breaking through the last glaze of ice on the Black Lake, and the Whomping Willow had shaken the water from its branches. Winter was slowing down now as Spring neared.

Soon after classes resumed, Iris and Harry had their first lesson with Professor Lupin. At eight o'clock on a Thursday evening, Iris and Harry left Gryffindor Tower for the Professor's office.

The dying sun streamed through high windows, painting Harry and Iris' faces a fierce amber-red as they stood opposite Lupin. Ancient charts drape the walls while gleaming spheres of spun glass orbit one another silently. Professor Lupin paced before a large trunk.

"Now, you two are sure about this? This is very advanced magic. Well beyond the Ordinary Wizarding Level," their teacher stressed.

Iris and Harry exchanged a look before Harry spoke, "We're sure, we need to learn how to fight the Dementors."

Lupin studied the twins for a moment as if conflicted, then decided, "Very well. Now the spell I'm going to try to teach you is called the Patronus Charm. Ever hear of it?"

Harry shook his head no while Iris nodded eagerly. She had read about this spell, it was very difficult to achieve, and it would be especially more difficult for someone their age.

Professor Lupin continued, "A Patronus is a kind of positive force. For the witch or wizard who can conjure one, the Patronus works something like a shield. The Dementor feeds on it instead of them."

The older man sat on top of a rather large chest, "But in order for it to work, you need to think of a memory. And not just any memory, a very happy memory, a very powerful memory... can you do this?"

The Potter's nodded earnestly.

"Close your eyes," the Professor said, "Concentrate. Explore your past."

Iris cast her mind about for a happy memory. Certainly, nothing that had happened to her at the Dursleys' was going to do. Finally, she settled on the moment when she had first got her Hogwarts letter.

Professor Lupin noticed the change in both of their facial expressions as he stood and walked around them, "You have a memory. Allow it to fill you up, lose yourself and then speak the incantation: Expecto Patronum."

He was standing behind them now and the siblings spoke in unison, testing the words, "Expecto Patronum."

"Good," he walked back around to stand at the side of the chest.

"Shall we? Harry, you try first," Iris took a big step back.

"Wand at the ready," Professor Lupin reminded.

He then waved his hand, unlocking the trunk, and gripped the lid. He nodded at Harry and then yanked the lid up, releasing the Dementor shaped Boggart inside.

"Concentrate, Harry. Concentrate..." Lupin urged.

In the sun's blood-light, the Dementor looks particularly horrific.

"Expecto Patronum." Nothing happened, and the faux Dementor floated closer to Harry, "Expecto... Patronum..." he tried again, but Iris could hear him getting tired and positioned herself a few steps behind him so as to catch him if he fell.

The torches on the wall flickered as a chill breeze filled the chamber. A scream echoed distantly making Iris flinch. Harry's hand trembled. His eyes began to roll up...

"Expecto... Expecto..."

Iris lunged forward throwing her arms under Harry's to catch him as he started stumbling back,

"Here!" Professor Lupin threw himself in front of the boggart.

CRACK! -- the Dementor mutated into the silvery white orb they had seen before, only this time Iris knew what it meant.

"Riddikulus!" Lupin flicked his wand, sending the orb back into the packing case. Iris helped her twin stand up as he leaned against her, dazed. Lupin fished a chocolate frog from his pocket and pressed it into Harry's trembling hand.

"Eat this before we try again. I didn't expect you to do it your first time; in fact, I would have been astounded if you had."

Harry studied the frog before taking a bite.

"That's one nasty Dementor," her brother said.

"Boggart, Harry. The real thing would be much, much worse." He went around the room, relighting the candles the boggart Dementor had blown out. "Just out of interest, what were you thinking of? What memory did you choose?"

"The first time I rode a broom."

Both Iris and Lupin turned to look at him incredulously.

"That's not good enough, not nearly good enough," Lupin explained.

Harry glanced toward the window, at the bloody sun.

"Why don't I give it a shot while you think of a stronger memory, Harry," Iris suggested.

Harry nodded in agreement.

"Alright," Lupin began, "Harry, because your Boggart is a Dementor and Iris' is not we will have you stand in front of the Boggart just long enough for it to turn into a Dementor. Then Iris will attempt the charm."

Iris readied her wand as Harry stood slightly in front of her and Lupin opened the box.

A Dementor once again emerged and started gliding toward her.

"Expecto patronum!" Iris yelled. Like Harry, nothing happened. She thought harder of that one moment she received her letter. The life-changing instance that she would never forget. "Expecto patronum! Expecto Patronum-" A thin silvery mist escaped gently from the tip of her wand forming a decent-sized shadowy barrier between herself and the Boggart Dementor.

A foggy sensation was quickly filling her head making it harder to keep concentration. Iris could feel herself falling back into the dark expanses of her mind.

She could vaguely hear someone calling her name.

"Iris!"

Her eyes slowly fluttered open to see Harry and Professor Lupin kneeling next to her.

"Well done, Iris! You achieved an incorporeal Patronus!" said Professor Lupin smiling warmly at her.

Iris laid out on the floor for a moment with her eyes closed, she had barely gotten any sleep lately, with all the studying she was busy with. Not to mention, constantly going back and forth between her three best friends was taking a toll on her mental health.

"I bloody hate Dementors," she sighed before gathering herself up off the floor. She took the chocolate frog Professor Lupin was offering her and immediately took a large bite out of it, taking the head right off.

"Are you ready to try again Harry? Do you have a very strong, happy memory?" Lupin asked.

Iris' brother walked over to one of the candles that sat glowing with a small flame around the perimeter of the room.

"There's another. It's not happy exactly. I mean, it is. It's the happiest I've ever felt. But it's... complicated." he explained in a way. 

"Is it strong?" the Professor asked.

Harry looked up into Lupin's eyes and nodded.

"Then let's give it a try. If you're ready?"

Iris gripped Harry's shoulder and gently squeezed it. He took in a deep breath and get in position.

"Just do it."

Lupin waved his hand over the lock once more, opening the chest and releasing the boggart.

Instantly, the Dementor appeared again. A chill filled the air and Iris' hair blew around her head. Harry set his jaw and spoke the spell,

"Expecto patronum! EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A white mist poured out of Harry's wand to form a shield between him and the Dementor. Iris grinned in delight, proud of her brother.

Professor Lupin let out a laugh as Harry forced the boggart back into the box it came from. Once it was inside Lupin slammed the lid closed.

"Well done, Harry! Well done!" Lupin praised.

"I think we've had enough... for today," Iris spoke as she wrapped her brother into a hug. He nodded in agreement.

"Just so you know, Iris and Harry, I think you two would have given your father a run for his money, and that's saying something," Lupin grinned down at them.

Hearing that made Iris smile as she stared bashfully down at her hands.

"I was thinking of him," Iris' head snapped to her brother when he said that, "And Mum. Seeing their faces. They were talking to me. Just... talking. That was the memory I chose. I don't even know if it's real..."

Iris grabbed his hand in hers and gave Harry a small smile.

The three sat in silence for a moment before Iris abruptly asked a question.

"What's under a Dementor's hood?"

Professor Lupin gazed out into the room thoughtfully. Iris looked at him curiously.

"Hmmm ... well, the only people who really know are in no condition to tell us. You see, the Dementor lowers its hood only to use its last and worst weapon."

"What's that?"

"They call it the Dementor's Kiss," said Lupin, with a slightly twisted smile. "It's what Dementors do to those they wish to destroy utterly. I suppose there must be some kind of mouth under there because they clamp their jaws upon the mouth of the victim and -- and suck out his soul."

Harry spluttered. Iris's eyes widened slightly.

"What -- they kill --?" Harry started.

"Oh no," said Lupin. "Much worse than that. You can exist without your soul, you know, as long as your brain and heart are still working. But you'll have no sense of self anymore, no memory, no...anything. There's no chance at all of recovery. You'll just exist. As an empty shell. And your soul is gone forever...lost."

Lupin paused a moment, then said, "It's the fate that awaits Sirius Black. It was in the Daily Prophet this morning. The Ministry have given the Dementors permission to perform it if they find him."

Iris sat stunned for a moment at the idea of someone having their soul sucked out through their mouth.

"He deserves it," Harry said suddenly. Iris frowned slightly, she didn't think anyone deserved a fate like that.

"You think so?" said Lupin lightly. "Do you really think anyone deserves that?"

"Yes," said Harry defiantly. "For...for some things..."

Iris would have liked to have a conversation with Lupin, about Sirius Black supposedly betraying her mother and father, and her suspicions about him, but she had long since realized that Lupin got quite tense and emotionally distraught whenever they mentioned her father and Sirius. So the twins thanked Lupin and left his office soon after.

Iris half wished that she hadn't asked what was under a Dementor's hood, the answer had been so horrible, and she was so lost in unpleasant thoughts of what it would feel like to have your soul sucked out of you that she walked headlong into Professor McGonagall halfway up the stairs.

"Do watch where you're going, Miss. Potter!"

"Sorry, Minnie --"

"I've just been looking for you, Mr Potter, in the Gryffindor common room, Well, here it is, we've done everything we could think of, and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it at all -- you've got a very good friend somewhere, Potter..."

Harry's jaw dropped. She was holding out his Firebolt, and it looked as magnificent as ever.

"I can have it back?" Harry said weakly. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," said Professor McGonagall, and she was actually smiling. "I daresay you'll need to get the feel of it before Saturday's match, won't you? And Potter -- do try and win, won't you? Or we'll be out of the running for the eighth year in a row, as Professor Snape was kind enough to remind me only last night..."

Speechless, Harry carried the Firebolt back upstairs toward Gryffindor Tower. As they turned a corner, they saw Ron dashing toward them, grinning from ear to ear.

"She gave it to you? Excellent! Listen, can I still have a go on it? Tomorrow?"

"Yeah...anything..." said Harry, looking happier than he had in a month. "You know what -- we should make up with Hermione...She was only trying to help..." Iris grinned at that.

"Yeah, all right," said Ron. "She's in the common room now -- working -- for a change."

They turned into the corridor to Gryffindor Tower and saw Neville Longbottom, pleading with Sir Cadogan, who seemed to be refusing him entrance.

"I wrote them down!" Neville was saying tearfully. "But I must've dropped them somewhere!"

"A likely tale!" roared Sir Cadogan. Then, spotting Iris, Harry, and Ron: "Good even, my fine young men and lady! Come clap this loon in irons. He is trying to force entry to the chambers within!"

"Oh, shut up," said Ron as he Iris, and Harry drew level with Neville.

"I've lost the passwords!" Neville told them miserably. "I made him tell me what passwords he was going to use this week, because he keeps changing them, and now I don't know what I've done with them!"

"Oddsbodkins," said Harry to Sir Cadogan, who looked extremely disappointed and reluctantly swung forward to let them into the common room. There was a sudden, excited murmur as every head turned and the next moment, Harry was surrounded by people exclaiming over his Firebolt. Iris made her way to the table Hermione was working at taking out another assignment and then sinking into the seat next to her best friend after a quick greeting. Iris could hear everyone fawning over Harry's broom.

"Where'd you get it, Harry?"

"Will you let me have a go?"

"Have you ridden it yet, Harry?"

"Ravenclaw'll have no chance, they're all on Cleansweep Sevens!"

"Can I just hold it, Harry?"

After ten minutes or so, during which the Firebolt was Passed around and admired from every angle, the crowd dispersed and Harry and Ron had a clear view of Hermione and Iris, Hermione being the only person who hadn't rushed over to them, bent over their work and Hermione carefully avoiding their eyes. Harry and Ron approached their table and at last, she looked up.

"I got it back," said Harry, grinning at her and holding up the Firebolt.

"See, Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!" said Ron.

"Well -- there might have been!" said Hermione. "I mean, at least you know now that it's safe!"

"Yeah, I suppose so," said Harry. "I'd better put it upstairs."

"I'll take it!" said Ron eagerly. "I've got to give Scabbers his rat tonic."

He took the Firebolt and, holding it as if it were made of glass, carried it away up the boys' staircase.

"Can I sit down, then?" Harry asked Hermione.

"I suppose so," said Hermione, moving a great stack of parchment off a chair.

Harry looked around at the cluttered table, at the long rune translation essay on which the ink was still glistening, at the even longer Muggle Studies essay ('Explain Why Muggles Need Electricity') and at the Arithmancy Hermione was now poring over while Iris was finishing her half-completed Divination dream notebook assignment.

"How are you getting through all this stuff?" Harry asked them.

"Oh, well -- you know -- working hard," said Hermione. Close-up, Iris saw that she looked almost as tired as Lupin, and she knew that she herself likely looked no better.

"Why don't you just drop a couple of subjects?" Harry asked, watching Hermione lifting books as she searched for her Arithmancy number chart.

"I couldn't do that!" said Hermione, looking scandalized.

Iris pursed her lips as she watched her best friend, "Hermione, you don't look healthy, maybe dropping a class wouldn't be such a terrible idea."

"Arithmancy looks terrible," said Harry, picking up a very complicated-looking number chart.

"Oh no, it's wonderful!" said Hermione earnestly. "It's my favourite subject! It's --"

But exactly what was wonderful about Arithmancy, they never found out. At that precise moment, a strangled yell echoed down the boys' staircase. The whole common room fell silent, staring, petrified, at the entrance. Then came hurried footsteps, growing louder and louder -- and then Ron came leaping into view, dragging with him a bedsheet.

"LOOK!" he bellowed, striding over to Hermione's table. "LOOK!" he yelled, shaking the sheets in her face.

"Ron, what --?"

"SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS!"

Hermione was leaning away from Ron, looking utterly bewildered. Iris looked down at the sheet Ron was holding. There was something red on it. Something that looked horribly like --

"BLOOD!" Ron yelled into the stunned silence. "HE'S GONE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?"

"N -- no," said Hermione in a trembling voice.

Ron threw something down onto Hermione's rune translation. Hermione, Iris, and Harry leaned forward. Lying on top of the weird, spiky shapes were several long, ginger cat hairs.

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Yay, a new chapter!

Let me know what you guys are thinking of the story so far! I'd love to hear any predictions of what you think will happen or things that you want to happen!

What's been your favourite part of this book so far?

Thanks for reading! ~Elle