Secrets

Chapter 6

'Odette and Ophelia Turner,' Snape said and set a piece of parchment with the two names down on Dumbledore's desk. 'Mother and daughter team. Tall, austere looking, blondish, both of them. Mother in her sixties, I believe, daughter in her mid thirties.'

Dumbledore picked the parchment up, looked at it and filed it neatly away in a draw in his desk that he opened with a touch of his wand.

He looked up sadly at Snape.

'The numbers are growing,' he stated quietly.

'They are,' Snape agreed, his voice no more than a soft rumble.

'Sit down, Severus,' Dumbledore suggested. 'You look tired.'

'I can't, Headmaster. I'm running late for my first class. I will come and see you later, when I've finished.'

'Alright,' Dumbledore said with a gentle nod. 'Get some rest before you come; alright, Severus? That is a direct order!'

Snape's thin lips curled up in sour amusement.

'I will see you later, Headmaster,' he said cynically, and turned to the door.

The door of the dungeon burst open and Snape strode into his classroom purposefully, black robes billowing behind him.

Harry, Ron and Hermione jumped. They had been sitting there waiting for almost fifteen minutes, fully expecting by now that he wasn't going to show up -as they had predicted.

Snape turned to face the class in a swirl of black. From all the familiar teenaged faces, looking up at him in varied expressions of apprehension, smugness and dislike, he noted Harry, Ron and Hermione gaping at him in undisguised astonishment, and his eyes narrowed. He let the silence weigh heavily in the air, for a moment, before speaking.

'Mister Potter,' he breathed, silkily, in the end. 'You look surprised. Were you not expecting to see me?'

'Er... no sir... I mean, yes... I was expecting to see you,' Harry stuttered.

Snape's piercing eyes held Harry's for a few more seconds. He seemed to be contemplating the truth, or lack thereof, of Harry's statement. Finally, he spun away and went to lean casually against the lectern standing by his desk.

'Unfortunately, we have no way of verifying that,' he whispered with a sneer. 'Yet!' he added, with a hint of menace in his voice. 'Until such a time as we can, we might as well get on with an effort at teaching all you dunderheads, something! Today we're going to be attempting to brew an antidote to the Servitium Potion...'

The entire classroom stared blankly at him.

'Seeing you all gaping at me stupidly I have no choice but to assume that you haven't heard of this Potion before. I honestly shudder to think what you have all been learning -or not -in the past four years in your Defence Against the Dark Arts classes!' He paused for a moment and then continued with an exaggerated show of immeasurable patience as if he were reciting from a textbook.

'The Servitium Potion works similarly to the Imperius Curse; the difference obviously being that it has to be imbibed, and that it has an antidote. Its advantages over the Curse are that no wand waving, or loud incantations are involved for it to be effective; hence, it is possible to be placed under its influence, without you, or anyone else around you, knowing anything about it. I trust it is not necessary for me to explain that the Servitium Potion is as reprehensible as the Imperius Curse and its use carries the same penalties. So, before any of you get the chance to exhibit, yet again, their profound stupidity by asking the question, no; you are not going to learn how to brew it. All you need to know is how to brew the antidote; which is what we are about to attempt today!... I stress the word attempt, as I have no great expectations that any of you are going to be able to produce an effective antidote with your first try. These are the components you are going to need,' he spun round suddenly and started writing a long list on the blackboard.

Ron, Harry and Hermione shot one look at each other but didn't dare so much as breathe. Instead they started scribbling hurriedly, taking down the ingredients they were going to use.

An hour later, after having produced liquids of all imaginable colours, a dense green fog that engulfed the entire classroom and took ten minutes to dissolve, and two spectacular explosions, it turned out that Snape had been right. No one had managed to produce a working antidote. The fact that he had predicted as much didn't stop him deriding them about it, however. After several minutes of verbal abuse over the issue of their incompetence, he gave them their homework. They were to write a two-parchment essay on the development and use of the Servitium Potion over the past hundred years, and practice brewing the antidote; when he next saw them, the following week, he expected them all to be able to brew a working antidote and he was going to test them to that effect.

He swept out of the dungeon before they had even managed to clear up and gather their things. Everyone knew better than to leave the sort of mess they had created lying around, even though Snape wasn't there to watch them hawkishly doing the job.

When Harry, Ron and Hermione finally left the dungeon, they turned to look at each other and, suddenly, all started speaking at once.

'I tell you, that guy is a maniac!'

'It's official, he's finally lost it, completely!'

'What is it with this fixation with the Servitium Potion?!'

Hermione's comment made the other two stop talking and turn to look at her.

'I don't think it's a fixation with the particular potion. It's a general fixation with all potions we try and brew. And anyway, if it's so bloody hard to make, and he knows we're not going to manage it, why does he make us do it then?' asked Harry hotly.

'It's because he enjoys abusing us about it and it just gives him an excuse,' said Ron. 'It's obvious!'

Hermione shook her head, but didn't say anything.

'Anyway, at least he showed up!' Ron continued. 'At some point I was convinced he wasn't going to show.'

'Yeah, better late than never, I guess,' Harry agreed. 'Having said that, he has been late now twice in a row and that is not normal!'

'Stop nit-picking things! If he showed up, it means he didn't go anywhere last night.'

'He might have gone and come back,' insisted Harry. 'He can Apparate, you know!'

'Not from inside Hogwarts he can't. He needs to go well outside the school grounds to do that, and as you know, that is quite a trek. It would have taken him ages.'

'He could still do it,' Harry mumbled. 'He might have come back this morning.'

'Well, yeah, ok, he might have come back this morning, but I still think you're nit-picking here!'

'Don't you two ever notice anything?!' Hermione suddenly erupted. 'Didn't you see his face? Didn't you see his robes? He's been up all night! And, he's been trekking round the countryside!... Honestly!' she said, shaking her head in exasperation.

Ron and Harry gawked at her.

'I'm probably going to be sorry I asked, but, is this the sort of thing that girls usually notice?' Ron asked.

Hermione tutted, rolled her eyes and started walking off. The two boys hurried after her.

'Hermione, are you sure about this? I mean, do you really think he's been up all night?' Harry asked anxiously.

'It was clear as daylight,' Hermione said, without stopping. 'The only problem is you need to be able to use your eyes for other things besides gawking at girls, to be able to see!'

Ron snorted.

'So, you think that he did go to Vold... -you-know-who last night?' said Harry, ignoring him.

Hermione suddenly stopped walking.

'Well, I don't know! He might have been out in the forest picking herbs by moonlight, with a golden sickle, for all I know!' she said and walked off again.

'Now you mention it, it does seem like the sort of thing he'd do. In fact, I can't imagine anyone but him doing something like that!' Ron sneered. Even Harry sniggered at the image this description conjured in his mind.

'Look, Harry, Hermione's just guessing here. You know what girls are like, they notice so much detail, most of it is in their imaginations anyway!' Ron continued.

Harry smirked at Ron's perceptive remark, but it didn't really put his mind at rest.

'You're probably right,' he said, nevertheless. 'I mean, the picking herbs idea is more likely, anyway, isn't it?'

Ron grinned.

'No question about it!'

*

Many miles away, a grey cat had just found a discarded ball of old string lying around on the frosty ground of the open countryside. She looked around furtively for a moment, as only cats do, then she picked it up in her mouth and promptly disappeared into thin air with a faint pop.

*

'Hey, Hermione!' Fred Weasley hissed from behind a corner. Hermione jumped with a small gasp.

'Don't do that!' she complained once she had located the source of the sound. 'Can't you walk around like a normal person?'

'Come here!' he beckoned to her. 'I've got news!'

Hermione looked quickly behind her to see how far away Harry and Ron were and she slunk behind the corner with Fred.

'What's up?' she whispered.

'You're the luckiest person I know,' Fred said instead of answering her question.

Hermione gazed at him blankly.

'We got a reply!' said Fred excitedly.

'Already?' Hermione couldn't believe her ears. 'But we only sent out the letters last night!'

'I know! I just got an owl. That's why I said you're the luckiest person I've

ever met! We've found an Earspy! Do you know what the odds of that are?' he exclaimed, eyes sparkling mischievously.

Hermione's jaw dropped.

'You're having me on!' she said.

'No! I swear! We've found an Earspy. Costs a bundle but we found one! Good model, too!'

'How much?'

Fred grimaced.

'Forty Galleons!'

'Well, it could have been worse,' said Hermione coldly. 'This is one of the instances where it pays to have two dentists as parents. They can afford it and they won't have a clue what it's for.'

'So, do I write and tell him we want it?'

'Of course!' Hermione said sharply. 'Weren't you listening last night? This is urgent!'

'Ok, Ok! Don't bite my head off woman! I'll get right on it,' said Fred and hurriedly disappeared round the corner of the adjoining corridor.

'Who are you talking to?' Harry's voice came immediately behind Hermione and she jumped again.

'Oh, no one. It was just Fred trying on one of his inane jokes again,' she said, recovering quickly.

'What happened?'

'Nothing. He must have messed up the recipe or something.'

'It must be your lucky day then; that doesn't happen often,' came Ron's sneering voice as he poked his head over Harry's shoulder.

'Must be,' Hermione agreed. 'Oh, well. Seeing as we have a free period with Raveneye being away, I think I'll go to the library for a while and do some research on that Servitium Potion.'

'Really? Would never have guessed. What else can a person do with a free period anyway?' said Ron with immeasurable innocence.

'What indeed?' said Hermione. 'Well, see you later boys!' she added and shot a meaningful look at Ron before walking off.

Ron's brow furrowed for a moment, but then the penny dropped. She wanted to talk to him alone. Obviously she had come up with a plan. Oh well, it would have to wait. He couldn't very well just ditch Harry and run after her.

*

'If I didn't know any better, I'd think you did that on purpose,' Iris exclaimed calmly as she stalked into Iole Ranger's office.

Iole looked up at her, a puzzled frown creasing her delicate features.

'What on earth are you talking about woman?'

'I'm talking about that routine surveillance you sent me on last night.'

'Well? What about it?'

'You know that game of chance all the Muggles play in the hope of winning millions with odds of something like thirteen million to one?'

Iole was still staring at her, her eyes now beginning to glaze over with incomprehension.

'The Lottery?!' she asked in blank disbelief.

'Yes.'

Iole kept on staring.

'You just won it.'

There was a moment of silence and then Iole erupted.

'What on earth are you talking about?!!' she cried irritably. 'Has sleep deprivation just made you lose your mind?'

'Guess who I ran into last night?' Iris continued flatly, ignoring Iole's outburst.

'Are you going to tell me, or am I supposed to guess?' Iole cried again, now rising from her chair in anger.

'It'd be more fun if you guessed,' Iris said, looking Iole straight in the eye, and obviously completely unfazed by her exhibition of anger.

Iole opened her mouth to start shouting once more, but suddenly clamped it shut again. Her eyes widened slowly and she sucked her breath in, sharply. Very slowly, she began lowering herself back into her chair.

'You're having me on!' she whispered once she had sat back down.

Iris's eyebrows rose cynically.

'Do I look like I'm having you on?'

Iole was utterly speechless. Her mind was working furiously, trying desperately to analyse the repercussions of what Iris had just told her. She sat in her armchair, hands still gripping the desk in front of her, eyes wide in astonishment, thinking.

'You're telling me we've found them?' she breathed in the end.

'Temporarily at least, yes. I doubt they're going to stay put for very long. I don't think they're that stupid!'

'Are you absolutely certain about this, Iris?' Iole said, finally looking as if she was regaining some of her usual composure. 'I can't stress enough how important it is that you are absolutely certain!'

'Iole, do I look like I have turned into an imbecile over night? Of course I'm certain!'

'And Snape was there? You saw him?'

Iris sighed.

'Yes. He was there. Yes. I saw him,' she said in an expansive show of patience. 'No, he was not alone. No, he was not visiting his grandmother.'

'How many people did you see?'

Iris's attempt at some comic relief was obviously completely lost on Iole at that particular moment, so she gave up with a sigh.

'About twenty... Maybe more. Can't give you an accurate number. There was a lot of coming and going and, as you know, they don't stand out much from each other.'

'What else did you see?'

'Snape spent all night brewing something for them. From what I could see we're talking a couple of cauldrons full of the stuff. Took him all night.'

'Any idea what it was?'

'Sorry. I was too far away to be able to see properly. I didn't really go there prepared for something like this, you know. You said go do some simple surveillance; not infiltrate Voldermort's den of corruption. Snape nearly spotted me, you know!'

Iole's eyes widened again, this time in alarm.

'Oh no! Are you sure he didn't see you?'

'How, in the name of Merlin, can I ever be absolutely certain about something like that? As far as I can tell, no, he didn't see me. I guess I'll find out as soon as I get back to Hogwarts.'

'Well, let's just hope you're right. Can't do anything about it now, anyway,' Iole said, deciding not to dwell too long on this slight technical hitch. There were other more important things on her mind right now.

'Needless to say I need you to go back there tonight!' Iole continued.

'Whatever you say. But most of them have already left. I doubt they're going to show up again, two nights in a row.'

'Yes, but maybe some of them will. And maybe, you'll be better prepared this time and you might even be able to get us some names.'

'I'll do my best,' Iris sighed. 'You know of course that I won't be able to use either Maeve of Hecate on this job, don't you? Something smaller and more discreet will be in order if you want me actually going into the house itself. So don't expect any miracles, ok? Do you know how long it's been since I last Shared with a mouse?'

'Just do what you can. I appreciate you didn't come here prepared for something like this!'

'Fair enough,' Iris said. 'Just promise me you won't go out and do something really extreme without telling me first, like a Lunarior surgical strike or something. I want to be well clear of the place if something like that's in store!'

'Don't be ridiculous!' Iole scoffed. 'All we want right now is information. No one is going to do be doing any surgical strikes, or anything as flagrant as that, as long as I'm head of this Department. We've got Aurors for that sort of thing. They're the ones that are good at going around in packs, dealing out big explosions, spectacular curses and the like.'

'Well... it's them most of the time!' Iris corrected her meaningfully.

'Yes, yes, ok. Most of the time!'

'Now, off you go, get some rest and get back there as soon as you can, and let me get on with figuring out what we're going to do about all this!'

*

That night, after Harry had finally gone to bed, Ron sneaked downstairs to the common room where Hermione was still studying, supposedly. For Ron's benefit, she had made a big display of the fact that she was planning on staying up late. They hadn't managed to get away from Harry for a single moment, all day.

'What's up?' asked Ron in a whisper, dropping down into a chair next to her.

'Everything's set! Well... almost!' said Hermione in an even softer whisper.

'What's set?'

'The plan, stupid! I told you I'd come up with a plan, and I did. Now, listen carefully. I've ordered an Earspy.'

Ron stared at her blankly.

'You know, sometimes I wonder how it's even possible that you live in the same house as your brothers!'

'What on earth are you talking about?' Ron exclaimed.

'Forget it. Anyway, an Earspy is a wonderful little gadget -well, two little gadgets, actually -that lets you listen in on people's conversations. It's a tiny little thing, which you place somewhere in the room of the person you want to listen in on, and you hear everything that goes on in there, through the second tiny little thing which you obviously have with you. They're pretty hard to come by, but I managed to find one, and I've ordered it. It should be here within the next few days!'

Ron continued staring at her; only now his mouth was hanging open, also.

'You mean to tell me you want us to go into Snape's office and plant this thing? This is your plan? Are you out of your mind?' Ron almost screamed.

'Have you got any better ideas?' Hermione inquired flatly.

'Well... no. But you said you would come up with something. This is the best you can do? Do you want to get us killed? Do you know what he'll do to us if he catches us; if he finds that thing?!'

'He won't catch us. These things are made specifically for this sort of job. They used to be used all the time. The only reason they were stopped being used was because of their limited scope. You can't hear any further than the room you have it in, so in the case of big houses, you'd need one in every room. In our case, we've only got one room to worry about, so it's not a problem. Relax! The only problem will be finding the right time to plant it.'

Ron stared at her again for a few more seconds.

'Oh, my God, I'm sitting here talking to a mad person!' he exclaimed in the end. He sank back in his chair, shaking his head. 'You're mad. You're completely mad.'

'Will you please calm down? It's not as difficult as you think. Besides, I can't think of any other way!'

'And, how, pray, are we going to manage to plant this thing in his office, and also plant it in a way that he will never find it? The paranoid git puts like fifteen ward charms on his office every night. We're never going to manage to break in!'

'We'll just have to do it some other way,' Hermione said simply, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. 'We'll have to create some sort of diversion that will make him leave his office for a few minutes, without locking it. Then, one of us will just go in, plant the thing, and come out again. No problem!' She noticed Ron's jaw hanging open as he gawked at her.

'Oh, God, we have created a monster!' he breathed in the end. 'Hermione, do you realise what you're saying? Besides the fact that we would be completely insane to even attempt something like that, how on earth could we create such a diversion that would make him leave his office unlocked? It would have to be something enormous, and like, dramatic, involving explosions and light shows, or something! One of us on their own can't produce something like that and have the time to escape God's wrath at the same time! Do you have any idea what he'd do to anyone if he caught them red handed after something like that? We just can't do it on our own.'

'Well, then, let's get help,' said Hermione calmly.

'Who?! Who would be insane enough to want to help us create an almighty explosion outside Snape's office?!' Ron tried not to scream, but suddenly, he stopped. His brow creased, as if he had just thought of something he was sure he was going to regret. Hermione looked at him expectantly.

'Erm... actually, there might be a couple of people that qualify as insane enough...' he said haltingly in the end.

For Hermione, the penny suddenly dropped.

'Fred and George!' she breathed, excitedly. 'That's right! They're perfect! They're sure to want to help!'

'There's only one small catch,' Ron said slowly. 'I know they're very very mad, but for something this big, even they will want to know why they'd be risking their necks -literally! So, if we're going to ask for their help, we're going to have to tell them everything.'

'You do trust them, don't you?' Hermione asked with only the slightest hint of concern in her voice. 'I mean, I trust them, but if you trust them too, then that's fine. I vote we tell them. It's an absolutely perfect plan! You'll see!'

Ron sighed, shook his head gloomily with the expression of someone facing certain death and then groaned, theatrically.

'Ok.... It's insane, in fact you're insane, it goes against my better judgement, but Ok. We'll tell Fred and George and see what they come up with.'

Hermione shot him a broad, happy grin.

'Yes!!' she exclaimed triumphantly!

The next morning, Iris walked into Iole's office once again, and this time slumped down into a chair in front of her desk.

'I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but you look truly terrible,' Iole said, lacing her fingers in her lap and leaning back into her chair.

'Thank you,' Iris replied. 'I'll try and not take it the wrong way. I'd like to see what you'd look like after two nights without any sleep.'

'Probably as bad as you do.'

'Probably. Or even slightly worse... what with age and everything.'

Iole's lips twitched.

'I will pretend I didn't hear that,' she said, doing a very bad job at concealing her amusement. 'Now, what happened?'

'Nothing.'

'What'd you mean nothing?'

'I mean nothing. I saw a couple of people, but no one we don't know about. They weren't even doing anything interesting. It was probably the most boring night of my life. Do you have any idea what goes on in a mouse's mind?... Very little! Especially when there's no food involved in the equation anywhere!'

'Yes, I'm sure this is all very interesting, but can we please get back to the point at hand?' Iole interjected.

'Ok, Ok!... But I tell you, you need to be a little more sympathetic towards your workforce! You don't want us to think you don't care, do you?'

'Perish the thought! I promise I will show the utmost concern and sympathy for your suffering at the hands... well, mind, of a mouse, after you finish telling me what you saw.'

Iris sighed, histrionically.

'I saw that obnoxious little bastard Pettigrew, and Crabbe and Goyle... The Three Stooges! They seemed to spend most of their time waiting, hand and foot, on Voldermort. And, before you ask, no, I didn't actually see him. I just surmised as much from the conversation. I think he was cooped up in one of the rooms I couldn't get into, for obvious reasons. Crabbe and Goyle made off relatively early on, and that left Pettigrew to exercise what he does best, for the rest of the night, servility... So, all in all, that was a sleepless night well spent!'

'Oh well, you're young, you'll get over it,' Iole said flatly. 'You're quite sure that nothing else of interest happened, or was said?'

'I tell you, I've never been more bored in my life! What else do you want me to say? I mean, the only other thing I can think of saying is that Voldermort doesn't seem to sleep that much, considering they didn't stop waiting on the creep all night! But somehow, that doesn't really come as much of a surprise, if you ask me.'

'No, it doesn't, does it?' Iole said with a smirk. 'Oh well, at least now we know, first hand.'

'I'm glad I was able to be of such invaluable assistance. Next time you want to observe Voldermort's nocturnal habits, will you please send someone else?'

'But you've done such a wonderful job, I think I'll stick with what I know works best -especially now you've got the hang of mice and everything!'

'Great. Just my luck. Now, can I please just go and get some sleep before I go back to Hogwarts? I don't think it would be a good idea to show up looking like this! The students will think I just had a wild night out on the tiles and that's just going to ruin my image!'

'Please do. And don't forget that I expect a full written report on both days' surveillance by Monday. Oh, and one more thing...'

'For Merlin's sake, what is it now? Haven't you tortured me enough already?!' Iris interrupted her. 'Have pity woman! Do you realise that I'm holding down two jobs here?!'

Iole couldn't help but chuckle. Iris had many admirable qualities, but as far as Iole was concerned, her best one was her sense of humour. Iole had certain principles in life; one of them was to never hire anyone that lacked a sense of humour. A person needed a sense of humour in this job as much as they needed competence, and sharp wits; they wouldn't be able to survive otherwise.

'I was going to let you in on a little secret... But, of course, if you don't care...' she shrugged. 'To be honest, I was rather expecting you would have asked by now... It's probably the lack of sleep though, isn't it? Best you run along and get some rest then, dear...' Iole said in an exaggerated motherly tone that suited her about as much as a crucifix suits a vampire.

'Oh cut it out!' Iris exclaimed in theatrical exasperation. 'Will you just get on with telling me what you've come up with now?'

Iole looked down at her hands, mainly to hide the smile she knew Iris had already seen.

'I have just been informed that we now have someone ready for the much sought after position of "Double Agent Death Eater". I thought I'd tell you, since you seemed to be concerned we would position someone without telling you. Just to put your mind at ease, a bit.'

Iris suddenly became serious. She sat up slowly in her chair.

'How are you going to get them in?'

'We're still working on that one. I'll let you know when everything's in place. The other good news is, I think you know him, which means you'll have no problem spotting him in a crowd -of similarly and unimaginatively dressed people. You see?... Always thinking of you and trying to make your job easier?!' Iole smiled broadly and innocently at her.

'Yes, har-har! Very funny! Who is it?'

Iris was not that amused. She knew that Iole was only joking about choosing the person specifically for her convenience, but she still wished it hadn't been someone she knew. That was something that would have made her job easier. One acquaintance in Voldermort's circle was quite enough, thank you very much!

'Aidan White,' Iole said calmly. She knew perfectly well that an acquaintance on the inside only served to make Iris's life harder, rather than easier, but there was no reason to make too fine a point of it. It wasn't something that could have been helped, anyway.

She saw Iris's eyes widen, just slightly, at the mention of Aidan's name; she also went very quiet, suddenly.

'Right,' said Iris flatly in the end. 'Well, there definitely won't be any problems spotting Aidan in a crowd, that's for sure.'

'I knew you'd see it my way in the end,' said Iole, determined to persist with humour in a situation that severely lacked any such thing. 'So, off you go now, and get some sleep.'

'Right,' said Iris again after a slight hesitation.

'Unless there's anything else...' Iole said, deciding to be generous with her time, considering the circumstances.

'No,' said Iris determinedly, standing up. 'No, nothing else.'

She turned to leave, but suddenly turned back, in mid-step.

'Is he here?' she asked abruptly.

Iole regarded her through narrowed eyes for a moment.

'Iris, how long has it been since you last saw Aidan?'

'Ages. Why?'

'I'm just wondering whether it is a good idea to renew the acquaintance just now.'

Iris cocked her head to one side and looked at Iole from under a perplexed frown. Finally she grimaced and sighed.

'You know, I think it's probably a pretty bad idea. I'm off to bed,' she announced, and left without another word.

That afternoon, when she returned to Hogwarts, her first stop was at Dumbledore's office. She spent almost an hour there, briefing him on everything that had happened over the past two days, most of which he had already heard from Snape, of course. She even told him about the little 'disagreement' she and Iole had had. Dumbledore had smiled strangely on hearing that Iris had refused to follow Iole's orders -even though the whole issue had proved to be immaterial in retrospect. Of everything Iris told him (including the precise location of Voldermort's 'camp') it seemed to be this, that he found the most interesting. He kept steering the conversation back to this subject, and relentlessly quizzing Iris about what exactly had been said between her and Iole, and Iole's attitudes.

The only thing that managed to distract him from that particular issue was the mention of Aidan White's name.

'Indeed?' Dumbledore had inquired, with one only slightly raised eyebrow.

'Oh. I see. You know him too, then? Should have imagined as much. You seem to know everyone on the planet!' said Iris.

'I'm not sure about everyone on the planet, but yes, I do know Aidan. Not as well as I would have liked, and I haven't seen him in many many years, but I do know him.'

'Just as well, I suppose,' said Iris.

'Presumably you are also acquainted with him...'

'It's not something that's as self-evident as that, but yes, I know Aidan too. Just my luck, really; considering that ninety-five percent of Lunariors don't know each other.'

'What is your opinion of him?' Dumbledore decided to get straight to the point, taking Iris slightly by surprise in the process.

'My opinion?!' Iris asked. 'Well, he's an excellent Lunarior. As sharp as they come, if you ask me. Capable... likes his job, too.'

'I'm sure he is. That was not what I was asking, however,' Dumbledore said, meaningfully.

Iris stared at him for a moment.

'Ah, I see,' she said slowly in the end. 'You were wanting information on a more... let us say, personal level...'

'Precisely.'

'Well... erm... that's a slightly harder question to answer. You're asking me about my personal opinion of him?'

'Of course. How could you give me anyone else's opinion?'

'Well, I don't know how significant my opinion of him is...'

'If it wasn't, I wouldn't be asking you,' Dumbledore interrupted her.

Iris grimaced and shook her head slowly, as if she wasn't at all sure how her opinion mattered in any significant way, not to mention that she was reluctant to pass judgement on someone's personality.

'If you insist,' she said however in the end and then continued after a short pause where she seemed to be thinking. 'Aidan... as I said before, is as sharp as they come. He makes a good Lunarior because he's extremely adaptable. He can change lifestyle from one moment to the next, and he doesn't mind. He... doesn't get easily attached to things, or people, which, in our line of work is a blessing. He loves the job; he likes the excitement, and I have a sneaky suspicion that he likes the danger. If you ask me, that makes him just a tiny bit dangerous, since he's willing to take risks most of us wouldn't be prepared to take. Having said that, I don't think that's the reason he does what he does. He believes in the job as a matter of principle. He believes that we make a difference. It is important for him to make a difference. I think he would give his life, without a second thought, if he thought that would make a difference... However, his dedication to the job in this way, also means that he may be prepared to justify certain actions that may be morally questionable, on the merit of the end result; which again makes him an excellent Lunarior, but... let's just say, slightly unpredictable also...' Iris's voice drifted off into silence for a moment. 'For the purposes of this particular assignment I think Iole couldn't have picked someone better,' she concluded in the end.

Dumbledore sat in his large armchair, looking at Iris silently for a few moments.

'The way you have described him, I'm inclined to agree with both you and Iole,' he said finally.

'Well, hopefully, we're all going to be proved right,' Iris said in a way that gave Dumbledore the impression she harboured misgivings about the whole thing. He refrained from saying anything however.

'How do you know Aidan?' Iris asked suddenly.

Dumbledore smiled shrewdly, shifted in his seat and laced his fingers in his lap.

'In the same way I know most people. Hogwarts.'

Iris sighed and shrugged.

'Of course! Ask a stupid question...' she said with a smile, deciding to let the rest of the sentence hang, unsaid, in the air. 'You know, somehow it had never occurred to me ask him before, so I might as well ask you; what House was he in?'

'Slytherin,' Dumbledore said simply.

Iris rolled her eyes.

'Ask another stupid question...'

Dumbledore spread his hands and shrugged, smiling innocently.

'What is it with all the Slytherin people, anyway?' Iris asked suddenly, as if it was something she couldn't hold in any longer. 'They either end up in one extreme, or the other. Isn't there any middle path for these people. When was the last time anyone normal came out of that House?!'

'Can't remember,' Dumbledore said with an amused grin.

'I'm not surprised,' she mumbled grumpily. 'Oh well, if there's nothing else, I think I'll go... feed my cat, or something... Wash my hair...'

'Or get some sleep,' Dumbledore suggested.

'Done that already. And don't you start with how terrible I look, too. I've had quite enough of that already from any number of people! Besides, if I go to bed now, I'll probably wake up tomorrow, and I've got classes later on today.'

Dumbledore shrugged again.

'Chocolate fudge cake?' he suggested instead.

Iris's face lit up, suddenly.

'Now that is an excellent idea!' she said and got up from her chair. 'Can't think why I didn't think of that myself!'

'Good, good,' Dumbledore nodded approvingly.

Iris shot him a bright beaming smile and headed for the door and, ultimately, the kitchens.

A few minutes later, Iris disappeared into her room with her cake and locked the door behind her. She had no desire whatsoever to see anyone in the near future, especially Snape, and she planned on avoiding the inevitable for as long as humanly possible.

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(Chapter End)