Harry Potter and The Long Strange Journey

Chapter Seven: Iridis Degenero

The smoking continued around the happy circle, and many conversations were going on throughout the Burrow. Completely chilled out, Harry opened another ale, and headed over to the stereo which was blaring some trippy wizard rock, that made Harry think of the muggle band Pink Floyd. Harry sat down on the couch near the stereo, picked up Seamus' CD book, and started flipping through it. He didn't recognize most of the bands, and realized it was probably because they were wizard bands. One of them caught his eye, so he took it out and looked at it more closely. The CD had stripes of every color across it. On the center of the CD was a black and white picture of a punky looking wizard with a Mohawk. Harry looked closer at the wizard, who was now giving him a 'rock on' sign, and was stunned to see that the wizard had a painted on lightening bolt symbol on his forehead! Harry's eyes flicked down to the title of the CD. Written in angsty letters was "The Legend of the Boy Who Lived." He sat motionless, staring at the CD title for a few moments, while the punky wizard curled his upper lip moodily at Harry.

"That's so fuckin'...weird...I'm like some..fucking..icon..." Dean came over and fell drunkenly into the chair across from Harry. He saw the CD Harry was holding and got very excited.

"The Ministry of Music?! They kick ass! Put it on mate!" Harry hesitated. Surely the CD would have songs that pertained to him on it? He quickly picked up another CD nearby which was blood red, and had a black cross on it. He held it up to Dean.

"How 'bout this?"

"Aw, yeah, man! You dig the Sanguis Vampires?!"

"Yeah, love them..." Harry lied, and put the CD in the player. There was a few seconds pause where the only sound was laughter and chatter around the room, and the repeated flicking of the lighter. Then the music roared through the speakers with pulsing guitars. Harry thought this band sounded like Nine Inch Nails. He was nodding his head to the beat and looking around the room at everyone. Harry wasn't too surprised to see Hermione reading a book. He got up.

"I'll be back..." But Dean had already passed out.

"Right..." Harry walked over to Hermione and saw Ron sitting near her on the floor, ale in hand. He looked up at Harry drunkenly.

"Hey Hair!"

"Hey Ron. What's up, man?"

"Nothin'..." Hermione was staring apparently transfixed at her book. Harry laughed out loud.

"Uh...Hermione, your book is, um, up-side down..." He took her book out of her hands, and turned it right side up. Ron pointed and laughed heartily. Hermione closed the book.

"Oh, this is hopeless!" Ron got up looking suddenly sick, and walked off to the bathroom. Harry sat down. Hermione's eyes were bloodshot and half-open. She was looking at Harry blankly.

"What's up, 'mione?"

"Oh! I was trying to remember what I was going to tell you! Um, Susan told me that Ernie Macmillan is coming, and he's bringing some...some people we don't...know..." Harry looked from side to side, and thought about how smashed Hermione must be. He stood again, as Ron returned.

"Um, sounds good, Hermione...Maybe you should take her to lie down for a bit?" Harry added to Ron, who was looking much more sober now. Ron and Hermione walked off up the stairs.

Lavender suddenly came out of nowhere and wrapped her arms around Harry's middle, a bottle in her hand.

"Hey Harrby! Harry! I like you, Harry! You're nice!" Harry was already looking desperately around for reinforcements, but no one seemed to notice.

"Er, gee, thanks, Lavender. You're nice too..." Lavender started giggling like mad, and Harry was more than thankful when Justin finally noticed his predicament, and came over to take her away.

"Why don't we go outside, Lavender?" The two of them walked off. Harry raised his eyebrows, and breathed a sigh of relief. He went and sat down on the couch again, rocking out to Sanguis Vampires.

Just then, Ernie suddenly came out of the fireplaces, followed by a tall, pale boy with long, black hair. Harry thought the boy could've easily been Snape's son. Ernie turned to Harry.

"Harry! Sorry I'm late! Happy birthday!"

"Hey, Ernie...um..." Harry looked at the Snape-ish boy.

"Oh! Harry, this is my good friend--" The pale boy stepped forward and tucked his long hair behind his ears. Then he offered a hand to Harry.

"I'm Almus Latenter...It's uh, nice to finally meet you, Harry. Happy birthday, by the way. Hope you don't mind me joining your celebration?"

"No, not at all...um, help yourself to a drink on the table..." Harry motioned behind himself. Before Almus left, he turned quickly to Ernie and said quietly,

"Let me know when she gets here." Almus walked off. Harry turned to Ernie.

"When who gets here?" But before Ernie could say anything, Harry's question was answered with a roar of green flames. The most beautiful girl Harry had ever seen stepped out of the fireplace. Ernie turned to her.

"There you are! Went a grate too far?"

"Yes, I got out at the strangest house..."

The girl had porcelain skin and long black hair,that fell to her small waist in waves. Her eyes were a deep sparkling violet. Harry wondered if the color could even possibly be natural, it was so lovely. The girl looked gorgeously dramatic in a long, black satin medieval-looking gown, with sleeves that opened almost to the floor. Around her throat was a choker that had a large black stone cross dangling from it.

Harry didn't realize he was staring at her, until she made eye contact with him a moment later. He immediately averted his gaze. Ernie turned to him, and began to introduce the girl, but was cut off again.

"Harry, this is Iridis Degenero, she's Almus'--" She stepped forward quickly, and extended a ring laden hand towards Harry.

"Friend. Ernie's friend as well, of course. And you must be the renowned Harry Potter?" Harry pulled his eyes from her enchanting gaze with great difficulty.

"Um, yeah...right..." And just when Harry was convinced she couldn't possibly be any lovelier, she smiled. Harry felt the blood rush to his head and his heart beat quickened its pace. Ernie looked around, then said awkwardly,

"Well, I guess, I'll, um..." And walked off. Harry sat down on the couch.

"Would you like to sit?" Iris sat down next to him. Harry was trying very hard to think of something to say, anything, anything at all. She solved the problem for him.

"So, how old are you today?"

"Sixteen. Well, not today. Today I'm still fifteen...my real birthday isn't for another week..." For some reason, Harry felt he should be completely honest with this girl. Like somehow her indigo eyes would penetrate to the truth if he wasn't. He thought quickly.

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"And how do you say your name again?"

"E-REE-DEESE. But call me Iris, won't you?"

"Yeah sure...So, where do you go to school, Iris?" She seemed to hesitate for a moment, and she looked at the floor.

"I, um, go to Hogwarts..." Harry couldn't believe he'd never seen her before.

"You do?! That's strange, I'm sure I've never seen you before...that is, I would've remembered someone like...you..." He blushed profusely. He hadn't really meant to say that out loud. But Iris seemed pleased by this blunder. She smiled, then averted her eyes to the floor again.

"I um...keep to myself...a lot..."

Harry searched his memory. He thought maybe he'd heard of an Iris in Hufflepuff.

"Are you in Hufflepuff House?"

"Um, no, I'm not."

"Oh, you're in Ravenclaw! I thought maybe I'd--" Harry began, but she cut him off.

"No. I'm in Slytherin house, actually..." Iris looked up at him with steady eyes. Harry was shocked. His mouth was open. He almost felt angry, like he'd been tricked. How could he ever like a Slytherin?

"But--you're--not--evil!...Er, are you?" Harry stammered. Now he'd said the wrong thing, he was sure of it. But Iris just smiled patiently and laughed softly.

"Well, you know, not everyone in Slytherin is like Draco Malfoy, Harry. I know you don't get along very well with most of the Slytherins, but then, neither do I..." Harry felt a bit ashamed of himself. But then, he also felt paranoid--What if this was some sort of joke cooked up by Draco and his gang? After all, as much as he wanted to believe what she was saying, he hardly knew anything about her. He'd never even seen her before five minutes ago. There was something mysterious about her. Harry felt it the minute he looked into her eyes. A connection of some sort between them. Something much deeper than physical attraction. He decided to do some investigating, before getting anymore involved with her.

"Well, um, Iris, it was really nice to meet you. Ernie and Almus are over there. He motioned towards the table. When he did, he saw Almus staring in his direction. Almus got up and started walking towards Harry and Iris. Harry stood up and said,

"I have to--" Suddenly Iris grasped his wrist.

"Wait." Harry turned, and Iris stood up staring directly into Harry's eyes. He felt a strange sensation in his mind, then she spoke softly to him:

"You can trust me, Harry..." Harry was taken aback. Before he could respond, Almus had appeared, and stepped in between them, with his back to Harry.

"Iri! Where the devil have you been?! Harry stood on the spot, staring at his back for a moment, then turned to walk away. He heard Almus speak in a barely audible whisper to Iris.

"What were you two talking about?"

Harry walked over to Ernie, who was already half-lit.

"'Sup Ernie?"

"Nahmuch, you?"

"Nothing...so, how long have you known Iris?" Ernie grinned toothily at Harry.

"Oh, I see. So that's what's up then!" Ernie punched Harry playfully in the arm, then he said,

"Well, join her fanclub Harry, because unfortunately that's about as close as you're going to get. Almus will see to that, trust me..." Ernie took a drink from his bottle.

"What do you mean?" Ernie scoffed at Harry.

"Well, from what I've seen he won't be giving her up without a fight..." Harry's heart sank. So that was why Almus was so keen to know when she'd arrived. Because she was his girl. But then Harry remembered the way she'd introduced herself to him. It seemed like she really made a point of making sure she was known only as Almus' friend. Before Ernie could become anymore inebriated, Harry wanted to get some answers.

"Well, really, I just wanted to know...as far as her personality...I mean, being a Slytherin and all..." Harry trailed off, and Ernie spoke.

"Oh, no, man! She's brilliant, she really is! Real clever...and nice as well...I didn't even realize she was in Slytherin until I'd known her quite awhile..."

Ernie took another swig. Harry thought for a moment. Maybe he had been really unfair to all the Slytherins, just because Malfoy was a git, didn't mean they all were. Ernie continued.

"...She doesn't really hang around with her house mates too much...'Course Malfoy's always trying to make her be his girl. Yeah, tries to get her alone whenever Almus is away for one minute--which is just about never--but, it puts good 'ol Almus in a right state, let me tell you, whenever Malfoy does pull it off..." A fresh surge of dislike towards Draco pulsed through Harry. Ernie stared at the wall a minute and then excused himself, looking rather ill.

After Ernie threw up all over the carpet, the party wound down considerably. When most people had left, Harry looked around the room, and realized Iris and Almus were nowhere to be seen. Ernie was snoozing on the couch, and Hermione was upstairs with Ron. Harry walked through the house to the back door. It was slightly ajar and he went to open it and look outside for Iris. Right as his hand touched the doorknob, he suddenly heard Almus' voice outside it, and he sounded very adamant about something. Harry listened.

"It's true! I know it must hurt a bit, but damnit, it's the honest truth! He told me himself. Straight to my face." There was silence, then Iris spoke.

"But when could've he told you that? You've been with me all night...except..." Almus cut back in. He sounded triumphant.

"Except when I went to the bathroom! Yeah. And that's when he said it, Iris, why don't you believe me?!"

"Well why would he say those things about me to you? It just doesn't make sense...I mean, we'd only just met..." Iris started to cry. Almus' voice turned sickeningly sweet, reminding Harry of Umbridge when she was at her most evil.

"Aw...there, there Iry...you know how it is, honey...you just scare people off sometimes, that's all! Besides, who the bloody hell cares if Potter thinks you're a freak and never wants to talk to you again? Who cares if he thinks you're ugly? I think you're beautiful..." Harry's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe this bloke was feeding her this bullshit. He didn't want to make things more difficult for her, but he couldn't just let this go on now that he knew. This was the reason Iris kept to herself! Almus. He had to be the reason she had no friends of her own.

Almus spoke again, while Iris continued to sob. This time he sounded angry.

"Now, come on Iris, why were you speaking with him anyway? Tell me the truth. Did you fancy him?!" Iris kept crying. Almus exploded with rage.

"GODDAMNIT TELL ME!" Harry had heard enough. He banged the door open with his fist. Almus had his hands on Iris' shoulders, and he was shaking her. Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it like a pistol at Almus, an inch from his forehead. Almus' eyes were wide. Harry yelled,

"LET GO OF HER YOU FUCKIN' BASTARD!" Almus stood up slowly, and put up his hands.

"Harry, we we're just...talking..." Iris was staring at the ground in front of her. Harry lowered his wand.

"Yeah, and I know what you were saying." He turned to Iris.

"Iris, I would never say those things about you." A tear rolled down her sad face, and she nodded her head as if she believed him. Almus looked from Harry to Iris, and back again. Then bellowed:

"YOU LIAR!"

He lunged at Harry, a malicious look on his face. He slammed Harry against the wall, and punched him straight in the face. Harry crumpled to the ground unconscious.

Chapter Eight: More Surprises

Harry came to a few minutes later. Hermione and Ron were both leaning over him and they seemed to have carried him in the house, as he was now lying on his bed in Ron's room. Hermione was crying and Ron was trying to calm her down.

"Oh, Ron! Is he okay? Is he gonna be okay?"

"He'll be fine, Hermione, but that Almus bloke won't be! I'll see to that!" Harry opened his eyes a bit. His head was pounding, and he could taste blood in his mouth. Hermione held Harry's hand in hers.

"Oh! Harry! Are you alright, dear?" Harry could've almost laughed at how much Hermione sounded like Mrs. Weasley, if his head hadn't been hurting so bad at the moment. He sat up slowly, and put a hand to his nose. When he withdrew it, it was covered in blood. Ron handed him an already bloodied towel, then said,

"Do you think it's broken, mate?"

"No, I don't think so..."

"I'm going to kick that Almus' ass when we get back to Hogwarts! And then I'll kick Ernie's, for being friends with such a git!" Harry chuckled softly.

"It's okay, Ron...I'm not hurt that bad...I've just got a terrible headache..." Hermione eyes welled with tears again, and she wrapped her arms around Harry.

"Harry...I'm so, so sorry this happened! At your birthday party too! We shouldn't have started all that drinking business and everything! Things got out of control!" Harry patted Hermione's back with the hand that wasn't toweling his bloody nose.

"Don't cry, Hermione. I had a good time, honestly. And really drinking wasn't the problem. Almus being a prat was the problem..." Hermione let go of Harry, and sat back, wiping her eyes.

"Well, if I hadn't been intoxicated, I would've remembered to tell you that that Almus character was no good. Susan told me all about him and that girlfriend of his..."

"What did she say about Iris?" Hermione looked a little shocked that Harry was on a first name basis with the girl.

"Well...just that she's from Slytherin, and that she's really into the Dark Arts, along with her boyfriend, I'm sure--" Harry cut her off.

"No. She's not into the dark arts, Hermione. I'm sure her boyfriend tries to make people think that so they won't talk to her. But I know she's not."

"But you've only just met her tonight, Harry. I mean, how could you be so certain? She could've been--" Harry cut her off again.

"I just know, Hermione. I could...sense it, or something...I dunno, I'll explain later, okay?...Ron, do you have any aspirin?" Ron looked perplexed.

"Any what, mate?"

"Something for his headache, Ron!" Hermione interjected.

"Oh! Yeah, hold on minute!" Ron returned from the bathroom a minute later with a small bottle of aquamarine liquid.

"This is what my Mum always uses for any sort of aches and pains. It's called panacea potion." He unscrewed the cap, and pulled out the eye dropper connected to it.

"You put two drops of it into each eye." He handed the filled eye dropper to Harry. Harry leaned his head back, with a bit of uncertainty, and dropped two drops of the blue liquid into each eye. It was as if he could feel the slick liquid seep from the front of his eyes to the back, and into his brain. Suddenly, Harry felt the pain of his headaches melt away. His nose bleed dried up, and all the aches and pains in his body retreated. He felt calm and comfortably sleepy. He laid his head back on his pillow and closed his eyes.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley returned very early the next morning. Mrs. Weasley went into the kitchen and starting washing the dishes that were left in the sink, while Mr. Weasley went out into the garden, to check on the gnome situation. He liked to watch them walk around in the garden early in morning, because they made him laugh. However, while walking through the garden, he found four empty blue bottles of Albert Amose's Albanian Ale.

"Hmmm...looks like the lot had a very good time while we were away, then..." Mr. Weasley considered showing the bottles to Molly, then he imagined the scene after showing them to her, and quickly vanished them all.

Later that morning, after Hermione, Ron, and Harry had eaten breakfast, Mr. Weasley asked them to help him with something in the garage. They all followed him outside to it.

"So did you lot have a nice time last night?" Mr. Weasley asked. They all shook there heads silently. Mr. Weasley smiled to himself. When they got inside the shed, Mr. Weasley closed the door behind him, and asked them all to sit down. They did so slowly, looking around at one another with fear.

"Now, I'm not going to tell Molly about any of this, unless you lot are dishonest with me, but I do want to know--did you or did you not have a party here last night?" Everyone was silent for a moment, and then Hermione answered him.

"Yes, we did, Mr. Weasley..."

"But it was a surprise birthday party for Harry, Dad..." Ron added, as if there thoughtfulness would somehow make it all okay.

"I see. And there was drinking at this party?" Mr. Weasley tried to look them in the eyes, but they were all brilliantly avoiding his gaze. Finally Hermione answered once again.

"Yes, there was, Mr. Weasley..."

"Ah. I see. I am very disappointed. Particularly in you, Harry, after you'd promised me this wasn't going to be happening again shortly before I left yesterday." Harry hung his head. He'd forgotten all about what he'd said to Mr. Weasley the day before. It seemed like ages ago now.

"I'm really sorry, Mr. Weasley. I didn't mean to directly disobey you, honestly...things just...happened that way...I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too, Mr. Weasley. I understand why you'll be punishing us. We deserve it..." Hermione looked ashamed.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, Dad." Ron added. Harry expected Mr. Weasley to be furious with them, but when he looked up at his face finally, Mr. Weasley was smiling.

"Well, at least you're an honest lot. That's really what's important...I think some good hard labor today will be a good enough punishment."

The trio spent the rest of the day outside in the blazing sun, tilling and fertilizing the garden, and de-gnoming it. They fed the chickens, painted Mr. Weasley's shed, and helped him moved some heavy boxes around inside of it. By the late afternoon they were all thoroughly dehydrated, sun burnt, and very, very sorry for what they'd done indeed.

"I don't see why Ginny didn't get punished...not fair...she's old enough to have known better as well..." Ron was mumbling for the hundredth time that afternoon.

"Oh, honestly, Ron. We're older, we should've known better than to expose her to all of that..." Hermione scolded.

"Expose her to what?! She had a great time! Didn't you see her?!"

"Shut up, Ron." Harry had had enough. So had Hermione.

"Yes, do shut up please, Ron." Ron looked red as a tomato, but then they all did. Sweating and parched, they were all extremely grateful when Mrs. Weasley called them in for dinner later that evening.

"So good of you all to do all those chores today. Not that you had to. Honestly, Arthur, putting our guests to work all day!"

Exhausted from their long day of labor, they all agreed to go to bed early that evening. Before they did, they gathered in Ron's room and sat talking for awhile about the previous night's events.

"...And when Fred tripped Roger and he went flying across the room! His face was like--" Ron demonstrated a wide eyed look which was a very good impression of Roger indeed. They all laughed loudly. Then Hermione turned to Harry suddenly.

"Hey Harry, you said you were going to explain to us all that stuff about Almus and what happened..."

"Oh, yeah, well, basically I went to go see where they were, and I overheard Almus telling Iris all these horrible lies about stuff I'd apparently said to him about her, and I...confronted...him about it, and then...pow! Lights out..."

"What was he saying that you said?" Hermione asked curiously.

"He was telling her that I thought she was ugly and a freak, and that I never wanted to talk to her again." Hermione looked shocked.

"That's awful!" Ron had a quizzical look on his face.

"Why would he do that?" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Put it together, Ron! Obviously, he's a jealous lunatic, and he didn't want her talking with anyone but himself... He did seem rather overbearing around her, now that I think about it..." Ron suddenly remembered something.

"Oh yeah! I just remembered--I asked her if she could hand me an ale, and he came over a minute later, and started getting right in my face about what I was saying to her! It was so weird...I'd completely forgotten..."

"I think he does that to anyone who gets close to her. He must let Ernie around her because he doesn't think he's a threat. But even Ernie told me that Almus never lets him alone with her. He also said Malfoy likes her, and that he's always trying to get her to be with him..." Harry trailed off bitterly.

"Well, that makes sense. Malfoy wouldn't be scared away be threats about her being into the Dark Arts. Probably would entice him even more in fact." Hermione replied wisely. Harry thought about Iris' pretty face again, looking tear stained and hopeless.

"I just hope she's alright...I hope I didn't make things harder for her..." He was imagining all the terrible things Almus could be saying or doing to her right at that moment.

"What happened after I passed out, anyway?"

"Well, me and Ron heard a bunch of noise, so we came downstairs to see what was going on and Iris was...sort of leaning over you...crying, and Almus was trying to get her to leave. Ron and Almus started yelling at each other, and I saw her take out her wand and do something over you...maybe she thought 'ennervate' would work or something? Anyway, Almus dragged her off after that, and Ernie went with them..." Hermione patted him on the arm, and said comfortingly,

"Don't worry, Harry. It's not your fault. At least she knows the truth. I'm sure she'll be alright..." But Hermione didn't sound too sure. After Hermione cleared off, and Ron had gone to sleep, Harry sat thinking about Iris. Who was she, really? It was impossible to sleep with all this floating around inside his mind. He decided to go outside and smoke one of the cigarettes Seamus had given him. He got out of bed, and picked up the hoodie off the floor that he'd been wearing the night before. Something small and white fell out of the pouch pocket onto the dark floor. Harry knelt down, and picked it up holding it closely to his face in the dark room. It seemed to be an intricately folded piece of paper. Harry unfolded it quietly as Ron snored loudly in the background. In the dark room Harry couldn't make out the writing. He put his hoodie on, and walked downstairs and out back quietly. There was a little porch light above him on the steps where he sat down, and its dim orange glow was just enough light to make out the untidy scrawl across the page.

Harry,

I majicked this note quickly, so excuse my writing. I wanted you to know that I feel it too. Our...connection...I don't understand it yet either, but I know it's there. Please don't worry about me. I'll be alright. I have to go. It was very brave of you to stand up to Almus. I'm sorry he hurt you. I hope you still had an okay birthday. I'll see you at Hogwarts soon, until then, I'll think of you.

With Love,

Iris

Harry read through the note several times, the smile on his face growing with each reading. It seemed as though she always knew what he was thinking...she had felt the connection as well...she was going to be thinking about him...she might even be thinking about him at this very moment...Harry pulled out a cigarette, and lit it with the muggle lighter Fred had given him. He took a long drag and blew out a soft blue smoke with a smile on his face. Suddenly getting punched in the nose seemed a very small setback when he considered what he may have gained from it...