⌗ ⌗ ⌗

"No... No!" she muttered, eyes widening as she crouched over Sirius.

She tightened her grip, standing up, about to cast the spell when something in the corner of her eye caught Iris' attention.

"Harry! What are you doing-- run!"

But it was too late. Too late for either of them to have any chance at escaping the approaching Dementors. There were hundreds of them, and it seemed like every Dementor that had been guarding Hogwarts was now swooping down at them as Harry ran up to her side, wand out.

The twins raised their wands in sync, shouting, "Expecto Patronum!"

A thin silvery wisp wept from each of their wands, hovering like a veil, but the Dementors continued to come. Iris glanced down at her unmoving godfather and poised her wand once more:

"Expecto... Patronum"

Iris' Patronus bloomed briefly, giving her a flash of hope... and then it died. She looked to her brother, noticing Harry's eyes flutter, the Dementors twisting madly in her vision, drawing closer. Then they dove, Iris tried her best to use the Patronus charm to keep them away, but the more Dementors that smacked into it, the more it weakened her.

Finally, the dark creatures broke through the veil, diving down to each of them, seizing the three with their ice-cold grasp then giving them only a moment's break before another Dementor was back. It was agonizing, Iris could hear the screams of her parents running through her head.

Below her, Sirius gasped. Silvery feathers of light tumbled from his lips, as if his very soul were leaving him... Harry went down not a second later, eyes rolling back and forth as he fought to stay awake.

Iris suddenly felt as if she was moving in slow motion. As if every second was being dragged out into a million moments. She stared down at her brother, her best friend, as his life was threatened and then she turned back to the Dementors.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Then... a blinding light shattered from the tip of her wand.

And out burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but a blinding, dazzling, silver animal. She screwed up her eyes, trying to see what it was. It looked like a horse. It was galloping silently away from her, across the black surface of the lake. She saw it lower its head and charge at the swarming Dementors... It was galloping around and around the black shapes on the ground, and the Dementors were falling back, scattering, retreating into the darkness... And then, through the fog that was drowning her, she thought she saw another silvery light across the lake growing brighter and brighter...The two blinding lights were illuminating the forest around her...The screaming had stopped, the cold was ebbing away...

Her Patronus turned. It was cantering back toward Iris across the still surface of the water. It wasn't a horse. It was a unicorn. It was shining brightly as the moon above ... it was coming back to her...

"The embodiment of purity..." Iris whispered, amazed at the beautiful glowing creature.

The unicorn reared onto its back legs majestically. Iris looked back across the lake, where the other patronus had met its own owner.

Iris' unicorn patronus stood proudly in front of her as she observed the person. Suddenly it clicked. She looked at the ground behind her then back across the lake, eyes widening.

"He didn't..." she whispered in disbelief.

Then, the patronus started to fade and with it went Iris' last remaining strength. Silence descended like a curtain. Her legs felt like jello and her head was pounding.

Iris didn't understand. She couldn't think anymore. She felt the last of her strength leave her, and her head hit the ground as she, at last, succumbed to the darkness.

⌗ ⌗ ⌗

She woke to the sound of a door slamming open. There were muddled voices surrounding her, though she couldn't make out what any of them were saying. It took Iris a moment, as her eyebrows furrowed, eyes blinking open as she got used to the soft light glowing throughout the room.

"Headmaster! You've got to stop them! They've got the wrong man!" She heard the familiar voice of Hermione plead.

Iris' eyes rolled over, finding her bushy-haired friend standing next to Harry and Dumbledore.

Harry chimed in, "It's true, sir. Sirius is innocent--"

"It's Scabbers who did it!" Ron said, distressed.

Iris found him lying in the bed next to her, his foot wrapped up in bandages and propped on top of a few pillows.

The three that were standing in the centre of the room looked over at the ginger. They didn't notice Iris' eyes were peeking open as she lay in the bed over.

"Scabbers...?" Dumbledore asked, looking very confused.

Ron stuttered, "My rat, sir. Only he's not really a rat. Well, he was a rat. You see, he used to be my brother Percy's--"

Seeing the growing confusion on their Headmaster's face, Iris spoke, making all but the old wizard jump.

"It's Peter Pettigrew. He's an animagus."

Harry rushed over to her, "You're awake! How are you feeling?"

Iris then became aware of the state of her arm.

They had removed her hoodie, bringing the situation into full view. There were multiple cuts trailing up and down her arm, and a nasty deep purple colour had taken over most of her arm in the form of one giant bruise. There was a dull aching that was faintly noticeable through the numb sensation that lingered in her limb. She guessed that Madame Pomfrey had really worked her magic, as she was only in an arm sling.

If the woman could regrow all the bones in Harry's arm overnight, Iris assumed that this was a breeze compared.

"I'm fine. Where's Sirius?" Iris waited a moment before nodding in understanding, "The kiss... The point is Professor... we know the truth."

Hermione turned back to Dumbledore, "Please, sir, you must believe us."

"I do, Miss Granger," he told her, "But I'm sorry to say the word of four thirteen-year-old wizards will convince few others."

Dumbledore glanced around at all of them, walking over to stand beside Ron, "A child's voice, however honest and true, is meaningless to those who have forgotten how to listen."

While he was speaking he patted Ron's injured foot making him wheeze in pain. Iris grimaced at the look on her friend's face as he clutched his leg.

Outside of the room, Iris heard the sound of the clock dinging as it hit a new hour. Dumbledore's head snapped to the door when he heard it, realisation on his face. He began walking towards the door into the corridor.

"Mysterious thing, time. Powerful. But, when meddled with... dangerous. Sirius Black is in the topmost cell of the Dark Tower." He whipped around to speak to Hermione, "You know the laws, Miss Granger. You must not be seen. And you would, I feel, do well to return before this last chime. If not... well, the consequences are really too ghastly to discuss. If you succeed, more than one innocent life may be spared tonight."

He moved to walk away before turning back and saying with a quick wink, "Three turns should do it, I think."

Iris sat up, wide-eyed, as Dumbledore walked over to the door, understanding what was about to happen. She threw her legs over the side of the bed, using her good arm to propel her body off of the mattress and to her feet. The Potter girl walked over to Harry and Hermione, waiting for the incoming protests.

"What are you doing!?" Hermione all but screeched.

"I'm coming with you," she spoke over the two as they immediately refused, "He's my godfather! Now, I'm coming whether you like it or not."

Begrudgingly, Harry and Hermione gave up, knowing she would never back down. Dumbledore, who had walked over to the door, moved to shut it before pausing.

"By the way, when in doubt, I find retracing my steps to be a wise place to begin... Good luck." He smiled and proceeded to close the hospital wing doors with a soft thud.

They all glanced around at each other, Ron confusedly saying, "What the bloody hell was that all about?"

Hermione quickly reached into the top of her pink hoodie and began pulling out a long chain with a mechanism hanging on it that Iris recognized as a time turner.

"Sorry Ron, but seeing as you can't walk..."

Hermione looped the pendant's long chain around Iris and Harry's necks as well as her own. Harry reached out to touch the time turner, only for Hermione to slap his hand away 

As Ron and Harry exchanged a curious glance, the bell continued to chime and... Then they were gone.

Time reversed in a dizzying backward blur as if a tape were being rewound, every moment that occurred in the hospital room flickered by at a dizzying speed while, outside the window, darkness gave way to dusk and the sun 'un-set,' returning to its place low on the horizon. At that point, the time-reversal ended and the room was... Empty. Except for Iris, Harry, and Hermione. As Hermione unlooped the necklace, Harry glanced around in confusion.

"What just happened? Where's Ron?" Iris' brother asked, looking very perplexed.

The girls weren't listening, instead, looking at the large clock out in the hall.

"Seven-thirty," Iris told Hermione.

The curly-haired girl nodded in thought, "Where were we at seven-thirty?"

Harry turned to the two of them, still looking very confused, "Huh? Dunno... going to Hagrid's?"

Hermione grabbed both of their arms and pulled them toward the door, "Come on! We can't be seen!"

⌗ ⌗ ⌗

After watching Hermione punch Draco Malfoy in the face once again, the three of them continued down the slope, following their past selves footsteps.

As Buckbeak feasted on a ferret, Iris, Harry, and Hermione ducked behind a pile of pumpkins. Peering into the hut, Iris watched Hermione and Ron embrace awkwardly.

Iris chortled, grinning, and she turned only to find Hermione analyzing the moment with considerable fascination. When she saw Iris watching her, she immediately looked away.

"What?" She asked defensively.

Iris held back her smile, "Nothing."

Harry looked off toward the slope and pointed, grabbing the girls' attention. They looked, seeing Fudge and the others approaching in a cloud of crows.

"Here they come. I better hurry." Harry started to stand.

Iris quickly grabbed him and pulled him back down.

Hermione, who was on the same page as Iris scolded him, "No! Fudge has to see Buckbeak before we steal him. Otherwise, he'll think Hagrid set him free!"

Harry nodded, the three friends turning back toward the hut. Inside, Hagrid was handing Scabbers to Ron.

"That's Pettigrew--"

As he started to rise again, Hermione grabbed him, speaking fiercely.

"No, Harry! You can't!"

"Hermione, that's the man who betrayed our parents! You don't expect me to just sit here..."

Iris cut in, "Yes! You must! I know it's hard Harry but you have to deal with it for now."

Hermione pointed to inside the hut, "Harry, you're in Hagrid's hut right now. If you go bursting inside, you'll think you've gone mad. Awful things can happen when wizards meddle with time. We can't be seen."

At the sound of voices drawing near, the three Gryffindors turned, watching Fudge and the others draw closer. Iris frowns, glancing into the hut.

From beside her, Hermione spoke slowly, "Fudge is coming and... we're not leaving... why aren't we leaving?"

Just then... on the ground beside her friend... Iris noticed a jagged star-shaped stone. Her eyes widened in recognition and she elbowed Hermione swiftly. Knowing what she had to do, Hermione instantly grabbed it, rising a little bit to hurl it through the open window. SMASH! The sound of a glass jar shattering was heard within the hut.

"Are you mad?" Harry whisper screamed.

Iris and Hermione ignore him, Iris swiftly grabbing a second stone and whistling it through the window and off the back of Harry's head.

"That hurt." Harry rubbed the back of his head.

Iris shrugged at him, "It worked."

All of a sudden, a stabbing pain rippled through her head and she groaned quietly, pressing her palm into her forehead.

Harry and Hermione's concerned voices became clear as the feeling went away.

"I tried to get inside my own head... it didn't work too well," Iris explained.

Crows began to drop atop the roof. Fudge's party arrived, and the Minister rapped on the door. 

"C'mon," Hermione waved the twins toward the forest behind them, "Any minute now we're going to be coming out the back door."

Quickly, they all dashed into the trees directly behind... just in time to see themselves -- along with Ron -- exit the back door and slip behind the pumpkin pile where, only seconds before, they were hiding. As Fudge appeared at the window and observed Buckbeack as before, Hermione pondered the back of her own head.

"Is that really what my hair looks like from the back?"

Iris studied her own head, her face scrunching as she felt some weird sensation watching herself.

"Shhh!" Harry whispered.

Though when he did Iris rolled her eyes. The shusher was always louder than the actual person talking.

Iris saw herself and past Hermione turn. As Hermione ducked to hide from them, she accidentally stirred the branches.

Iris held her breath as she stood still behind a wide tree trunk, waiting until she heard the familiar voice of her best friend saying, "Nothing, I just thought I saw... Never mind."

The trio watched their past group travel back up the hill, and as soon as the coast was clear Hermione spurred into action.

"Now, Harry!"

Iris moved to follow them until Hermione whirled around to her and sternly said, "No, you stay here," At Iris' protest Hermione continued, "You're still injured! Stay!"

She sputtered as Hermione followed Harry, creeping behind the pumpkins.

"What am I, a dog?" Iris muttered to herself in disbelief.

She leaned against a tree, watching her brother and Hermione struggle to get Buckbeak to move. Harry and Hermione finally started to lead Buckbeak away when the back door suddenly opened. They froze, caught, as Fudge's eyes began drifting their way, when -- as before -- Dumbledore raised his hand and directed the attention of the others away from Buckbeak.

"Professor Dippet had those strawberries planted when he was Headmaster..."

Iris let out a breath and urged Harry and Hermione to move faster as they shooed Buckbeak along, the three eventually disappearing into the forest... just as Dumbledore concluded his reverie.

"Let's get this over with, shall we?" Fudge spoke, turning to the patch where Buckbeak once rested.

Iris, Harry, and Hermione, their view unobstructed by the low stand of trees that time, watched the Executioner approach the pumpkin patch and stop. Quickly, the confusion in his masked eyes turned to anger.

The Minister stammered, "But... where is it? I just saw the beast not moments ago..."

"How extraordinary!" Dumbledore spoke, a hint of amusement coming through his voice.

Fudge looked around, confused, "Come now, Dumbledore. Someone's obviously released him."

Hagrid immediately defended himself, "Professor, I swear! I didn't!"

The Headmaster took a step towards the large man, "I'm quite sure the Minister isn't suggesting that you had anything to do with it, Hagrid. How could you? You've been with us all along."

Fudge took his hat off, bewildered, "We should search the grounds--"

Dumbledore walked up the steps of Hagrid's hut, standing outside the door, "Search the skies if you must, Minister. In the meantime, I wouldn't say no to a cup of tea, Hagrid. Or... a large brandy." He turned to the Executioner with a cheery smile on his face, "It seems your services will no longer be required."

The Executioner lifted his blade and with a brutal fury plunged it into the flesh of a pumpkin with a sickening chop.

⌗ ⌗ ⌗

Bit of a longer chapter today. I just want to get third-year over with already D:

we're almost done though so yAy

let me know what you're excited about in fourth-year! questions, concerns, and comments are all welcome and appreciated :)

also, thank you for 26k reads! it's so cool that so many people have read this story!

I love you guys! <3 <3 -elle

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