Waking Sirius looked around and found a very distraught Remus sitting next to him.
"Sirius! You're up!" Iris exclaimed.
He shook his head and replied, "I just had a bad dream. I saw a boy kissing you and claiming to be your boyfriend."
A voice cut in, "But that wasn't a dream. I 'am' her boyfriend and I 'did' kiss her. You fainted after that."
Eyes wide, Sirius looked at a very resigned Remus who gave a mock sigh and said, "It's true padfoot. Iris has grown up now. She has a boyfriend. They've been together since last year's Halloween. She doesn't need us. She has her prince charming to take care of her."
Edmund and Iris had already talked to him about his actions. Remus had sincerely apologized to Edmund and was ashamed for his behavior. The truth was, Dumbledore had warned him about Edmund being involved with Voldemort and had asked Remus try and intimidate him and get some answers. It was foolhardy to try and do so. Edmund wondered if the old man was getting desperate with his pawn slipping out of grasp that he took such an action.
Sirius gasped and yelled with an exaggerated "NOOOOO!!"
"Exactly!" Edmund said with flare, amused by their antics. Iris on the other hand looked abashed. "I am here to take care of her. She doesn't need two balding old uncles breathing down her neck."
Playing along, Sirius grabbed his chest and turned to a laughing Remus, "Did you hear that? He said I'm getting bald!"
"So you agree with being old?" Iris laughed.
"Even Iris is pulling my leg," Sirius pouted, which did not look good on a middle aged man's face.
"Alright enough of this. Time to talk," Edmund said. Looking at Sirius, he continued, "Tell me Sirius, when you had Iris in your arms that night in 1981, why did you let Hagrid take her away?"
Looking somber, Sirius replied, "I was distraught and wasn't thinking straight. I wanted to kill Wormtail for what he had done. Also, Hagrid said that Dumbledore had asked him to get Iris. I mean, if it's Dumbledore then he'd be able to protect her. So I handed her over and went after that rat."
"And what good that did. You were thrown unceremoniously in Azkaban while Iris was left at the doorsteps of her aunt Petunia."
Both Sirius and Remus looked shocked. Left at the doorstep? That was, unbelievable. Turning towards Iris, they saw a lone tear roll down her cheek.
Edmund continued mercilessly, "They starved her, made her work like a slave, raised her by calling her names like freak! She didn't even know what her name was when they begrudgingly admitted her into primary school! They made her sleep in a cupboard. It's a miracle her eyesight wasn't affected. Petunia Dursley is a spiteful woman and hated magic. Everyone who knew Lily Potter was aware of that. Still, Dumbledore left Iris with them!"
Remus sputtered, "Bu-But, It's Dumbledore! Surely it wasn't that bad! I mean, it might have been difficult but not to that extent! Dumbledore promised me she was taken care of. That's why I never tried to look for her."
"Not that bad? Do you know what they had told her about her parents? About Lily and James Potter?"
Getting a negative head shake from the two, Edmund continued, "They told her that her father was a drunk and her mother was a whore who died in a car crash. They told her that she carries filth in her veins. They have told everyone in their circle that Iris goes to a juvenile disciplinary school."
When Iris began sobbing, Edmund hugged her tightly while glaring at the mutts who were shocked numb. "But the reason why we both are at odds with Dumbledore is..."
Then he dropped the bomb, "... because he knew all about it. He knew exactly how she was being treated and did nothing. Worse is that he's been forcing Iris to go back to those mongrels who pray everyday for her to die in a pit."
Edmund knew the two marauders truly believed in Dumbledore and that he couldn't ever be wrong. If it was upto him then he would have already alienated them. But they were the last link Iris had to her parents. So, for her sake he was ready to give them a chance and change their view of that old dried out piece of shit. If this didn't work out, Edmund would seal everything about this conversation in their minds forever.
Sirius mumbled incoherently while crying. Remus, who had better control over his emotions, asked, his voice quivering, "But why? What reason does Dumbledore have to go to such lengths?"
"I can't figure out what that man wants. Has anyone told you about her first and second year?"
By now both Iris and Sirius had stopped crying. When she heard that Edmund was about to share how she threw herself in danger, she got scared. Knowing how the two adults in the room would react, she was not looking forward to their mothering and nagging.
Edmund glanced at Iris and immediately knew what she was thinking. A devious smirk made it's way across his face as he began recounting the events of first year. The incident with the troll, the dragon in Hagrid's hut, the Cerberus, the dead unicorns and their blood sucking wraith and finally, the traps, her confrontation with Quirrell-Mort, the philosopher's stone and the absence of Dumbledore who had left for the ministry on a broom. Then he broke down those incidents for the two and said how convenient those traps were for the so-called golden trio. A broom and a rusting key, a magical chess set, a troll, first year potions as a riddle and the Mirror of Erised that Iris had seen during Christmas.
Then he recounted the events of second year. How Dumbledore carefully chose his words to keep the suspicion on Iris, how he allowed the students to bully her and how she fought a Basilisk and how he disregarded her safety, knowing she was stabbed in her arm with a fang of that Basilisk.
Edmund had to threaten Sirius and Remus with a kunai placed on their throats to stop them from confronting that dumb dork. Not being able to after Dumbledore, they started nagging and chiding Iris.
Edmund sat aside in the corner as he saw the three interact like a real family. He was happy for Iris. She finally had a godfather and an uncle who cared for her. Even though she was indignant and was arguing with them, Edmund could see the happiness on her face. He vowed to himself. No matter what, he would protect that happiness till the day he died. That was a promise -ttebayo!
'SHHHHHIIIII.....'