Eagles

Hagrid had been generous enough that he had allowed Iris to make a garden patch for herself next to his, where she could grow some vegetables and herbs. Most of it would go to creatures that Hagrid cared for, but Iris just enjoyed being able to do some outside gardening in addition to her flower projects inside the greenhouse.

Hagrid had been more than willing to let Iris start a garden when she had asked, not many third years showed interest in gardening, especially girls since it would get their nails dirty. Iris on the other hand found getting dirt on her hands and some fresh air and sun was just what she needed while she found the cursed vaults. They were a nice distraction when she was feeling overwhelmed.

She had just sowed some radish seeds and was heading back to Hogwarts when she saw a large shadow on the ground and looked up, seeing a large eagle flying overhead. Irish shielded her eyes from the sun and starred up towards the sky to watch it. She loved birds, even though she had a cat, birds held a special place in her heart.

When she was little and would watch out the front window at the world, it was always the little songbirds that she would watch for hours on end flittering and jumping around the yard looking for seeds and bugs.

A breeze picked up and she felt her hair pick up and flitter around her, it was annoying because it was tickling her face, but she was going to enjoy this simple thing. The eagle took a turn and flew straight over her, and for a moment it blocked the sun, and she and it locked eyes. Time stood still for a second, and Iris felt a shiver run up her back at the intense moment that she would cherish. After that, the bird flew off over Hagrid's hut, and disappeared from view.

Iris smiled to herself, tucked her gardening bag up over her shoulder again, and continued her walk back to the school. It was a beautiful Saturday, and she planned to go to the greenhouse after lunch, but currently her stomach was growling.

In the Great Hall, there wasn't to many people, she must have missed the lunch rush or people were to busy heading to Hogsmead. She saw Tulip and Barnaby sitting together so she headed towards the familiar faces.

“Hey guys.” She greeted, placing her bag down, and sat down with them.

“Hello Iris Rosewood.” Tulip greeted. Iris just rolled her eyes, why Tulip still called her by her full name was beyond her. “Barnaby and I were just discussing Talbott Winger.”

“Oh? Who's Talbott Winger?” She asked, digging in her bag to find her small hair bush and began to brush her elbow length blond hair. The wind had caused some small knots and Iris was proud of her hair, planning to grow it as long as possible, so knots were no good.

“He's a Ravenclaw in our year. You don't know him because he's hardly ever around and when he is, he keeps to himself. Someone as loud and talkative as you would probably scare him off even more.” Tulip told her honestly. “They say he spends a lot of time in the Owlery.”

“They also say his dad is a vampire and his mum is a mermaid!” Barnaby announced loudly. Both girls looked across the table at him with raised eyebrows.

“I'm quite certain you just made that up.” Tulip said.

“Hmm... Could be. Merula always used to say I was full of good ideas. Amongst other things...”

“Well don't worry about her.” Iris told him, brushing a stubborn knot free.

“I have however, heard that he's attempting to brew an Animagus Potion.” Tulip looked over at Iris with a glimmer in her eye.

“Really?” Now Tulip had Iris's attention. She finished brushing her hair and put her brush away.

“There are multiple steps involving a spell, and a specific sort of storm, but in short, yes.”

“I would love to become an animagus! How cool would it be to transform into an animal!” Iris was practically giddy.

“I know why I'd like to transform into an animal, but...” Tulip murmured, and Iris know exactly why. “Why would you want to be an animagus?”

“Because it's amazing!” Iris smiled. “I should talk to Talbott about it.”

“He'll shut you down if you confront him. You need to work out the best way to approach him.” Tulip warned.

“It might be best to ask around about him first.” Barnaby offered.

“Good idea Barnaby.” Iris smiled.

“I don't remember ever having two ideas in one sitting. My Hogwarts education might finally be taking effect.”

The only information that they received was that he was indeed a loner, that he was a fine student in Care of Magical Creatures because he tamed a Hippogriff once, and that Flitwick called him a fine example of Ravenclaw for being wise and creative. Iris was feeling a bit dejected. She had hoped to find something that could break the ice between the two of them.

Iris had her back turned to the Ravenclaw table when she heard a voice behind her,

“If you want to know something about me, just ask.” She turned around quickly and was face to face with a dark skinned boy with eyes that were a rusty shade of brown, almost looking red. They almost look familiar...

“How did you know I was talking about you?”

“My hearing is almost as good as my eyesight.” He said completely void of any emotion. “Besides, I'm used to people talking about me.”

“Fair enough. I was asking about you,” Iris decided to be honest. “I heard you're brewing an animagus potion. I've always been interested in it and was wondering if you could walk me through it?”

“I don't know what you're talking about.” Talbott said very bluntly. Iris was sure she looked shocked.

“Alright then. Well, I'm sorry I bothered you.” Iris went to turn away and head back to Tulip and Barnaby.

Talbot looked the girl up and down, getting a feeling about her. He knew who she was, everyone at Hogwarts knew of the pretty Rosewood girl who was breaking curses every year in search of her brother. There was also rumors of her being crazy, being able to fight without a wand, and the one that interested him the most...

“Is it true you sneaked into Filch's office?” He asked before she was to far away. Iris turned and flipped her hair over her shoulder.

“Why? Do you want to know how to get in?”

“I'm collecting things for a mutual friend of ours.” Talbott told Iris. He knew more about Iris then most people, because Penny had talked his ear off about her best friend and Gryffindor before.

“We have a mutual friend?”

“You're probably surprised I have any friends at all.” He told her, not bitterly, just stated it like a fact.

“With everything I have seen at Hogwarts, nothing surprises me anymore.” Iris gave him a smile.

“We'll see about that.” Talbott mirrored her smile, which caused Iris's to fall away.

“What do you mean?” Iris asked him, not knowing exactly what he was getting at.

“Let's go, Iris Rosewood.” Again with the full name crap. Iris thought to herself as Talbott motioned for her to follow him. “You can show me how you definitely did not sneak into Filch's Office.” Iris had to grin. Was he being... Cheeky? This boy was getting interesting.

Iris looked over her shoulder to Barnaby and Tulip, who gave her the thumbs up. So Iris followed Talbott through the halls. A few people looked at them oddly, mostly because Talbott was known to be reclusive, and Iris was... Not at all. If the extroverts had a queen, it would be Iris and Bill Weasley would more then likely be the King.

When they got to Filch's office, Talbot looked a her and shrugged at the door wordlessly. So Iris pulled out her wand and cast Alohomora. The door unlocked and she opened it, letting the two of them insdide.

“Really? All you had to do was cast Alohomora on the door?” Talbott asked when they were inside.

“Don't ask me why he makes it so easy to break in.” Iris shrugged, “what exactly are we looking for?”

“I need the chrysalis of a Death's Head hawk Moth.” Talbott told her simply, starting to rifle through some things.

“The what, of a what-what?” Iris questioned with wide eyes. It was like he was speaking another language.

“The chrysalis of a Death's-Head Hawk Moth. Someone I trust told me Filch confiscated some just last week.” He explained. “We'll need it for the Animagus Potion. Look for a moth with skull-shaped markings and search carefully. It's important that it remains in pristine condition.” He warned her.

Iris decided not to poke him any farther and just went to work looking for the chrysalis. So she started searching through drawers, only finding pair after pair of shackles. How many shackles does one man need, she thought to herself. When she opened the bottom drawer though,

“I found the... Thing!” She announced, deciding not to touch it and let Talbott handle it. He walked over and looked.

“That's definitely the chrysalis of Deaths'Head Hawk Moth. Nice work, Iris. Now we need to collect dew from the artifact room. After that, we'll almost be ready to brew an animagus potion.” He told her, collecting the chrysalis.

“We?” She asked, smiling broadly.

“What?”

“You said 'we'.”

“It was an accident.” He told her, once again void of any emotion.

“I think you did it on purpose.” Iris crossed her arms over her chest. Talbott felt his eye twitch. The girl was much to talkative, and was starting to grate on his nerves.

“No I didn't.”

“I think you want to be my friend.” She nodded.

“Absolutely not.” He shook his head.

“Everyone needs friends, Talbott.” She tried.

“Not me.” Talbot said with a finality to it he hoped she would catch. “I fly solo.”

“We'll see.”

“Right.” He had to figure out how to keep this girl at arms length, because she was going to try and creep her way into his carefully constructed fort of solitude. “We'll see what you think when you learn my secret.” Perhaps she would find that as a warning and-

“Ohhh, that sounds interesting.”

Well. That backfired.

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“Wouldn't it be easier to get dew from outside, rather then inside the artifact room?” Iris asked when they reached the small storage room.

“It can only be collected from a place untouched by sunlight and human feet for seven days.” Talbott explained to her. “I cast a locking spell on the door a week ago, and this room gets especially cold at night, so it should have worked.”

“I'm sure you know how strange that sounds.”

“I neglected to mention that it can only be collected with a silver teaspoon.”

“Obviously.” Iris nodded.

“We need it to complete the animagus potion. Look for areas that are especially moist, and whatever you do, don't touch them with your bare feet.” He warned her. This earned a raised eyebrow and he watched as she looked down at her feet.

“Well, I don't think we have to worry, and you're wearing shoes and I'm wearing-”

“Bright yellow wellies.” Talbott remarked.

“See? No worries!” She smiled, and twirled on her feet to start searching, her long hair actually hot Talbott in the face. Iris Rosewood had to be the most deliriously positive human he had ever met.