[Harry Potter] Irises Beneath the Gloom

Iris Clyde accidentally awakened her Animagus form, a magpie, when she was four.

Beneath a plane tree shrouded in starlight, two lonely souls crossed paths.

After enrolling at school, she saw the same familiar black figure on the tower every sleepless night, gazing up at the stars alone.

So she became a magpie and quietly kept him company.

She thought she had hidden herself well, and that he had never seen through her.

Until one day, she stumbled upon a worn plane-tree-wood box on the desk in the headmaster's office. Inside lay a magpie feather and a dried purple iris.

Only then did she realize:

He had known all along.

On the eve of the great battle, the two stood on the tower. Iris raised her wand and softly said, “Expecto Patronum.”

A flash of silver light, and a magpie darted into the night sky.

“As long as it comes to find you, you'll know I'm still alive.”

Snape heard her out, then gently waved his wand. Another silver magpie flew into the endless darkness.

She froze for a moment, then smiled and looked at him with determination.

“There's an old saying in England:

One for sorrow, two for mirth.

One magpie means sorrow. Two mean joy.”

“Stay alive...”

“Stay alive.”

Next generation / age gap / original female lead / happy ending / Slytherin

Iris Clyde x Severus Snape

*Iris means “rainbow” and is also the name of a flower, a symbol of power and majesty. Its three petals represent faith, wisdom, and courage.

The story will generally follow the timeline and plot of the original books and films, with some adjustments.

Hope you enjoy reading!

Theme: For Severus Snape