A NOTE: firstly, this is an AU with short chapters where Voldemort was defeated, because I want everyone to be happy and healthy and not dead ♡︎

second, in later chapters, it's gonna be smutty. just is.

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AS IF IVY COULD BE UNPLEASANT.

DEEP BROWN EYES carefully scanned the bustling platform crowded with students hugging their parents goodbye and rushing to the scarlet train that was due to leave King's Cross Station in a few minutes' time. She wasn't like them, clinging to her parents. No, this day was the best day because it meant she got to leave no matter how much she loved her troubled parents.

"And you've got everything, Ivette?" Cordelia Arora asked her daughter. Ivy hardly moved as her mother straightened the green silk ribbon in her hair to make her look more presentable. She was used to her constantly adjusting her appearance.

Ivette Arora, or Ivy as she preferred, stood with a straight back as her parents looked her over. Being from one of the more noble Pureblood families, they always wanted to make sure that their daughter looked proper. Her brown curls were tied back to show off her delicate features, and she wore a white turtle neck with a black pinafore dress that her mother had purchased her on their summer trip to France — Ivy wanted to buy the soft pink-colored one, but her mother said it was much too colorful.

Next to Ivy and her mother was Ishaan Arora, who kept a hand on the cart holding Ivy's luggage. He was a stern man, with a rather powerful position in the Ministry of Magic, but his austere personality didn't stop him from slipping treats into the cat carrier where a small, black Bombay cat was curled up.

"Yes, Mother," Ivy said, smiling softly at her mother.

"And if you don't, we can owl it to you," Ishaan told her. He pressed a firm kiss to his daughter's forehead before nodding to the train. "Have a wonderful last year, Darling, and make us proud."

Of course, "make us proud," simply meant get good grades, do not get any detentions, and try to not do anything shameful to the family name — things she always made sure to do. She could hang out with those younger Weasley twins as long as she did not participate in their silly pranks. She could go to Quidditch matches, but only if she didn't have any homework.

"And be careful," Cordelia said in a warning tone.

"You two are the ones that need to be careful," Ivy said in a soft voice. Her mother smiled almost sadly and cupped her daughter's cheek. "And Harry."

Cordelia sighed and shot her husband a look — one that often appeared on the Aroras' faces when their daughter mentioned the Potter boy that Ivy had managed to befriend despite the fact she was already in her fifth year at Hogwarts by the time he arrived. But the two Slytherin Alums had grown used to their Hufflepuff daughter's overly friendly nature and the fact that she was everyone's friend, no matter their house or age — or if they led to the downfall of the Dark Lord.

None of them needed to voice why they needed to be careful. All anyone could talk about was the escape of Sirius Black from Azkaban. The notorious murderer and Death Eater was the first to ever escape the fortress that was supposed to be impenetrable. Rumors flew about what exactly he was going to do — it wasn't like the Dark Lord was still alive for him to follow. Voldemort's body at the foot of Harry Potter's crib that fateful Halloween night had been enough proof. A thorough autopsy confirmed that it was the cause of the Killing Curse.

Many worried that with Black's escape, he would go after both Harry and then begin picking off those that had supported the Dark Lord and then turned their backs on him and his ideas over the years.

And Ivy's parents fell right into that category. It wasn't talked about, but most knew the Aroras used to be strict blood supremacists, on par with the Blacks and the Malfoys. But Cordelia and Ishaan reformed after Voldemort's fall. For these last few years, they did their best to move on and accept others for who they were, though Ivy knew they still struggled sometimes — actually, more often than just sometimes.

"Don't worry about us," Ishaan said, placing a hand on Ivy's shoulder. "Go on and find a seat. I'll write to you as soon as I know if we'll be home for Christmas."

After saying goodbye one last time and kissing both her parents on the cheek, Ivy rushed to get on the train, muttering polite "excuse me"s to those she passed. As she moved through the crowd, red hair grabbed her attention. They spotted her just as quickly, and soon, two familiar and similar faces were bounding over to her.

"Look what the cat dragged in," George said, throwing an arm around Ivy's neck.

She giggled and shook her head at the attempt to use Muggle language before hugging him tightly. Then Fred was pulling her away for his own hug, having missed the older girl while in Egypt.

"I can't believe I lasted a whole summer without any visits from you," Fred complained, practically lifting Ivy off the ground.

"I think a trip to Egypt was just as exciting as hanging around your house with me all day," she said, smiling. Of course, she knew the twins had plenty of fun on their trip. Fred and George had sent Ivy lots of letters and pictures, describing many ridiculous shenanigans that put a smile on her face. "I'm surprised the pyramids are still standing."

"Only just barely," George joked. "How about—"

"There you are, Ivette." Suddenly, Percy Weasley had appeared, a proud smile on his lips as he stood with his chest thrust out, showing off the shiny Head Boy badge on his robes. "The Prefect meeting is starting soon, and I won't let my brothers make you late."

Percy hardly gave her time to wave goodbye to the twins before he was dragging her onto the train. It was a bit tiresome, seeing as it was Ivy's third year of being a Prefect and she knew perfectly well when the yearly meeting started. Clearly, Percy was going to be taking his role as Head Boy a bit too seriously, and Ivy felt bad for whoever had made Head Girl and would have to constantly work with him.

Before she lost sight of Fred and George, she stood on her toes and smiled at them once more. "I'll come find your compartment after the meeting," she promised. Ivy had lots of people to visit during the long train ride, determined to make her last train ride to school the most memorable one yet.

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It was, unfortunately, Ivy's most memorable train ride, but not because of how fun it was. They weren't even three-quarters of the way to Hogwarts when the train had suddenly halted. The sound of the wind and rain outside was practically deafening as everyone had wondered why they were stopping in the middle of nowhere. And then the lights had gone out, plunging all the students into darkness.

The Dementors raiding the train had only been on board for a few minutes before being sent away, unlucky in their attempt to find Sirius Black who they thought might have been hiding. But their presence had shaken everyone to their core, especially those that had seen the creatures up close. Word quickly spread through the compartments which students were unlucky enough to actually see one.

And as soon as she heard, Ivy was rushing through the train in search of one compartment in particular. She found Harry, Hermione, and Ron sitting in a compartment with an older man that she didn't recognize, but didn't pay him much mind at the time.

"Oh, Harry, there you are," Ivy said, sighing in relief as she slid into the seat across from the young boy. "I was so worried. Everyone's saying one of those things came in here and that you—"

"That I what?" Harry asked, an upset look already making it onto his face. It wasn't hard to imagine what they were saying. "That I'm a baby who fainted?"

"Well... yes," she said a bit hesitantly. She winced when Harry rolled his eyes. "Don't feel embarrassed. Everyone was scared, HJ, and Dementors are very powerful creatures."

Harry managed a weak smile at Ivy's use of his nickname but still did not feel any better. She looked to Ron and Hermione for some help, but they both shrugged.

"I tried to tell him the same thing," Hermione said.

Ivy thought for a moment and then smiled. "Draco cried." That was enough to put a real smile on Harry's face as he and Ron snorted. "There's that charming smile. Now, are you three feeling alright?"

"Jus' cold," Ron admitted.

Harry perked up a bit, remembering something, and he stood quickly. "I've got just the thing," he said, opening his trunk that was stored away above them. After a second, he pulled out a thick, red, and yellow knitted blanket. It had a patch in the corner with his initials, HJP, embroidered on it. Ivy had knitted it for him over the summer and sent it as a birthday present. The blanket was plenty big enough to cover the three third years. "Best birthday present ever," Harry said, smiling appreciatively at Ivy. "Mine to you will pale in comparison."

Much to Ivy's annoyance, the young witch's birthday fell on September 2nd — the day after everyone got to leave for Hogwarts. That meant that she had turned eleven a day too late and had to wait an entire year to attend the magical school of her dreams. It also meant she had turned twelve right away, making her the oldest in her class. Of course, now that they were all entering their seventh year of Hogwarts, it wasn't really noticeable that Ivy was a bit older, and there wasn't another growth spurt waiting for her between the ages of seventeen and eighteen, which was one day around the corner.

"Well, I'm glad you like it. I know you don't have a heater in your room at the Dursleys," she said, holding back a scoff. "And you should have some chocolate. That helps with—"

"Oh, Professor Lupin gave us some already," Hermione piped up.

Ivy then remembered both her manners and the stranger sitting next to her. She spun her head and looked at the other man who was likely a few years younger than her parents. He looked positively exhausted, with faded white scars covering his face — though he was still handsome in spite of them. Despite his appearance, he offered Ivy a warm smile upon seeing her own.

"You must be the new Defense professor. I'm so sorry for not greeting you first, I was just worried about Harry," Ivy said sheepishly. Then she stuck out his hand for him to shake. "I'm Ivette Arora, seventh year."

"Remus Lupin," he introduced. Then he tilted his head and studied her for a moment. "Any relation to Ishaan Arora?"

"Yes, Sir," she answered. "He and Cordelia Lancaster are my parents."

"Ah, they were a few years ahead of me, but I went to school with them."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

Remus was a bit shocked by her apology, but at the same time, thought it was a bit funny, as her parents had often hung around the likes of Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Black. Though so far, their daughter didn't seem nearly as unpleasant. Across from them, Ron snickered while Hermione lightly swatted his arm.

"It was lovely to meet you, and I look forward to your class. I hope to not be near as unpleasant as my parents must have been. But I'd best head back to my compartment," Ivy said before getting up and smoothing her skirt down. She looked at the three thirteen-year-olds and kissed them each on the top of their heads. "Valerie's teaching Ced, Ethan, and I how to play this Muggle card game called Uno. We can play it next time I'm in your common room."

With Ivy gone, the compartment fell into an awkward silence. The kids were wishing for Remus to go back to sleep so that they could continue talking about Sirius Black and his supposed plot to kill Harry, but after the Dementors' little visit, the Professor was far more alert and awake. As always, conversation seemed to flow naturally with the Hufflepuff around.

After a moment, Ron scoffed and shook his head while snuggling into the blanket she made. "As if Ivy could be unpleasant."