A Veela's Mate || Draco Malfoy

Cᴏᴍɪɴɢ Tᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ

Friday, September 20

"So..." Iris said when the silence in the room had begun to get to her. "How is it that you arrived so timely to save the day?"

Shayell gave the Elf a bright smile. "I was visiting with a dear friend of mine when Lucius' letter reached me. Once I was made aware of how utterly out of control matters had become here at Hogwarts I immediately packed up my bags to come here.

"How could I possibly stay away? I have never been fond of Albus Dumbledore, the man is too much of a meddler for my taste, but I never in a million years would have thought that he would actually actively attempt to interfere with a Veela bond," Shayell said, shaking her head in wonder.

This was not like the Albus Dumbledore she knew at all. Albus had never been able to keep his beak out of other people's business, but for most parts he never openly interfered with matters like this. Dumbledore usually opted to use much more subtle ways of manipulations, using a person's conscience against them. No, Albus Dumbledore was not above using guilt and misguided honor to get his way.

But to openly threaten a Veela and their bonded? Especially when the Veela in questions was a Malfoy? That didn't sound like Albus Dumbledore at all.

"Your thoughts? What exactly have been going on at Hogwarts for Albus Dumbledore to act so out of character? And I am not thinking of the mood enhancer you two fed him. From what I've been told, Dumbledore's odd behavior began long before the deplorable events of this morning," Shayell stated before Silverwind's granddaughter could start apologizing again.

Lucius and Severus shared a look, a volume of matters being passed back and forth, before Severus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"It is my belief that Albus has become so used to meeting no resistance to his plots and plans that he is incapable of dealing with the fact that his Golden Girl no longer feels beholden to him," Severus began slowly, carefully considering what he wished to say, and how much he wanted to reveal to the visiting royal, not wanting to betray any of the things Iris had told them in confidence.

"And what happened to cause such a rift between Iris Potter and her mentor?" Shayell asked curiously. As queen of the Veela nation she made sure to be well informed of the events taking place in the wizarding world, and it was a well established fact that the Girl Who Lived was completely in Albus Dumbledore's pocket.

Clearly something monumental must have happened for the girl to break her ties to the Headmaster so completely.

Iris snorted when Dumbledore was described as her mentor. When she was younger she probably would have agreed to that description, but having spent a month with Lucius Malfoy, and to some lesser degree with Severus Snape, Iris was slowly beginning to realize what a mentor was, and Albus Dumbledore had never fulfilled that role in her life.

"You do not agree?" Shayell asked, arching an intrigued eyebrow.

"Dumbledore has never been my mentor," Iris said with conviction. "None of the professor here at Hogwarts has done anything to support me outside the classroom. Quite the opposite, actually," Iris mused, recalling the times she had gone to McGonagall for aid, never seeing the way Severus flinched at the accusation.

"As for what happened to cause such a rift between us..." Iris trailed off, staring off into space as she considered what to say, carefully weighing how much she should make known about the issues she had with the master meddler trying to rule her life.

Coming to a decision, Iris settled more comfortable in her seat and turned her full attention on the Veela queen. "It all began the night after the third task of the Triwizard tournament.