Chapter 9: Freedom of Flight

I enter my room and close the door, sighing as I lay on the bed and think to Hella, 'I'm getting tired of playing nice with the others here. A few of them are nice, but most of the others are making me want to scream and throw things. Dumbledore apparently wants me to move back in with James and Lily because they asked me to do so this morning and I think that my back is bleeding...I'll go see Madam Pomphrey. Just in case its serious.'

'Are you alright?' she asks in a worried tone as I get up and head for the door.

'I'm sure I'll be fine.' I think back as I walk out of the dorms. I head for the Hospital Wing, about halfway there I see James and Lily come from a classroom and spot me. James blinks before smiling and saying, "Iris, how are you?"

"Terribly sorry Professor, but I can't talk. I'm pretty sure I'm bleeding." I say dismissively as I brush past them. When I enter the Hospital Wing and Madam Pomphrey sees me she sighs.

"I don't suppose this is just a social visit?" she asks.

"No, I'm pretty sure that one of my more recent wounds have reopened." I say as I sit on my usual bed and remove my robes. She sighs before walking into her office and coming out with a golden plaque of some sort. She hangs it on the head of the bed and I look, finding that its a sign, This bed is reserved for Iris Lily Rose Potter, no other patient may occupy it. I smirk before pulling my shirt off, leaving me in a bra, and showing her my back. "Can't wait to tell Harry that I won our bet."

Madam Pomphrey gasps at the newest scars and quickly sets to work. As she works she says, "I ran out of pain suppressing potions this morning. Now, what bet?"

"I'll keep still." I say and she sighs as she inspects the cuts. "I bet Harry that I would get a bed sign before him, seemed like an innocent enough bet given how much stuff we go through each year."

"How much did you win?" she asks curiously.

"A thousand, I can give you half since you were unknowingly involved with the bet though." I say.

"No need dear." she tells me before starting to actually working on the cuts. I remain completely still, like I said I would, while she works until she tells me that she's done. I stand and put my shirt on as she says, "Do you want the new count?"

"Yes please." I say.

"You now have six hundred and seventeen scars." she says with a sigh. "That is eighty four more than last year."

"Wow. Well, it's a good thing he's been arrested and divorced then." I say, pulling my robes on. "I'll see you soon, Madam Pomphrey."

I walk out and mentally tell Hella the new scar count as I head towards the great hall; finding James and Lily waiting for me outside the hospital wing. When James sees me he worriedly asks, "Are you alright, Iris?"

"I'm fine, Professor Potter." I say dismissively, "I just had a few injuries that needed tended too; nothing I haven't dealt with before."

I then walk to the great hall and sit down at my usual spot. A second later Viktor sits across from me, looking miserable as he says, "Hello Iris."

"Hello Viktor." I say with a frown as I send out a bunch of color changing hexes to the Gryffindor table, watching them all go green and silver, "Are you alright?"

"We have just received news that Bulgaria has fallen to Loki." he says. "I haven't heard if my family is safe or not yet." he then frowns and asks, "What are you doing?"

"I am turning the Gryffindors green and silver." I tell him, "I'm sorry to hear about your home, though I am sure Dumbledore will know by morning if they are safe. I wouldn't be surprised if he announced it tomorrow morning. He has an annoying way of knowing things before almost everyone else. I suppose you found out from your headmaster?"

"Really?" he asks hopefully before adding, "Yes, my headmaster told us all."

'Bulgaria mostly joined us willingly. Your new friend will be happy to know that the Krum family is safe.' I hear Hella say in my mind. I smile and say, "Yeah, we'll hear more news soon. For now though, try focusing on your plan for the first task." he gives me a slightly confused look, "Think of it like...a Quidditch game, you have to keep your focus unless you want to get hit in the head with a rogue bludger like I did in second year." I then look up a bit at one of the floating candles across the room from me, and add, "I miss playing Quidditch. I was one hell of a seeker."

"You play Quidditch?" he asks with an excited look on his face.

"I used too." I tell him sadly, "Like I said, I got hit with a rogue Bludger in my second year, but I started as a seeker in first year. I was the youngest seeker in a century, which made Ronald Weasley decide he needed to correct a few things, couldn't have me upstaging his famous best friend, at the time. Harry has more sense now, bur anyways, Ronald tricked an older student into cursing a Bludger to chase me, unfortunately the other Bludger was also enchanted to come after me by a charming little House Elf who was trying to protect me, I tricked his master into freeing him at the end of the year, he's now my personal elf, but I let him enjoy freedom for the most part."

"You don't play anymore?" he asks, tilting his head a bit.

"I can't, unfortunately. One of the Bludgers hit me and I took a rather large fall. Haven't been able to get more than a foot off the ground without feeling like my head is about to explode since. It's like my mind is screaming at me to not go." I tell him.

"Maybe if you can get far enough into the air your mind will recognize that you are in no danger of falling." he suggests and I tilt my head a bit.

"That might work." I say, "Problem is I can't do that alone. Would you like to help me test your theory? I got a new broom last year and haven't flown it, which is a shame too, its a nice broom."

"Of course, we can test tomorrow after breakfast." he says and I smile.

"Sure." I say before beginning to eat my food. After dinner we walk to the dormitories together, talking the whole way there. When we reach the dorms I say goodnight and head to my room. The next day I sit down and get joined by Viktor again. "Morning, Viktor."

"Good morning." he says as Dumbledore calls for everyone's attention.

"Hello everyone. News came through an hour ago of several more places that have fallen to the forces of Hella and Loki. Bulgaria was included on this list. When offered the choice of joining or being mind controlled all but three families in Bulgaria joined willingly. Those families were the Nita, the Florescu, and the Costea families." he says, "We have received a package sent to us by Durmstrang; it seems Loki decided on a new school Uniform. They will be passed out as the Durmstrang students leave the great hall, each one has your name on them."

I see Viktor relax and hear him mutter, "That's better than enslaved."

"That is all, thank you." Dumbledore says and Viktor gives me a slightly worried look.

"So what's your choice then?" I ask casually. "Side with Loki or Rebel against him?"

"I will stand with my family." he says in a determined voice. "All of my fellow students would agree." all the Durmstrang boys that heard him nod in agreement. "Family is very important to us."

"Ok, I respect that. You done?" I ask and he nods, looking rather surprised, "What?"

"You don't hate me for choosing Loki?" he asks as we walk towards the exit together. He collects his new uniform as I smirk a bit.

"I will answer your question if you can get me in the air again, deal?" I ask and he nods before we walk down to the dorms so I can grab my broom and he can change into his new uniform, a set of fur lined green robes with gold accents and a furry cap with the same colors, the fur of the uniform is black and the entire outfit looks rather nice. I go and grab my Firebolt before meeting the professional seeker in the Common Room. "Lets head to the Quidditch Pitch."

He nods and we head out. When we get there he looks at me and says, "I have been considering why I like hanging out with you so much."

"Oh? Why's that?" I ask as we walk to the center of the pitch.

"You treat me no differently from any other. To you I seem to just be another person." he says with a smile. "Most girls either worship me or wish to date me."

"Well, I see no reason to worship you and I'm into girls. Don't get me wrong you are an amazing seeker and you have great flying skills, but you're no deity." I say with a small shrug and he considers me for a moment before smiling.

"Thank you for that, Iris. Now, let's get you back in the air." he says and I nod before mounting my broom and getting ready.

"You will need to drag me up higher and if this works I am officially considering you a good friend." I tell him and he nods before we kick off and my mind explodes into pain, causing me to grab my head. I feel him grab my arm and steer me farther up, which makes the pain get increasingly worse until...it suddenly stops.

I open my eyes, which I don't remember closing, and set the hand that was holding my head onto my broom. I then look down and find that we're fifty feet in the air and I am not in pain. I smile and look over at him so he asks, "Are you not in pain?"

"Not anymore. We reached this point and it suddenly stopped. I suppose I just needed to be as far up as when I fell to realize I'm safe." I say before looking at his hand and adding, "You can let go now."

He does before frowning a bit and asking, "Will you answer my question now? Why don't you hate me for choosing Loki?"

I smile at him before saying, "Follow me." I lead him out of the wards before turning my broom around and saying. "Sorry, the headmaster can hear us most places inside the wards."

"That's understandable...and concerning." he says and I nod in agreement.

"Do you know Occlumency?" I ask and he nods.

"I've been learning that since I was three. I can keep even Dumbledore out. I felt him trying earlier this week but said nothing." he tells me.

"Great. Because what I'm about to tell you needs hidden from Dumbledore." I say and he nods. "I don't hate you for a very simple reason." he gives me a curious look so I lean forward a bit and say. "I choose Loki too."

He blinks a few times before asking, "Really? I can understand my family joining willingly, the Krum family has worshiped Loki for generations now, but you're of the Potter family, they have worshiped Thor for centuries. Ever since the time of Merlin."

"Please refrain from saying that, Viktor?" I say with a light scowl, "I haven't considered the Potters as family in years."

"Why?" he asks and I sigh.

"Let's just say that James and Lily don't value family as much as you do." I tell him, "When Harry became famous they sent me to live with my aunt. Thanks to her now ex husband my life hasn't been...the best. Let's leave it at that."

He scowls a bit before saying, "Has your life gotten better?"

"Yes, just recently things have been looking up." I say.

"How bad was it?" he asks in a concerned tone.

"I was treated no better than a slave." I say with a sigh.

"That's horrible!" he says, slightly angrier. "To abandon you to that monster for your brother. Such a thing should be punishable by law."

"That's just how my life works." I tell him sadly with a small shrug. "If it ever comes down to me or another person...the people forced to choose will never choose me. Eventually I started wanting revenge against all the people who have hurt me in the past. Now that Loki is taking over...I have a chance to take exactly that. So, I'm with Loki." he nods in understanding, "Now, let's go for a flight. I want to see how fast my broom can go...also, please tell no one that I'm with Loki. Only a few are supposed to find out."

"Of course." he says and we begin flying around, me laughing and just enjoying the freeing feeling that comes with racing at insane speeds through the air.