Chapter 10: Opportunities

Iris was sitting alone in the owlery, looking over the bustling students frolicking over the school grounds while gently giving scratches to a small barn owl on her lap. She watched students visit Hagrid while others sat around either on the grass or on the outskirts of the lake, barely touching the water's edge. Her thoughts drifted to Severus' question to her. She didn't want to tell him her answer, she didn't know how he'd react. Iris brought a hand to her chest, her brows furrowed.

"I have no heartbeat… But why… does this ache like so?" Iris mumbled towards herself, curious to the heavy feeling in her chest.

This feeling perplexed Iris greatly. A great horned owl landed on her shoulder and gently nipped at her ear. She heard the door of the owlery open, she already knew who came in without looking.

"What are you doing?" Lily asked, as soon as she spotted Iris.

Iris side glanced Lily, then turned back towards looking out the window.

"I don't know either." Iris answered, "Sending a package?" She asked Lily.

Lily glanced at the paper bag she was going to send to her parents and a little trinket she wanted to send to her older sister, Petunia.

"Yes…" Lily answered, hugging the package closer to her chest. Iris hummed.

Lily opted to ignore Iris, send her package and silently leave. She watched as the owl who carried her package had flown out of the owlery and into the skies, she continued staring even when the owl was long gone. Turning away from the window she headed straight for the exit. But before her hand could grab the door's handle, Iris suddenly spoke.

"Lily." Iris called out. "What do you call this heavy feeling in your chest?"

"What?" Lily turned back towards Iris. Staring at the snow haired girl as she pointed a finger at her own chest.

"What do you call this feeling?" Iris asked again.

"Shouldn't you already know?" Lily asked, tilting her head at the strange girl.

"Just answer me." Iris demanded. Lily leaned on the door.

"Well what do you feel exactly?" Lily asked.

"I said it's heavy." Iris answered.

"Too broad, be more specific. I'm a witch, not a seer." Lily grunted. Iris paused, and with a stoic face touched her chest again.

"It's heavy. Like when I think of something, I feel like running away. As if a creature crawls and tumbles in my stomach. That kind of heavy." Iris tried to describe it as best as she could. Lily could clearly see Iris struggle at trying to interpret what she was feeling.

"Maybe you're anxious?" Lily hesitantly answered.

"You hesitated. You don't know if you're correct." Iris immediately said, doubting Lily's answer. Lily sputtered at her.

"Hey! You're the one who asked." Lily sighed. "Look what exactly are you thinking about?" Lily probed. Iris glanced away from Lily.

"I can't tell you." Iris replied. But from her actions alone, Lily immediately understood who she was thinking about.

"Does it have anything to do with Sev?" Lily asked. Iris didn't answer. Lily sighed, giving up. "If you won't tell me, fine I give up. It's not my problem anyway." She mumbled to herself, turning away from Iris and back towards the exit.

But before she could leave, Severus' sad eyes when he noticed Iris at the great hall last evening, flashed in Lily's mind. She tsked and huffed while mumbling aimlessly. Scratching her head violently as she continued to argue with herself. Suddenly she turned back abruptly towards Iris, stomping towards the stoic girl.

"What's wrong with you?!" Lily asked Iris, almost shouting at her. Grabbing Iris by the shoulders to face her. Iris was surprised by Lily's sudden actions, while the owls flew away from Iris and Lily.

"A bit handsy aren't you?" Iris said, cocking an eyebrow at Lily. But Lily continued giving Iris a hard stare.

"You look stupid! You're not the same girl who shamelessly flirted with Sev out in the open. You're not the same girl who protected him back at the lake." Grabbing Iris with both fists by the collar, Lily screamed at her. "You're not the same person who almost shown the entirety of Hogwarts my knickers just to prove a point!" Lily said, shaking Iris. "Whatever you're thinking about concerning Sev, if you're that worried about how he'd react or what he'd do? Then you don't know him at all!" Lily finished.

Iris stared wide eyed at Lily who's green eyes stared right back at her. Then Iris chuckled at Lily, at this point Lily felt like a blood vessel was about to pop out of her neck.

"Are you mocking me or something?" Lily asked, her eye twitching at Iris while her grip on Iris' collar tightened. Iris continued to laugh to the point it brought tears to her eyes. "You are mocking me." Lily gravely said.

Iris shook her head at Lily, gently touching Lily's fists. Iris tried to compose herself.

"No, no, I'm not mocking you." Iris said, in between laughs. "I just-" Taking a huge breath of air before completing her sentence. "I just now understood… what he sees in you." Lily tilted her head at what Iris said.

"I beg your pardon?" Lily asked, her grip on Iris' collar slackened.

"You're right." Iris said, smiling at Lily. Completely ignoring her question. "You're absolutely right. I can't believe it took me this long to understand. Thank you, Lily." Iris thanked Lily.

Lily didn't know exactly what she did, but she was glad that Iris seemed to be back to normal.

"You're welcome?" Lily hesitatingly said.

She watched as Iris stood up and patted her cloak clean off of dirt and stray owl feathers. Iris left first, but before she walked out the door she turned back to Lily.

"By the way, your sister isn't going to like the little flower trinket you bought for her. She'll think it's tacky." Iris said, before she finally closed the door behind her leaving Lily sputtering and tongue-tied.

"My word, Viper. Now I know what you see in her. A wild fire behind those eyes… How interesting." Iris said, chuckling to herself again as she recalled the fiery look in Lily's eyes. "I have my work cut out for me, and here I thought Aengus' job was childish."

Severus was in the forbidden forest looking for ingredients for the knee balms he was planning on brewing again for his next visit to the house elves with Regulus tomorrow evening. As he was about to pick up a mushroom, the air in the forest suddenly shifted while the birds and insects became silent. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as a cold shiver ran down his spine. Turning around he addresses the deity behind him.

"Iris." Severus greeted.

"Hello, Viper." Iris greeted back.

"You're talking to me again." Severus said.

"I could say the same thing for you." Iris replied, she paused for a few moments. A bit unsure how to broach the subject. "That night… when we came back after the party." Iris began, but Severus held a hand up to stop her.

"No, I don't need to hear it. I know what you're going to say." Severus said.

"You do?" Iris asked, surprised that Severus was able to understand her so easily.

"You regret it, you've messed up the timeline and it's gotten much more difficult for you-" Severus began to say.

"Wait, what?" Iris asked, dumbfounded.

"You're going to say that you're changing the timeline to how it should be right?" Severus continued, not noticing the baffled look Iris gave him.

"You blithering idiot!" Iris bellowed, her voice echoing throughout the forest causing Severus to flinch. "No! Absolutely not! If I did, I'd have to tell Taranis he was right and I'd rather obliterate into nothing without chance of reincarnation before I ever say that to him! My name almighty, is that what you've been thinking all this time?! I should've told you sooner if so-" Iris continued talking nonsense while Severus was gaping wide eyed at her.

"Wait? So you don't… regret it?" Severus asked.

"No!" Iris yelled.

"Then why didn't you say anything when I first asked you?!" Severus yelled back.

"You'd really think I'd answer you in a hallway where anyone can hear us? Also I was worried on how you'd react if I were to say that I don't regret anything at all."

"Then why didn't you say so sooner? Why wait so long to say all this now? I feel completely stupid." Severus asked.

"I was worried that if I told you that I regret nothing at all you'd think that I was being… selfish, arrogant, egocentric-" Iris continued. But Severus brought a hand up to stop Iris.

"You don't need to worry about any of those. I've already thought of you that way for a long time." Severus said, with the most stoic of features.

"Shut up." Iris said in a grave tone pertaining to Severus' words, she didn't know whether to take as a compliment or an insult. She sighed and turned away from him to stare at small dew drop frozen in time before it could land on the ground. "As I was saying... I thought you'd think I was foolish for wanting to continue this timeline despite the events that have occurred. You have a habit of falling into self-loathing, I didn't know how you'd react. In fact I feel quite the opposite of how I should be reacting-" Iris turns back to face Severus, a wide psychotic grin on her face. "I'm internally very excited for what's yet to come. I feel elated to the point I think I'm going to burst into a ball of light and obliterate the world." Iris explained, while chuckling to herself in her excitement. While Severus shivered at her words.

Both of them paused for what seemed like a long time until Iris suddenly burst out laughing, causing Severus to slightly chuckle at their predicament as well.

"We're both fucking stupid." Severus said. Iris nodded her head in agreement with him.

"Does this mean we can still continue our plans?" Iris asked Severus.

"Of course we are, if we weren't you'd have gone to this world for nothing." Severus answered Iris, rolling his eyes at her. Turning away from her he continuous to pick herbs. "But I am curious though, what brought you to start talking to me again? Knowing you, I thought it'd be a whole eternity before you'd start coughing up words." Severus asked.

Iris eyed Severus, a sly smirk plastering unto her face.

"Lily helped." Iris answered, Severus flinched. Iris tried her best to hold in her laughter. "By the way, a little birdy told me that you were quite bold with her last evening in the halls. He said you were very suave." Iris continued, floating up to the air as if she were lying unto her stomach and began to swing her legs like a curious child.

"Does this little bird of yours happen to be a spying ball of snow like you?" Severus grunted, without even turning back to look at Iris. But Iris could already see his ears were a deep shade of red.

"Nope! This bird was made of stone and had sharper teeth." Iris answered in a happy-go-lucky tone.

"Tsk… Stupid gargoyles." Severus muttered.

"Aren't you going to tell me the details?" Iris asked, suddenly appearing in front of Severus' face as he looked up.

"There are no details, nothing happened." Severus grunted, pushing her face away from him.

"Ugh… you're boring." Iris pouted, booing at Severus who packed his things and began to walk away from the area. Iris continued to float next to him while he walked.

"By the way, another little birdy told me that you gave the lycanthrope something to soothe him in the coming moon. Care to tell me about that?" Iris probed.

"Is this the same birdy that told you about what happened in the hallway? Cause if so, I'll make a mental note to crack the limestone off his face." Severus grunted, Iris chuckled at him.

"No, this birdy was more green and thorny." Iris said, a smile plastered on her face. "I thought you hated him?" Iris asked Severus, who was trudging through thicket of damp leaves.

"I do… but not as strong as I hate Potter and the rest. Yes, he's no martyr. But it just brings me comfort to know that he'll be somewhat sane in his form while he's frolicking around school grounds." Severus explained, flicking a pixie frozen in time mid-air out of his way. Iris hummed in agreement to his words, but she knew there was a slight deeper meaning to his intentions.

"Want to do something fun?" Iris asked Severus, a devilish smirk on her lips. Severus stopped in his tracks, turning back to face her as she gently landed unto the ground with a plop of her feet.

"That depends… Your definition of fun has the tendency to warp the existence of time and space." Severus said, lifting a brow at Iris who began to chuckle in her excitement.

"You're the only person in this timeline who knows how to make Wolfsbane. So let me ask you Viper-" Iris floated again, approaching him and grabbing hold unto his shoulders.

She guided him to face the lake between them and the castle. Grabbing his chin gently with her slim fingers, she focuses his gaze upon his fellow Slytherins. Who's frozen sneers were directed at a sniveling first year Hufflepuff by the lake. Namely, Rosier and the rest of his gang, whose wand was pointed at the small Hufflepuff. While across the lake by the old beech tree, was James trying to catch the golden snitch with Peter staring at him in awe. Sirius, who noticed the Slytherin boys, pointed a finger at them and looked as if he was about to shout something. While the girls, who gathered around Sirius, looked up at him as if they were watching a hero in the works.

Iris leans down to whisper into Severus' ear, as if she were the devil who tempted the first human. "Do you want to be filthy rich? So rich that those who used to be above you would now be the dirt on the soles of your boots?"

Severus pondered over her words, but he couldn't deny that he was very intrigued.

"What do you have in mind?" Severus asked, side-eyeing Iris whose slim fingers traveled the skin of his neck like a snake.

"Patent the potion in your name." Iris said, a gleam in her eyes as she spoke. Severus's eyes grew wide at her suggestion.

"Are you crazy? I didn't develop it, Damocles did." Severus said, denying Iris.

"In your old timeline, yes he did. But in this timeline however…" Iris said, floating away from Severus to approach the frozen Rosier. Severus closely followed her. "You did." Iris finished, moving Rosier to have his wand pointing at Mulciber's bum rather than at the Hufflepuff.

"But I can't help but feel slightly guilty for taking Damocles creation. I respect him as a fellow potioneer myself, he greeted me very highly back at the Malfoy's ball." Severus replied, pushing Avery's frozen body towards the lake in an angle that would allow him to fall back first when time would continue again.

Iris tutted at him as she floated away from the Slytherins and towards the Gryffindor boys.

"So what? You're just going to allow Damocles to take his lovely time into creating it just because you respect him? Oh please Viper, in this timeline you can make him respect you even further. Didn't you say you've always wanted to be awarded an Order of Merlin? Isn't that what you've been screaming for back then in the previous timeline?" Iris said, noticing a frozen fly, she grabs it and approaches Peter. Severus sighed at her.

"But wouldn't they find it strange how I, a mere student of Hogwarts who hasn't even come to age, was able to develop such a difficult and extremely intricate potion that could potentially change the lives of every werewolf in the world?" Severus said, approaching the golden snitch and moving it a few more inches farther than James fingers could reach. But Iris only chuckled at him.

"Your overthinking stature has always been very adorable, Viper." Iris responded, placing the fly before Peter's gaping mouth. "You're already a prodigy in the arts of potion making, are you not? If it were me I wouldn't even bat an eye that you have developed such an intricate potion. Imagine, an Order of Merlin at seventeen. Doesn't that sound delicious?" Iris said, glancing at Severus with a wide grin on her face.

It did sound wonderful to Severus, but he still doubted himself. The Wolfsbane potion was a miracle itself, if he had developed it at an older age no one would bat an eye. But a child who hasn't even graduated? For sure there would be extreme doubt. Iris, who placed Sirius' pointed finger up his nose, sighed at Severus. She knew what he has thinking about, she could practically hear his thoughts running wild out of his head.

"Why don't you think of it this way, if you can recall Tom used Fenrir Greyback to gather his own army of werewolves. His specialty, using the children he cursed as babies and turning them into murderous killing machines with or without the full moon." Iris said, her eyes turning immensely dark as the veins around her eyes turned black with hate as if black ink flowed through them. Her voice had so much malice it was like she had something disgusting in her mouth. But almost immediately did her eyes turn back to normal as if nothing happened.

Severus flinched at briefly seeing Iris' infuriated form. But he couldn't blame her reaction as he recalls the many evenings when Tom would instruct him to deliver messages to Greyback. The howls and cries of the children for their parents as they are forced in cages to change under the light of the full moon still haunts him till this day. Iris knew what Severus was thinking about, Tom wasn't the only living being on earth she detested. Greyback was a strong second after Tom in her list. Iris cleared her throat, to continue the conversation.

"As I was saying… If you develop the potion as early as now. It allows the lycanthropes of today to stray from Greyback's promises." Iris floated towards Severus. "You, my Viper, would be the emissary of all the werewolves in Europe and across the globe. You will be opening a door for them to be treated like everyone else as they should be. As the goddess of life, that would be the greatest thing you can do for me other than stopping Tom."

Iris' words sunk heavily in Severus, but there were more questions in his head rather than answers.

"But it would be difficult. In the previous timeline, the reason why many still joined Greyback despite the potion already existing was because it was not only difficult to brew but it was also very expensive." Severus said, cringing at the word 'expensive'.

"Then develop not only the pure version Damocles made, but a much weaker yet still effective version of it as well. I know you've already tried to develop one in your previous timeline in the excuse that brewing a pure version for Lupin every month was tiring." Iris said, causing Severus to look up at her. "I am aware that you still remember your notes by heart. In this timeline you are still young, you can take as much time as you need. This is the beauty of having second chances, Viper." Iris snaps her fingers and Severus blinked to find both of them in the boathouse.

"What are we doing here?" Severus asked, looking around.

"Having a front row seat." Iris gleefully said, as she took her shoes off and sat on the floorboards with her bare toes touching the still water. She patted the spot next to her, gesturing for Severus to take a seat.

Severus followed her but decided he wanted to keep his shoes on. Looking up he realized that right in front of them was both the Slytherin and Gryffindor boys they were toying with.

"Ready?" Iris excitingly asked.

"This is going to be good." Severus chuckled. Iris snapped her fingers and the world moved in motion again and it was pure and utter chaos.

Rosier shot the itching spell at Mulciber's bum rather than the Hufflepuff who immediately took the opportunity to run away. Mulciber screamed the foulest of words at Rosier while scratching and dragging his bum on the ground like a dog. In his anger, he pulled his wand out and blasted Rosier with the same itching spell. But because he was on the ground scratching his bum, his aim was off and his wand was pointing at Rosier's groin causing Rosier to bend over backwards as he began to scratch himself down there like an absolute pervert. While Avery fell into the lake, utter confusion on his face as his arms flailed around like a wet cat.

On the other end of the lake, James missed to catch the only snitch he stole from the whole Quidditch supply and he watched in utter confusion and horror as the snitch flew farther and farther into the lake and up at the bright sky. He stood dumbfounded, wondering how he was going to explain himself to Madam Hooch knowing she would immediately interrogate him once she finds out the snitch is gone. While Peter began to choke on the fly that flew into his mouth, Sirius who was about to yell at the Slytherin boys was dumbfounded as he watched them flail but was somehow satisfied. Not realizing he still had the finger in his nose, he turns back to the girls to continue wooing them and in instinct began to pick on it. This causes the girls to look at him strangely and turn him down, only then did Sirius realize what he was doing. Abruptly pulling his finger away and began to chase after the girls.

Severus burst out laughing within the safety of the boat house. Watching him smile made Iris' heart swell. She was confused again as to what she was feeling, but realized that it must have been a good sign since she didn't feel like running away from him.

Catching his breath, Severus sighed delightfully. Looking back at Iris, he asks her.

"Are you sure you think I can do it? Be the 'emissary' as you say that I am?" Severus asked Iris.

"If I didn't think that you were, then what was the point of coming here to change the outcome of you future and the world's? No pressure by the way." Iris answered, a smirk playing on her face. While Severus grunted at her last words.

"Yeah, right." Severus replied, sarcastically while rolling his eyes at her. Standing up to pat his cloak clean, he faces her again. "Alright, I'll patent it. But you'll be watching over me right?" Severus asked her. Iris smiled at him.

"Like a God." Iris answered, smiling at him.

Later that evening, Lily was in the Gryffindor common room holding the trinket Petunia sent back to her. While in the maze of her thoughts, she began to pick on the dry skin of her lips.

"How did she know Tunny was going to hate it?" Lily grumbled to herself. 'She's so strange. It's like she could read our minds and how does she keep disappearing and reappearing so suddenly? Apparition? But even if she could, no one can apparate or disapparate in Hogwarts.' Lily thought to herself, until she picked a raw part of her lip causing the skin to bleed. The sharp pain caused Lily to flinch and curse herself for her bad habits. Just then Dorcas jumped unto the couch next to Lily.

"Lils! Guess which senior I'm going to the ball with!" Dorcas said, in a shrill excited voice.

Before Lily could ask, Mary walked in with Alice.

"Don't bother answering her Lily, it's the one from Ravenclaw she was talking about last week." Mary said, plopping unto the chair in front of them, while Alice sat on the chair's arm. Dorcas huffed at them.

"Hey! I wanted her to figure it out herself. Ugh, you bitch." Dorcas said, pouting. While the rest of the girls chuckled.

"Well whether Mary would've told me or not I probably would have never guessed out of all the many boys you mentioned in a span of a week." Lily replied, Dorcas threw a pillow at Lily, while the other girls burst out laughing.

"You talk as if I'm some sort of whore." Dorcas said, while continuing to hit Lily with the pillow.

"Now I never said that! That one's on you!" Lily laughed.

After Alice had calmed herself down, she asked Lily. "Anyways Lily, who are you going to the ball with?"

Lily froze at Alice's question, while Dorcas hit her again with the pillow on the face causing Lily to fall over further into the couch.

"Oooohhh… I know that look on your face, can I guess?" Dorcas asked. Lily couldn't even mutter a reply when Dorcas yelled out. "It's James isn't it?!"

"Ugh! That idiot? No way." Lily replied in disgust. Making Mary bend over backwards in laughter.

"Oh Merlin, your face was so horrific just at the mention of James' name." Mary said, in between fits of laughter.

"C'mon Lils, he's not that bad…" Alice said in a more soothing tone, as if trying to calm the room from the various bursting reactions.

"She's just playing hard to get!" Dorcas yelled over Alice.

"No way! I'd rather bring a bucket of dragon dung as a date to the yule ball rather than Potter!" Lily cried out to Dorcas.

"Then are you planning to ask Severus?" Alice asked, with genuine curiosity.

This made Lily freeze again, this reaction of hers does not go unnoticed by Alice who always had a soft spot for the lanky pale Slytherin. Lily began to stutter as she tried to answer Alice. "I- I don't-"

But Dorcas interrupted her yet again.

"Oh come on Alice, Lily is not that desperate." Dorcas said, chuckling at Alice's question. Mary also piped in siding with Dorcas. "I'll admit, he's gotten cuter. But that doesn't excuse his other past actions. He does still creep most of us out."

"The real question is, is he even going? He's never gone to any school events at all. But I agree with Dorcas, Lily probably already has someone in mind. If only Dorcas would give Lily the time to explain." Mary said, rolling her eyes at Dorcas. "I almost expected him to go with Iris, but things seem to be a bit rocky with them so I doubt-"

"Yes, but that's old news." A voice suddenly piped up from the hallway to the entrance. The girls quickly turned around to find Iris had suddenly appeared in the room without even a sound.

'She did it again.' Lily thought to herself as she stared at Iris whose previous gloomy look at the owlery, was now replaced with a glowing smile.

"Iris!" Mary almost shrieked. "Didn't see you there…"

Iris kept her gaze towards Mary. "Speaking of the yule ball, I don't have a date yet either. How about you Viper? Have anyone in mind?" Iris said, glancing behind her as Severus popped his head out of the shadows.

"Why did you bring me here?" Severus muttered at Iris.

"I just needed to get something and didn't want you to wait out in the cold hall." Iris said, smiling back at Severus coyly.

'What do you think you're doing?' Severus thought inwardly.

'Rocking the boat.' Iris replied, subtly winking at him before speaking again. "I asked you a question, Viper. Do you have a date for the yule ball?" Iris asked again.

Severus glanced at Lily for a split second but shied his eyes away from her when he noticed the other girls awaiting his response and Dorcas held Lily's hand while Mary subtly hid Lily from his view.

"No, I don't have anyone to take." Severus replied, Iris smirked at him.

"Then would you like to take me?" Iris asked, approaching him closer while looking up at him doe-eyed.

Lily found it hard to swallow the knot in her throat at Iris' question towards Severus.

'Please say no. Please say no.' Lily thought inwardly, repeating the phrase hoping Severus could potentially hear her. Not knowing that someone else had heard it instead.

"Well?" Iris probed, slightly chuckling at Severus.

"I- I guess if you're okay with going with me then… I'll be in your care." Severus said, slightly embarrassed.

While Iris shrieked in delight and Mary and Dorcas let out a sigh of relief, Lily felt like a boulder fell on her head.

"It's a date then! We're going to have so much fun! Even better than what we did back at the Malfoy manor." Iris said, grabbing a hold of Severus' hands. Severus chuckled at her as he recalled the incident with Rosier and the rest of his slytherin classmates at the buffet table.

"I hope so, quite the spectacle you showed me." Severus muttered back to Iris.

Without context their words sounded entirely different to the girls who were still in the room with them. Dorcas gasped and cupped her mouth in shock, clearly excited at the gossip she was planning on spreading soon. While everyone else continued to stare at the two wide eyed. Lily, who had enough, shoved Dorcas' hand away from hers and pushed pass Mary.

"I'm feeling tired… I'll head to bed first." Lily said, stomping her way towards the girl's dorms.

"Lily…" Alice called out to the red headed girl, but she didn't look back at them.

"What about supper?" Mary asked, but Alice turned to her with disappointment in her eyes and shook her head at the two girls who were confused on Lily's sudden cold attitude.

Lily felt utterly betrayed by Iris, especially after she knew that she had a hand in their reconciliation. She plopped unto her bed and buried her face in her pillows. Not long after Alice entered the room alone.

"Lils…" Alice softly called out, sitting on the edge of Lily's bed. Placing a hand on Lily's back.

"I want to be alone Alice… I think I'm having a headache and want to rest." Lily said, shying away from Alice's touch.

Alice didn't want to leave Lily alone, but she knew that it was probably for the best especially since she didn't know what to say or what to do in that situation.

"Alright…" Alice said, as she stood up and left the room.

Lily finally let out a sigh of relief, until the door swung open again. Lily grunted, thinking it must be either Dorcas or Mary. Looking up, she found Iris in the room instead. At first she was shocked but immediately her face was scrunched and her annoyance was back.

"Well that's not a good look on your face." Iris chuckled at Lily. "For someone who's got the eye candy of the famous Quidditch boy, you have a very scary look on you right now." Iris said, walking into her walk-in closet.

"You traitor." Lily muttered.

"Is that really how you see it?" Iris said, Lily didn't expect Iris' hearing to be so sharp but this time she didn't back away from the confrontation.

"I helped you back at the Owlery. If it weren't for me-" Lily began to say, sitting on the edge of her bed facing Iris.

"Oh yes, I do have to thank you for that. If it weren't for you Viper and I wouldn't have come to an understanding of each other. I am very grateful." Iris said in a chipper voice, completely ignoring the clear frustration and disappointment in Lily's words while she continued rummaging in one of the drawers.

Lily got up from her bed and approached Iris.

"If you're grateful then why did you do that?" Lily said, grabbing Iris by the arm.

"I beg your pardon? I saw a chance and I took it, how is that any connection to me being grateful to you?" Iris said, lifting an eyebrow at Lily who this time was fuming.

"I don't think you understand-" Lily yelled, but Iris yelled back.

"No! I think you don't understand!" Iris shoved Lily's hand away from her and pointed a finger at Lily's chest. "You think that just because you helped me once it was an automatic agreement that I would just stand aside and allow you to take opportunities that present itself to us both?" Iris jabbed her finger at Lily's chest again. "You had your chance and you didn't take it. That's not my fault, it's yours."

"I was about to, but Dorcas-" Lily tried to explain herself, but Iris cut her off yet again.

"Ah yes, blaming your short comings on others again. I see where this is going and I am not in the mood to continue it." Iris finished, walking out of the walk-in closet and towards the door. "Face it Lily, I won this time. No harsh feelings, but do take it as a lesson to grow a pair. You're more skittish when it comes to your friends more than I thought you were and I thought Remus was bad but you're on a whole other level." Swinging open the door Iris walked out, but before she closed it shut she turns back to Lily and in a sweet voice says. "Don't worry though, you still have next year's yule ball."

As soon as Iris closed the doors shut and Lily was left alone in the room, a huge mix of emotions spiraled within her. She didn't know whether to feel sad because Iris hit close to home or if she felt angry by what Iris said altogether. Grabbing her pillow and burying her face in it she screams in frustration. While Iris walked down the stairs towards the common room with a smile on her face.

Severus waited anxiously for Iris to come back, as he stayed put in the common room. All his insecurities as a teenager flowing back into his mind making him slouch to try and cover his face using his hair while Gryffindors came in and out of the common room, some disgusted by his presence and others just curious as to why he was there. His only source of comfort was Alice's presence who stayed close to him.

"So… how are you these days Severus?" Alice asked, trying to make conversation with the pale boy. Out of all the people whom he was fine calling him by his first name, Alice was one of them.

"I feel like I want to throw up." Severus said, while chuckling nervously with Alice. "How's Frank by the way?" Severus asked.

Alice turned bright red at the mention of Frank, Severus was confused as to why Alice reacted that way only to realize that they weren't married yet.

'Oh Merlin…' Severus cursed himself for being so stupid.

Alice leaned close to Severus to whisper in his ear.

"How did you know? Who told you I had a…. I never told-" Alice stuttered, still red at the thought that someone knew about her secret crush for Frank Longbottom.

Severus stuttered as well, trying to figure out an excuse.

"Well, I thought it wasn't a secret… Your actions towards Frank speak quite loudly." Severus said, causing Alice to turn even redder than she previously was.

"Oh god… does that mean he might know? Does everyone probably know?" Alice mumbled to herself while burying her face in her hands.

"Uh… well… I- I don't think so… You know I tend to be more observant than the rest." Severus said, trying to diffuse the situation of the embarrassed Alice Fortesque.

"You do have a point…" Alice said, peeking at Severus from between her fingers. "But it is still quite embarrassing that you know about it."

"Not at all, I think Frank is a good man. You have a good eye for men." Severus said, "Unlike someone you and I both know." Severus said, gesturing towards Dorcas who started flirting with a senior.

This made Alice laugh more than she expected to. "Alright, alright, you've made your point." Alice said, in between breaths. "But… how do you know he is a good man? For all we know he could be hiding a dark secret or something along those lines." Alice asked Severus.

Severus' memories flooded him, especially of how determined both she and Frank were to protect Neville despite being cruccio'd to insanity. With a sad smile on his face, Severus looked into Alice's eyes.

"I just know, and you're perfect for him." Severus said, causing Alice to turn red again although. She lightly punched Severus on the shoulder.

"You don't have to flatter me, I'm not that great." Alice said.

"You're wrong, you're very strong and kind. Out of everyone here you're the only one talking to me without the look of disgust on your face. That already says a lot about your character." Severus said, Alice looked at him with eyes of wonder then chuckled.

"I never took you for a sweet talker." Alice said.

"I'm not and I bet the only secret he has is something that probably benefits in your favor." Severus replied. 'This time… This time Alice, I'll make sure you and Frank see Neville off in his first year.' Severus thought inwardly. Iris finally arrived at the common room.

"Alright then Viper. If you're done chatting we should go for supper." Iris said. Severus stood up and followed her after waving good bye to Alice.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Severus asked Iris as they walked out of the painting of the fat lady.

"Oh yes, it was in my pocket this whole time." Iris said, with a coy smile on her face that Severus didn't notice while swinging her robe with empty pockets.