Chapter 19

November 1st, 1994

Iris leaned awkwardly over her notebook, scrunchie on her wrist as her hair curtained her and her drawings from the world. Just busying herself as usual when she chooses to wait around for her roommates instead of running off to Theodore. Humming along to the quiet melody of something playing on the radio.

Everyone else still lost in their own thing, but on the tail ends of their routines. Valeria pulled at her curls as she worked to pull them up. Sally-Ann laced up her newest pair of boots. Tracey held up different pairs of earrings as she debated her look for the day.

Just a nice, quiet morning. Normal. Just an average day where Iris could almost pretend that all her problems were contained to just a normal life. Like the problem of the fact she really hated drawing people. Faces were her enemy. The head was an awkward shape, the nose too flat, the eyes too empty. She hated it… but she tended to draw or doodle whatever was on her mind, and well, that morning, it was Theodore…

Also, she really needed to finally let go of "the versatility of notebooks" and buy some sketchbooks.

Leaning back from her drawing, Iris scrutinized it momentarily before rolling her eyes and flicking it shut. Finally moving to pull her hair up for the day, Iris considered the one other normal problem on her mind.

"Is Theo allowed in the dorm?"

Three heads shot over. All very distinctive in just where their minds had jumped with that question. Sally-Ann was the furthest from innocent as she wiggled her eyebrows, "Only if you promise to make good decisions."

She got a well-earned smack by a perfectly thrown pillow from Iris, everyone breaking up their morning routine with some quick laughs… even Iris as she pretended to be annoyed. It should be noted that she couldn't quite get her smile to go away… not that it mattered right then.

"It goes farther than Theodore, though, right? The real question is, who is allowed in the dorm and when?" Iris gave Valeria a smile as she directed the conversation to the serious matter it really was.

"Yes, this extends to anyone we happen to meet. Boyfriend, girlfriend, friend that maybe not all of us share."

"It is about our combined boundaries."

Sally-Ann and Tracey had watched the back and forth with Iris and Valeria, letting the question settle in as their giggles had faded. Both really considered where their own opinions lay on something that suddenly mattered to the ability to function as roommates…. Hit with a question that had to come as they were getting older.

Roommates are tough. Having to learn to communicate and coexist. Having to deal with so many little fights and differences like how clean is really clean, or how late a light could be on, or how early the alarm can go off in the morning, and damn, the bathroom order was a nightmare. And then having to conform to the comfort of those you live with… Valeria had wanted a cat their second year, but Tracey was mildly allergic.

Valeria, Sally, and Tracey had started as roommates, and it was tough. They fought and had to learn how to change their fighting into communication. And… they were lucky. That all three of them could learn to communicate… that they had grown to be more like siblings. They were forced to live together, exist together, and eventually became friends as they realized they all were young girls experiencing life.

They were lucky that Iris had so easily conformed to their preexisting way of life… that she fit in so naturally. They were lucky. They got one of the good roommate situations. One where they grew close, where they respected one another, where they wouldn't fight into their seventh years. One where things could be talked about… everyone getting their input.

But there was still always uncertainty. Especially on something like that… who is allowed in the dorm? It was natural for someone to want their friend around in a more private space. It was why Jane was in and out all the time. Allowed to come in and gossip, listen to music, or join in doing homework, sometimes even just to take a nap while in the company of just her friends. The dorms, even if shared, were a child's room. Their one space to make their own. Their one private area.

Wanting to share that space and use your one true ounce of privacy was normal.

But… it is still shared, and the comfort of the collective has to matter. And a friend to you can still be a stranger to them. Someone who has your trust… doesn't automatically have theirs.

Tracey showcased that best, looking uneasily at her bed. Her space in the shared room. Where you would find posters of various actors and where you could see her family pictures or find her diary hidden beneath her mattress. Where with just a bit of digging, anyone could invade her small sense of privacy, "I don't know, I took my diary everywhere with me for months when we first got here…. I couldn't imagine any boys in here."

Sally-Ann bit at her cheek… thinking as she watched Valeria lower the volume of the music… really making it a serious talk…. Then she looked to Tracey, "But… really think. You are the biggest romantic in here, Tracey. Would you never want to have your future boyfriend in here?"

Tracey cringed a bit, "No… suppose not. One of my biggest daydreams was always Theo coming in here for the first time and just asking about my stuff… or um… getting jealous over my poster of Ralph Macchio…."

Valeria snorted. A second shared laugh at one more girl's expense as Sally and Iris quickly followed in laughing. Tracey a flustered mess as she whined, "As if none of you have ever had some stupid thoughts."

Iris shook her head, trying to stop her laughs, "Just trying to imagine Theo as the jealous type."

Things settled slowly again, Valeria cutting in with her input, "We could make it a case-by-case basis. The reason Jane is allowed in and out is because she is a friend that we all trust. If whoever has the okay from us all, then they can be here while supervised. Definitely no to just free reign of the room for any boys, though."

It seemed like she was done, Tracey and Sally voicing their agreements, but then Valeria perked up again, "And if anyone asks them to leave, they have to, even if for no real reason but that we just want the room for us. It is our room, first and foremost. And nothing nasty in here," Valeria shifted her eyes to Sally-Ann and Iris in particular, "If I ever walk in on anything, I am hexing everyone involved."

Sally-Ann looked a bit smug… Iris, on the other hand, more undignified, "Can we just circle back to whether Theo is allowed in now."

Valeria shrugged, "I am fine with Theodore being around; he's practically just part of the group now."

Tracey scrunched her nose, looking back to her poster of Ralph… "Yeah, Theo is fine. Be too focused on Iris to notice Ralph anyways."

And there went another round of giggles, Iris plopping back onto her bed while muttering something about karma. Closing her eyes to stop from rolling them. Readying herself for whatever was about to come out of Sally-Ann's mouth.

"What even brought this up?"

And honestly, a question was the last thing she expected. The last thing that anyone expected from Sally-Ann. And Iris really wished it would have just been more teasing instead… because the answer was only going to do one thing.

Opening her eyes as she prepared for it, Iris bit the bullet, "Fell asleep with Theo in the common room last night. He mentioned that he would have brought me to bed if he had been allowed up here."

Fun fact, the human reaction time is—

"WHAT!?"

Instantly Sally-Ann was hovering over Iris' bed, eyes wide as she pulled on Iris' arm to make her sit up, "You and Nott slept together!?"

Shock? Panic? Disgust? Hard to explain the look that came over Iris, "Don't say it like that! I just passed out next to him; it isn't a big deal, you weirdo!"

"But were you like cuddled when you woke up?" And look at that; Tracey's face popped right over Sally's shoulder, both side by side with the same wide and curious eyes. Both make it very much a big deal.

"Well yeah, I must have moved in my sleep onto him, but—"

"YOU WERE ON HIM!"

"Stop making it sound like that!"

Tracey and Sally-Ann squealed, going on about how it was straight out of a movie or some nonsense. Iris just looked at Valeria, who was doing her best not to laugh. Deadpanning them all, Iris shook her head, "Someone needs to start dating so we can start teasing real relationships."

Valeria turned back to her hair, a smile wide on her face, "Or you and Theodore can stop acting all cute all the time." She giggled when Iris went to start a rant at her, "Yeah, yeah. Friends can be close. Besides, I feel all of us will start finding our own real love lives soon. Sally-Ann will be too distracted snogging that Dante guy to scream about anyone else."

In an instant, Tracey and Sally-Ann shifted gears, returning to finishing their morning as they filled in Iris together about how he had watched the Goblet of Fire all day with them. Valeria interjects every now and again to keep them from rambling about his eyes….

Iris…

Well, every ounce of playfulness from the morning had washed away. Sitting straighter before she carefully… slowly voiced what they needed to know, "You have to be careful with Dante."

The other three had taken notice of Iris' tone quickly… their own playfulness evaporating as everyone found their attention stolen by Iris' warning… "He can manipulate emotions…" Valeria's jaw was the first to clench, "amplify them especially. He wouldn't go… that far… but he has always… toyed with emotions."

Sally-Ann actually did deflate, pulling a face as she straightened up herself, "Why is every vaguely hot guy always secretly an ass?" She paused… "If I promise to be careful, I can still have some fun, right? Now I know to watch my emotions, but I can't say flirting isn't fun."

Sally-Ann was rare to find in teenage girls… so comfortable in herself. Not the type to attach to boys who weren't worth it. Able to trust in her ability to look after herself… still, Iris would admit to being a bit apprehensive when she nodded, "Just don't expect him to be that rich bachelor you are looking for."

"So the dream will live on."

Smiles returned all around at that.

XxxxxX

Iris couldn't even make it through the Great Hall doors before her first reality check of the day manifested in the form of Dante Marcella. Reminding her that her problems were ultimately unavoidable. Especially when this one was really just an annoyance.

"Change of plans, Your Majesty." Eyebrows all around popped between the girls as Dante pushed Theodore aside to walk by Iris. Theodore actually froze to a stop, eyes burning into the back of Dante's head in almost disbelief.

Dante would notice nothing while following Iris to the Slytherin table, "Edith decided to stick around after all, seemed to realize Ryker would be around from time to time. Her little shadow is staying too; found out his name is Quinton, some nobody she grew up with." His head tilted to the Ravenclaw table, Iris' eyes following despite her not acknowledging the boy yet.

Taking her seat, Dante had casually thrown himself into what was Theodore's spot, sending another look between the roommates and Jane… and getting a sour sorta look from Theodore himself as he took the seat on Iris' other side.

Uncertainty hung in the air between the friends of that group, left to do nothing but listen to Dante as he just kept going, "Edith is so funny. Have to admire her family, honestly. Thinking they can just buy her way into a marriage with Ryker and into a crest. We all really know Ryker will just spend the rest of his life pining over the ghost of you…. Well, soon, just you again."

He had the audacity to pause, casually grab an apple, and bite into it. Knowing damn well that Iris was tense. Her jaw clenched as she attempted to hold her outburst back. He had to know… I mean, his whole thing was manipulating emotions…. Had to feel them, too. And he just didn't even care. This was a game for him…

Iris looked around the hall. Looking for an out. But then she met Cedric Diggory's eyes, which was a hard no… not then… problem for later. Then she found the biggest problem that wasn't supposed to be there. And locking eyes on him talking to McGonagall at the teacher's table… she felt that heaviness wash over her head again, "Why hasn't he left yet?"

No one liked the smirk that played on Dante's lips… that no good smirk that Sally had liked was just a bit… disgusting. Disgust on behalf of their friend who was being pushed in ways none of them even knew she could be pushed, "He leaves this afternoon. But… wow, the hurt he would feel knowing you want him gone so bad. Poor Ry—"

Iris was walking away immediately. Unable to do anything but walk away. Unable to scream, or run, or take out her wand and hurt him. She was forced to just find the quickest out she could. Needing something to get her away and distracted… needing to start dealing with her smaller problems. Because Dante fucking Marcella was too much to handle first.

And that led her straight to Hermione Granger. Spotting her bushy head of hair, making her own exit from breakfast, some toast in hand. Fingernails digging into her palms, Iris joined at Hermione's side, making the girl jump as she tried to keep her voice steady, "Going to get Harry, right?"

Hermione wasn't entirely certain what to do but just nod, "Yes, he, um, slept in today. And probably won't want to be at breakfast."

Iris let out one of the fakest laughs, "Harry and I are on the same page today, then."

XxxxxX

Iris wasn't the biggest fan of the Gryffindor common room. It was just so… red, so in your face and loud. So she was very glad that Harry was already leaving just as they were entering. Taking Hermione up on a walk as he just kept going. Leading them downstairs, across the entrance hall, into the lawn leading to the lake.

Harry provided a much-appreciated distraction. Keeping them moving as he chewed away at his pile of toast, explaining to Hermione and Iris the events that followed his name being pulled. Clearing his name to both girls, making them understand that he didn't put his name in.

Iris believed him for reasons beyond just his word… Hermione, though… just trusted him wholly.

The conversation shifted to Ronald Weasley; how was he… jealous? Iris didn't get it. She really did not at all understand this want for attention or fame by joining a deadly tournament. First Cedric went and entered his name and now Ronald Weasley wouldn't believe his friend out of jealousy.

Listening to Harry's bitterness and anger and just annoyance, she really… could understand. She and Harry tended to connect a bit too well over the worse parts of their lives…

Just listening, Iris was a bit grateful to be more of a bystander to someone else's unfortunate situation for at least a moment. Just following along with an empty head as they walked all around the grounds… somehow ending up in the Owlry as Harry sent off a letter to Sirius.

Hermione tentatively hovered over Harry while he wrote. Everything about her was on edge… taking the whole deadly tournament thing as seriously as it should have been by everyone.

It was nice… for Iris to know that Harry did have his own support system in this. Someone who would mother over him. Someone smart who would help him out and keep him and his mess on track. It allowed her to be a bystander to him… maybe at most just a friendly face…. She really needed that ease with someone.

Iris stood at her own window, looking down to the grounds of Hogwarts. Humming to herself as she scratched at Sam's head, the owl a bit peeved to not see a snack for him. Harry was behind her, getting into some sort of fight with his own owl when he told her he had to use one of the school owls… funny how much personality animals could have.

She was only just barely aware of Harry and Hermione joining at her windowsill. Both were tired despite how early in the day it still was… all three of them were just tired. Knowing full well they had an exhausting year ahead of them as they looked down on their school.

"How dangerous is it really?"

Hermione's head shot over to Harry, immediately jumping into her facts, trying to soften the blow, "Well, people really only died every few tournaments. It wasn't until the judges got injured in an accident that they ended it. But really, it wasn't as if people were dying every—"

"I had ancestors that competed one year, two brothers and a sister, each in a different school."

Harry was instantly more drawn to Iris, a story from a voice he knew would never hold back better than watered-down facts.

And she really was so casual, eyes still on the castle, unaffected by the breeze that had Harry and Hermione retreating more into their coats. So casually as she shared her story, "It is common in history for there to be… tension over who gets the crown. It often separates the family… sometimes gets violent. Think it is partially why I was an only child…."

Her brief pause held for a moment as she spotted a familiar group of her friends walking onto the grounds. One too many heads… Dante… Iris held back her scowl as she refocused, "Anyways, all three of them entered. All three of them were pulled. And all three agreed with their father to let the tournament winner be the next in line. Well… it very quickly became less of glory and more of a fight to the death. One brother slipped behind in points after he quickly realized he stood no chance, choosing his life by staying out of the way. The other two….

She, the sister, in the final task… killed the other brother and won the tournament. She was crowned nearly four years later."

Neither Hermione nor Harry had much to say, nodding as they waited for Iris to further her point. Both aware of her rambling ways. Unbothered by her second pause… her eyes glued to the group of her friends that looked like ants from this far away… the girls splitting from Theodore… leaving him with Dante.

Dragging her eyes away, Iris took a breath in, "The tasks themselves will be monitored heavily… especially with Harry Potter involved now… your worry isn't the tournament… it is the people. People do horrible things for the dumbest of things. For power, for fame, for glory. The family will turn on each other to win… it doesn't matter how statistically deadly the tournament is. You just have to hope that no one wants to win so badly that it brings you face-to-face with a killer."

Maybe that was something he could have lived without thinking of… instead left to worry about what he would be facing in tasks… rather than who he would be facing. Two strangers… all three much older and more practiced…. All three who had chosen to join knew damn well that death was a possibility…. All three were determined to win… while Harry was looking to just survive.

It was uncomfortable to really face just what would be coming his way. Hermione laid a head on his shoulder… Harry getting the comfort and support he needed.

Allowing Iris to focus on herself… and watch the third figure approaching Theodore and Dante back on the ground.

XxxxxX

Down below, all the way to the little ants of figures… Theodore Nott had been left alone with Dante Marcella. Dante had been following their group, rambling about something or another, most definitely in hopes he would be led to Iris.

But scanning the grounds… Theodore was honestly lost on where he would even start to find her. He was about to make that clear to his new leech as the girls all vanished off. He was not as accepting of a new shadow this year… the first had already changed his life enough.

But before he could shoo away his nuisance… an all too familiar American accent called over the grounds. No one else than Ryker Peverell, of course. Theodore wanted to sink into the earth and hibernate away for winter, just as the trees were. Just to wake up months later in spring when he wasn't any longer in the middle of everything.

Theodore and Dante had by no means gotten off on the right foot… but Theodore did wish he could have turned to Ryker with that same cocky, carefree smile. Instead, he would try and show nothing as he turned to face the approaching boy. My nerves going haywire.

Luckily he was more focused on Dante, Ryker's eyes almost annoyed as he faced the boy, "Which one of those girls was the one who dragged you off the other night?"

Theodore was panicked at that. Brain scrambled as he imagined how Dante could answer without just setting off an alarm in the lie detector's head.

But… Theodore would once again wish he could have remained that calm, Dante not even flicking as his grin went lopsided, "Still hunting that one down again. But out of those girls, all of them are pretty eye-catching, right? Kinda leaning towards…." He faded off as he realized he didn't actually know any names, so he turned to Theodore, "Which one is the one with the black hair? The pale one?"

Finding Ryker's silver gaze on him once again, Theodore felt his hairs stand up… but he maintained himself as he gave Dante his answer, "Perks… Sally-Ann Perks."

He was honestly a bit relieved to learn that it had been Sally that Dante was more focused on… she had the best chance of seeing through him.

But Theodore wouldn't get to linger on that for long… finding Ryker had not switched his attention back to Dante… his watchful gaze staring him down. Only a few inches taller but feeling like a giant… Theodore felt that panic build as he knew what was coming….

Questions.

"You were the one dating the Yaxley girl, right?"

Theodore really did not like how that question was thrown. A yes or no… neither ideal… no way to talk his way out. Why did he have to go and stupidly say that stupid dress was Jane Yaxley's…. But what else would he have said? How do you dodge a lie detector?

Theodore wanted to just walk away, but instead, he stood his ground, no signs of his internal struggles, "No, she is just a friend."

Truth.

Looking at Ryker… looking into those silver eyes… Theodore could almost hear him calling out truth or lie. Making no real indications. In fact, acting as if this were a normal conversation and not an interrogation. His eyebrows shot up in further question.

"Sorry for assuming." Then his eyes, of course, had to briefly drop to that aggravating ring on Theodore's finger, "Who are you supposed to give that to?"

Aggravating. That ring was just aggravating, more so right then. Giving this boy in front of him more to work with.

"Jane Yaxley."

Truth.

Theodore would have expected a smile, a joke or something… but Ryker just nodded, almost in something resembling understanding. Oddly his eyes never changed in any way… so blank, as if too busy scanning Theodore for signs of a lie… reminded him of how Iris' gaze glazed over when she went digging into heads. Those eyes really did just give things away.

"So, will you be attending the ball with Jane?"

Theodore really never wanted to cringe more… he was being further and further lured into a trap. Ryker digging away as he circled for more and more little hints and details.

"No."

Truth.

Sadly. Sadly that was the truth. Everything in him wanted to lie right then. But a lie is what put him in this situation in the first place. A situation where the next question was all too obvious…

"Anyone who you want to attend the ball with?"

Why couldn't he be worse in his wording? Why did Ryker Peverell know so well just what to ask? Forcing Theodore to briefly lose himself in a mild panic. Head everywhere as it considered the options. A few months ago, he could have easily said a truth… no one. But no, now the truth was the one person he could not tell the truth about. Now his stupid heart went crazy anytime he even thought of Iris fucking Blackwell.

He saw Dante perk up in the corner of his eye, looking quite a bit intrigued at something. Theodore just had to ignore it. Ignore it and do the inevitable.

"No one."

Lie.

Ryker's eyes did not change. Not at all… and yet Theodore just knew that he had caught the lie.

But finally… Ryker would let him go. Moving his gaze sharply back behind him. Dante and Theodore both looked as well, catching the man waving Ryker to come along… finally, time for the boy to step off the school grounds.

Ryker looked to Dante… giving some speech that Theodore caught none of… still processing just what he had done again. Caught in a lie. Something made very clear as Ryker sparred him one more glance before stalking off… he and Dante watched the boy silently his whole walk to the castle.

A horrible headache built in Theodore's head.

"You know about him, don't you? Lied and went and got his attention?"

Theodore wanted to jump out of his own skin as he blinked out of his frozen state… meeting the black voids that were Dante's eyes. Processing the question as he simply nodded… calming his heart.

That horrible smirk of his was back, a little laugh leaving the boy as he shook his head, "Well, word of advice. Best to just not answer if you are going to lie to him anyways. Indulging in his questions is how he gets you. It's this sick game of his to trap you in a corner and get his answers. So if you can't dodge, don't play the game."

He scanned over Theodore one more time… before just tucking his hands in his pockets and sauntering off, "See you whenever Iris decides to come back."

Theodore really didn't like that… the way he had caught that flash of intrigue in Dante's eyes… something about himself having gained yet another's interest. Not a fan of how that was the first real look Dante had sparred him. No longer just the boy who was pushed out of the way… but someone worth being intrigued by….

Theodore was really not a fan of these stupid fucking Shifters and how he just seemed a magnet for them… and as his mind slipped to who was the root of this problem…

He really didn't like that he was keeping Ryker Peverell's fascination with him a secret from her.