𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒯𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓎-𝒯𝒽𝓇𝑒𝑒

----------------------------------------

Tapping her foot to the beat of the soft music, Iris stared into her wardrobe, every now and again muttering along to the song quietly, "Hungry eyes…."

Making a quick grab for an oversized shirt and black jeans as the song began fading out, Iris moved towards the radio, bending down to turn up the volume as the new song started. Smiling a bit as the new song started up, Iris made her way towards the newly free bathroom, "I love this one."

Sally paused in applying her mascara as she listened for a moment, reaching for the song's name, and when it came, she smiled. Going back to applying her mascara, "I live for that guitar riff."

Iris turned in the bathroom doorway, leaning against it dramatically, "And the scene in the movie," she fanned her face, letting out a sigh, before laughing to herself and finally closing herself in the bathroom.

Jane looked up from her braiding of Tracey's hair, "What is this song even called?"

Not even looking up as she moved to the guitar riff, Sally answered, "Love is Strange. This entire tape is just the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. I think Iris misses movies."

Said girl wasted no time in shouting out from behind the door, "Damn right I do!" She opened the door a second later, hurrying out as she threw her pajamas into her dirty laundry pile, "My only plan for summer is to sit on my ass and watch everything I own."

Tracey hummed as Jane placed the finishing touch on her hair, tying it with a yellow bow, "I wish my parents would let me watch that movie," rolling her eyes, she grumbled, "They think it is too inappropriate."

Iris stood before the mirror, attempting furiously to give her shirt the perfect tucked, untucked balance, "We can meet up over the summer, have a movie night. Valeria also needs to watch Karate Kid."

Sally nodded absently as she slipped on her combat boots, "My parents would be okay with everyone being over." She then turned her attention to Tracey, approaching the girl with narrowed eyes, "Now, more importantly, Tracey here still needs to make her decision."

Tracey cringed back as every pair of eyes in the room fell to her, "I think I am going to go with the dress."

A round of groans echoed through the room, followed quickly by hurried protests.

Gentle rationale from Jane. "But we paired the top with one of your red skirts and white vans to make it less formal."

Straightforwardness from Sally-Ann. "Tracey, the dress and tights are just so… boring."

And bitterness from Valeria, "You are the only one here tall enough to wear one of Iris's tops, and you turn it down?"

The only one to remain silent was Iris, still pulling just right at her shirt, the tucked, untucked balance slowly coming together. After a few more moments of loud protests from the rest of the room, she spoke up, "Okay, that's enough," the girls settled, "If Tracey is more comfortable in the dress, let it happen."

Valeria and Sally backed off, grumbling, returning to their own business. Jane shot Tracey a sorry smile, moving on to start at her own hair.

Finally satisfied with her shirt, Iris moved over to her bed, plopping down as her ever more blue eyes followed Tracey. Watched as she released a sigh, for to her knowledge, all attention was off of her. Watched as she moved over to her wardrobe, her eyes flickering over to the top Iris gave her. Watching as she made a grab for her dress and immediately turned to leave for the bathroom.

Tracey was only a step into her beeline for the bathroom when she was cut off. A question stopping her and every other girl in that room in their tracks.

"Why Theodore?"

She's Like the Wind began its slow build-up into the room, filling the sudden silence. Two words to form such an open-ended and innocent question, and yet it stopped that room. Every eye switched over to Iris. Shocked by the question. And as it settled into the minds of these it was not directed towards, soon everyone began looking to Tracey. As if suddenly curious of the answer as well.

Tracey's eyebrows scrunched together, confused by the question. Iris quickly reiterated, "I hear your thoughts, how much you rave about him. How you focus on everything he does. I understand that you like him… but never do you ever really give a reason as to why. So," Iris tilted her head, "why?"

Tracey took a deep breath, frozen in thought as she perhaps considered the question for the first time. Mulling over feelings, grasping for the right words, a smile slowly made its way upon her face.

Sitting against the door of the nearest bed, she admitted, "I honestly can't say why," but she smiled nonetheless. "I can't say when it started. Or why. It was just a slow progression if I think back. In his own ways, he just is… perfect," Tracey laughed at the word.

"Smart and polite, and he minds his own business, likes to stay in and read in front of a fire. Cozy sweaters. And way back at the beginning of the year, he added an extension charm to my bag because he noticed I would just carry all my books for the day in my arms. And over time, I just began to find him physically attractive…. He is getting taller, and his voice is going deeper, and even though Sally says he looks like a vampire with the bags under his eyes… I just adore them…."

It was muddled thoughts. Hardly anything to really answer the question, but Iris nodded. Encouraging the girl to continue.

Tracey picked at a thread on the dress still in her hands, "He's just Theodore Nott. I don't know why… I just do. I just fell for him, and I just think about him because he is Theodore Nott."

Muddled thoughts. No reason as to why... just because. Somehow the most relatable feeling there is when experiencing a deep taking to someone. You can't always pinpoint those feelings, not right away, at least. So until those feelings are found, and those words are formed, it is just because they are them.

As Tracey trailed off, cheeks flushed, the room once more filled with that hum of another song.

Until Iris groaned, rolling off the bed to march towards Tracey's wardrobe, grabbing the shirt and red skirt. Throwing them at the girl, Iris looked down at her, "Yeah, okay, you are way too deep to go into this first date wearing anything other than the best. You are scoring a first kiss today."

Sally whooped as Tracey's eyes went wide, finding herself being pushed into the bathroom by Iris. "You have ten minutes!"

And the bathroom door was slammed shut. The four girls outside all bursting into laughter.

~~~~~~

Iris once more found herself alone, having skipped out on spying on Tracey and Theodore's date with the others.

She walked them to the courtyard, but her journey ended there. So there she sat. Her notebook and pencil were untouched as she instead just stretched out. Soaking in the sun.

Spring was on its way in, and while March was always a tricky month, it never made up its mind on exactly its weather; that day was one of the good ones. Clear skies. Warm. Still. It was perfect for just a day to let the heat roll over you. Taking it in before it went away. As you never quite know with March, for all you know, it could snow the next day.

Iris was never oblivious to her surroundings. It was a talent that went beyond reading minds. The girl could hear a whisper from the other side of a bustling room. She could smell a freshly baked cake from the other side of the wall. Iris Blackwell had many strange talents, all of which made it impossible to ever sneak up on her.

And Hermione Granger knew why, so the second she stepped onto the stone pavement, it wasn't so shocking that Iris Blackwell shifted her attention towards her.

Making her way towards the seated girl tentatively, Hermione took a breath before speaking up, "I have some questions," she paused under Iris's blank stare, "about what you showed me the other night. If you are okay with me asking…."

Turning her head back towards the sun, Iris closed her eyes. Putting her answer on hold as she took in the sun for just one more moment.

…

Sighing, Iris stood, grabbing her notebook and pocketing her pencil as she began walking off towards the grounds. Motioning for Hermione to follow when she stayed still a bit too long.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Neither girl spoke as they walked. Iris still rather enjoying the way the sun felt on her skin. And Hermione, well, she was uncertain where exactly she stood with the girl a step in front of her. The sudden okayness between them was new and, in her view, fragile. Hermione was unsure where the new line was drawn. How many questions she could ask. What was going too far? It was best to remain quiet unless spoken to.

Iris led them towards the Great Lake, hiding them within a thin line of trees. Discarding her shoes and notebook before rolling her jeans to her knees, Iris began walking the shore.

Hermione stood stiffly at the tree line, uncertain what to do as she watched Iris gather a few rocks. But she didn't remain uncertain for long as Iris looked up from one of her rocks, raising an eyebrow, "Well, out with them."

Blinking as she realized she meant out with the questions, Hermione shifted her weight to her heels and then back to normal. Rocking a bit as the first question flew out, "How do you… become a… wolf."

Furrowing her eyebrows, Iris gave Hermione a curious look, "How much did you read?"

Rocking on her feet once more, Hermione glanced away, "I found the book lacking. I thought it would be best to just come to you."

Iris nodded, moving to the water. Stepping into where the cold water teased at her ankles and setting down her small pile of rocks, "A better and more detailed book would be in the restricted section, Re… Lupin will give you permission if the library has one."

Picking up a rock, Iris looked it over, thinking over her words. Finding them, she readied herself, "For starters, call it Shifting," Hermione moved closer as Iris sent the rock sailing into the water.

Skip- skip-skip.

Iris grabbed another rock, "We can shift whenever, unlike real werewolves. However, control is tricky, especially on full moons. Certain bloodlines… The Five Original Bloodlines have full control. Could pass by a full moon with no more than a slight temper change and a bit of restlessness." Iris let another rock soar.

Skip- skip-skip-skip.

"There used to be seven," shaking her head, Iris glanced to Hermione, "but that is a history lesson for another time."

Hermione nodded, getting the hint to not ask further on that subject, "How did your… kind come about."

Iris shrugged as she tossed her new rock up into the air, "Depends who you ask," catching the rock, she shrugged slightly, "Some say some Moon Goddess blessed us, others say cursed." Yet again, letting a rock go, she paused.

Skip- skip-skip.

"The more accepted, at least these days, is that we are the result of early tampering in nature by wizards. They wanted to make people more animal-like to make us faster, stronger… instead they created seven Shifters, and now we are here. Enough of us to form our own societies. The early version of animagus gone wrong."

Watching as Iris sent another rock out, Hermione bit back her question, waiting as the rock made its jumps.

Skip- skip— skip-skip-skip.

"Which do you believe?"

The girl hummed, her answer surprisingly quick, "I try not to lean either way. I'm a Blackwell. Best to remain open to either."

Hermione rephrased, "Okay, so cursed or blessed?"

Iris let out a bark of laughter as she grabbed for her next rock, "I'm a Blackwell, can only really believe one way." A certain bitterness grew in her eyes as she prepared to launch the next rock.

"Blackwell's are the royal line, correct?"

Splash!

Cringing back immediately as the rock hit the water, Hermione found herself wishing she could take back the question. Her eyes wide and locked on the girl's back. Waiting for what was to come when she turned around. Eyes locked and waiting as she focused on Iris's tense form.

But, nothing.

Iris simply took a breath, relaxed her shoulders, and turned. Her eyes seemed darker, and her face was blank, but she simply walked out of the water, collecting her few items. Giving Hermione a few last words before making her leave,

"Ask Remus for a note to check out the restricted section."

As she watched Iris walk-off, Hermione relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief. Taking a moment to not only allow some distance between them but also to just collect herself.

But it seems Hermione found a vague idea of where the new line had been drawn.

~~~~~~

Hogsmeade days left the castle quiet. They left the common rooms quiet.

As Iris lounged on one of the black sofas beside the fireplace, she enjoyed the emptiness, the quietness of the common room on Hogsmeade days. Of course, they weren't completely empty. After all first and second years were unable to leave the castle. But also older years seemed to lose the excitement of the little village after enough trips. But even with the few stragglers, hardly any of them stayed around the common room, especially when the weather was nice.

So besides for the first years getting ahead on studying for exams and the two sixth years chattering away in the corner, it was mostly empty.

And so Iris laid undisturbed. Enjoying her moment of complete and utter peace as she focused on the crackling of the fireplace, ignoring the gossip from the upper-classmen.

But that peace could never last forever.

This one was broken by none other than the return of the Hogsmeade crowd. Filled the room that was so calm just a second before with continuous movement. And so, rolling her eyes, Iris sat up, watching the entrance patiently for her roommates. Ready to hound Tracey and the others for details of the day.

And so the second Iris saw the flash of the red skirt Tracey Davis had left the dorm wearing this morning, she smiled. Jumping up as she bounded over to intercept the girl's path.

But she stopped as soon as she started.

Tears ran down Tracey's face as she pushed through the crowd, head down as she rushed towards the dorms. And just on her heel was Sally, looking lost as she helped her friend push through. Jane and Valeria ran up just seconds behind. And one by one, each of them disappeared off to the dorms; Iris left to just stare in their direction.

She took a step towards the dorms when something else caught her attention.

Theodore Nott, looking right at her just for a second before he turned right back around and left the common room altogether.

Taking a moment to process what just happened, her eyes flitted back towards the dorm before she let out a sigh and retreated to her sofa. Laying back down and refocusing on that crackling fire.

~~~~~~

It was midnight, the common room dead at that hour. Not even the fire lit; Iris never finding herself motivated enough to move from her place on the sofa to start it. And her wand forgotten in the dorm, where she still refused to trespass into. Her journey to simply change into more comfortable clothing was awkward enough.

Tracey's cheeks tear-stained as she rested her head on Jane's shoulder, mumbling about the events that led to whatever she was currently facing. The others so focused they hardly even spared Iris a glance.

The thoughts in that room were heavy. Heartbreak was heavy. And Iris would never pride herself on her ability to deal with the emotions that come from it. So until the light chatter that she could hear from them died… she would remain camped out on that sofa.

Reading some discarded book with just the light of a candle to keep herself entertained.

She would find herself surprised by how sucked into the book she would become. So far in, she almost missed it. But Iris was never oblivious to her surroundings…

She heard him coming the moment he began his walk from his own room. His slow steps as he entered the common room. His pause as he noticed the lone figure reading on the sofa. His heavy steps as they approached. The squish of the couch as he sat on the opposite end. The crack as he used his wand to start up the fire.`1

Iris wasn't reading anymore. All attention drawn away as she tensed. Her eyes moved to watch the flames of the fire.

…

"I am sorry."

Iris blinked, not allowing for any more of a reaction to the first words she had received from the boy in over two months.

The first words… ones she never really even expected to leave Theodore Nott's mouth. In most cases, it wasn't near enough… Iris's eyes glazed over as she found her mind wandering deliberately out of her own for the first time in a while.

But of course, she could never go undetected by the boy. So in seconds, he scowled, eyes locked onto the fire, "Stay out of my head, I mean it. I wouldn't normally be saying it, but somehow you are…." He paused, clenching his jaw as Iris returned back to herself, beginning to tap her nails against the book.

…

"She kissed me."

Iris briefly paused in tapping her nails but again didn't allow herself anymore of a reaction.

Theodore's face fell back into that emotionless state he wore earlier, "You are the only person I could even think to tell. And I needed to tell someone."

The minutes dragged on. The two focused intently on the fire before them.

And then it happened.

"How pathetic."

Theodore fought back the twitch in his lips, not allowing himself to react too much to the first words he had received from the girl in over two months.

The first words… ones he completely expected to leave Iris Blackwell's mouth. In most cases, it was cold-hearted and horrible… Theodore's eyes trailed over to her for what felt like the hundredth time since they stopped talking.

Iris relaxed, placing her head into her hand, a smirk playing on her lips, "How was the date?"

Moving his eyes back to the fire, he shrugged, "Awkward, neither of us are conversationalists, made it hard to get going. Eventually, we found some talking points. They would die quickly."

Iris smiled, "Surprise, Surprise. Put two quiet people on a lunch date, and they don't talk. An activity would have done you wonders." Sparing the boy a glance, just for a second, Iris hummed, "Why did you even say yes? You knew there was no attraction on your side."

"She needed help moving on, and I figured knowing what a date was like would be enough to convince her to finally move on."

"But it didn't…." Iris looked back to Theodore, this time turning towards him, eyes locking on him in curiosity, "so she kissed you. As a last-ditch effort for a spark."

Theodore remained silent, refusing to move his gaze, so Iris tilted her head, "You know, firsts aren't supposed to be great… great comes later. You have your whole life to find a great."

Theodore's eyes shot to the girl, a sneer on his face, "That is the great advice? I give up my dignity and come crawling to you for someone to talk to, and that is it?"

Both of their gazes carried back to the fire, one with a smile, the other a scowl.

And they lapsed into another period of silence, returning to their more neutral states. Thinking. Much on each of their minds.

"You made me forget what it is like to be alone," Theodore glanced back over Iris for a quick second as he continued, "I don't enjoy it as much as I thought I did."

The cracking of the fire had seemed to draw Iris in… hardly even seeming to have heard the boy pour his heart.

"Wish you would have stooped to my level back in the library that day… you could have said so much worse. You should have said worse."

"Not really a fan of using dead parents as a weapon…"

Theodore sighed, "Then you should have finished me off with Incendio."

Iris just answered with a hum, "I was pretty set on Diffindo. Death by a thousands cuts seemed most befitting of the moment."

The two just sat there, everything that needed to be said for them, said. Maybe not enough by most standards… but enough for them.

…

Enough for Iris.

Iris stood, throwing the book on the end table, startling Theodore. Shooting him a smile, she nodded to herself, "Well, I refuse to sit in my old seat. It has been contaminated by Malfoy and his lackeys… so I guess you could just move over to the end of the table with me."

Approaching the entryway to the girl's dorms, Iris called out her final words of the night, "See you at breakfast Nott."

Theodore would never admit it, but he did maybe have the ghost of a smile settle onto his lips.