𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒮𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃

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The room went quiet at the first turn of the doorknob.

Iris entered the room to three sets of eyes locked on her figure. Quickly looking all three over, she shut the door and gave a small smile and nod. Carrying on, she grabbed her items from the middle of the room and carried them over to the spare bed.

The three strangers glanced at each other, talking through their eyes.

...

Iris broke the silence first, "Names are typically where introductions begin." She glanced at the girls as she waved her hand.

As the suitcase opened and her items began unpacking, Iris grabbed her backpack and began rustling through it, eyes narrowed as she searched.

The girls all showed their surprise in different ways, startled by the action of the new roommate.

Eyes wide, the smallest of the group was first to respond, "Valeria..." she paused as a few items flew past her head and into the bathroom, "Collins." Iris sent a smile her way, but the action went unnoticed as Valeria was focused on the books stacking themselves neatly beside the nightstand.

Next up was a raven-haired girl with worryingly pale skin. She forced her eyes to stay on Iris as she answered, "Sally-Ann Perks." Her cold stare didn't last very long when Iris turned her steady eyes to meet Sally's.

The last was the most hesitant, Iris, even turning back to her search for a moment as the girl nervously glanced about. Eventually, Sally was the one to finish up the introduction, "Tracey Davis, she's a bit shy and, whether you mean to or not, you are... intimidating."

Iris allowed a small smile as she glanced toward the quiet brunette, "That never fully changes, but give it a few weeks. You'll adapt." Iris discarded her bag, once more waving her hand. "If it means anything, if you learn how to deal with me, you may someday be able to stare down McGonagall." Sally-Ann grinned, trouble no doubt on her mind.

A glint appeared in her eyes; Valeria opened her mouth to speak, "How di—" Iris, with no warning, jolted to grasp an object midair. Tracey jumped a bit while the other two just blinked.

Tossing the chapstick aside to the nightstand, she relaxed again, "Had a ring end up in a shoe once. Sometimes magic can be a real screwup."

Watching as Iris sat on the edge of her bed and grabbed her wand from her sock, Valeria tried again, "How did you do that? The spell, I mean."

Tilting her head, Iris shifted her attention to the short girl, "Once you grow comfortable with magic, it just does what you want. I don't give it much thought anymore. The simple spells are just a quick thought and wave of the hand. Wandless magic can be a bit more difficult if you have only ever used a wand.

"But nonverbal spells are easy enough to ease into. Simple things like summoning a book or unpacking a suitcase help with gaining that trust and whatnot with your wand." Iris glanced at Valeria's unpacked bags, "Know in your head what you need to happen, and then just wave your wand."

Valeria was quick to turn to her bag, an eagerness that was entering to see washing over her. Raising her wand and closing her eyes, she concentrated for a moment. The other girls watched in silence. Iris's eyes danced with amusement, the blue flaring through the green just a bit.

Taking a breath, Valeria waved her wand. Sally-Ann and Tracey both held their breaths as the luggage slowly opened.

Thump!

A squeak came from one of the girls as the lone shoe slammed against the wall.

The three unsuspecting roommates turned to Iris, the shock still prominent in their eyes.

Iris's teeth appeared as she smiled, a glint in her eyes as an amused breath passed her lips. Standing and moving toward the trunk located at the foot of her bed, Iris explained to the awaiting girls, "It's a good place to start, but by no means simple for someone just learning." She paused as she dug around in the trunk, eventually pulling out a t-shirt, "Do the spell with your school bag every day, packing and unpacking."

Iris stood up and closed the trunk; she took a step towards the attached bathroom before another thought came to mind, "However, leave some time to check the bag in the morning. Don't want to end up with someone's Monster book on accident."

Continuing her walk, she quipped, "I'd be more than happy to rid of mine, but I do intend to pass the class."

With that, the three girls watched the newcomer vanish into the bathroom.

A soft voice called out for the first time, "She seems nice."

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Valeria's dark hand reached for her shoe as she shrugged, "Yeah, better than I expected. Still radiates that pureblood presence though."

Sally frowned a bit as she turned to her own trunk, "I don't know. My dad says that Americans have a confident air about them. Pureblood, sure, but not like Malfoy's posse."

"Then why was Nott so willing to talk to her," Valeria's lips quirked as she turned to their quietest friend, "Tracey made quite the deal out of how Nott kept speaking to her during dinner."

Said girl's face glowed a color that rivaled Ronald Weasley's hair. Puffing her cheeks, Tracey sputtered, "It was just a few times," her head then shot toward her smirking friend, "And I didn't make a thing about it." Her voice raised an octave as she attempted to defend herself.

Sally gave a sharp laugh, "Oh Tracey, I love you, but come on, you were antsy all of dinner."

As Valeria adjusted her books, she called out, "And that one comment," She turned toward Sally, mischief in her hazel eyes, "What was it again?"

The red extended to Tracey's ears as Sally paused in her unpacking to think. A smirk appeared on her face, Sally repeated her memory from dinner, "It was something along the lines of Father Nott having finally found your precious Theodore a wife."

Valeria snorted, "Are you sure it wasn't something snider? I swear it was more of a 'looks like the incest became too much for the Nott family. Finally extending out of the continent.'"

Tracey shot Sally a look, annoyance in her blue eyes, "I didn't say he was my precious anything," her glare transferred over to Valeria, "And you just made that up."

The two teens laughed a bit as they returned to their own things, Sally choosing to leave off with the last words, "Sure, love."

Pouting a bit, Tracey turned to her own items, unzipping her bag just as the shower could be heard turning off.

~~~~~~

Three of the four occupants were sound asleep. The room was silent as it could manage with the snores blaring out into the space.

Tracey seemed to compensate for her silence in the day by creating all the noise possible at night.

However, the horrendous noise was not what kept the last of the roommates from sleep. Iris had long ago sent a glare the brunette's way and reached for her wand from under her pillow. She waved it and muttered 'Nihil audio' under her breath. Whatever it did, it stopped the glaring.

The teen had been still as a board since and kept her eyes glued to the ceiling above. Her fingers picked at a thread of the green covers, which glowed strangely due to the faint green light from the windows. The common room and bedrooms seemed to be under the lake. It created an ominous atmosphere that only was heightened by the dark shadows that would swim by from time to time, darkening the room.

One of these moments of shadows seemed to draw the teen out of her daze.

Iris was up and walking within seconds. Grabbing her wand, she quietly left the room. Once more waving the object, she muttered, "Audi iterum." Spinning it once, she placed it in the waistband of her shorts.

The castle was silent, still—the moonlight and the girl seemingly the only occupants.

Iris walked with such confidence that one could assume she had lived in that castle her whole life. Even when she paused or turned around, her sense of direction wasn't to be questioned. You did have to ask yourself twice when you thought she was lost. But someone who knows truly where they are going doesn't make nearly that many false turns.

She stopped moving only once.

It was just another hallway with the same walls, floors, and doors. However, she still stopped, and her head tilted. Waiting a moment, she allowed her eyes to land on a door just ahead on the hall's right side.

Her feet seemed to drag, but at the same time could only seem to continue forward. A look overcast her eyes, an inner battle taking place. Approaching that door was a fight, but with time she stood inches away and raised her arm to knock.

Clenched hand only a hairs width from the door, Iris paused. She closed her eyes and clenched her jaw.

...

Her pause was short, and when her eyes reopened, they were firm.

Three knocks happened one after the other, and after a short moment, a man's voice called out, "It's unlocked."

Allowing no time to turn back, Iris moved her hand to the doorknob and walked into the room. Eyes holding onto the far wall of what appeared to be a classroom.

The scarred man from the ceremony had been sorting some papers at his desk when she made her entrance. He glanced up and paused, his tired eyes shifting in the faint light.

They both allowed silence to fill the space. Professor Lupin patiently watched Iris as she blankly looked behind him, collecting herself.

Her shift of attention happened quickly, but the sudden attention from the unusual dark eyes caused for no reaction. Remus Lupin already proved to be much more composed under this girl's gaze than anyone else had been. But the composure would waiver at her words, "I'm sorry."

Remus Lupin blinked, and worry flooded over his face, "You have nothing to apologize for."

Iris clenched her fists, her eyes narrowing… maybe more at herself, "I just left Remus..." once more, her eyes reverted for a moment. "I do have to apologize."

The man took a step forward before stopping himself and instead leaning against his desk. Shoulders drooping, he could only watch the teen who seemed all so lost.

He went to speak but then stopped, closed his mouth, and reconsidered his words.

"Do you still read?" he asked. "It was your favorite pass time right after being a headache." A small smile appeared on his tired face as seemingly old memories resurfaced.

The change in subject relaxed her. Iris nodded and then, taking a breath, extended her answer, "Read 'Lord of the Flies' a while back. I recommend it if you haven't."

Silence overtook the room again.

...

"How about we have some tea on the Sixth? Or I'll have tea, and you can just be there. Give both of us a few days before we catch up." Remus never shifted his gaze from the girl and was very aware of the uncertainty that crossed over her face.

"There is a full moon on the Seventh." Iris shifted her weight and, finally seeming to gain some ounce of her confidence back, made eye contact once more.

With a sigh, the man responded, "You know that will be fine. And the Sixth will just be a day, no special occasion."

Rolling her eyes, she spoke in a bit of a sharp tone, "Yes, because it's just a coincidence you picked the sixth."

Something quickly flashed in his eyes as he bit away a smile." It will just be a day for you. I will make no mention of anything." Remus Lupin was extraordinarily calm.

Staring down the man for a moment, she hesitated, "I'll think about it." Giving a shrug, she began to back up, saying, "I should head to bed now."

"Anytime after five in the morning or after lessons is fine," he called out as the teen walked out of the room.

Professor Lupin stared at the door before slowly standing and, with what appeared to be the weight of the world on his shoulders, carefully walked up the set of stairs that would lead to his office.