𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒮𝒾𝓍

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"Who are you writing to?"

It was a quiet morning. Just quiet. It is a strange atmosphere to describe, to pinpoint. But it was the sort of quiet that felt like a reset. Nothing but the hum of the air to disturb the peace. One of those mornings where you just seemed to take extra notice of the way the light comes through the windows. One of those mornings where you just seem more aware of the space around you.

No stress on your mind stopping you from noticing those small things. Your mind just so at ease after much time spent racing that it has space to see the world almost like it's the first time again.

Remus sat at the table, papers and envelopes laid out before him. The owl he and Iris had bought a week was in his cage in the corner of the room, watching Remus write and prepare the letters he would soon deliver. Iris had insisted he finally have an owl of his own, now that he had a more permanent residence and that she would be expecting weekly letters once off at school.

Also, Iris just liked the idea of a pet… Sam was a very spoiled owl.

Remus glanced up at Iris, watching her throw some bread into the toaster, "Alastor Moody had asked for detailed notes on where all the years had left off last year. He is doing Dumbledore a favor and filling in as your defense professor for the year… should be intere--"

"Who's Alastor?" She tapped her nails against the jar of jelly she grabbed from the fridge, absently staring at the toaster in hopes it would be done quicker.

"Mad-Eye Moody." Remus smiled as the answer perked her up. Iris suddenly paying much more attention to him.

Her eyebrows knit together as she turned her head to Remus, "Isn't he… well, a bit off the rocker? Should he be around children?"

Shrugging, Remus just finished off his letter and began folding it to put away in the envelope, "As I said, you are in for an interesting year."

Distracted again by her toast, Iris just grumbled under her breath as she prepared her breakfast. Then making her way to the empty seat at the table, she watched Remus begin another letter, "And that one is for?"

"Sirius. He asked how you are doing."

And there it was. The awkward air that seemed to settle over the room anytime Sirius Black was brought into conversation. It wasn't really for anything specific… Iris found it easy to accept his innocence. But to her, Sirius Black was one big… unknown. A man who existed in a handful of baby pictures.

James and Lily Potter were at least a constant in her life in the memories of her father and Remus… but Sirius was the man they both banished from mind after he had been wrongly accused.

It was a strange thing, having someone who, at least at surface level, cared about you enough to question how you are doing… while you can't even say when you have ever given them so much of a second thought.

Sirius Black was as good as a stranger to Iris, one she felt no connection to and could easily just think of as one of her father's many old friends. Maybe if he was her only link to her father, the only person she could ask about his younger years… ask about what kind of man he was. Maybe then she would care… but for that, she had Remus.

But one thing sat on her mind whenever Sirius Black was brought up… "How well did you know Regulus Black?"

It was an innocent question, hardly should have caused Remus to freeze to the extent he did. Iris noticed the way he seemed at a loss for words and was quick to clarify, "Just my father named me after him… all I know is that they were friends, and he became a Death Eater. Just has always felt like a huge piece of my father that I have never quite understood. He cared enough about a Death Eater at some point to honor him in me…."

She trailed off… almost seeming to regret asking at all as she frowned, eyes shifting to look out the window.

Remus took in a breath, straightening up in his seat as he dropped his quill. Eyes darting around the room as if looking for a good way to approach the topic.

But as he would come to realize… he was on his own. And so he looked back at the girl before him, "Leo never mentioned anything?"

There was a pause… soon followed by a shake of the head, "I asked once, and he seemed so sad that I just never pushed the subject."

Remus nodded, "Yes, well… I was never close enough to Regulus, nor did I know enough about their friendship to have any right trying to explain it."

Another pause… this conversation so quickly making a turn to weigh down on the room. Remus tried to move past it, starting his letter to Sirius.

"Do you think Sirius would talk about him?"

"No." The answer was so quick it startled even Remus, and he shook his head before explaining further, "Sirius had a tense relationship with his entire family. Talking about Regulus, in particular, was never something he enjoyed doing."

And there was yet another round of quiet to really just hammer home just how… somber this conversation had turned the mood. Remus had finally given the letter his full attention and yet couldn't seem to bring himself to write. And Iris just stared out the window… the only interest she had in anything involving Sirius Black… killed.

Almost jolting up, Iris took her last bite of toast before making to leave, "I should go finish packing. Leaving for Sally's at noon."

Remus' eyes went wide as a sort of eureka moment seemed to hit him, "Sirius loved Quidditch. Will be thrilled to hear you are going to The Cup."

Iris once more had nothing to say in return… she didn't even know Sirius Black liked Quidditch.

~~~~~~

The Quidditch World Cup wasn't until the 25th, but the girls wanted to make a big ordeal out of the first time they would be away from adults for a few nights. So they would be arriving at the camping grounds together on the 24th and staying until they left early on the 26th… in order to make their travel to The Cup easier, everyone agreed to stay at Sally-Ann's for the night of the 23rd.

So that is where they were. Another girl's night at Sally-Ann's. This time around, everyone in much better moods. They mainly had been holed up in Sally's room, her family actually home. And with very little to keep them occupied… well, they could only really look for any means to combat their boredom…

"Okay, okay, okay! Mum just pulled up with the pizzas. Everyone remembers their roles, correct?"

Sally-Ann spun towards the door as she jumped from her bed, scanning over the faces of her friends as they all vigorously nodded, "Ladies! We can't be smiling like we are up to something, then they will know we are up to something."

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

A snort came from one of the girls, Sally's gaze turning sharp as she attempted to gain control. And with a few more seconds, everyone was able to fight down their smiles and hold their composure.

Nodding just one more time as the district voice of her mother called out for them to grab their food, Sally-Ann set the plan in motion, "Let's do this."

Together the group of five bounded down Sally-Ann's stairs to the bottom floor, mumbling amongst themselves incoherently. Many words were said, but none of them really amounting to anything.

Stumbling into the kitchen, the girls surrounded the two boxes left on the counter, and Mrs. Perks returned to the family room with the box for her and Mr. Perks.

Sally was grabbing some drinks with Tracey and Jane when Sally-Ann's twin shuffled his way into the room. Valeria nudged Iris discreetly as she started pulling at the roll of napkins.

Sam was, as agreed upon by everyone but Sally, cute. But he was also a teenage boy who had his house overrun by teenage girls and to make matters worse, they were all his sister's horribly giggly friends. So as cute as he was… they really only knew him for his rather sour attitude.

"Let me get a few slices before you all run off."

Sally-Ann scripted up her face as she turned on him, "Just go take some from mum and dad."

"They put mushrooms on theirs."

Rolling her eyes, Sally mocked him under her breath. Then, arms stocked with drinks, she nodded for Jane and Tracey to follow her out of the kitchen. Bumping her twin on the way out, she left one last comment, "Only a few slices. You don't need to be eating a full pizza, I can assure you."

And there was the sour face that seemed to be specially made for his sister… but before he could shout after her, Iris cut in.

"How many did you want?"

Sam froze, face almost instantly correcting itself as he turned to meet that smile that had won his heart the minute he saw it. It was far too early to say he was in love… but he was a teenage boy, and she was very pretty. And at that age… well, the way his heart fluttered may as well have meant love.

"Just two will do." He moved closer to the counter almost nervously, eyes flickering to Valeria, who'd turned to look busy searching for something.

Iris grabbed some of the napkins Valeria had pulled and started placing some pizza onto them. She didn't stop at two slices… instead, she did four… something Sam seemed a bit pleased to notice.

Looking up to him with a toothy smile, she slid the pizza his way across the counter, but before he could snatch them and mutter a thank you… she tilted her head his way, "You are growing out your hair?"

His eyes snapped to meet hers, clearing his throat as he nodded, "Er… yeah. I just haven't gotten around to a haircut…."

Iris hummed, her smile lessening slightly, coming off less exaggerated and more genuine, "You should keep it that way. I've always thought longer hair looks quite good on guys."

If he had been paying attention to anything but that smile, maybe he would have heard Valeria gag but alas… "Oh well… I guess maybe I'll let it grow—"

"IRIS! VALERIA! We are getting hungry up here!"

Iris flinched at the shout, but her smile grew wider nonetheless as Valeria joined back at her side. Watching Sam glare towards the stairs quickly before turning back… Iris' smile became a smirk. Grabbing the pizza boxes as Valeria picked up the napkins, the two girls started to take off towards the stairs.

Iris, of course, turns her head to flash Sam one last look, "Enjoy the pizza… and thank you for letting us take the game console."

Same nodded absently, still reeling from their brief interaction, "Oh yeah…," his eyes widened, "The what!?"

Suddenly everyone was running, Valeria and Iris giggling to themselves as they bolted up the stairs, Sam hot on their trail, his face burning red.

Off the stairs, they slid to the right, running full speed to the door at the end of the hall, Sally ready to slam it the moment the two girls crossed the threshold.

Sam was a bit less graceful on his feet and had managed to lose his balance on the turn down the hall. Making the race to the door much less dramatic than it had felt to the girls cheering on their friends.

But still, seconds after the door slammed shut, Sam was there banging on the door, "Sally, I am going to kill you! Give it back! You get your friends. I get the NES!"

"Oh, shove off, Sam! Go cry to mum and leave us alone!"

Maybe ten seconds later, he had calmed down enough to realize that doing just that was his best bet of getting it back, so off he went with a very loud, "MUM!"

With his steps fading out as he left the door… the room had lapsed into silence.

Then with one shared look between the five of them, the girls all burst into laughter. Their mission was accomplished.

~~~~~~

The Super NES had been abandoned after maybe an hour of use. The act of stealing it much more fun than actually playing was. Everyone was just at the state of simply existing together… something you get good at when you spend most of your time with these same people for months on end. Four of the five were roommates, and being as not every second spent awake could be filled with gossip… those four were especially good at just coexisting in the same space, unaffected by any lapse in conversation.

At that exact moment, Iris had been on Sally's bed, leaning against the headboard as she bopped her head along and mouthed the songs they had put on for background noise. A book in hand but reading very slow going as she was distracted by the odd song. It was nearly inaudible to everyone else, but to Iris, it may as well of been full volume.

Valeria was painting Jane's nails, the two softly talking between themselves. Sitting huddled together in the middle of the room. Surrounded by a variety of colors and shades.

Sally was on the end of the bed, facing Iris with all sorts of papers laid in front of her… stat sheets for the game, apparently trying to piece together who she should be rooting for or whatever it is sports people do. She used Iris' foot to lean her notebook against for easier reading.

Tracey was on the floor, digging through the many items shoved under Sally's bed, digging for treasure in the pile of trash. Mumbling to herself about the odd thing she would find.

Just a shared space while they all just existed in their own versions of peace.

Eventually, Tracey had seemed to find something to consider treasure, scoffing as she stood with a notebook in hand… The Notebook. "Sally, you can't just go losing this under your bed."

Sally waved her off, "I have yet to ever lose it, right?"

Tracey grumbled, jumping up onto the bed into the space next to Iris. Placing the notebook gently in her lap, Tracey just… stared at it. For a considerable amount of time, she seemed to just mull something over.

"I think I am ready to end the Theo Saga."

All eyes were on her in an instant, Valeria nearly getting polish everywhere.

Jane, as always, was the first to get herself straight again and ask, "Are you sure about this?"

It was nice to see how quickly she had nodded, Tracey looking the most sure of her decision than she had ever looked, "I want to close this up before we see him at The Cup… and I want to be done with this whole pining part of my life going into fourth year."

Smiles were shared around the room, and Valeria and Jane moved from the floor, joining up on the bed as everyone surrounded Tracey… one didn't smile. Iris was quite a bit more confused, "Theodore is going to the game? He hates Quidditch?"

Jane nodded, "My parents are dead set on trying to secure me a match with him. So when we went to dinner one night over at his, I asked him if he could come. So it would sway my parents towards letting me go."

Sally shook her head with a growing smile, "Can't believe Tracey was so right about him being an actual good guy under all that scowling."

Valeria snorted at Sally, then toning down, she smiled to Tracey, "What are you going to write?"

Tracey was already lost in the notebook, turning pages as she scanned the words she had once written. The pourings of her younger heart all flooded back to mind. She couldn't fight back the smile, and as she neared the end… the growing bitterness.

"I really did think he was going to be some big love story for me. I think at some point, I really did just have a typical schoolgirl crush and just saw him for what he was. But as the time went by, I definitely had… made him more of a fantasy. Before Iris dragged him into our conversations, I really hadn't known enough about him to be this head over heels.

"I latched onto the few kindnesses he had shown and created this perfect guy in my head. When we were really on that date… just the two of us… it was a reality check that he was not who I had created in my head. He wasn't secretly super emotional and sensitive. He wasn't mischievous and in search of adventure. He wasn't in love with me….

"He just wasn't my dream guy, and I think it threw me off… and then I realized that I spent so much time pining for a guy I didn't even really see. A guy who was never going to be my love story."

It was quiet… nothing but that hum of the newest song. A quiet sort of solitude for Tracey…letting her sit in this moment that she needed. Not alone. She was able to work through the sense of loss she was feeling with some of the best companionship.

And with time… she was able to flip to the newest page and take a pen to the paper. Her handwriting small and neat as she finished this part of her life with a proper goodbye.

Jane leaned a head on her shoulder, waiting for Tracey to nod before she spoke the words with a proud smile for her friend, "His eyes still glisten in the sun, and he will always have a special place in my heart… but I am ready to find my love story."

Sally and Valeria awed, making Tracey pout at them as she defended her very cheesy words… and Iris… well, Iris was once more very confused.

"His eyes are brown. They don't glisten. They don't do anything."

And again, the room dissolved into giggles for the hundredth time that night.