𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒮𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃

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Thump!

Iris landed on her feet with a sharp breath. A shock ran through her body as she quickly fell to her knees, hands flying to her head. Her fingers pushed against her skull in a futile attempt to grab at the pain.

The others quickly recovered from their awkward landings as they surrounded their friends. Everyone was at a loss at how exactly they could help with the silent pain she was experiencing. The two men stood to the side with a parchment, watched with wide eyes, clearly at just as much of a loss.

Jane was the first to attempt to reach out, just opting for leaving the comfort of a touch, but that was met with rejection, "Just give me a minute."

And so they did, watching Iris gasping through the pain for what felt like an eternity. Left to just cringe as she pushed through all on her own. The others unable to even understand what had gone wrong.

Eventually, the gasps for air began to even, regaining control, pain fading with every breath in and breath out.

Just in and out. Slow but heavy breaths.

In and out until she could finally lessen the pressure on her head.

In and out until she could finally lower her hands… letting out one last long breath before fighting her way to her feet. A control returned that soon had her back to normal. That air about her that could only belong to a royal.

But true friends could see past the act, could see that wave of exhaustion in her eyes, "What the hell was that?"

Iris smiled faintly, picking up her bag and the duffle holding their tent, "I have never taken the best to the more nauseating travel methods. All the spinning with a portkey messes with my head." Then she turned to the two men with a charming smile.

They were dressed very strangely, one in a kilt and poncho, the other in perhaps the most horrendous button-up that had existed. They glanced at each other, both still seeming to be comprehending the sudden shift in the teen before them. But all they could really do was finish with their job, the one in the poncho taking the worn-down hat that had seemed to transport the group there from Jane's hands.

"What is the last name of your party?"

~~~~~~

The Quidditch World Cup brought out probably the largest grouping of witches and wizards every four years, and it was the one shared event in the Wizarding World. Even those who lacked interest in the sport showed up for just the experience itself.

And it did make sense as to why. People from all over the world gathered in one place. You could meet a new face every step you took, join around any campfire at night and listen to the wildest of stories. The gathering itself was an event, a time to let loose and have the easiest access to everyone, from familiar faces to some curse breaker from Australia.

Thousands of people…

And that was where it etched away at Iris. Thousands of people. Thousands of very loud people. Thousands of people with heads filled with an endless supply of thoughts.

She did have fun. That was undeniable. But going into the second day of their time there… the day of the game when rivalries were beginning to peak… where it was slowly eating away at her energy.

But she smiled and nodded. Just smiled and nodded. Not allowing her personal grievances to show to her friends. She didn't need her bad mood to be a stain on Sally-Ann and Valeria's good day. Maybe this whole trip would be one big blur to her personally… but it would be a dear memory for them, something they deserved to enjoy to the fullest.

The only thing she really had no control over was her… lack of attention. All the noise, both heard by her ears and heard by her head a lot to handle while also attempting to keep up with conversation. So at times, it did take Jane bumping her lightly to be pulled back.

"Iris," Jane pinched her arm, jolting the girl back to attention as she blinked to Valeria, "Iris. Jane and I are going off back to the tent to get some food. Tracey and Sally-Ann were going to go off to the betting tent."

The question was unasked but clear… who did she want to tag along with? And for Iris, it was a very loaded question. Either further into the crowds and to the betting pool, where it would most certainly be filled with arguments and yelling. Or she could go a bit further from the crowds back at the tent, but she would be surrounded on all ends by partiers.

It was a lose-lose… so mulling it over, she allowed her eyes to wander around them, part of her looking for some sort of saving grace from all the noise.

Scanning the crowd that had become so dense, all you could see were people. The crowd was so loud you could hardly even hear yourself thinking. The crowd so wholly unaware of space that everyone was bumped and jostled as they pushed through to wherever they were heading.

And well, ask, and you shall receive. For the first time all day, Iris perked up, eyes locked on a familiar head of hair in the crowd, "Actually, I think I just spotted Theo. "She gave her friends a quick smile, "We are meeting up at the concession stands outside the Stadium?"

Everyone shared a nod, mentally storing away their meet-up place before everyone split.

Iris practically ran over to Theodore Nott. Pushing past anyone who ended up in her way as she took a tight hold of his forearm. Startling the boy as she began to all but drag him along, "We are walking as far as we can away from all this madness so I can finally get a few hours of quiet."

Blinking to himself just once, he sighed, allowing himself to be dragged with a roll of his eyes, "Hello to you as well."

~~~~~~

The walk away from the madness was a clear help. They never stopped walking. Iris on a mission to escape all traces of The Cup, not only creating as much distance as she could but also not allowed to stop because the moment she did… she would have no desire to get up again. Certainly not to just have to walk towards all the noise again.

And Theodore just followed. Hands stuffed in his pockets as he lagged behind at more of his pace. After a year of being dragged along by the girl, he was in much better shape… but her Shifter blood made her an impossible person to keep pace with for that long.

Some part of her had been keeping track of time, extending her walk to the exact time she needed to also make the return trip. When it came time to turn around, well, she quite literally just turned around and went down the invisible straight path she had been stuck on.

Theodore did seem just a bit over it all when she had passed him. His eyes did their signature roll as he turned around to follow her back. But he never made a comment, annoyed but respectful of the peace she needed.

So he remained perfectly silent until the pair could see the Stadium in the distance, the noise of the crowds even reaching Theodore's ears. Picking up his pace to walk side by side, he glanced at her, "Sure you don't want to turn back around?"

Iris frowned, eyes tired as they eyed the bright Stadium backdropped by the darkening sky, "I just have to remember that tomorrow morning, I will be back in my room."

"All this trouble for a Quidditch game."

Looking all levels of miserable, Iris could really just nod, "Wish the portkey travel would have just split my head open."

The words took a moment to process in the boy's head, and when they did, his face scrunched. But before he could quell his confusion, the two had joined the outskirts of the crowd. Both needed to very much so focus if they had any chance of not ending up lost at sea.

Iris acted as their eyes, going up to her tiptoes to find where she had agreed to meet the others. And with the way her eyes had immediately landed on the way shouting out to the crowd flooding into the Stadium about some sort of trinket… her ears had at least one advantage in this setting.

Absently she grabbed for Theodore's wrist, guiding them through the people to their destination. The boy scowled the whole way through as he was jostled around.

The stands themselves were better. People, for the most part, focused on getting to their seats. So with that, it meant two things.

Spotting the rest of their friends was easy. And also… being spotted was easy.

"Hey, Iris!" She hadn't heard him right away. Whatever attention span she had was already locked onto her friends as they scanned some of the trinkets. Theodore had actually noticed as Cedric Diggory approached before she had. Watching from behind, Iris as Cedric planted himself right in front of her… finally bringing her to acknowledge him.

Her smile was the slightest bit forced… something not many would be able to notice, but Cedric did. His brows knitted together as he took in the girl after months apart, "You doing okay?"

"The big crowds can be a bit draining." A very vague explanation but one that Cedric nodded at with understanding.

"You must be hearing more because of your mind reading, right? That mixed with just the noise must be a lot." No one saw it, but that… that got an eyebrow raise out of Theodore. Something about the statement threw him off. But he remained quiet, just looming behind Iris.

Eyes moving past Cedric and back to her friends as they began playing with something, Iris was suddenly distracted again, only able to vaguely answer to Cedric, "Yes, a bit draining, to put it lightly." Then almost without warning, she stalked off to her friends, a quick "I'll be over here" thrown over her shoulder. Whether directed to Cedric or Theodore was something neither boy seemed entirely confident of as they just watched her walk off.

Glancing back at each other, the two boys shared an awkward nod between them…

Meanwhile, Iris was at regrouped with the girls in an instant. Her coin purse in hand as she stalked her friends from stand to stand. A new mission overtakes her… make sure none of them throws their own money at stupid trinkets. If anyone was going to waste more money on Quidditch… well, it would be Iris.

Scarves and hats that moved. Figurines that danced and flew. Brass binoculars that could replay scenes… all those silly things that could be found at any sports game. Just another way to extort money from over-excited fans. Sellers getting rich off high markups and cheap products. Taking advantage of anyone with a coin to spare… and well, they had won that night.

Iris was damn determined to make sure Sally-Ann and Valeria had just whatever their eyes hung onto for even just a moment too long. Both clad in green and shamrocks by the end of their shopping spree. Both all in on the Irish as they proudly showed off. And yet, despite that, Sally-Ann had shown special interest in a figurine for the Bulgarian Seeker.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Tracey went with one of the red hats, Jane matching with a red scarf of her own… both in support of the Bulgarian Seeker and him only.

At some point, Iris had ended up with her own green scarf, figuring she might as well walk away with something for herself, and green was her color. The actual process of rooting for anyone something she could not be bothered for a second to think about.

Eventually, the group moved into the line entering the Stadium, everyone but Iris trying to learn the workings of the binoculars with the help of an older woman walking next to them. Iris was more focused on trying to find the last of their group… Theodore still not in sight.

Her eyes scanned the shopping area over and over… trying, again and again, to find him in the crowd. But she constantly came up short. Huffing to herself, she looked forward to check on the progress of the crowd entering the Stadium. And when she would once more turn to search for Theodore… she was met with a strange sight.

Theodore Nott and Cedric Diggory fought through the crowd together, nearing her. It was an odd sight, just in contrast alone. Cedric, as always cheery as could be. Theodore looking more ready to hex someone with every bump in the crowd.

She could just tilt her head in question as they neared, Iris' eyes locking onto the… earmuffs he held.

Stopping in front of her again, Cedric held the earmuffs up momentarily, "I found these, and Nott paid for them. They are noise-canceling and link up to the commentator. So you can block out all the extra noise. It doesn't stop you hearing everyone's thoughts, but I figure it might do something."

The corners of her lips tugged at the sweet thought, her eyes dancing from Cedric's smile in front of her and Theodore's blank face to her side. Leaning her head forward, she allowed Cedric to place them over her ears.

And the effect must have been instant. If the way her eyes almost seemed to widen with a sort of wonder meant anything. She opened her mouth as if to say something but caught herself. Instead, opting for a simple thank you to the boy.

Cedric seemed to somehow smile wider, nodding before simply looking back to the Stadium, "Anyways, I need to be off to find my dad. Enjoy the game!" He waved to the other girls and nodded to Theodore before taking off alone.

Iris' eyes shot to Theodore immediately, "Is this how you hear?" Her wonder at the earmuffs was back.

Theodore raised one eyebrow, hands in his trouser pockets as he walked alongside Iris again, "Do they not have the same effect as a silencing charm?"

Iris shook her head, eyes bouncing around, "No, they don't block out all noise for me… just makes things quieter. Kinda like plugging my ears but much more effective."

Theodore just nodded, his curiosity answered, and so interest gone… but he did have just one more thing, "Diggory doesn't know anything?"

She shrugged at his newest realization, seeing no real weight in it, "Very few people know." Then she pulled a face, pulling off the earmuffs, "Oh, I think I just heard a commentator say something to his wife."

~~~~~~

They had a box seating up at the top of the Stadium. With the help of a few of Tracey's mother's old friends and a good deal of money from Iris, they were able to get it for themselves. It wasn't prime seating by any means; that would have been center Stadium. No, their seats were situated directly to the side of the goalposts, something Sally said would be best… able to watch the funny-named balls going through the hoops.

They had to climb the carpeted step all the way to the top, Valeria and Sally all but jumping from step to step as the lines of people moved. Talking to each other about the different players and the chances that they could hunt down some man named Victor Krum for an autograph after the game.

Theodore had been pushed ahead to walk next to Jane, the two having to politely make passing conversation with a few familiar faces. One having been a certain Malfoy… the older and slightly less whiny one, Lucius. He would no doubt report back happily to the Yaxleys about spotting Theodore and Jane together. Even if he would mention the… as he would put it, filth keeping the two company, the Yaxleys cared far more about the potential match for their daughter.

Iris and Tracey took up the back of the pack. Iris had been taking off and putting back on her earmuffs in slight wonder, reporting the differences in just what she was hearing to Tracey, who set challenges for her in equal wonderment. Finally, grasping what to consider normal made for a strange experience for the girl… and Tracey was just as interested to learn how enhanced Iris' normal hearing was.

"Okay, when you have the earmuffs on…." Tracey trailed off as she listened for a new target for Iris' test, straining to hear as far as she could, "Can you hear what that lady in the pink pointy hat is saying, or is it just her voice but impossible to understand?"

Iris followed Tracey's gaze, instantly spotting the bright pink hat. Taking a moment as the group moved up another step, she strained to make out the conversation she seemed to be having with a man to her side, "Almost impossible to understand… I can only catch her words when she speaks them a bit clearer. I heard… Darcy and bed…." Iris zoned out as she suddenly was invested in the conversation, opting to look into the lady's head instead.

Looking away suddenly with wide eyes, Iris muttered to Tracey, "I think she is talking about a book she is writing."

The gears in Tracey's head were working overtime as she pieced together just what those few hints together meant… and when it clicked, her face turned bright red. Giggling in embarrassment, she immediately looked for a new person, wanting to erase that experience from memory.

"Okay, er… how about that man talking to the boy who looks about our age down there. Can you hear them without the earmuffs?"

Down there were about three flights of stairs down. A man with greying hair stood off to the side of the crowd speaking politely to a boy. Iris scanned that man intently, and her eyes carried around to spot the three other figures dressed in black that almost strategically surrounded the pair.

Something seemed to click in their head, eyes wide as she muttered to Tracey, "That is a MACUSA Ambassador.…." Tracey glanced at Iris, both seeming very curious about the conversation happening below.

Iris lifted her hands to take off the earmuffs, and they were just hovering as her eyes moved to the boy again… actually taking him in this time. And it was there that she froze… something almost familiar beginning to grow in her eyes… but before she could quite make out just what was so familiar, the boy glanced up. Forcing Iris and Tracey to look away, Iris dropped her hands quickly from her head.

Sharing a giggle at how they both failed miserably at looking nonchalant at almost being caught eavesdropping, the two returned to their game. Avoiding any serious-looking conversations the rest of the way up.

The box seats were at the top of the Stadium, just as you would find at any sports arena really. The VIP boxes always situated just above the crowds. In normal sports, it seemed rather silly. Sure, you had a view of the fields, but being so far away meant you couldn't see much. With Quidditch, a sport played in the air… VIPs in perfect height of the goalposts… yeah it made more sense.

The one thing about Quidditch that made sense… but that is beside the point.

Sally-Ann, Valeria, and Tracey rushed to the railing holding the box in. Leaning over to peer into the field, they would have their eyes glued to until the golden little ball called the snitch was caught.

Theodore took a seat in the front row, already looking all sorts of bored as he got comfortable while they waited for the game to begin. Jane followed his lead, having the head to know that the Stadium would take some time to fill.

Iris joined her roommates at the railing, adjusting her earmuffs as she looked out, eyes immediately glued to the big screen on the opposite side of the Stadium, watching advertisements flash in bright colors. "Someone is working overtime to keep that thing from going haywire with all the magic interfering with the electricity."

Theodore had said something, well more like muttered under his breath. Jane had heard it and smiled… but the girl it was most directed to had not. Theodore seemed a bit put off staring at the back of Iris' head… not often the one ignored, but then as his eyes landed on the earmuffs, he seemed to remember.

Grumbling to himself, he stood up, joining the group at the railing. Leaning on it with his forearms, he joined in watching the advertisements, "Wear those things alone in the library, and maybe you'll finally understand while I like it there so much."

Iris' nose scrunched up, "Quiet is worse than the hundred thousand people filling this Stadium. True silence is lonely…."

Theodore paused at that, something about the words hitting in his head, but before Theodore could even begin to unpack that, Iris shifted subjects, "Harry's grandfather invented that." Magical Sleekeazy's Hair Potion shined on the screen, a potion that could have you ready for a meeting in seconds.

Jane giggled from behind, "And the only hair it doesn't work on is that of Potter men."

The boy looked to Iris for a quick moment, scanning over the changes in the girl he hadn't seen in nearly a month, "Are you going to let your hair keep growing?"

Sally-Ann, on Iris' other side, turned with excitement, "If not, you really should. Your hair is pretty."

Iris smiled, a hand reaching to pull at her low ponytail. It currently reached her mid back, a big difference from where it was at when she first walked into The Leaky Cauldron a year ago, "I haven't had it long since I was eight… but I might give it a go again for a while."

Jane once more spoke up, "You have to at least keep it for the ball. If it's pretty in your messy ponytail, imagine when it is properly done up. And then with your dress…." Jane seemed to already be imagining just how pretty of an image she and all their friends would be for the so elusive ball that was supposed to happen.

A ball that seemed to frustrate both Tracey and Valeria with the sheer lack of information either of their more knowledgeable friends would share. Valeria tried once again, "Seriously, what is this ball you keep mentioning? Even my father is being tight-lipped about it."

Theodore, who had, as usual, taken a back seat to the conversation, raised an eyebrow, "Yaxley and Iris are keeping it a secret?"

The two aforementioned girls shared a mischievous look, Iris simply shrugging, "They will find out soon enough anyways."

Valeria grumbled, then a thought seemed to hit her, as did Tracey and Sally-Ann. The three turned on Theodore, "You know as well?"

Fighting back his own smile as the same sort of mischief filled his eyes, Theodore just looked forward, "You will know soon enough."

Theodore should have most certainly started praying to whatever greater power had his back at that moment. For the way Valeria's stare had turned into a stern glare… he was so lucky that it was that moment when the games began.

"Ladies and Gentlemen… welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!"

Iris muttered under her breath as Jane joined at the rails, "Shit, these earmuffs are making me hear double of the announcement."

Shooting her a look as he attempted to speak over the deafening screams and rallying of the wild fans, Theodore grumbled back, "Either double of him or hear this at your normal levels."

She just huffed as she watched the screen switch from an advertisement about Bernie's Flavored Beans to a scoreboard. Bulgaria and Ireland both at zero.

"And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce… The Bulgarian National Team Mascots!"

Their side of the Stadium roared as a hundred figures began to walk onto the field. Iris peered at them curiously for a moment. Their unnaturally blond hair, their moon-like skin, the way they glided over the grass… just the extreme but almost inhuman beauty.

Then it clicked, her eyes going wide as a smile grew on her face, "Shit! Those are Veela." Shooting a laugh to Theodore, she turned her body to face him, "You need to take a seat before you send yourself over the rails."

Theodore seemed almost in a trance, one Iris all but pushed him out of as she guided him to a seat. Sally-Ann's question rang through the box, her confusion a stark difference between the laughing of everyone else, "What are Veela?"

Tracey, still giggling, answered, "Think sirens, but they look like that." She looked to Valeria, who already was fixated entirely on the field, "Someone should watch Val. They affect anyone attracted to them."

"I'll take her, and Iris can take Theodore." Jane tore her eyes from the beautiful women who centered themselves on the field, getting into formation. Smiling at Valeria, she lightly took her friend's hand in a firm grasp.

Sally-Ann and Tracey stared intently down at the field. Being the only ones that would be getting to really experience the show from the looks of it.

Iris sat herself on the arm of Theodore's chair, staying nearby as she peered at the field below with the boy. He only seemed a bit… distracted by their beauty. Hardly anything all that worthy of moving him away from the edge… but then the music started, and the Veela began to dance.

Theodore had almost jumped out of his seat when instead, Iris planted herself directly before him, a hand holding his shoulder. Lowering herself to his level, she looked him in the eyes, grinning wide. The blue fire in her eyes danced, slowly but surely catching whatever remained of the boy's attention.

He blinked once, then twice, and then he spoke, quietly and absently, "Are you part Veela?"

Biting away her laugh at the notion, she just shook her head in amusement, "Certainly don't look like one. But no… there hasn’t a Veela in our line in many generations.”

“So how can you be more beautiful than a Veela?”

Iris blinked. That was… that was unexpected to her. Her smile dropped slowly from her face, something in the air between her and her dazed friend growing thicker. Theodore Nott was perhaps the one boy who never grew dazed at her. Who certainly never commented on her beauty. Maybe in a serious conversation, he would objectively make a passing comment about it… but never… never that.

Something in that air… well, something in that air just left Iris in a daze of her own. Staring into those plain brown eyes. The music for the Veela faded as she no doubt began poking into his head.

That was when Theodore seemed to come back to life, just barely enough to fight back against her intrusiveness. But… not enough to say anything, just watching as his friend stared into his eyes.

Those plain brown eyes… nothing special about them, really. Nothing compared to the fire that lived in her own… and yet….

Iris would undoubtedly blame it on the Veela messing with everyone's heads and messing with that moment. And, of course, the way Theodore Nott just had to say what he said in the way he said it…

But her head tilted, and something that she would most definitely never speak into existence crossed her mind.

Those eyes were… just the tiniest bit…

The music came to an end. Iris jumped away from Theodore and turned back to the railing in an instant. Trying her hardest to ignore what had just happened. Disregarding the way her heart beat in her chest and definitely ignoring the gaze that burned into the back of her head.

Sally-Ann looked at Iris with far too knowing of a look for comfort, leaning in with a whisper, "So what was that?"

Iris just did what she did best and hummed. Not entirely trusting her ability to form words to defend herself from… whatever that was.

Suddenly the Quidditch game seemed much more interesting to her.