"and if you weren't such a nosy
little prat, your only mates wouldn't
be james the jackass and remus the rat."

i. Head over hills

             IRIDESSA STOOD STIFFLY BESIDE HER SISTERS, lined up like soldiers being shipped off to battle. Their parents hovered nearby, not the least bit concerned about their daughter's well-being, as most parents seemed to be. No tearful goodbyes, no "we'll miss you" nonsense. No, Alistair and Heloise Belvoirè were only concerned with one thing—reputation. And every year, they made sure to hammer that home.

   "Remember," Alistair said, his voice cold and clipped as he stared them down. "Being second is no better than being last. Don't be second of your year. Be first." His finger jabbed in their direction as if each word were a direct order.

   They exchanged glances but said nothing. Turning to their mother, they were met with her serene, composed smile. "Well then," Heloise spoke, her voice dripping with that infuriating, sickly sweetness she always used. "You girls should be off. Do well," she added, her tone annoyingly elegant as if they were heading to some gala rather than a year at Hogwarts.

   The girls didn't need telling twice. They turned in unison and walked off, side by side.

   "'Do well,'" Gwen muttered under her breath, mocking their mother's voice with a roll of her eyes. She strode ahead of the others, her footsteps quick and sharp as she made her way onto the train without looking back.

   Lucinda sighed softly, glancing at Iridessa before following Gwen. Iridessa didn't say a word, her face as unreadable as ever. She never gave anything away, not here, not at home. With the same practiced calm, she walked up to the train, her feet moving automatically as she left her parents behind.

   Once Iridessa stepped onto the train, the noise hit her like a wall. The chattering, laughter, and chaos grated on her last nerve. She pushed through the crowd, elbowing a few people aside without so much as a glance. It was her usual clear-off message, and it worked. The first years, confused and wide-eyed, stumbled out of her way, looking utterly terrified. She found it rather amusing, if she was honest.

   Making her way through the narrow aisle, she heard her name.

   "Iris!" a familiar voice called out. She turned slightly, just as an arm slung itself around her shoulders. Alexor Yaxley—one of the pretty boys in their house and a mate of hers—had caught up. She shrugged his arm off with a small grunt, not in the mood for his usual nonsense.

   "Where're the others?" she asked, glancing around as they walked together.

   "Already found a spot, I reckon," Alexor replied with a shrug, hands stuffed in his pockets. Alexor was the only lad in their group, something that made him stand out a bit. Why he stuck around with them wasn't much of a secret, though. He fancied Iridessa—proper obsessed, he was. The only bloke daft enough to put up with a bunch of girls just for a chance with her.

   Iridessa didn't give a toss. Either she didn't notice, or she just couldn't be bothered to care. If he wanted to hang about like a love-struck fool, that was his problem, not hers. She had bigger things to worry about than a boy with a soft spot for her.

   As they continued walking, Alexor turned to Iridessa. "Summer treat you alright then?"

   She gave a small shrug. "I s'pose. Didn't care much for it, if I'm honest."

   They stopped outside a compartment, and Alexor slid the door open. Inside, Zahira and Cressida were deep in conversation, Cressida squinting like she was trying to solve some great mystery. Zahira's curly brown hair bounced as she turned to look at them.

   "Brilliant," Zahira said, her voice as smooth as ever, a bit too knowing. The two of them took their seats—Alexor plopping down beside Cressida, and Iridessa settling in next to Zahira.

   Cressida shot a glance at Alexor, her expression deadpan, arms crossed like she wasn't having any of it. "Took you both long enough," she muttered, leaning her head against the window with a dull thud.

   "My father was givin' me his usual 'don't come second' speech," Iridessa replied dryly.

   "I've been lookin' for her the whole time," Alexor added, trying for some sort of defense.

   Zahira glanced between them, clearly bored of the topic already. "Heard there's a new Dark Arts teacher. Reckon he's fit?"

   "Hira, you're barmy," Cressida said, screwing up her face in mock disgust, though her lips twitched like she was holding back a laugh. Zahira just shrugged.

   "Bet the headmaster's dropped next," Alexor chimed in. "Dropped dead." His tone was light, but there was a sharpness to it that didn't quite fit the joke.

   Cressida grinned at that, and Zahira let out a quiet, soft laugh that filled the compartment. The dark humour wasn't lost on them.

   Iridessa just rolled her eyes, rubbing her temple like she could feel a headache coming on. The lot of them were mad, and yet, somehow, they made the madness of her life bearable.

   Cressida's face fell, her earlier grin fading away as if the joke had hit a nerve. She hadn't been herself since they boarded. Alexor finally spoke up, his brow raised. "Cress, what's up with you? You've been pullin' faces since you got in."

   "Summer's been bloody awful, that's what," Cressida huffed, dropping her head in her hands. "My cousin's marrying Narcissa Black, and I know I should be thrilled—family ties and all that—but I can't stand the Blacks. They're insufferable." She groaned dramatically. "Their kids can't be that bright. Just look at Sirius Black. He's about as disciplined as a flobberworm."

   Zahira grinned at that, tilting her head. "Seriously? You're fussed over the Blacks? They've got enough Galleons to buy Hogwarts. I'd be grinning ear to ear."

   "That's 'cause you're obsessed with money, darling," Alexor teased, smirking.

   Cressida wasn't having it. "Iris, back me up here. I'm not mad, right?"

   Iridessa barely looked up from her thoughts. "Not completely," she said dully. "Maybe it's better you're not tied to them, anyway. Your lot's just as loaded, if not more."

   Zahira shrugged, still smiling. "Could always do with a bit more, though."

   Alexor lounged back with a grin, watching as Iridessa pulled out a book. "You're really gonna read?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

   "What, did you expect me to sit and gawk at you?" Iridessa replied, her tone as cool as ever.

   "You must not have much to do, then," Alexor shrugged. Iridessa's gaze flicked briefly towards him before she returned to her book, effectively ending their chat.

   The rest of the ride was spent in silence. When the train finally arrived, they all disembarked together, heading towards the carriages in a quiet, side-by-side march.

   Outside, it was dark and misty, making it easy to lose sight of each other. Iridessa and Cressida found themselves separated from Alexor and Zahira. They trudged over to a carriage.

"This is a bloody nightmare," Cressida muttered, rolling her eyes. "Always getting lost. Honestly, you'd think they'd manage by now."

   "They've been getting lost every year since second," Iridessa said flatly, climbing into the carriage. They settled in, sinking into the seats with a sigh.

   "I reckon I'll need to find a boyfriend this year," Cressida said, exasperated. "My parents are absolutely losing it."

   "My parents'll have to continue to lose theirs," Iridessa replied, a smirk tugging at her lips.

   "Especially with you keeping Alexor at arm's length," Cressida folded her arms, teasing the girl.

   "I'm just not interested," Iridessa said quietly, her gaze fixed outside the window.

   "When will you be interested in someone, then?" Cressida prodded. Just as Iridessa was about to respond, they both jumped as someone landed heavily on the carriage.

   "Oh," came James Potter's voice, with Sirius Black trailing behind him. They plopped down across from the girls, causing Cressida to shift uncomfortably as if trying to avoid them. Iridessa kept her eyes firmly fixed on the floor, her face a mask of indifference.

   Sirius and James had made a habit of throwing things at her last year—everything from bits of parchment to inkpots. Iridessa hadn't taken it lying down; by the end of the year, she'd hexed them both so effectively that they'd stopped their antics just before term ended. They were proper annoying, those two—complete gits, and their gang of sycophantic followers weren't any better.

   "Blimey, what a night," James said awkwardly, offering a small, slightly forced smile. His voice had taken on a deeper timbre since last year. He was physically maturing, though mentally, it was still up for debate.

   "Yeah, until you lot showed up," Cressida said flatly, giving them both a hard stare.

   "Always the joker, aren't you?" Sirius remarked with a light grin. His voice had a smooth, almost charming lilt to it.

   "When you're a bit of a joke yourself, everything else probably seems the same," Cressida retorted, and the boys chuckled.

   Iridessa rolled her eyes in exasperation. They were already being unbearable. As the carriages started moving, a heavy silence settled over them, punctuated only by the clatter of the wheels and the occasional creak of the carriage.

   Soon, the boys fell into a low murmur, their voices barely rising above the clatter of the carriage wheels. Cressida and Iridessa exchanged glances, the latter's expression one of barely concealed annoyance. The mumbling grew increasingly obnoxious until Cressida could no longer hold her tongue.

   "Would you lot shut up already?" she snapped, her voice cutting through the hum of the carriage.

   Sirius's head whipped around, eyes flashing with irritation. "You know, if you weren't so insufferable, you might actually have a bloke by now," he shot back, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

   Cressida's eyebrows shot up. "And if you weren't such a nosy little prat, your only mates wouldn't be James the jackass and Remus the rat," she retorted, her voice sharp.

   The two boys immediately launched into a heated argument, their voices rising in volume. "I've got mates!" Sirius protested.

   "Where, exactly?" Cressida challenged, her tone laced with disbelief.

   James and Iridessa watched the exchange in silence. James had settled into a resigned slouch, while Iridessa's gaze remained fixed on the two combatants, her face a mask of cool detachment.

   The argument continued, filling the carriage with a cacophony of adolescent bickering, as the darkness outside pressed in, occasionally illuminated by the passing lights of distant villages.

   Iridessa let out a heavy sigh, her patience finally wearing thin. "Would you both shut it?" she snapped over the bickering. The sudden outburst stilled the argument. "Black, for once in your life, keep your gob shut. And Cressida, stop winding him up. He's just enjoying the row."

Sirius flashed a cheeky grin, clearly amused by the disruption.

Cressida, feeling defeated, folded her arms and turned away, looking like she'd lost a small battle. Despite not being siblings, the bickering between her and Sirius had a familial air to it. "Cheers, Irinessa," Sirius said with a smirk.

"It's Iridessa," she corrected, rolling her eyes. "And you're welcome, Cyrus." The slight edge to her voice only seemed to amuse Sirius more, though a glint of irritation flickered in his eyes. Their childish squabbles seemed even more petty in the silence that followed, but rivalry had a way of clouding their judgment.

The carriage ride continued in relative quiet. Iridessa glanced around, pointedly ignoring Sirius, who kept switching his gaze between James and her. Cressida, exhausted, rested her head on Iridessa's shoulder, her eyes drifting shut as the carriage trundled on.

In what felt like mere minutes, they arrived at Hogwarts. Iridessa nudged Cressida awake, the two Gryffindors disembarking first. Cressida groaned theatrically as she got up, Iridessa helping her out of the carriage. They moved toward the castle together.

"Oh, brilliant," Cressida said with heavy sarcasm, eyeing the grand, looming structure of Hogwarts. Alexor soon appeared behind them, draping his arms around both girls in a show of camaraderie.

Zahira, walking briskly beside Iridessa, gave a disapproving look. "He was a proper pain," she remarked, rolling her eyes. "You two are stuck with him now, yeah?"

"Take him back," Cressida whined, her voice tinged with exhaustion.

Iridessa grinned quietly to herself as they made their way into the castle, Alexor still pestering Cressida, who was doing her best to ignore him. The grand doors of Hogwarts loomed before them, swinging open with that familiar creak. They stepped inside, falling into the usual rhythm—same routine as always. The Great Hall buzzed with life as students settled in, ready for Dumbledore's speech, which was, as usual, entirely too long.

   Iridessa let her mind drift as the Headmaster's voice echoed through the hall. The first day of school was always her favorite—not because of anything exciting, but because they did absolutely nothing. It was a free day, a chance to ease back into Hogwart's life, and most importantly, it meant they had the common room to themselves afterward.

   After the speech, they all headed back to their common rooms, the Slytherins slipping away through the dungeons like shadows. The common room had that usual cozy, dimly lit glow, a sanctuary of dark leather chairs and emerald accents.

Cressida immediately claimed an entire couch, sprawling across it and falling asleep within seconds. Iridessa, Alexor, and Zahira stayed up, chatting lazily, their conversation drifting between gossip, complaints, and an odd joke here and there.

   Time passed slowly, the fire crackling quietly as their words filled the space. Eventually, the night wore on, and with a yawn, Cressida stirred, blinking herself awake. The girls shared a dorm, so once Cressida was up, they all decided it was time to head to bed. Alexor waved them off with a tired grin, dragging himself up to the boys' dormitory.

   Once in their dorm, Cressida and Zahira wasted no time getting comfortable, falling asleep almost instantly. But Iridessa stayed up, staring at the wall, her thoughts running in circles. She did random things to pass the time—flipping through a book, absentmindedly playing with her wand, anything to distract herself from the quiet. The room felt still, too still, and despite her exhaustion, sleep just wouldn't come.

   She stayed like that for hours, watching as the night stretched on, until finally, she managed to close her eyes—only to wake up slightly late the next morning, groggy and already behind the day's schedule.

.  .  .

   Being late to class was no fun, and the rush to get there left Iridessa feeling flustered. She wasn't terribly late—only a minute or two—but it was enough to make her feel awkward. As she slipped through the door, Professor Binn's voice greeted her.

   "Try not to be late to my class all year again, Ms. Belvoirè," he said with a pointed look.

    She nodded silently, making her way to her seat. But before she could settle in, familiar snickers reached her ears. Of course, Sirius, Remus, James, and Peter were all huddled together, chuckling to themselves. Iridessa didn't bother acknowledging them, simply rolling her eyes before sitting down next to Zahira, who gave her a small, knowing smile.

   They quickly turned their attention to the day's work, though Iridessa could still feel the boys' eyes on her from behind. As the lesson droned on, Zahira leaned over, whispering just loud enough for Iridessa to hear. "We tried to wake you, but honestly, you sleep like the dead. You could snooze through a fire and not even notice."

Iridessa shot her a sideways glance. "Only when I'm properly knackered," she whispered back. "I usually don't sleep that heavily." She shrugged, returning her gaze to her parchment, quill in hand as she scrawled quietly across the page.

The rhythmic scratching of quills was all that filled the classroom for a while until the faint sound of someone clearing their throat caught her attention. Iridessa glanced up to see Zahira giving her a look, and then Zahira's eyes shifted toward something in the room. Following her line of sight, Iridessa's attention landed on a small piece of paper, intricately folded into the shape of a swan, floating lazily across the classroom.

She smirked, knowing exactly where it had come from. Twisting slightly in her seat, she glanced back at Alexor, who was grinning at her. Iridessa couldn't help but smile, a wide grin spreading across her face as the paper swan hovered above her head. Slowly, the rest of the class began to notice, eyes darting between the swan and Professor Binns, who was blissfully unaware, droning on about goblin rebellions.

The swan dipped lower, and in one smooth motion, Iridessa stood up just enough to snatch it out of the air. She quickly stuffed it into her book, the movement so quick and subtle that most of the students pretended they hadn't seen a thing as Professor Binns turned around, eyes scanning the room suspiciously. The old ghost's gaze passed over them without so much as a flicker of recognition, and soon, he was back to his lecture, none the wiser.

Iridessa settled back down, her expression calm but with a slight sparkle in her eyes, while Zahira stifled a grin beside her. Once Professor Binns's attention drifted back to his lecture, Iridessa carefully reopened her book and retrieved the now-flat paper swan.

She unfolded it with practiced delicacy and read the note inside: "Left us to eat breakfast alone? Your attendance was very missed." A grin tugged at her lips as she finished reading. With a small, amused sigh, she refolded the note and tucked it back into her book.

Zahira, noticing her reaction, leaned in and whispered, "He's head over heels. Why not take the chance?"

Iridessa shook her head, a faint smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Not interested," she muttered back, her tone dismissive yet gentle. Zahira rolled her eyes but didn't press further, letting Iridessa's response settle in the quiet classroom.

Iridessa sighed heavily as she reached for her quill. Just then, she felt a soft thud against the back of her head. It was hardly worth mentioning—barely a nuisance—until another object followed suit. Zahira's sharp glance over her shoulder caught Iridessa's attention, prompting her to turn and see the Gryffindor boys snickering.

They were at it again, tossing bits of parchment and other scraps in their direction as if they hadn't learned their lesson the last time. Iridessa took a slow, steadying breath, attempting to maintain her composure. She returned to her parchment, pressing her quill down with more force than necessary.

More crumpled paper came their way, one hitting Zahira. Without a word, Zahira reached behind her, snatched Potter's quill from his desk, and snapped it in half before flinging it back at him as a stern warning.

The boys looked taken aback, though not entirely surprised; Zahira rarely lost her cool. She was known for her quieter brand of revenge, not one to meet a boy's gaze while breaking his quill. Yet, something about this particular group drove her to act out, fueling her rage.

Iridessa cast a glance at Zahira, who had returned to her writing, only for another ball of parchment to come hurtling their way. Iridessa turned with a low whisper. "Potter, if any of you or your mates hit me again, I'll make sure you choke on it," she said sharply, drawing curious glances from nearby students before turning back around.

She resumed her writing, but almost immediately, a flurry of paper balls began flying at her. Her quill snapped under the pressure. Iridessa drew in a deep breath, trying to stay calm. Her mother had always insisted that being aggressive towards men was "unladylike"—that one should smile it off and maintain a certain elegance.

But that was before her quill shattered. It was as if a final straw had broken. Iridessa slammed her hands on the desk and spun around, hurling the ink-soaked, broken quill at James Potter, splattering ink across his face. "I told you to stop!" she shouted, drawing the attention of Professor Binns, who turned to assess the commotion. Some students nearby snickered at the sight of Potter's ink-splattered face, while others looked on in shock.

James himself was taken aback, though it wasn't him who had started it; it was his friends. Sirius cleared his throat and said calmly, "It wasn't James..." This slightly tempered Iridessa's fury as she eyed them all, seething.

"Iridessa Belvoirè!" Professor Binns bellowed, "That behavior is absolutely unacceptable."

   Fucking Twats.

★

authors note: 3.4k words! idk how i feel cuz i feel this was a bit rushed but i plan on making the second more detailed so for now i hope you enjoyed <3