𝒯𝑜 𝒩𝑒𝓌 𝐵𝑒𝑔𝒾𝓃𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈

August 31st, 1993

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒯𝒽𝓇𝑒𝑒

Iris and Harry had created a rhythm to their eleven days together in the strange world of which The Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley shared.

Iris was up and in The Leaky Cauldron by six every morning. She would sit with her daily pick of a book or notebook until Harry joined her at nine. They would both enjoy a nice breakfast in silence and then take a stroll around Diagon Alley; Iris would muse on about any random thoughts that came to mind, occasionally even asking Harry questions. She would zone out every now and again, and her eyes would follow the odd person, but she always continued on as if no pause had occurred. Harry never seemed to take notice.

Around lunch, the two would find themselves at the ice cream shop where they would eat and, once finished, receive a free ice cream. After the meal, Harry would take up his homework while Iris found ways to occupy herself. The day's activity was always a choice between sketching, reading, or simply watching as people rushed around. She was quick to answer any of Harry's questions with homework no matter what, having repeatedly proved to the boy that her years of homeschooling and tutors paid off well.

From time to time, Iris would vanish for an hour or so; the first time, it frightened Harry. He had looked up to ask his newfound friend a question regarding a potion when he realized that her seat was empty. He struggled to regain focus until thirty minutes later when the brunette reappeared, sitting casually as if she had never left. When asked, Iris just shrugged and said, "Needed a walk."

Harry doesn't ask anymore, but he still does find it a bit jarring to look up randomly and see an empty seat and then sometime later see it refilled as if it was never empty to begin with.

The entire morning and afternoon were spent together, but the same could not be said for the evening or night. At five-thirty, Iris would walk out of the door and onto the streets of London. Once she asked if Harry would care to join her in a dinner out there, he declined on not being permitted to. Iris playfully rolled her eyes at that and gave a small quip, "And here I was thinking that the boy who blew up his aunt said fuck all to rules."

Eventually, Iris would return, a new book or oddity always in hand, but Harry would already be up in his room. So the two would both enjoy silent nights to themselves.

... well, as silent as a room could be with a talking mirror taking up residence.

Either way, they were comfortable... the schedule was comfortable. The way they could just exist together was something both seemed to need. No crazy adventures were shared, and neither of them spilled their souls to each other... the two were perfectly happy with what they had found with each other and their growing friendship. They enjoyed the consistency.

It worked for them... at that time, at least.

~~~~~~

With August 31st came the last day of the sacred routine.

It was natural for Harry to take advantage of the last day of the summer break. Every student has been there, and sleeping in was completely natural. And so Iris was patient. She just read her book at their table and waited. Her breakfast already long gone, and her drink had been refilled countless times.

Tom would approach her from time to time. Checking in, sometimes asking about what was happening in her book. She found that she had quickly become one of his favorites. Which was reasonable. She was quiet, caused no trouble, and had a seemingly endless supply of money.

At that rate, she had been there for hours and should be there all day until she took off for her nightly trip to London... but patient she remained. She was completely content to wait for her companion... until, seemingly, with one ring of the bell at the door, she wasn't.