Echo House ➸ Marauders Era -Book One of The Scarlett Curse-

17 » Fairytale

17 » Fairytale

❝Round and round like a horse on a carousel, we go,

Will I catch up to love? I could never tell, I know,

Chasing after you is like a fairytale, but I,

Feel like I'm glued on tight to this carousel

Come, come one, come all,

You must be this tall

To ride this ride at the carnival

Oh, come, take my hand

And run though playland

So high, too high at the carnival

And it's all fun and games,

'Til somebody falls in love,

But you've already bought a ticket,

And there's no turning back now.❞

-Melanie Martinez, Carousel.

The last day of Hogwarts was always hectic.

Students were scrambling to get their stuff ready in the morning and the evening, trying to get the rest of their homework done before the end and spending last days with best friends. Iris however, had already finished the first two of those things and was now procrastinating the third choice to see and socialize with The Marauders once again.

She walked down the halls, heading to dinner in the Great Hall where she sat beside Remus and Sirius, laughing with them about jokes and whatnot until Dumbledore gave a little tap to his glass.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! I would like to say, this has been a fine and adventurous year for all of the students in Hogwarts!" Albus' eyes twinkled at Iris and the boys, "I would hope to see you all next year! The feast will now begin!"

Every began to dig into their food, trying to enjoy their last meal at Hogwarts until the next year. Iris was sure savouring it, taking slow bites to fully understand the flavor of the food she was digesting. The Marauders were all light and happy with each other for the whole feast, laughing and planning more mischief and pranks for the far away school year in the next two to three months.

The Marauders all got to their dorms and finished packing, marching out the door with all the rest of the students to get on the train that would be taking them to Kings Cross Station where they would get bombarded by their parents. Iris was already preparing herself for the thousands of questions from her mother and father and nasty looks from her sister, Petunia. She could still not believe how much Petunia had flipped when she found out Iris and Lily were witches. She threw lamps, trashed rooms and broke plates yet their parents simply called it "An outburst of hidden excitement turned into jealousy." Iris inwardly scoffed, remembering when her mum told her that after Petunia messed up her room and ripped her bed sheet apart.

"Iris? What do you think of the prank?" asked Sirius, giving Iris a sense of Deja Vu as she nodded, locking her arm with his and climbing into a carriage. Iris was surprised at how much she had changed already, from Gorgons attacking her to be kidnapped by her crushes brother she had sure grown. She just hoped James would do the same. She should hate him but really? She loved him with all her heart still.

After the carriage ride Iris handed all her things to the man who put it in the caboose of the train and joined the boys in their compartment. Iris had been stealing glances at James the whole time and she could've sworn he had too.. If Lily wasn't attached to him by hip. Nevertheless, Iris continued on with planning next years extravagant entrance with Remus and Sirius while James and Lily smooched in the corner. Only things got interesting once Thomas opened the compartment door, his eye blackened with a bruise covering his face. Iris gasped in shock running up to him and caressing his face although she had no idea why she would be so concerned. It was just Thomas. He deserved it, right?

"Who did this to you?" She asked, her words hurried as she pulled him into the compartment and walked around to find the first-aid kit.

"Why don't you ask Jameson over there?" Thomas hissed, his fists clenching as he nodded at James, his eyes burning with hatred.

Iris looked at James, hoping for confirmation or a negatory but all she got was a blank look. She knew what that look meant. It meant that he did it but he wanted it to seem like he didn't. Iris narrowed her eyes at him, sitting beside Thomas on the seats and cleaning/disinfecting his wounds. Although Iris tried to keep her mind occupied she couldn't shake the feeling of protectiveness she felt for Thomas. It was almost like the feeling she felt when Lily first confronted her about James, but stronger... With one last look at James and Thomas Iris decided something.

First, it was going to be a long ride.

And second?

There was something fishy going on with James. She didn't know what- but as soon as she saw him again she was going to find out.