𝒯𝑜 𝒩𝑒𝓌 𝐵𝑒𝑔𝒾𝓃𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈

March 16th, 1994

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒯𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓎-𝒯𝓌𝑜

Life has an extraordinary way of becoming monotonous... of allowing you to just flow with the passage of time. Each day as perfectly dull as the last... each and every day outstandingly forgetful. It sweeps you up, and at some point, whilst on the flow of time... you begin to lose yourself. And at some point, you catch yourself. Time comes to a halt and forces you to take a look around. Lost, confused as to where you stand. Lost on what the hell you are doing.

And so you have to take a step back. Watch. And then correct. Regain yourself from all the wasted time spent on just being lost in the flow.

~~~~~~

Iris's finger slowly circled the rim of her glass, her eyes glazed over as she watched Valeria swirl the worryingly bright green tea. The movement picked up the smell, making Iris's nose scrunch, "Did you really have to bring it to breakfast?"

Taking a bite of toast as her eyes briefly lifted from her textbook, Valeria gave a quick nod, "Exams are coming up. I couldn't just sit around wasting time while waiting on Tracey to finally leave the bathroom. I need to eat, and I need to study. She can drink it here."

Sally-Ann rolled her eyes, "Still wish you would try a new method already. Whatever you make that tea with can't really be doing anything good."

Narrowing her eyes at Sally-Ann, "My mother specifically stated that the tea is the most important part and to hold it to the utmost importance."

"Still, Tracey has been taking forever in the bathroom all week. And it has to be because she is hiding from," Sally pointed, gazing at the tea, disgust washing over her face, "that."

Brushing her off, Valeria didn't look up from reading, "Just wait, by the end of term. Tracey will be a changed woman."

Iris watched curiously as the two girls in front of her bickered back and forth. She watched as Jane sat to join them, flashing Iris a complimentary smile before butting into the conversation. She watched as they bickered, shoved, laughed...

The three girls sitting before Iris were a part of a unit. A unit of four when you included Tracey Davis... and more often than naught, Iris found herself on the outside. A watcher as they laughed at their inside jokes and as they so casually just existed around one another. Their unit was so long-running, so familiar, so comfortable... that it felt impossible to be a part of.

But speaking of Tracey Davis, she finally decided to make an appearance, and Iris immediately found her eyes switching over to her, finger still circling her glass. Eyes glazed over as she watched the girl stride into the room...

Stride?

Iris seemed to wake up from her stupor, hand pulling back from her glass as her eyes went wide, following Tracey as she walked towards the Slytherin table, "Holy shit."

Her behavior caught the attention of the still giggling girls before her. The three turned to find what had caused Iris such a shock. Faces confused as they spotted Tracey... just as she walked straight by them, not even sparing them a glance. Her shoulders set back and her head high while she just looked forward.

Iris was quick to answer the growing questions as the four watched their friend make her way down the table, "She is asking him out for Hogsmeade on Saturday."

Sally-Ann and Jane both shot their heads towards Iris, their mouths falling open. Valeria, on the other hand, smiled wildly, "I told you the tea would work. I fixed her!"

Looking at Valeria as if she were mad, Sally quickly corrected her, "No, your tea broke her." Sally turned back to watch as their friend neared the esteemed Theodore Nott, "She'd rather face the worst rejection of her life than so much as take another look at that thing."