After the War.

Try as I Might.

If an eternity could be spent in one place I had done it on the ledge. Stone sat beneath me and the glass had ice forming around the edge of each panel as it grew colder outside. My bare legs couldn't handle the freezing temperatures and so my sleeves rested over them. No colour was seen on my tie as none of the houses were a perfect match. They all were and I had a feeling that none of them would be anytime soon but that didn't matter.

My thoughts halted when the door audibly opened and I watched the reflection in the glass. Five new people entered. The headmistress, Flitwick, Bell, the man I assumed to be from Slytherin and also a short and wide lady with an earthy look about her. She was rather kind but her features were harder than most muggles.

"Miss Flint here hasn't moved from this position since we entered. She has also been in her own little world. Quite the pensive student." The healer spoke and I looked out again. Their words moving over my head as it was clear they spoke of something else and so I distracted myself with memories of Adela and Matt. Theodore meeting my mind and his smile so wide, dimples placed on both of his cheeks as well but I was so lost I couldn't bring myself back.

I didn't pay much attention to the room as they seemed to all discuss something until a set of eyes in the glass grabbed my attention. They belonged to an inquisitive professor. He didn't stop looking as slowly he grew closer but then someone said something that distracted him and I was glad to be allowed back into my own mind. Getting lost again but it didn't last long. The distant sound of my name filled the room.

"Miss Flint." I snapped out of my mind and turned my head a fraction to look over my shoulder as the woman began speaking to me. She was going to get at what she wanted eventually.

"Yes, Professor?" I didn't meet their eyes but I could see most of their silhouettes in the room. My eyes not able to look at them properly.

"We need to get to the bottom of this situation. What would you like to happen?" I thought on it for a split second and shrugged my shoulders and I turned back around. Not wanting to strain my neck or eyes anymore.

"I just want to be part of a house." A gruff laugh hit the room. It matched the hat and I let my hands lift from my legs and put them on the back of my neck to pull my head into the gap my legs provided for me and there it remained.

Coping wasn't my strongest value but rather the ability to suck it all up until I broke and I had a very strong feeling that the school was going to break me very quickly. My hair that was growing lighter was covering my face and legs a little but one of them had moved towards me and I jumped for the second time that day and looked up. Trying to comprehend what was happening. My life was starting to look a little normal and then magic crushed it all.

"Miss Flint, I will allow for you to have constant and almost unlimited contact with all houses. A bed will be separate from them all but your lessons will all vary. You shan't have a head of house and house pints will be useless against you. Seeing as you are all houses wrapped in one. Taking five from all of the houses is silly." I nodded at the words of one of the professors. I still couldn't remember her name but it was the one on my acceptance letter. Only, I had binned them all so that was a fruitless task.

"Thank you," I mumbled and stood up. Climbing down from the high surface before turning around and noticing all of the staff properly. My eyes kept down with only a glance meeting their faces as I did a sweep on all of their features. They all looked like a dark past had seen them all and I just pretended that nothing mattered at that moment as I waited to see where I would be sleeping.

None of them moved for a while and then I realised that they are all probability waiting for me to speak but when I went to ask I realised that they had been speaking, I wasn't listening. One of them took to repeating my name. Over and over, after a second I responded by looking up.

"Pay attention girl. If you are this bad in lesson I am scared to think what the next seven years are going to be like." I gave an apologetic smile and listened to the voice intently. "Right, you will sleep in a private room, follow me and your things should be there already. Provided Daisy got my message. If not Winky is always ready to help." That comment was more to herself than to me so I kept quiet.

We walked with one another to a wall and then at the touch of a few bricks it moved and I could see a room. Just a bed was in it and a bathroom to the side or I supposed it to be as I saw tiles through the door and it looked small from what I could see. The candles lit as I entered and the fire lit moving up the fireplace, warming the seating area with a sofa and arm chair visible.

"Thank you, Professor," I let out and walked into the room a little farther. My clothes residing beside the bed and soon I pulled them out and placed them on the bed before picking out pyjamas and intricately placing other clothes into the draws. My mind was so busy racing that when a voice spoke I screamed and fell onto the bed.

"Miss Flint, oh, I do apologise." Her voice silenced for a split second and then started up again. Filling my ears as I wiped my face tiredly.
"You are quite the jumpy person. Not that it matters, I was going to say that if you ever have a problem then please feel free to speak to any of us. I don't know anything of your upbringing but from what I have seen you aren't what I expected when a Flint was welcomed up to the stand." She stopped and I could hear the faint sound of something more until she finally spoke again. "Why are you so jumpy?" I didn't really know or I didn't want to tell her the truth. I did know why my mind was so scared of every corner. "Don't lie." It was as if she could tell my thoughts and it unsettled me. To think that she may know what my head was doing at that moment.

"We all have our own pasts. Do we not?" My not so subtle comment wasn't a complete flop as she made a noise that told me she had understood and then she left. Nothing more being said but just as I went to change I pulled paper out and a quill that I had purchased. After my usual clothes were pulled out and then pulled on I sat at the desk in my room. Dipping my quill in ink and then writing to those back home.

Dear Mr, Mrs Austen and child.

Covered the front and then the paper was turned. I had been taught by Hermione how to lay it out and fold it so I followed her rules, word for word.

I am writing to tell you that I have arrived safely and I feel a little odd. The sorting was done but it didn't go to plan. The hat put me in all of the houses so I have to do things differently. I mean, I have my own room and no head of house.

I missed you today but I suppose that was always going to happen. I'm glad I am here though because I get to learn. The girl I met when buying my things is here and she is lovely. Smiling at me and already I have friends, I think. Never really had them before but they are so kind to me that they have to be, right? I mean, we all get along and I love spending time with them. They are in Gryffindor but I want to meet more people. I haven't met a single person from another house yet so it isn't fair to say who I like more.

I hope all is going well but I have to sleep now so I will see you at Christmas. Love you but I must leave you for now.

Your favourite Iona. XXX

The letter was sealed and the string was tied very tightly before finally I left it on the desk. Getting up to sleep. My letter missed out some of what had happened but she would find out later. Perhaps with my next letter even.