𝒯𝑜 𝒩𝑒𝓌 𝐵𝑒𝑔𝒾𝓃𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈

June 6th, 1994

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒯𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓎-𝒮𝒾𝓍

June at Hogwarts was interesting. Sunsets were so late in the night that it felt as if the sun never went away. One could be preparing for bed and still see remnants of the harsh glow as it disappeared behind the distant hills. It was unfair and really just wrong.

At no point should anyone be leaving dinner and heading off to relax before bed while the sun was still at least an hour away from vanishing from sight. And yet up in the castle... they were.

Up in the castle, it was just a typical night. Up in the castle, it was 7:30 in the evening.

Time to head off to the common rooms after yet another filling dinner. Maybe the mood was a bit more upbeat as the exam stress was off their minds. But it was time to gather around a fire and chat. Or hurry up to freshen up after a long and hot day. Or begin a round of exploding snaps up in the dorms.

Up in the castle, it was a normal night.

Everyone is blissfully ignorant to the events currently unfolding just a ways away... in some abandoned shack residing in Hogsmeade village.

The Shrieking Shack... where currently an event that would change the entire wizarding world, was slowly taking shape.

~~~~~~

"Expelliarmus!" The blasts from three casts attempting the same spell at once shook the Shack, Snape flying into the wall. Harry had just barely had a chance to look at Ron and Hermione when another spell flew into the room.

"Immobulus!" The entire room seemed to freeze, the five known occupants of the room unable to so much as blink.

From the shadows of the hallway, Iris would tentatively enter the room, a floorboard creaking. Eyes darting between each and every person. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Remus... Sirius Black. Tearing her eyes from the crazed man, she looked over towards Snape. Watched his chest rise and fall for a moment, confirming to herself that he was not only alive but probably going to be out for a bit.

Tugging at her tied-up hair with a free hand, clutching her wand with her other. Moving her eyes back to Sirius Black... she could only say one thing to the room's silence, "What the fuck."

Letting out a sigh, Iris asked the only question that mattered, "Who wants to explain?"

...

In an instant, Iris's eyes grew darker, and her body turned away from Black as she spun in a circle, sending a glare throughout the room, "Not all at once," her jaw clenched, "all of you shouting at me is going to get us nowhere. So shut up."

Their thoughts must have quieted as quickly as they had begun, for Iris dropped the glare. Stopping in place, Iris took a breath, crouching down. Her eyes absently wandered the room as she rubbed at her temple with her free hand.

The wallpaper may as well of been nonexistent. With how old and torn up it was, the wood beneath may as well of been all that was ever there. The floors were old, nails sticking up, bent over in some cases. There was furniture, just about none of it where it was probably supposed to be. The couch, for one, was not only ripped apart to near shreds but laid rather poorly on its back in the middle of the room. Dust flew through the air, and there was most definitely some sort of mold or some undiscovered disease lurking somewhere.

The Shrieking Shack had most definitely had better days... long, long ago.

But the room condition was the least of Iris Blackwell's problems... so as her eyes carried back over to Remus Lupin, she stood abruptly. Her wand flicking in hand.