I Still Love You, Werewolf and All

The Ugly Truth

Fluttering her eyes open Iris felt numb, moving her body to sit up Iris's mouth opened to scream but no noise came out of her mouth. Looking around the room, Iris noticed a mob of long red hair sleeping next to her. "Lily" her voice sounding like a harsh whisper, reaching over Iris shook her best friend's arm. "Lily" she said again but her voice still sounded like a whisper, Lily jumped up and looked around. "Iris!" she screamed, "Bloody hell you're alive!" Lily reached over and hugged her but pulled back when Iris yelped in pain. "Water" Iris croaked out, Lily instantly poured Iris a cup of water and handed it to her watching her friend gulp it down. Madam Pomfrey dropped her tray of supplies seeing Iris awake, "Miss Evans please go get Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall. Now." she demanded and Lily wasted no time running off.

Running down to the great hall, Lily ignored the looks from other students who had returned from Christmas break and ran straight up to the Professor's. "Miss Evans! What is the meaning of this?" McGonagall sharply asked, "It's Iris! She's awake!" Dumbledore and McGonagall stood up and rushed out of the great hall. Remus and Peter noticed and followed them thought James and Sirius sat there like mindless creatures. Turning around Remus ran back to his friends and picked up a random book, "Will" hit "you" hit "stop" hit "eating" Sirius grabbed the book before Remus could hit him again. "Oi! What the bloody hell is your problem?" Sirius shouted, "Iris is awake! Let's go!" both boys scramble up and ran to the hospital wing where Peter and Lily were waiting. "They won't let us in yet" Peter told the boys, "Why not?!" Remus asked, "Dumbledore is talking to her to figure out what happened" Peter explained, they all stood quietly staring at the big oak doors.

"My dear you look awful" Madam Pomfrey gushed as she rubbed more healing cream on her cuts and bruises. "How long have I been out?" Iris asked her voice still hoarse but not as bad as when she first woke up. "A couple of weeks dear." McGonagall told her, Dumbledore stepped forward, "Iris... I need you to explain what happened to you" Dumbledore softly said. "Where are my friends?" Iris asked, "You may seem them after--" "No" Iris said cutting Dumbledore off. "They need to hear this too" McGonagall hesitated but opened the doors to let in the very worried friends. "IRIS!" they all shouted in unison as they ran over to her embracing her in a group hug. "We're so relieved that you're okay!" James told her, "What the bloody hell happened to you?" Sirius asked, she could tell he was trying not to yell. "That Mr Black is why we are all here" Dumbledore said, "Who did this to you my dear?" Dumbledore asked Iris. "My parents" she mumbled looking down, "My parents never liked me. Everything I ever did was wrong, and I got punished for it. At first it started with skipping meals and verbal abuse..." Iris took a shaky breath, a warm hand grabbed hers and Remus squeezed it lightly. "A year ago after pulling my prank at Beauxbaton that's when the physical abuse started. They used spells to send me flying back into the stone wall, they threw me down the stairs, punched me, kicked me and they used a-a curse" by now Iris was in tears, so where Lily, Remus and Peter. James and Sirius were trying to stay strong and not cry but a few tears slipped down their cheeks. "What curse did they use against you?" Dumbledore asked, Iris shut her eyes and shook her head. "Iris... please. Don't hide anymore, we're here with you. To help you." Remus gently told her. "T-They used the c-cruatious c-curse" Iris cried her book shook from the sobs that escaped her lips, Remus stood up and wrapped his arms around her holding Iris close to him, his own tears falling into her hair. "I ask that you all stay with her until I return" Dumbledore told the Marauders and Lily. "Shh, it's okay Iris you're safe now." James cooed. Pulling back from Remus's embrace, Iris wiped her eyes, "I'm sorry" she told her friends. "For what?" James asked, "You have nothing to be sorry about darling" Sirius said using the pet name he made up for her when they were kids. Not wanting to dwell on her own sadness, Iris asked the group to catch her up on everyone's holiday.

McGonagall followed Dumbledore into his office, the head of the Gryffindor house was still trying to process the information. "Albus, what are we going to do? Surely we cannot allow things to go on" Dumbledore said nothing, he simply paced back n' forth. Finally after what seemed like hours he sat down behind his desk. "For the first time Minerva, I don't know." McGonagall sat down next to him, "We'll think of something"

Iris sat with Lily as the two girls talked about Lily's holiday, she shared some of her favorite muggle traditions. "How come you never told us?" Lily asked her best friend, Iris shrugged "I didn't want you to feel sorry for me. I also felt ashamed." "Ashamed?" Peter asked as the Marauders joined them in the medical wing. "Ashamed because I'm no Gryffindor. I'm not brave or courageous" Iris sighed, "That's not true." James said, looking over at the clock Iris yawned. "You guys should head back to the tower, it's getting late." "Are you sure?" Lily asked, "I'm sure, I'm safe here" she told them, Iris gave each person a hug but Remus stayed behind. "Remus?" she asked, "I don't want to leave you" he mumbled, "Remus I'll be okay. And thank you, you saved me" she gratefully told him. "Wish I could do more" he told her as she pulled him down into a hug. "I'm alive because of you. I cannot thank you enough." kissing his cheek Remus's face flushed a bright red when he pulled away. "Good night Remus" "G-Goodnight" he stuttered walking away.

God I'm so stupid! I should've told her! Walking into the common room Remus picked up a pillow and threw it. "What's got your wand in a twist Moony?" Sirius asked, "I should've told her" "Told who what?" Peter asked, "To tell Iris that you fancy her!" James shouted looking like a kid in a candy store. Why couldn't I just tell her?