Out Of Time (Fred Weasley)

Chapter 19

The next few months went by rather quickly. Barty Crouch had disappeared and Iris knew who was responsible for that. As much as Iris wanted to turn the culprit in she knew they had to be the one to place the cup in the maze for the final task.

Fred and Harry were beginning to get worried when her humorous personality slowly disappeared and was replaced by a nervous wreck. Iris spent a lot of time in the room of requirements practicing spells she knew she was going to need.

"Is everything alright?" Fred asked one night after supper when he noticed she barely ate anything.

"Yeah, never been better." She replied when they were outside the Great Hall.

"You're lying."

"Fred leave me alone!" Iris yelled. The lights in the castle began to flicker and suddenly went out plunging the entire castle into darkness.

"Iris." Harry ran over to his sister and wrapped her into a hug.

"You're ok. Everything's ok." He said soothingly. Iris began crying.

"Everything's ok." Harry kept repeating.

"We have to protect him, Harry. We have to." Iris sobbed.

"We will."

"How do you know that? You have no idea what's coming." She sniffed.

"Then tell me. Iris, tell me what's going on."

"I-I can't." She stammered.

"Then tell me what I can do."

"Protect him. Protect Cedric." She whispered.

A few days later came the day Iris was dreading. The morning of the final task Iris braided her hair, looked in the mirror and took a deep breath. She knew she had to stop what was to come. Even if it meant trading places with Cedric. Iris splashed water across her face and used cover up to hide the bags under her eyes. She took one more look in the mirror then left the bathroom. Fred met her in the common room.

"You ok?" He asked.

"I feel like I'm about to enter the hunger games." She grumbled. Fred gave her a look.

"Sorry, It's a muggle book from the future. I keep forgetting that a lot of the stuff I say hasn't happened yet." She sighed tugging nervously at the golden snitch necklace that Fred had given her.

"Hey everything's going to be ok. No need to worry." Fred said.

"That's when I worry the most." She said as the two headed down to the Great Hall. Iris picked at her food. Her stomach was in knots.

"You need to eat, Iris." Fred insisted piling all types of food on her plate.

"The idea is for her to eat. Not throw up. Honestly Fred, do you think she's Ron?" Hermione snapped.

"I'm only trying to help." Fred protested.

"I appreciate it, but really I'm fine."

"You're joking, right? Because a bird eats more than you." George said, raising an eyebrow.

"Please stop." Iris moaned, banging her head against the table.

"They're right you know. You really do need to eat." A voice behind her said.

"Etu Theo." Iris said dramatically placing a hand over her heart.

"Iris, your acting skills are just as bad as Malfoy's." Theo said, rolling his eyes.

"I'm insulted." Iris gasped.

"There's the old Iris we know and love." Fred said with a smile.

"Probably won't last long." Iris muttered.

"Why are you being pessimistic? What's the worst that could happen?" George inquiried. Iris swallowed hard and exchanged nervous glances with Theo and Fred.

"Is there something I'm missing?" George asked.

"Everything's dandy. My look at the time." Iris said quickly standing up. As she headed for the door George followed her out.

"I know you're lying. You think I wouldn't find out that you're Harry's sister?"

Iris froze in her tracks and turned around slowly.

"How'd you know?"

"Doesn't matter how I know. I'm just upset you didn't trust me enough to tell me. I'm your best friend."

"I'm sorry, ok. I promise I'll tell you everything as soon as this bloody tournament is over."

"Is everything alright?"

"George, I have to go."

"Iris you don't look ok."

"George please."

"It's not like someone's going to die."When he noticed her reaction he said.

"Someone's going to die."

"That's what I'm trying to prevent."

"Is this the reason you entered the tournament?"

"Look I'd love to stay and explain everything, but I need to go." Iris said, trying to stay calm. She turned and left George standing there.

"Everything is going to be ok." She kept thinking to herself as she headed down to the quidditch pitch which now housed the maze. She began shifting in her spot waiting for the games to begin.

"Good luck." Cedric said to her. Iris gave him a weak smile.

"May the odds be ever in your favor." She said.

"And trust me you're going to need it." She thought.

"Nous protégeons ceux qui ne peuvent pas se protéger eux-mêmes." Iris kept saying to herself.

"Tu parles français?" A voice behind her said. Iris turned to Fleur and replied.

"Oui parfaitement." (Yes, perfectly)

"Pourquoi répétez-vous cette phrase?" (Why do you keep repeating that phrase?)

"Sans raison." (No reason)

Before Fleur could say anything the third task began. Cedric and Harry were the first to enter the maze. Victor entered some time later. Since Iris was in fourth she was to go in next.

"Welcome to the seventy fourth hunger games." She muttered to herself as she entered the maze. Iris took off running using various spells to defeat the wrath of the death trap she was currently in. She had to find Harry and Cedric.

"Harry." She yelled in between pants. She saw Cedric and Harry arguing who was to claim the glory.

"Don't let him touch it, Harry! Don't let him!" She began to pick up the pace. But, as she got closer she saw both of them place a hand on the cup.