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When she looked back, even a month later, Iris found she had only scattered memories of the next few days. It was as though she had been through too much to take in any more. 

The recollections she did have were very painful. The worst, perhaps, was the meeting with the Diggorys that took place the following morning. 

They did not blame her or Harry for what had happened; on the contrary, both thanked them for returning Cedric's body to them. Mr Diggory sobbed through most of the interview. Mrs Diggory's grief seemed to be beyond tears. 

"He suffered very little then," she said when Harry had told her how Cedric had died. "And after all, Amos... he died just when he'd won the tournament. He must have been happy." 

When they got to their feet, she looked down at Harry and said, "You look after yourself, now." She then turned to Iris and said softly, "You meant a great deal to him. He spoke about you all the time."

Iris sniffled back her tears, giving a sad smile to the woman.

Harry seized the sack of gold on the bedside table. 

"You take this," he muttered to Mrs Diggory. "It should've been Cedric's, he got there first, you take it —" 

But she backed away from him. 

"Oh no, it's yours, dear, I couldn't... you two keep it." 

Iris returned to Gryffindor Tower the following evening. From what Hermione and Ron told her, Dumbledore had spoken to the school that morning at breakfast. He had merely requested that they leave Iris and Harry alone, that nobody ask them questions or badger them to tell the story of what had happened in the maze. Most people, she noticed, were skirting her in the corridors, avoiding her eyes. Some whispered behind their hands as she passed.

She thought that perhaps many of them had begun formulating their own theories about how Cedric had died. She found she didn't care very much. Everyone noticed as Iris retreated back into her own little bubble, not really interacting with anyone or anything besides Harry, Hermione, and Ron. She felt as though all four of them had reached an understanding they didn't need to put into words; that each was waiting for some sign, some word, of what was going on outside Hogwarts — and that it was useless to speculate about what might be coming until they knew anything for certain.

Iris spent most of her time in her dorm room, hiding beneath the sheets of her bed as if they could hide her from the world. Sirius and Remus had left rather quickly after Dumbledore asked them to spread the word to their allies about Voldemort's revival. The Weasleys, along with a few other people that Iris hadn't met before, were among those that Dumbledore wanted to reach out to immediately. Iris wished that Sirius didn't have to go, but she knew that this was urgent and needed to be done.

She had fallen into a routine after a day or two. Iris didn't know what to do with herself anymore so she zoned out, retreating within the comfortable confines of her own mind. Every day Hermione would wake up and sit on the edge of Iris' bed, reading or doing something of the like. She wouldn't speak; she knew Iris didn't want to talk, but she kept her company, letting Iris know that she wasn't alone.

A few times Hermione would stand on the magic stairs to allow Harry entrance into the girl's dormitories. He would lay beside Iris, holding her hand. It reminded her of all the years they had spent trapped in the cupboard under the stairs together. Iris knew that Harry wasn't doing very well either. Watching someone get killed took a piece of you away, and they could all see an inevitable darkness building on the horizon.

Iris ended up skipping the rest of her classes. The Professors all seemed to understand and let her be. Of course, Defence Against the Dark Arts had been cancelled for the remaining week of classes, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione would tell her what had been going on around the castle. Harry didn't leave the Common Room much, not wanting to be subject to all the stares and whispers.

It was with a heavy heart that Iris packed her trunk up in the dormitory on the night before her return to Privet Drive. She was dreading the Leaving Feast, which was usually a cause for celebration, when the winner of the Inter-House Championship would be announced.

She stood alone in her dorm, all the other girls out who knows where. Iris was carefully tucking everything into her trunk when a knock sounded from the door.

"Come in," Iris answered.

The person who entered the room surprised her: it was Dumbledore. She had never seen him even in the Gryffindor Common Room, let alone the dorms. He walked in slowly, not saying anything for a few moments.

He spoke carefully, "You are very brave, Iris. And exceedingly kind-spirited... You know, in all my years teaching at Hogwarts, there are few students I have met that possess these traits the way you do. You remind me a great deal of your mother..." Dumbledore sat at the end of Hermione's bed, facing Iris, "There are few who would be able to easily move on from a tragedy like this, but know that you are not alone in your troubles."

Iris' eyes began to get watery as she looked at the kind old Headmaster.

Dumbledore hesitated before continuing, "He loved you very much —"

"Don't... just don't," Iris cut him off, "It hurts too much." Tears escaped her eyes and rolled down her cheeks as she sat on the edge of her bed. "I don't know what to do anymore... I feel like I can't even function... everything I do, I just see him over and over again... dying."

The old wizard watched her with great sadness, "Dark and difficult times lie ahead. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right what is easy." He waited another moment before speaking, "I looked further into the note you were left." Iris looked up at that, "As far as I can find, there is no information on this symbol anywhere. I searched for anything that would give me a clue, but to no avail." Dumbledore sighed wearily, "I will continue looking over the Summer... no harm will come to you, Iris."

⌗ ⌗ ⌗

"Today we acknowledge a really terrible loss."

The Great Hall was normally decorated with the winning House's colours for the Leaving Feast. Tonight, however, there were black drapes on the wall behind the teachers' table. Iris knew instantly that they were there as a mark of respect to Cedric.

Dumbledore's voice rang all throughout the Great Hall, "Cedric Diggory was, as you all know, exceptionally hard-working, intricately fair-minded. And most importantly, a fierce fierce friend." 

There were silent tears pouring down Iris' face. She glanced across the table and to the Hufflepuff one to see Issac, Maddie, and Kasper all sobbing silently as well. Everyone in the Hall seemed glum, but the Hufflepuff students, in particular, were all devastated.

"I think therefore you have the right to know exactly how he died." Dumbledore stood from his bronze chair, "You see, Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort." Quiet gasps rang out around the room at the name, but hearing it just made Iris cry even harder. "The ministry of magic does not wish me to tell you this. But not to do so I think would be an insult to his memory."

Dumbledore spoke softer, "Now the pain we all feel at this dreadful loss reminds me, reminds us, that while we may come from different places and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one. In light of recent events, the bonds of friendship we made this year will be more important than ever. Remember that, and Cedric Diggory will not have died in vain, you remember that and we'll celebrate a boy who was kind, honest, brave and true right to the very end."

Iris would miss him. She would never forget her first love, but the process of putting herself back together was one that she knew would take a long time. This Summer was going to be rough, and Iris had no idea what was in store for her.

It would be tedious and painful, and something big was coming.

They were coming.

⌗ ⌗ ⌗

ahhh!! fourth year is officially done!

I'm so excited for fifth year, I've been planning it since I started this story and I think I've got some really good stuff coming! Thank you all so much for reading, I've been writing this story for so long and to those of you who stuck around all this time, I really appreciate it! And to all my newer readers, thank you so much for deciding to click on my story! I see some of you binging the entire book in like one day which is crazy and means a lot!

I love you guys! See you in fifth-year!