ELYSIUM • G. WEASLEY

FOURTEEN

"Let's summarise once more."

"Iris-"

"Just one more time," she insisted, eyes wide as she looked at George momentarily before she continued to walk around, kept on pacing back and forth in the narrow space that had once been the corridor from her building's front door to the staircase and the lift. George and Iris had arrived in the building her family lived in a few minutes ago. Throughout their trip to her apartment, she hadn't stopped telling him about her family, about the things he should and shouldn't do. It was evident Iris was nervous. George had felt nervous too when he had gotten ready at home but after all this time of hearing her stressing, he had gotten over his angst.

"Sweetheart, it's going to be alright," he tried to reassure her, but she had already started to think out loud.

"No talks of magic, no exclamations of Merlin, if they ask, you work in a shop selling pranks—I hope they won't pry since they aren't all that enthusiastic about those—you have hidden your wand in your pocket so it won't be seen, right?"

"Yeah, Iris," he assured her once more, "it's in my coat pocket."

"Good, good. Priam will like you for sure if you are attentive and show interest, especially if you show interest about his boyfriend. Mum will be pleased if she sees you are polite and that you care about me. Anything you don't understand—weird mythology tales or something along those lines—you ask me, discreetly, when she's not looking or else there will be an even worse rant afterwards. You may also-"

George reached over, pressed a finger against her lips. Iris's eyes widened as she looked up at him, the interruption bewildering her enough to strike her silent. He reached down to press a kiss against her forehead.

"Stop being so agitated. I'm the one about to go through a trial, not you."

"I just want to be sure it will go well," she pouted slightly as he let his hand fall back down by his side, although before she could say another word, he was leaning in, pressing a kiss against her lips, just a small peck.

"It will go well," he insisted, "you've prepared me enough. We should go up before we are late."

For a moment, George thought she would resist, insist they got over all he should and shouldn't do once more before he met her family. He was rather relieved to see her give in with a nod, although it was clear to him she did so even though she was still hesitant. He reached for her hand as they ascended the staircase, squeezed it in an effort to reassure her. Soon, they were standing in front of the door of the apartment her family stayed at.

George let her have a moment to herself once more, just to gather her nerves. He didn't attempt to hide his smile when she finally reached to ring the bell. She turned to him with a reassuring smile—he was still convinced she meant to reassure herself more than him but he let it slide—moments before the door opened and George came face to face with a boy—a young man—that looked startlingly a lot like Iris.

It could be no other than her brother, Priam. He briefly glanced at him as he moved to pull Iris into a hug, the two of them swaying for a moment before they pulled back and finally, Priam turned to George. He extended an arm towards him at once.

"Priam," he introduced himself as George shook his head.

"George," he said in return, "you look extremely alike."

"Yeah, we get that a lot," Priam admitted, moving to the side to let them pass. "Mum, they are here!"

"Oh," her mother was heard from somewhere in the house, and Iris couldn't help but smile slightly as she heard her rapid footsteps heading to the door. Rose stopped a few ways away with a bright smile. "You must be George. Iris has told us about you."