𝒮𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓂'𝓈 𝒜 𝐵𝓇𝑒𝓌𝒾𝓃'

August 25th, 1994

A scream rang through the air.

The boy was on his feet in a split second, his powerful stride pushing him through the partiers, his focus on that of the tent flap and that only. The room had silenced in an instant at the scream. Everyone stared in nothing but confusion as they attempted to make sense of it. Eyes locked on the boy as he approached the flap. Breaths held as they watched him push it aside...

The silence was quashed.

Screams and panic pounded their way into the quiet of the tent. The warm glow of the candles quickly replaced with the dark tint that hung in the air. The stench of alcohol was chased away by the smoke that wafted in.

As the politicians and elites stood in shock... the people outside were in a panic, running for safety.

"Vince! Go straight to our tent and grab everyone!" The boy barked the order before stepping outside, leaving behind the high class and jumping straight into the chaos.

He took in the view around him for a second. Watching as people ran around frantically, trampling over anything and everyone in the mad dash for the surrounding woods. Watching as the fire washed over tents like water, spreading so quickly in every direction you could never keep up. Watching the marching crowd off in the distance, chanting and rallying. Watching the four figures up in the air... two much smaller than the others, being contorted in ways that twisted the stomach.

The boy was jolted back as a fleeing woman rammed into his shoulder, sending her tumbling to the ground. Spinning to help her stand and regain balance, he watched her disappear back into the mass of people.

Then he turned back to the figures in the sky... and setting his jaw, he took off. In the blink of an eye... the boy gone, and a black wolf there. Running against the crowd.

~~~~~~

Iris jolted from her bed. Suddenly upright as her face set, her eyes locked in the direction she had heard it.

It. A sound that had yet to reach that of normal ears.

A scream.

She glanced at the sleeping figure across the room before silently climbing off her bed. Soundlessly leaving the room, she tucked her wand into the waistband of her pajama bottoms.

Her feet padded against the hardwood floors of the extended magic tent, carrying her into the sitting room. Her eyes first landed on the couch occupied by Theodore Nott, who had been invited to stay instead of heading home so late. His chest raised and fell in a steady pattern... he slept peacefully. So, next, Iris' eyes could only go to the exit of the tent.

She walked as light on her feet as she could, stepping around obstacles as quickly but as silently as possible. Not wanting to disturb the boy before she could confirm what she did or did not hear.

So step by step, she neared the exit and tightened the grip on her wand... Iris pushed through to the outside.

At first, it was nothing... just a silent night, nearly late enough for everyone to have finished celebrating and finally settle. Then she looked back in the direction she had heard it... and that was where things began to make sense.

Off not far in the distance, Iris could see the haunting glow of a fire, and slowly the screams were coming closer. Whatever panic was ensuing was slowly and surely coming their way. And if she really strained... really pushed herself... she could hear the chants and rallying in the distance... also growing louder.

Iris barged back into the tent, hurrying over to the couch first. Ripping the pillow out from under the boy before slamming it on his face. Already walking towards the bedrooms, she demanded over her shoulder, "Get up now!"