A Troubled Heart ❥ D.M.

C H A P T E R T W O

Y E A R O N E +
C O N T .//

My first year certainly filled me with much anxiety. I found myself having panic attacks nearly every week. Madame Pomfrey was always kind enough to welcome me into the hospital wing. She said there was no direct cure for my anxiety, but she always had a cup of warm pumpkin juice ready for me.

The library was my second stress-relieving place. Of course, there, I always ended up with a school book. Potions for Beginners and Potions for the Daft were my top choices as I was failing potions terribly. The eye-brow incident was only the beginning of my troubles. Professor Snape dreaded the days he had first-year Ravenclaw for potions because of me, specifically.

Fortunately, I was not placed in Ravenclaw for solely my intelligence, but as well as my creativity. Professor Flitwick, head of my house, also conducted the school's frog choir. I never sang before, but I figured an extra activity would do me some good. After all, most students joined Quidditch, and I definitely did not have a talent for sports of any kind. I helped Professor Flitwick write music for the choir and together we drafted a performance for Christmas dinner at the end of the term.

By the end of the first semester, Hermione and I read nearly every book in the library in hopes of explaining an odd magical object referred to as the Sorcerer's Stone. I asked Celia if she knew anything about the object over winter break, but she had no answer. All she told me was to be careful and to not cause any trouble. She didn't speak much to me over break. In fact, she spent the entire break exchanging letters with someone else. An owl dropped a letter at our door one day, but it was sealed shut with a stamp that read MM. "This is not of your concern, Iris," Celia snatched the letter from my hand. "Perhaps you will understand when you are older." She excused herself to her study frequently, but always refused to tell me what it was she worked on.

Second semester went about the same as the first. Of course, it ended much more, well, strange. Harry faced Voldemort--sort of. The dark wizard latched himself onto our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. He suspected Voldemort won't be gone for long, but surely that was rubbish. At least, Marietta said so.

The summer at Celia's new home in London was awfully boring and quiet. She refused to let me out of the house, and any time I raised my voice she would become easily startled, which is why I tried my best to stay quiet. It was obvious there was something causing stress. Her eyes always looked so tired, like she couldn't sleep. And the letters with MM continued. Nightmares tormented me through the months of the break, and soon I couldn't sleep either. I often wrote to my friends, but never got an owl in return. I knew Ron would be visiting Egypt with his family, and Marietta, on a magical cruise around the world, and Harry's aunt and uncle, the Dursely's, never allowed owls in the house, but what about Hermione, and Cho? Michael?

Another year of shenanigans only added to my sleep deprivation. I hoped my second year would be less chaotic, but it turned out to be just the opposite. Something called the Chamber of Secrets was opened, and Muggleborn children were being attacked. I, of course, was safe, but people like Hermione were not. Without the help of the brilliant girl, the boys and I were left to figure out who it was who opened the chamber, and where it was. Harry, Ron and I traveled into the Chamber where Harry met Tom Riddle, or as he is better known, Voldemort. I hoped third year would not consist of another encounter with the Dark Lord.

❁ ❁ ❁

It was a cold September 1st. Celia did not see me off at the train station, but she did make sure I wore a sweater in order to prevent sickness. "Blue looks lovely on you," She pressed her cold lips to my forehead. "Be good, and keep up those grades, d'accord?" I nodded before exiting the home with Étoile who pranced by my side.