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Over the course of the next few weeks, Iris took time to simply enjoy life. Without anything to be worrying about until May she was free to hang out with friends, go to Hogsmeade, be carefree for just a little while. The days gradually grew warmer as the season changed to Spring leaving a positive feeling spread across all the students. Everyone was feeling refreshed and excited for the last of the school year with the exception of the fifth and seventh years, who were busy preparing for their O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. exams.

The one thing that managed to bring Iris' mood down was a strange thing. She didn't understand it. Every so often, when she was particularly stressed or tired, she would notice tiny red sparks would begin to come from her hands. Iris didn't know what it was, and that scared her. They would usually go away within a couple of minutes, but Iris was extra cautious to hide them away from any prying eyes. She didn't want anyone thinking she was further off the rails than they probably already thought she was just because of what was probably just some random accidental magic.

Rita Skeeter had been relentless in her gossip column, attacking Iris and pretty much everyone else she knew with false rumours. They had learned to take it as a joke now as there wasn't much else they could do about it. The rude and lying woman had probably written entire pages by that point about Iris and Cedric's relationship. She had tried to pit the two against each other, added Harry to the mix by saying he didn't approve of Cedric and would fight him. She then went back to the star-crossed lovers story, claiming that they would do anything for each other and that the two would team up to win (which is not only ridiculous but against the rules).

On a Friday in early April, Iris was heading to her last class of the day, Divination, when she saw Cedric coming towards her from directly ahead. He wore his signature smile as he weaved through the rest of the students heading to their classes. Iris met him in the middle where he then turned around back to the direction he came, the direction Iris was headed, and took her hand, interlacing their fingers.

He walked a couple of steps with her before leaning in and saying with a mischievous smile, "Come with me."

Iris laughed, "I can't."

"And why's that?"

"Because I have class, and so do you," Iris replied with a smile, knowing that he was supposed to be on his way to Herbology.

Cedric swung their hands back and forth, his eyes twinkling brightly as he looked at her, "But the thing is, you and I don't have exams. And I really don't think you're going to be missing much in Divination."

Iris thought about it for a moment... he did have a good point.

She gave in and soon the two were laying out on the lawn in front of the Black Lake. It was the spot where they had their first kiss. She had had so many first with Cedric... part of Iris hoped he would also be her last. She assumed everyone who was in love had these thoughts, the hope that they would last forever. Cedric was absolutely perfect in her eyes, he was everything she had ever dreamed of and he gave her everything she wanted in a relationship. She couldn't think of a single reason why they would break up, and after all, if her parents could last from their teenage romance, why couldn't she?

"Okay, so I have something to ask you," Cedric began, looking at Iris. He was laying back, propped up on his arms with his legs stretched out in front of him. It was a warm day and the sun was blazing above, shining a golden glow onto the two of them. Iris sat crisscrossed facing him, holding a hand up to shield her eyes from the sunlight.

Iris looked at him inquisitorially, and with her attention, he continued, "And you can think about it or if you say no that's totally fine," he reassured her, "My parents and I are going on a vacation to France this Summer. It's going to be for two weeks, and I would love it if you came with us."

Iris didn't know what to say. She was sure her shocked facial expression was speaking for her though. Cedric looked amused at her reaction, though a bit nervous.

"Wow... that would be amazing Cedric. Besides coming here, I've never left the country," Iris admitted, "I need to talk to Harry first though."

Cedric nodded immediately, "Yeah, of course, take your time." He smiled at her.

⌗ ⌗ ⌗

Soon after, Easter break came and went. The start of the Summer term would normally have meant that Harry was training hard for the last Quidditch match of the season and Iris was studying for final exams. This year, however, it was the third and final task in the Triwizard Tournament for which they needed to prepare, but the twins still didn't know what they would have to do. Finally, in the last week of May, Professor McGonagall held Iris and Harry back in Transfiguration. 

"You two are to go down to the Quidditch field tonight at nine o'clock," she told him. "Mr Bagman will be there to tell the champions about the third task." 

So at half-past eight that night. Iris and Harry left Ron and Hermione in Gryffindor Tower and went downstairs. As they crossed the entrance hall, Cedric came up from the Hufflepuff common room. 

"What d'you reckon it's going to be?" he asked them as they went together down the stone steps, out into the cloudy night.

Iris, who had spoken to the Beauxbatons champion on a few occasions said, "Fleur keeps going on about underground tunnels; she reckons we've got to find treasure." 

"That wouldn't be too bad," said Harry, and Iris could see that he was thinking that he would simply ask Hagrid for a niffler to do the job for him. She had to admit, that wasn't a bad idea.

They walked down the dark lawn to the Quidditch stadium, turned through a gap in the stands, and walked out onto the field. 

"What've they done to it?" Cedric said indignantly, stopping dead. 

The Quidditch field was no longer smooth and flat. It looked as though somebody had been building long, low walls all over it that twisted and crisscrossed in every direction. Iris started chuckling as the two boys looked on at their beloved field in mild horror.

"They're hedges!" said Harry, bending to examine the nearest one. 

"Hello there!" called a cheery voice. 

Ludo Bagman was standing in the middle of the field with Krum and Fleur. Iris, Harry, and Cedric made their way toward them, climbing over the hedges. Fleur beamed at the twins as they came nearer. Her attitude toward them had changed completely since they had saved her sister from the lake. 

"Well, what d'you think?" said Bagman happily as the three of them climbed over the last hedge. "Growing nicely, aren't they? Give them a month and Hagrid'll have them twenty feet high. Don't worry," he added, grinning, spotting the less-than-happy expressions on Harry's and Cedric's faces, "you'll have your Quidditch field back to normal once the task is over! Now, I imagine you can guess what we're making here?" 

No one spoke for a moment. Then — "Maze," grunted Krum. 

"That's right!" said Bagman. "A maze. The third task's really very straightforward. The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the centre of the maze. The first champion to touch it will receive full marks." 

That didn't sound too bad to Iris. But knowing the tournament, she knew that it wouldn't be that easy.

"We seemply 'ave to get through the maze?" said Fleur. 

"There will be obstacles," said Bagman happily, bouncing on the balls of his feet. 

"Hagrid is providing a number of creatures... then there will be spells that must be broken... all that sort of thing, you know. Now, the champions who are leading on points will get a head start into the maze." Bagman grinned at Harry and Cedric. "Then Mr Krum will enter... then Miss Potter... and then Miss Delacour. But you'll all be in with a fighting chance, depending on how well you get past the obstacles. Should be fun, eh?" 

Iris, who knew only too well the kind of creatures that Hagrid was likely to provide for an event like this, thought it was unlikely to be any fun at all. However, she nodded politely like the other champions. 

"Very well... if you haven't got any questions, we'll go back up to the castle, shall we, it's a bit chilly..." 

Iris agreed and with a final look at the hedges, she made her way out of the arena. Cedric was walking beside her but she noticed that Harry had been stopped up by Krum. Within a second of trying to figure out what that was all about, Iris had to stop herself from laughing. Krum was worried about Harry and Hermione? The thought alone was enough to make her chuckle, which she tried to stop with a cough.

"What is it?" Cedric asked curiously.

Iris suppressed a smile, "It's nothing, just that Krum's jealous of my brother and Hermione."

He laughed at that. It took them a few minutes to get back to the castle, partly due to the fact that they were taking their time, laughing in the brisk air and stealing kisses.

They parted when they got to the staircase where Cedric would split off to his common room.

"The task is going to be fine," Iris told him, "And I believe in you. We're so close to being done!"

He grinned, "Yeah, I can't really say I'll miss it. I'll be glad when it's over with and all I have to stress about is normal classes and exams next year."

Cedric took a step closer and leaned down, pressing his lips to hers.

When they pulled apart, Cedric softly said, "Goodnight."

Iris smiled lovingly at him and whispered, "I love you."

"I love you too."

After they parted ways, Iris quickly made her way up to the Gryffindor common room. She was tired and ready to crash into her soft bed and go to sleep. Hermione was in the main room,  reading as usual. They waved in greeting before Iris headed upstairs to their dormitory.

When she first walked in, Iris didn't notice anything unusual.

But when she walked over to her bed, she found something peculiar resting on top of her pillow. It was a piece of parchment the size of a business card. There was nothing on it besides a single symbol. It looked like a crest to Iris; a shield with a bolt of lightning slashed across the middle.

Greatly confused and curious, Iris flipped the parchment to the other side. What she saw chilled her to the bone and sent a shiver down her spine.

We're watching you.

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and the mysteries keep on coming

thank you all so much for your positive comments on the last chapter! it really made my day to see that so many of you are enjoying the story!

the next chapter will be the third task! ahh it's starting, get scared :)