Don't Give Up

J. J. - no, Juliet, she remind herself firmly as she looked at her reflection in a passing window - strolled down the street, humming softly to herself as she went.

The summer heat was getting rather unbareable, however the young girl refused to quite her wandering.

She couldn't exactly say why other than...

If she quit wandering then... well what would she do?

The truth of the matter was, she felt as if she had done everything there was left to do...

And now she was just...

Waiting for something new to come along.

Iris wandered around the streets aimlessly, not really bothered as to where she was headed. It just felt good to be back in England away from boring Russia, though she had to admit that Durmstrang was quite an experience. She didn't feel it much often, but she was actually getting used to the people there.

She ran her hands through her hair, as she glanced at the people. The scars on her hands were beginning to fade, but there were a few on her face still visible. Every time she looked in the mirror, all she wanted to do was kill the bastard.

Lost in her own thoughts, she suddenly bumped into someone. "Sorry," she muttered, least bothered whether it was her fault or not.

Juliet stumbled forward slightly someone walked into her. She brushed her hair out of her face, and turned to frown slightly at the person.

"Its no problem," she said after a moment, running a hand through her hair and grinning instead, "I'm sure I've walked into more than my fair share of people in my life."

She tilted her head slightly, and frowned, "Hey... do I know you?"

The face looked slightly familiar, like she should be able to place it, but... the young girl just couldn't.

Iris nodded her head absentmindedly before looking up into the face of the girl she had bumped into.

"Jones," she said, slight surprise in her tone. Rolling her eyes at the younger girl's question, she replied, "Of course you know me, we both go to Hogwarts. Name's Grayson, if that rings a bell."

She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration and forced herself to calm down. No use of being agitated for no reason.

"So what brings you here?" She asked, glancing around at the crowd of people.

Juliet gave a sheepish grin, "Right sorry... I can be a little slow sometimes."

"Hello Grayson... I haven't seen you around much," she frowned softly, and then got an idea, "Did you go on the exchange then?"

"It's fine, I'm just a little edgier than usual," Iris told with a shrug.

"Yeah, I did. And let me tell you, even though Russia is fucking depressing, Durmstrang was quite the school," she commented and smirked lightly. "The professors? Definitely crazier than ours."

She leaned against one of the building walls and looked the girl over. "So how have you been?"

Juliet nodded her head, running a hand nervously through her hair, "Hey, I suppose were all a little on edge every now and again."

"Is it? I spoke to someone of the exchange students, and they all seemed nice enough... I would think it be interesting to go to another school," she said whistfully, "But I know I could never cope with the other language. A linguist I am not."

"I've definitly been worse," she responded easily.

"But I've been on edge this whole year Jones," Iris admitted with a sigh. "Things have been so messed up and now coming back here, I don't know whether to be relieved or irked."

She nodded her head, "You should go, it'll be fun. Trust me, once you get out of the Hogwarts walls, you'll realize it's nice to be in a different atmosphere." She shrugged. "Hm, Russian is a bit difficult to learn, but you've got to try."

"Worse? I know how that feels," she muttered and smiled, though there was no humour in it.

The words struck home with the young girl, she nodded her head slightly, "I say feel whichever one suits the moment; being irked always seems to get things out."

"I'll think about it, thanks," she smiled kindly. The idea of seeing new places, gaining new experiences did sound interesting. However... she still wasn't sure if it was quite... for her.

"Hey," she grinned lightly, shrugging her shoulders, "At least the thing about worse means there has to be a better... there... somewhere."

Iris grinned lightly and nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, me and relieved don't get along very well. I have almost forgotten the feeling. But when you are faced with near death situations, 'relieved' seems to be the right thing once you escape."

"Still waiting for the better to come along Jones," she commented. "I know that good things come to those who wait, but honestly? I feel like I've waited long enough. Sadly, I'm not the judge of that," she shook her head.

Juliet shrugged her shoulders grinned, "I certainly feel that that is a good reaction for it... though sometimes... there are other emotions to ruin that relief."

Guilt... fear... mostly guilt. J. J. remembered a lot of guilt.

"I guess there's just nothing to do but wait, life can change at anytime... with a flip of a coin; I suppose we just have to take each flip as it comes, and pray the next on is better than the last."

"That's the sad thing Jones, whatever good feeling we get used to it, it never lasts for long because something else will come and ruin it," Iris stated, giving the Hufflepuff a shrug.

"Sadly for me, I'm not really a patient person. And honestly, I'm fucking tired of waiting for something good to come along. Plus, I just feel like quitting everything and going off somewhere so no more bastards can find me again." She muttered.

Getting kidnapped isn't something anyone would like to go through even once, let alone twice.

"Guilt, fear, anger, confusion," she glances at the girl, listing all the feelings she had felt, feelings that had replaced the relief almost immediately. She hardly even remember feeling any relief at all.

"Then go," she shrugged. "I suppose... if thats what you want to do - try it. Its your life right?"