death's anniversary

She was back in England for a couple of days before she had to head of back to France. She didn't mind in going out for a night and ditching her older brothers as she walked through the muggle world.

Besides, she knew that they would leave her anyways, to go snog their girlfriends and what not. Going through her usual route to the entrance to the Derelict building, Charlotte was greeted by the chaos that had come around her. Seating herself in an empty stool in one of the many rooms, she took out the cold coconut rum that she had brought along.

Today had been the second anniversary of Mavis's death and she no other way to cope with it than drinking it away. She would've usually taken a smoke but she didn't want to kill her lungs a little bit more.

Her hand went through her hair, as she tried to tame her loose curls and took a drink directly from the bottle. Scanning the place, she took it all in. It was chaos.

If it were up to her, she'd start cleaning up the place due to how messy it was. It was really a way for her to find some way to control her life. A clean place for her messy life.

Her mind had someone drifted to Grayson. Charlotte wasn't as mean to her last time they had talked and she wasn't exactly thrilled about it. Due to their last encounter, her thoughts about the Gryffindor had altered slightly, enough to not want to throttle her an enough to actually be decent near her.

"Pfft," she scoffed as she placed the open of the bottle on her lips.

Iris sighed as she walked along the Muggle streets, taking it all in. It was nearly the end of the summer and school would opening once again after two weeks.

Though her summer had been sort of adventurous, she dreaded going back to Hogwarts for the reason that she wasn't looking forward to telling Hades about the thing with Alec.
She couldn't deny that it was immensely fun, though the hangover at his place was anything but that.

She looked around the surroundings and found that she had somehow ended up in front of the Derelict building. She remembered vaguely using this place as a hideout, for when police or bad guys were after her. Of course, she hadn't seen it in years though.

Once she entered, she shook her head as she saw the mess and noticed that pretty much all the rooms were in the same condition. She stumbled into another empty room and spotted someone she wasn't that surprised to see.

"Hey there, West!" She called out as she made her way over to the girl. "What brings you here?"

Her head snapping up to the voice, Charlotte couldn't help but let out a small laughing scoff. Shaking her head incredulously at the fact that the Gryffindor was in front of her. She didn't think that she would ever find Grayson in a place like this.

"Grayson," she replied as she tilted the top of her bottle towards her as a greeting. "Eh, couple of days in England. What brings you to my second favorite humble abode?" The blonde took a drink from her bottle sloppily and as a few of it ran down the edge of her lips, she wiped it away with the back of her hand. It was a fragile night for her, no doubt and it would probably be the simple bottle of alcohol, not even half way through, that would make her break down in front of the other girl.

Although she prided herself with holding onto her alcohol like a pro, Charlotte was sure that she wouldn't be able that night.

Iris frowned as she looked at the Slytherin girl. Sure she was used to seeing drunk people, but this seemed to be more than that. It was as though West was forcing the alcohol down her throat and surprisingly, the Gryffindor felt a bit worried.

Shaking her head, she said, "Your humble abode, huh? Well, I just appeared in front of the building unintentionally and realized this was my hiding spot when I was a kid." She sat down next to the blonde, and was glad she didn't have any alcohol in her pocket this time. She wasn't sure whether she should question the other blonde's depressive state, considering they weren't exactly friends as such. But from the way West was drinking, she couldn't help but snatch the bottle away.

"Mind telling me what's going on here, West? Because this is really not like you," she remarked with a raised eyebrow. There was an undertone of concern in her voice, but she hid it well.

"Yep, isn't it fucking beautiful," Charlotte laughed humorlessly as she motioned the destroyed building around her. "I mean, I really poured hard thought when I destroyed the ceiling in the room next to this one." Looking over at Grayson, she raised an eyebrow, the sarcastic smile on her face present, "Are you saying you used to break into my place when you were a kid? How dare you."

Having her bottle snatched away was the last thing she wanted as she leaned over to grab her bottle. "Nothing's the fucking matter," Charlotte snapped before taking a deep breathe and releasing it. Snatching back her bottle from the younger Gryffindor, Charlotte took another swing from it as she returned to sitting back down and leaning her head back against the wall as she drank from the bottle. "So tell me Grayson, have you actually done anything with Alec? Cause seriously, if you weren't at the Christmas party last year, hell, I would've been all over than."

Iris's eyes widened slightly as she listened to the Slytherin. "You're telling me that you're the one who destroyed this place? Wow West, didn't think you had it in you," she scoffed and shook her head. "What do you mean this is your place? Last I heard, it was owned by some wizard who ended up killing his entire family or something," she said with a raised eyebrow. "And for your information West, I've broken into a lot of places, this was no exception."

She wanted to shout at the blonde and demand to know what the fuck was wrong. But for once, she decided to listen to the rational side of her brain and wait for a while. She was slightly taken aback by the older girl's question and wondered how to answer.

"I haven't done anything with Alec," she muttered, which was the partial truth. "We are best friends, that's all. You do realize that you could have tapped him if you wanted to, right? So what stopped you then?" She asked.

"It was a fucking metaphor Grayson," Charlotte sneered, the alcohol getting into her system a lot quicker than usual. "Of course this isn't my fucking house. Merlin, if you'd been in my room or house, you'd see it's all clean and neat and organized. Unlike this fucking dump," she drunk from the bottle.

Raising an eyebrow, she asked Grayson what places she'd broken into before, not really believing what she was implying.

"Mm, sucks to be you then," drinking from it again. She began to hiccup a little, tears starting to prickle a little in her eyes. But even in her almost drunk mode, Charlotte didn't want Grayson to see her cry. It would be weak and she thought that the Gryffindor would never let her live it down.

Charlotte shrugged sluggishly, "I don't know, really. I guess I just thought both of you were cute but like I'd tell you that back then. For fuck's sake, I don't even know why I'm telling you know."

"Who the fuck makes a metaphor like that?" Iris asked with a raised eyebrow, the Slytherin's alcohol becoming an amusement to the younger blonde. "You being neat and tidy? Now I am really confused as to what I am supposed to believe," she commented sarcastically. "Since I don't know well, can't really blame me though."

The Gryffindor tried to recall as she replied, "Mostly broke into houses. But sometimes, some family would allow me to stay the night and before dawn broke, I'd be out of their lives just as quickly as I came. Kind of hard to manage when you have to steal and kill to survive," she shrugged.

Finally getting annoyed with the girl, she snatched the bottle once more and threw it against the wall. "Enough with the forceful drinking West," she growled and tried to calm down. Noticing the tears, she couldn't help but ask, "Just tell me what the fuck is wrong West, I won't bite."

At the older girl's answer, Iris laughed and shook her head. "You thought me and Blanchard were cute?" She asked in surprise, all traces of laughter gone. "Why, do we send out a vibe or something?"

The thought of dating her best friend wasn't repulsive as such, just highly amusing.

"I use a fucking metaphor like that," Charlotte snapped angrily, slurring her words and her head feeling dizzy when it had snapped towards Grayson. She banged her head a little when she went to go put her head back onto the wall. There would be a bruise there in the morning, and she knew it but at that moment, she didn't realize it at all. "Merlin, Grayson, don't you understand what a metaphor means, what it is that I'm fucking messed up right now," she yelled, a few tears slipping away from her eyes and she quickly whipped them away.

Charlotte laughed, scoffing along with it, "Did you kill dogs and cats to live." She joked, shaking her head slowly, so everything around her wouldn't spin fast.

Having her drink taken away from her, made the Slytherin even angrier, especially when the Gryffindor threw it against the wall, breaking the bottle into millions of pieces. "What the fuck Grayson!" She yelled, "You don't see me throw your fucking alcohol into the walls, do you? How the hell would you like it if I threw your damn alcohol into the wall?"

"Because, because my sister died," she said sadly, a little above a whisper. "Because my sister died today, two years ago and my family still acts like nothing happen. Hell, if you go into any of our homes, you don't see a picture of her. None, zip, nada. It's like she never existed and it was all in my head." Charlotte shook her head disappointingly, talking more to herself than she was with Grayson. "She died and, and I didn't even get to say goodbye."

With a drunk smile, Charlotte nodded, "Heck yeah. There was this chemistry between both of you that's just... different and trust me, usually I don't give a fuck about that but I decided to not do anything about it. Very different of me of course and I would've definitely jumped his pants but... I don't know Grayson." the Slytherin confessed, "It's not like a vibe or anything, it's just this aura or like this chemistry around you all. I mean, maybe don't get married and all that shit but hey, go have a full on fling with him," she winked.

As the Gryffindor looked at West, she didn't even feel like arguing or yelling. Something was clearly wrong with the older blonde and though Iris didn't care much, a part of hoped that this was just temporary. She leaned her head against the wall as well, deciding to just listen to West's little rant.

"Kill cats and dogs? Nah, they're too easy," she joked back, though there was no humour in her tone.

The younger blonde barely flinched and gave a shrug. "I know when I see someone who has had enough of alcohol. And judging by your current state, I say that you certainly crossed your limit. And just so you know, I'd be fucking pissed if you touched my alcohol," she said dryly. "So, if you want to shout at me some more, go ahead."

Iris closed her eyes, feeling angry at the world and at fate. All around her, all she could hear and see was death and every single time, she could only come to the same conclusion.

Three-fourths of every person's life is filled with sadness and loss.

"I'm sorry to hear that West," she muttered and was surprised to realize that she indeed felt bad for the Slytherin. She didn't know how to console the girl or what words to say. The last time she comforted someone was Alec and even though that probably wasn't so effective. Then again, he would have known what she was trying to do though she didn't say much.

"If you want to talk about it, I don't mind," she told quietly, looking ahead, feeling out of place.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. That too, from West of all people! "See, this is why I threw the bottle, you are blabbering more shit than usual," she said amused. "I don't know what the fuck you are talking about West, there is absolutely no chemistry between me and Blanchard. He plays with girls like they're money, though he is a good guy. I know I can be a bitch, but there is no fucking way I'd let him treat me like one of those girls," she shrugged.

"I haven't had enough alcohol! One can never have enough alcohol and, and you know that," Charlotte replied snarkly as she looked at the broken class and the wet floor that was also wet. Sighing, her head drooped a little and her eyes closing so that tears would stop escaping her tear ducts. "Fine! I'll yell at you all I fucking want and you," the slytherin had began yelling, starting to stand up but halfway through that sentence, she had given up and just let herself down to fall onto the floor, breaking down completely. "Forget it. I don't want to yell," she whispered.

Snorting, the blonde rolled her eyes, "Yeah well don't tell anybody I told you shit." Honest to Merlin, Charlotte had never actually talked about her feelings that included with her sister. Not even with Tesla and now, that was going to be even more difficult considering her friend had transferred out of Hogwarts. Of course, the sober Charlotte wanted to whack away the drunk one, considering she had found some kind of comfort of in the Gryffindor.

"I don't know," she shrugged sloppily, giggling happily due to her drunken state and following with a sigh. "I just, I feel like it's all my fault and no matter how much I try to tell myself it wasn't, I feel like it is."

Mood swings were always something that happens to her whenever she became drunk and this was no exception.

"Oh please, you two are probably just too damn shallow to admit you have the hots for each other," she answered gaily. "I mean really, just guys look like you should have like the whole passionate sex, romance and what not."

"No, you can have enough of alcohol West," Iris stated firmly as she thought of her own self and Kait. "And trust me when I say, you have definitely crossed your limit for tonight." She had never seen the Slytherin in such a bad condition and she had to admit, it wasn't something she'd want to get used to. "Hey, just calm down, alright? There's no one else here anyway," she told quietly with a sigh.

"Ha, I am not so jobless that I'll go around spreading people's secrets, that's too low, even for me," she shrugged. "Like I said, I'm just here to listen and maybe say some crap, that's all." This was not what she had in mind and never in a million years, did she expect she'd find herself in such a situation with the older blonde. First time for everything, she figured.

Ignoring West's drunken state, she asked, "And why do you feel like it's your fault? How'd it happen?"

The Gryffindor's eyes widened in surprise before bursting out laughing once more. "Passionate sex and romance?! Me and him?! Are you out of your fucking mind, West?! There's no way we'd sleep with each other, least of all have the hots for each other! He wouldn't have the hots for me even if I was single and neither would I have for him. We don't work that way."

The more she was talking about this, the more she thought about that night. A mistake but also a wild memory, something she'd never forget; at least the best details.

Charlotte scowled, glaring at Grayson angrily and as the Slytherin crossed her arms, she muttered to her that she owned her another bottle of alcohol. "Don't tell me what to do," she said angrily but quietly. "

"Yeah well, we're not even friends or acquaintances so who knows, maybe you'll go tell people what I'm saying," the blonde laughed lightly. "Cause all we ever do to is fight and talk crap about each other," Charlotte pointed out. "I mean, who's to tell you want go blabbing to half of the school that you saw me cry." Raising an eyebrow, Charlotte looked at the young Gryffindor curiously. "What's with you being... nice to me all of the sudden? Sitting there and actually saying some crap? Are you drunk too, Grayson?"

She shrugged, unsure how exactly to respond to that. She had swelled over it countless of times, dreamed about it, thought about it, wrote about and so many other things that it had lead her spiraled down into a cold and quiet depression.

"Because I wasn't there for her," she responded quietly as she hugged her legs and put her chin on knees. "Because she was sick and I could have been there to do something but I wasn't."

"I'm being serious here Grayson," Charlotte replied with a slight slur and a happy drunken giggle. "And please, the way you say it makes it seem like you're a best friend in denial and in love with thou's best friend. You are denying it a whole lot, making me think that you do have something for him. Some kind of feelings or something. I repeat something a whole lot." She ended up musing a loud.

"I don't care if you own a thousand bottles, I will break them all if I have to for you to get the message," warned the Gryffindor with a roll of her eyes. "I'm only telling you what to do because I don't want you to end up in the hospital," she muttered.

She looked at West straight in the eye and said, "Get this in your head. I don't do bitching about people behind their backs. Never. If I want to say shit to them, I will say it directly to them. I am a bitch, but not a two-faced one." Smirking lightly, she remarked, "Besides, I highly doubt whether the school would be interested in hearing about your tears, West. Spread another rumour and they'll eat it right up because that's how they are." The young blonde shrugged at the Slytherin's question. "Honestly? I don't know. Maybe because you are drunk, I don't feel like arguing," she half joked. "And no, for once, I am completely sober."

"So where were you when she was sick?" Asked the Gryffindor in a neutral tone, though she couldn't help but feel slightly sorry for the older blonde.

Iris scoffed. "Oh please West, you are drunk for fuck's sake, which means you can't be serious! And really, would you please stop saying 'love with my best friend'? The only feel I get when I see him is to whack him or make fun of him. And didn't you notice the way he was all over you at the Christmas party? That's how he is with girls, sees them and tries to impress them and for some bizarre reason, he succeeds." She shook her head amusedly and muttered mostly to herself, "The boy is fucking crazy."

"Well fuck you," she replied. "Next time I see you with a bottle, I'll break them all if I have to to piss you off and please tell me why'd you care if I end up in the hospital or not. What's it to you?"

"That's true," the Slytherin answered as she agreed with Grayson's answer about the rumors. Even if her mind was hazed due to the alcohol, she was still able to reply like a sober person. "Like most of the fuckers would give a rat's ass to what happened to me. So go ahead, I give you permission to go tell the world about it."

"So you're not a complete bitch when I'm drunk and you're sober and we're actually having a decent conversation," she laughed, her head starting to pound a little. "We should do this more often then."

Charlotte thought through her alcohol induced mind, trying to search for the answer. At first, it was a little difficult to find it but once she did, tears started to exit her tear ducts, down her cheeks, to her chin and would hit the floor in a matter of seconds. "I was kidnapped," she quietly answered. "By that stupid piece of shit of a crow. She died while I was in a cave and, and when I came out, that's when I found out that she was dead and long gone."

"Actually, I tend to say a lot of truth when I'm drunk," the blonde responded. "You're just giving yourself excuses so you don't have to admit that you like him. Excuses, excuses and a whole lot of other excuses."

Ignoring the older blonde's threat, Iris muttered angrily, "It's because I've seen and been through enough of suffering and death, West. The last thing I want is for someone to end up in the hospital when I'm with them and can actually do something to prevent it."

"I don't want to tell the world West, there's no point. I'd be just like all those backstabbing fuckers who can't keep their mouths shut. So no, this won't leave the building," she assured and took out her dagger fidgeting with the handle. "Like I said, I have more important things to do anyway."

She shook her head in disagreement. "I think we are capable of having decent conversation when we are both sober, right? After all, we shouldn't succumb to our weaknesses either way, though that's exactly what I've been doing the past couple of weeks," smirked the Gryffindor, though it was humourless.

The younger blonde closed her eyes and clenched her fists in anger as she listened to the Slytherin. Were they all part of fate's cruel joke? All her life, Iris was used to watching people get killed or trying not to. But still, hearing another person go through such a loss never failed to anger her and curse at life.

"I really am sorry to hear that West," she whispered, not knowing what else to say. "No one deserves to go through something like that."

"Just give it a rest, would you? I don't like him, he doesn't like me, end of story," she stated and rolled her eyes once more. "Just go ahead and taunt him when he finds another girl."

Slinking into the floor, her head was still leaning back into the wall with a frown. "Well, I suppose you're right," Charlotte muttered. "I guess I'd do the same for you if you were in my condition cause if I didn't, I think I'd probably hate myself and not be able to live with my choice for the rest of my life."

Shrugging, the older blonde let that part of the conversation go over her head and slide behind her. "So you have more important things to do like... playing with your dolls," she joked with a smile.

"Well, alcohol isn't really my weakness," Charlotte muttered slowly as she thought about it slowly. "There's other things that might but I don't know," she quietly said, still thinking about it. She thought of Faye and Afonka and any other defenseless kids that she had met.

Char shrugged sadly, still frowning, "It's okay, you have nothing to to be sorry about." A few tears falling from her eyes, she sniffled lightly and rubbing her nose, "She was a great sister and even though I didn't get to say goodbye."

"Fine, whatever," she rolled her eyes and closed her eyes. "Don't believe me for what I saw. Don't come crying to me when you find out you're totally in love with him but he's having flings all over."

"Thanks for agreeing with me at least for once in your life West," smirked the Gryffindor and shook her head. "And that almost sounded like a nice enough thing to do coming from you. But surprisingly enough, I kind of believe you," she shrugged.

Iris scoffed, "Playing with dolls? Please, I've never played with a doll my whole life, then why the fuck should I start now? And hey, why play with dolls when you can play with swords and knives?" She asked with a wink.

"As much as I hate to say this, alcohol is one of my weaknesses," the younger blonde admitted. She still wasn't ready to confess even to herself that maybe Kait and Game were two of her other weaknesses. They were her siblings, after all. "I think a few people I know are my weaknesses as well, though none of them are friends since I don't have too many of that," chuckled Iris humourlessly.

"I'm sure she felt you were a great sister as well, West," muttered the brown eyed girl. She was never good with emotions and right now was no exception. "Is that why you have problems with your parents?"

"He always will have flings all over, that's kind of his thing," she said and ran a hand through her hair. "And besides, you didn't even see anything. You are just misinterpreting something not serious and trying to say that we love each other."

"Yeah well don't get too used to it," Charlotte joked, laughing as she started to feel the buzz of the alcohol die down. "Because if it's something else, I'd be the one pushing you down a cliff."

Rolling her eyes Charlotte retorted that she didn't believe her. "Come on Grayson, we've all played with dolls once in our life. I used to play with dolls and at least I have the courage to admit that I used to. Come on, you sure you've never played dolls? Maybe it was Voodoo dolls."

"Oh, so if I ever want to bribe you, I'll bring you a bottle of alcohol," Charlotte laughed as she shook her head. "I think everyone's weakness can count people in it... unless you're a cyborg with emotions but I hardly doubt those are any real... the emotions, I mean."

Shaking her head once more, Charlotte shrugged, "Sort of. It's only that I suppose, Before that, we always got along. We never weren't the cookie cutter happy family but we actually sat down and had at least one dinner together but we hardly ever do that now."

"Hey, I have flings all over, doesn't mean I'm not capable of a heart and falling in love too," Charlotte joked. "There's just things that we'll end up growing out of at some point."

"I never get used to people being nice to me, West. So you got nothing to worry about," assured the younger blonde and laughed lightly. "Pushing me off a cliff? Now there's the West I know and loathe passionately," Iris teased and shook her head.

Shaking her head once more, the Gryffindor replied, "I'm not lying, I never got the chance to play with dolls, considering no one ever gave me one. Voodoo dolls? Oh please, I wish I had. And hey, I totally would have remembered those."

"Not going to happen West, alcohol isn't that much of a weakness that for me. Not to mention, I don't like to be bribed," smirked Iris. "Oh please, I highly doubt that either of us are cyborgs here."

"You're lucky either way to have had that before," she muttered with a sigh. "But I'm sorry that your parents don't care much anymore."

"I'm sure he is capable of falling in love, just not with me," Iris shrugged. "I'm the last person he'd fall in love with, believe me. So, I repeat, there's nothing between us."