Closed Losing Half of Yourself

[Iris van Houten]

#108990​

Ever since Iris had been called out of the common room to hear the news about her sister, she felt like she had been floating. It didn't feel real, none of it did. Even as Iris looked at Emma's petrified body in the Hospital Wing bed, she felt like she wasn't really seeing it. She felt a bit like she was floating outside her body. She held Emma's hand, had done so ever since she sat down, though it felt like holding a statue's hand. Emma's expression was almost funny, though Iris didn't think anything could make her laugh right now. Emma had the expression she had whenever she tried to see something closely or in the dark, squinting a bit. Iris wondered what the moment before petrification had been like for her. Had she known what was happening? Tears dripped down Iris' face onto her robes, though she hardly noticed as she stared quietly at her twin.

 

[Nicole Fisk]

The school had been buzzing with the news that something had happened out in the forest and that someone had gotten hurt. Nicole hadn't wanted to pay them much mind, rumours were always more sensational that reality, but when people started whispering that it had been Emma, Nicole hadn't wasted any time running to the Hospital Wing. Her prefect badge thankfully got her inside with little question and Nicole felt her throat tighten at the sight of Emma laying still in the bed. "Oh Emma," she said in a choked voice, rushing to Emma's other side, eyes searching Emma's frozen face. "Merlin, she looks dead," Nicole said, the sound caught in her mouth as she tried to brush Emma's bangs from her face, flinching as her fingers touched cold, hard skin. "Iris-" she started, glancing at Iris, taking in their clutched hands and the tears in Iris' eyes and feeling her own heart clench. If this had been her brother laying petrified, Nicole knew she'd be beside herself. "I'm so sorry," she offered weakly, gently sitting down across from her.

 

[Iris van Houten]

Iris felt completely numb, so it almost felt like she was awakening from some sort of trance as Nicole headed into the hospital wing. Iris looked up at her blearily, remembering vaguely they weren't friends anymore. But the distraught expression on Nicole's face was exactly what Iris was feeling. It made tears well in her eyes all over again. "She's not." Iris said softly as Nicole said she looked dead. Her voice came out more like a croak. She tried to smile at Nicole, but her mouth didn't work. She closed her eyes for a second. "Thank you." She said. "Emma... would be glad you're here."

 

[Nicole Fisk]

Nicole looked up at Iris when she gently corrected her, nodding hurried and scrubbing at her own face. "Right, no, of course not," she said weakly, glancing back down at Emma. She really did look dead though, it was horrid. Nicole had so many questions; what happened? Was anyone else in danger? How long until they could fix her? They were all on the tip of her tongue until Iris spoke again and Nicole froze, her stomach twisting in sympathy not just for poor Emma, but Iris too. It was a strange feeling, tangled up with the feeling of betrayal she still felt around Iris after everything, but Iris clearly needed comfort and Emma wasn't here to offer it. For Emma's sake, if thought resolutely. For Emma's sake she'd take care of her. "Do you need anything? Cup of tea maybe? Jumper? Something to eat? Maybe I can get your notes from class so you can stay with her." Nicole knew if it were Ryan laying here, she wasn't planning on going anywhere until he was back on his feet, and she couldn't imagine Iris planned any differently.

 

[Iris van Houten]

Iris' gaze moved back to Emma, as if it was somehow pulled there. There was something so wrong about seeing her twin like that, but she couldn't look away either She was vaguely aware of Nicole and how this was the first time in years she had talked to her. A part of her wanted to throw it in her face, but Iris was mostly glad. Hearing her old friend talk to her like they were still friends was comforting. Iris shook her head slowly. "I'm alright." She said softly. "Though... maybe the notes..." She said hesitantly. "I just don't think I could study." She paused. "I just want to know how it happened, if she was scared, if it hurt." She blurted out.

 

[Nicole Fisk]

Nicole's mouth was a grim line as she watched Iris, joining her as she moved to look at Emma's face. She just wished they could close her eyes or anything, Emma's lifeless stare would likely haunt Nicole's thoughts for years. Her eyes cut back to Iris when she assured Nicole she was fine, which Nicole didn't buy for a second, but she wasn't going to call her on it. "I'll ask your professors, both your professors. You two can catch up together when she's feeling better," Nicole offered gently, the reminder that Emma was going to wake up was something she needed to say probably just as much as Iris needed to hear it.

Nicole pursed her lips at Iris' next comment, reaching out to take Emma's free hand and nodding slowly. "I don't.. think it hurt her," she offered, her throat tight. "I bet she'll wake up and laugh at us all for worrying so much," she said, trying to convince herself as much as Iris. "Probably just messing around with a spell or- or something." Nicole scrubbed a hand down her face, glancing back at Iris. "Listen, I know we haven't exactly been friends lately but... I mean it, if you or Emma need anything. I'm there." The hurt Nicole felt knowing Iris hadn't had her back back in 4th year still lingered, the trust lost there would be hard to gain back, but Nicole also knew she'd never abandon anyone in this situation. Someone got hurt and you helped, that was just what you did, and Nicole could extend that olive branch to Iris without hesitation, maybe not as a friend, but as Emma's sister at the very least.

 

[Iris van Houten]

While a part of Iris was still cautious around this nice and sympathetic Nicole, it just felt so nice and familiar to talk to her and confess her worries. She nodded shakily as Nicole said she would ask their professors for help. Nicole was always good at this practical thing. Iris wasn't entirely comforted by her words, but she could imagine what Nicole was saying easily. She knew Emma almost as well as Iris did. But as she speculated how it happened, Iris shook her head. "It wasn't a spell." She croaked, her voice breaking a bit. "I don't know if... we're supposed to know as students, but they told my parents it was a basilisk." She said, her voice dropping to a near whisper on the word. "She could have died.