where have you been?

Oliver was at Gladrags Wizard Wear once again. For the most part, his old robes hadn't fit him anymore considering he had grown taller over the past year while he was gone and since he was going back to Hogwarts, he needed them.

Standing straight, the woman took his measurements and went on back of the store to get some sample robes so he could choose what kind of material he had wanted. His sharp eyes glanced over to the door that had opened when he heard the announcing little bell. Looking at the familiar face, he gave her a nod in a greeting, a little unsure if Iris remembered him.

Iris hated shopping for robes.

Sure, she needed them for the new year and she loved getting new Gryffindor robes, but she was just lazy to actually spend time on them. She just hated shopping in general, but figured this wouldn't take much time.

As she entered the shop, her eys fell on an older boy and she stared at him in surprise before a smirk graced her features.

"Penderghast, nice to see that you are alive," she greeted as she walked over to him. "Where the fuck were you all this time?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nice to see you too Iris," Oliver smiled as the Gryffindor whom he hadn't seen in a very long time. He motioned for her to follow him as he looked at some of the brand new ties that had came into the shop. He had to get a new shade of blue, considering the ones he had were in pretty bad shape for being over used.

"I was being home schooled by mother," the Ravenclaw said as he compared two of the ties, trying not to choke on the word mother. After all, her coma state in St. Mungos was the only reason why he was back in Hogwarts.

"How's Hogwarts been then? Or did you try that student exchange thing that I heard about?"

"Why the hell were you home schooled?" Iris asked with a raised eyebrow as she followed the older boy deeper into the shop. She wasn't good friends with him before but they had got along pretty well while he was there.

"I did try the exchange thing," she nodded her head. "Let me tell you, Russia is so fucking depressing but Durmstrang's kind of cool," she shrugged.

Oliver shrugged, unsure how to respond to the question. If he did, he'd probably insult many of people that worked in any of school.

"I guess, I actually like spending time with my family," he answered half truthfully. "And my mom did a great job at teaching me. I liked having her around and the attention was always on me and it goes at my pace so if I don't get it, I ask calmly."

"Russia's depressing?" Oliver chuckled sort of loudly, finally deciding on a deeper blue tie. "Well, I could've told you that from the very beginning if I could. Uhm, isn't the Durmstrang supposed to be for dark arts and mean teachers?"

Iris momentarily felt angered and saddened as the Ravenclaw talked about his family. She wished she could tell things like that to people about her parents but though her mother was alive, the woman might as well be dead.

"It's still not a good enough reason for you to leave all of a sudden you know," she pointed out and shook her head in mock disappointment. "So are you back for good, then?"

"It is like a graveyard except the people are sort of alive there," she nodded her head in affirmation. "Dark arts, mental students and psychopathic teachers, and the list goes on," she smirked.