His shoes scraped against the cement as they kicked out. Iwan sat, hunched over with his jacket pulled tightly and kept his head ducked as the snow began to fall down faster from the sky. The platform was quiet save the puffing of the Hogwarts Express' engine, and Iwan was one of a handful of students left. He feared crossing through the barrier because that meant entering the muggle world, and he'd never ventured through into it, not on his own. But what if he was meant to meet his mother or father on the other side? They hadn't specified where to meet him, but they also hadn't actually written to tell him anything about the holidays. They were probably just busy with his little siblings, but...

"Iwan, is someone coming to pick you up?"

His head shot up and he jumped off the trunk, straightening his robes as the Slytherin prefect questioned him. Bree Jugson had been very nice to him this first semester at Hogwarts, but he knew that she couldn't leave until all the students were escorted home. She probably wanted to get home to her own family, and found his lingering very frustrating.

"Y-yes," he said, hoping she'd mistake his natural stutter for him simply being cold. He'd managed to say no more than two words to the pretty prefect this school year, and did not want to risk saying much more. "My m-mum or dad should be here any minute."

Bree put a hand on his arm, smiling. He flushed and ducked his head again, "All right, then, I'll wait for them with you."

"That's ok-kay!" he said with a shake of his head. No, no, his parents were notorious for being late to things, like his quidditch matches in the youth leagues, or picking him up from the other's homes. It caused fights and Iwan always felt terrible for being such a nuisance, the cause of all the stress. He didn't want to cause Bree any grief, not after she'd been so nice to him these past few months. She smiled as he shook his head in protest, ready to push her away to stop her from wasting her time with him. Iwan's face was quaffle red in seconds from embarrassment and was about to insist that Bree go and start her holiday when familiar shouting voices filled his ears.

"Don't lie to me, Deena!" his father snapped fiercely, making Iwan wince. "You said you and that husband of yours would be taking him to the Alps for the holidays!"

Iwan shrunk into himself as his parents stopped a few feet away from him, but didn't acknowledge they'd actually seen him. He reached down to grab the handle of his trunk, his breaths growing fast as his nerves tensed. He just wanted to get out of here, this was so embarrassing, it was so---

"You know I can't bring him around Conan's mother! Last time she---"

"Excuse me!" Bree's voice had taken on the authoritative tone that Iwan recognized from the corridors and common room. He was shaking, knowing that this time it would not be confused for being cold, and to his shock the prefect took hold of his hand. Iwan gripped it tightly and his eyes dropped to the ground once again. "My name is Bree Jugson, fifth year Slytherin prefect. The train arrived forty-five minutes ago."

"Yes, we're quite aware," his mother said, letting out a breath of frustration. "You didn't have to watch him, he's capable--"

"It's my duty," Bree responded, and Iwan, though he was so very grateful for her help, tugged his hand away from hers and went back to his trunk.

"Can we go? I d-didn't know it was going to b-be a big f-fuss," he muttered, moving an inch toward his parents. He still had no idea who wanted to take him home, though he feared the answer to that inquiry. "I w-would have stayed at school."

"Probably would've been best."

The shriek of indignation Iwan's mother let out at his father's words rattled the walls of the platform. Iwan felt his heart sink into his stomach and he dropped his trunk, hearing a loud crack as it hit the cement.

"How could you say that!" his mother screamed, and then they began to argue, once again ignoring that Iwan stood near by. Bree's hand went to his shoulder and she muttered a few soothing words that he barely heard. There was no reason for him to even be here, and he wished he could climb back onto the Hogwarts Express and go back to school. Neither of his parents wanted him home, his grandparents didn't acknowledge him, so---so---he should have known better, he shouldn't have been stupid enough to think that anyone wanted him around and it wasn't until his father begrudgingly took hold of his wrist that Iwan moved an inch from his rooted spot. As he was dragged away, over his shoulder he sent a pleading, desperate look towards Bree, and felt even worse at the sad, pitying look on her face he saw for only a moment as he crossed through the barrier and toward a world in which he knew he didn't belong.

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"Is this seat taken?"

Iwan looked up from his position at the bar and grinned at the familiar face. "Stell!"

Estella Flint smiled brightly, and they embraced in a celebratory hug. His former housemate had been quite the Irish supporter (might have something to do with being married to the team's captain), and he was glad to see her during their last night of celebrating.

"How's it feel to be the best seeker in the world?" she asked, pushing herself up onto the stool beside him. Iwan flushed and ducked his head; that's what all the reporters and papers had been saying, that he was the next big thing, but it would never be a title that he could claim for himself. Besides, MacFarlan had ended his undefeated streak during the tournament.

"I'm the last person who'd willingly accept that title," Iwan said, but he lifted his glass and clinked it to hers. Estella took a small drink and put it out to clink the glasses together.

"Can't you accept a little praise tonight? You just won the world cup and you're engaged!"

The thought of his completely unplanned and quite public proposal to Marissa brightened Iwan even more than he had been and he took his mug and cheered a few more times with Estella. "I suppose I could, just a little!"

He laughed and they chatted a bit, Estella going on about her kids and how absolutely exhausted they were after this three week excursion. Iwan had a few first hand experiences with the Flint children over the course of the world cup preparations, so he knew how much energy they had exerted. They talked about Marissa, about the Tornadoes, her dance studio, simply everything. He'd never forget that Estella was one of the few people he was able to call a friend from Hogwarts, and Iwan was grateful that she'd been here in New York. Iwan had been sure he was going to splinch himself before going on the pitch every night, but the Irish team had been so supportive that it felt almost easy to board his broomstick.

Okay, not easy, but. Definitely made his life a little easier.

"I can't believe you're engaged!" Estella let out as a particularly loud song died down. Iwan smiled brightly; his excitement to actually see Marissa when he returned home had his heart ready to burst out of his chest.

"Believe me, I can't either," Iwan said with a laugh, "If you'd asked me last year if I thought I'd be engaged I would've laughed for ages."

"Why's it such a shock?" Estella asked, looking honestly confused. Iwan shrugged, thinking that detailing his once near debilitating fear of women would not be the best topic of conversation. "I'm surprised it's taken you this long!"

"I'm not what you would call a 'ladies man,' Stell," Iwan said with a laugh, staring at her with confused eyes. "Marissa's the first girl to even look my way in--years!" Maybe he shouldn't be shouting that?

Estella gawked, shaking her head slowly. "I fancied you like mad in school, Iwan!"

He choked on his drink, "--what? No, you didn't! You were wrapped up in Chang! And Thomas, boy, did you like Gryffindors, or what?"

She flushed a deep, deep shade of red, but then waved her hand around and about, "Well, yes, but that was mostly because you never noticed me!"

"Me--not notice---you?" Iwan could not believe what he was hearing. If he had thought for a second that Estella Gibbon had fancied him back when they were in school he would have...he probably would not have done anything, honestly, but his self-esteem issues may not have been quite as severe. Iwan shook his head, straightening his shoulders. "I don't believe you."

"Remember how we were supposed to meet during our last Hogsmeade weekend, sixth year?" Estella said, eyebrows high. Iwan stared blankly for a few moments before it clicked. Yes! She had asked to have lunch with him, which he'd found odd, but then...

"But then I didn't show," Iwan said, eyes widening, "because it was raining, and I hated the rain and---oh."

"Oh," Estella said with a laugh, shaking her head. "You're a real dolt, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Iwan agreed, still astonished that such a pretty girl could've fancied him. Wow, things would've been so different if he'd gone to Hogsmeade that day! Imagine, his youth wouldn't have had to have been spent alone, he could've worked out the kinks sooner than later. Merlin...He shrugged, feeling a bit put out at this lost opportunity. He needed to be optimistic. "It worked out, though. You met Jake that day, right?"

Estella's smile softened, and she nodded. Iwan now felt like a real dolt for bringing up her dead husband's name, but he remembered it being a nice story they told at the wedding. He'd lent her his umbrella as she waited for the dolt that stood her up.

Iwan marveled at how life worked; if he'd showed up, who knew what would have happened with him and Estella. He doubted any moves on his part would be made, but Jake Derrick wouldn't have had to lend her his umbrella, they may not have gotten married, he may not have...but then she wouldn't have found herself happy with Caden, they wouldn't be living the good lives they were living right now.

Iwan wouldn't be with Marissa, and that thought alone made Iwan lose any regrets about being an idiot boy in school.

"You two look too solemn to be at this party!"

Iwan and Estella looked up at the same time at Caden, whose smiling face was still a shock to see, and still very infectious. He and Iwan shook hands and a moment later Estella leapt into her husband's arms. Iwan grinned and waved them off, looking back to the bartender for another drink.

Nope, he was quite content with how his life was turning up, no matter the wrong turns he may have taken.

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