Chapter Text
Iris Lily Potter-Black had a lot of hardships throughout the years, since the tender age of one she already met death. And throughout the years she continued to face death, even going so far as calling him an old friend. She fully embraced him when she was seventeen, this time expecting to actually die this time. She walked into that forest that day not fearing the end. Welcoming it for what it was to her. Peace . Some days she even goes as far as wishing for it. But instead Death made her come back to the world of living again and again. To finish what was started. So she gave up on a happy ending anytime soon. After the last wizarding war she retreated into her new home at Grimmauld Place, that her godfather gave to her in his will. No matter how many painful reminders of the past there was at that particular place. She hid in her little hole of misery while everyone else was celebrating the defeat of Voldemort. The end of the dark days. While she was mourning all the lives that were taken in the war between her and a madman. Mourning her childhood. Mourning her parents who gave up their lives for her, and for many others who willingly gave up their life for her because they believed in her being the chosen one. They believed her to be somehow better, more important than themselves.
It took her months before she let anyone see her again. Before she left her new home. And when she finally came back to the living people she realized with equal jealousy and happiness that they were moving on already, slowly but surely. Inch by inch they started to put it past them. They will always have the scars and the memories but they already accepted what happened and started making peace with it. Accepted that it was all over. They got jobs, went back to school, even some started new relationships. Everyone was living their lives again and she wasn’t. She was stuck like rock on the bank while everyone else was part of the river of life; moving, changing , evolving. All she was able to do is watch them. Watch them all grow in the sun while she is stuck in the dark. She was still, a bystander in what you would call ‘her’ life. So to not worry anyone she put on a front and pretended she had moved on as well.
Iris congratulated Ron on his joining the Auror’s and climbing the ranks, she expressed her happiness to Hermione when she went back to Hogwarts to take her NEWTS. She played her role as the war hero when Kingsley was elected as the new Minister of Magic. She wore a big smile and attended the party they threw for him, pretending to enjoy it all. Neville also went back to school as an intern for Professor Sprout for Herbology, so she told him she was glad and smiled the same fake smile. Luna went to pursue hunting down rare and new animals for her father's Quibbler, she tried to fake her happiness for Luna too. But of course that blonde waif saw right through it. And gave her a pat on the shoulder with a serene smile and told her “The nargles are gone, but the fog isn’t.” making Iris’ smile drop and her shoulders slumped, her mask of perfect content and acceptance was gone. And in its spot was one of defeat and desolation.
Over the years it got better pretending, some days she even believed the pretense herself. But other days, the dark days she realized what a lie it still is. She would get so depressed and get lost in the emptiness of her home and her life. She’d hide away in her place and drink fire whiskey, going over her memories of the war. Reliving every mistake she made, and how it could've gone differently. Thinking of what she could’ve done differently, changed something. Realize the truth sooner. To save way more lives. Irish Potter became bitter and cold and lonely to the world.
But despite this she still visited her godson every Sunday, and her friends. Making sure to regularly wear the mask she crafted each time to make sure they don’t worry about her. As everyone started to move on they also grew up. They physically got older. What Iris didn't realize is that fateful day she won the war, the day she collected all three hallows by accident. Is also the day she stopped aging. The day her time froze in place. Her mortal life died the day Voldemort did. Forever stuck at the turbulent age of seventeen. Of course it took awhile before anyone realized that, with them being witches and wizards they age very slow already. So no one really noticed until a decade later. When all her other friends were getting more wrinkles and grey hairs and maturing into a full adult. She was stuck in between. Always in between, never a part of anyone. Always different from everything else. When she finally found out her immortality. It was the beginning of her retreat from the rest of the world. Hiding her newfound ability from everyone, not wanting anyone to know until she could figure out why exactly she is not aging. And hoping to god she could fix the problem in the process.
Now here we are Iris Potter-Black sitting in the Grimmauld place at the age of Forty-three looking not a day over Seventeen. It was October 30th; the anniversary of her parents death and the start of everything. She was sitting in her favorite comfy chair by the fireplace finishing off her sixth bottle of Ogden's Old Fire whiskey. Hoping to pass into sweet oblivion. She chugged the bottle empty and then promptly threw it behind her with a loud ‘clunk’. It fell into the pile with all of the other empty liquor bottles she finished off. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, smearing the liquor everywhere.While violently hiccuping she stared at the orange auburn flames dancing around in the fireplace, embracing the numbness the magical alcohol provided. Startling her she heard a huge ‘BANG’. She jumped out of her chair with the elder wand in hand. Fog seeping into her home, a foreboding feeling encased her entire being as the world seemed to fade out.
“Who is there?!” Iris growled out, her inebriated state encouraging her impulsivity. Obviously no one answered her. Impatient she called out “I said who the fuck is there?!!”
“My, my, you certainly have a temper” A soft,sidious voice cut out into the silent air.
Iris’ jaded eyes squinted into the darkness searching for the person belonging to the voice. “Who are you?” Her eyes were already blurring things together, not seeing anything that could be hiding in the newfound darkness.
“I am sure you already know, my Mistress.” A dark figure materialized out of thin air, turning into a thin frail looking man with pasty white skin and permanent black bags underneath his dark kohl eyes. Iris scanned his form noticing how the air around him seemed cold and still. Like it was actually interacting with the rest of the world “... Wait-what are you?” She asked sounding curious.
He stretched a wicked and terrible smile across his face “Why, my dear, I am Death. And you are my Mistress.”
That’s when Iris knew it was going to be a long day.
“So you're telling me that I am the only one who somehow unwittingly gained all three of the Deathly Hallows and because of that plus you took a liking to me I am now The Master of Death- All by accident?!”
“Well Mistress of Death, because you are a female and not a male. But essentially yes. That is what happened.” Death told her, very amused. “You were the first person ever who acquired all the Hallows and deemed worthy by me.To be my Master-or Mistress if you prefer”
“....T-that’s why I haven’t aged a day since I was seventeen. I got the stupid it objects and it cursed me with immortality. And that’s why I feel so-so stuck? ” She whispered in realization, staring off.
Death staring at her with an impassive face “Well you don’t have to be so ungrateful about it. Literally millions of others would-pardon my pun- die to get this gift. You are immortal now, my legacy and champion. I can’t have my Mistress dying on me now can I? You will be with me til the end of time. To my own end as well if I decide it.” His voice all hoarse and scratched informed her. His gaunt face then stretched into a smirk, one of victory and pride. “You are mine now, and I will be yours.”
Her eyes snapped back to him, ignited with the full force of fury she thought she had lost ago. “Why don’t I get a say in this? Don’t I deserve MY peace?! Don’t I deserve to finally rest and be with my family?!!” Her voice never rose higher than a whisper, that was hard like a steel whip.
But to Death’s credit, he didn’t even react to her negative outburst of being tied to him forever and living on after him. “People rarely get what they deserve, you should know that more than anyone by now.” He spoke to her softly, as if he was almost sorry for her. Which was ridiculous, why would a primordial force like death feel empathy with a human witch.
Iris’ fury melted away as quickly as it came. “...Then what now? What am I supposed to do now? Live out this stupid life, watching everyone I ever knew wither and die. Being forced to not to save them. Stuck looking like a bloody teenager?”
“Well I suppose you can do that. Or you have the option to live a new life. A life where you get to experience what you never have before. You can take the break you say you have been needing. And when you are done you can come back to me and begin the training I have for you. Time is not of the essence here so you can take time off for as long as you need it. I will always be here, waiting for you when you’re ready for your adventure with me.”
“Just what are you suggesting?” Iris wondered, her interest immediately piqued by the offer of a new life, maybe even a better life. Just as so long she comes back to Death in the end.
“I am suggesting that you live off your desire for a human life in another world. A world where you can be whoever you want to be. A world where you can restart and begin again. Although I should warn you, I am not able to choose where you go. That's not my area, it's Fates. It will be like a lottery if you will; I send your soul off and it goes wherever Fate decides to put you. So whatever life you have, you are stuck with until you decide to start your new beginning with me.”
Iris thought about it a lot, she thought long and hard about what to do. The offer seemed awfully tempting, and it’s not like anything is tying her to this world anymore. She successfully faded into the background leaving all her friendships changing into more than distant acquaintances. So with nothing holding her back Iris looked at Death agreeing to his offer “Why not.”
And the next day Iris woke up inside some kind of wet, dark cavern thinking ‘what the hell did I get into?.’