Nightmare (Harry Potter OC Fic)

31. Goodbye Childhood

Alone.

Franklin Higgs was alone.

Looking over the Great Hall, there was a sense of emptiness that echoed through Kei's chest. Faces of her former classmates, their friends and family. Their father wasn't in the sea of people, no owl came in the morning with congratulations from Terence, no good luck kiss as she walked to the teacher's platform, nothing.

Alone. With nothing.

Standing behind Headmaster Dumbledore's podium, Kei plastered on a bright smile in means of reassuring the students in front of them. Her own eyes betrayed her as they found the bright blue ones she hadn't dared look into the last week. Kei's smile faltered.

Professor Dumbledore motioned over to where Kei was standing, bringing attention to the Head Girl and the witch with the highest marks. She had done it. Kei won. The title, the grades. But that was it. Her victory was empty as the charm bracelet clinked when Kei placed her hand on the podium.

"Good evening," she called out. "Congratulations on finally graduating Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As Head Girl, it is my honour to applaud you for your achievements over the last seven years. I would also like to congratulate Gryffindor for winning this year's House Cup for having the highest points."

Kei tried their hardest to hold her smile, talking about the good moments they'd all had at Hogwarts, but it grew harder as she wanted to reflect on her own memories. It didn't work. Tears sprang in her eyes and she let out a little laugh at her own foolishness.

". . . but now," she continued, following Dumbledore's orders on how to close her speech, "Professor Dumbledore invites you all to walk to the dock where the boats we took as first years will take us back to Hogsmeade Station as seventh years for the last time. The only request is that there are two to a boat rather than four— we have grown quite a bit since then."

An excited murmur echoed through the hall as students paired up in twos as Kei quickly made her way over to Tiberius. He held out his hand to her and she happily took it, leaning into him sadly. The first time they had been on the boats, the pair had sat with the Lestrange twins, having shared a compartment with them. Now, in their final time, it was how it always was: Tiberius and Kei only had each other.

As the graduating students walked out of the Great Hall and through the entrance doors, the other students applauded them. A small smile played on Kei's lips as the prefects and younger students said their goodbyes to her, happy that she had been their Head Girl and friend. There was a tap on Kei's shoulder, causing them to whirl around as Tiberius continued walking.

"They're kind of dying," they mumbled. "I'm not very good with plants— actually, I'm pretty dreadful at it."

"Are they honeysuckles?" Kei gasped.

Silas had a small bouquet of butchered flowers in their hands— one of them even had its roots still.

He nodded, "usually Nev would help me with. . . pruning, I think he calls it, but he's a little incapacitated at the moment. He's pretty slow, finally packing his trunk for the summer."

Kei's smile faltered slightly but forced out a laugh, "pruning isn't the correct term, Mr Thesaurus, but I'll let it slide this once."

There was a small awkward silence as Silas finally handed Kei the stems.

"I'm going to miss you, Silly," they whispered.

"I wish you had been in my year or I in yours," he admitted. "I don't like you leaving."

The graduated Hufflepuff frowned, "I don't either. But I promise to visit, I'll come to Hogsmeade weekends and take you away for Christmas break so you can see something other than the Black Lake for the holiday!"