Unspoken Love

48: LEAVING CEREMONY

June 24th - 11am

     The 7th year "Leaving Ceremony" was to be held in the Great Hall. Every house banner was represented on this day, hanging down over the long tables. It was the late morning and the Great Hall's enchanted ceiling depicted clear blue skies, birds flying, along with summer leaves flying in the breeze, above the vast layer of lit candles that swayed and floated about. The parents, friends and family members of the 7th year students, many of whom counted as Hogwarts Alumni, had bright smiles on their faces as they entered the familiar hall.

     The seventh years were anxiously herded against the wall on one side of the room near the lifted area in the front where the staff table was situated. In front of the faculty table, there was also the familiar stool and sorting hat that greeted them during every first day of term feast. Nearly every student had been present at last night's party and their scheduled 10am arrival to the Great Hall was widely unwelcomed.

"This is so nerve wracking for some reason." Albus whispered to Scorpius as they both had been scanning the intimidatingly gigantic, and crowded room for several minutes for their families, "And why is the sorting hat here?" he ran stressed fingers through his brunette curls. 

     Scorpius frowned and didn't answer, he'd been looking all over for his father's familiar blonde hair in the crowd, but he was nowhere to be seen. He spotted the Potter's, Granger's, and Weasley's all grouped together in the middle of the hall– Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Molly and Arthur, Teddy and Victoire, and...

"Fuck." Albus groaned as he spotted his brother James, fiddling with the program nervously beside his mother. Scorpius extended a comforting hand to Albus's back, but couldn't help keeping his focus on his ever longing search of Draco. Hermione waved towards them erratically to gain their attention before holding up her wrist and tapping her watch.

"He's running late!" she mouthed, Scorpius nodded gratefully, but grew anxious. He hoped his father would be there when they called his name at least.

"He'll be here." Albus whispered firmly, finally noticing through his nerves that his boyfriend looked more anxious than he did. Scorpius barely smiled in reply as he, alongside a majority of the 7th year class, was also battling a terrible headache and a nauseous stomach.

"Welcome, to our 7th year students and Hogwarts faculty. Welcome families. Thank you for joining us this morning to say goodbye to another year of students, students who have mastered wizardry...students who are ready to embark on the rest of their lives, away from this hallowed castle's walls. I believe that each and every student in this room is capable of greatness, I believe that they have the magical knowledge and skill to succeed in the various challenges they may encounter along the way." McGonagall said, amplifying her voice to reach across the entire Great Hall. 

     Loud applause interrupted from the audience of family and friends, to the displeasure of many of the student's who were struggling through their hangovers. Albus chanced a look over his shoulder at Rose who, along with several other 7th years, were wincing at the loud noise. He tried to crack a smile at her, and she only grimaced in return. McGonagall waited patiently for it to cease before continuing.

"One by one, I will call each 7th year up and they will sit on the stool, just as they did on their first night here. I will place the sorting hat on their head, and the hat will announce their various accomplishments that they made over their seven years of schooling to you all. I have had the pleasure of greeting the same first years, and saying farewell to the same seventh years many times and I am just as pleased to do it again with this group of very intelligent, vibrant, though rather mischievous, wonderful students." Applause once more, as every seventh year grew nervous to be put on the spot in front of the hundreds of people in the hall.