Up and Down

Greetings and Farewells

In the end, the Tournament failed.

With the results of the second Trial being essentially forfeited and the Champion not in control of herself when undertaking it, the magical contract was irreparably disrupted.

"Ugh," Sebastian skips a stone off the Black Lake's surface, sending it hopping a good dozen times, "he could have at least apologised for threatening me. Damn French arsehole."

The Beauxbatons have already returned back to their school, taking their fallen Champion with them. Anna doesn't know where he is to be laid to rest, but at least she got to say goodbye.

There wasn't much fanfare, pomp or pageantry like when Fig died. Fig was one of their own, and Anna suspects there will be a lot more done for Alexandre in his own school. But Avelier begrudgingly let her, Sebastian and Ominis to bid him farewell.

The body was magically preserved, and he seemed to only be asleep, dressed in the beautiful uniform he danced with her in during the Yule Ball. Anna sniffled, stifling a sob.

After all, he was a friend. He helped more than he harmed, and he made her laugh and smile.

Sebastian seemed torn between his dislike of the person he considered a rival in many ways and someone who, in their hour of need, was an ally.

And Ominis, well, he always had a good poker face. But Anna knew he was grateful for helping him out of the haze of the love potion sooner rather than later.

Slowly, Anna raised her hand and smoothed Alexandre's auburn hair, silky and soft under her fingers, leaned down and left a gentle kiss on his forehead, the skin cold under her lips.

"Thank you, for everything. Goodbye, Alexandre."

After that, they wandered down to the Black Lake where they are now, with Anna pulling herself together on the way. Enough to not break down, though her emotions will still need time to settle, the raw wound to close.

"At least it's over," she sits on a nearby rock with Ominis, the latter holding her hand with a soft smile, "and you are alive."

"I could use the prize galleons," Sebastian throws another stone, his voice resentful, "I haven't really got a knut to my name after I graduate, and any help Solomon might want to give is going to Anne."

"Well... my father did make you an offer to continue working for him over the summer."

"Yeah. I will. What about you, Ominis?"

"Same here," the blond boy entwines her fingers with his, "I withdrew all that was due to me from my family's account and moved it into a separate vault... There was a lot less money than I hoped. The way this is looking, the family has more debt than any sort of income, and they are going to run out of people willing to lend them galleons sooner rather than later..."

"Hmm."

"You two are incredible wizards. I wouldn't worry about the future," Anna smiles, leaning her head against Ominis' shoulder.

"You're one to talk, you-"

"Ahem."

Anna turns to see Olesya, dressed in her beautiful crimson robes, hands behind her back. She looks pale, with dark circles stark under her blue eyes.

"Oh..." Anna lets go of Ominis' hand and sits up straight, "umm... hello?"

What do you say to someone you used to hate? Someone who did something utterly awful but not of their own volition?

Ominis tenses at her presence, with understandable reason, and Sebastian seems to have an inner struggle of his own as he fidgets with a flat stone he was about to skip across the water.