Flora And Fawna [HARRY POTTER]

43

Rosie felt butterflies in her stomach as she brushed her hair down noting the way she had a particularly rebellious curl that was insisting on standing in the most awkward angle it could. Rosie smoothed it down for a second time before she finally just gave up and used her wand to spell it into submission. She had woken up late and she really had not time to be dealing with her wayward curls.

Hair tamed, Rosie smiled at herself, the grin not meeting her eyes, in her mirror and turned when the door behind her opened. Penny, who had been down in the kitchens snagging the both of them some breakfast to eat before the ceremony, waltzed in with a proud smile on her lips, a donut in her hand.

"You wouldn't believe the line to get into the kitchens," Penny said giddily, handing Rosie the pastry, then watching her to ensure that she would eat it. "It seems like even the gryffindors gained enough sense to eat before breakfast."

It was times like those when Rosie found herself remembering exactly why she was so lucky to have Penny as a friend. Penny Jefferson was kind, above all else, and Rosie thanked every day that the sorting house had sorted her into ravenclaw instead of hufflepuff.

"Thank you," Rosie said sincerely, looking at her best friend with gratitude shining in her eyes. "Thank you for everything."

Penny's own eyes had a knowing glint on them, but the girl shrugged Rosie's thanks off like she was being silly.

"It's just a donut, lovely, nothing to be teary about." And it was after Penny said this that Rosie realized she was, in fact, crying. The last year of school seemed to have gone by so quickly and it seemed like just yesterday that Rosie was boarding the train for the first day of her last year of school. But now it was the last day and she would be cast off into the world to become something.

"You know that's not what I means," Rosie said scoldingly, bringing a sad smile onto Penny's face as the taller girl took Rosie's hand in both of hers.

"I know, Lovely."

*******

"It is on this day, the last of the school year that we honor our seventh years as they leave today and enter the world as men and women, wizards and witches, prepared to enter the workforce." Dumbledore stood at the front of the halls, speaking out to the four houses as they sat and listened to him eagerly.

"But before we do that, let me announce this years house cup winner!" Rosie and Penny relaxed back into their seats, as did most of the other houses. It was no surprise to anyone that the Gryffindor house had won the cup this year, the Gryffindor house had won the house cup six out of the seven years Rosie and Penny had gone to Hogwarts. It was an accepted fact of life and as Dumbledore waved his hand, allowing the four house banners to turn red and gold, everyone clapped politely while the Gryffindor house cheered.

"Now that Gryffindor has had a moment to celebrate in their victory, it is time for us to honor our departing seventh years," Dumbledore waved his hand again, and the stage went bare, leaving the staff standing, each head of house holding a roll of parchment. "May I now invite Professor Minerva McGonagall to step forward and share a few words."

The stern looking transfiguration professor steps quickly forward and clears her throat, something that reminds Rosie of the first time she had stepped into the great hall, and listened eagerly for the very same Professor to call her name so that she could be sorted.

"As always, I am sad to see our seventh years leave us. However with their departure I know they will be stepping into a world of opportunities, one that holds even more magic and mystery than the one they are leaving behind. It is my belief that every man and woman who leaves Hogwarts at the end of their education is fully equipped to enter the world and make it their own. This thought is my comfort as I bid the seventh years farwell now, and may I just say that is has been my personal pleasure to work with each and every one of you, and watch you grow." Professor McGonagall unrolled the parchment she still had in her hand, and in a clear voice called out the names of all the seventh years in her house. As they were called, the students stood, and after seven names had been called the hall broke out into applause before everyone was seated again.

Professor McGonagall retook her spot with her colleagues and Professor Sprout stepped forward to take her place.

"I may be the hufflepuff head of house, but I've tried to be there for anyone who needed it. I've watched you seventh years since you were second years taking my herbology class, and I am sorry to see you go so soon. I know very few of you will look back at your time at Hogwarts and recall fond memories of my class, Herbology is enjoyed by a fair few, but I do hope that you look back at your time at Hogwarts and remember us professors. Because we will remember you. I take this moment to wish you luck with all of your future endeavors." Then the plump woman unrolled her own parchment and called the names of her own house's seventh years. Professor Sprout retreated, and Professor Flitwick took her place.

Someone was kind enough to levitate a small stool for the small man to stand on.

"Hello, students. I remember the first time I formally met each of you, seeing your smiling faces looking down at me as I properly demonstrated the correct way to cast a 'Wingardium Leviosa' charm. There was a glint of excitement there that I cherish every single year, and it makes my days to know that I am enchanting the minds of the next generation. ONe day you will come back here, whether it be as a member of our wonderful staff or with your own child, and I count the days so that I may look at your smiling faces once again and recognize the progress you've made. I don't see you leaving as a sad time, I see it as a happy time. So it is my great honor to send off the seventh year Ravenclaws." Rosie stood when her name was called, then a few seconds later Penny joined her. The two girls looked at one another and linked hands. They grinned at one another, triumph one their faces, as they were surrounded by applause.

Professor Snape stepped forward after the clapping died down and the Ravenclaws sank back into their seats. Instead of giving a heartfelt speech like the professors before him, he simply unrolled his own piece of parchment and began to call out names. Five Slytherin seventh years rose to their feet and received moderate applause. Once the applause had reached its crescendo the infamous potions bat spun around and stalked back to his former place. Rosie watched, the sound of Slytherin pride sounding in her ears.

*******

Gliding across Black Lake one last time made Rosie's heart sink. She remembered the last time she had been in the small boats, Hagrid having ushered four of them into a boat. Now he had only asked two to share. Which is why Rosie and Penny were seated opposite each other, watching Black Lake's calm waves lap against their boat.

Memories of the last seven years floated through Rosie's head. She, Penny, and Bill in the Library. She and Regulus in the Room of Requirement. She and Penny in the kitchens, talking to the house elves at three in the morning. Rosie had never thought about what she would feel when she left Hogwarts, because it had always been a far away thought. She had always had time. But now her time was up.

The boats came to a stop at Hogsmeade station, just in time for the thestral drawn carriages to arrive carrying all the other students. The seventh years silently got out of their boats and waded through the excitable younger students, making their way onto the Hogwarts express for the last time. Rosie and Penny, hand in hand, found and empty carriage and sat together in silence as the Hogwarts Express began to move, Hogwarts slowly disappearing into the distance.