Modern Hogwarts

Big Plans

The prefects met before breakfast in a meeting to discuss the end of the year Graduation Ball on a rainy Friday morning. It was still two months away, but all of the Seventh Years' families come to see their children grow up and it was a big deal to them.

"We have the template from last year's ceremony," Martha explained. "But we want to make a few changes to make it more our own."

"So all the Seventh Years, please spread the word and get ideas for this," Allen said. "We need ideas as soon as possible if we want them executed."

After the meeting adjourned, they all went to breakfast, then their first lessons.

"Good morning," James greeted Emily in D.A.D.A.. "How are you?"

"I'm alright," Emily said. "What about you?"

"I'm good," he said. "I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Three Broomsticks with me tonight. We haven't been on a proper date in forever."

"I'd like that a lot," Emily said. When no one was looking, James sneaked a kiss in with Emily, then went to his seat when the bell rang.

❖❖❖

Dominic, Martha, and Adrian had Potions together for their first lesson. The three Slytherins had become very close over their time together and turned potions lessons into gossip circles.

Adrian told them everything he and Teddy did together-- every date, every kiss, every time Teddy proved he had changed for the better. Martha talked about Allen and perfect he was, and how much she loved him. Dominic blushed every time they asked him about Artie, but Martha and Adrian managed to work out everything that happened between the new lovers.

Martha and Allen had become best friends over the three months they'd been together. They talked all day and most nights. They were happier than ever. Martha was excited when Allen first brought up the idea of moving in together after they left Hogwarts, but the more she thought about leaving Hogwarts, the sadder she got.

Martha hated job searching, but it was required by the school that they have employment before they're allowed to graduate from Hogwarts. She had a few offers from potion shops around Britain, but none of them suited her. She wanted to live and work in London, where her friends were planning on living, and where Allen was eager to go.

"I don't care where we go," Allen had told her late one night as they laid in his bed, "just as long as we're together and not within driving distance of Bristol. I can't stand the idea of having my mum dropping off kids to babysit all the time."

"Fine then," Martha laughed and played with his soft hair. "Not Bristol it is."

Martha applied to Slug and Jigger's Apothecary shop on Diagon Alley, but she hadn't gotten a response yet. Emily was already hired by Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions shop and Martha hoped to work close to her best friend.

Allen was hired to be an Auror in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, which meant he'd be going to London every day anyway, so that's where he and Martha were planning to live. Since Nolan had already been hired and Maggie was being hounded by every employer who worked with Divination, Martha was the only one who hadn't any place to go after she left Hogwarts.

It was strange to her to not have a plan. She had a plan for everything. She was going to have her dream job when she left school, she was going to marry Allen after three years of living with him, she would start having children two years after that (she wanted three kids: two girls and a boy), and she would be a working mother and help provide for her family while making sure her kids had the best childhood possible. It was all calculated and perfect. But she couldn't manage to get the first step: finding a job.