Closed Final Goodbyes

[Theodore Westwick]

There wasn't much Theodore was leaving behind at Hogwarts, not much he would miss or regret. The people he cared about most were graduating with him, and he didn't care much about the school or anyone who would be left in it. But there was one thing Theodore would miss, and he had to say goodbye before he left forever. It was now two years ago that his pet tarantula had died, and he still missed Victor a lot. He had buried the spider on school grounds, and it had brought him and Edmund back together after their big fight. The memory of the funeral was bittersweet, and he found himself thinking back to that moment as he returned to the spot he'd buried Victor at. He remembered where it was, even without any obvious markers. It was near one of the trees, and Theodore stood near the spot and hugged himself as he looked at the patch of grass. He'd never been able to get himself another pet, and didn't know if he would after school either. Victor had been special to him. He had helped him find his love for insects and arachnids, something Theodore wanted to pursue after Hogwarts. He sighed softly, wondering if he should say something or if that would just be silly. He felt a little silly anyway, standing here, but he couldn't get himself to leave just yet.

 

[Zoe Westwick]

Leaving Hogwarts for good was something that Zoe definitely wasn't ready to think about yet. She had been throwing herself into NEWT studies like she had never studied before to put off thinking about how graduation made her feel. She was torn between excitement and extreme terror. The future held so much potential, but there was so much to figure out along the way. It was easier to be scared of an exam than scared about the prospect of finding a home and a career. Zoe wasn't pretending this wasn't happening though. Far from it. In her final days at Hogwarts she wanted to make sure she didn't have any regrets that would stay with her once she had left the school. Trying to ensure she had done everything she wanted to had led Zoe all around the school and grounds, exploring in her free time between study sessions.

One such exploration led her to the forest's border, wondering whether she wanted to try to venture in again, in hopes of spotting the centaur she had seen in there so many years ago now. She was distracted from her mission however, by a familiar figure standing at the forest's edge, and Zoe's heart broke. Of course. For Ted, leaving Hogwarts behind would also mean leaving a beloved pet. She approached Victor's grave quietly, sliding her hand into Ted's from behind and resting her chin lightly on his shoulder. "Victor would be proud of you." Zoe said softly, staring down at the grassy ground as she spoke. "Living the life you've always wanted."

 

[Edmund Westwick]

Edmund had never felt less prepared for anything in his life than he felt for leaving Hogwarts. Yes, his classes were over, in theory he had all of the knowledge Hogwarts had decided he needed for his chosen path in life, but the actual act of leaving this place behind would be a strange, deeply painful one. While he didn't care much for school life or classmates, the thought of a year without Analei was deeply terrifying. Edmund had been trying and failing to prepare, busying himself with meaningless tasks rather than studying. He had gathered all of his things in one big pile on his bed as though he was going to pack them, but the pile was just... sitting there, now.

And Edmund wasn't even sure all of the things in it were his. It hardly mattered, but he and Theodore had so many matching possessions it was impossible to figure out at a glance which bow tie was whose. So he had set out to find his brother, a new, exciting distraction to add to his list of things to do that weren't studying. After checking the usual places in the castle, Edmund resorted to the outdoors, hands in his pockets as he walked across the lawns. When he finally spotted Theodore he wasn't alone, and Edmund considered doubling back and asking later before he realised where Theodore and Zoe were standing. Of course. Victor's grave. Edmund's feet propelled him forwards before his brain even caught up, sliding into place next to his brother and taking Theodore's spare hand, squeezing it as they had done when they were children. Though he had caught the end of what Zoe was saying, Edmund elected not to comment on how wrong she was. He remembered her threats from years ago all too well, and though they got along well enough, Edmund didn't especially want to anger his brother's girlfriend. Instead he stood in silent solidarity with his twin, relieved that at least they wouldn't have to face the end of this chapter of their lives alone.

 

[Theodore Westwick]

Theodore wasn't entirely surprised when Zoe found him, and he leaned into her slightly. He glanced at her and reached for her hand. "Thank you." He said quietly, feeling a bit more at ease with her reassurance. He sighed deeply, looking at the small grave again. He sensed Edmund almost more than that he actually saw him. He glanced at him after a moment, a sad smile on his face. Edmund didn't need to say anything, Theodore knew he was here to support him. "I ... just wanted to say goodbye, to Victor." Theodore said after another moment of silence. "But I... I think I'm done now. We should go." He said, his voice slightly strained. He didn't want to seem childish, and he knew it was silly to linger here.