Graduation

[Roman Ivo]

Roman looked out across the tables an austere look on his face as he viewed the graduating students, their friends and family members who were all in attendance. It was a momentous day in their lives and he knew that every single one of them deserved to be here today. They had done their school proud, been excellent ambassadors for Hogwarts when away from the prestigous building and more importantly had become excellent role models for the younger students. These were leaving behind a legacy of intellect and cunning, bravado and loyalty. Friendships had been created that would last a lifetime while others would be severed unintentionally before the ink had even dried on their diploma's.

His students were about to embark on the journey that would encompass the rest of their lives and he sincerely hoped that he and his faculty had done all they could to prepare them for the trials and tribulations ahead of them. It was all down to them from here on in. There would be no professor to pick up the pieces, to offer a shoulder to lean on or advice. The real world could be cruel and merciless but he fervently hoped that they would also see past these to the beauty that abounded. Stepping to the podium he charmed his throat with 'sonorous' and began to speak for the last time to his students.

"Greetings students. As you stand when I call your name take time to look at the person on either side of you. Remember the faces always of those who walked these hallowed halls with you, remember the laughter and the tears as you go out into the vast unknown. For that is exactly what it is for you... unknown and the familiarity of a friend will go along way. Hold true to the ideals that we have attempted to instill in you all, hold true to the ideals of your Houses and you should all go far. I wish you all the very best as you embark on this great journey."

Taking a deep breath he stood back a moment before calling then to the Head Girl Kailey Paramore and the Head Boy Aries Centauri to make their way to the podium to say a few words. He took his seat as the speeches commenced.

 

[Aries Centauri]

Once the headmaster had spoken he made way for Kailey and Aries to approach the podium, Aries stood there like a complete idiot but felt that as he was still pretty much a blow in, Kailey should have the last word here and with that thought in mind, stepped forward and like the headmaster before him, cast sonorous on this throat. His strong voice boomed out across the hall.

"I did not always attend school here, I began my scholastic career in Durmstrang but never felt as if I ever truly belonged there. After transferring here in my fourth year I soon made close ties not just with the school but with some of the faculty but more importantly with the students. I made friends. It is a difficult thing counting the achievements of a person ... we can weigh them up in awards regarding sports or academia but for me personally and I know for quite a few of you out there too, our own personal greatest achievement is surviving these past seven years and doing so with people we now consider closer to us than family.

We have suffered detentions together, we have run the gauntlet of quidditch, supported our champion abroad, studied into the wee small hours of the morning for exams. Our shoulders became broad enough to take the weight of those who needed to lean on us. Our ears became accustomed to listening and actually hearing each word that was spoken, knowing that someone was depending on us. Our mouths became the tool for which we not only joked and chatted our days away but for issuing advice requested from us ... or sometimes in my own case, I'd just give it anyway."

He shuffled slightly gazing out at the sea of faces.
"I never expected to be honoured by my peers and those in authority with the privilige of being your headboy and I thank you for that honour. I thank you for not rolling your eyes this year as I attempted to put all the pranksters in line. I hope we as the senior year set a good example or at the very least gave the younger students something to learn from. When we leave this school it is out into a place that might as well be shrouded in peruvian darkness powder. Some of us know what our next move will be ... others are completely in the dark. Whatever decisions we make now to map out the rest of our lives, it is not just what we have learnt from books that we must remember but every other life lesson as well. Remember to always listen, remember to always offer that shoulder and remember to give advice when it is requested even when you think you are the least likely candidate for the role."

Another slight shuffle as he neared the end of his speech.
"A quote from Dumbledore in his memoirs reads 'It matters not what someone is born but what they grow to be'. We have an opportunity to be the best of what we can be, to change our destinies and map out new ones if we so desire. I have seen you, watched you over the past few years and know what you are all capable of ... so to you I say ... go forth and conquer the world, it is yours for the taking. It is your dream in the making."

Convinced he had now just made a complete ass of himself, he stepped back once more removed the sonorous spell from himself and smiling at Kailey returned to his seat casting a smile to Violet before doing so.

 

[Kailey Harrington]

To say that Kailey was nervous would be a tremendous understatement. The eighteen year old was scared out of her wits, pacing around her dorm, the dorm that she would never be in again after this day. Pausing for a moment she looked over the room that had been her home for the past seven years. This place had seen so many changes within it’s walls over her time there. She had been spending the past several weeks thinking back to the past, now that she had gotten her NEWTs out of the way, which had seemed to be the impossible goal. There hadn’t been much else to take up residence in her mind. She would just be doing something totally normal or random, and it would hit her like a train once again. After this year there would be no coming back, this really was the end of her schooling. These thoughts were heavy in her heart and the weight just kept piling itself down on the girl.

After a while of getting ready Kailey just needed to sit down for a while and let it all sink in again, as she had had to do more times than she would have figured. After this day she would be starting a whole new life. She would be an official Chaser for the Thundelarra Thunderers and most importantly she would finally be starting to build her future with the love of her life, Demitris Harrington. Kailey looked down at the large engagement ring that never left her finger. She had long since gotten used to it’s presence and was no longer sitting around twiddling it grinning like a fool all the time but it was times like this that she swelled up with happiness and she almost seemed to glow. Was she nervous about heading out into the unknown? Hell yes she was, scared to death but in the end she knew that things would be okay, Better than okay.

And it was with those thoughts that she once again sprang up from her bed which now looked horribly blank, with just a mattress and white sheets folded in a rectangle sitting at the foot of the bed that she had dug up from under her bed, her own dorm bedding packed away within one of the many deep crevices of her school trunk along with almost everything else she had brought here with her, leaving the place looking like a skeleton of what it once was. Even her cats weren’t here to liven up the place anymore. Seeing as she had arranged for them to be in Demitris’ care from the Brightstone weekend until she would be back at their home for good. Slipping into her dress and sliding on her shoes Kailey plucked up the piece of parchment on which her speech as Head Girl was written, grabbed her wand, and made her way down to the ceremony.

The school seemed eerily silent as she made her way down the many staircases to get to the great hall, in the upper levels the only noises that would be heard were the soft clicks of her heels against the cold stone floor and the thumping of her racing heart. The walk seemed to take longer than all seven of her years at Hogwarts New Zealand combined but she finally made it down the stairs into the entrance hall to join the rest of her fellow graduates before they made their way into the Great Hall to take their seats for the ceremony.

Once the cluster of soon to be Ex-Students were in the great hall and situated into their seats the newest Headmaster Roman Ivo, began to speak to the crowd and the first group of students he would see leave these halls during his time as the Headmaster of Hogwarts New Zealand. She listened to his speech, made louder by a quick snorus charm and kept short, sweet, and to the point in what Kailey had realized was typical fashion for the man before making her own way up from the sea of graduates up to the stage with fellow Ravenclaw Aries Centauri, as both were to give a speech. She hadn’t been to any graduations but she had heard the Head Girl was supposed to give her speech first, causing Kaileys heart to race even further, so she was surprised but most definitely relieved when Aries took the podium first. Giving the speech he had prepared for all of them. As he spoke Kailey simply faded back into the woodwork, giving him his chance to speak.

And speak he did, that speech was amazing! Kailey thought back to her own speech, the parchment it was on folded up and tucked out of sight, now she was extremely glad she had memorized it rather than relying on everyone else to use theirs too. As Head Girl and a representation of the mighty Ravenclaw house it would look quite bad, she just really hoped she could nail it… or at least do decently. She wanted this to be a day she could remember. As much as the urge to fiddle with her engagement ring came over her in her nervousness she managed to stand still, smiling and clapping along with the rest of the crowd as Aries finished his speech.

The next few moments seemed to be the slowest of Kaileys life. The beating of her heart could only be compared to the thrumming of a hummingbirds wings, so fast she could barely feel it at all. Taking a deep breath she made her way over to the podium and looked out to the crowd. A sea of faces both old and new, familiar and not, loved and hated. All now waiting to hear what she was to say as Head Girl for the Graduating class of 2025, she would later realize she was blowing this out of proportion but for now she couldn’t reason with herself with a damn. Getting her wand out of it’s holster she pointed it at her throat, casting a quiet snorus before she began.

“I still can’t believe this is happening. It really seems like only yesterday I was walking through those doors as a First Year, almost entirely new to the world of Magic, waiting for the next few years to ‘seal my fate’ as I would have put it. I remember clearly how at the time it felt like the next Seven years would drag on, Graduation day was nothing more than a figment of the imagination to me. Even just a year ago this day seemed to far away. But now here it is and I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels a bit overwhelmed by it all.”

Kailey took this moment to pause, her eyes scanning over her fellow students to see if maybe she was indeed the only one who had felt this way for weeks now. Her eyes flickered to Demitris for only a moment before she continued.

“Nobody can really tell you how your experiences during your seven years of school will impact your life. It does it in ways unimaginable, any ideals you have going into this school will be put to the test. It’s a wonder we survive at all. But as the saying goes, ‘what does not kill you only makes you stronger’ and that is definitely true. Over the past seven years every single one of us have grown and changed into the young adults we are today. We’ve all slaved away in classes, ruining any chance of having a normal sleeping pattern. Procrastinated with friends until we’re having to rush to get in that history of Magic exam of something of the sort. Experienced the stresses of juggling your social lives as we’ve squeezed in last minute quidditch practices before the big game or came up to our eyeballs in planning for the many clubs that are offered. Or even just dealing with the stress that comes with trying to find yourself.”

Her eyes became unfocused for a split second as a memory caught hold of her. It was her first time ever meeting Njord Aesir, how different she had been back then. Yet still so much the same, a Thirteen year old girl ready to take the world by the horns, bursting into all of her endeavors guns blazing. This luckily passed within moments but the rest of her mind had gone blank, speech forgotten. Not one to let long pauses happen she quickly picked up from where she left off, only now she was winging it, looking to her fiancé once more the words flew out of her mouth with ease.

“When I read the letter telling me I had been made Head Girl you could have knocked me over with a feather.” She looked over to her mother, a small smile playing on both womens lips as they remembered Kaileys shock and her subsequent reaction to the lofty news. “I never expected it to be me, I had a firm belief on who I believed it would be and it still stuns me at times to pin the badge onto my robes. But I am extremely honored for this position, and the trust the staff members must feel to give it to me and I thank them all from the very bottom of my heart, as well as all of my fellow students and those who have already finished their journey here for making this the best seven years a girl could ask for. Katalina Vanderhol, Rhyspa Aireous, and of course my sister Trista. Without you three and several more I would not be who I am today.” She paused, looking at each of them in turn, as well as her mother and then finally Demitris, although these two were not mentioned they were the biggest ones of all.

Feeling that it was about time for her to wrap things up, Kailey began to speak again.
“Though our schooling may be over, our education still continues. All of the life lessons we’ve learned within these walls are but a mere fraction of what is out there to see. I personally think Carly Fiorina had it right when she said this ‘The truth is, I was afraid the day I walked into Stanford. And I was afraid the day I walked out.’, This may not be Stanford but it still applies. Even though we’re all headed into the deep abyss that is the real world, go with whatever you decide to do full force, whether it be Going to work with the ministry, Starting a path to save lives, Playing Professional Quidditch, Heading out into the muggle world, or just starting a family for yourself. Go at it with an open mind and a heart full of determination and we will succeed at whatever we do. It may be cliched, But I guess all that’s really left to say is, We made it!”

Kailey lifted the snorus charm from her vocal cords and quickly made her way back to her seat with Aries, giving him a smile and looking back to Demitris beaming. Her speech had not been as good as Aries but it had been decent enough… or so she hoped. Now just minutes until the diplomas were given out and she would no longer be a student of Hogwarts New Zealand.

 

[Roman Ivo]

With each speech rendered, Roman Ivo stood once more and clapped sedately for the pair who had spoken well on behalf of their peers. He paused a moment on the podium glancing only momentarily at the table laden with their diploma's and began to call out the names of the students. One by one they made their way up and one by one he shook hands with equal reference to all. As the last student took their seat once more, Roman proceeded to the podium once again and this time with a sombre smile he announced.

"Ladies, Gentlemen, faculty, students ... may I present to you ... the Graduating class of Two Thousand and Twenty Five". Roman never one for theatrics or overly emotional displays merely clapped for all of them before walking down through the crowd to offer once more his congratulations.

 

[Fenton Longestine]

Fenton sat twiddling his thumbs with Aries on one side of him and Trista on the other. He was nervous but he was wearing his best robes and that always helped stem the agitation a small bit. His head swiveled around a few times spotting Esmerelda and Harrison entering and winking at them both. Then his own parents and grandfather came in and he groaned inwardly, casting a quick glance at Trista and wondering if his parents would cause a scene today.

They were still adamant that they wanted him to return to England after graduation no matter how many times he told them that he would be traveling with Harrison and Aries but of course they were convinced he would be shacking up with Trista and would hear nothing more on the subject. Glancing back once more he watched his father Gregory Longestine, view the room with a proud haughty demeanour before showing his wife, Fenton's mother Dervla Keating to her seat.

Rolling his eyes he turned back in his seat not bothering to smile at any of them or to give them a wave of acknowledgement. It wasn't long before the headmaster stood up and said his speech making way for Kailey and Aries. He had expected Kailey to go first of course and looked at Trista a moment when he took the podium before her. Fenton had a fair idea why he had done it though, Kailey had been here since first year and deserved the honour of having her speech be the one said last and therefore probably more memorable. It also meant he got up and down before his nerves of public speaking took hold.

Fenton clapped along with everyone else when both speeches had been done and had to admit that both speeches had been ruddy brilliant. The moment came then for the handing out of the diploma's and he waited with sweating palms until the headmaster called his own name. Walking sedately up to the podium he took the diploma, shook hands with the headmaster and dutifully returned to his seat. All without cracking a smile or a stupid joke though when Katalina was about to go up he was sorely tempted to wind her up but decided it safer that on this particular day he not do that at all.

With all the diploma's passed out he stood with the others and cheered and clapped heartily that they had indeed 'made it' as Kailey had so eloquently put it. He turned to face his girlfriend then and beaming at her hugged her to him in a burst of emotion before releasing her once again. It was time to mingle which meant he would have to go and say hello to his family.

 

[Aries Centauri]

He was no sooner off the podium and listening to Kailey's fantastic speech, then they were being called individually this time to receive the parchment that they had worked so hard for. He thanked the professor for his and made his way back to his seat winking at Violet as he did so and holding up the rolled up scroll.

Soon enough they were cheering and patting one another on the back, congratulating each other on a job well done. With a smile he passed from one to the other of his peers and wondered was it too soon to remove his headboy badge. Glancing down the hall he knew only one thing, he wanted to get to Violet and swing her about inorder to share his excitement.

 

[Katalina Harker]

Kat had been fighting tears most of the morning and when Andy had helped her get ready it hadn't made things any easier. Sure, she was really excited about graduating, but she was also terrified of going out into the world as an adult. She wasn't sure it was something she was prepared for. Taking her seat in the Great Hall right between Sumner and Chace she looked around to see if she could find her mum and sister. Catching their eye she grinned and waved at them both.

As the ceremony began Kat listened intently to the speeches, but didn't stay dry eyed for long. She beamed at Kailey when she made her speech...she was so proud of her friend for having made Head Girl. Hearing a slight wooshing sound Kat looked over at the Ravenclaw sitting next to her and snorted quietly. Sumner was passed out cold and it was absolutely hilarious. Shaking her head she tried to think of the best way to wake him up and then it hit her. Taking his ear in her hand she twisted hard and whispered, "Fall asleep again and it'll be a lot more than your ear that I twist." Kat heard Chace laughing quietly on her other side and her blue eyes pierced his green ones as she hissed in a hushed tone, "You want some too?" The Slytherin shook his head vigorously and directed his eyes back to the stage. Grinning the Gryffindor turned her attention back to listen to the rest of her friends speech, knowing that she'd miss life as a student more than she even thought possible.

When her name was announced she stood and walked up the steps and looked at her friends with a big goofy grin and then she stuck true to her form and skipped across the stage to accept her diploma from the headmaster. With the rolled piece of parchment clutched tightly in her hand she started down the steps and in normal fashion, Katalina Vanderhol tripped on the second step and tumbled down the remaining three. Seems I went out the same way I came in...clumsy as hell she thought with a slight chuckle as she stood up with her hands in the air and said, "I'm alright...no permanent damage." Taking her seat, the now graduated Gryffindor looked around her and realized that the best times of her life had been spent within the confines of this castle and as the memories came flooding back to her so did tears.

 

[Ashley Dallamoor]

Ashley keep twirling a piece of her hair that was curled earlier and done with a yellow head band with a ribbon on the side. She keep thinking if Deviant and her Father had meet here in the school, Ashley still didn't told him this because of her Father's tendency of cracking up. She was the only daughter he had and Patrick loves her very much, Patrick will be sad if he knows that her daughter was already taken. As the program started with the Head Boy speeches first, Ashley kept glancing at her back seeing as her Father and her step sister is already seated at the back right of the great hall. She smiled at them before turning back to the podium where the Head Boy finishes his speech and up came the Head Girl, lucky for her Ashley doesn't have to make a speech as she is content to be a prefect and she did her job very well.

Ashley listened at the Head Girl's every word and smiled slightly, thinking she can go to a fashion designing school and be with Deviant. Her Mother knows that she will live with Deviant after graduation but she's not yet telling her Father about it, maybe this will be the best time to say it as she is an adult now and can choose whatever path she wanted. Kailey Paramore was finished on her speech, one by one the graduating students lined up at the side of the podium to take their diplomas. Ashley walked slowly as she scanned the area again to see Deviant, she smiled widely and looking at him for a mere long time, Ashley bump at the table where the diplomas are and made a screech sound of the table. She smiled embarrassed as she took her diploma from the Headmaster and went back to her seat.

This was the first time she had been bumping into things whenever she saw Deviant, it must really love but she can't help to stare at his boy friend, he is just too adoring. Ashley noticed that all pf her batch mates are all seated in their seats, the Headmaster then announces them the graduates of 2025. As she heard that, a trickle of tear strolled down her cheeks, she will miss Hogwarts no matter what, she thought at first when she moved here she will be lonely and have no friends but she made many and that's the important one.

 

[Xavier Snow]

Xavier couldn't believe that this was it, sure he hadn't been at this school for more than a year but he knew he would still miss it all the same. He would never see Beauxbatons or Hogwarts after today and it struck him as depressing, and he rarely ever felt that way about anything because he hated feeling or being sad about things he couldn't really control. His mother was unable to come for a few reasons that he understood easily; she was a Death Eater, and she seemed to be spending a lot of time with those allies of their family, why she was he had no idea. Recently she had disappeared for a few months without so much as even the smallest explanation of why she had gone missing for awhile. At least Gabrielle and Hilde said they would come so someone could see him Graduate, so his mothers absence could be forgiven this time. 'I don't think I'm ready for this.' Xavier sighed to himself and allowed his icy blue eyes to lock onto the Headmaster, Head Boy, and Head Girl as they all came up to the podium and said their speeches, each one making him feel worse that he was finally be shoved out into the world and expected to do the right thing.

When his very own name was called he didn't hesitate to stand up and walked to the podium, it was very quick because all he did was receive his diploma, Shake Hands with the Headmaster, and sit back down to watch as everyone else did the same exact thing as he had. As he watched with a saddened expression he vaguely thought of Vincent, he should have invited him but ended up not invited him for some reason, he would have to catch up with him sometime later because he knew that Vincent was Graduating this year too, one last hang out before they went out into the world and got jobs was seriously needed. It wasn't long before the ceremony was over and it was Official that Xavier was no longer a Hogwarts student.

He stood up quickly and scanned the crowd of guests that had come, he was eager to find Hilde and Gabrielle so he could drown his Graduating sadness in them and maybe get some food. But what he was not expecting was the person his sister had convinced to come being here, he did not know that Trilby was here yet, and he likely wouldn't know unless he saw her. While glancing around for Hilde, he caught site of his twin talking to someone with brown hair, maybe they had seen Hilde. Without a moment to lose he bounded right for them.

 

[Link Black]

Link did not sleep the night before, he didn't feel comfortable enough to seek dreams when he knew he was graduating the next day coming. He wasn't fill with glee when the sun came nor did he felt the same slumber that's been dragging him along for a while. Quite frankly he didn't feel any human emotions. The day came as promise and went on just like any other for him. He got dress promptly, his graduation attire were nothing special to him. This day held no meaning, all it said, was he had accomplish his education even if he did leave for a long period of years. He just wanted to get it done and over with like he had meant to do so, he lead his way right to the great hall when the announcement came.




Link took his seat in the back were he was distant, away from those eager around him. He did not want to blend but he didn't want to be notice. He sat and listen to each speech, both respectfully recited as he tried to fine a meaning within each word spoken, but he felt null. Disinterested, and let each word slip by without phasing. The minute was rush when the names came announced, Link stood up and didn't know if the ones invited came to the ceremony or not. He owe a lot to one of them and the other who he had expected to see was his father of many years ago. If he wasn't dead than he would be here, if what Zazuka had spoken for it to be true than Mr.Black would be here to see him graduate. After all they did call "Black, Link" instead of Woods. He stride swiftly across stage and receive his diploma, he walk back down and sat back down again. Even if he felt nothing effected him, something inside was grasping for this phase to end. And maybe just maybe he was hoping for his old caretaker to be here as wanted.

 

[Raffael Fox]

Raffael listened to the headmaster as he sat in the graduation ceremony. The words echoed throughout his brain, along with all the other emotions and memories he had been through in his schooling at Hogwarts. He remembered first arriving and all the drama that had ensued in his fifth year. Losing his parents, reuniting with Taylor and just generally being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But then seventh year approached and everything fell into place and suddenly Raffael had been at the right place at the right time. Raffael turned his head and his eyes found Hadan's. She looked beautiful in red and white and Raffael had to tear his eyes away with extreme effort. He now had a new family, he got prefect, he had the best girlfriend in the world and now he was graduating.

The head boy and girl spoke and Raffael realised how much he preferred Hogwarts to Beauxbatons. He never thought he would find a place at this school, yet he did and he loved it. Even though he couldn't be sure where his life would take him after school, he knew that if he had everything he had now, he would be fine. As the headmaster got up to speak and present the diplomas, Raffael's eyes found Hadan again and he gave her a bright smile. He knew it would be hard to leave her, knowing that he couldn't sneak off to the Dungeons to meet her whenever he felt like it. She would be at Hogwarts for another few years, but the promises of the Summers let the concerns of missing her slip away from the Ravenclaw's mind.

As he was called up, Raffael stood and unconsciously smoothed down his clothes. He stepped up to the headmaster and shook his hand firmly, a small smile on his face as he grasped the diploma in his hand. He was holding his education in his hand, he looked out to the audience and momentarily wished he could see his parents sitting there, proud of him. He hadn't thought about them in so long, but as his gaze landed on Taylor, he decided he didn't need his parents to be proud, because there were more important people to be proud of him than them.