Y40 Graduation Ceremony: Graduates

[Katherine Alicastell]

From the end of the hall, the Headmistress stood waiting for graduates and guests alike to enter and take their appropriate seats. Gone were the long tables that usually resided in the hall, leaving a large empty space for rows upon rows of padded chairs. Gone too, were the usual banners and drapes depicting the four individual houses and their respective colours, replaced now by banners depicting only the Hogwarts insignia on a plain, black background. Today, the seventh years weren't Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs or Slytherins. They stood together as one, the graduating class of 2056.

As everyone settled into their seats, Katherine strode across the stage to take her position at the podium. With a raise of her hand, the murmur and chatter of those present ceased, and she spoke. "Welcome all of you, family and friends, students and staff, to the graduation ceremony of twenty fifty-six. Thank you for joining us in celebrating the long journey of our honoured graduates, and in commending their seven years of growth and dedication at Hogwarts New Zealand. Truly, each and every one of you have been the heart and soul of this school." There was a brief moment of applause, and once that too had died down, Katherine continued. "To the class of twenty fifty-six, remember that your lives are only just beginning. You are all the future of wizardkind, and it is your actions and achievements that will continue to shape the world we live in. With that said, I'd like to call upon our head students, Connor Holland and Chloe Thompson to take the podium. Please give them a warm welcome." The Headmistress finished, stepping off to the side to allow the two students to take her place and present their speeches.​

Out of Character:

This thread is for Graduates and Speakers to post in. Guests and Spectators can post in the 'Guest' topic.

 

[Connor Holland]

Connor had felt sick all day. Today was always going to be terrifying, but now... now everything was heartbreakingly, gut-twistingly wrong, and there was no way to fix it. The not knowing was the worst part. He had heard as much as anyone else in the school - there had been a Basilisk loose in the grounds, Emma had been petrified, and Kas and Lysander had been expelled. It didn't take much to put the pieces together. His feelings had been on a roundabout ever since - blinding fury at Kas and Lysander being so stupid, terror at the thought of what was going to happen to them, guilt that Kas had been caught up in something so dark and he hadn't even noticed... it all revolved so fast that he was left numb, unable to fully submit to any one feeling when a moment later it would be whisked away and replaced with a brand new horror. He barely remembered the last few weeks of the semester, and he was certain that he hadn't done well on his NEWTs. He had spent the entire Care of Magical Creatures exam fighting back tears.

And now he was here. Finishing school, without Kas by his side. He would be leaving this part of his life behind forever, with no certainty he could cling to. His best friend gone, maybe for good. His career in question if his NEWT marks were as bad as he expected. He felt untethered from reality, like he was living through a horrible dream that would dissolve into mist at any moment. But it was real, all too real. Maybe he was the dream. Maybe he was about to dissolve. That would at least be easier than giving this speech. The headmistress calling his name came far too soon, and Connor felt his body get to its feet before his mind had really processed the thought. He stepped up to the podium, looking down at his notes rather than out at all the people in front of him. Connor hadn't managed to write a speech, but he had brought what he had, a few scribbled thoughts he had jotted down before his world fell apart. It wasn't much help, but it was easier than looking out at the crowd. Seeing his classmates watch him fall apart. His mum. His brother.

"I, um... I want to thank our teachers." Connor croaked, completely failing to keep the misery out of his voice. He knew he must look a complete mess, but he had to get through this. The quicker the better. "They... they shaped... shaped us into... the people we are today. The, um... the skills, the things we... we learned..." He paused, taking a deep breath. He knew he couldn't fall apart in front of the entire school. Knew there was part of him somewhere in there that didn't want that, that would be embarrassed. He had worked so hard to distance himself from his early reputation as a crybaby, and somewhere deep down he didn't want to be seen like that. But it felt so trivial, so far away. So hard to care about. He took a long, slow breath, trying to collect himself and speak in full sentences as he went on, though there was nothing to be done to hide the misery and hollowness in his voice, or the words he stumbled over as he went. Not exactly the picture of the Head Boy inspiring his classmates.

"The things we learned from our teachers, and... and from our class... classmates, that's... what makes us who we are. We're all... better for... for our time at school, good or bad. And, um..." Connor turned over the piece of parchment, hands trembling as he scrambled for anything else to say. "And whatever happens... wherever... wherever we go from now on, we'll always... we'll always have... have our friendships, and... and all the... the experiences we shared. The-" Connor cut off, a tear falling on the parchment in front of him. Would he always have Kas? Would he ever hear from him again? Kas hadn't answered a single owl since being expelled, and the scariest part of Connor's brain said that that was because he was in Azkaban. He didn't know. He had lost one of the most important people in his life, maybe forever, to that person doing something unthinkably stupid and evil, and now... now he was supposed to just stand here in front of the school, to congratulate them on graduating, like this was all normal. Nothing was normal - maybe would never be normal again. Kas should be here, and he wasn't. "I... I'm sorry..." Connor choked, abandoning his notes on the podium and clapping a hand over his mouth to try and hold the tears back as he stumbled back to his seat. He managed to drop into it before breaking down, burying his face in his hands as his whole body shook with the force of his sobs.

 

[Chloe Thompson]

Chloë had been equal parts excited and nervous about the prospect of graduating since the very beginning of the year. Excited for life beyond school. Excited to meet new people and explore opportunities she wouldn't have gotten before. Nervous about the unknown, the uncontrollable. About leaving behind the sense of security and familiarity life at hogwarts had given her. It made her appreciate her time at the school even more, had made her realize she'd never have all of her friends as closeby as they had been during those seven years they had spend together. In class, on the quidditch pitch, in the student lounge or common room. All of it. They had all spend so much time together that being up on a stage to speak to them felt slightly odd. She didn't think she was much wiser than any of them and yet she had been awarded the head girl badge, one that came with the commitment of having to write a speech and address all of her classmates before they were send off into the world. Almost all of her classmates.

After hearing the rumours about what had gone down and letting her eyes fall on the two empty seats between the rest of their graduating class Chloë felt close to guilty as she watched Connor take the stage first. They had discussed who went first and after some encouragement he had agreed to do so. But that was before the rumours, the emotions, the uncertainty about what was going on with their friends. Watching him try to speak to the crowd made her feel even worse and and she couldn't help but to feel a little lost as to what to do. Part of her wanted to step in and let him off the hook, but she didn't want to embarass him or make him feel worse than he clearly already did. She could feel her own eyes start to sting a little when he tried so hard to at least say something, even when his emotions were getting the better of him. As soon as he turned to leave the stage Chloë quickly stepped forward.

"Hi! Hello," She started in a rush clearing her throat in the hopes that the crowd would focus their attention on her rather than Connor as he hurried towards his seat. "Welcome all! Welcome professors, staff, family and other guests. Welcome class of 2056, welcome graduates, welcome friends. And congratulations!" Chloë put on a smile, trying her best to focus her attention on familiar faces in the crowd rather than the head boy who she could see sobbing from the corner of her eyes. If she could just pull through she could give a speech for the both of them, his words had already matched some of the things she had planned on saying anyways. "I speak for both Connor and myself when I say that it's hard to believe it's been seven years since we first set foot into this hall. Young and unknowing. Some more innocent than others." She started with a soft chuckle, "I also think it's safe to say that we'll all walk out of here as different people than who we were seven years ago. Because even if it feels like our time at hogwarts has gone by in the blink of an eye, seven years is a long time. It's a time in which we've dealt with failures and successes. All of which have helped shape us into who we are today." She started, feeling slightly tense now that she actually had to deliver her speech. She had written and re-written it various times, having a difficult time finding the words to describe the time they had all spend together, and could only hope her classmates would appreciate it.

"Taking educational factors out of the equation I'm certain we would've never been who we are today without the people in this hall. Professors, guidance counsellors, nurses.. but most importantly: the people sitting right next to you. Because during those seven years we have helped shape each other both consciously and subconsciously. We have influenced each other in ways that are difficult to describe. We've built each other up and sometimes maybe tore each other down. We've fought with each other and cared for each other. We've won and we've lost. And now we're here, ready to head out into the world. Ready to go our seperate ways." She spoke, pausing for a second to take a breath. "I won't lie to you and say I'm not nervous about graduating, because I am. Perhaps a little scared even. Scared of the unknown that is life after graduation.. But I've learned that it's alright to be scared because change can be scary. It likely always will be. That doesn't mean you have to deal with it on your own though. We're all heading out there to try and find our place in this world and I'm certain there's times at which we'd wish we were back here rather than having to face whatever curveball life has decided to throw at us. But it's at those times I hope you remember the thing you might be homesick for is not these castle walls.. It's the people who made these walls a home. People who hopefully made you feel secure, who you could laugh and cry with. And those people are right out there in the world with you, perhaps even facing similar struggles. So don't hesitate to reach out, be there for each other. You're always welcome at my door."

Chloë let her eyes fall on the faces of her classmates and friends, pausing for a second before breaking out into a small grin, completely forgetting everything other than her speech and the fact that they were actually graduating for a tiny moment. "On behalf of both Connor and me I'd like to say this once again: congratulations class of 2056! You did it. We did it. Here's to facing the world together." She gave a small nod of thanks before picking up her notes as well as Connor's and heading off the stage towards her seat.

 

[Katherine Alicastell]

Katherine stood quietly to the side as the two head students gave their speeches. Or, as Chloe gave hers. Her applause after Connor had finished was hesitant, but picked up speed in order to move past it quickly and disrupt the awkward atmosphere. "Thank you, Mr Holland." She said quietly as he left. She was pleased by how well Chloe managed to recover the ceremony, and joined the others in applauding her too, before taking to the podium once more to address the hall, now that all was said and done. "Thank you to our head students, for those heartfelt words. It is an emotional day for us all, and I would like to say that I am proud of each and every one of you here today." She said. Not every student who had been here the past seven years were present, but today was not a day to dwell on the fact. They'd all made their own choices. "To the class of twenty-fifty six - the future is yours - don't be afraid to leave your mark in the history of wizardkind. I look forward to seeing what each of you bring to the wizarding world. Now, let's move on to why we're all here. When I call your name, come up to the stage to receive your diploma." The woman said, taking a moment to look across the sea of faces in front of her, many for the last time. Her eyes dropped to the parchment she held, and she called up the first of many names.

Out of Character:

It's time Graduates. You can now RP your character coming on stage, getting their diploma and then sitting back down until the end of the ceremony.

 

[Jenna Jusantrea -Maxwell]

Jenna was nervous a little when she came on the stage but same time she was ready for say last goodbay and next day she will find the new job in her life and then she will stay at New Zealand and study dragons also she needed writed Zen and Daintree."I wanna say thanky so much all professors and professor Landon Carter who always was try find the right place here and that he helped me a most when i needed" Jenna finished her speach and walked away. It was a little sad becouse she don't get a good grades and was afraid of her dad.

 

[Andrea Turner]

Andrea was next and finaly she was happy that shcool was end and she was decided sty truffle farm and do family bisness and not choose singer carerr. "Welcome all professors and i am happy be there and i wanted say thanky for being there and always with us and help when most needed you" Andrea smiled and then walked away. She was not so much speak like others.

 

[Ajaccio Skey]

Ajaccio Skey couldn't quite believe he was at his graduation, it had been a long time coming of course and he had started planning for life afterwards but still. To be here, at this moment, it felt odd. Worse even, since the graduation was not playing out as expected, with both Lysander and Kasim gone. He didn't know exactly what had happened, only that Lysander had done something monumentally stupid and Kasim has been involved. He hadn't known the latter boy as well, knowing him only because of Accio, but the former, god, Lysander was one of his closest friends and it was mad they weren't graduating. Of course he was happy that it hadn't gone worse, that Emma was okay, this would've been so much worse had she not been. He just...this wasn't how his graduation was supposed to happen, and he just felt a little worse for it. Like this would never be a patronus memory because as happy as he was for all he'd achieved, it was tinted with a sadness that no one could take back.

Ajaccio sat down next to his girlfriend at the ceremony and reached for her hand. She was beautiful, radiant and really the one good thing truly left in his schooling. He gave a little smile and then glanced towards the headmistress as the woman stepped forward and invited the head people to speak. He felt pangs of deep sympathy for Connor, watching as he stumbled over saying anything, only to bolt off stage. He knew this had to be hard on him, since he had been good friends with both too. Chloe did a much better job, but he knew it had to be hard for her equally, this was all just much harder than it was supposed to be. He applauded for them both, even though one had managed more, and then the names were being called forward. He made sure to cheer for everyone, to bring up the morale and the mood, to make sure everyone knew this was supposed to be a celebration and though he wasn't feeling it he wouldn't hold back. He cheered loudly for Nicole, for Connor, for all his housemates, for Emma and for Iris.

Eventually his own name was called and he stepped forward. He shook the head mistresses hand and quietly thanked her for it, unsure of if he should say or do more than he was. Thank her for saving Emma, apologise for his friends. Instead though he just took the diploma and walked off. This was bittersweet, but it was at least over. He went back to Nicole and just looked forward to being able to leave and to start a life together, and maybe follow up on where Lysander was, make sure he was doing okay. ​

 

[Kiara Wood]

To say the very least, Kiara was scared. She had always waited for the day to come, however, now... She just wanted to have more time before the graduation. She was getting ready to it for a long time and to say the least, she was sure she had been handling everything that happened perfectly, tho, this day was a nervous wreck. She just wanted mom and dad to be there... She would have given away everything just for them to be there, tho, when she came into the hall for the last time, Kiara looked around to see Jackson and Jordie... She wanted to invite Rebecca as well but decided against it for one reason - Jackson. She gave Jacks and Jordie a smile, glad to see them there, glad that they were there for her.

Kia took a seat next to Arthur and put out her hand, hoping that he would grab it. It would be easier for both of them to handle everything together. Kiara unconsciously looked around, trying to catch someone's glance... Kia couldn't honestly even consider how hard it was for Connor to be here without Kas, it was weird that neither Kasim or Lysander was there. And when Connor fell apart, Kiara looked at the ground trying to act like everything was fine but since she counted him as her friend, she didn't exactly feel fine. Tho, she listened to Chloe's speech, feeling at least a little bit more confident about how it was gonna go. She said all those emotions perfectly, they were going into the unknown and the unknown started right as the staff started to call their names.

With all those thoughts, she heard her name being called and she stepped forward. She shook headmistresses hand, trying not to seem overly emotional. She honestly wasn't sure what else she was supposed to do, so she took the diploma, thankfully smiled at the headmistress quietly mumbling something like a thank you and then returned to her place. She wanted to finally see Jackson closer, wanted to be sure that he was proud of her. She had made it even if she didn't wanna make it already. She was all a grown up now, starting a university in less than a three months, moving back to France and still working in Vibez. She was just hoping that it was all gonna be fine.

 

[Poppy Perkins]

Poppy had never been good at sitting still and today was no exception. The last few weeks had made her restless. With everything that had happened with Kas and Lysander it felt like no one in their year had been able to focus on anything else as the days till graduation ticked down. But now it was here and it felt so sudden and yet wildly overdo at the same time. She had thought about this day nearly all year as a terrifying cliff that she was rushing towards. One that she would have to jump off and enter a much larger and terrifying world. But there was something about having a dangerous creature petrify someone close to you that made things like a job or university seem rather tame at the end of the day. So as she looked up at Professor Alicatell when she began to speak, Poppy was relieved to realize she didn’t feel nervous but she wasn’t exactly excited either.

She did smile when she saw Connor take the stage to deliver his speech. She had been quite proud of him when she had heard the news he had gotten Head Boy and she was so glad they had managed to spend more time together this past year, but her smile fell when she got a better look at him. He looked like he had seen better days and she gripped her hands together so tightly it hurt when he started to fumble his words. She wanted nothing more than to try and comfort him but was powerless to do absolutely anything. She knew him and Kas were close, for reasons she never understood, and her heart broke for him as he rushed back to his seat. Next was Chloe, and she clapped as the other girl took the stage and did her best to recover the situation. She listened to the speech and took a moment to consider how much she had changed. Sometimes it felt like she was shockingly the same and as if no time had past, but there were also moments when she thought about her first year and how she would get lost and talk to portraits. The Poppy graduating today would be nearly unrecognizable to that little girl. She knew this castle backwards and forwards now, and had friends and even ran a club. But she would still make time to check in the portraits. That part of herself wasn’t likely to change anytime soon. As Chloe mentioned friends, she thought of her own and it made her quite sad. It was a sadness she had been fighting off all year and in the vulnerable moment she let herself feel it all. She wiped away a few tears that had decided to fall and hoped the people around her just thought she was particularly moved by the Head Girl's speech, which was partially true. It was a very good speech after all.

When her name was finally called, Poppy shot out of her seat and made her way up to accept her diploma. She walked quickly and spared a glance over her shoulder just as her foot caught on the last step and she tripped. She waved her arms wildly for a moment but stayed, thankfully, upright and mostly intact. She was sure her face matched her hair as she greeted Professor Alicastell. This was it. It was all over and she had completed her education. She had come to Hogwarts completely lost, thrown into a world she had only ever dreamed of and now she was firmly a part of it. She just needed to figure out what that meant to her but finally, as she stepped off the stage, she was excited to find out.

 

[Nicole Fisk]

Nicole had always envisioned her graduation would go a lot differently. Though she doubted even a seer could have properly predicted the last few weeks leading up to graduation that left the hall feeling so uneasy. In the grand scheme of things, having two students missing wasn't a big deal, but Nicole felt like they could all feel their absence. She didn't know exactly what had happened, Emma wasn't forth coming about much either and Nicole didn't want to push her, just glad that her friend was well enough to graduate with them at all, but it wasn't hard to put two and two together to know something horrible had gone down and poor Lysander had gotten mixed up with the wrong people. Nicole was grateful her friends weren't more involved, gripping Ajax's hand tightly and leaning her head on his shoulder as the ceremony began, glad for his support. She knew Ajax was closer with Lysander than she had been and Nicole couldn't imagine how she'd been feeling if Ajax had managed to get dragged into that mess too.

It wasn't a surprise to see that Connor was falling apart, considering he was so close with someone like Kasim Safir, only to find out he and Lysander had apparently done something so awful. His speech was enough of a trainwreck that Nicole couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Thank Merlin Chloë was their head girl and able to salvage the mess that Connor had left her. Nicole knew she'd originally hoped she and Ajax could be picked as head people, but seeing both of them up there now, or at least Chloë, Nicole was relieved it hadn't been her.

With the speeches done and the applause thankfully drowning out the pitiful sound of Connor crying, there was just the diploma's next. Nicole smoothed down her hair nervously as the names started being called, the reality that their school life was actually over starting to sink in properly as her name was about to be called. She couldn't help but give Ajax a quick peck on the cheek before hopping to her feet, giving the headmistress a watery smile as she took her diploma, glancing out at the crowd to spot her family and friends and feeling the smile grew a bit wider before she hurried off stage. It was strange to think not all of them had made it to this day, but Nicole was grateful that she had, and for the people she'd gotten to call her friends because of it. She got to decide what she took with her into her new life after school and as Nicole sat back down, reaching for Ajax's hand again, she knew she was only taking the good parts.

 

[Freya Song]

Freya was trying very hard to stay in her seat. The itchy feeling in the pit of her gut that told her to run had never been this bad before. She wanted to be somewhere, anywhere that wasn't in this hall and facing her graduation from the only place she had ever considered a home. She didn't want to think about what had happened with Kas and Lysander, and was instead focusing her energy on being mad at them for not being there. If it hadn't been for Connor still being around, Freya would have already ditched the school and complete her exams via owl just so she could leave on her own terms. It had taken her too long to realise that Hogwarts was her home, and graduating only made her feel like that was being ripped away from her. She'd been right all along, everything and everyone that mattered were always going to disappear and getting attached would only end in tears.

Freya dug her nails into her palms to resist the urge to jump up and drag Connor away during his speech. She felt like she was floating, numb and detached from the world around her as the ceremony went on. Time seemed to slow down as she waited for her name to be called. She was painfully reminded of her Sorting, how tiny and scared she'd been back then. She didn't feel much different now, to be honest, the desire to flee had never quite left her. Freya purposely kept herself from looking at the crown as she heard her name called, not wanting to risk seeing if Soren had shown up. Inviting her brother had been the stupidest thing she'd ever done, and and Freya was mad at herself for even wanting to involve him in her life at this point. She had a family at Hogwarts, except now even that was falling apart with Kas gone and she was sure Connor was going to leave her soon too.

She approached the stage, feeling blood rushing in her ears, and had the sudden thought of wishing for a time turner so she could go back and redo her seven years. Freya didn't even know why she wanted that, but the thought wouldn't leave her head as she gave the headmistress a monotone thank you and took her diploma. Taking her seat again, Freya took a breath to try calm down. She just had to deal with today, and then whatever she was going to do with the rest of her life. No big deal.

 

[Rosalind Lockwood]

Rose couldn't believe they were here. She was just grateful Emma was alright, though she like the others noticed the absence of Lysander and Kasim. She hadn't been close to either of them by any means, but she couldn't ignore the gravity of the situation. She stayed close to Iris the whole time, not caring if she stood out of order. Iris mattered to her more than some silly rule. She offered her hand out to Iris, only leaving the other girls side to rush over and grab her diploma. "Thanks," she murmured, before hurrying back to her girlfriend. @Iris van Houten

 

[Juniper Zumwalt]

Juniper had been so confused by recent events that between that and their NEWTs, she had not even finished her graduation attire. Donning a pantsuit she had worn to a Valentine's Day Dance a few years back, Juniper walked into the Great Hall feeling the nerves in the air. None of them seemed to know what had exactly transpired some evenings ago, but all she knew was that at least two were no longer welcome in their ranks. And while she did feel bad for Kas, having heard many sweet things about him while she was working on the flower suit for Michael, she knew Lysander had to have roped him into something disastrous. It wasn't a surprise to her Lysander had been expelled, but it was more of a surprise that it took this long. There was no fiber of her body that felt bad for the Gryffindor, as he had likely deserved what he got. However, she did feel bad for the damage it caused to so many of her friends and classmates. Thankfully, Emma was physically okay, but she knew there would be a lot more emotional damage to reckon with eventually, especially once they all, hopefully, learned what happened that night.

Taking her seat, Juniper looked out and gave a small wave to her mom and dad in the crowd, thorougly surprised they had gotten over their pride and attended. Adorah was a short distance away, and she gave her sister the biggest grin. Wanting to reach out and hug her, Juniper was quickly drawn into the speeches beginning. And it was rather dreadful. While public speaking didn't seem like many of this year's strongest suites, watching the disaster that was Connor almost made her tear up. Today was supposed to be exciting, and Lysander had ruined it for everybody. Thankfully, Chloë had tried to fix it and get people back in the spirit. Juniper gave a large cheer for her friend and felt a bout of good nerves start to rise.

The seventh year waited until her name was called, giving support for all her peers, even ones she didn't know too well, as they all deserved it for making it here today. She gave an extra loud one for Poppy as she tripped, hoping she was okay. Finally, it was her turn. Being at the end of the alphabet sucked, but it didn't matter. She was here, and she was finally graduating. Making the path to the stage, she took the diploma from the headmistress, giving her a small nod of thanks, before making her way back to her seat.

 

[Tina Seville-Lopez]

Graduation ... It was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives. It meant that their lives take another chapter outside of the school. But as she sat there, Tina felt like the crowd was just tense. The graduating class wasn't complete and she can tell who they were. The Slytherin looked behind her and put a slight smile towards her cousin and aunt. They were her parents proxy as they were busy as always. Tina could tell that Ainslee knows what happened here and she wasn't happy about it.

She took a sigh as she settle back on her chair. Listening to both of the Head Students speech, she felt sorry for Connor. Tina thinks that half of that people here are wishing to go back in time and change the wrongs that was done. Honestly, she was one of them, so that this graduation wouldn't be about the bad things that happened. On her hand was an open enveloped from Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. She took the letter out again and opened it, the University's header was the first thing you'll notice and the rest written on it was informing Tina that she had been accepted to their Bachelor's degree program in Journalism and would be starting that Autumn semester.

The letter would have been a great news, if everyone would have been happy with their own accomplishment. Tina clapped as Chloë finished her speech and tucked the letter back in the enveloped where it came from. The Slytherin was ready to received her diploma and waited till her name was called. "Yessss! Seb!" @Sebastian Kane She cheered on Kane, pretty much the only friend she ever made except for her family members inside the school. When it was finally her turn, she graciously accepted the paper that she worked on for seven years and came back to her seat.

 

[Arthurian Taylor]

Arthur felt that graduation had turned a bit bittersweet. They were missing two of their graduates, and the tension in the room was palpable. He thought he'd been ready for graduation. But he had to admit, this was absolutely not what he'd been expecting. He reached out and laced his fingers through Kiara's drawing her a little closer. He bit his lip as the head boy broke down, squeezing Kiara's hand gently.

He was called up before she was, taking his diploma quietly before returning to sit with his girlfriend. He applauded gently as she walked up for her own diploma. When she sat down, he leaned over to wrap his arm around her and whisper in her ear. "We made it. You made it. Everything is going to be fine," @Kiara Wood

 

[Issac Jacobs]

In all honesty, Issac was surprised that he had even made it this far into his schooling life. Sure he was doing an okayish job in his classes and had done some childish mischievous things at school, but this still surprised him. it felt like this was all a dream. The last couple of weeks was a rollercoaster, his girlfriend had been petrified for a bit, which caused him to worry a little. Okay, a little would be an understatement. He was really worried about his girlfriend that he had visited her a lot more when he could than he usually did to see if she was okay.

But he tried to not worry about it today. He was graduating. They were all graduating. He wasn't gonna lit but he had a mixture of excitement and nervousness for today. His leg had been bouncing the entire time throughout the ceremony. Issac wasn't sure what he was gonna do after he graduated. He honestly had no plans for what he was going to do with his future. And that's what scared him. The Gryffindor listened as the head girl and head boy did their speeches. He watched as Connor had made his speech and Issac could honestly feel the awkwardness around the room. The Gryffindor let out a quiet and sympathetic "Yikes", making a small face, as he watched Connor leave the stage after that awkward speech. Though he smiled happily as he watched his friend Chloe make her speech and cheered and clapped loudly for her as she had finished her speech. It wasn't long until the headmistress had started calling their names, and this was when Issac started to become nervous again.

When the headmistress had called his name, he gulped maybe a little too loudly, his hands slightly starting to sweat. The boy quickly but nervously made his way up to the stage, he smiled politely at the headmistress and shook her hand, before making his way down back to his seat again. He usually wasn't so nervous when it came to this sort of thing but today the nerves had decided to take over him. When his friends and girlfriends names were called, he made sure to cheer as loudly as he could to show how proud he was of all of them. He couldn't believe that he actually graduated.

 

[Thomas Jusantrea]

Thomas had been out of his mind all day, for the day he had feared for the past few months. He was still unable to believe there was a graduation. It will be unusual not to have to return to school after graduation. The fact that you will not be able to enjoy all the incomparably beautiful places that created the inspiration to write music. Nevertheless, the unrest of the whole morning did not take a step back from him. There was such a strange mood in the common room that all seven years were preparing for their last yesterday in Hogwarts. This was called the time of change.

When it was time to go to the Great Hall, Thomas looked at the application as a healer again. The profession he had been pursuing so purposefully for all of the last months. He sat in the hall in one of the vacancies and listened anxiously in his heart and realized that all this was really a reality. The eyes looked at all the graduates, and the corner of the eyes was also noticed by the twin sister, to whom Thomas was still angry. Until the time had come to go after the diploma until the name would be named. And while he was waiting he thought of his mother that it was a pity they were not with him at the moment. Here was named his name Thomas got up and went after graduation. As a miracle walking after a diploma, the excitement was like a magic hint. He took the diploma from the principal and shook hands with him, saying more thanks. On his way back to the place, he looked at the guests and noticed his father, stepmother, and his main guest, Allison. Thomas smiled to take his place because the graduation was only halfway there.

As he sat down, Thomas looked at his diploma and couldn't believe he had really finished school. From then on, it all depended on himself to build the road.

 

[Emma van Houten]

Emma couldn't say she had pictured graduation very often, not even in her final semester at Hogwarts. But if she had, she definitely would have pictured Lysander at her side. Iris was sitting there now, holding onto her arm. Emma knew she should appreciate how her sister was sticking close to her, but it just felt strange. The past few years they had each started doing their own thing. Now Iris was hovering around her like a very protective shadow at all times. She just wished things were back to normal. She looked up as Professor Alicastell made room for Connor on the stage. Seeing him made Emma feel even worse, he clearly wasn't doing well. She hadn't talked to Connor in years, but it suddenly felt incredibly silly. She knew he was likely upset about Kas rather than Lysander, but she still understood how he felt. His speech was painful, but Emma couldn't really blame him. Of course, Chloë was there to smooth it over, which Emma appreciated. She watched the headmistress as she called up people. She seemed unruffled, wasn't she upset about her grandson? Emma suddenly felt angry at the woman. Why had she expelled him while Emma had been petrified? She should have at least gotten to say goodbye. Emma cheered for Issac, but it was a bit subdued. She didn't want him to worry about her more, but she also didn't really feel like herself. When it was her turn, Emma headed to the stage. She took the diploma from Professor Alicastell with trembling hands. She looked at the headmistress for a moment, her anger and frustration coming to a boil. "It's like you don't even care." She whispered, before walking back to her seat. She didn't think about the pile of unanswered letters on her nightstand. It would seem to Lysander like she didn't care either, but that was different.

 

[Sebastian Kane]

Well, to say the least, the last two or even around five years had been a true mess. Parent's death and orphanage, then adoption, moving and transferring, then settling down in the school and then all the drama with Casper. Could he even imagine that something like this could happen? Probably no, however, he couldn't say that there wasn't good moments as well. He found a friend in Tina, Casper after all ended up as Seb's first love and to be honest, Seb didn't regret it all so he just looked over at him all the time. Then, his little sister was there and Charlotte was graduating with him, they were unseperated as they had always been no matter what. And to be honest, maybe Sebastian did feel a bit sorry about Lysander being kicked out of school, he had to admit also that he was more relieved by it, it meant that Cas was just his and there wasn't anyone else that he would pay attention to. Tho, it was quite weird that everything was so quiet around and the Gryffindor boy wasn't here to get that comfortable atmosphere that he usually had around him.

However, even if Seb skipped all the speech part just being almost asleep, he did listen to the official part, waiting for his name to be called. Once he heard his name being called, Seb gave a little wink to his little sister, smile at Casper and when he heard Tina cheering for him, he started walking backwards and just put his arms up like trying to show off his biceps. If it was anyone else, he wouldn't be there messing around, especially since the atmosphere here was more like they were at the funeral not at the graduation. Tho, when he was next to the headmistress, he became quiet again and just accepted the diploma and thank the headmistress quietly. To be honest, he felt a bit weird but he had to admit that he did enjoy that there was someone that cheered for him. And once he fell into his seat again, he just waited for Tina's turn to go up to accept the diploma and he tried to come up with something cool to shout that wouldn't embarrass her. "Go Tina! Well done!" and in the end, he didn't come up with anything unique, yet, he supported Tina and showed her thumbs up. He was proud that they both were graduating together. @Tina Seville-Lopez

 

[Connor Holland]

Connor wanted to leave. He wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole, so he'd never have to see any of his classmates again. Anyone again, period, he added, as he realised in horror that his mum and Eric were here. Everyone had seen him completely fall apart on the stage, and it was all because Kas was gone. The knot of pain inside him twisted, anger and sorrow a vise gripping tight around his heart. It was all too much - a day like today that should have been a happy-sad ending to seven years of his life turned so easily into his worst nightmare.

It was a relief when Chloë managed to somehow salvage the speeches, and Connor knew he owed the Head Girl a debt of gratitude beyond words. He kept his head down, barely listening as the graduates began taking the stage. It didn't matter. Kas wouldn't be among them. Neither would Lysander. Emma almost hadn't been, and the thought made him feel sick all over again. He took a moment to react when his name was called, feeling disconnected from everything that name represented. His limbs weighed far too much as he stood, feeling like he was dragging himself through a dream as he made his way across the stage and accepted his diploma. He knew he should probably say something - thank the Headmistress, apologise for his speech, something - but his mouth was full of cotton wool, and speaking felt impossible. He just nodded instead, miserably loping back off to his seat and burying his face in his hands, desperately hoping this would all be over quickly.

 

[Iris van Houten]

Iris knew it frustrated Emma to have her around all the time, but it was difficult for her to leave her be at the moment. The image of her so still and frozen in the hospital wing bed was stuck in her brain, and Iris dreamed about it almost every night. So whenever she could, she wanted to keep Emma in her sights. She listened as Professor Alicastell started the speech, though she kept an eye on Emma the whole time. Though her attention was soon on Connor, as she realized something was awfully wrong the moment he started his speech. She watched her friend fumble for words and break down on the stage, feeling horrible for him. This was a moment she knew he had been looking forward to, something he should have been great at. It should have been his moment to shine. Iris barely heard what Chloë had to say, she was completely focused on Connor. When he returned to his seat, Iris turned to him instead of Ema and put a hand on his arm. When she was called, she went to get her diploma, barely able to enjoy the moment. She returned to her seat and placed her hand on Connor's shoulder this time, giving it a slight squeeze.

 

[Vivienne Hoshino]

Vivienne had initially been heartbroken upon receiving her parents' negative response to the invitation to watch her graduate, but some of the hurt was beginning to ease as she thought about her siblings who were already at Hogwarts with her. Her parents had never been shy in their disapproval of her school-hopping and Vivi knew they'd already written her off as a disappointment just like Teddy and Blue and she sure she'd find a way to prove them wrong. After today, it would hardly matter what house she'd been in or which families she'd wormed her way into associating with. She had enjoyed being a nobody for the brief time she'd been at the school, and now she had the whole wide wizarding world to explore and find better connections to make something of herself.

Vivi tried not to judge too hard as the head boy completely fell apart on stage. She supposed emotional control didn't come easily when one chose to associate with degenerates, but she did feel a little sorry for him. At least Chloë seemed to have herself together and wasn't a complete embarrassment to the graduating class. When her name was called, Vivi hurriedly straightened her robes and went to get her diploma. Her heart ached a little at the thought that her parents didn't care enough to see this moment, but Vivi was determined to make them proud once she was beyond the constraints of the school.