West had need to take a bathroom break... because there had been something in his eye after doing the memory book entry. No other reason. Yeah. No. He was fine. Staunch and manly. No problems.
He re-entered the Great Hall, impeccably dressed in his uniform. It'd be the last time he ever wore it so he wanted to make it
count. Slytherin pride, but more than that, Hogwarts pride. It was a thing.
West paused just inside the doorway and surveyed the Great Hall, reflecting on the first time he'd been here.
"I'm a SLYTHERIN!"
"I'm West Odessa, and I AM A SLYTHERIN LIKE MY DAD AND LIKE SIERRA GREINGOTH AND THE MINISTER OF MAGIC!"
"I'm REAL happy. This is going to be the BEST ever year. And then six MORE best ever years."
.... Merlin.
It was really over, wasn't it?