Melbourne glanced around the great hall once more that night in an exercise for not tearing up. Merlin, this was hard. Harder than she ever thought it would be…leaving, and not coming back was rough but made rougher with the fact that Kirk wasn’t leaving with her. Don’t ask him to finish next year with homeschooling…he needs this place, the thought stung but it was what was right for him…and for her too.

Glancing over she watched for a moment as Ronan Carter walked into the greathall. Ah, next year he’d be going through the same thing she was right now. ”Hey Ronan, you have any fun summer plans? she asked kindly purposefully avoiding the topic of his previous possession.

Nearlyheadless Nick’s voice congratulation her and the graduating Gryffindors only caused her throat to tighten. It felt as if there were an egg caught in her throat. ”Th-thank you Sir Nicholas” she finally coughed out even though it stung. ”Sir Nicholas…keep the kids after us on their toes, they need to keep their wits up to survive Hogwarts” really, wit was what had saved so many of them in the direstraights of the school year.

Eggs. Mel glaced at the oozing cracked egg spilling down Matt’s hair. Right, at least he’d taken it well?

Mel glanced up at Vi once more and grinned, ”yeah summer…and I’m planning on leaving Darce with him so he can at least deal with witty comebacks whenever he wants to play with the Jarvey” really, leaving Darcy might be harder than leaving Kirk…Darcy, she was already family to her. She had raised her from a baby. Right Dufftown…wait food, food was good.

Mel took a hard sip of water – almost gulping the liquid down just as Ace arrived at the table. ”we…did well,” Mel grinned over to him, gosh she was going to miss being in the Gryffindor commons with him especially considering he wasn’t her neighbor anymore. Things had changed over the years and that, that was still one of the most significant parts to her. The inability to simply walk across a little bridge over to her best friends house.

Mel nodded when Matt mentioned the seven minute speech – her little smirk still in place. He was fun, she was going to miss him. Stop missing people she griped at herself before looking at their little group once more. ”guys…we need to do something – like, next year when we’re all in uni and doing whatever life throws at us…we need to meet up and have a fun time in the city? Y’know, get delicious food and chat about the non-deadly things we’re doing?” because she was assuming that it was only Hogwarts that tried to kill its students and not university.

It was a short speech but when the graduates were asked to stand it hit hard. That was her. Shakily she stood up and pressed her fingers against the table before sitting down again moments later. ”We did this, we made it” she gulped and then looked up to see Professor Marchand walking over.

Oh merlin.

No, please don’t say anything touching. She knew that wouldn’t work, he was always touching and kind, it was the Marchand way. ”Professor Marchand,” Mel spoke up as he walked near their gathering group of students. ”thank you, for everything – for, for being a wonderful professor and for inspiring all of us to be better kinder people in our lives.” she smiled softly before handing him a small tin. ”It has an undetectable extension charm on it…and its cookies” smiling up at him for a moment she just felt herself getting choked up again when Professor Marchand thanked her for her spirit…that was, great. ”thank you,” merlin. She was going to miss his classes.