Ah there was their guest of honor. “Good evening,” he echoed with a smile. “Why of course,” Wilber confirmed, motioning to the special chair that had been added to his right, shifting that half of the table down slightly but actually evening the numbers out in the process. One win-win scenario coming right up.

“Good evening Celeste,” he greeted the astronomy professor, nodding as Javier greeted them in kind. The headmaster wasn’t going to comment on whether or not it was a good evening with the potions master. The younger man’s change for the future might be his own choice, but that didn’t necessarily mean it wasn’t hard to see change as a happy thing when it was there right upon you. And as a head of house as he had been, there was a certain familiarity that was to be broken. Wilber didn’t envy those goodbyes. Ah and there was a certain Ravenclaw head of house, no doubt caught up in his various duties that always piled up at the end of the term, Wilber giving a nod of acknowledgment to the transfiguration professor as well.

With the Great Hall looking to be full, it seemed it was about time he got down to business. The headmaster rising from his seat for his usual speech and waiting just a moment or two for everyone to register and start quieting down. “Good evening one and all!” For overall it was a very good evening. “Another fine year has come to its end and with it many good things…like new friends,” he remarked, glancing at the sphinx beside him momentarily before looking back to the crowds before him. “And winners…” motioning above where the yellow and black banners already hanging from the rafters above all the tables in true celebratory fashion for the honor. “Congratulations to Hufflepuff for winning this year’s House Cup!”

“And new beginnings.” No being all sad for the departures that would happen tomorrow. “For tomorrow we will be sending off our graduating seventh years for the final time, watching as they soar into the next adventure.” His gaze popping amongst the various houses where there were sure to be the handful that fit the bill…and then moving to his colleagues at the dais. First to his left towards the potions professor and then to the right towards the charms professor. “We will also be seeing off Professors Javier Hernandez and Marilyn Sayse, thanking them for their wonderful service to the school and wishing them all the good luck for whatever their futures bring.”

"And in all our immediate futures is a grand meal to be had," Wilber chortled with a couple of pats to his belly. "Let the feast begin!" And with a firm clap of his hands, each table became adorned with plates upon plates and bowls and jugs containing all the makings of a lavenish end of term feast.