"... but I promised. And what about Dora? She'll want me after too, and... please? Try to understand?" Couldn't he? It was her graduation day, and as much as she cared about West, there were others she had to appease as well. He wouldn't ruin such a big thing for her, yeah?

Also, food was here now. Everyone was so caught up in getting the cure that they seemed to have forgotten, but Alice hadn't.

She loaded up her plate.

"But I could," That was her point mostly. She wouldn't though. Not when she was paired with people who had such pretty heads of hair. To the second part she just shrugged. Alice would always think that no matter what, right? Bias she was. "Three hundred and sixty five days is practically a lifetime, Alice." It practically WAS. Her fingers ran over the back of Alice's hand for a rapid moment before stilling. "Maybe." Lots of maybe's going around tonight apparently.

He stared at her, stricken, and then nudged her plate away a little and leaned forward and whispered again. How could he possibly understand?

"... you'd expect the same thing if it were me leaving. I just... I need you. "

And he was trying to keep his voice down, not exactly wanting their conversation to be heard... especially not by Gryffindors.

Sander smiled at Lux and gently patted her on the shoulder, comforting her. "Awww...Lux, please don't cry. As you see we're all back to our normal selves again," Sander told her even though he knew her tears were actually tears of joy and not of sadness. He reluctantly had to admit to himself that he was close to tears himself.

He had hoped that the administration and Healers would find a cure before he left for home. But as the days went back and nothing happened, he was beginning to feel disheartened. That it finally happened now, at their last feast together, was definitely cause for celebration.

Sander kept a watch out for Alex. She had returned to her house table to take the medicine.



Sander grinned from ear to ear, as he raised both arms and punched the air with his fists. Yes!! Alex was also cured.

As she joined the group again, Sander smiled at her, "And I'm glad you are back to your old...I mean young self again."

Then a thought dawned on him. "You know what? I never realised how being old could affect my abilities and my mind until now. One thing is for sure, I have a whole lot more respect for our elderly population. Until now, I never realized how hard it must be for them. To want to do things only to have your mind and body prevent you from doing so," Sander told his friends.

Good-looking enough to make a good looking pair with anyone? Hah. Why, Schuyler knew she liked Coul for a reason. "Heartily agree," she answered with an amused smile. At Olly's response to that, Schuyler patted her girlfriend's shoulder, "You're very welcome." Grin. Not to mention that Olly shared the same talent as these two Gryffindors. Gosh, they were just an attractive trio of people right here.

Ah-ha! Well, there you have it. Schuyler didn't even have to ask Coul about his relationship status because he answered it just now without being prompted anyway. So they were staying together. Interesting.

Hogsmeade was a 'yes,' then. Good. Schuyler didn't take well to 'no's. "Mhmm, a trunk." How should he do that? "Put a padlock in your mouth and get down on all fours?" Okay, that actually sounded very... strange. It made Schuyler laugh, actually. Olly's suggestion was sounding more and more effective.

............

OH MY GOSH.

YES. YES. YESYESYESYESYESYESYESSSSSS.

A cure. Finally. FINALLY.

Schuyler moved to spring out of her seat when she suddenly caught sight of Olly already heading over there with two goblets. Perrrfect. Girlfriend had it covered and all Schuyler had to do was sit patiently. Which was difficult. Luckily Olly returned remarkably fast (as if she hadn't even had to wait in line at all, huh) and the Gryffindor wasted no time splashing some juice into their goblets as well. Hopefully that would help somewhat because this concoction was smelling vomit-worthy. "Yes, yes! Cheers!" She clinked cups with Olly and CHUGGED.

Good, that was another friendly face she'd get to see at work then. And speaking of working in a food place, there was now food on the table which Penelope was now willing to pay attention to. In a much better mood now than when she'd entered, she began piling stuff onto her plate.

"What's your job? And you're going to uni? What're you studying?" That was what it sounded like since Alice had mentioned classes. That was something the sixth year was pretty sure she wouldn't do after graduation, but Alice seemed like a better student than she was so that was probably why. And trips were good. "D'you know where?" she asked, setting her plate down and taking a bite out of a bread roll.

Alex laughed when Sander did his little "we're all cured" cheer. "I'm glad I'm back to my old self too", she said happily. "You guys look great. I'm sooo glad that they were able to fix us." Hearing Sander's empathy for the elderly, Alex agreed. "You're right. I guess I never thought about what it would be like to get old. Now I know and I will be more understanding of older people and all that they have to endure." Right now though, Alex was just so happy to be young again.

Coul grinned at Olly and Schuyler in turn. "I don't think you really need to thank either of us. You and Els are doing pretty well for yourselves." Yes. Compliments. He was good at those. Especially the roundabout kind. Though, he wasn't against telling people they were pretty. That was basically how he'd made friends in the first place. He just... hadn't done it in a while. No harm though.

Oh? He liked that they wanted him back so bad they were willing to sneak him in.

Both suggestions worked well for him. "I think i could flip flop between them both. Don't you?" His eyes drifted back over to the Hufflepuff table, scanning for Els again and not quite being able to locate it. "I'd look pretty punk rock with a lock on my mouth. Or... Just weird. I'm going to go with punk rock, though." It sounded cooler. And if he came around Halloween? He was definitely going for that idea. "Maybe theres a better idea. I could get an animagus license." Though, that was tough...... And time consuming? It was probably better to not....

He watched the two knock back the cure, wrinkling his nose at the smell, but not shifting away. In the meantime, he spotted Marigold standing alone and gave her a little wave and a grin. Maybe they'd cross paths on the train? Hmm.

Speaking of the train...............

Coul took a deep breath and stood up from the table, ruffling his hair a little. Was that a slight muscle flex as well? "Hey, i'm going to go look for Elodie.. And uh.. follow the other seventh years. I'll catch you two on the train, maybe?" He ruffled his hair a bit more and excused himself.

Time to leave.....

She got distracted by the food as well, trying to keep some of her attention on Penelope while she divulged in whatever was on her plate. "Uh, I got recruited. Magpies." This was such a good meal. Maybe it was the fact that it was the last time she'd be eating one here that made it feel that way. "And I'm taking night classes, Astronomy related stuff." At least that was one decision out of the way, yeah?

"Uh, I dunno. But we went to Ireland during Easter. It was cool." Dora was the best to travel with.

"Won't." Was Dora gonna eat or what? Alice buttered up a roll for her anyway and passed it over. "It's not a whole 365 days. Subtract the ones from summer and holidays, and don't count Hogsmeade weekends or Quidditch match days, 'cause I'll see you then." She would be there whenever she could, and there was no doubt her best could handle her not being there for a year. Surely.

This kid wasn't that important.

.... why was this even an issue? Alice didn't understand at all.

"Would not. You have friends. Other people to attend to. I get that." Merlin knew she tried to put up with his little hoard of followers as much as she could. Maybe she was a bit possessive but still knew how to share more than West did. Hmph.

"Later than that." Yeah. Way too early. She had an Alexa and a Dora to attend to, did he not know?

Dora wasn't gonna eat, actually. She was too busy trying to be observant and failing because whispering and cures and speech. Stuff was happening fast. She liked it better in the courtyard, except it didn't have her graduating best friend.

Still she took the roll and licked it. Not flavored butter, sad. "It might as well be." She side eyed Alice speculatively. "You'll come for all the weekends and matches." Every single one? Doubtful Dora was doubtful. Mostly because she didn't like getting her hopes up.

Because Alice was that important.

Rolls weren't for licking, they were for eating. Alice observed her best, nudging her hand a bit in a weak attempt to actually get the bread IN her mouth. Chew, Dora, chew. Food was meant to be inside the mouth. Merlin.

"Every single one I can make." Obviously, if she had a game or a class, she couldn't miss it. But she'd try really hard.

"....k." Cool. She'd be counting.

Dora leaned heavily against the table and shoved the roll into her mouth, if only to appease Alice. She really wasn't hungry.

This sucked. A lot. West was trying his best not to freak out but really...

She so WOULD want him if it was reversed. OTHER people could wait until the train... but this...?

"When?" He asked insistently. Her answer mattered.

... at least she was eating now? Dora didn't look happy enough to appease her, but the food was helpful.

She gave Dora another nudge. "I'll catch you after this too, yeah?"

Uh... when.... hm. Alice did a quick assessment of how long it'd take Dora to fall asleep, and when she would finally tire Alexa out...

"Two." Pause. "Thirty."

Seriously? He was gonna have to stay up all night for her? West obviously wasn't happy about this but also it was really important to him.

"On the dot. And stay until morning."

He still hadn't touched the food.

"K. You gonna eat or what?" He couldn't really afford to not. Y'know, skinny and all.

Alice could eat FOR him. She loaded up her plate for seconds.

He... wasn't hungry. Feast food was usually more appealing and he was sure he'd regret it later if he didn't eat. But he did fill his plate up all the same and gave her a little shoulder bump.


... what if she didn't show up?

Dora swayed a bit at the nudge, coming back to do the same but seemed distracted. "Of course. Your dorm?" It would be her last time going there after all . "I have to stop by mine first."