Kay now made her way to the Staff Dais where Regina was already seated. It was the perfect picture with the Headmistress seated in her rightful place. It was also perfect because none of those horrible persons were no longer there. She passed under the celebratory Ravenclaw banners, moving to the opposite side of her usual seat. “Good evening,’’ was her murmur to everyone there on that end. It was Foster that she sought out. Possibly, with the exception of Emmalyn, he had been the most concerned about her after her firing, even paying her a visit during the Christmas holidays. "Your first year has been eventful, hasn’t it?’’ she teased lightly in a quiet voice. They would talk more later but right now, she needed to get to her seat.

“Hello, everyone,’’ Kay greeted rather happily. Ignoring Joshua as if he didn’t exist, there was a grin for Alice whom she had taken a liking for at the start of the term. “I’m so happy to be back.'' Now she was comfortably seated in her chair and was scanning the Hufflepuff table for Emmalyn. The two would catch up soon. As of now, she reached for some food.

Her appetite was back.

Alice watched with rising amazement as one by one, Julian's minions exited the hallway. So they WERE being fired! She listened as finally the old man Rafferty himself gave an angry speech, before leaving with his minions. "Bye, manbaby!" Alice called after Rafferty as he left, smirking triumphantly. He may have been rude to her up until the very end - but she got the last laugh, and the one who laughs last laughs the hardest.


"Welcome back, Headmistress Hawthorne," she greeted her old employer as she sat down in the seat which only moments before had been Julian's. The whole thing had a very climatic feel to it. This mirrored what had happened at the start of the term. Alice wondered with a slightly guilty conscience whether Regina would hold any grudges over the history of magic professor's failed attempts to ally herself with Julian. Hopefully she would understand that Alice was just trying to follow the rules and that she would be just as loyal (even more) to her in the next year. She would prove it!

The surprises of the night were not over just yet. "Kay!" she gawped in surprise as the original Muggle Studies professor took her seat where Rafferty had been sitting only moments before. "What a pleasant surprise," she said, returning her smile, and even standing a little to give her a small hug. "Welcome back to Hogwarts."

When Headmistress Hawthorne handed out the letters, Ashton had stood up without being seen and made his way to the staff table. With a cheeky grin, the polyjuice potion slowly wore away as he walked through the great hall revealing his true identity

And Ashton was no longer Ashton.

Professor Tristan Wayland walked up the steps of the dias and made his way to the seat that was rightfully his. Before sitting down however, he did a quick scorgify over the chair and his section of the table..

Didn't want any remnant of Alek touching him. *shivers*

"Evening, everyone. Seems like this term has ended exactly as it should have." He said with a small grin, wondering when a certain Astronomy Professor was going to make his entrance.

Kalen casually walked into the great hall and ever so swiftly slipped into his seat next to Tristan. In his hand was a cup of tea, and on his face was a smile. He unlike his colleagues had opted not to transform while in the middle of everyone.

So he had rushed to his office and re-Kalenfied in there, as well as made himself a cup of tea. No one would be able to understand how hard it was to not drink, talk about or even think about tea.

No one.

But now that he was back to himself and had his proper clothes on, his alter ego was several inches taller than he usually was, and his trouser hems would have been dragging on the floor. No one, needed to see that.

Though Kalen found himself wishing he could get some of his height back. He felt short.

“Long time no see.” He said with a grin aimed at Tristan before he took a sip of tea and looked at the rest of his colleagues to whom he gave smiles and waves too.

Ahh. It was good to be back.

Mostly.

“I miss how tall I was.” Kalen mused quietly to Tristan “I feel so short now.”

Gaston met Scrimgeour's death glare with an equally deadly one of his own. “If refusing to further subjugate these children makes me incompetent, I'll take that as a compliment,” he said stiffly. No more words were exchanged, but his eyes said it all as he remained firmly in his chair, arms crossed defiantly. He had to practically bite his tongue to keep from laughing in the old man's face. Didn't he get it? His threats no longer scared Gaston. He had already lost the only job he loved; there was nothing more the man could take from him. At this point, he was just biding his time until the last student safely left Hogwarts tomorrow… or until this reign of terror ended, whichever came first.

Fortunately, he didn't have long to wait. Regina was here and the letters handed out. Two of the sociopaths were gone; just three to go. Gaston tensed, keeping his eyes locked on Scrimgeour and his remaining hires as he awaited their reactions with bated breath. Fletcher left; now only Ainsworth and Scrimgeour remained. His heart dropped as the former headmaster's eyes landed on him, but he made no effort to deny that he'd reported him. For one wild moment, he half-expected the old man to attack him without Fletcher as a barrier between them, but… that didn't happen.

Instead, he went on a rant that was met with a scoff and an eyeroll from Gaston. Subjugating children had gotten this place nowhere too, but he didn't voice that thought out loud. There was no need; everybody in this room, including Scrimgeour himself, already knew. The only further reaction the old loony's parting words got was a defiant, almost triumphant glare. It's over, Scrimgeour. You lose, he thought. The old man himself said actions had consequences; now it was time he faced his.

Then… they just left. Gaston slumped in his chair like a snowman melting in the sun as he watched Scrimgeour and Ainsworth go. Now that the adrenaline and anger had worn off, all that was left was sadness. They had beaten Scrimgeour's regime, but the victory came at the price of his health and his job. He just wanted to retreat to the privacy of his office to mourn the passing of his time at Hogwarts in peace, but there was something he had to do first. He barely even blinked when his fired colleagues appeared and took their places at the dais. "Welcome back," he greeted, giving Regina, Kaysha, Kalen, and Tristan each a small sad smile. "And congratulations on the House Cup win, Kay."

Gaston rose to make his rounds to the house tables for the final time, but along the way, he paused in front of Alice's chair. "Alice..." he began, trying to keep his voice down so the others wouldn't hear. "We never saw eye to eye on Julian Scrimgeour's regime, but I'm sorry my actions caused trouble for you." Maybe in another place and another time, they would've got on better, but now they would never know. "I wish you all the best." With that, he turned away with a small smile and started toward the house tables.

Foster sat and watched the remaining professors enter the Great Hall. Those deserving of a polite greeting received one. The others, Rafferty, did not. Once he caught eye of Gaston, he smiled brightly. Gaston, Joshua, and Katrina had made the year tolerable and all had proven to be of high character. He felt honored to call them friends. “Indeed we did.” He responded to Katrina’s statement.

He leaned forward to better chat with his colleagues. “Josh, I think that a meet up in Diagon Alley would be splendid. How about we get Kartina and Gaston in on our rendezvous?” He glanced first to Gaston, then turned to Katrina.

Before the conversation could go much further, the speech started. At the command to rise, Foster remained in his seat. He was over it. Over the ridiculous rules and over the improper behavior by those claiming to be in charge. When the speech ended, he saw her. Regina was there, and smiling. He watched her hand out letters, and the evil began to leave.

In all of the hubbub of letters being handed out and less than happy goons leaving the Great Hall, Foster hadn’t noticed Kay leave and return. Once she reached the staff table, he almost jumped from his chair to embrace her. His heart pounded in his chest, and he briefly closed his eyes to let the rush of relief that she was okay wash over him. “Professor Stewart, wonderful to see you looking so well this evening.” He let his eyes run up and down, scanning to make sure she hadn't been harmed in any way by the extended use of the potion. “It has been quite the year.” He smiled as he watched her take the seat that should have never been taken away from her.

When Kalen and Tristan joined the table in their proper forms, his anxiety level dropped even further. “Gentleman, it’s absolutely wonderful to have you both sitting in your rightful place again. I don’t have words for how much you both were missed.”