Holly was thanking every single past Witch, Wizard, Sorceror and Goddess that she could think of that it was time to go home. That she had made it through the mist, and she would be cuddling Cameron this time tomorrow. Nothing else (except maybe Avery, Alis and Jorgie) had made her feel as happy as knowing she was going to get cuddles from her brother tomorrow.

Looking around the room, she shot Avery a small smile before pouring juice and looking around for Alis. Considering Jorgie had been gone, with the discovery of Ringo, it had just been the two of them... and Alis still hadn't entirely forgiven her for meddling... Even though she did seem to like the extra attention she was getting from Jackson. Humph.

But that was okay, because they were all safely, alive and ready to go home for Summer. They could mend everything over Summer. Safely. Away from Hogwarts. Did she mention Safely????

Twirling her straightened hair around her finger, she leant her chin in her hand and waited for the food to arrive. Merlin she was hungry.

This wasn't exactly how she'd imagined life as a seventh year would end, but Vita was safe and present and trying to look on the bright side. Her nearest and dearest were okay and she'd be leaving for new adventures soon. She'd survived. She was a survivor. It was something she'd learned about herself, something she could be proud of.

"Hello." The neatly dressed prefect offered the younger snake a smile as she slipped into her seat and smoothed out her skirt.

It was finally the end of term feast. Austin walked inside and didn't see anyone he recognized so he sat down near someone and waited for the food to be served.

Summer was finally here and Nina couldn’t have been more relieved. She wanted nothing more than to go home and hug her mother after the disaster that had been this entire time. She was quiet (as per usual) when she hurried to the table to find a seat. Though she hadn’t quite decided how she felt about Hogsmeade Hogwarts, she did have to admit that the feast set up was quite pleasant. It was already starting to crowd, however, and once everyone arrived it would surely become overwhelming.

The fourth year made a direct beeline towards the Slytherin table where she walked towards the farthest end and sat by herself. Eloise would surely know that she was unwelcome and she was quite confident that Calloway and Ethan would come join her when they arrived.... And despite feeling somewhat upset over the evacuation ordeal, she did hope that Eiji would sit by her still. This would never be something she would admit to.

She sat silently, observing all of those around her. Tuning into the idle chatter, and looking for someone in particular over at the Gryffindor table.

Was there anything good about this evening? Not really. Woo hoo, they had survived the year and were loading up the Hogwarts Express tomorrow to head home. Great. Fantastic. Whatever.

That black rain cloud had only darkened above his head while lurking around the entrance, debating where to sit. He had had his share of Gryffindor shenanigans, thanks, and wouldn't put it past them to declare that the floor was lava in some obnoxious attempt to bring cheer to the heaviness in the Three Broomsticks. Not here for it. Hufflepuff was out of the question as well, though he was at least meeting Rebecca's gaze these days and had reluctantly decided not to rat her out to Professor Noble. He may let grandpa handle the discipline of his 'precious little sunspot'. Where he wanted to, longed to, sit was at the Ravenclaw table...but he...didn't think he was quite allowed to.

Heart giving a painful lurch, he glanced at her direction and reminded himself that this was...her pace. But how much longer did he have to wait?

Ugh. Bloody hell. Now he was hangry.

Practically stomping his feet over toward the table designated for Slytherin, he plopped himself down beside Nina ONLY because he was lacking other options at the moment. So he would declare if anyone asked. "If any of your boy toys show up, I'm moving," he offered in greeting. Or warning. More like a warning. "I don't have the patience tonight."

Patrick was glad that they had finally reached the end of term. He kept waiting for something even worse to happen. Two near death experiences already in his life and he was fully prepared for this term to be the final death experience. Maybe that was why he was always being such a nervous nelly around the castle. Sighing he moved through the more than enough people around to get to his table.

Merlin was he ready to get back home he was tired of all the confined space of three broom sticks with his classmates. Over crowded when you were used to a giant castle to keep you spread out. But... he had to keep a smile on his face as he was a Prefect and he couldn’t act like all this doom and gloom was getting him down.

Noticing that his house mates had already taken a seat he followed suit sitting a bit further away from the familiar faces but close enough to. It appear rude. He just was ready to get home. He was finding this all a little hard to be happy about.

Her gaze shifted from the Gryffindor table towards the entrance to the Three Broomsticks, as she watched others trickle inside. It was starting to crowd, just as she had worried it would and this made the Slytherin rather uneasy. She wasn't in a horrible mood, but she was quite somber. Quiet. Observant. Counting down the minutes until the school year was officially over. When Nina turned, she noticed Eiji making his way towards their table, and she found herself starting to wear a warm (but small) smile to greet him.

But it didn't last long.

His greeting, if one could even qualify it as such, was hurtful. She knew his intentions weren't to sting, but it did. And as a result, her small smile faded. She had traded it out for a more neutral expression, shrinking a little in her seat at the table. She still kept quiet, too, as there wasn't really much to say in reply. His words were mean... And Nina was quite hurt.

Maybe Eloise should have gone to sit with Cel and Dez or hang around with Karlin and the rest of her dormmates but she could do that after Nina and James Eiji give her the looks of death or tell her to leave. Well more Eiji since Nina would never say that out loud. Even if one hated her and the other is still salty over some flobberworm fun ages ago or something she has no knowledge of. But until that time she was going to sit at the slytherin table with her year mates. Even if both needed major help to not look so depressed. Prefects where here and Holly and that first year. All got smiles as she sat down by Nina and Eiji.

"Nina..Eiji both of you look ecstatic to be here and not with the ravenclaws"

Missa..Nettie and all of Nina's ravenclaw boy toys would probably have made them more happier unless you know Miss and Eiji were still having 'problems'.

"Ok maybe not ecatatic but definitely one notch above being at a funeral"

Light up both of you...which Eloise knew was impossible but come on now.

Gunnar was here, sitting with his yearmates - his dormmates, his best friend. He was feeling a little distant though, with heavy things still weighing on his mind, but he supposed he was glad to be going home.

The sixteen year old lifted his eyes to the staff table once the headmaster spoke, finding his words to be both encouraging and discouraging at the same time. But why hadn't he mentioned the two that were missing? The two that he was sure would never come back. They deserved to be remembered and not forgotten.

Frowning to himself, his eyes fell on the food that began appearing in front of him on the table. Surprisingly enough, he wasn't all that hungry, but he began mechanically filling up his plate, whether he felt like eating or not.

Twirling her hair around her finger, Holly looked up at the first voice that spoke to her. She’d half expected to see Alis, but it wasn’t Alis at all… It was Vita. She gave the older Prefect a soft smile and nodded. ”Hi.” Holly didn’t move far, well, she didn’t move at all really apart from looking at Vita - but she’d gotten a small smile which nowadays was more than most people.

Holly just wanted to be home.

But she was so close. She could almost taste the freedom now.

Still silent, partly brooding as the end of term feast just didn’t feel as good as normal. Not without Taddy… who still wasn’t found. Really, she was doubting there was going to be any good news now - but the lack of any mention of him by the Headmaster just made her frown all the more…. Even as she looked around the room and gave Gunnar and Patrick nods…. But sorry guys, that was all you were getting.

There was no way she could be happy right now (other than the small part of her that was screaming for home) when her friend hadn’t even gotten a proper mention. </3 Unhappy, sad, Holly.