FicWad

Graduations, as far as Christine knew, were always bitter sweet affairs. There were always tears. Regrets. Nostalgia and excitement in equal amounts. Her classmates were going through all the usual emotions that went along with such an event right on schedule. Along with the inexplicable and sudden memory loss that made them all much fonder of each other than they had ever been during their school years.

Even she was included in the last one. Her classmates were suffering a bout of collective amnesia and decided they'd loved her all along. For most of them, that was entirely untrue. Christine hadn't made many friends during her time at Hogwarts.

Still, since she didn't want to cause a big scene on a day where everyone involved was already full of mixed and volatile emotions, Christine didn't remind any of them about that. Instead, she hugged and laughed and joked about their former years with them all while they waited for the ceremony to start.

Mostly because she did have some friends, and Christine knew they'd appreciate her being cooperative with their classmates for once. Tonks especially. Her cousin was cheerful and adventurous, funny and personable. Which made her a lot more popular with their peers than Christine. So, she had people flocking to her during their last day as students.

That Christine didn't pick a fight with any of them made things a lot easier for her.

And Christine had to admit, it was nice.

Despite their differences, of which there were many, the seventh years had been through a lot together. Their crazy DADA teacher, Professor Herbert, who tried to blow up the school in their third year. The giant spider that attacked their Care of Magical Creatures class the year after. Christine was sure it had been an Acromantuala. So were her classmates. But they'd never been able to convince anyone else of that.

Cramming for OWLs and NEWTs. Dealing with Peeves. The ... incident that turned the potions classroom pink.

It was still pink, actually. Classes had to be moved to another room in the dungeons. Snape was still sour about it, Christine was sure. He'd been even nastier than usual to Penny ever since. Her head of house knew how to hold a grudge, especially against Gryffindors.

Those things hadn't been particularly enjoyable for anyone, but they'd formed a bond between them all that was impossible to deny. And they made the good memories they'd managed to create together seem much sweeter.

Like all those History of Magic lessons where they fucked around while Professor Binns droned on obliviously. Sneaking around at night and on weekends to complete inter-house competitions and dares. The paint ball inspired inter-house war of second year was a particular favourite for most people. And the yearly snowball fight between all of them the day before the Christmas holidays.

And Tonks wasn't the only one their classmates were coming to see with with watery smiles on their faces. Quite a lot of people came to see her as well.

Her dorm mates were the first to approach her where she lounged with Tonks in the courtyard. The seven of them in their emerald graduation robes made an odd sight with her cousin sticking out in her brilliantly yellow robes and matching hair. Each of them embraced her warmly and greeted Tonks kindly.

This affection between the seven Slytherin girls was hard won. At first, they didn't get along, at all. It was all typical Slytherin and teenage girl stuff. Petty one-upmanship with each of them trying to come out on top.

Christine was angry, when she was first sorted into Slytherin. With them. With the world. Both magical and muggle, where she faced discrimination from all sides.

She'd had a lot to prove too, as the daughter of a disowned squib. And she had been determined back then to do it alone. Without relying on anyone else, which she mistakenly thought would be a show of weakness.

But time had been good to them. During their time living together in the Slytherin dorms they'd all become close. Of course, some of them were closer than others. Francis and Harrio were joined at the hip, but they were still friends with the others. Anna and Christine had become very close too, just as close as she was with Tonks. But Christine still appreciated and cared for the rest of her dorm mates.

So, she hugged them back just as fiercely. She smiled back with just as much emotion behind her eyes. Christine was going to miss them all. They'd been a constant in her life for seven years. Living in such close quarters had given them an intimacy that she didn't think she could ever truly recreate again.

When they were all done hugging, and trying not to cry all over each other, Anna got that look in her eye. The one that meant things were either going to get incredibly awesome, or really fucked up, really quickly.

It was the look she always got when she came up with her latest idea that she wanted to drag Christine and the others into. It was something that always made Christine wary, and a little excited. Though, based on past experience, wary usually dominated.

"We're all going on a trip to France for a few weeks, come with us," it wasn't a question, or a request. Anna rarely asked for anything. She never needed to.

"That's new," Christine said, still smiling, but a little wary of the whole idea.

Her friends all knew about her family and their situation. They knew she always went home to help at the shop during the summer. And they knew that her plans hadn't changed this summer either. There had been enough late-night talks, too, for them all to be aware of how she felt about spending the money her mother left her on anything but her education.

"It's just us girls, one last hurrah before we have to be adults. We always talked about how cool it'd be to go see Nicolas Flamel's first workshop," Emily continued, throwing an arm around her shoulders, "There's no telling what the rest of us'll get up to without you and Trish around to keep our heads on straight."

Just as she was about to decline the offer, Tonks nudged her with a smirk. She looked at her cousin with a raised eyebrow, but as usual, Tonks wasn't intimidated in the slightest.

"You should go, have some fun before you into full big sister mode."

"You're invited too, Tonks," Harrio said, as if it should've been obvious.

To her, it probably had been. Tonks was a Black by blood, Harrio Selwyn had always considered her as good as one of theirs. Any invitation from her or Francis always included Tonks as well.

Tonks smiled at the offer, as she always did when Christine's friends made efforts to include her. But it was regretful, and she shook her head.

"I'd love to, but the interview process for the Auror training programme starts in a few weeks," she told them, and the other girls nodded in understanding.

And they did, understand. It had been known to them for a long time that Tonks wanted nothing more than to become an Auror. It was far more important than any holiday abroad could be. And they took the rejection for what it was, and there was no offence.

Her friends didn't push Christine to say anything more about the planned girls' holiday. They knew her well enough by then to know she'd need time to decide if she was going or not.

They all remained where they were for the rest of the morning. Chatting amongst themselves and their classmates who came up to say their goodbyes. They all knew it wasn't really goodbye for good. The magical world was a small one, and it was highly unlikely they'd never see each other again. But it was the last time they'd see each other as peers, unquestionable equals.

It signalled the end of a period of their lives where all they had to worry about was getting good grades and not running into Peeves when they were late.

They stayed like that until it was time to take their places in the Great Hall for the ceremony. When they did, the hall looked completely different to how it did when they ate breakfast there earlier.

The long tables they'd eaten at during their school years were gone. They'd been replaced by rows of long benches, all facing the top of the hall, where the Professor's table usually was. In its place was a stage, of sorts. Dumbledore's gilded podium was still in its normal place. But instead of the staff table, there were a few chairs, more ornate and comfortable looking than the benches that lined the rest of the hall.

There was one for Dumbledore himself, in the centre. On the right, were four chairs for each of the heads of house. On the left, were four more chairs. One for the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. One for the Head Boy and Girl respectively. The last was for Christine. So, that was where she headed while all of her friends and acquaintances filed into place behind the res of their professors.

The Minister had yet to arrive, but it was still very early. Everyone else who was supposed to sit upon the stage was either present, or had just come in behind her.

The res of the seats were designated for the parents and guardians of each of the students. They probably wouldn't arrive for another ten minutes or so, on the Hogwarts Express. Which would take them and their children back to King's Cross that evening.

Christine was nervous, but she took her place next to Samuel and Amelia, nodding and politely as she could. She'd never liked them, and they never liked her. When it came to the three of them, the animosity was held even when the rest of the student body had decided to call a truce.

They both looked smug and superior as always. Samuel seemed to think he'd won some kind of victory over her, because the Hogwarts livery collar around his shoulders was gold and Christine's was silver. She ignored him.

She was a lot more focused on the speech she was supposed to give before Dumbledore started giving out the diplomas.

Christine hadn't wanted to speak at her graduation. But she had been strong armed into it by Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape. As the student with the highest average marks, she was supposed to be up on stage with them. But she'd rather be a part of the crowd. Snape wasn't going to allow that, though.

There was no way he was going to let such an opportunity to show up Professor McGonagall go. She was the only head of house who didn't have a student on the stage or making a speech that year, and Professor Snape wanted to rub it in her face. So, there was no getting out of it for Christine.

She took her seat without any complaint or hesitation. Looked out at the sea of red, blue, yellow, and green that was her classmates. Still chatting happily amongst themselves for the moment. Some looked nervous as she felt. Other just looked excited. Christine could understand and empathise with both feelings right then.

Then she waited, anxiously, as the parents finally started filing in. It was almost time for her moment in the spotlight.

Ugh.