Disclaimer: Everything you recognise here belongs to JK Rowling. Not me. Even though I'd really, really, really, like them to be…:)
Graduation
I clap as the next student walks jubilantly across the stage and collects his diploma from Professor Dumbledore. The elderly wizard extends a hand for the student to shake and instead the boy pulls the surprised professor into a bone-crunching hug. A ripple of laughter spreads around the room, and once Dumbledore has recovered from his surprise he claps the boy on the back with a beam on his face. The Hogwarts Graduation ceremonies are generally low-key affairs, with just the teachers and family seated in the Great Hall watching the students being given a roll of parchment, after having sat through a mountain of speeches ranging from the humorous to the downright dull. Usually they're the latter.
I've been to a lot of these things because of all my brothers, and I haven't yet worked out a way to stop the boredom. The two minutes of pride or interest when someone you know passes on stage are quickly replaced by monotony. I was only little when Bill and Charlie graduated, and so I slept through Bill's and made faces at all the people sitting around me at Charlie's. When Percy graduated I brought a book to read. Mum caught a look at it though, and I was grounded for a week. After that, I just sat through it and stared at the clock.
A girl walks on now. I don't know her. Professor McGonagall announces her as Bettina Kelling and then adds that she received first place in Divination. I clap politely, and wonder what Hermione thinks of her. Hermione feels that Divination is a load of codswallop, and Trelawney is an old fraud that wouldn't be able to make a true prediction if it bit her on the-
Well, I think you get the idea. I don't think Hermione would have a problem with this Bettina if she was a true seer, but those are really, really rare. I've never met one in real life, and I'm not sure that I want to. I mean, what if they predict your death or something awful like that?
A girl from Hufflepuff walks on next. I'm pretty sure that it's her family in the third row, because they're clapping very loudly and a boy who looks like her brother is catcalling and whistling. McGonagall looks as if she wants to tell them to be quiet, but instead gives them a disapproving glare. They don't notice. The Hufflepuff, Mary Montgomery, grins at them broadly before collecting her diploma.
Professor McGonagall calls out another name and there is a round of applause. The boy's blond hair is kept back with a bit of gel, and he smirks slightly as McGonagall reads out his achievements. Quidditch Captain of Slytherin, Prefect, Honour Roll…
He's handsome, just like his father. I know that there are quite a few girls in seventh year and below who have wild crushes about him, and I can see why. But even though he's a Malfoy, he's not narrow-minded like people think. I know for a fact that for all the acts he puts on, he doesn't care about people's bloodlines.
He practically swaggers towards Professor Dumbledore, who greets him with a kindly smile. Professor Dumbledore greets most people with a kindly smile. There are only a few, like Barty Crouch the false Mad-Eye or Peter Pettigrew, to who he is not polite and I don't think many people would be nice to them anyway.
Professor Dumbledore shakes his hand firmly and gives the boy his roll of parchment. He pauses slightly and looks around at the audience. His eyes meet mine and he smiles, not a sneer or a smirk, but a true smile. I give a little wave back. Someone leans over to whisper in my ear. "He didn't turn out too badly, did he?" they say proudly. I turn to Draco and nod. "No, he didn't," I agree, and we both look back at the stage to our son.
He didn't turn out badly. He turned out brilliant.
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So, did you know that was about to happen? You probably did, because I'm not good with twists. Anyway, send me a review and tell me what you thought of it.