Another chapter! Perhaps even another one posted later today, just can't stop :) anyway, it's nearly done i think, there are just a few more things to add to bring it up to "present" day.
It's graduation. House colours are draped from the ceiling and there is noise absolutely everywhere. Everyone is laughing and taking photographs. Parents are standing against the wall scanning the crowd for their children and talking amongst themselves as the students line up to have their names called and receive their certificates. Dumbledore is preparing to make a heartfelt speech about the students, even though he dislikes some of them greatly, and knows that with all that's going on in the world right now, some of them may not live too much longer.
Sibyll stands in a corner with Oliver. Their parents have been talking for quite a while, though her mother seems slightly strained. Oliver holds her hand tightly and is talking a million miles a minute about how exciting it is that they are finally graduating and now they're really adults and isn't it "cool" that they're finally all going to be out on their own and able to do their own thing without constant supervision. She smiles and nods, staring through the crowd at one certain individual.
Remus stands with Sirius, rolling his eyes at his companion's dirty jokes. He can't wait to get out of Hogwarts. It may have been his home for the past seven years, but he feels stifled, like a goldfish in a bowl that's too small. It probably has something to do with the past few months.
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His "date" with Celia is going horribly awry. He is left alone in a corner as she trots off to go talk to Sirius. He looks for Sibyll, but she is with Oliver and he doesn't want to disturb that. She seems happy. If that is the case, then he will be happy for her. He remains in that corner until the dance is over, watching her. There is a turquoise scarf draped in her hair and her eyes are the size of saucers in her old glasses and she is laughing and so pretty. He had made her laugh. It is too late now. He mentally kicks himself and watches as the two of them leave, hand in hand, before slinking out of the room. He returns to his dormitory and does not talked to anyone the rest of the night.
Sibyll doesn't mind the dance actually. Oliver is very kind, even if he is slightly dull and not too intelligent. They dance nearly all night and he makes her feel as though she is the only other person in the room. She doesn''t like like him, but she can tolerate his presence and doesn't feel nearly as shy around him as she does the rest of the world. They leave the dance and he squeezes her hand as he leaves her at the Ravenclaw Common Room. She should be on top of the world, but she merely walks up to her room and goes to sleep, not bothering to change. There is a heaviness on her heart.
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Remus and Sibyll continue to meet to study on weekends, but there is a strain on the relationship. They are always cordial, but there is definitely something missing. Sibyll's grades are slipping, slightly. The only one she is still receiving outstanding marks in is Divination, something that the two of them used to laugh about. Now they just sit and talk strictly about their class work.
"Did you finish your essay for Potions?" He asks, looking up from his book for the first time since they sat down. The library air is so thick with tension, it could be cut with their wands. Yet neither has enough experience to understand what the other is feeling.
"Um, yes. It's right there." Sibyll points to her bag, where a parchment is sticking out. It has been a month since the dance.
"Thanks..." Remus reaches for it, only to grab the parchment on top. It is covered in scribbles of different herbal names and drawings of flasks.
"No! That's not it!" Sibyll goes to reach for it, but it's too late. He has already seen it.
"What is this?" He asks, surveying the drawings carefully. "I didn't know you knew this much about remedies."
She blushes and looks at her lap. "I...." this is a secret she has never told anyone before. Ever. She would have told Remus earlier, had there not been such a glitch in their relationship in December. "I really want to study to be a healer." She says, her tone full of embarrassment.
"Really?" Remus smiles. "I think you would be good at it."
"You think so?" Sibyll really smiles for the first time in a good, long while. Remus looks as though he is about so say something else, but out of one of the aisles comes a grinning Oliver who comes over and stands by the table.
"Remember the stamps I was telling you about? My uncle sent me some new ones. I know how much you liked looking at them before, come on and I'll show you." He looks at her and then at Remus. "As long as I'm not disturbing your studying, of course." Oliver's voice changes slightly and Remus shakes his head quickly.
"No, no. I'll um, let you know if I need any more help with Potions?"
"Of course." Sibyll nods and her smile disappears. Putting her papers back, she hides her incriminating piece of parchment at the bottom of her bag and stands up, walking out of the library. Remus buries his face in his hands and barely notices when Sirius and James take the seats at the table beside him.
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Sibyll's name is called and she smiles at Dumbledore and then at her parents as they begin to take photograph after photograph of her every move as she receives her certificate and walks back to her seat. Before they know it, the ceremony is over and everyone is piling out into the courtyard to spend as much time with each other as possible before they are sent off into the real world. In the midst of all of this her mind is reeling. She knows she will have to work extra hard now, as her final marks were not as good as they would need to be for her to study as a healer, especially if she would have to fund herself. Her father wasn't too thrilled about it. Oliver has decided to train as an auror, and has leased an apartment in Hogsmeade. He has asked her to move in. She is so confused and overwhelmed all at once she doesn't quite know what to do.
She has managed to extricate herself from Oliver for the time being, sitting near a tree and just watching as everyone laughs and cries and embraces each other one last time. Remus comes up behind her and takes a photograph of the two of them. She is caught by surprise, and the resulting photo captured is her face changing from surprise to laughter and then ends right as the tears prick her eyes before it replays itself.
"Can you believe it's over?" He asks as he sits beside her.
"No, I really can't." Sibyll shrugs and plays with the end of her scarf. "What are you planning on doing?"
"Not sure, yet." Remus sighs, "Sirius and James are planning on auror training, but I'm not quite sure if it's my calling or not." There is so much he wants to say, wants to tell her right now.
"I think you would be good at it." She says, sitting up and looking at him. He smiles and moves to give her hand a gentle squeeze.
"Did you hear the good news?" Oliver is running up to them, looking straight at Remus.
"Which?" Remus replies, his hand returning to his side.
"Sibyll and I are moving to Hogsmeade together." Oliver smiles widely, "our parents can't wait. They've already agreed to help us get everything we need."
She looks at Oliver in horror. She can't believe he has told their parents, and now Remus when she hasn't even agreed yet. "B-but-"
Remus stands up and plasters on a smile. "Congratulations. I do hope that you'll let me and Sirius come over when you've done the place up." He nods at Sibyll, pats Oliver on the back and makes his way back across the courtyard to where his friends and family are standing.
Sibyll stands up and attempts to make her way to the bathroom before her parents and Oliver's parents surround her and begin to talk excitedly of the future and what Oliver is going to study and how wonderful they are together.
They think her tears are from having to leave Hogwarts.
