The Next Gen Competition

Frank Longbottom graduates.


The Hogwarts castle was alive with music and dance, so no one noticed the two boys sneak out into the warm summer night. They were dressed in graduation robes and pointy hats, and wore Muggle suits underneath. They talked and laughed as they made their way over to the Black Lake, keeping their voices down. They headed over to the weeping willow by the shore. With the practiced ease of one who has been doing this for many years, they scaled the tree - all the way till the branch that stretched over the water, its leaves skimming the surface.

"This is it, Frankie," said Garrett Wood wistfully, swinging his legs.

"Yeah," sighed Franklin Longbottom, studying their reflection in the water surface. Like Garrett, Frank's robes and hat were a deep red, lined with gold. The graduation party was going on in the Great Hall, but they'd snuck out after the first few songs. They needed to have their own goodbye.

"Where's Roxy?" asked Garrett, glancing in the direction of the castle. Roxanne, the third member of their little group, was the only one missing.

"She was talking to that Ravenclaw girl," said Frank, "Zoe, I think."

"Oh," said Garrett, and frowned, "I hope she hurries up."

"She will," he assured, all the while hoping she didn't hurry up. If he were about to do what he'd been planing for so long now, he didn't want Roxy there to watch.

"It's out last night, eh?" Garrett mused, leaning back and looking up at the sky, "Final goodbyes, last words...We're going to remember tonight."

"We will," agreed Frank, mentally screaming at himself to get a move on, "Speaking of which, Gary, there's something I've - I want to - I mean -"

Garrett raised an eyebrow, "Casanova Franklin Longbottom, stuttering? This must be pretty big. What's up?"

Frank took a breath, looking into his best friend's brown eyes, even though Gary had stopped being his best friend over a year ago.

"I -"

I have feelings for you.

"I - Um.."

I've had a crush on you since sixth year

"Erm, I mean, I -"

I think I'm in love with you.

"I - Gary, I -"

He was cut off as Garrett suddenly wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. Frank's arms slowly slid around him, and he realized the strange fluttery feeling he had in his chest was what Garrett had always felt back when he'd had a crush on Roxy.

"I know," he said softly, pressing against Frank, "I'll miss you too."

"Yeah," whispered Frank, hating himself, "I'll miss you."

"Are you two cuddling without me?" called a familiar voice, and Garrett pulled away too soon for Frank's liking. Grudgingly, he turned to the shore, but his irritation evaporated at the sight of Roxanne's face. Her robes were blue and bronze, and she was wearing a pretty dress under them. Her wedge-heels were clutched in her hand, and she was barefoot.

"You want help climbing up, Rox?" called Garrett teasingly, and she rolled her eyes, already scaling the bark.

"You just want to look up my skirt, don't you, Gary?"

"You know me so well," sighed Garrett, and Frank felt something twist in his stomach.

"Hurry up, Roxy," he called, half-hearted. "We're getting old here."

He looked down at his lap as Garrett and Roxanne continued their banter, the colors of his robes jumping out at him, mocking him. Gold and red. If only he were that brave.