Chapter Ten

The Great Hall had never felt hotter, or at least not in Victoire's memory. It was the warmest day of the summer yet, and the heat seemed to have removed the oxygen from the room. She bent over her Transfiguration paper, attempting to read through the essays again even though her eyes swam and the words blurred together. The irregular tap of one of the invigilators' footsteps was driving into her brain. The tapping stopped, and she looked up to see that the last few grains of strand were falling through the narrow of the giant hourglass at the far end of the hall.

'Time … is … up!' called one of the invigilators. 'Everyone please stop writing, make sure that your name is written on your exam paper, and sit in silence until you are dismissed.'

Victoire sat back, rolling her sheets of parchment together. Her final exam was over. She glanced to her left, but Jonny Walker was staring straight ahead and seemed to be refusing to look at her. A vein was jumping in his neck. She sighed inwardly, and looked straight forward again, smiling at the invigilator as she took her scroll.

'That is everyone - you are dismissed!'

Victoire stood up, managing to keep her pace at a walk until she was through the doors and into the Entrance Hall, when she ran to Jessica and grabbed her, the two of them hugging each other and screeching with happiness. The whole class was laughing and cheering. To top it off, it was a beautiful day.

'I cannot believe our exams are actually over!' squealed Jessica. 'And we've got graduation in a week - is your speech ready?'

Professor Longbottom had requested that she give a speech in the graduation ceremony - apparently she was the 'high-achiever' of the year. Jonny Walker had turned green when he'd heard. Victoire shrugged, pulling the tie out the end of her plait and threading through it with her fingers so that it fell loose over her shoulders.

'It'll be fine. I just can't believe that we have to wear those god-awful hats, I'm going to look like a complete idiot on stage.' The graduating hats were similar to school ones, except they had long tassels on the end which could look very comical.

'Oh shut up, you'll pull off anything!'

They walked out the castle and headed down the slope towards the lake, which was winking and glistening in the sunlight. All around the edges students were messing about, jumping in the water or dragging each other in, laughing and screaming. On a patch of lush grass Dominique and Toby were lying together, drying out in the sun having been splashing about in the lake. Their exams had finished a week before Victoire's, but they had to stay until the end of all the OWL exams, so they were spending a few idyllic days in the sunny Hogwarts grounds.

'Hey Victoire!' Called Dom, raising an arm as she walked past. She was lying with her head on Toby's bare chest. 'How'd it go?'

'Not bad,' replied Victoire. She and Jessica walked on, and Dom rolled over onto her front to look at Toby. He smiled lazily at her through his lashes.

'What?'

'It's just so peaceful,' she murmured, sitting up and stretching. 'I don't think i've ever felt this content.'

'And we're going to Toulouse on Wednesday.' Seemingly every Slytherin student's family had a second home somewhere in the warmer parts of Europe, and the Montgomery family was no different. Dom had written to her parents, asking whether she could go stay with a friend's family through July. She hadn't mentioned that she was dating said friend, nor that his parents would be absent most of the time. Her parents had eased up on her since Christmas, but she wasn't about to test it.

'I can't wait,' she said, bending down to kiss him softly on the lips. His hand slid up her back, but they were sat on the school lawn surrounded by about two hundred fellow students, so they couldn't do anything. Dom pulled away, giggling as she straightened up and shook back her hair.

As she looked across the lawn, her eyes rested on a figure up towards the crest of the hill who was unmistakably familiar. Toby seemed to notice a change in her expression, and took her hand.

'What is it?'

She opened her mouth, and then closed it again. She couldn't speak. Her heart was thumping against her ribs and her stomach was churning so much she was worried she was going to vomit. Nukes was striding across the lawn towards them, and he had not missed what was going on.

Toby sat up as well and looked around, following her gaze. 'Oh, fuck. What's he doing here?'

Nukes reached them and stopped a few metres away, his arms crossed over his chest so that his biceps bulged. Dom noticed that his hair was shaved short, and he had a new tattoo on his arm of a skull with fangs. He glared at them both.

'What is this?' His voice was low and dangerous. Dom placed a hand on Toby's shoulder as she stood up, taking a step towards Nukes. 'You're dating him? What's going on, Dom?'

'I think you're the one who needs to be answering questions, Nukes. Where have you been for the past six months? You left me without a word.'

'I was sent to Durmstrang by my mother!'

'I know that. Longbottom told me after Christmas, because you hadn't told me!'

Their voices had started to become raised, and they were drawing the attention of the people around them.

'I couldn't tell you, Dom, you're not allowed to send owls in Durmstrang, they have some policy about isolation. I - I thought you'd wait for me, Dom. I've spent the last six months waiting to see you again, I came here as soon as I could, and now I find this? I guess I was wrong about you.'

'Don't do that, Nukes!' snapped Dom. 'If you'd cared so much about me, you would've made more effort to make contact. But you chose the easy way out and I'm sorry, but I've moved on. I guess you'll have to get over it - I'm just sorry that all the Durmstrang girls have facial hair.'

She turned away, but Nukes stepped forward and grabbed her shoulder, and as she tried to pull away he made her trip and stumble to the ground.

'Hey!' Toby was on his feet, pulling his wand out of his shorts and pointing it at Nukes, whose wand was also now in his hand. 'Get away from her, Noakes.'

'Careful, pretty boy. In Durmstrang they teach us spells that are much more dangerous than the child's play you learn here. I don't think Dom will feel much for you once I have to whimpering like a kicked puppy!'

'Enough!' Dom was on her feet as well now, and she quickly Disarmed both Toby and Nukes, catching the wands neatly in her right hand. 'Stop it, both of you. I'm sorry, Nukes, but you left me without a word and you can't expect me to wait around after that. Please, can we leave this as friends?'

Nukes sighed, and shrugged, running a hand over his shaved head. 'Fine, sorry. Will you give me my wand back?' She handed it back to him, and there was a brief pause before he turned it on Toby. He was unarmed and the jet of dark red light hit him squarely in the face. Yelling in pain, he stumbled backwards and clutched his face, where red sores were breaking out.

Blocking the spell Dom shot at him, Nukes stepped towards Toby, turning his wand back towards him. 'D-Dom!' Understanding, Dom threw his wand at him, and somehow through his swollen-shut eyes he caught it, and pointed it at Nukes, who flew into the air and landed hard on his shoulder.

'I'm going to fucking kill you!' roared Nukes, rolling over to point his wand at Dom, now.

'You will do no such thing!' Nukes' wand flew out his hand again, and Dom turned around to find Professor Longbottom striding towards them. 'Noakes, how dare you come onto school property like this without invitation and attack our students! You will be escorted off this property immediately. Dominique - please take Mr Montgomery there to the Hospital Wing immediately.'

'Yes, Professor. I'm sorry this happened.'

'That's alright, I can see it's not your fault. Noakes, if you please?'

He placed a hand on his shoulder and started to lead him away, but he dragged his feet, looking over his shoulder at Dom as she went to Toby, helping him up off the ground. 'Dom - Dom, please, I didn't mean for it to be like this … Dom, I'm sorry!'

She ignored him, putting her arm around Toby and leading him away through the silent, watching students. As they reached the doors into the Entrance Hall Dominique heard hurried footsteps and glanced over her shoulder to see Victoire hurrying over to them. She caught Toby on the other side.

'This looks nasty,' she said, peering at Toby's face. He moaned, his features swelling up to three times their normal size. 'I don't know the spells to heal it yet, but I can help ease the pain just until we can get to the Hospital Wing. Alright?'

Toby moaned again. 'I think that's yes?' said Dom, smiling as he nodded.

'Mulcero,' said Victoire, pointing her wand at Toby. His face didn't appear to change, but Dom felt him stand straighter and put less weight on her, and his breathing seemed to ease.

'Thanks,' she said to Victoire, and Toby mumbled something unintelligible.

They got him to the Hospital Wing, where Nurse Pulltisse was administering some sort of calming potion to a pair of sobbing Fifth Year girls. As soon as she noticed Toby, who was being lowered onto an empty bed by Victoire and Dom, she left the girls and hurried over to them. 'Ah, nasty one here. Duelling, are we?'

'He was attacked,' snapped Dom. 'I don't know what the spell was, but it was a Durmstrang student who did it if that helps?'

'Looks like a Valdelor Hex,' said Nurse Pulltisse, frowning at Toby. 'Victoire, have you administered a Soothing Spell? Well done, it's a good one. I'll just go fetch the salves I need. Minueto. I'll just go get the salves and potions I need.' The swelling started to go down, so that Toby could talk.

'Toby? Are you alright? I'm so sorry this happened,' said Dom, taking his hand.

'It's alright,' croaked Toby, turning to look at her through eyes that he could now just about crack open. 'You okay?'

'I'm fine. It was just … a shock.'

'What exactly happened, anyway? I was too far away to hear,' said Victoire, sitting down in an unoccupied chair.

'Nukes turned up, I guess his term ends before us, he didn't know that Toby and I were together and things got a little out of hand,' said Dom, squeezing Toby's hand.

'Durmstrang's taught him a few tricks,' said Toby. 'Still, he's gone now. It's lucky that Longbottom turned up when he did.'

'But now your face looks like a grapefruit,' said Dom.

'Oh, no need to worry, it'll be all better by tomorrow!' said the nurse, bustling over with an armful of bottles and jars. 'His handsome face will be back to normal in no time.'

Toby squeezed Dom's hand. 'It's alright, Dom, we'll be in the South of France in no time.'

'Wait, what? This is the friend you're spending July with, Dom? Your boyfriend?' Victoire laughed. 'Well congratulations if you pull that off.'

'You pulled it off when you were in Fifth Year and wanted to go stay with Dylan Waters instead of going to Inverness with us,' said Dom. 'Anyway, I'm not really lying. Toby is a friend - and more - and technically it is the family home we're staying at, there's just not going to be much family about. Please don't say anything, Victoire.'

'No, no, it's alright, I'll keep my mouth shut. I just hope I manage to finish school without any more drama.'

After they left the lake and it became clear that there would be no more public duelling, the other students went back to their former activities. Albus had been jumping in and out of the lake with his friends from a large overhanging boulder, but as Victoria and Leo decided to swim out across the lake in a race towards a floating branch, he sat down on the edge of the boulder beside Scorpius.

Although the sky was clear and the sun was shining, there was a chill in the air and now that he wasn't moving goosepimples appeared on his arms. He examined them casually as his hair dried and he felt it start to stick up into the air. He glanced at Scorpius, who was staring out across the lake with his thoughts a thousand miles away.

'You alright?'

'Yeah.'

He tapped his heels against the rock, picking at some dirt under his fingernails. 'Term's ending soon. It'll be nice to go on holiday.'

'Yeah.'

'I'm glad you're coming to stay with me. It'll be fun.'

'Yeah it will.' They were spending two weeks at Albus' house at the end of July and start of August, and then after that Scorpius would be with his mother in France for the rest of the holiday. It was only the first few weeks of July that were the issue.

Knowing that there wasn't anything Albus could say that would make Scorpius feel better - with his parents happily married at home, he was worried about coming across pitying or annoying. So instead he stayed quiet, until Scorpius silently stood up and jumped into the water, resurfacing and striking out away from the shore.

'Albus?'

He glanced over his shoulder. Rose was stood on the ground below him, a t-shirt and shorts over her swimsuit and her brow furrowed. 'Can I climb up?' He shrugged and she stepped forward, digging her heels into the rock and grabbing for handholds to scrabble her way up to him, taking Scorpius' place.

'Surely you don't want your Gryffindor friends seeing us up here together?' he snapped.

'Albus, please,' she said, reaching out and catching him by the wrist. 'I … I'm sorry. For everything - Victoire spoke to me and I've been a complete idiot. Will you still be friends with me?'

He glanced at her, and then smiled. 'Alright. But you know that means you and Scorpius will have to put up with each other again?' Rose groaned, and his laugh turned into a scream as she shoved him off the rock into the water below.

The graduating Seventh Year class stretched out before Victoire, divided by house into bright squares of house colours - she couldn't help feeling sorry for the Hufflepuff students, forced to wear horrific banana yellow robes. Taking a deep breath, she glanced down at her notes laid out on the lectern, struggling to keep calm as she looked out at all the people staring back at her. Never look at people's faces when giving a speech, that much she knew, so she raised her eyes to stare out at the castle behind them.

'When I was just a child, my mother told me that when I was singled out for a special reason, I should never forget those who travel with me, and most of all I should never forget those who helped me. She only meant that I shouldn't be smug about the fact that I'd been picked out to lead the dance in my ballet class, but her words have stuck with me throughout my time at Hogwarts. Although I stand here alone on this stage, I don't want any other student in my year to think that they don't deserve to be making this speech to. I …'

Feeling more confident, she made the mistake of looking down, and instantly regretted it as her eyes fell upon a bright turquoise spot in the crowd of blonde, brown and grey heads. No … he couldn't have… Attempting to push it out her head, she looked down at her notes again to gather herself.

'I was born two years and two days after the War, and even in my lifetime we have become more unified. Although we are divided at eleven into houses, no longer should that be a cause for prejudice or strife. If anything, i have learnt in my time at Hogwarts that although we come from different homes, with different values and wishes, we share a common dream to strive for a better world, for happiness and peace. Now that we go out into the world and are no longer held together in the confines of school, I ask that we do not simply remember the values of our own individual house, but of all. Although we wear separate colours, what requirement is there to be confined to the values that colour represents? I hope that in forty years time, we look back upon what we have achieved and agree that we were all brave, and wise, and kind, and resourceful. Most of all, I hope that we are remembered as the first generation that went beyond the petty divisions of house, and strove for acceptance and unity instead of prejudice and discord. Thank you.'

She couldn't help smiling as loud applause broke out across the audience, and she distinctly heard James and Fred whistling and cheering. Caesar stood up, clapping as well, and held out an arm to indicate that she should leave the stage. She hurried down the steps and sat down in her empty seat between Jonny, who ignored her, and Harriet Yates, who gave her a friendly smile.

'I will now call out the names of each student, who may come up on stage and receive their certificates. Alcott, Jessica…' Victoire clapped as hard as she could as her friend swept past her, looking radiant in royal blue robes trimmed with bronze. The examiners had apparently worked through the night for the past week, so that everyone who had passed enough to graduate could. Although the grades wouldn't be released for another month due to moderation, they all knew whether they could graduate and not have to repeat the year. It was slightly awkward as two boys were quietly taken to one side and told that they would have to retake some papers.

Through the ceremony, Victoire managed to resist the temptation to look over her shoulder and see whether it was Teddy sat in the audience. She was supposed to be looking dignified and respectful, not bored and inattentive. Anyway, it could be someone's arty relative with dyed hair. But it seemed to drag on for hours, each person taking an age to go on stage, shake hands with Caesar, and get their scroll.

She was among the last, and couldn't help blushing a little at the loud applause as she swept up on stage, praying with every ounce of her being that she wouldn't trip on her way up the steps. 'Congratulations, Miss Weasley,' said Caesar, shaking her hand in both of his clammy ones. He let go after slightly too long, and Professor Longbottom handed her a tightly rolled scroll, tied with a black ribbon and sealed with wax stamped with the school crest.

'Thank you, Professor,' she said, smiling at them and leaving the stage.

After the final student - Zackerly, Philip - had taken his certificate, Caesar held up his arms for silence. 'Congratulations to the graduating class of 2017! I am sure you will all go on to make the school proud. It is the final time I may say this to you all - you are dismissed!'

A cheer rose up amongst the students, and in unison they rose and pulled off their hats, throwing them into the air and catching them again. After an awkward pause, the students dispersed to their separate families.

'Victoire! Ma cherie! C'etait magnifique!' Her mother was hurrying towards her, arms outstretched. Victoire thought she was the most stylish of the mothers, in black and white robes with her hair twisted up elegantly, but then they reached each other and embraced tightly. Her father and siblings came up behind them, and Victoire stepped away from her mother to hug her father.

'That was a great speech, Victoire. I was so proud,' he said.

'Victoire …' said Dom, in that voice that she used whenever she had bad news, but Victoire had already seen. Looking over her father's shoulder, she saw Teddy a short distance away, patiently taking photos with some younger sisters of students. As she watched, he stepped away from the girls and looked over at her.

Their eyes met, and as her family went off to speak to the rest of her extended family, she allowed herself to drop behind. 'Victoire.' His voice hadn't changed. He intonated the word the same as the last time they'd seen each other, and for a moment Victoire was back to seven months ago, to their argument in the garden behind her house. She glanced over her shoulder, allowing him to match his pace to hers. 'Hey.'

'Hello, Teddy.'

He shoved his hands in his pockets, awkward, scuffing the ground with his boots. 'So … congratulations, I guess.'

'Thanks.'

'Victoire!' They stopped, facing each other almost toe-to-toe on the slope of the Hogwarts lawns. 'We need to talk.'

'Why?'

'Because I fucking miss you, that's why! Victoire … I know it was you in The Dancing Gypsy, in March. And I haven't been able to stop thinking about you.'

The corner of her mouth turned up a little. 'Really? I thought you were the new heartthrob of Witch Weekly.'

His Metamorphmagus powers couldn't hide his blushing. 'That means nothing, Victoire. Please … can we at least be friends again? I understand if you don't want a relationship, we're going in different directions at the moment, but I really fucking miss you.'

'But that song I heard you play, you seemed to have moved on with life. You didn't seem to care if we were still friends or not,' said Victoire.

'That song … it came out wrong. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry if I hurt you. Do you think we can be friends again?'

She sighed, looking across the lawns to the castle in the distance. 'Sure. I'm going out with my friends this evening, we're going to go get some drinks in Hogsmeade this evening. You should stick around and join us. The Three Broomsticks at seven thirty?'

'Sure, thanks Victoire.'

She hurried off to rejoin her family for the unavoidable round of hugs and congratulatory remarks, but she kept finding herself getting distracted, the head of turquoise hair catching the corner of her eye. Smiling and nodding at the questions of her cousins and grandparents, she subconsciously couldn't help following Teddy's movements.

The village was full of Seventh Years that evening, celebrating their release from school through alcohol and revelry, and in the warm summer twilight Victoire walked with her friends down the main street and into The Three Broomsticks, where finally they'd now be allowed to order alcohol.

When Marco, one of the boys, returned from the bar with the first round and Teddy, Jessica's eyebrows nearly reached her hairline as she looked over at Victoire. With a casual half-smile, Teddy - his hair now golden-brown so as not to attract attention - slipped between the tables and sat down opposite Victoire. She both wished he hadn't and was desperately happy that he had, as his warm brown eyes met hers and they shared a smile across the table.

Through the night, Victoire pretended to take part in the conversation, laughing and even interjecting a remark once or twice, but really she couldn't stop thinking about and noticing Teddy. His arms, bare now that he'd removed his jacket and muscled in the defining candlelight. His feet, each time they shifted under the table and brushed against hers, sending a jolt through her legs. The way that he held his glass, the long fingers delicately cupping it, the forefinger lightly tracing the rim.

Her friends left one by one, drifting off to beds and families, until finally it was just Jessica and Marco, who had seemingly passed out on the tabletop. 'I'll get him home,' said Jessica, putting her arm around his shoulders and getting him to his feet. Her eyes met Victoire's, and one eyebrow arched for a moment. 'See you around.'

Victoire glanced at Teddy, her buzz from the alcohol unable to stop her from feeling awkward as they simultaneously realised that they were alone together. Teddy smiled. 'I haven't seen you drunk for a while, Victoire. Not since the infamous case of your Uncle George's fortieth.'

'I wasn't drunk!' scoffed Victoire. 'Or at least not as much as you! Didn't you wake up in my Aunt Angelina's hedge? I can drink way more than you! It's the Veela blood.'

'Oh, you think so?'

'Yes I do!'

'Well then,' he said, standing up and holding out a hand to her. 'I think that this requires a drinking challenge.'

'Very well then, let's settle this!' She ignored the hand and led the way to the bar, sitting down on one of the stools and getting the attention of one of the barmen. 'Two shots of Salamander Vodka, please. And keep them coming.' They each dropped a Galleon onto the bartop and took the shot glasses, downing them.

Six shots later and Victoire couldn't deny she was feeling the alcohol. The bar seemed to be shifting in front of her and she reached out and grabbed the closest thing for support, before realising it was Teddy and jumping away, clinging to the bar instead. He laughed, throatily, and she saw him blink slowly as he stared down at the empty shot glasses in front of them. 'Another!'

The vodka no longer burned the back of her throat, and somewhere in her head Victoire knew this was a bad sign, but she ignored it as they downed another pair of shots, laughing over nothing.

'So, Miss Weasley,' said Teddy, mock-serious, slapping the bar with his hand. 'What exactly are your prospects?'

'Ugh!' Victoire groaned, clapping her hands over her eyes. 'Don't go there Teddy!'

'Ah, come on now, surely you're doing fine? I heard through your gran that you've got all the internships and training schemes you could wish for?'

'Yeah,' said Victoire, her mouth slurring slightly. 'But I dunno if … if I want that, you know? Like, I'm eighteen. I've got ages to live. And I'm having to decide my career now? I, like, finally get what you've been playing at for the last year, you know? I just don't know what I want.'

He caught her hand, holding it surprisingly tightly in his. 'You'll figure it out, Victoire.'

She smiled at him. 'Thanks, Teddy. Maybe I'll just run away, you know? Go travelling. Join a circus. Get a tattoo.'

'I'm up for that!'

They giggled. She suddenly squinted at his face, which had become blurry, and caught his chin to try and make it stop. 'You're … blurry.'

'Maybe you've had enough,' he said, smiling at her.

'No!' She caught him by the lapels of his jacket, pulling him closer to her. 'Don't do that!'

'Do what?'

They were very close now, she realised even in her intoxicated state. Her head struggled to find the words. 'R - Restrict me.' And then she leant forward, and kissed him.