Epilogue
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I stopped upon the green hill that overlooked Hogsmeade; much farther to the left stood Hogwarts and to my right stood the mountains. From where I was now standing, I could clearly see the horizon where the sun was barely showing itself. It must have been five already; had taken me nearly an hour to reach the spot where I now stood. I must have walked slower than usual; being in deep thoughts can certainly make time go by quicker than one who was fully awake to their surroundings.
Just down the road, I could see the small house I was renting from the landlord. It was nothing big as my father's house, after all, it is only for a single person. Back when I barely turned nineteen, my father -like any other father- did not like the idea of having his little girl living alone. In the end he gave in and paid the first two months of rent, which I was grateful for. Living alone wasn't a laughing matter, especially when I was working part-time while sharpening my skills as an upcoming reporter. Yet, it was all worth it.
After unlocking the door, I replaced the key back inside my cloak as I stepped within the semi-dark living room. With my wand in hand, I quickly lit up the candles around me without looking as I did. Sine I was living alone, it was only common sense to know where is what around the place. Beside, the spell didn't do much damage if pointed at some other object.
Throwing the cloak I had worn into one of the chairs nearest me, I slowly made my way toward the bathroom. I still had an hour to get ready before I needed to report to work, so I was in no way in a hurry to wash away last nights activities. Picking up a towel and some fresh clothes, I made my way into the small bathroom.
I had to be at the Quibbler's office by six to receive an outline or a topic to write up on. Though I absolutely loved writing up an article and seeing it appear in the magazine, I could not still accept the fact that I was not able to pick my own topics and if I did, I will need to pass it through the person who was above me. Since there were different branches in the magazine and since I was literally at the lower level, well, I just needed to stick to it before I reached the point of calling my own shots.
Mind you, I really did enjoy working for the Quibbler; it was nothing like the Daily Prophet but it was a stepping stone to begin with. It had the dash of the news that was happening with the dash of the "supernatural" that the Quibbler is known for. Not to mention that the daughter of Mr. Lovegood, the owner of the Magazine, happened to be dating the guy I once went out for nearly three years. It was an amicable break-up, so there was no awkwardness between Luna and I. In simpler terms, my time working in the Quibbler is perfect.
As I was buttoning up my white shirt, it hit me that I wasn't as tired as I should be considering the lack of sleep I've gotten last night. It shouldn't have come of as a surprise being that I've done it before, yet… it did. I knew what I was doing was wrong, not because of his status but because I was literally cheating myself. This… relationship if you could call it, wasn't one that lasted for ages. I was Twenty for crying out loud and he was already engaged to some girl I've never heard of before. All there was between us was just physical pleasure, a very good one but still…
Annoyed by my own actions, I quickly pull of the towel I had wrapped around my head and threw it upon the ground. My hair was still damp, but I didn't care. I just could not continue with what I'm doing. I knew he didn't care for me and I made sure I didn't for him, so why was I getting quite upset over this? I'm trying to become a professional reporter, a respected one and I'm getting sidetracked by a secret relationship that will lead to nowhere? Sighing, I walked out of my bedroom.
I made my way to the kitchen, nothing fanciful to look at from the many kitchens out there. I wasn't exactly looking forward to making a hearty breakfast even when I had the time to do so but I needed to eat something at least. Pulling out a loaf of bread and a jar of marmalade, I commence the ritual for breakfast.
Placing two marmalade toast onto a dish, I made my way over to the small kitchen table that overlooked a garden that I barely had time to tend. Coffee was already brewing itself so it wasn't necessary for me to watch over it. As I bit into the first toast, I watched the coffee pot -finally ready- pour itself into the cup that was near my plate.
There was only twenty minutes left before I needed to arrive for work but I only needed a minute to be there. So, I had enough time to do whatever I wanted before going to work. That was a time I didn't know how to spend.
I looked down at the second toast on my plate; the red marmalade glittering with that of the candle that was near. I wasn't hungry now and I wasn't hungry before, so I returned the half-eaten first toast to the plate and pushed it aside. In its place, I took the coffee and held it between my hands. I looked out the window admiring the light blue sky that was finally being lit by the rising sun. My attention was suddenly caught by a garden gnome that just walked past. Scoffing, I took a sip from the warm liquid.
So here I was, pretty much alone. No boyfriend because I did not have the time necessary to go out there and because I wasn't ready for one considering what I've been doing in the last couple of months. My friends where busy with their lives; Hermione is trying to set up a new business concerning with S.P.E.W. while Ron and Harry were training to become Aurors even when they already had first hand experience. Lisa had moved away, last I heard she was in France and was loving it there. My father, my dear father was still working for the Ministry and still earning a fair wage; the Great War that had broken out had weakened the economy but surprisingly my father was still receiving a nice sum.
They call it the Great War because it was the last stand-off between Voldemort and the good guys. Hogwarts was closed when it had broken out during the summer because it was no longer safe for the students. Our lives have literally turned upside-down, no one was safe when Death Eaters where out there. Then the moment have arrived, the news have spread through the whole world like wild fire. Harry Potter had defeated him. I was not there. But that day… that day had bring forth a new era. One by one, the followers of Voldemort were being caught and brought to justice. His father was amongst them. There was no connection with the wife or the son, so they where naturally left alone.
On my spare time -which was rare- was usually spent either lazing around or spending my time out of the Wizarding community and amongst Muggles. Since that unforgettable weekend I had with Hermione, I could not forget the feeling of excitement whenever I rounded a corner or entered a shop I've never heard of. I enjoyed wondering around and getting purposely lost in a Muggle city. I had even considered living amongst them, but I wasn't exactly ready to do that yet. I needed a reason and though wanting to experience something was a good one, it wasn't enough to convince me at the time being.
I placed the half-empty cup back down, sighing as I did so. There really wasn't that much keeping me here. My friends are lovely, mind you, but like I have said… they were pretty much busy with their own lives. Honestly, my work isn't progressing as fast as I would have wanted to but working in this field wasn't an easy one either. Moving to another location wouldn't be all that bad, now that I think about it. It can be an adventure, much so if I moved out of this country into another. Possible? It was.
Quickly standing up from my seat, I made my way back to my bedroom. After taking out a small box from my wardrobe, I then pulled out a piece of paper from within, not a parchment but the paper kind Muggles always use as advertisements. It was advertising for a Travel agency, promoting a trip to, "America: The land of the Free" in large red letters. Under the title was the many reasons why to visit United States, beside the list were various pictures of what appeared to be the landmark of various cities.
I knew the paper was only advertising entertainment and relaxation, something I would have done in the future, but this was not the case. If I was to move there, I could always reside in one of the wizarding villages that were around, including Salem, so finding a location wasn't exactly an issue. Much less work because I'm sure I could find one, not as if I would have lost a position here anyway. If I were to move, it would be to start something new, meet new people and learn more about my surroundings. I would still obviously be able to mingle with the Muggles and I could always return to visit. Money wasn't something to worry about, since I've been saving enough for a trip anyway.
I smiled at the thought, Saria Diggory making herself a home in the United States. The first Diggory to ever live outside a continent into another.
"Not a bad idea," I said to myself, folding the paper before replacing it within the box.
I would inform the Quibbler of my leave; tell my father I'll be moving to another country and assure him that I'll be fine; I'll inform my friends and those close to me. I'll sell my belongings; pack up the only things I'll need to have with me and off I should go. It would take me time to do all of this but it didn't matter. I was in no hurry and I wanted to do everything right.
It will be a fresh start.
It wasn't such a bad idea.
Not a bad idea at all.
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A/N:
I really appreciate it that you all stuck around, leaving your lovely reviews behind and as I'm sure you all know… they have certainly made my day!
As for the Sequel, I already have the first two chapters written and the only thing they'll need is some revision before uploading the last draft. I'm really planning to upload the first chapter this Monday, so there really won't be a long wait for those who are interested. So for now, you can add me to your "Author Alerts" if you haven't, or just wait around until I announce it as an "Author Note" that I might upload after this chapter.
Once again, I really appreciated all your reviews and hopefully I'll see you guys in the Sequel.
Much (heart)
- Aileen
