A/N: I fear that 'Exodus' is nearly to a close.. we are about to start chapter 11 of a 12 chapter story.. but never fear! There will be a sequel! With Ron, Hermione, Draco, and more of the Darkflame clan causing utter havoc at Hogwarts! ...that is, if I can find the plot... hehe.... dodges rotten tomatoes well, on with the story! (I say it like you people actually read this, anyway.. :P )
Chapter 11: Farewell to Hogwarts
"Well, this is the end," Remi shook her head. "Tomorrow morning, we graduate."
Eana Remillius was sitting at the foot of Rakka's bed, in the bottommost chamber of the Slytherin Girls' dormitories. Remi's own room was just a few steps up the flagstone, a journey she was not yet ready to make for the night. Rakka sat back against the headboard of the four post bed, looking a bit lost in thought as she ran her fingers carefully along the edge of a photograph, Isamu, Remi, Tomas, Jakob, Zeke, Michael, and herself, all laughing and cheering, holding the Quidditch Cup. She put the photograph in the back of the small pile, carefully flicking through the images. The next one was of her with the golden snitch, as she ended the last game, against Ravenclaw, which won the cup. The next photo, herself with the team, and Snape and Dumbledore, all smiling, waving, as Dumbledore held out the Cup to them. With a sigh, Rakka put the photographs aside, turning to Remi.
"Oh, Rem, what am I going to do?" she muttered.
"Well, if I were you, I'd be off confessing my deepest desires to Snapey person. Bwahahahaa!"
"No, if you were me, you would be sitting here, not knowing what to do either, and you know it."
"Eeek! Okay, so maybe you're right. I'm not that much of a take-charge person, I admit it. But I always thought you were. Really, I think you should tell him. I mean it's pretty obvious that he likes you, too."
"But I'm still a student, and he's still a teacher. What if.. what if he tells me he doesn't love me, just because he can't do anything about it?"
"Well... you know," Isamu chimed in from the next bed over, where she was writing in her journal. "After tomorrow's graduation service, you won't be a student anymore.. and you'll still be here... I dunno. Just a thought..."
"You're a terrible influence, you know that?" Rakka smiled. "You and Remi both. Trying to hook me up.. with a teacher, for cryin' out loud."
"Well... love comes in many forms, hon. You gotta do what it takes to get it, yupyup," Remi smiled, stretching.
"Maybe you're right."
"Well, I'd best be off, before the Head Girl catches me out of bed too late," Remi laughed. "Bye! See you in the morning!"
"Bye," Rakka laughed, shaking her head. That Remi.. she really was a nutter, even if the teachers all thought she was a quiet, well mannered little girl. They should know by now, they've all seen her true colors on the Quidditch field, screaming and doing loops in midair on her trusty old broom to distract her opponents while Isamu went for the Quaffle, a real stuntgirl, out of control. They didn't call her 'the Slytherin Banshee' for nothing.
With that, Rakka drifted into a night of sleep stuffed to the brim with dreams, every possible outcome to confessing her love to Snape. When she woke the next morning, she wasn't feeling any less nervous, but had made up her mind. She had to talk to him.
Snape watched the graduation services for the seventh year students with a heavy heart. Many of his most beloved students, all filing up to the main table in the great hall, to recieve their diplomas from Dumbledore. They moved from the teacher's left to right, starting with Hufflepuff, then Gryffindor, then Ravenclaw, and Finally Slytherin, which was proeceeded by a short speech from Dumbledore, as with each other house.
"It was a good year to be a Slytherin, I suppose, this year," Dumbledore smiled, as the applause for the Ravenclaw graduates died down. "With the winning of the Quidditch and House Cups, and that astounding ordeal with that lowdown snake Gannor. Before we commence with the handing out of the diplomas to the final house, I would like to congratulate Professor Severus Snape, for his courage under fire, and for sending his students to deliver that lousy, good for nothing Death Eater to my doorstep in a nice, full body freeze," he gestured for Snape to stand up, as he had at the beginning of the year, when he was introducing the new teacher.
The whole hall errupted into applause as Snape stood up, turning a bit red, but none clapped louder than Slytherin.
"Quite an amazing first year for you, I should think, Professor," Dumbledore smiled. "And to all the Slytherin house, congratulations, for this year, graduation is bittersweet. In this house alone, we lose the best Head Girl and Head Boy we've had in years, and a darned good lot of a Quidditch team as well. But yes, I have already wasted precious time, for the final moments of your seven years here grow thin. Congratulations, Slytherins! May the graduation ceremonies carry on."
One by one, the graduates of Slytherin moved to the table as their names were called, in alphabetical order by last name, save for Tomas and Rakka, who would go last, as Head Boy and Head Girl.
After Dubledore handed each student their diplomas, and any additional certificates for any special efforts during their years at Hogwarts, Snape shook their hands with a heavy heart, sad to see most of them leave. A few of the students, overcome with emotion, hugged the bewildered young professor, or smiled a thank you to him.
"Thanks, Professor," Zeke smiled. "For everything. I owe my sister's life to you. I'll never forget that."
"It was the least I could do," Snape shrugged, shaking the crazy young man's hand for the last time.
A few moments later, Eana smiled, approaching him.
"It's been a good year, Professor Snapey person," she hugged him. "I'll miss you."
"Feel free to come back and visit, ok, Eana?"
"Please, call me Remi, everyone else does," Eana smiled, pushing her hair back.
"Ok then, Remi, call me Severus," he smiled.
"Okaykay. Goodbye, lady." With that, she planted a big, rediculous, childish kiss on his cheek and giggled, seeing his confusion, and ran off, Jackob approaching as she walked away.
"Well, Professor," Jakob shook Snape's hand firmly. "It's been a good year."
"Yes it has, Mr. Stormcrow," Snape nodded.
"Look... Rakka is like a sister to me, so I want you to know.. well, I'm sure Zeke already gave you the speech, but.. thank you."
"It was my honor to have the opportunity to help her," Snape smiled. "And it was my duty as your head of house. Please, no need to make it seem like heroics."
"Well, regardless, you're still a hero to me," Jakob smiled, walking away.
At last, the procession was coming to a close, when Tomas was called up.
"Tomas, I have to thank you for your help this year," Snape smiled, shaking Tomas' hand. "You and Rakka handled that situation with Sienna beautifully."
"You saved my little sister," Tomas smiled back. "You handled that situation well. And I think you may have saved us all, Snape. I know the snake was there that night for my little cousin, and probably would have gone after me or Zeke next. I think it's safe to say the whole family is in your debt, Professor."
"Call me Severus," Snape smiled. "After all, you're not a student anymore, are you?"
"No," Tomas smiled wistfully. "I guess not. Goodbye, Severus."
"And, last but certainly not least, Head Girl Rakka Darkflame," Dumbledore smiled, handing her certificate to her. Rakka took it graciously, smiling at the old man, while the audience of students gave a loud cheer, loudest at the Slytherin table, of course.
"Rakka," Snape smiled, as she hugged him.
"Professor, I'd like to talk to you tonight, before I leave," she whispered in his ear, hugging him firmly, friendly, but nothing more, just as Remi had. "I'll see you in your office, after the feast, okay?"
"No problem, Rakka," he smiled. "But please, don't call me Professor. Call me Severus, after all, you're not a student, you're an equal now, right?"
"Yeah," she smiled, as much with her eyes as her mouth, the kind of glittering smile that could melt the heart out of the Bloody Baron himself. With that, Rakka ran off to join her classmates, Remi, Jakob, Zeke, Tomas, Michael, and Isamu all getting to their feet to hug her, the Quidditch team of buddies united for one last banquet.
"Look at us," Tomas shook his head. "We're graduates! Done. Finished. No more Hogwarts."
"Yeah, and Remi finally learned something that proved useful.. even if it was only once," Zeke grinned.
"Hey, lady! I'm useful!"
"Yeah, about as useful as a potato for a wand when dueling against a Death Eater... Hey, wait a minute! Did you just call me a lady?!" he slammed one hand down on the table, his other hand pointing an accusing finger.
"What's it to ya, laaadiiieeee?" Remi stuck her tongue out, and Zeke stood up. He grabbed her by the front of her robes, but she grinned, shrinking rapidly. Bewildered, Zeke let go.. and a little brown fox ran off under the Raveclaw table.
"I can't belive they're letting those two out into the real world," Jakob shook his head.
"Zeke is your friend, you try knocking some sense into him," Rakka smirked. "And if not, bludgeoning him a bit couldn't hurt. It's not like he's got any brain cells to lose."
"Okay, rewind, replace 'Zeke' with 'Remi', and you have my response," Jakob shook his head.
"But you're the beater, not me. We all know seekers aren't built for knocking sense into people," Rakka grinned. Jakob snarled jokingly.
"I can't belive they're letting those two out into the real world, either," Isamu said solemnly to Tomas, shaking her head.
"Oh, you're one to talk!" Rakka, Zeke, and Jakob chorused at once.
"What?" Isamu asked innocently. "No one is letting me loose on the poor inhabitants of the world, are they?"
"For summer holiday. More than enough time for someone as psychotic as the midget to cause worldwide havoc," Zeke shook his head.
"I concur," Remi scratched behind her ear with her foot as she changed back to her human self, which looked more than a bit comical, and Remi turned the slightest bit pink as she straightened her skirt.
"You don't even know what the word 'concur' means," Zeke sneered.
"Oh, do shut up, Zeke," Rakka sighed.
"I do so know what it means!"
"Well? I'm listening."
"..shut up, you silly potato-headed git!"
"Oh, so now I'm a potato-headed git, am I?!"
"Both of you, just shut up and eat!" Tomas shook his head in disgust, and Remi and Zeke both looked down at the table, realizing only then that there was food, and dove into it without any reservation or dignity whatsoever. Isamu giggled, and Rakka, who had been carefully picking at her food as though it might bite her back, slapped her forehead in frustration.
The feast continued all around them, a huge party in which all the houses celebrated, together, many for the last time.
Chapter 11: Farewell to Hogwarts
"Well, this is the end," Remi shook her head. "Tomorrow morning, we graduate."
Eana Remillius was sitting at the foot of Rakka's bed, in the bottommost chamber of the Slytherin Girls' dormitories. Remi's own room was just a few steps up the flagstone, a journey she was not yet ready to make for the night. Rakka sat back against the headboard of the four post bed, looking a bit lost in thought as she ran her fingers carefully along the edge of a photograph, Isamu, Remi, Tomas, Jakob, Zeke, Michael, and herself, all laughing and cheering, holding the Quidditch Cup. She put the photograph in the back of the small pile, carefully flicking through the images. The next one was of her with the golden snitch, as she ended the last game, against Ravenclaw, which won the cup. The next photo, herself with the team, and Snape and Dumbledore, all smiling, waving, as Dumbledore held out the Cup to them. With a sigh, Rakka put the photographs aside, turning to Remi.
"Oh, Rem, what am I going to do?" she muttered.
"Well, if I were you, I'd be off confessing my deepest desires to Snapey person. Bwahahahaa!"
"No, if you were me, you would be sitting here, not knowing what to do either, and you know it."
"Eeek! Okay, so maybe you're right. I'm not that much of a take-charge person, I admit it. But I always thought you were. Really, I think you should tell him. I mean it's pretty obvious that he likes you, too."
"But I'm still a student, and he's still a teacher. What if.. what if he tells me he doesn't love me, just because he can't do anything about it?"
"Well... you know," Isamu chimed in from the next bed over, where she was writing in her journal. "After tomorrow's graduation service, you won't be a student anymore.. and you'll still be here... I dunno. Just a thought..."
"You're a terrible influence, you know that?" Rakka smiled. "You and Remi both. Trying to hook me up.. with a teacher, for cryin' out loud."
"Well... love comes in many forms, hon. You gotta do what it takes to get it, yupyup," Remi smiled, stretching.
"Maybe you're right."
"Well, I'd best be off, before the Head Girl catches me out of bed too late," Remi laughed. "Bye! See you in the morning!"
"Bye," Rakka laughed, shaking her head. That Remi.. she really was a nutter, even if the teachers all thought she was a quiet, well mannered little girl. They should know by now, they've all seen her true colors on the Quidditch field, screaming and doing loops in midair on her trusty old broom to distract her opponents while Isamu went for the Quaffle, a real stuntgirl, out of control. They didn't call her 'the Slytherin Banshee' for nothing.
With that, Rakka drifted into a night of sleep stuffed to the brim with dreams, every possible outcome to confessing her love to Snape. When she woke the next morning, she wasn't feeling any less nervous, but had made up her mind. She had to talk to him.
Snape watched the graduation services for the seventh year students with a heavy heart. Many of his most beloved students, all filing up to the main table in the great hall, to recieve their diplomas from Dumbledore. They moved from the teacher's left to right, starting with Hufflepuff, then Gryffindor, then Ravenclaw, and Finally Slytherin, which was proeceeded by a short speech from Dumbledore, as with each other house.
"It was a good year to be a Slytherin, I suppose, this year," Dumbledore smiled, as the applause for the Ravenclaw graduates died down. "With the winning of the Quidditch and House Cups, and that astounding ordeal with that lowdown snake Gannor. Before we commence with the handing out of the diplomas to the final house, I would like to congratulate Professor Severus Snape, for his courage under fire, and for sending his students to deliver that lousy, good for nothing Death Eater to my doorstep in a nice, full body freeze," he gestured for Snape to stand up, as he had at the beginning of the year, when he was introducing the new teacher.
The whole hall errupted into applause as Snape stood up, turning a bit red, but none clapped louder than Slytherin.
"Quite an amazing first year for you, I should think, Professor," Dumbledore smiled. "And to all the Slytherin house, congratulations, for this year, graduation is bittersweet. In this house alone, we lose the best Head Girl and Head Boy we've had in years, and a darned good lot of a Quidditch team as well. But yes, I have already wasted precious time, for the final moments of your seven years here grow thin. Congratulations, Slytherins! May the graduation ceremonies carry on."
One by one, the graduates of Slytherin moved to the table as their names were called, in alphabetical order by last name, save for Tomas and Rakka, who would go last, as Head Boy and Head Girl.
After Dubledore handed each student their diplomas, and any additional certificates for any special efforts during their years at Hogwarts, Snape shook their hands with a heavy heart, sad to see most of them leave. A few of the students, overcome with emotion, hugged the bewildered young professor, or smiled a thank you to him.
"Thanks, Professor," Zeke smiled. "For everything. I owe my sister's life to you. I'll never forget that."
"It was the least I could do," Snape shrugged, shaking the crazy young man's hand for the last time.
A few moments later, Eana smiled, approaching him.
"It's been a good year, Professor Snapey person," she hugged him. "I'll miss you."
"Feel free to come back and visit, ok, Eana?"
"Please, call me Remi, everyone else does," Eana smiled, pushing her hair back.
"Ok then, Remi, call me Severus," he smiled.
"Okaykay. Goodbye, lady." With that, she planted a big, rediculous, childish kiss on his cheek and giggled, seeing his confusion, and ran off, Jackob approaching as she walked away.
"Well, Professor," Jakob shook Snape's hand firmly. "It's been a good year."
"Yes it has, Mr. Stormcrow," Snape nodded.
"Look... Rakka is like a sister to me, so I want you to know.. well, I'm sure Zeke already gave you the speech, but.. thank you."
"It was my honor to have the opportunity to help her," Snape smiled. "And it was my duty as your head of house. Please, no need to make it seem like heroics."
"Well, regardless, you're still a hero to me," Jakob smiled, walking away.
At last, the procession was coming to a close, when Tomas was called up.
"Tomas, I have to thank you for your help this year," Snape smiled, shaking Tomas' hand. "You and Rakka handled that situation with Sienna beautifully."
"You saved my little sister," Tomas smiled back. "You handled that situation well. And I think you may have saved us all, Snape. I know the snake was there that night for my little cousin, and probably would have gone after me or Zeke next. I think it's safe to say the whole family is in your debt, Professor."
"Call me Severus," Snape smiled. "After all, you're not a student anymore, are you?"
"No," Tomas smiled wistfully. "I guess not. Goodbye, Severus."
"And, last but certainly not least, Head Girl Rakka Darkflame," Dumbledore smiled, handing her certificate to her. Rakka took it graciously, smiling at the old man, while the audience of students gave a loud cheer, loudest at the Slytherin table, of course.
"Rakka," Snape smiled, as she hugged him.
"Professor, I'd like to talk to you tonight, before I leave," she whispered in his ear, hugging him firmly, friendly, but nothing more, just as Remi had. "I'll see you in your office, after the feast, okay?"
"No problem, Rakka," he smiled. "But please, don't call me Professor. Call me Severus, after all, you're not a student, you're an equal now, right?"
"Yeah," she smiled, as much with her eyes as her mouth, the kind of glittering smile that could melt the heart out of the Bloody Baron himself. With that, Rakka ran off to join her classmates, Remi, Jakob, Zeke, Tomas, Michael, and Isamu all getting to their feet to hug her, the Quidditch team of buddies united for one last banquet.
"Look at us," Tomas shook his head. "We're graduates! Done. Finished. No more Hogwarts."
"Yeah, and Remi finally learned something that proved useful.. even if it was only once," Zeke grinned.
"Hey, lady! I'm useful!"
"Yeah, about as useful as a potato for a wand when dueling against a Death Eater... Hey, wait a minute! Did you just call me a lady?!" he slammed one hand down on the table, his other hand pointing an accusing finger.
"What's it to ya, laaadiiieeee?" Remi stuck her tongue out, and Zeke stood up. He grabbed her by the front of her robes, but she grinned, shrinking rapidly. Bewildered, Zeke let go.. and a little brown fox ran off under the Raveclaw table.
"I can't belive they're letting those two out into the real world," Jakob shook his head.
"Zeke is your friend, you try knocking some sense into him," Rakka smirked. "And if not, bludgeoning him a bit couldn't hurt. It's not like he's got any brain cells to lose."
"Okay, rewind, replace 'Zeke' with 'Remi', and you have my response," Jakob shook his head.
"But you're the beater, not me. We all know seekers aren't built for knocking sense into people," Rakka grinned. Jakob snarled jokingly.
"I can't belive they're letting those two out into the real world, either," Isamu said solemnly to Tomas, shaking her head.
"Oh, you're one to talk!" Rakka, Zeke, and Jakob chorused at once.
"What?" Isamu asked innocently. "No one is letting me loose on the poor inhabitants of the world, are they?"
"For summer holiday. More than enough time for someone as psychotic as the midget to cause worldwide havoc," Zeke shook his head.
"I concur," Remi scratched behind her ear with her foot as she changed back to her human self, which looked more than a bit comical, and Remi turned the slightest bit pink as she straightened her skirt.
"You don't even know what the word 'concur' means," Zeke sneered.
"Oh, do shut up, Zeke," Rakka sighed.
"I do so know what it means!"
"Well? I'm listening."
"..shut up, you silly potato-headed git!"
"Oh, so now I'm a potato-headed git, am I?!"
"Both of you, just shut up and eat!" Tomas shook his head in disgust, and Remi and Zeke both looked down at the table, realizing only then that there was food, and dove into it without any reservation or dignity whatsoever. Isamu giggled, and Rakka, who had been carefully picking at her food as though it might bite her back, slapped her forehead in frustration.
The feast continued all around them, a huge party in which all the houses celebrated, together, many for the last time.
