Remus hated dressing up. Getting into dress robes for the night's Graduation dance was a great struggle that fully occupied his mind. There was always something to straighten, something to be put right.
The door of the dormitory burst open, and Revera bounced in. Remus spared her a pained glance, thankful that he had put on everything.
"They really should seal up our place against girls," he said as James got up to give her a hug.
"That's no way to treat guests, Moony," Sirius chided. The stately black robes he had no problems putting on fell in neat folds when he stood up. "You look just wonderful," he said gallantly.
Revera giggled. "Are you sure you are not referring to yourself? I am not wearing anything special." She crossed the room to her brother who was still fiddling with his sleeves. "Here, this is your graduation gift."
Surprised and touched, Remus leaned over to give her a quick hug. "Thanks so much."
"Open it now," she ordered as she began to hand out wrapped packages to rest of the Marauders.
"Sunglasses?" Sirius asked, puzzled. He out them on – and his hair shot up into spikes. "Heh, thanks, Sunny." He scratched his chin absently and his hair restyled itself into complicated swirls.
"The only way you can be Metamorphagus," Revera informed him. "It changes your hair every few seconds"
Sirius' hair was now acid green – a colour which made him look decidedly sickly. "This is not permanent, right?"
"I don't know," Revera said mischievously. "No guarantees." Sirius hastily removed the glasses.
Peter was delighted to receive a Letter-Aider quill while James lifted an oval cylinder from his box.
"Harriet's Hair solution – the answer to bushy and untidy hair. Don't tell me, Lily helped you, right?" He sprayed a small quantity into his hand and smoothed it over his unruly hair. The effect was immediate. With flat hair and his glasses, he looked like ...
"An underling in the Ministry who will never get far," pronounced Sirius critically.
"You are right. Does this wash off?" James ran his fingers through his hair worriedly. Or tried to. It felt cemented together.
"After 5 hours," Revera grinned. "Enjoy the dance."
She kissed her brother and headed for the door. "I have another stop to make."
"Where's that?" Remus called after her but she didn't turn round.
"Your sister is a bit perverse, d'you know that?" James tried running water on his hair. It didn't work. "I look like a twerp. What did she get you?"
Remus held up his present – silvery gray robes like his own eyes. "Looks like I have to get dressed all over again."
The door to the music room was left slightly ajar. Severus always played there on Saturday nights, if only to escape from the crowded common room. He didn't see why he should change the habit just because he was due to attend a stupid ceremony marking the end of seven unhappy years in Hogwarts in 10 minutes. Haunting notes hung in the air almost as if they were waiting.
The door opened. He stopped playing and turned around.
"That's better played with two hands," she remarked. He slammed the piano lid shut.
"I have to go soon, anyway," he said without much less annoyance than he would have used on any other person who criticized his playing.
"I know. Here, this is for you," she held out a nicely-wrapped present for him. Trying to recall when someone had last given him a present ...definitely not in the last 7 years..and certainly not topped with a red paper flower..., Severus ripped open the present, not bothering to preserve the pretty paper.
"Methodology to Magical Research and Experimentation – An Introduction," he read aloud. He cleared his throat and fished about for something to say while her big blue eyes watched him expectantly. "It's a nice thing to do. Thank you," he said at last. "I might need it."
"You always struck me as an academic professor type," she smiled. "What are you going to do after graduation?"
"I am going to work as a secretary to Lucius Malfoy," he said slowly. The Malfoys owned extensive holdings in the wizarding community and took great pride in their pure ancestry which could be traced back 50 generations. Only the Blacks could rival such claims.
"Oh," Revera sounded disappointed. "That's good, I guess."
He did not need to delve into her mind to know that she was just being polite. And if she knew what he was actually doing...the room suddenly felt unbearably hot.
"I have to go," he said abruptly.
Blue eyes gazed worriedly at him. "Take care of yourself, Severus."
He managed a small smile and strode out of the room, knowing that it might not be possible for him to face her again.
The Graduation Ball was only open to the final year cohort. Traditionally held on the second last night of the school year, this meant that the party had a small exclusive attendance of only 40 to 50 students – and thus, gained a mysterious aura. No senior ever fully described to the younger students exactly what transpired in the event.
"They say the Sorting Hat is going to sort us into jobs during the ceremony," Peter remarked as they walked down the corridor, heading for the Great Hall which was protected against any other entry.
Sirius snorted. "Thats about as ridiculous as the one about Dumbledore making us take a blood oath so that we have permanent ties with Hogwarts. Its a celebration not a bloody cult or job interview."
James (whose hands tend to wander self-consciously at his still flat hair) and Lily, who joined them, holding hands, exchanged glances. As Head Boy and Head Girl, they had a better idea that most what was coming and Sirius was just about right. People do like speculate on dramatic happenings.
"Are you applying for Auror training with James, Lily?" Remus asked.
"That's not really my thing," she said, smiling. "Though, mind you, I did give it serious thought when James said that I should leave the protecting big, strong men..."
James and Sirius gave identical lopsided grins. "You know you can't beat me in a duel, sweetheart. No girl can, for that matter..."
"Expelliarmus!" came a voice behind them. James' wand flew out of his hand. Alice caught it neatly and smiled smugly at him. "I heard that chauvinistic remark."
Amidst the bantering and laughter, they reached the Great Hall at around the same time as Severus, by contrast, was scowling as usual. For some reason, he gave an especially baleful glare to Remus.
In the Hall, the house tables and respective banners were gone. A circle of silver-wrought chairs took up the centre of the Hall, where columns were draped in the green and silver banners worked with the Hogwarts emblem. Labelled in glittering letters on the chairs were the names of all the graduating students in alphabetical order anticlockwise. The ceiling was bewitched into the night sky, giving the impression that the circle stood under starlight.
"Take your assigned seats," said Professor McGonagall as the group entered. A girl suddenly yelped as if the chair had scorched her bottom. "I did warn you not to attempt to sit on someone else's chair, Miss Prewitt."
Remus chuckled slightly when he observed Sirius flash a wide, utterly fake smile at his cousin who responded with equal sincerity as the two Blacks settled into adjacent seats. He wasn't much better off; being sandwiched between Rodolphus Lestrange and burly Walden MacNair. The unfriendliness emanating from both sides made him keenly recall his first days at Hogwarts. Alone, nervous and friendless.
"I have come a full circle," he thought.
The moon slid out from the shadow of the clouds on the ceiling, its light illuminating the centre of the circle. Remus clasped his hands together to still their shaking. Noticing his reaction, Rodolphus opened his mouth to sneer – when Professor Dumbledore suddenly appeared in the patch of light, beaming at them.
"The end," he began, "of seven years in Hogwarts."
His appearance had instantly stilled the buzz of conversation in the gathering.
Peering kindly at them from his half-moon spectacles he continued, "You came with qualities that Hogwarts founders treasured, to learn and refine your abilities at magic. You leave now as fully qualified witches and wizards," his gaze now rested benignly on two students, who had been complaining loudly about failing NEWTs since the exams had ended, "regardless of the extent of your academic achievement."
"Remember this night when you are united under the Hogwarts name, regardless of House, blood, or name. School has protected you from much of the evils of the world which is now waiting. Forget the petty quarrels you had amongst yourself – the magical world stands together."
A gold goblet popped up at the right hand side of each student. Dumbledore raised his.
"To all of you," he said. "May you always choose what is right."
Overhead the ceiling gleamed as the students drank, turning to gold. Cherubs began to descend fluting music while golden light chased the dark. A lantern lit table wheeled itself towards them.
"And now, for supper," Dumbledore twinkled.