Prologue for "For All We Know"
Graduation Day, 1999 at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Jocelyn Bauer vied for a spot in front of the mirror that one of her roommates had brought at some point during her seven years here. She checked to make sure that her hair wasn't purple or standing up in a Mohawk. She'd cleared the hair color from her hair last night, but it was always good to check. Jocelyn's short brown hair hung around her face, the bangs hanging slightly into her eyes.
"I can't believe we're graduating!" Eileen Dunne squealed, primping her always perfect features. She patted her blonde hair and checked her make-up for the 100th time.
Veronica Wilkes elbowed her way in front of the mirror, shoving Jocelyn out of the way. Jocelyn narrowed her eyes at the girl…woman…but stepped aside somewhat gracefully, grabbing a hand-mirror off of the nearest dresser and checked her make-up quickly; she'd done it in haste this morning. Her third, and final, roommate, Lori Potts snatched the hand-mirror out of Jocelyn's hands and gave her a bit of a glare.
"Fine, fine…" she muttered, walking away. Seven years and those three still couldn't stand her. Lovely…
"I just can't believe that it's been seven years already…can you imagine, Ronnie?" Lori said as she applied a lot of make-up.
"It is rather hard to believe…but I'm ready to go out and make my own. How about you three? Lori, where are you headed?"
"I think I'm going to get a job at the Ministry, a secretary of some sort," Lori responded as she packed away the remainder of her belongings.
"And you Ronnie?"
"I might work for Daddy at his shop in Diagon Alley."
"What about you, Jocelyn?"
Jocelyn turned her head and looked around at the three girls from her perch on the window seat, as if in shock. "Me?"
"Well, who else is named Jocelyn?" snipped Lori, putting her hands on her hips. "Honestly, you'd think that we ignored you all the time."
"Maybe that's because you do?" Jocelyn thought, but she didn't voice her opinion. "I…I'm heading for London."
"London? What for?" Veronica said in a shocked voice. "What on Earth is so great in London?"
"A job."
"What job?"
"Social services, I guess. I can help people there." And with that, Jocelyn turned and looked back out the window, contemplating the view. All three girls turned and muttered among themselves about how she'd always been 'a bit off' and they never felt as if she were a 'true Ravenclaw', how Jocelyn had never fully embraced 'the wizarding way'. To tell the truth, Jocelyn loved being a witch. Hogwarts and the rest of the wizarding world was where she belonged, that she was sure off. But she needed to get away from the one person who had basically tortured her for seven years: Severus Snape.
Professor Snape, head of Slytherin house, had been her potions professor for all seven years. Jocelyn had gone beyond the required five years of potions because she had gotten an "O" on her Potions O.W.L., and Professor Snape only allowed those who received an "O" into his N.E.W.T.-level Potions class. She'd done well on her N.E.W.T.'s, or so she hoped. Not like it would really matter anyways, not where she was headed.
Professor Snape had done nothing but send jeers and scowls at her all seven years. Even if she got the potion right, it didn't matter. She was never good enough, ever, for one single kind word. One "good job" when she got the most difficult potion right when the rest of the class didn't, the closest anyone came to Jocelyn's success was the boy who accidentally got his eyebrows blown off by said potion. All he had done was sneer at her and pass her by…like always. It ended up really getting on her nerves in her N.E.W.T. Potions because the class was so much smaller, Professor Snape spent the portion of it that he didn't spend teaching glaring over her shoulder. Jocelyn secretly though that he was trying to get her to mess up intentionally.
"Oh, it's time to go! Jocelyn…Jocelyn!" Jocelyn turned her head towards Lori. "C'mon…it's time to go graduate!"
"Yeah, I'll be right there." Jocelyn looked out of the window again and sighed. "I won't be seeing this view for some time…and I'll miss it." She stood up and smoothed her graduation robes down. All students had black robes and black mortarboards, but the houses were apparent. Ravenclaw students had a blue collar and a black and blue tassel, Gryffindor had a red collar and a red and gold tassel, Slytherin had a green collar and a green and silver tassel, and Hufflepuff had a yellow collar and a black and yellow tassel. Jocelyn went to the Ravenclaw Common Room to find all of the seventh year Ravenclaws there, ready to head to the Great Hall.
Their painting was opened and the students went on their way to where their futures awaited them.
"I am pleased to present you with Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry class of 1999!" Albus Dumbledore announced. A resounding cheer sounded from the graduated witches and wizards as they all rushed off of the risers. Jocelyn ran off with the rest of her classmates, finding her mother and father quickly, and saw that they had brought her older brother, Logan, along. She hugged her brother tight, not having seen him in a bit, and not having expected him at all.
"I'm proud of you, Joey," he said, kissing her on the cheek. "You showed 'em up."
"Thanks Logan." The first true smile in ages spread itself across her face. "C'mon…I'm ready." Her parents nodded and walked toward the door, Logan and Jocelyn following, his arm slung around her shoulders. Jocelyn paused for a moment on the way out of the main door. This was it…her moment of pride, of finally leaving Hogwarts. But was she happy…or was she sad?
A/N: All right...so I followed some review advice and I added a Prologue...yay for me! I shall definately be thanking that person at the beginning of Chapter 1!