Chapter 114: Graduation
"Graduation is really kinda boring." James commented, eyeing a group of familiar foursome heading their direction. For the first time in history, most of the students had requested to stay back to participate in the graduation ceremony for the seventh-years.
"Yeah, the whole school is still around!!" Sirius said in a dramatic nonchalance manner.
"I just don't see what's so nice about graduation. All the seventh-years before us had the entire compound to themselves in their last week but not us." Remus commented while twiddling with a broken twig on his right hand.
"Hey Marauders." The four first-year Gryffindors greeted simultaneously. All four faces were plastered with a suspicious-looking wide grin.
"What brings you here to our hideout??" James joked. The Marauders were hanging out at the big tree, overlooking the Hogwarts Lake whereby Giant was swinging his tentacles as if it was doing a farewell dance for them.
"We just want to steal a few minutes of your time." Kate Potter said in an extremely sweet manner.
"I detect something in that comment." James frowned slightly but in a nice manner.
"Uncle James, you're so smart!!" Kate grinned mischievously and clasped her hands together.
"One more 'uncle' and you get no answers." James crossed his arms. The rest of the group laughed at James' comical reaction to the sensitive word 'uncle'.
"All right, the almighty, brilliant, clever, diligent, eloquent, fantastic, gallant, hand-" Kate of listing out some of the characteristic that might be found in James in small quantity.
"Get straight to the point." James rolled his eyes but nevertheless he was beaming away.
"Just wondering, well, Alex wants to ask you something." Kate pointed to Alex Weasley.
"What?? It's not me, Ted wanted to know." Alex pointed at Ted Tonks.
"Me?? It's you that wanted to ask." Ted pushed Alex's finger away.
"Don't argue over who wants to know. What is it actually??" Remus asked, breaking their mini-argument.
"He-" Alex and Ted pointed at each other as they started talking.
"Never mind about the guys, let me tell you." Andromeda moved forward and spoke. "The two boys, namely Alex and Ted, wants to, no, actually is dying to ask you guys, once and again, how did you guys come up with the Marauders' portrait."
"It's the Marauders' secret." Sirius said cheekily.
"Sorry, can't disclose anything." James shrugged.
"We did lots of reading on our textbooks and library books but just can't seems to find anything suitable." Kate told them.
"If we were your age, we wouldn't be able to do that too." Remus told them.
"Remus is right, creating a portrait is definitely too advance for first-years." James nodded in agreement.
"When we were first-years, our pranks were so much simpler as compared to what you seen us doing this year." Remus told them. "We had seven years of knowledge and experience in transfiguring objects, concocting potions, improving charms, and lots of reading up. You guys had just ended your first year in Hogwarts. I daresay it's impossible to create a portrait like us. If you can, all of you must be geniuses."
"That's true. At this age, do some simple transfiguring stuff. Like matchsticks to birds or something." Sirius suggested.
"But that's so boring!!" Ted pointed out. "You guys did something so wonderfully brilliant. This idea is going to be so awfully off if we do it."
"We did that in our first or second year before. Toothpicks or matchsticks, I don't remember whichever, into rabbits." James told them. "It was a hit, mind you."
"That's because back then no one else had done it. Now that you guys had did that, it's like history. We need something more cool." Alex said.
"How is creating a portrait more cool?? Since we had already did one." James asked.
"We can do it on other stuffs, like – erm, we'll think of some soon, and use your teachings and guidance." Ted tried to persuade the Marauders.
"Boys, listen, once again I must re-emphasize my point. Study hard and pay attention in class whereby you get to learn the most things. And then with the books from library, improve it. To start off, try reading some books on Transfiguration." James suggested.
"We already read and know all about the Animagus." Andromeda said. "But unfortunately all animagi need to be registered with the Ministry. Otherwise we can explore the Forbidden Forest in our free time." The Marauders exchanged a look filled with the mixture of defiant and responsibility.
"And we also read about the Patronus Charm. Remember you guys did it at the beginning of this year??" Kate told them then she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on a happy thought. "Expecto Patronum!!" A swish of whitish mist emerged from the end of her wand and disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.
"Not too bad, at least you've got some whitish stuff coming out." James praised.
"I'm intending to practice until I can produce a full-fledged patronus. The animal that I would want is a unicorn." Kate said excitedly and she tried again. "Expecto Patronum!!"
"Alright, you guys don't have to practice the seventh-year syllabus. They are too difficult and advanced for you four." Remus was trying to calm the four younger students.
"Practicing something too advanced could have side effects." James told them.
"We know. It will deplete our energy in a great deal, causing fainting sensations and might be even more serious than just that." Ted said in his brainiest manner.
"We've got enough chocolates with us to make sure nothing happen." All of them pulled out several bars of chocolates from their pockets.
"You guys sure know your stuffs." Sirius laughed nodding away and turned towards his fellow Marauders. "They really did studied."
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"Well, Hogwarts robes for the Graduation Ceremony. Can anything get more exciting than this??" Lily commented while she lain on her stomach, her hands supporting her head. The four Gryffindor girls were hanging out in their dormitory resting and relaxing away.
"Our excitement is in the Marauders' hands, try asking them." Joey joked, looking up from the latest issue of Witch Weekly on her lap. "Well, we can try dress robes or something, if you want."
"What can beat the fact that the entire population is still in Hogwarts as if it is a normal school day??" Samantha pointed out. The most peaceful place in the entire Hogwarts compound was probably their dormitory, especially since they would not be using it anymore in the future.
"Thanks to the Marauders. All the fans and idolizers wants to watch them graduate." Stefanie laughed, peeling the tissue mask off and massaging her face to enhance absorption.
"You know I'm going to miss this feeling so so so much!!" Lily let out a big sigh. "I'm so used to living with you four for so many years, seven years to be precise. It's going to be so different to wake up in a room without seeing your sleepy faces."
"Lils just thought that I should let you know something." Samantha turned over and seemed to be enjoying the comfort of her bed. "You were never awake enough to see our sleepy faces. It's more like the other way round."
"Oooh.. It's the same thing anyway." Lily defended and the other three girls laughed. "Anyway what are you all going to wear on the Graduation Party??"
"Changing the topic, huh."
"You mean the one after the ceremony or the one at James' place??"
"I thought we already had the dress robes for the one after the ceremony??"
"I'm referring to the evening one at James' place." Lily turned around and lain on her back, looking up the ceiling of the dormitory.
"Something simple, I guess." Joey thought for a while.
"Spaghetti top and jeans or perhaps a toga. Common combination." Stefanie was packing some of her clothes into her nearly filled trunk. All the girls seemed to be spending most of their last few days in the dormitory than anywhere else.
"Hey, what do you think about having a gathering once a month??" Lily asked suddenly.
"Good idea. But I think in the future when we get a stable job and everything, we'll meet even lesser." Samantha pointed out.
"But at least for now, I think meeting up once a month isn't a difficult thing to do. I'm in for that." Stefanie placed a few more things into her trunks.
"Perhaps for dinner or something. No matter how busy we are going to be in the future, I think we really should cherish this kind of friendship. Tough to come by." Joey said frankly.
"That's a deal. We can get Bell to join us too." Lily said excitedly, jumping up from her previously lying down position.
"Sounds wonderful. Maybe we can do some muggle stuffs for a change." Samantha added.
"Our first outing shall be in August then, since we're already in July." Stefanie suggested. "Perhaps if we've yet to get a job, we can have a slumber party or something like that."
"Cool. I'm already looking forward for that." Lily said enthusiastically.
"Same here."
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"Wow!! James Potter making a speech for official business. Sounds like something incredible, huh." James commenced his Head's speech in a comfortable and slightly informal manner after Professor Dumbledore's Headmaster speech. The first phrase had already captured his audience's attention and drove everyone into the humorous mood for the supposedly formal ceremony. "Professor Dumbledore had said that I could say absolutely anything I want for this speech." He turned and nodded at Professor Dumbledore who gave him one of his familiar winks behind his half-moon spectacles.
"Like all other speeches, it had to begin with thanking others. First and foremost, I would like to thank my parents, for giving birth to me." Everyone in the Great Hall applauded loudly. Mrs. Helen Potter was beaming at him from the audience, feeling very proud of his son indeed, and looking slightly teary. "Second to them would be my girlfriend, Lily Evans, the Head Girl who had been suffering for the entire year working with me." Among the audience, Lily could be seen blushing away when everyone turned to take a look at the girl James Potter mentioned.
"What about me??" Sirius, who was sitting a few seats away from Lily, called out. The attention of the audience switched over almost immediately.
"Yeah, have you forgotten about us??" Remus added loudly. He was sitting many seats away from Sirius, at James' right. The seventh-years were all arranged in alphabetical order, so the Marauders were all seated slightly away from one another.
"Besides Lily, of course there's the Mr. Sirius Hunk Black over there." James pointed at Sirius' direction to his left. Sirius' fans all cheered loudly among all the student audience who were seated behind the parents and seventh-years. Some of those behind even stood on the benches while cheering, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Marauders from their seats.
"Thank you. Thank you." Sirius stood up and waved at everyone cheering from the back.
"And there's the Mr. Remus Brainy Lupin over there." Remus acknowledged the comment with a modest wave without the slightest idea of standing up.
"Not forgetting Mr. Peter Nice Pettigrew as well." Most of the audience gave loud polite applause while some Marauders' fans continued to cheer and scream from the back.
"Alright, don't get too overwhelmed by their names." The audience gave a soft laugh in response to his comment. "How can I forget our beloved teachers who taught us all that we need to know and more than what we need to know??" James bowed slightly at the row of Hogwarts staffs that were seated at one side of the Hall. "Professor Dumbledore, ever so wise and knowledgeable." Most of the students clapped at the mention of their Headmaster. "Then there is the so understanding and forgiving Professor McGonagall. I meant it, you know. Beneath that strict and stern exterior, there's a kind and loving Gryffindor spirit in her." All the Gryffindors clapped loudly and cheered. "Hogwarts can never do without our patient Professor Flitwick, interesting Professor Sprout, student-loving Professor Porky, intelligent Professor Plains, forever-explaining Professor Binns, cheerful Professor Hooch, animal-lover Professor Kettleburn, mind-baffling Professor Trelawney, mystical Professor Sinistra and kind Professor Vector." All the students cheered for their favorite teachers as James mentioned their names.
"No, no, I'm not done yet. Hogwarts can never be the same without our most wonderful Hagrid." Most of the students cheered loudly for their gamekeeper. "And there is the one who kept everything in order and that's our caretaker Filch." Filch was glaring at the students as always but for the first time, a tiny smile could be detected in his fierce scrutinizing expression. Most of the students gave a polite but short applause for their eccentric caretaker nevertheless.
"Alright, I think I have held the limelight long enough, I shall hand it back to our most beloved Professor McGonagall." James initiated a round of applause as Professor McGonagall walked towards the center of the stage.
"Thank you, Mr. Potter. That was an impressive speech I must say." Professor McGonagall clapped along with the rest of the audience. "Now we shall have Professor Dumbledore here to bestow you with the Graudation Hat. I'll call up the name and you shall come up to the stage to collect it." She started off with the name Eva Andrews and the list went on.
"Next to the list is Mr. Sirius Black from Gryffindor." Professor McGonagall called out. Sirius walked up the stage proudly, waving to his avid fans that were screaming and shouting from the back of the hall.
"Congrats. Hogwarts is not going to be the same again." Professor Dumbledore said in a low voice as he placed the Graduation Hat on Sirius.
"We should give Sirius the credits for bringing Hogwarts endless joys and laughter throughout the last seven years. A multi-talented student who managed to keep his grades up and at the same time being one of the best Beaters from Gryffindor." The Graduation Hat said before it shut itself up and looking like any other normal wizard hat besides having the Hogwarts Crest in front.
"To be able to look at everyone this angle is so cool, you guys gotta come up and take a look some day." Sirius called out, mainly targeted to the younger students who were sitting at the back of the Hall behind all the seventh-years. He bowed and then walked away from the stage and back to his own empty seat, which had magically moved to the back.
All the front seats for the seventh-years were charmed such that after the student went up to collect their Graduation Hat, the seat would move one step to the right so the next student would go straight up to the stage without much hassle. So when the student upon collection of his or her Graduation Hat would be sitting a few rows to the back.
"Thank you, Mr. Black, next we shall have Miss Stefanie Black from Gryffindor." Professor McGonagall spoke up from the right side of the stage. Stefanie got up from her seat and went up the stage; feeling excited but yet could move with such elegant poise.
"Congrats, will be seeing more of you in the future." Professor Dumbledore nodded and placed the Graduation Hat on Stefanie's head.
"One of the best behaved students in Hogwarts, a model student indeed. With traits of an angel on earth, brains of a genius, a lady that everyone loves to befriend. Not just a model student academically, Stefanie's virtues would be one that everyone should learn from." The Graduation Hat compliments sent blushes up to Stefanie's cheeks. After a charming smile and a bow, she walked down the stage, beaming and blushing at the same time.
"That's a good one." Sirius told Stefanie as she sat down beside him once again.
"For the first time, it feels so strange to have everyone looking at me suddenly." Stefanie admitted, still blushing slightly.
"At least the Graduation Hat is being honest."
"Perhaps it's the compliments the Hat gave that made me flush."
The next student, Jun Chang, from Ravenclaw upon receiving her Graduation Hat had sat down beside her. The seats had moved so magically and unknowingly that no one actually felt the movement below.
"Congrats." Stefanie turned to Jun on her left and stroked up a conversation.
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"Congrats." Lily smiled at Peppers, who was from Ravenclaw and was sitting on her right, walked up the stage confidently. The seats moved right magically and she was the next in line.
"Miss Lily Evans from Gryffindor."
Woah, scary. Lily stood up and walked as confidently and as gracefully as she could up the stage. Calm down. She gave Professor McGonagall an appreciative smile as she walked towards the center where Professor Dumbldore was standing with her Graduation Hat.
"Well done, Lily. Congratulations." Professor Dumbledore smiled and placed the Hat on her.
"Thank you, Professor." Lily said gratefully. Almost at once, the Graduation Hat started speaking when she turned to face the audience.
"No one would have done a better Head Girl's job than Lily herself. A representation of Hogwarts student with a strong sense of responsibility, she is one student who made achievements not only academically but also in all other aspects." The Graduation Hat announced. Lily could feel her face starting to burn. She gave a bow and walked down the stage and back to her seat beside Peppers.
"Thank you, Miss Evans. Next is Miss Joey Johnson from Gryffindor." Lily clapped for her friend and roommate and smiled at Joey as they exchanged a brief eye contact from the two ends of the stage.
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Well done, Lily. James applauded loudly for his girlfriend, watching her closely from the moment she went up the stage to the time she left. I'm so proud of her.
"James, you can come out of your daydreaming session now." Samantha elbowed James who was sitting on her left.
"What??" James frowned.
"Peter has been calling you for three times already." Samantha pointed at Peter who was sitting on her right.
"What is it??" James bent forward and asked.
"Actually I wanted to ask you what are you going to say later when you're going up. But never mind, forget it." Peter said, looking slightly nervous.
"Oh, just be yourself and say what you want." James assured Peter. "When you're up there, you just know what to do."
"Thank you, Miss Lim. Next we have Mr. Remus Lupin from Gryffindor." Mabel from Ravenclaw exited from the left side of stage while Remus walked up from the right side.
"It's Remus' turn." Samantha commented.
"We've noticed that." James replied. All three of them applauded loudly for their friend and fellow Gryffindor. Remus walked up towards Professor Dumbledore who put the Hat on his head.
"A talented student in many aspects, a student who is a friend to all, one who lives up the to the Gryffindor spirit are just some of the descriptions for Remus. A bright student with a big heart is a model student for all to learn from." Remus beamed to the Hat's commentaries. He gave a big smile, a bow and waved before exiting from the stage. Needless to say, most of the Marauders' fans and those who idolized him gave a standing ovation from the back of the hall.
"Next we have Mr. Peter Pettigrew from Gryffindor." Professor McGonagall announced after several students from Hufflepuff and Slytherin.
Peter went up the stage quickly and feeling excitedly and jittery at the same time. He received his Hat from Professor Dumbledore that gave a nice brief speech about him before he proceeded down at the other end.
"Thank you, Mr. Pettigrew. Next we have Miss Samantha Philips from Gryffindor." Everyone gave a round of applause as Samantha went up the stage. She received her hat and as usual, it gave a brilliant speech on Samantha before she bowed and walked down from the other end.
"Thank you Miss Philips, next we shall have Mr. James Potter from Gryffindor up here again." The applause from the audience was the loudest of all between the other graduating seventh-years.
James walked up confidently, acknowledging Professor McGonagall and turned back to the audience and gave a quick smile to Lily who was watching him from where she was seated. From the back, there were whistles, screams and shouts until he reached Professor Dumbledore.
"Never had a better student before." Professor Dumbledore smiled and looked intently at James while placing the Graduation Hat on his head.
"Thank you, Professor." James said gratefully. He then turned back to the audience waiting for the speech from the top of his head.
"One of the best Head Boy in history of Hogwarts, responsible and full of drive. Good academic records, active quidditch team player, lives up to the Gryffindor spirit. A very talented young man who will do great things in the years to come." James beamed and gave his best smile as he bowed and left the stage as confidently as he walked up earlier. What a feeling.