Meredith wrapped her arm around her friend, brushing tears from her cheeks as she looked over the Lake, the boats carrying them across for a final time. Sunlight glinted off of the water much different that the inky blackness they had road the boats across in so many years before as wide eyed first years. "Can you believe we're done?" Meredith asked, staring over the water, a wide smile plastered to her face. Meredith would be returned to her parents' home, a position with the Daily Prophet lined up for her. Kate smiled back at her, trying to match her friend's excitement as she looked over her shoulder at the only home she had left. Where the others in her boat saw this right of passage as a transition into the next stage of their lives, Kate felt uneasy. The unknown of what was to come next haunting her thoughts. Meredith's family had offered her their guest bedroom, but Kate feared overstaying her welcome, watching in the shadows as Meredith thrived in her new life and she stayed put, held back by some invisible force that she couldn't identify, disallowing her to move forward. What would her father think of this? His only daughter, running away from her pain and hiding away so she wouldn't have to face the reality that she was completely alone, outgrown from the place that gave her some sense of belonging, and unsure of what to do.
Kate dipped her hand over the side of the boat, her fingertips skimming over the cool water, Kate watching the ripples it left behind her. As the boat floated on, she thought of her years at the castle. She remembered when the boat traveled in the other direction; just eleven years old and staring up at the castle in awe, dressed in her first set of robes, the wand her father had taken her to Ollivander's to purchase tucked into the folds and her head full of dreams of what was to come. The way her heart raced when the Sorting Hat declared her belonging in Gryffindor, pride and excitement welling in her chest as she anticipated what her father would have to say. She looked over at her closest friend, smiling as she remembered their first night in the dormitory together, both scared and homesick as they sat in the window seat, telling each other jokes and planning how they would do their hair for the first day of classes. Her second year, her first time on the Quidditch pitch; her heart had soared after her first game. Gryffindor had lost, but Kate would never forget the freedom she felt on her broom and the belonging she gained from that team. Her third year and the trips to Honeyduke's with her friends, spending their weekends in the Three Broomsticks sipping butterbeer and snogging boys that they thought they would spend forever with. Her mind glossed over her fourth year and the excitement of growing up and going away, daydreaming about who she would be and how lavish her life would be. If only her 15 year old self could see her now. But her fifth year, she thought back to her first feast back in the castle, noticing how the quiet mysterious dark haired boy who had walked the corridors with her filled Professor Slughorn's seat at the table. She hadn't anticipated over her sixth year, her days flooded with studies, tutoring, a bad boyfriend and Quidditch, that the professor she had paid no mind to and heard whispers about in the girls' lavatory would become the single thing that consumed her thoughts. Nor did she anticipate that the summer would bring the worst heartbreak imaginable.
But now she floated away from her home to an undetermined future; beating on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
She didn't understand why he had pretended to loath that book so much. He had stayed up all night reading it.
Students gathered on the platform, searching for their friends in the chaos of the bustling station, embracing them in teary final goodbyes. Kate's trunk had been loaded onto the train for the final time, the last trip across the Black Lake signifying the bittersweet end of their time at the school. Kate stood to the side of the excitement, watching the students and professors dart in and out from the crowd, calling out their goodbyes and boarding the train to home. Kate smiled, watching McGonagall embrace Meredith with a smile. Kate smiled somberly, turning to take in the sight of the castle once more.
Her eyes rolled over the various towers where she had attended her classes, the courtyards in which she would study, and the shore in which she and her friends would sit at and laugh during the weekends. Although out of sight, Kate could feel in pull in her heart towards the Qudditch pitch, her heart longing for a few more moments above the pitch. It longed for the library where she would work with her first years, the dormitory in which she made some of her most cherished friendships. Her Head of the House's office where she mourned and celebrated and found acceptance in the eyes of an old woman who pushed her. Her mind strayed to the hidden crooks and corners of the corridors where she would escape to when the pain of her father's absence became too much to bear, where the portraits would whisper to her and try to calm her with soothing words, to the empty lavatories that she and Meredith would sneak cigarettes in and the empty classrooms perfect for kissing the first boy that she thought had loved her.
But her gaze strayed to the Astronomy Tower, and with the view of it came the memories of the past year. However, where in other years she remembered friends, her studies and her athletics, her mind was instead filled with the dark-haired professor she had watched with curiosity the first night of her fifth year. Of the periods spent in the dungeons in the early months of the term, of near silent grading sessions, of the kiss that left her lips stained purple for the days to follow. She remembered her stay in the infirmary and the nights that followed the peonies, fading in and out of potion-induced sleep, thinking was just imagining the weight in her want as she slept, the shadow she saw next her bed bringing her a sense of calm. How safe he made her feel that December night when he held her, sitting guard outside of the bedroom door, allowing nothing to bring any harm to her. That week, that beautiful, wonderful week they had spent together; every smile, laugh, every soft kiss shared in the library, every eyeroll as she sang along to her Fleetwood Mac records. She though back to the nights she found his asleep on the sofa, whatever book he was reading laying on his chest, his hair falling like a curtain over her face or he would eat dinner with his nose stuck in a book.
And that Tower. Their Tower. The place they had met, they had loved and lost each other and found each other again. She stared up at it, finding comfort in the thought that he was there, looking down at her.
"Kate?"
Kate turned, the small voice breaking her trance like state. She looked down at the faces of three of her first years. Edmund, Susanna, and Jeffery looked back at her, wide, yet sad, smiles stretching their youthful faces. Kate smiled, noticing the small bundle of flowers that Edmund held, recognizing the blooms s the ones that grew around the courtyard. "We're really sad that you won't be coming back in the fall," the young boy said, "But thank you for helping us this year."
"We couldn't have done it without you," Susanna said.
"These are for you," Edmund said, handing Kate the bundle of flowers, "We're really going to miss you."
Kate smiled, her eyes growing misty as she leaned down to hug the first years, clutching the flowers, "I'm going to miss you all as well," she said, "You are all so capable of amazing things. I am very proud of your growth this year. Remember everything you've learned, and do incredible things," she sniffled, pulling the first years to her again, "And please write. I'd love to know how you are doing. Have an amazing summer."
She watched as the students wandered into the crowd, looking down fondly at the daisies she held. Meredith pushed through the crowd, her cheeks tearstained. She gestured towards the train, "We should probably board," she said, "Get on before all of the compartments are full."
Kate nodded, stepping forward to walk with her friend, glancing once more over her shoulder at their Tower. The two boarded, pushing through the crowd in search of an empty compartment. They found empty seats, settling in for the trip home. Meredith chattered on about all of the things she would come to miss, about her job at the Prophet, and about the handsome Ravenclaw boy from their potions class that she had spent a great deal of time with over the school year. It was obvious that they were both very interested in each other, Kate certain that something would develop between the two, both promising the other that they would write and meet up over the summer. Kate leaned against the window, staring up at the castle as she spoke.
"My parents' have the guest bedroom ready for you," she said softly, patting Kate's knee, bringing her attention to Meredith, "My mum has said that you're welcome to stay as long as you need."
Kate nodded, thanking her friend as the train lurched forward, students hanging out the windows to wave their final goodbyes to the professors that waved from the platform. Kate turned her gaze to the window once more, watching as the view of the castle go panoramic as the train moved slowly forward, McGonagall and Sprout waving cheerily at the students. She smiled. She would miss them both dearly. The train slowly picked up speed, Kate turning her head to keep Hogwarts in her sights. From the platform, a glimpse of electric blue caught her eye. She focused in on the elderly wizard, the Headmaster standing on the platform, waving to the students as they passed. Kate watched the man, his eyes meeting hers. Dumbledore nodded at the girl, a hint of a cheeky smile as his eyes glittered. And for the final time, Hogwarts faded from her sight.
Severus sighed as he stepped from the fireplace, the Floo connection closing behind him. After the end of term staff meetings that had taken up the majority of his day, he was quite happy to be back at his home in Spinner's End. After the graduation of the seventh years and the madness of the end of term, he was ready for a stiff drink and to not be plagued by the presence of students. He unbuttoned the collar of her shirt, tugging off his robes and tossing them unceremoniously over the back of the sofa. He rolled his sleeves as he walked towards the kitchen, "Tilly!" he called, hoping that the elf had already prepared a glass of fire whiskey. However, when he entered the kitchen, the elf was nowhere to be found. Severus rolled his eyes, taking a glass from the cupboard and a bottle from the shelf. He poured himself a glass, taking a long drink and leaning against the counter. He thought about the night before; he hadn't spoken with Katherine since then. He had hoped she would have visited him before she left, but she never came to the dungeons to say goodbye. His heart ached with the thought that it may have just been a moment of passion, left to be another memory from the term. He considered writing her. He took another drink, filling his glass once more, turning to look out the window over the sink.
His eyebrows wrinkled in confusion when he looked out over the garden, his view obstructed by his white bedsheets hung on the line, billowing in the breeze. Tilly usually didn't hang the laundry to dry, his mother being that last to use the clothesline years ago, Severus remembering running through them as a boy, pretending they were clouds and that he was flying through them. Severus set down his drink, turning towards the back door, finding it open, the cool breeze filling the house. He stepped into the garden, breathing in the clean scent of the sheets as they floated in the breeze, pushing them aside as he traveled towards the back of the garden. As he neared the end of the labyrinth of linens, he heard the voices, soft and low.
"Just pinch off the dead blooms, just like that. Very well done, Tilly."
"Thank you, Madame."
Severus pushed aside the last sheet, his heart swelling when her saw the brim of the straw hat among the overgrown blooms, the elf working beside her. He froze, his feet heavy and head buzzing, unable to find words as she looked up at him, her braid falling over her shoulder. She smiled, straightening up, clipped roses clutched in her hands. Tilly stood next to her, a basket in her hands, Kate placing the roses into the basket. Kate pulled off her gardening gloves, placing them in the basket as well.
"Welcome home, sweetheart." She said, tucking her hair behind her ears.
Severus couldn't find words, taking in the sight of her in her yellow shorts and dirt stained white button down, barefoot in his garden, the threat of a sunburn on her cheeks. "Take those to the kitchen and get them in a vase, Tilly. I'd like them in the bedroom," she said to the elf, Tilly rushing past Severus into the house.
Kate smiled, gesturing to the garden, "I told you it could be lovely with a little pruning." Severus said nothing, eyes wide in disbelief. She held her hands out to her sides, "Well? Are you just going to stand there or give me a proper hello?"
Severus smiled, chuckling, his head spinning as he closed the short distance between them. It must have been a dream, here standing there like that. Severus pulled her to him, knocking off her sunhat in the process, still unable to speak as her embraced her, his face buried in her hair. He couldn't believe it, his Katherine in his home. In their home. Back home with him once more in her garden. He took her face in his hands, pressing a long kiss to her forehead and embracing her once more, Katherine smiling as she pressed her cheek to his chest, "Welcome home, my darling," he whispered.
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