It seemed like only yesterday they were sat here with four house tables crammed full with Hogwarts students and foreign students at the end of the Tetrawizard Tournament. A whole year at Hogwarts had flown by once again, the end heralded with joy for some students keen to escape for summer at home or abroad, and also sadness for those who would be moving on. 

At the head of the Great Hall sat the Hogwarts staff, who had collectively survived the year, including negotiating and cajoling students through difficult, tricky exams in the hope of the best success in their adult lives. The results of which would be seen soon, hopefully, greeted by happy young faces. Maybe they might see the odd one return come exam time for another go. 

Fluttering above them were the house banners for each of the houses, the final result[1] of the House Cup was to be announced during the feast. As ever, there was anticipation of last-minute point additions for those students who had really gone the extra mile.

In spite of the fact that this was a final farewell for many of the students sat below the floating candles, it was an atmosphere of joy that prevailed. The house elves had gone out of their way for a truly magnificent spread so that whatever the mood or result of the house cup, everyone would give in to their appetites. There was, after all, no reason to brood tonight.

The end of any era or term was also the beginning of another. And all knew, the unspoken commandment that Hogwarts would always be here to welcome them home.

1.	Both to give us OOC time to collect in house points and IC something to anticipate!

Professor Singh was sat at the staff table. He had butterflies in his stomach. His Gryffindors had worked hard. But they were possibly not going to win the House Cup this year. He was very proud of all of them. They had always done their best. He would miss them. It was nice to have a rest too. He was excited to see his friends. He was excited to travel.
"I can barely believe a year is already over." Ravindar said to the other teachers.

Long hours and sleep deprivation were no stranger to the soon-to-be-former Ravenclaw, but Sasha couldn't remember ever being this exhausted.  Despite all the warnings and recommendations against such an endeavor, NEWTs for thirteen Hogwarts subjects over the last five days had proven exceedingly grueling.  Somewhere mid-day Thursday, Sasha had almost thrown his hands up can conceded the last two days of exams, indifferent to what subjects they covered but he'd managed to push through. 

As Sasha had soldiered through the last examination that afternoon, he'd wanted his bed above all else.  He didn't want food and certainly didn't want a feast.  Once that last sentence had been scribbled and the scroll whisked off to the front desk, Sasha found himself sitting motionless in his seat, staring blankly at the empty desk and taking deep, long breaths.  Now, they were done.  NEWTs were done, A-Levels were done and Hogwarts ...

Hogwarts was done. 

He'd crash on his bed after the feast and, hopefully, someone would make sure he didn't sleep through the train's departure tomorrow morning.  How many times over the last seven years did he seriously doubt where he'd actually make it to this point?  Tournament challenges, Fergie, werewolf attacks, Ava, broken wands, suspensions, dismissals and torn alpacas.  Cambridge was bound to feel incredible tame after all of this. 

Sasha's gaze lingered on the staff table up front, feeling a sharp pang as he wished, more than anything, that Professor Trishna was still sitting up there.  The line of faces was a mixture of new, familiar and, now, family.  With a sigh, Sasha weaved his way through the students, tables and benches and took a seat.  With another sigh, he leaned forward, slid the empty plate to the side, nudging the person next to him with the ceramic and let his head fall on the table.  Scheiss, he was exhausted.

Akira sat at the table happily, watching the unmarked banners flutter in the sky before her face turned grim. "Dammit. Now I gotta wait several months before I can use any magic." She groaned and banged her head down onto the table, eyes closed tight. "Can't use magic now. Can't get any Bertiebotts....why is fate so cruel..." Her eyes snapped open and she looked up, sitting up straight again and looking happy. "Atleast I can practice on my broom. Oooh maybe I can get into quidditch team!" She beamed with happiness as she continued talking to herself at a normal voice level, not the muttering that most people would do to avoid looking weird.

“Some would say you lost braincells doing that,” Tim remarked from across the table to Akira. It looked like she bumped her head and that must have been a little sore.

This was his third end of year feast and he was starting to feel a bit like a big brother. He was definitely getting old, Tim thought. He looked to how exhausted Sasha Schlagenweit was though, and couldn’t yet imagine what it would be like to finish all seven years. It seemed like a lifetime. He thought he’d be doing his OWLs the same year as his brother Ambrose did his NEWTs, but it wasn’t to be. Next year, Tim would board the train without his Gryffindor sibling, and he was both relieved and a little sad about it all. At least he’d have his cousins, Zeta and Eta, as fellow Peppers.

“It will go by really quick, I remember being in exactly the same position,” he smiled, offering reassurance as best a third year could. Hearing she was excited to practice her broom technique, and what with first years not being allowed to bring their own brooms, Tim asked, “What kind of broom have you got?”

“I can barely believe a year is already over.” Ravindar remarked, and Camille gave a smile over the top of her wine glass.
“I was thinking just the same, Ravindar,” the Arithmancy professor agreed. It was both their first year in the post, and they’d also survived the whole year (which wasn’t always the trend in recent years).

Last summer had been more than eventful for Camille, and her post at Hogwarts had been a godsend. It had given her a job, a purpose, a new home in a time of crisis with the death of her husband. She had also gained a group of supportive new friends both at the school and in Hogsmeade, and had plenty of adventures to boot, despite her quieter interests. From a student wandering her dreams, to dementors and a burning Three Broomsticks, there were more than a few diary entries that she would not forget in a hurry.

“Is it a happy feeling, or a little sad?” She asked her colleague, though the volume of her voice posed it ready for others to answer too. “I’ve enjoyed teaching, but it’s been a lot of hard work, I confess.”

"We will return before we know it." Ravindar said. "A little sad. I shall miss the old students. Happy for them. I hope they get the grades they worked hard for." He looked at the students at their tables. "There will be new faces to be sorted in 3 months." He smiled. He remembered the sorting this year. They were so nervous. It was the start of great things. "New prefects. New quidditch captains. New Head Girl and Boy. Maybe new colleagues." Professor Singh shrugged his shoulders.

The night was unseasonably cool and storms threatened to break free of their chains to unleash torrential rains and unfathomable numbers of flashes and bangs across the Scottish countryside. A distant rumble could be occasionally heard above the din of voices ranging across the vast room filled mostly by hundreds of adolescents and teenagers with only a few adults mixed in. Clouds traversed quickly across the sky - obscured from view only by thousands of pinpricks of light cast by candles floating high above.

The Great Hall was magnificent as always - plates piled with delicacies, bowls brimming with soups, tureens overflowing with gravy - and beverages by the pitcher too numerous to count. It was true, the House-elves had outdone themselves this year. Even the decorations, though understated and modest, were complimentary to the overall aura of the room. How amazing it seemed to the Heamistress how one could forget about the majesty of the ancient castle they called home until it was time for another coming or going. It seemed that even the poor weather couldn't mar the bubbling excitement that buzzed about the castle.

A small smile flitted across Minerva's face as she extended her gaze across the vast room. Smiling had been a foreign feeling on witch's face for quite some time and it came as almost a shock to Professor McGonagall how effortless it was in the company of good friends and a loving atmosphere. The Headmistress of Hogwarts was proud - proud of every child sat before her, their hard work and dedication made her job worth it and she was proud of every person that sat to her left and right - the actions of her staff were the sole reason the students of Hogwarts would be leaving this year with a more competent outlook on their magical abilities and more importantly - their everyday lives.

This had been one of the most difficult years Minerva could remember in recent memory. There had been unfathomable losses and there had been joyous triumphs. The Headmistress was looking forward to a bit of rest. As her mind returned from its musings, Minerva caught the tail end of Camille and Ravindar's conversation and she couldn't help but to lean forward and look toward the both of them. "Hopefully not many new colleagues. I've just started getting used to most of you, and good conversation is hard to replace," She said jovially. "And to answer your question, Camille, it's always a bit of both. You'll want to enjoy your time off - there's a whole new batch of them before you realize. They always seem to get a bit smaller too, you'll come to see,"

Yes, announcements and awards were to be made, but all that could wait for a bit of decent conversation and a little more time holding on to what was - before some students walked out of the Great Hall for the last time. And a bit more time to remember those students that would never graduate. 

Akira looked at Tim and rubbed her head. "It doesn't hurt much, I've had worse injuries. A bit dizzy though." She would look at him and think, it was...something. Maybe the bump did muddle her thoughts, did they? She wasn't sure, her head was too muddled. "Oh thats it. It's a Nimbus 2000, one of my mothers friends gave it to me to try, then I bought it off her. I remember them saying that its still good despite age and that it was used by a..." She pouted and looked down. "Larry Grotter? He's famous or something I think. Killed a Lord Baltimore?" She nodded. "Yeah that's it." She looked at him and smiled innocently.

“They will get the grades they deserve,” the Deputy Headmaster retaliated to Professor Singh’s generous description. Though it was not for all their efforts as teachers, certainly. “And yes, smaller, and harder work.”

There had been moments that year where they’d been at risk of the Ministry closing Hogwarts, if it weren’t for the common sense that some of the issues were beyond academic control. The blood lake still remained somewhat an unsolved mystery, though the Professor would not put it past some enterprising students playing on the hysteria. Some of the teenagers heads were not screwed on properly, undoubtedly the ones who were interbreeding (read: purebloods and those from Norfolk).

However gruff and unapproachable a front Ignan put on to his colleagues, especially at these forced social celebration occasions, he could not entirely put aside the loss of students in February, even if the majority had returned relatively unharmed and the main characters of the bloody plot were identified. Taking sweets from strangers including the Honeydukes assistant offering them, was now a cautionary tale to all young witches and wizards.

“Summer will be too short, as it always is.” Ignan added, “But September is always here by the time I can feel bored.” He shrugged and consulted his pocketwatch.

“Lord Baltimore!” Tim began to giggle, in an entirely goodnatured way. “You must have clonked your head hard. Or maybe you need to do it again!” He chuckled. “A Nimbus 2000 is a classic, they must have looked after it well.”

Tim noticed Sasha face down on the table nearby and called down, to him, feeling uncharacteristically mischievous with his mirth. “Hey Sasha, Sasha… Schlagenweit.” He wiggled his wand at a nearby goblet to bump Sasha on the crown of his head and get his attention.

“Have you been to pre-drinks? I heard some of the Slytherins saying they were coming to the feast drunk, and well, you’re trying to sleep at the table on your last night at Hogwarts, mate...”

One moment, Sasha had been leaning forward just to rest his head on the table for a second.  The next, he was gazing down at an entirely empty exam paper while a ministry NEWTs examiner was smacking him in the head with a ruler.  "Two minutes left, Sasha.  Might want to start scribbling something.  Anything.  Sasha might want to have some pre-drinks."

Sasha bolted upright, in a panic.  "Where is my quill?" he asked, glancing up around the table before his eyes focused on the goblet.  Then, the far too chipper faces of the two youngsters sitting next to him. 

As his head cleared and the adrenaline ebbed, he was able to recognize all the signs of a feast (not an examination session).  He offered Pepper and Hericho a lopsided grin.  "Sorry about that.  Exams."  Were done.  "Who has drinks?" he added as his brain tried to filter reality from dreams.  Truth was, most of the houses had some form of alcohol stashed in their common rooms, if the rumors were true.  "Oh no.  If I'd started drinking, I wouldn't make it back up to the tower.  Hufflepuff would have to adopt me.  On my last night."  Sasha wrinkled his nose and shook his head. 

"Did I miss dessert?" Sasha asked as he, finally, pulled a platter of potatoes towards him and spooned a portion onto his own plate.  He very rarely ate sweets but sugar might be the only way he'd make it to the top of the castle.

Akira would of yelped and nearly fallen off her seat, trembling as she slowly uprighted. "U-um...well...i-i don't know anything about a quill..." She gulped and steadied herself. "A-are...exams that bad? I thought you had several y-years to prepare for them?" She sighed and looked up. "And why would they adopt you? You would just be drinking, I mean water or soft drinks aren't that bad are they?" She tilted her head in slight confusion before looking at Timothy. "Whats so wrong with what I said? Lord Baltimore went and did bad things right? Um...if I remember correctly no person with non magic blood were allowed to go to school..." She thought for a few moments then looked up. "Also there was a big argument at the school here, with Baltimore leaving. I remember one of the people I heard saying about it talking of his return and how they will wipe something...but I don't know what, maybe wipe the blackboards?" She doesn't seem to be joking, still rather confused.

“Maybe new colleagues.”
“Oh but I’ve only just got to know you, Ravindar!” Camille expressed with dismay.
“Hopefully not many new colleagues,” their Headmistress added, and Camille looked up to the older witch. “… good conversation is hard to replace.”

The Arithmancy professor beamed at the famous headmistress.
“How lovely of you to say!”

“And to answer your question, Camille, it’s always a bit of both… They always seem to get a bit smaller too, you’ll come to see.”

The kind words from Minerva brought Ignan out of his silence the other side of the Headmistress. Camille was now well accustomed to her cousin by marriage’s more grumpy demeanour at work.

“They will get the grades they deserve, and yes, smaller, and harder work.”
“Oh Ignan, one wonders why you do it the way you go on.” Camille teased.
“… September is always here by the time I can feel bored.”
“I am sure Miranda will have you back here before you can get under her feet.”

Camille sat back a little and looked between Minerva and Ravindar, “Have you both any plans for the summer?”

“… Exams.” Schlagenweit explained, looking dazed. Tim wrinkled his nose in response, sympathising. “Did I miss dessert?”

“A-are exams that bad?”

“Oh yes,” Tim said authoritatively to Akira. “Sasha’s a seventh year, he’s just done his NEWTs, that’s Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests.” Tim was glad they were years away to prepare for, he’d be in his fourth year which was getting close enough to OWLs for his liking already.

“What’s so wrong with what I said? Lord Baltimore did bad things right?” Tim listened to Akira’s explanation and his features went from amusement into a slightly more disturbed expression that she really believed it.

“Merlin, if Professor Butler heard you. It’s Voldemort not Baltimore. Isn’t that somewhere in… America or something?” Tim asked, looking to Sasha for backup here. “Unless you’re confunded, or making a really bad joke,” Tim ventured trying to be polite but firm, “considering how many of people he killed from your classmates families, it’s respectful to know your basic wizarding history.”

History was of great significance to the Pepper family, as Tim’s dad, and his dad before him had crafted time turners for the Ministry, and were expected to study history in detail should any unusual incident with time occur. However, Akira and Tim were not overly familiar with each other’s backgrounds.