Forever Yours

Chapter 45: Graduation Day

"Lena," Septimus groaned as he followed. His essence coated his underwear and trousers. He held her close as they both came down from their high. Pulling back slightly, Helena pressed a light kiss to his lips.

"I love you," she breathed, as she rubbed her nose against his.

"I love you too."

At three in the morning, Septimus and his roommates finally collapsed into their beds in the seventh-year dormitories.

Carlos had come in covered in red blotches from his girlfriend's lipstick, while Justin had stumbled in reeking of whiskey, shirt on backwards and his pants unzipped. Septimus knew he would be asking for a hangover potion in the morning.

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Monday, May 29, 2000

"The written portion of your NEWT exam will begin...now," Prescott announced. The professor paced up and down the rows of desks, as the student began to scribble on the parchment before them. He knew how the NEWT level exams usually went. Over half of the class would pass with an Acceptable, with about 10 percent obtaining an Exceeds Expectations, while only 2 percent would receive an Outstanding. The other half would expect mostly Poor, with a spattering of Dreadfuls and a Troll or two.

But it was the lab portion of the exams that would prove who would come out on top. Prescott never had a NEWT class brew the same potion for the exams twice.

Because Prescott knew that Septimus had been helping Severus in the lab during the breaks, he had reached out to the Princes to find what potion Severus' hadn't had his son brew. And it turned out to be Draught of Living Death.

"Quills down," Prescott announced after two hours. With a wave of his wand, everyone's exams flew to his desk in the front of the room. "You now have two hours, to prepare and brew the 'Draught of Living Death.'"

Silence ensued as the students began chopping and mixing their ingredients. Prescott wordlessly noted that Septimus seemed to follow a different path towards the ultimate goal. While he knew that Severus had never taught the boy how to brew it, Prescott couldn't help but wonder if Septimus had memorized a different procedure from some of his parents' notes.

In an hour and a half, Septimus raised his hand. The professor eyed the potion carefully before extracting a single leaf from the pocket of his robes. His hand hovered above the black colored liquid for a moment, before dropping the foliage onto its' surface. Instantly, the leaf disintegrated before their eyes.

"You may go Mr. Prince," Prescott said, as he nodded sharply and strode off. Quietly, Septimus gathered his equipment, and exited the room. Finding a bench nearby, he waited for the others to finish. About twenty minutes later, the others emerged from the classroom.

"Shit," Kyle muttered, as he was flanked by Mike, Carlos and Helena. "I can't believe my leaf just withered. Didn't even breakdown one bit!"

"At least yours wilted!" Mike grumbled. "Mine just floated on top of the blue liquid."

"It's supposed to be black Mike," Carlos stated. "You know that right?"

"Black!" Mike exclaimed. "Ughhh..."

"Not good?" Septimus asked, as he packed away his other books before joining him.

"No," Mike and Kyle moaned in unison.

"My color was a bit off, but the leaf burned up at least," Helena smiled as she leaned into Septimus' side.

"Same here," Carlos smirked. "What about you Sept?"