Dark, Twisted and Time Turned

Chapter 41: Graduation

"And now, the seventh year graduates! This year, we have 132 graduates, 29 from Gryffindor, 33 from Hufflepuff, 39 from Ravenclaw, and 31 from Slytherin House. As such, we start with our students of highest academic standard. From Gryffindor, Alicia Bell and Pranav Malik." A roar sounds, from the Gryffindors in red gowns. Its nearly thundering as the two walk to the front of the podium to collect their awards. "Shu Zhao and Nicolás Rubio, from Hufflepuff!" The yellow is typically clapping, cheering, good nature of course. "From Ravenclaw, Mina Lee and Barnabus Cuffe!" As before, blue are very polite with their clapping, rather then the rambunctious roar from previous houses (Gryffindors, ahem, ahem). "And from Slytherin, Hermione Granger and Tom Riddle!" The two had been expecting it, as had all their friends.

The shiny silver medal hung and looked quite nice against her green gown. As everyone was seated once again, Dippet suddenly looked very sombre. "While this is a happy day of celebration of achievement of these young people, I would please ask for a brief moment of silence. As we have heard, the razing of some nearby villages has affected many students and families. In the fight against Grindelwald, many are losing sibling, parents, family. In the Muggle war against Nazi domination, approximately 2500 Allied soldiers lost their lives just last week, the 6th, in an attack in France. So I would please ask that we bow our heads, and be still." 

In the silence, Hermione could hear the muffled sobs of one of the Ravenclaw students; Opal Tweedsrow, who's mother had been killed protecting one of the village razing. Abraxas reaches forward to stroke the back of Hermione's hand. Breaking the silence, Dippet clears his throat.

"And now, a return to the beginning! Seventh years, if you please, it is time to return to your origins."

"In first year, we arrive to the castle in boats." Tom whispers in her ear as they stand. "Now, we leave the same way." Hermione nods in acknowledgement, walking down to the lake's edge with her friends. In the same instance, everyone's robes turn back to black, donning their traditional school robes. Abraxas helps her into one of the boats, and she smiles widely, watching the castle and its lights shrink behind them as they sail across. 

They had already enjoyed their end of year feast. Ravenclaw won the house cup, Hufflepuff the Quidditch cup, and Slytherin the Swimming cup. Hogwarts has too many cups. At hearing they had won the Swimming cup, Slytherin had launched into a thunderous round of Spinnet Sucks. Spinnet ending up standing upon his bench, and bowing to the Slytherin team in defeat; Perseus was more then pleased, Dippet much less then.

In another old tradition, the graduates would spend the night on the Hogwart's express. They would not return to the castle, as they had already packed up their things, and those things would be carried down for them. They would intermingle in modified train cars, and come morning, after a breakfast served to them, they would return to King's Cross. It was an attempt to soften house rivalry, since they were finished school and it no longer mattered. Of course it didn't matter. Slytherin was obviously superior. 

"How do you feel about sex, where anyone could accidentally walk in on us at any time? On the train." Abraxas whispers in her ear, and she shivers. Perseus's ears somehow caught the comment.

"Make another comment like that and I'm throwing you in, Malfoy." Tom grins at Lestrange's words. Perseus glances at Elizabeth, who was staring longingly at another boat. Eli Fawley, Moira Greengrass, Araminta Meliflua Black, Will Masp- one of Fawley's henchmen, and, the reason for the staring, Lucretia Black. "You're still pining after her." Elizabeth looks startled.

"I am not! I've had a recent breakup-"

"A few months ago."

"-and besides, she's a pin up, not a lesbian." Perseus gets a wicked grin on his face and leans over the side of the boat. "Wait, what are you doing, Perseus Leonardo Lestrange, I will kill you-"

"Hello! Miss Lucretia Black!" Perseus shouts across the water, and she turns to smile at him.

"Hello, Mr. Perseus Lestrange! How are you?"

"I am just excellent, Miss Black, I must ask however, are you-" He's cut off as Elizabeth shoves his face into the water. "Are you single!" He finishes, wrenching his head back up and spluttering it out. Lucretia grins.

"Oh, I am, but unfortunately you're just not my type, Lestrange!"

"I'm asking for a friend!"

"Tell her I am, then!" Perseus sits down, satisfied, as Elizabeth curls into a very red, mortified ball in the bottom of the boat. "She's single, Rookwood."

"You're dead to me, Lestrange."

~*~

"Ok, so we're thinking here?" Tom stage whispers, pointing to a spot on their map. Having taken it back, and meeting furious people, they had determined a plan that was dangerous and exciting.

"Yes, the patterns match up. This is where the last attack was, just North, so the next one should be here. Most likely in the next few days." Chyllie comments. They were attempting not to wake everyone else in the carriage, considering it was around 2 in the morning.

"Who's all going?"

"I am for sure. I think Abraxas, Tom, Carnell, Theon and Perseus." Hermione says.

"And Elizabeth, I'm going nowhere without my sidekick." Perseus adds. She punches him.

"Study up on duelling as much as you can. Tom and Hermione each have a bottle of Felix, which we'll all split before we go. For good luck. And we'll meet at Nott Manor the night before." Carnell states,

"I'd go with you guys, but I'm rubbish at duelling so I'll stay at Nott's." Cyriss mutters nervously, with a slight rock, chewing his nails.

"I think you're all mad, purposely seeking out and duelling Grindelwald's army." Avery says. "But whatever, don't die and I'll support it."

"And speaking of support," Abraxas suddenly chimes back in, "no one can interfere with the Blacks tomorrow at the station. I don't care if they're your friends, you do not have any part of their family matters, and anything you say will make it very much worse."

"Mary is going to be in alot of trouble. You know she is." Perseus mutters. There had been morning Howlers for days, humiliating the girl as her mother and occasionally her father screamed obscenities and subtle threats at her. 

"And if Lucretia's parents find out about what she's been doing, she will be too." Elizabeth says. "Though I doubt they'll find out."

"Lets not worry about Mary or Lizzy's lover, you all need to focus on not dying this week." Cyriss interrupts.

"True. But Salazar, these are all morning problems. I'm exhausted." Hermione says. Tom blows out the candle and tucks away the map, and they all scurry off to their beds.