Within the week, Audri and Ethan had grown closer, while, even though she and Indira were on well enough terms, they'd grown farther. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.
"Audrita," Professor Ash called out a second after class let out. Audri winced and turned around, unsure as to why she was being called. She was a perfect student, and one of the few who took Ash's Muggle Studies class.
"Yes, Professor?" Audri waded her way through desks to reach her favorite professor. Ash took a seat behind her desk and gave Audri her best stern stare. Her kind eyes were too friendly, though, and Audri could sense the well meaning behind what Ash was going to say next.
"Why don't you have a seat?" Ash smiled and gestured to a wooden chair next to Audri. She gently sat and placed her bag on the floor, waiting for a lecture on her Head Girl duties. She was slacking, she knew, but Audri was too busy in her own world. Her drawing portfolio was almost filled, with more than just poppies. "You're doing great in your studies, considering the amount of classes you're taking."
"Erm, thank you," Audri tugged at her sleeve. She looked at a picture of the professor and Mr. Redford, whom she'd forgotten, as a distraction. She was hardly ever called up by teachers.
"So," Professor Ash clasped her hands. Audri let out an audible sigh and looked at her teacher. Ash had grown out her hair since six years before, it was to her shoulders now. They caught eyes, bringing Audri back to her current situation. "It's your final year here."
"It is," Audri nodded, feeling this was going a way other than slacking in class.
"Have you decided what you want to do yet?" Professor Ash went straight to the point. Her hands fiddled with the hankerchief she kept in her pocket at all times. Audri bit her lip.
"Well, not yet," Audri admitted, taking her hand from her sleeve to a strand of her scraggely blonde locks. She felt hot and uncomfortable now, since she didn't know what she was going to do with her life and she was already an adult. It made her feel slacking in life, so she distracted herself with looking around the class room. It was cluttered, as usual.
"What about Healing? You've got the brains and qualifications for that." Professor Ash's kind eyes tried to meet hers, but Audri was fixated on the stack of homework instead. "Or perhaps going into law, like Ted?"
"I don't really know if I want that," Audri honestly replied. Professor Ash nodded understandingly, although Audri was cutting it close.
"You don't have much time left to choose," the professor noted. "I guess you can go now. Oh! Take some pamphlets! Just in case."
Audri half-heartedly took the packets handed to her and left the room as fast as possible, tripping on a stool leg the way out. She wasn't sure where to go, with a free period and having this thrown at her. A quick decision was made and Audri went for the lake. Even though it was cold out side, and no chance of the squid to be seen, she wanted to be near the water. Luna always said clear water, clear mind. It wasn't the clearest but it would do.
The skies were cloudy, the perfect shade of gray to sketch; it made the lake and scenery contrast, Audri had to draw it. To clear her mind of the Nargles attacking it. The ground was cool, but still soft, so she sat cross-legged, as close to the lake as possible without wetting herself. Her charcoal was running low, yet it was still enough for the day. She'd have to visit Hogsmeade soon if she wanted more. As her hand curved with the lake, Audri thought about the pamphlets Ash gave her. There were three; one for Healing, Auror training, and Magical Law Enforcement.
Perhaps she could be a Healer, like one for children. Between Luna, Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, Ginny, and the rest of the family, Audri learned how best to Heal colds and scrapes, and once she even removed a quill from Jude's nose. Then again, she couldn't find a passion for it, and that time was horribly disgusting with the snot and the blood. She shuddered remembering poor Jude's baby shouts. She shook her hair and went back to her sketch, shading in the darkest spots of the picture.
Auror business was dangerous, Audri knew. Harry and Ron had scars from recent battles, and were always telling frightening stories from their travels. She remembered how it worried Hermione incessantly that Ronald may not be returning home. Ginny was stronger than her, but Luna said she was just as scared as Hermione. Audri didn't have the guts Ted's mum did. She couldn't imagine dying to save her country let alone all mankind. Again, Audri returned to her sketch, this time focusing on the light space.
She definitely didn't want to Law Enforcement. She'd take Professor Binns four times a week over learning laws. Still, if these were her best options, what else could she even think of? She felt like there was nothing else in the magical world for her. She was bloody awful at Quidditch (she hated brooms), and journaling never seemed fun. She couldn't be Ollivander's wand apprentice-she barely had a clue as to how her own Veela hair cored Driftwood wand worked to pull the magic out of her. Perhaps she could own a restaurant-except that wasn't a passion. Traveling with Luna to find species was enjoyable, yet she didn't want to ruin those memories by failing so many times like Luna did. Audri hated failing. What on Earth was she going to do?