{.65. Leavers}
The remainder of Ally's NEWTs had gone terrible. Her flu had not cleared up and she found focusing on the exams extremely difficult. The only exam she was now fairly confident it was her care of magical creature one. That didn't matter though as it was officially her last day at Hogwarts.
The morning had been extremely emotional, Ally, Toby and Luke had been sat together eating their last breakfast in the kitchens together before they head to the great hall for the morning assembly. Ally kept welling up at every opportunity and Toby had cried four times by the time they had got to the great hall.
They were sat at the Hufflepuff table together and were just drinking their drinks. The air was sombre and it was then ally realised how much she'd miss her days at Hogwarts.
She hated the first five years, she always had Toby throughout school and then Luke joined their duo and she felt like they were complete.
"I can't believe I'll never have another day of magical education," Luke sniffed
"Don't say that Lukey, you'll have magical education from me because we still need to find out what the bloody hell goes on with me," ally smiled
"I just really—"
There was a loud bang which caused Ally to spill her tea and there was glitter coming down from the air. Within minutes on the Gryffindor table, the marauder's were dressed in their ABBA costumes on the table posing.
Ally let out a small chuckle as she saw Remus looking ever so frustrated that he was doing this in front of the entire school.
"Moony!" They could hear Sirius hiss "press play on your Muggle contraption!" Sirius shouted, Remus rolled his eyes and pressed play and the opening beats of 'Waterloo' started playing.
The marauder's were doing their dance and ally could see Professor Dumbledore clapping along and Professor McGonagall looking on with a straight face but Ally could tell that she was enjoying deep down. The boys jumped down from the table and Ally saw Remus and Sirius heading their way.
Ally panicked because she did not want them to be performing near her but Remus held his hand out with a smirk for her to take and she groaned before she took it and got spun around by her boyfriend. She let out a loud laugh and shimmied back and forth with him as they finished the song pressing a kiss to his lips when he was done.
"I didn't know that you had this planned!" She giggled
"We had to make our mark on the place," he teased
Ally chuckled and pressed a kiss to his cheek. She was unaware of what had happened with Perseus when she was in the hospital wing and Sirius had made sure never to mention it to her in fear of upsetting her so as far as she was aware it was a blissful last day.
Remus sat down next to Ally and Sirius sat on the opposite side of them with the remaining Marauder's, Lily, Dorcas and Marlene joining them. They sat quietly as they now only had an hour until the train left.
"Best memory of Hogwarts starting with you Marley," Sirius said
"Meeting Lils and Dorcas," she replied "Lily?"
"Magical education,"
The group went around the table and ally almost cried at Toby saying befriending her and Luke said being accepted into their friendship group. They looked on at Ally who was deep in thought.
"I think being treated like I'm normal despite being weird. The most important is meeting Toby and Luke I wouldn't have survived these past few years here without them."
Remus squeezed her hand tightly and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Professor Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat.
"Will all seventh-year pupils please return to their dormitories, place their cases outside their does then head to the black lake so they can leave Hogwarts as you arrived," he announced "I want to Thankyou all for your dedication and your commitment to magical education, there are dark times ahead but Hogwarts is always willing to help those who are in need. It will be your home for as long as you need one,"
Ally felt her eyes tear up at the fact that she was officially leaving. Toby and Luke both grabbed her hand and they walked hand in hand to the Hufflepuff common room, promising to meet the marauder's on the train in their cabin.
"We'll meet you here in ten?" They asked Luke and he nodded
Toby and Ally separated off so they could go to their rooms and sort their cases out when Rebecca and Loren were crying.
"Are you girls ok?" She asked
"We're breaking up today because we won't last," they cried
"Aw girls, please don't say that. Of course, you might bloody last!" Ally tried to encourage
"Rebecca is a pureblood. I'm a muggle-born," Loren said matter of factly and ally frowned when it registered.
"I'm sorry girls, but think you still have all the train journey to make the most of the relationship," she reasoned but her voice cracked at the end because she felt just as upset as them
"You're right," Rebecca agreed to wipe her eyes "come on sugar tits, we have eight more hours," she smiled wrapping her arms around Loren
The two girls stopped and turned to Ally and hugged her tightly. Ally hugged both girls back feeling their pain, hoping that she could take it away, even if it was just slightly.
"Even though were not close we're grateful we had you as our roommate," Rebecca smiled
"Me too, Thankyou girls." Ally whispered
They pulled their cases out of the room and Ally met toby who had his arm out ready for her to slot into. She nuzzled into him and they walked to meet Luke.
Toby wrapped his arm around Luke and the three walked together towards the black lake. Ally waved over at Mr Hagrid and he smiled and waved back excitedly. Ally was excited to start shadowing Perseus in September just so she could meet Mr Hagrid for tea.
Luke helped Ally into a boat just like he did on the first day and they sat together as the boat gently set sail across the black lake.
"Lukey, can you believe we've actually started and finished our Hogwarts journey together?" Ally sniffed
"I can't believe we've done it, sweets," he chuckled
"I always forget I didn't introduce you two to each other," Toby laughs
Ally looked up and looked at the castle, it truly was breathtaking and she couldn't believe that it was her home for seven years and the place where she made most of her memories. Starting and finishing Hogwarts with Luke on the black lake was so heart wrenching, especially when she met Toby on her first day too. It was like she had come full circle. Hogwarts hadn't always been her favourite place, but it was the place where she met her friend, Remus, the person that she loved so much and helped shape the past few years of her life.
She was scared for what the future held, especially because of the war and looking at the castle as she sailed across the lake made the reality truly hit home. Ally wasn't a child anymore. She was an adult now and she's been fighting in the war to protect the wizarding world from you-know-who.
Regulus would be on his next year too, that thought had terrified Ally. He would be by himself with the idiots like Barty Crouch Jr and all the other idiots that made up Slytherin. Ally acknowledged that not all those in Slytherin were not idiots, her brothers and regulus especially were not but she did appreciate that there were a lot of people in Slytherin that were prejudiced.
"Al?" Toby asked
"I'm sorry what did you say?" She asked snapping out of her daydream
"What are your plans for the second week of summer?"
"Oh probably not much, it's Graham's first birthday and then mine in the third week isn't it?" She reminded
"Well we want to take you clubbing in the muggle world for your eighteenth birthday," toby beamed
"Clubbing?" She asked
"It's like imagine a Gryffindor party but in like a nightclub," luke explained
"So like a party?" She asked "sure, I'll ask if I can stay around yours then. we'll have my birthday party too though in mine again," she added causing the boys to nod vigorously
The boat came to the end of the Black Lake and they looked back to see Hogwarts in the distance. Ally frowned and she took Luke's hand to get out of the boat. Ally saw regulus getting on the train and she told Toby and Luke that she'd meet them in the marauder's cabin.
She followed regulus and grabbed onto his hand, he spun around and placed his wand to her neck but sighed a breath of relief when he saw it was her and pulled her into a cabin.
He gave her a tight hug and breathed in her scent. He'd been worried about her ever since he had seen that she was in the hospital because she was ill but he hadn't had the chance to see her properly.
"I can't believe you're leaving Cece," he chuckled
"You'll be next Reggie, promise you'll write to me whenever you need me,"
"Of course," he nodded
"Reggie Archie, that's is not a promise," she warned
"I love you, Smelly Estelle. I will write to you." He smiled kissing her forehead
"And you will be safe over the summer?" She quizzed him
Regulus' face turned stoic and his gaze left Ally's to look out the window, she noticed the change in his face before he turned back to her and nodded.
"I will be Ce. I'll send you a birthday present through Casp ok?" He mumbled hugging her tightly again
"I'll send yours with Caspy too ok? I love you more than I love the moon always and forever,"
"See you later alligator," he smiled
"In a while crocodile," she laughed as she left the cabin
Neither of them knew what the phrase meant but the two of them had heard Muggle phrases and the ones they liked they would use. She felt content. She walked down to the marauder's cabin and sat down next to Remus. He wrapped his arm around her and she nuzzled into him.
"What's the plan of attack for your birthday Allystar?" Sirius asked knowing that Ally's birthday was the next big event of the year
"Toby and Luke are taking me clubbing," she replied
"You're going to a muggle club?" Remus asked in disbelief
"That's the plan," she nodded
"So you're not having a party at yours?" Sirius clarified
"Of course I am,"
Sirius nodded once knowing he needed to send an apology letter to Perseus if there was going to be a party as he had realised he'd been out of line. There was no conversation after that, just the noise of Peters snores and James and Sirius excitedly talking about their Auror training in September.
"How are you feeling Cece?" Remus asked looking down at her
He had noticed that her eyes were fluttering shut now and then which caused her to jump so that she could wake herself up.
"Better," She mumbled
After Madame Pomfrey has determined that Ally had anaemia she had given her a stock of potions for her to take so she didn't get sick again. Well, being sick was limited she would get sick but she would have less chance of fainting.
"What are you doing Thursday of next week?" He asked running a hand through her hair
"No plans," she shrugged
"Come meet my parents?" He asked
Ally nodded, especially because she knew that she couldn't meet them back in December like she was originally meant to. She still felt awful about it especially because it couldn't have been avoided and it was just the worst timing.
"I would say you can come meet mine but I only have brothers," she mumbled
Remus pressed a kiss to her forehead and sighed softly. He knew that parents had always been a sore subject for Ally. James knew from the moment she saw Euphemia and Fleamont that she was terrified and naturally gravitated towards Fleamont.
Remus wondered if it would be the same for his parents. Especially knowing that he had a strained relationship with his dad but he didn't have time to question it as the train pulled into King's cross.
Remus helped ally up from the chair and the group walked out of the train together. Peter was the first to say goodbye hugging his friends tightly.
"I love you, Ally," He said to her as they hugged each other goodbye
"I'll send you an owl about my birthday peter ok? I love you so much," she mumbled
The next was Luke who was sobbing into Toby's arms. Ally joined the hug and the three held onto it as best they could for as long as possible.
"You guys we made a vow," Ally choked
"Once a week yeah?" Luke double-checked
"Every week forever," Toby sobbed
"I love you guys so much," Ally cried
The three stayed cuddled together before Toby's dad called his name. The trio littered each other's faces in kisses and the two boys gave hugs and goodbyes to the marauder's — Sirius and Toby sharing a secret kiss — and ran off.
"Come here Allystar," Sirius called wrapping his arms around her and lifting her from the floor
"Thank you for being my friend Siri,"
"Always my love,"
He placed her down and Ally wrapped her arms around James' torso tightly so that she could have a bear hug. James always has the best hugs. He knew that it wasn't like he was ever going to see Ally again, but he wouldn't see her every day and that was now an adjustment that they needed to get used to.
"Thank you for looking after me this year Jamie," She spoke, her voice was now cracking more than ever.
"You're my sister Al, I'd never let anything happen to you," he cooed wiping a tear that fell down her cheek "I'll leave you two lovebirds to it, owl me about your birthday."
Remus smiled down at her after he said his goodbyes to his family. Remus would be seeing James and Sirius four days from now for the full moon so he want too upset but they did feel a sense of emptiness.
"We'll be okay won't we Remus?" Ally asked looking up at him through glassy eyes
"Of course, just because we've left school that doesn't mean my feelings for you have changed ok?" He reassured, "I love you, today, tomorrow and always."
Ally smiled widely when Remus said that, she was always reassuring Remus about their relationship that she hadn't realised that she needed the reassurance sometimes too. Remus had begun to notice that he didn't reassure Ally and he wanted to try and make sure that their relationship would work in the adult world too.
"I love you too Moony," she smiled "more than I love the moon,"
"And you love the moon a lot don't you," He teased to which she nodded before pressing a long kiss to his lips she pulled away and Remus gave her a few more before he saw his parents.
"I'll see you next week my darling girl. I'll write to you okay?"
"I'll see you soon," she nodded and gave him one last kiss before she grabbed her case and lugged it over to where Atlas was standing with the rest of her brothers minus Caspian and Oberon who Ally assumed were on Auror missions.
"Ready to come home, sweetie?" Atlas asked wiping her face
"Yeah," She smiled half-heartedly
She didn't know if she was ready to be home but what she did know was that she was terrified for what was to come but as long as she remained positive and had the people she loved the most by her side she was sure that they would be able to survive the way. That's what she hoped for anyway. She didn't know how she'd survive the war otherwise.
End of Act two
***
Unedited
The act divider will be posted immediately after that. Check it out.
Please comment and vote.
It's been one year since this story was published on Friday. I honestly can't believe it.
I'm trying so hard to plough through the last act but it's quite a lengthy one as there's 1979,1980 and 1981 to get through and I don't want to have it done in like 20 chapters but I don't want it to be like 60 chapters either you know?
If anyone has any tips on how to do this without missing details etc, please let me know!
Happy holidays everyone.
Rhi x