Charlie had dragged Lana to the DADA classroom as fast as he could, which sent a wave of panic flow through her veins. Was Bill leaving right now? Was he ok?
But when they arrived, Bill was at the front of the room, and he didn't seem in a rush at all.
"Charlie! You had me rush here to say goodbye to Bill as if he were leaving Hogwarts this very minute." Lana panted.
"No, I had him rush here because...we'll, look at him." Charlie said, gesturing to his brother.
Bill was moping about with a sad look on his face, and Lana understood why Charlie was upset, too.
"We can't let him graduate from Hogwarts like...this." the younger boy sighed.
"Do you know what's wrong?"
"Besides everything that happened with Rakepick in the Cursed Vault? I was there too, and I've tried talking to him, but it's no use. So I thought maybe you could help him - being a fellow curse-breaker and all. He's been spending too much time by himself in here..." Charlie explained.
"Here? In Rakepick's classroom?" Lana wondered.
"Yeah. It's odd, right? But don't tell him I said so. He's still my big brother." Charlie added.
"I'll talk to him." the girl smiled, "But there's something you can do, too. How fast do you think you can get your family here? I'm thinking we could throw him a surprise party. Let's send Bill off from Hogwarts on a happy note." Lana added.
"Oh that's a brilliant idea! I can start on it right away!" Charlie grinned.
"Can you also gather everyone at The Three Broomsticks?"
"And what will you be doing?"
"Keeping Bill busy while you wrangle Weasleys." Lana chuckled, walking over to Bill.
"How did I get stuck with the tougher job?" Charlie asked himself, before heading off to start his work.
"Hey, Bill." Lana said softly, standing next to the tall boy.
"Will you look at this place? It's as if Rakepick's off having lunch and will be back to teach class in an hour." he said.
"And that bothers you?" Lana asked him.
"Yes. It feels like everything's changed. But this classroom? Exactly the same. When I think of how Rakepick betrayed us and tried to kill us, and after we'd trailed after her all year, her 'loyal apprentice curse-breakers'..."
"In our defence, we were only following Rakepick because we were legitimately trying to break a curse." the girl said.
"I know." Bill sighed, "And I knew I'd be sad when the time came for me to leave Hogwarts. I just didn't count on being angry, too."
"I understand." Lana said with a sympathetic smile.
"How do you feel about it?"
"About you leaving Hogwarts? I feel happy for you! I mean, obviously I'm gonna miss my big brother, but you're off to exciting new adventures." she grinned.
"Exciting new adventures? You really think so? But I meant, how do you feel about what happened with Rakepick? And...with your brother?" Bill asked.
"My brother? Don't change the subject - we're talking about you."
"If you say so...but I'm curious about how you're dealing with finding and losing Jacob again."
"And I'm curious about what the future holds for you beyond Hogwarts, Bill." Lana said. Her brother was a very sensitive subject for her to talk about - especially since he'd picked up and left again, right in front of her eyes.
"Well, rememberer when I hadn't a clue about a career path and you helped me explore a bunch of them?"
"Yeah. I remember a rather lame leaping toadstool..." Lana remembered, thinking back to their eventful time in the greenhouse.
"Yeah, teaching Herbology wasn't for me." Bill chuckled, "I've come a long way since then. I've got a few ideas about my future..."
After listening to Bill's future plans, Lana learnt that he'd finally decided on being a curse- breaker!
"I can't believe you're gonna be a curse-breaker at Gringotts!" Lana cheered, "Its great news, Bill. Congratulations!" she smiled, hugging the boy.
"You should be looking ahead to your new job instead of looking for...whatever it was you were looking for in here." she said as she pulled away.
"Answers we'll never find, I suppose." he shrugged, "Maybe you're right that I should be looking ahead. Let's go to The Three Broomsticks and I'll tall you all about my new job." he grinned.
"Three Broomsticks? Now? No!" Lana exclaimed, remembering her and Charlie's discussion.
"What? Why not?"
"Umm...because, first we have to go...shopping!" she lied.
"Shopping for what?" Bill asked her.
"For, uh...curse-breaker things!"
"You're being awfully odd, Lana. Are you alright? Are you sure you don't wanna talk about your brother?" Bill asked her kindly.
"I wanna get to Diagon Alley! Let's go!" she grinned.
***************************************************************
"I'm about to graduate from Hogwarts and you brought me to a shop for textbooks?" Bill asked once they were inside Flourish & Blotts.
"Not textbooks. Books about Gringotts and curse-breaking around the world!"
"I won't have time to read, because I'll actually be working at Gringotts, breaking curses around the world..."
"Until someone's writing books about your adventures, Bill Weasley, you can find time to read." Lana chuckled.
They searched the bookshelves for any books that could help Bill in his future...or stall him, in Lana's case.
"This was a good idea, Lana." Bill smiled after they'd finished.
"I have them sometimes." Lana joked.
"At least you got my mind off Rakepick and the vaults."
"Hello, Miss Riviera." Madam Villanelle smiled, "It's been some time since your last visit to Flourish & Blotts."
"Hello, Madam Villanelle. Hogwarts has been keeping me busy." Lana smiled back.
"Have you come back to look for books or your brother?"
"My friend Bill is graduating. We're here to find books that will help with his new career." Lana explained.
"I see. Congratulations." Villanelle said, smiling at Bill.
"Thank you." he grinned.
"About your brother...I've heard rumours of his return?" Villanelle told Lana.
"Yes, I found him. But now he's gone again. I know he was a regular here. He hasn't stopped by, has he?"
"No, but if he does, I'll send an owl to you."
"Thank you, Madam Villanelle." Lana smiled.
"I knew your brother had to still be on your mind, even when you wouldn't say so earlier." Bill told Lana once the older witch had walked away, "So I'm not the only one having a hard time putting the Cursed Vault behind me."
"I suppose not. Ben and Merula are still reeling from it."
"Well, now I'm feeling down all over again." Bill sighed, "I could really go for a butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks right now..."
"No!" Lana exclaimed.
"No?"
"I mean, if you're feeling down about leaving Hogwarts, then we should go back there right now." Lana said, saving her slip up.
"But we just left there to come here." Bill pointed out.
"Bill, you ask too many questions." Lana chuckled.
"I didn't ask a single que-"
"Come on! I know something fun we can do back at school! Let's go!"
Lana took Bill to the Training Grounds, where they duelled like they did when they first met. After she won, Bill told her that he'd overheard her and Charlie discussing his surprise party, so she told him to act surprised. They headed off to The Three Broomsticks, and when they walked in they were met with a loud...
"SURPRISE!"
"What? For me? I don't think I've ever been this surprised since...well, I've never been so surprised ever!" Bill said, acting as surprised as he could in front of everyone.
"Aw, you figured it out, Bill." Charlie sighed.
"What? No! Look how surprised I am!"
"I hope you're a better curse-breaker than you are an actor, my boy." Arthur Weasley chuckled.
"Ah, I tried." Bill chuckled, "Thank you for coming, everyone! This is brilliant!"
"I just can't be,I've my little Bill is graduating Hogwarts! I'm so proud!" Molly Weasley gushed.
"Little Bill? He towers over everyone, mum." Percy said.
"Arthur Weasley, and my better half Molly. It's a pleasure to meet you...?" Arthur smiled.
"Lana Riviera. It's a pleasure to meet both of you, too." Lana smiled back.
"We've heard so much about you, dear. All good things." Molly said.
"Thank you! I've only heard good things about you, too." Lana chuckled, "And, Charlie! This is amazing! You got everyone here for Bill so fast!" she grinned, looking over at everyone.
She saw Barnaby towering over everyone else, and he shot her a wink, causing her to giggle.
"Once our friends heard we were celebrating Bill, it was easy." Charlie laughed, "And as for 'wrangling Weasleys'...everyone was here."
"The twins insisted on going to Zonko's." Molly chuckled
"And then of course Ron and Ginny wanted to go, too." Arthur added.
"Aunt Muriel took them. Fred and George in a joke shop...we'll owe her one." Molly laughed.
"How about I get us a table? Bill, go and visit with your friends. They've all come to five you a happy send-off." Arthur smiled.
"Thanks, mum and dad." Bill grinned, "I can't thank you enough for doing all of this for me. I'd been feeling rather down." he said once his parents had gone.
"Makes sense. We've all seen a lot of troubling things. Deadly dragon...cruel professor..." Charlie said, shuddering at the memories.
"Let's not dwell on it now. This is a celebration of all of your happy times at Hogwarts. And you have family here." Lana smiled.
"But your brother..." Bill started.
"Now's not the time, Billy."
"Just promise you won't let Rakepick get away with what she did."
"I don't think anyone wants to see that happen. We can't let her get to that last Cursed Vault before we do." Lana said, "Who knows what's inside and how powerful it is? In Rakepick's hands, it would be dangerous."
"I agree." Bill said firmly.
"Now that you have my word, do you think you can relax a bit?" Lana chuckled.
"Yes. I wanna enjoy all of us together as Hogwarts students, this one last time." Bill sighed.
"You make it sound so dark, Bill." Charlie laughed.
Lana left the brothers to it and wandered through the crowds to get to Barnaby. The second he saw her his face lit up like a ray of sunshine and he immediately hugged her.
"Hey." she giggled into his chest.
"I've missed you." he said, kissing her head.
"I've missed you too." she said as she pulled away, "I meant to spend more time with you, but Ben dragged me around with him trying to find Sickleworth."
"Did you find him?" Barnaby asked, placing his hands on her waist.
"Yeah, eventually. Barny, there were these really adorable crup puppies playing with puffskeins in the creature pen! Ben and I went to see Kettleburn, and they were-"
Lana was cut off by Barnaby's lips claiming hers in a sweet kiss. She let out a small squeal as she smiled into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her.
"What was that for?" she asked when they pulled away.
"I've been wanting to do that all day." he grinned, kissing her again.
"Can you believe this is the end of fifth year?" she sighed.
"No. Everything's happened so fast, it feels like we should have more time." Barnaby said.
"I know..." she said, a sad smile gracing her lips.
"Aw it's ok, baby. We've got next year to look forward to, right?" he asked her, trying to cheer her up.
"I guess." she shrugged.
"Come on. If I get you a butterbeer, will you smile?" he asked.
"Maybe." she said, a small smile appearing on her mouth.
Everyone drank butterbeers and laughed and celebrated Bill's graduation, wishing him luck in his future at Gringotts. Lana walked over to Bill to chat with him, until his parents joined them.
"I can't believe our oldest is graduating Hogwarts, Arthur!" Molly beamed, tearing up a little.
"Mum, don't start getting emotional now. You'll never get through the graduation ceremony." Bill chuckled.
"She'll get used to it, Bill. We'll have another six Hogwarts graduations to celebrate after yours." Arthur said.
"Now I'll be the big brother at school next year, keeping Percy, Fred, and George in line." Charlie grinned.
"Keep me in line? You can't be serious." Percy said.
"Well, you did a fine job putting this party together for you brother, Charlie." Arthur smiled.
"It was Lana's idea." Charlie said, smiling over at Lana.
"It was a team effort." the brunette chuckled.
"The Weasleys do appreciate teamwork, dear." Molly smiled.
"We're quite the squad ourselves. Enough kids to start our own Quidditch team if we wanted to." Arthur joked.
"Can we? We can call ourselves the Weasley Dragons!" Charlie said excitedly.
"I think I'll be too busy with homework, but I can cheer you on." Percy said.
"And I imagine I'll be too busy working at Gringotts to be playing Quidditch now, Charlie." Bill smiled.
"How about I get us another round of butterbeers while all of you sort it out?" Lana suggested.
As Lana walked over to order the drinks, a man appeared right in front of her out of nowhere, startling her.
"What? Who are you?" she asked.
"Alastor Moody. We've got much to talk about. But I'll have you back to Hogwarts before the graduation." he grumbled in a deep Irish accent.
"Have me back from where?" Lana asked, but she didn't get a reply, as Moody grabbed her arm and disapparated with her!
"Lana?!" Barnaby cried, "What just happened? Who was that?" he asked everyone.
"I-I don't know. I've never seen him before." Rowan said.
************************************************************************
The whole tavern had cleared out, all except Barnaby and Rowan, who were still waiting for Lana.
"Everyone's already headed back for graduation, but Lana isn't back yet. It's been hours." Rowan worried, as Madam Rosmerta was cleaning the cups.
Just then, Lana walked through the door of the tavern. Barnaby immediately leaped out of his chair and pulled her into his chest.
"I'm ok." she whispered, holding him close.
"Lana! There you are! Where were you taken? What happened?" Rowan asked, approaching the two.
"I've been sworn to secrecy. But everything's about to change...again." Lana said, pulling away from Barnaby.
"What do you-"
"I'm sorry, Rowan. I can't tell you - I promised." Lana said, smiling sadly.
"It's ok; what matters is that you're safe and here now." Rowan smiled, hugging her friend, "Anyway, we should probably head back to school - we don't want to miss the graduation!" she grinned.
hi friends :)
last chapter is coming next! can u believe itttt?¿
anyhoo, thank u for reading and I'll see you soon!
byeee <3