Graduation

[Elizabeth LeGrand]

][ In order to complete the ceremony in a timely and orderly fashion I have established certain rules for posting. I ask you all to help out by following these simple rules so that we can get our 7th years graduated as quickly as possible. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.
RULES FOR POSTING:
1.) All characters first posts MUST have them arriving at the DCCC by the end of it.
2.) Your post in this thread it will count as your 'transition' and your 'graduation', your member group title will be changed after you post.
3. ) PLEASE POST WHENEVER YOU SEE THE CHANCE TO DO SO!
4.) All guests are required to sit at their *assigned* areas
5.) Posting from characters not graduating while the ceremony is taking place IS allowed.
][

The big day had finally come. Elizabeth had been to her share of graduations over the years, but since the school had closed for so many years after the former Ministers birthday masque, this was only the second that she had been a part of in so very long. She was almost nervous, having to stand in front of such a large crowd and speaking. They were all stationed on an expanse of the Galaxia grounds, chairs covered in fine beige linens had been set up since this morning. A stage had been erected and a podium set in front. She had all of the diplomas signed and rolled in her office, each one stamped closed with a wax seal in the color and emblem of their houses. They would be summoned to her hand from her office as the student came up to shake their hands while crossing the stage. Nodding at the Auror stationed at the set of three stairs leading up she took her place in front of the students. A sea of black tinged with their house colors were to stage right. All of the families and friends seated just in front of the stage. All of the students were seated alphabetically according to their house. Then the houses were sorted in accordance to house points over the course of the year, Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. The house cup would be awarded during the ceremony as well as the Quidditch house cup and any other awards earned over the course of the year. Each student was in the black robe, their choice of formal wear underneath, as was tradition. Each robe was trimmed in their house colors, their house emblem on every lapel. Black pointed wizarding hats perched on each and every one of their heads. Only slightly fancier than the standard school robes. Her eyes roamed over each and every one of the faces fondly. She had met with most of them over the past semester, talking in length with how they felt about their time here, what they were wanting to do after graduation. Some had bigger plans, some didn't. She had sensed great potential in all of them and had no doubt in her mind that they would all go far in their lives. Some would just need a little more guidance than others. Nonetheless, she was extremely pleased with the graduating class of 2013 and simply hoped that it would be able to show throughout her speech. She felt her chest swell with pride as she took her place just to the side of the mass of students, waiting for the time to go onto stage, to give her last speech to these particular students. She could see that the families of those now behind her were starting to settle down, taking their seats and looking to the stage, waiting for the ceremony to start. As the students would come across the stage shortly, their chair would be magically moved from one side of the stage where they were now, to the appear on the other side, in the exact opposite order that they were sitting now, where they would stay until everyone had finished. Inhaling deeply to steady her forlorn feelings she stepped onto the stage. As the clock housed deep within the castle struck the time, resounding with one chime Elizabeth stepped forward to the podium with a bright smile on her face to deliver the graduation speech that would transition the student body from seventh year students into the Adult world.

[Gavin Dewhurst]

darken my daytime
(AND TORTURE MY NIGHT)
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[/i] elegantly, as she did everything, she lifted herself and glided up and over the stage, like this school had always been her home. Like it wasn't something that she had rather have done back home in france, at the school she had started her education with. The chair next to his dissipated, and rematerialized on the other side of the stage where Lucinda was now headed to take her seat once again. The 'hard' part was over for her, and now she would just have to wait out the rest of the students. Inhaling deeply, Gavin prepared for what was coming. ”Gavin Dewhurst, Lifting himself from his chair as it dissipated to move, he smoothed the front of his robes, knowing full well the two sets of eyes were on him now, despite him not wanting them to be as he crossed across the stage, same comfortable, arrogant smile plastered on his face, like he was too good for the ceremony as he reached out and accepted Professor LeGrand's hand, shaking once firmly. His diploma appeared in her hand, stamped with the familiar green was seal of his house. Accepting the document with his free hand he waved it at his family and headed back off the stage, returning to his seat once more next to Lucinda, this time on the other side of her. No sooner had he sat down had she grasped his hand once more, now her ring was cutting into the flesh of his fingers. He had thought that somehow, he would feel different. That somehow, things would be different, that now that he was officially done with school, the sense of dread that seemed to have been clinging to him for a long time now might have gone away, now he just had to hope that it would abate itself whenever the ceremony was over with, now all he had to do was wait.

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do what you want with me
(HATE ME, AND LAUGH AT ME)

[/b][/font] 1,189
outfit: Graduation robes, tall pointy hat.
tags: All students
credit: gabs of a different color; @ caution 2.0[/ul][/font][/font][/div]

[Dorian Archer]

I'M THE NEW CANCER
•• N E V E R • L O O K E D • B E T T E R ••
A N D Y O U C A N ' T S T A N D I T
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So this was a Hogwarts graduation. Steele eyes glazed over the many faced put in front of him, moving about from party to part. Some who came together breaking off into smaller groups, converging and separating as he stood still, in the entryway to the Castle. The morning had started, he had been told, with a tour of the grounds, individual to each of the houses, not that he cared much for what they would have shown him, not unless it involved her. His slender hands were tucked into the pockets of his pants, allowing his leg to bend and lead him in the direction of the crowd, down to the setting of the graduation. Not a student to be seen, instead were glistening eyes of children clinging to their parents, attempting to memorize everything about the school that they were walking about, looking on in wonder over the place that they all longed to call home for the seven most formative years of their lives. Gifts and flowers seemed to be flowing in abundance, families offering to take home suitcases and packages tonight rather than tomorrow, where the castle would once again become abandoned for the summer. He stood, in the center of what he assumed was the students courtyard until the people started to mosey down toward where he assumed graduation was taking place. He hadn't arrived early for a reason, though, he did make a note to remind Catherine to invite him to all of an event, not just what she wanted him invited to, in the future. He didn't want to be noticed before it was time, his oddly pale features tended to draw the eye, so he surrounded himself with people for as long as wanted. He hadn't sought out Catherine before the ceremony started either, he couldn't risk an introduction. He had no idea where the students were being kept, but he would not be manipulated by Catherine. He should have proven that the other afternoon.

He didn't want to sit with Catherine, he didn't want Kariana looking out into the crows and seeing him next to her grandmother. No, that would only make things far too easy. He didn't want her associating the two together. Yes, he had gone to her grandmother first, and would continue to do so until she was his. Until he had rights to her. Something, that was only a matter of time, but time he had, he could wait. She would only grow more stunning as time passed, he had no doubt of that. From the first time that he had glimpsed her some months ago, her sea green eyes had passed with some agitation over the store fronts as she had glazed over the sight of him. Impartially. He hadn't noticed who she was with, what stores she was rejecting or even what she was shopping for, but he had noticed her, oh, how he had noticed her. Her features had been too sharp, they shouldn't have been attractive, her face was too old for her peers and the way she had moved, well, the combination should have been off putting. It shouldn't have drawn him in, but it had. She hadn't even seem him. After that, he seemed to see her everywhere, in his memories. They played on repeat, pointing her out from the backgrounds of his life, the Drakonas Gala last year, waiting in line for a carnival at Spookfest the year before that. He had never spent much time in Austria, but his subconscious had called her out. Why had he only noticed her now, that had to of been for something. It took time to find out who she was, but he wasn't letting go of what he knew thus far.

Dorian had chosen a seat almost dead center, surrounded on every side by people that he didn't care to know. On every side of him, people sending him sideways glances, wanting to know who he was, why he was sitting all alone at what was a family event. He could only imagine that the people he had worked his way in between knew one another in some fashion, and had figured out that he belonged to neither party. Even if he was a friend, he should have sat with whom he knew, nobody had only one person to bring to a graduation. Knowing something that they didn't, pleased him. The program with all the names of the students and their houses had been given to him already, and it lay flat across his lap. Most people couldn't handle to sit still, feet flat on the ground with their palms on their thighs, but he did. The feeling of eyes on him bringing a smile to his face, though the slate eyes never left the podium, waiting for the familiar face to cross the stage. He had been invited to the reception after, but he wasn't sure if he was going to attend. The ceremony, in his mind, was the perfect first move. He wasn't sure if a follow up was needed, but he was glad that he was here. He didn't see the faces of anybody that walked across the stage, didn't hear a word of the speech that he hardly moved during, he was only waiting for one face, one that seemed so very different each and every time that he got to see it. Whenever she finally graced the stage, he balked for only a moment. A long moment, there was something different about her eyes, something other than the color. The color was passing, that could be changed if she wanted, no, something that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Nevertheless.

Dorian stood from his chair, his hands lifting to clap together in front of his chest, pride coursed through him for the woman that he had never spoken to, never seen much closer than the distance that stood between them at this very moment. Most of her was hidden by the graduation gown, a similar one to the one that he had worn only two years ago as he had left the walls of Durmstrang forever. The memories were kept at bay as his eyes prowled over her as her hand extended in front of her, shaking that of her Headmistress, her diploma surging into view as she accepted the document and headed to the other side of the stage. He was very well aware of the fact that he was the only one standing, even more aware of the fact that he had been expressly asked not to clap until the ceremony was over. He had no objections to making himself known, to standing out of the crown. Her eyes came over to meet his once she was off the stage. He had been the only one to clap so far this afternoon, there was no way that she didn't hear him. That had been the point. He met her gaze levelly, with only the slightest eyebrow raise as an answer for his behavior. He didn't lower back into the sea of people until she had left the stage and taken her seat now that it had formed on the other side of stage. Feeling even more eyes on him than there had been before as he replaced his fallen program back onto his lap, finally flipping it open and seeking out her name, elegantly typed onto the paper. Kariana Travers he smiled inwardly at the thought. So she was, for now.

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• B E C A U S E Y O U S A Y S O •
UNDER YOUR BREATH

1258 WORDS | COMPLETE | TAGS - Student Body - | OUTFIT
LYRICS BY PANIC! AT THE DISCO | TEMPLATE BY ARRO

[Amina Krane]

Graduation. Finally. Amina felt like this year had drug on just about as long as it could. There had always been the light at the end of the tunnel, but no matter how long she ran, it always was the same distance. But finally, the light was flooding the room. The light was here, and she was done. School was over. She couldn't help the smile that had been plastered on her face all morning. It wasn't even dampened by the thought that she would have to see Gavin, or even the thought that she only had one more day to figure out how to tell her parents about her affliction. No, nothing could ruin this day. In fact, it seemed like every moment seemed to just get better, even as she sat next to Tobias in the first row of Gryffindor students, clad in black, red, and gold. As Headmistress LeGrand began her speech, Amina looked over at Tobias and gave an exaggerated eye roll. She had been debating all morning how long it would last, how dry the topic would be. Most especially, if she would be able to keep the crowd. Glancing around, Amina noticed that she was actually doing rather well. Only the eldest of the crowd seemed to be nodding off, and some of the kids were distracted, but for the most part, she had the attention of everyone in the room. That meant she had lost the bet. Damn. Even worse? They had decided that whoever lost the bet, was subject to anything the other two decided to choose. Looking back at Marcus, she knew she was going to be subject to the worst torture. Merlin, they were going to get her good.

But even that couldn't dampen her mood, so she only shrugged and turned back around, facing the stage as the first name was called. The blonde haired female who Amina felt strongly against. But still not dampened. Even as Gavin's name was called, as he made his way across the stage with the look he always wore, the one that was not him, that was not the man she knew, Amina couldn't help but smile. One day she would have him back. Even if not in this life, she would have him back. Before she knew it, the Slytherin's were done and it was time to work on the Gryffindors. Two before her. "Victoria Abernathy." Amina leaned around Tobias to see her roommate and best friend get up from her chair. She wanted to clap, to congratulate her again, even though they had done it so many times that morning, but she kept quiet as instructed and just mentally clapped for her as Victoria crossed the stage and accepted her diploma. One more. And then, "Amina Krane". Her grin widened as she hopped out of her chair that quickly disappeared from behind her and reappeared on the other side of the stage. It took her only a few bouncing steps to make it to the top of the stage. As she went to grasp the headmistresses hand, a diploma appeared in the other and she gratefully took the paper, sealed in a bright red seal that bared the house crest. A few hearty shakes of the hand and Amina was bouncing off the stage in the same fashion as she had entered, her gold eyes taking a quick scan of the crowd to see if she could spot her parents. She hadn't seen them that morning, but she figured with her father's business booming as it was, no doubt they would be late, but even now she couldn't see them. Her smile dampened a bit as she took her seat, realizing it had been a while since she had seen her brother as well. Well, her little brother. Marcus had taken the place of the older brother she never had, but he was in the crowd, beaming back at her just as Tobias was. Part of her family was here. Where was the rest? Were they really still out on his birthday trip? Had they forgotten about her graduation? Surely not. No, she just couldn't see them, and she couldn't smell them out of the pungent crowd. Nonetheless, she would see them tomorrow. "Tobias Leberecht." Amina's grin widened again as she saw her male best friend do the same ritual, again wanting to clap as loud as possible but she refrained, settling with a nudge to his arm once he sat. They were so close to freedom.

Words | 756
Tag | All Students
Outfit | Graduation Robes, Graduation Hat

[Tobias Leberecht]

SOMETIMES I FIND IT HARD
• to believe there's someone else who could be •
JUST AS MESSED UP AS ME

There was an antsyness coating his entire body, his hands were wiggling and his leg couldn't stop bouncing. Though the motions were all minute, he knew that Amina could see them, no doubt feel him vibrating in his seat next to her. He couldn't help it, he was excited. Not only because he was ready to be out of these school walls. Tobias had no dread in his body whatsoever about moving on to the next phase of his life. It was all, exciting. He had some plans for the future, he had some, slight, financial security, he was ready. He was more excited about winning this little bet they had going. Glancing over his shoulder just as the Headmistress ascended the stage steps to find the face of his best friend, Marcus in the rows behind him with a knowing smile, an 'i'm-going-to-win' smile. He had a one in three chance, he liked those odds. The only downside to his growing excitement, was that the constant moving was making his body temperature infernal, sitting next to Amina only made things worse, in more than one way. She put off the heat of a small sun, and the black robes he was wearing from head to toe only attracted, and captured the heat, making it all the worse as the hot afternoon went on. There was a breeze, he could see it moving the trees in the distance but he certainly couldn't feel it. Not surrounded by all of these people. Pushing the sleeves of his robe up to his arm pits while waiting, he glanced over at Amina, wanting to intimidate her into backing out of their little bet, and caught her huge eye roll instead. At least she knew she wasn't going to win. It was a little known fact that Tobias was so competitive, given that if you asked almost anybody who the Seeker for the Gryffindor team even was, they couldn't tell you. Despite the fact that he had been on the team for two years now. They all knew that they had one, they just didn't know his name or face. Unimportant, but that didn't change the facts. Amina Krane As the woman to his left lifted herself out of the chair and bounded across the stage he couldn't help but smile, nobody would have known that only a few short months ago she had been fighting for her life, then again, he liked to think that nobody could tell that they had only known one another for the same few short months.

Tobias Leberecht He was too busy staring at the other woman to hear his name called. The loud clearing of the Headmistress' throat seemed to rouse him and he pulled his sleeves back down to there they are supposed to be, flowing over his arms, swallowing him as he walked over to the stage and up the stairs, accepting his diploma with a smile, eyes hardly glossing over the seal or house colors. A strange feeling plummeted to the bottom of his stomach as he headed off the stage. Was he really going to miss this place? Really? He had been so very excited about the prospect of leaving for so very long. Clearing his own throat he took a seat in the same chair he had been in earlier, responding to the light nudge that Amina gave him with a weak smile. Never know what you have until it's gone right? He supposed that was as true of this as it would have been with anything really. Merlin he wanted to get this stupid hat off of his head. He wanted to get out of these robes that seemed so very much heavier now, stupid symbolism. He had been fine on the other side of the stage, and now this? He didn't like it, not at all. At least they had one final feast to gorge themselves on to look forward to. Merlin knows he and Marcus couldn't cook, they would be 'starving' soon enough. Thankfully, the image of Marcus bringing in dead rats he had hunted for dinner amused him enough to lift his spirits.

TAGGED ! students
WORDS ! 695
OUTFIT ! Graduation robes, hat, and such
LYRICS ! sometimes by skillet
TEMPLATE ! PANIC! ITS LAUZ @ CAUTION
NOTES ! huzzah, manhood

[Matthias Dreher]

And innocence derailed, savage the poison
^{Unhurried compass east, calm me with your lies}

Matt sat in his chair and watched the other students crossing the stage to accept their diplomas and take their places on the opposite side of the stage. As Hufflepuff had done abysmally in the House Cup, he would be one of the last ones to cross the stage, so he was only half listening as Headmistress LeGrand announced the names because he had some time. There had been so much more that he wanted to do before he graduated and he just kind of flopped. He had wanted to make some good friends and branch out of his comfort zone; the only one he had managed to get on friendly terms with was Amina and she seemed to be friends with everyone. He had watched with a small smile as she had bounced across the stage and silently wished her the best. He zoned out again, thinking how unlike him it was to be so distracted, but he had so much on his mind. He felt as though he was straddling the fence of two different lives and needed to pick a side to jump to before he was thrown. He startled back to the present as the chair next to him disappeared and remembered that he was in the middle of something rather important and should probably pay more attention, he was next after all.

“Matthias Dreher.” He stood and smoothed his hands down the front of his formal robes. He felt the chair disappear from behind him and a small grin crossed his face. It was the little things like that that made him grateful for his ability to use magic. He stood a little straighter, to his full height, and walked towards the stage. As he mounted the steps he quickly glanced out into the audience, but he couldn’t locate his parents and sister that quickly. He turned back to the Headmistress and walked over to her to receive his diploma and shake her hand firmly. With another small smile he walked the rest of the way across the stage and sunk heavily into his rematerialized chair; if he was honest he was just glad he hadn’t tripped. He looked down to the diploma in his hand and for the first time today he was genuinely happy. With a grin plastered across his face he looked up into the audience and found his parents in the crowd. His mother returned the smile, but his father wasn’t even looking in his direction; his eyes were on an Auror who was casually walking the perimeter of the ceremony. The smile momentarily faltered until his father looked over and met his eyes nodding once. When it returned, the grin was a little more forced; Matt looked back to the stage in deep thought.

He was glad that some of the enchantments had been altered to allow the parents of Muggleborns to attend the graduation, but at the same time he almost wished that they had insisted on staying home. Today, before the ceremony had started, wasn’t as happy a reunion as he was hoping for. The presence of the Aurors, which all students had become accustomed to as the year went on, had unnerved his parents greatly. Even though he was eighteen and of age in both worlds and capable of making his own decisions, they still wondered whether or not it was truly safe in this one. It had been a frustrating and revealing conversation for him. It seemed that his parents weren’t truly as supportive as he had originally thought. He had found out that his parents had always believed that his interest in the Wizarding World would be temporary, a “phase,” and that he would come home and go to a Muggle university. What they didn’t understand was that the magical world had become as much a part of him as the muggle world if not more and he couldn’t just abandon it, especially because he no longer had the education to succeed in the muggle world. Even besides that, he had no intention of leaving while they were only a few breaths from war. He gritted his teeth and looked up to focus on what was left of this ceremony. It didn’t matter what they thought he was going to do, he was of age and he was going to do what he thought was right, like he always did.

It's all I wish to hear tonight

(WORDS) 735 
(TAGGED) all students 
(CREDITS) THIS IS BY DYLAN of CAUTION 2.0! Lyrics by Anberlin-Glass to the Arson

[Avery Rowe]

Whenever Avery had started school here, she had always imagined her graduation day in a particular way. She had figured that, of course, she would be popular. She had figured that she would have been at the top of her class. Not in grades, naturally. But at the social order, that her lies would have lifted her up. She had the looks, she had the body and attitude, and just good enough marks on her tests to ensure her a job that would pay bills if she absolutely had to have it. Almost none of that came to pass. She was popular enough, had certainly done well enough in school to graduate. Higher marks than she had been expecting certainly. At least she wasn't going to need them. Not with where she was going. She didn't need to go back to her fathers house, would never have to worry about it again. She hadn't even expected them to show up today, why would they? They hadn't even been invited. Not by her, no way. Nothing good could come from them being here. She knew the ban on muggles had been lifted just for today. She knew that so long as they had an invite they could come to the school to watch their children and siblings graduate. No, They would just ruin everything, she had only invited one person. Even then, it had only been because she didn't want to suffer the consequences of not giving him a choice. Even if he didn't show up, at least that would be on him. Honestly, she didn't even know if she wanted him to show up. Things had been so, different since he had shown back up in her life. He had been gone for most of the school year and walked back in shortly after Christmas break. Not that she regretted it, whenever he had been, almost repentant. He wasn't the sort to apologize, and she wouldn't have wanted him to. He had done something better, he cared about her. As much as she figured that he was capable of caring about a human. Given what he was, she didn't know if he could come out in the daylight. She couldn't remember the last time that she had seen him in the daylight.

Avery's eyes turned away from the girl who's raven hair she had been putting back into place. Kariana was seated right next to her, just as tense as she had been for the past few months. She had only told Avery bits and pieces about what had happened, why she was being this way. It had been worse than pulling teeth. She hadn't gotten the full story, but the bits had made the two girls closer than she would have thought otherwise possible. Fixing the ridiculous pointy had that was a requirement on the girls head carefully she turned her torso to look out over the crowd. She didn't see Damon, but that didn't mean that he wasn't there. It wasn't like he needed to be close in order to see her, with his crazy vision and all of that. She almost hoped that he was here, given that the dress she had on under the concealment of her full length dress robes had been picked out just for him. She had wanted to be wearing something special for him whenever she got her key this evening. She knew it had to be happening, the house was going to be ready for her tomorrow afternoon after she got off the train, into freedom. She could have left tonight, but she wanted the final evening as closure. Besides, the dress that she had to change into right before she got off the train was even better. So, she guessed, if he missed this it wouldn't be that huge of a deal. Yet, for some reason, she expected him to be here. The more that she looked for him, the more that she wanted to see him. Averting her gaze to stop her stupid search she turned back to Kariana. Le Grand was almost done talking now, she could tell from the broken tone of her words that she was wrapping up. The names would start to be called at any time now. Given that Slytherin was first, she was going to be called in only a few moments.

”Avery Rowe,” That certainly felt like no time had passed whatsoever. She had just seen the end of the speech and now it was her turn? Already? Daintily, she uncrossed her legs, lifting herself to stand and smoothing down the front of her robes. The chair was already gone and been moved to the other wise of the clearing. Her robes billowed out around her, falling to their appropriate place. She hated being this covered, it made her feel stifled, she wasn't even given the freedom to do her hair the way that she had wanted to. Not with this stupid hat on her head. Holding her head high she moved across the stage and accepted her diploma. At least she didn't have to worry about her lie falling apart while she had Damon, she wasn't going to have to worry about anything again. Glancing back over the crowd one more time, her eyes caught sight of a familiar blond mop of hair, shaggy locks falling around an unsmiling face. One that wiped the smile right off of her face. Grant. Her brother, what was he doing here? How had he even gotten here? Correcting herself quickly she pushed the smile back onto her face and moved across the rest of the stage back to her seat, her fingers running across the stamp on her rolled up piece of paper. All that work for this tiny bit of parchment? Lowering herself down into the chair that she had only gotten out of moments later she sighed. At least it was done, and she could just sit here, judging all of the other students while the rest of the ceremony went on.

ATTIRE: Grad Robes
CREDIT: SAM !? of Confronting the Faceless
LYRICS brick by boring brick - paramore
NOTES: none atm.
WORD COUNT 1,010

[Sura Haughton]

Here's to us, here's to love,
all the times that we fucked up.

"Shit, shit, shit," she grumbled through a mouthful of bobby pins. She flat out refused to be late for her graduation. Sura jammed the last pin into her hair, spitting the other ones out onto the counter as she looked from side to side at herself.  Everything looked like it was sitting where it should.  No stray hairs, make-up was staying put.  This was good.  "Ma!  I'm going!  I'm not going to be late, so hurry up!"  Sura grabbed her graduation robe off of her bed, her mother's muffled voice coming from somewhere inside the house.  She had absolutely no idea what her mother had just said, but she figured that a generic answer would do.  "Yes, okay, see you there!"  Sura walked herself into the middle of her bedroom, securing her last earring.  Time to go.

If she got her dress dirty while she Apparated, she was liable to have an aneurism when she got there.

The hall was already filling up when she arrived (dirt-free, no less), but it was obvious that she was not the last to arrive.  That alone allowed Sura to take a deep breath of relief.  She looked around, picking out a few people that she recognized in the crowd.  It was extremely odd to consider the fact that this would probably be the last time that the lot of them would be in the same room together, ever.  That was unsettling.  After today, they were off to make their ways in the real world.  Get real jobs, be productive members of society, get married, have kids.  Get old.  Die.  That hardly sounded as exciting as the mischief she got up to at school.

But there wasn't a whole lot of time to dwell on those facts right now.  Most of the students seemed to be filing in to take their seats in the hall, and Sura figured she should probably do the same.  It wasn't hard to find her spot, thankfully, and soon enough she was surrounded by her peers, the people that she'd essentially grown up with, the people that had been her family away from home.

How odd that this would be the last time she'd see many of them.

Professor LeGrand's graduation speech was exactly what you'd expect a graduation speech to be. Uplifting, with lots of go-get-ems, and weighty, with lots of responsibility-this-that.  Thankfully, it wasn't drawn out to the point where Sura lost any serious interest in it, and soon students were making their way across the stage.  Lucinda, Gavin, Victoria, Amina, Avery, all people that she'd either been friends or enemies or off acquaintances with.  There was a smile set on Sura's lips as she considered all the work they'd done to get to this point.  It was certainly bittersweet.

Sura Haughton.  If she hadn't been expecting it, she might have been startled out of her thoughts.  She rose from her seat and made her way to the stage, up the stairs and to Professor LeGrand.  Sura couldn't help but grin when she accepted her diploma, her family certainly the loudest applause in the room.  What else would you expect from an Irish family?  They were loud on a normal day.  As she made her way back to her seat, she blinked a few times and took a deep breath.  Time to be an adult, then.

Here's to you, fill the glass,
cause the last few years have kicked my ass.

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for: graduating class
music: here's to us - halestorm
words: 559

[Marcus O'Conner]

As we circle the floor like the globe

- - - - Through this infinite mass... makes us all seem so small - - - - 

There were plenty of reasons Marcus should be excited, sitting in the crowd of people, shoved between housemates he’d gone through seven years of schooling with. He should have felt some amount of pride that he had made it out of the halls he’d called home for those years alive- at least proud that he’d managed to finish his classes and exams with such high marks. It was a strange sense of melancholy that seemed to resonate with him first though. Not because he’d be graduating. Not even entirely because he’d be leaving one place of safety he’d had since his world had been turned upside down. Those were things that on some level he had been prepared for. He knew he was going to miss the familiarity that the castle had provided, that had settled somewhere down deep within his bones these past few years. He even knew that to some degree he’d miss the classes and studies that were provided by those there, it was one of the things he envied muggles- their apparently never ending ability to further their education. They had universities and doctorates, and things that his world just didn’t see fit to offer. Why would they? They were things muggles needed, and no matter how much further they seemed to comingle with one another as the years passed there was still too much division, too much prejudice lingering in their systems. He’d briefly toyed with the idea of attending a muggle university, so briefly that he hadn’t even gotten around to mentioning the idea to anyone, but then if he had mentioned it he could only imagine that people would assume he was pulling a funny on them. Maybe not out of the ordinary for him, but he didn’t really feel like trying to explain his reasoning behind the stray thought any more than he had had to to himself. So he was stuck dismissing it, only seeming to intensify the strange melancholy feel that had taken root within him. After tomorrow he wouldn’t be seeing the faces that had become so familiar to him over the past few years on such a regular basis- some he doubted he’d ever see again. That thought was a little more buoying. He knew he’d still be around Amina on a fairly regular basis, would make sure of it just as Osiris had suggested, his lips turned upwards into a grin as he glanced across the sea of people separating them to grin at her, his own eyes sweeping over the crowd to see that LeGrand had kept the crowd mostly entertained… as predicted, although really he could attribute that to Tobias. She wore her own pensive expression every now and then... He could see her expressions shifting back and forth with whatever thoughts were no doubt racing through her head. Tobias seemed much on the same page when he looked over at him, maybe not as expressive but then that was Amina’s trait not his. Maybe it was like this for everyone, this realization that after today everything would change. It would wouldn’t it? At the end of the day he’d no longer be considered a Hogwarts student, would have the option of getting a job- not that he’d need the money, he was already assured a monthly allowance from his parents… and the sinking sensation was back as he easily picked them out of the crowd of family and friends sitting just beyond their staging area. His brothers were all seated with them as well, wearing excited expressions in stark contradiction with the affected bored one pulling his mum’s face down. Even all the potions and spells she’d consumed to ‘rectify’ the aging process couldn’t stop her lips from turning downward. Actually… the only brother not seated with his parents was Robert….

Not that he’d expected him to sit with those who had cast him so effectively out of their ‘familial’ circle all those years ago. He actually wasn’t sure where he expected him to be sitting. He knew he’d be here, not how or when, but he had been assured that he would be when he’d written him a few weeks ago to remind him. Not that he’d apparently needed reminding. Robert had been an adult for quite a while now, maybe that came with the territory. Something to look forward to at least. His nostrils flared slightly as he sought out the familiar earthy scent that was somehow even more home to him than the castle he’d been living in. Maybe it was because a part of him recognized it as family, or maybe it was just that it was the only family member he really had left period… regardless it was easy to pick out even in the muggy mix of scents that blended all too easily together in this sort of crowd, the slightly earthen spice surrounded by something that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Familiar, not overly so… but whatever it was seemed to be enough to trigger something in the wolf within him, the niggling familiarity fighting to the forefront of his mind as he turned his eyes to where his nose was leading, eyes running first over the familiar profile of his brother listening with what seemed to be a strained expression to the headmistresses speech. It wasn’t that that had him flinching back into his chair as if he’d been struck though, no the speech was still boring despite how well put together it was… not everyone could be expected to be enraptured by the thing. It was the pair of females his brother was seated between that nearly had him choking on his own breath. So familiar because of the blood that ran through their veins, so closely related to one that his wolf recognized as pack of a sorts, even if he didn’t. He couldn’t even begin to fathom why Robert would be sitting between the old crone and her other offspring, had heard him refer to the woman as an old bat on enough occasions to pick up on the derision in his tone. And the other? The other was Kariana Travers cousin… The two could have passed for siblings instead, the trademark Drakonas lines coloring both of their features, used to be of similar shade eyes glancing over the crowd with what came across as nervous energy. Yes, something was up. But like a lot of things lately he was left into the dark as to what it might be. There was no possible explanation that Marcus himself could come up with that would explain why Robert was seated between the two women. The more he tried the more he felt as if he was missing something important. His brows scrunched uncomfortably together as he watched, Kariana’s cousin leaning in close to Robert with her hand on his forearm, her lips moving even as she looked over in the Ravenclaw’s arranged seating area. Too similar to her cousin, and his brother too comfortable with the gesture as he too turned to look over. Before their eyes could fully connect Marcus jerked his gaze away, stomach knotted in ways it hadn’t even been before.

Because graduation hadn’t had enough unsolved mysteries and hidden drama. Theirs was a tangled web indeed.

His gaze swung again, catching a pair of familiar eyes looking in his direction with a wide smile aimed her way. There were people he wasn’t assured of seeing that he would miss- as seeing Victoria smile with the familiar tinge of red to her cheeks back at him showed. She even managed to make the pointy hat look less idiotic than it did perched atop Marcus’s head. His grin widened slightly as she ducked her head, breaking off eye contact to- he assumed- go back to listening to the end of LeGrand’s speech. Because it was the end, there was no doubt about it in the way that the Slytherin’s had sat taller up in their seats, not quite fidgeting but obviously getting ready to go onstage. His eyes drifted towards Tobais, hands raising up somewhat covertly in order to flash a double thumbs up his way. This was it. They were graduating. They’d be moving in together, away from the respective things they both wanted to escape from. Marcus wouldn’t have to stare every night back at home into the unrelenting gaze of his mother, whose eyes seemed to pull his to hers at the unconsciously bidden thought- eyebrow arching so marginally he might have missed it hadn’t his eyesight been enhanced. Due to her he supposed, in its own twisted way. His neck twisted once more as the first name was called, mind clearing as he watched the foreign girl make her way up to stage. That would be him in a few short minutes, it would be him crossing the stage and shaking hands with the headmistress… And then it was Gavin walking up the stage, Marcus’s lips twisting of their own will. Definitely not in the way they had for his friends. Despite his furthered view of the situation and the other intricacies surrounding it he still had issues with the guy. Maybe in part because of the fact that he was still so angry with Marcus for whatever reason he might actually still hold to… and then Kariana. He halfway expected her to make some kind of grand gesture with the way she’d been acting and thinking lately. Halfway. The only eventful thing that came out of that was the strange blonde man standing and clapping. Only, by the way she turned to look at him it was obvious she was just as confused… Of course there had to be more to come out of graduation… In a daze he watched others walk the same route, his grin only stretching further as his three friends made it. He caught Tobias’s slip up with a feint sort of acknowledgement… filing it away for later as he’d been doing with seemingly everything today…

And then it was his turn. He stood, tripping somewhat as he did so, before walking up and clasping hands with the woman who’d ‘overseen’ his academic career. He didn’t register what she said, only grinned broadly and nodded at what he hoped were appropriate times before walking and taking up his chair on the opposite side… The graduated side. He had done it….


tag Errr’y’body
words 1,743
lyrics The End- Macklemore
credit a girl with kaleidoscope eyes @ caution 2.0
wearing Graduation robes, pointy hat, underthings, underclothes, things.

[Kariana Gabrielle Travers]

_{It Says, I Belong Here,}

( And You Will Not Deny Me )

W h e n • I • s t r e a k • m y • l i p s • r e d • a s • f o x g l o v e  

I Say, Come Here, Male

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

She wasn’t going to look at him. She wasn’t going to look at him because she didn’t want to. The pain in her chest was still too fresh, too open, festering just beneath the surface of the calm façade she put up for the rest of the world to observe. So instead she stared straight ahead or at Avery, any other direction was dangerous, provided too much temptation. Any other direction afforded her a sideways view of the source of her pain as she’d found out only minutes after being seated. Any other direction could cast her now unnaturally bright orbs upon the girl who had brought this whole thing about, who had so fundamentally and without remorse altered their groups’ pairings, altered her in so many different ways. Physically, mentally, fucking biologically- because there was such a vast difference between the first and last even if no one else acknowledged it. Turn in another direction and she’d be confronted with another pair of amber eyes that seemed so intent on lacing pity with dislike when focused upon her. No, she had this figured out. Had pushed it forward into an art that to an untrained eye would seem natural. If she could just focus on the idle conversation she and Avery had been keeping up since being seated if he chanced a glance her way, as she’d felt only once so fully that her entire back had seemed to set afire, he’d see her acting normal. Why it was so important to her she didn’t want to examine. Only she was done hiding away, she’d already proven that- already taken the steps needed in order to assure that she was really actively moving… past it? Didn’t seem right. Just moving. She was moving. She was going to change things, somehow- someway. She was going to continue… forward. The fingers twitching her hair into place weren’t unnoticed as she scanned the crowd before them, knowing full well that her grandmother and cousin would be arriving before too long, the seats were filling up and she knew good and damn well the both of them were unlikely to sit in the back… Micha more because of the fact that she’d undoubtedly be sitting with their grandmother. Should be sitting with their grandmother. Better be sitting with their grandmother. Kariana needed her to intercede when things were undoubtedly brought to head today. In a perfect world that wouldn’t be an issue, she’d be able to keep her grandmother in the dark as she was so many of their acquaintances and school staff. And maybe it would have worked, maybe she would have stood some sort of chance… had not her grandmother been dealing with others she was now like for so long as to recognize the signs. She could only hope that they could make it out of the school grounds before the realization set in and she understood what exactly had been being kept from her. Because they had been keeping it, keeping it so well due to Michkayela’s careful orchestrating of the event. A careful orchestration that she owed to Kariana, as Kat was sure to remind herself any time some dormant feeling of gratefulness threatened to surface.

As if summoned by her thoughts her Grandmother came into focus, sitting by herself with a line of chairs to her left, head turned as she talked to someone who seemed to be showing an overdue amount of respect to the elder woman. But of course that was usually how it went. She had to refrain from snorting instead leaning into the girl at her side and interlacing their fingers together, her head tilting in as if confiding in some great secret. “Did you happen to catch a glance earlier at what Jackalynn Flynn had on?” The older girl had graduated just the year before, a Slytherin girl who had sought to integrate herself into any group she thought might further her political or social standing. Which was not an unattractive quality in a person on its own… unless it came in the form of a five foot nothing frizzy haired female with an annoyingly high pitched voice and overestimated view of herself. Word was her parents still hadn’t even found anyone to marry her off to, which shouldn’t have been that difficult all together given that her bloodline was so pure. It was easy with Avery to slip into the familiar route of things. Avery was really, out of all of the two other friends besides Gavin that she counted herself as having, the only one who had remained constant enough for her to confide in by any account. Regulus had stuck around too, for the most part, but it wasn’t the same as talking to Avery who seemed intent on pushing her without doing it to the point where Kat couldn’t stand being around her anymore. She was still tense, she could feel her shoulders nearly vibrating from the energy she seemed to keep stored up within her these days, but the words leaving her lips at least were normal- familiar. Something the both of them could cling to. Because, as embroiled in her own drama as she’d been, she knew enough to know that Avery was obviously still involved with the business associate of her families that she’d been the past summer. A long stretch of an affair if any. And while he presented a publically acceptable face… Kariana had spent enough time with him when searching for Micha to know what he really was… Her train of thought was cut off by the arrival of her cousin into the seating area her grandmother had occupied… her cousin with two men. One who was unfamiliar enough for her not to understand, though she pieced together enough from the very public kiss she had received just before they continued on that he was involved with her cousin. An interesting thought considering she knew very well who the other man with her was. An O’Conner. A squib O’Conner at that. She’d heard enough of the argument after the Charity Gala between her cousin and grandmother to understand the implications therein. Suddenly… suddenly that one line about the O’Conner’s in their owls made more sense than she wanted. Because suddenly she understood that her cousin was juggling two men, who even knew if either were suitable. Suddenly Kariana’s line of defense from the old dragon seemed less foolproof.

Her fingers untangled from Avery’s easily enough, the familiar gestures providing none of the comfort they had moments before. Fuck. She sank back into her chair, neck snapping to look at the blood traitor whose kin now sat next to hers… only to find him looking in the same direction she had been earlier. And judging by the look on his face he was none the happier than she was. For different reasons she was sure. Her fingers closed into fists as she sat rigidly in her chair, listening to the end of the speech with half an ear before attempting to tune out all other noise together. Because the names before hers? She didn’t want to hear. Only she couldn’t tune out the French name that sent ice down her spine with the knowledge that she’d soon be bearing a different last name. Just as she couldn’t tune out the familiar syllables that formed to send a shooting pain through her chest. She couldn’t turn. Couldn’t watch him cross the stage. Yet even still, combined with the pain came a sense of pride… of congratulations that she’d never get to voice. She was proud of him for making it across the stage. She was still proud of him for his accomplishments, especially in light of recent personal events. Her throat closed up, emotions fighting their way up the metaphorically stripped lining of it, she almost reached back for Avery’s hand, almost gave into the emotion. But she knew better, schooled her expression into one of stony indifference- icy was more than she could manage currently. He hadn’t even made it to the headmistress yet, she knew, she could feel his every measured step across the platform, could feel his heartbeat reverberating within her own chest. It wasn’t until the sound of his skin sliding against the headmistresses that she even allowed herself to blink, eyes turning to Avery with a small twist of her lips meant to be a smile before the blonde girl was standing from her chair, walking onto the stage with her stage persona fully in place. Sometimes she envied the ease with which smiles seemed to grace the girls lips… but then, envy was an emotion Kat didn’t entertain for long. It took only a second it seemed before Kat herself was standing, robes falling down further about her legs as she walked up to the stage, one side of her lips tilted up ever so slightly. She didn’t need to grin going across stage, didn’t feel like bouncing her way over to the headmistress as others before her had, or sashaying the way Avery had seemed to. Regal, composed, even steps. Her fingers closed around the diploma as she looked out at the crowd with a slightly arrogant expression…. Only faltering slightly at the sound of applause.
Applause that no one else had received, as was asked. Applause that came from no corner that she might have expected it from. Everyone’s eyes, not just hers, were on the man standing amongst the seated family members. It was what saved anyone from seeing the somewhat haughty expression slide off of her face and into confusion. It took only that moment in time for her to compose herself again though, meeting his gaze with an unflustered expression- searching. Searching but not receiving. She made her way back to her seat carefully, sure to keep up the right pace and expression. It was only after she sat down that she looked back over to him, her eyes running his figure as best she could from the distance. She didn’t know him, couldn’t tell anyone his name should they ask… She might have figured he’d gotten her confused with someone else… had his gaze not told so expressly otherwise when she’d met it. She might not know him… but he knew her. And the thought was so unsettling she found herself shrugging off Avery’s questioning gaze to stare even more suspiciously. How did he know her? What did he know? What was he trying to tell her? Her fingers opened and closed upon themselves at random, unease filtering through her and intensifying slowly. Who was that man?

( I Am Your Mate )

A n d • Y o u • W i l l • N o t • D e n y • M e  

Because My Magic Is As Strong As An Arm

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WORDS!  1,775
WEARING!  Graduation Robes, Hat, Underneath.
NOTES! ….
TAGS! Students and family
INSPIRATION! Deathless
TEMPLATE CREDIT! Arro @ Caution 2.0

[Victoria Abernathy]

This pointy hat makes your hair look even worse than usual The bitter thought sprung to mind just as the speech started. Despite what Amina had told her countless times whenever they had been getting ready earlier. She had told Vic that everything looked fine but she just couldn't shake the feeling that her hair was jutting out in all possible directions and she was going to have the shame of her horrible hair in photographic evidence for the rest of her life. This was the sort of thing that couldn't just get pushed under the rug no matter how much she had tried. It was stressful. At least she didn't have to give a speech. She was graduating as head girl, and the possibility had been worrying her, but Le Grand had assured her that no, she didn't need to worry about it. That all that she was going to have to do was walk across the stage just like everybody else. Which was what she wanted to do already. She knew that she had to wait her turn, that her house was second in line and then she could cross the stage, get her tightly rolled diploma and sit the rest of it out. Merlin help her not to fall right on her face. Why couldn't she have been less book smart and just a little more socially capable. At least school was mostly over at least, and then she could attempt to work on the whole social thing a little bit better. Since she was going to be starting her internship at the hospital in only a few short months. She had given herself some time at least to get used to not being in school, not having something to do and places to be at every waking moment. It was going to be a huge adjustment. Just being alone was going to be hard. Not that she had ever been overly social, but she did have a few friends that she was going to miss. Even though Amina had only been there since last year, the two had become very close. They had hardly spoken about what was going to happen after graduation, mostly because Victoria hadn't had the time to give herself permission to think on it for very long. Otherwise she tended to get nervous. There was only so much planning would do for her. At least the girl had promised to keep in touch.

The Slytherin students were starting to head onto the stage now, one by one and accepting their diploma before heading back to their newly relocated chairs. In truth, she was really going to miss this place, it was obviously a home to her, and all of the others sitting around her. She had become her own person here, and going back into the muggle world? The world that her parents lived in, that she had been raised in? It just didn't feel right. Victoria had been looking into apartments, so hopefully something would come of that. She didn't want to live in a world where she wouldn't see these people again. She knew it happened, wizards chose to live normal, muggle lives all of the time. She just didn't think that it was for her. She needed something else. She could help people with the knowledge that she had acquired, and she wanted to. Glancing over her shoulder sheepishly in the direction of Ravenclaw house, catching Marcus' eye for just a second before whipping her head back around. Besides, if she went back to the muggle world, there was a very good chance that nothing would ever come from her and Marcus. She didn't want that, certainly. Not that they have come to very close to, well, something. She just didn't want to smother the flame before it ever even had a chance. If he even wanted it to have a chance. No, Vic, don't go there, not now, not today Straightening herself in her chair while smoothing the front of her robes down her legs. She attempted to do just that, to not worry about it for the first time in her life. To just, be, and experience this ceremony. That was it, the last of the Slytherins. She would be next, being alphabetically first and all. Her palms were sweating but there was a dopey smile on her face at least. She knew her parents were waiting out with both their muggle camera and the wizarding one that she had lent to them. They would be with bulbs flashing from the second that she teetered onto the stage until she collapsed back into her chair. They didn't understand anything about this world, but they were proud of their daughter. That much she understood. She didn't have to worry about that. Grinning for their sake, and hoping to stand far taller than she felt, her eyes lifted to Le Grands.

”Victoria Abernathy” These heels were too high, she wobbled for a second as her chair disappeared to the other side and she marched forward toward the podium, her heels threatening to sink into the grass with every step she took. Fumbling a little on the stairs on the way up, she seemed to right herself once she was on the stage. That was something at the very least. Her clumisness seemed to find her again once she was walking off of the stage with her diploma in hand, she hadn't even seen the bulbs flashing or even remembered shaking Le Grands hand. Obviously it must have happened. She didn't exhale until she was seated back in her chair. She had done it, she had finished school at the top of her class. Now, she just needed to focus on not crying.

[Michkayela Drakonas]

On some level Micha supposed she should be grateful for her foresight in arranging to meet Sebastian at the graduation itself instead of arriving together, not that she’d expected the need for it- but because she’d assumed it easier for the both of them. It would have been awful if she had arranged otherwise considering the events of the night before. She had just come over to Robert’s for dinner. Just dinner. That being said she had expected a few rounds of video games given that she had actually grasped the concept enough to play on the harder levels with him, and being that she rather enjoyed the games themselves. So far she’d only played two- the original he’d introduced her to, and some story based game that he’d only brought out once while she was there. Apparently watching her play the latter wasn’t exciting enough though, given that it had happened only the once, and had ended in him pulling on the tips of her hair throughout nearly the entire game… So when he pulled the Halo case out and set everything up after dinner she’d been unsurprised. She had expected that much. She’d even expected to end up getting home within the early hours of the morning. What she hadn’t expected was hours and hours worth of jokes that fell between highly inappropriate and simple teasing, fighting over if it had really been friendly fire or a direct retaliation from said teasing, and a near constant playing of the game. The heavy thud of a fist hitting the door brought her out of her reverie, eyeliner pencil jerking as she pulled it back from her lid. He’d been doing it sporadically ever since she’d entered into the bathroom, not bothering to pause or explain his reasoning behind the action. Not that it needed much explanation after the third time; Robert enjoyed getting under her skin- taunting her as best he could. Forcing her hands to slip against her skin while she applied makeup managed that well enough. She already had to clean up the results of aforementioned jumping due to the randomly shaking door. She was lucky enough he lived in an apartment complex that wasn’t completely surrounded by defensive magics to have kept her from acquiring her box of makeups and dress bag out of her room at her own place in order to assist her with getting ready for the day. It wasn’t like she could wear the jeans and t-shirt she’d worn over here the previous night or borrow something of Robert’s that was anywhere near suitable for the event. She was sure Kariana didn’t care one way or another what she showed up in but she still had appearances to keep up with, and a grandmother she was trying desperately to keep placated while events unfolded behind the scenes.

She’d just put the last makeup brush back into the folded box when she heard the approaching footsteps, her lips quirking into a slight smile as she turned back from the mirror, twitching the fabric into place before she put the hand onto the doorknob “alright, alright already! Look”, turning and pulling it back from the frame quickly to reveal the perpetrator himself with hand raised. “Done. I’m done.” Her eyebrow cocked of its own accord, hip jutting out playfully as she looked him up and down. “I wasn’t aware you needed to primp that badly.” Even though the cursory examination she’d given him had already proven that he really didn’t. Rugged, she wasn’t sure she’d ever look at Robert without first seeing his face but his outfit was of the sort she’d yet to see him in… strange enough to give her pause before she could utter the words that fled her lips. Not the bad sort of strange at all though, she could feel the heat steal over her cheekbones, lightly coloring the bronzed skin there before she averted her eyes once more, breath catching somewhat as his body stepped nearer to her own.. only to veer off and brush past her on his way into the room. Courtesy would dictate that she vacate the space so he could assume whatever rituals he underwent to ready himself… but courtesy would also have dictated he not bang on the door while she was preparing herself. The longer she spent time with Robert the less she worried about such things concerning him anyways. She turned back into the room as he neared the mirror, brow still arched as he met her gaze with a grin of his own, leaning in and running his index finger quickly over the fronts of his teeth. Because obviously he had to make sure they were still just as clean now as they’d been not even an hour ago from when he’d brushed them. An expressive roll of her eyes was all she managed before he ran a hand through his hair, meeting her eyes with another grin before leaving the bathroom- her laughter following him as she let her shoulders fall back against the plastered wall, hands drifting to her stomach as she met her amused gaze in the now vacated glass space. “DIVA.” The amused yell fell between laughter as she straightened herself back up, moving from the bathroom to the living room where he was standing, walking around and putting the stuff she needed into her purse.

They’d decided, after very little talk over the matter honestly, on side-along apparition- something Micha could actually say with certainty that she was fairly comfortable with. Given… the state of things she wasn’t sure how comfortable he was with it though, something she’d meant to ask him the previous night before they’d begun duking it out via online gaming. “Hey Roberto?” She waited for the answering hum before pausing in checking over the contents of her purse, looking up at him with furrowed brows. “Just how often have you traveled by side-along?” Not that it really mattered necessarily… But it did help her to understand just to expect from his response. “Uhm never…” Her whole body tensed, disbelief coloring her features as she looked to him with two raised brows now, as if waiting for him to laugh it off as a joke. She’d grown up being apparated back and forth by her grandmother, her aunts… various members of family and staff; it wasn’t something she’d ever had to look at as different. But never? And here he was trusting her with his safety and his first time… She tried to keep her shock from her face, attempted to school her features back into the curiosity of one who had expected that sort of answer. Never… She could only imagine the bundle of nerves she’d be if she were the one travelling side-along for the first time, almost completely unprepared. "Oh. Well... It's really simple. So there's absolutely no need to be nervous..." She was completely competent after all, more than able to transport both herself and him safely. The look he gave her did nothing to make her believe him any less nervous than he must be, because really… his first time? It just didn’t feel real. There were plenty of things in the magic world that she knew and he didn’t- vice versa for sure concerning the muggle world and his knowledge of it versus hers. It was rare though that, in their renewed relationship, that she was given the opportunity for the upper hand. Even more rare that she was able to recognize it for what it was. It was with this awareness that she zipped her handbag up, walking more fully over to where he was standing with a mock understanding smile. "That's fine. I won't tell anyone, I can see you’re terrified. If it’s too much you can just you know, grab my boobs if it helps you feel more at ease." One shoulder rose and fell with an ease that hid her own squeamishness at the use of her wording. She was practically inviting him to touch her in a way that was inappropriate given everything between them, much less her newly not-so-single status… Red threatened to stain her cheeks, quickly pushed back down with the knowledge that if it did so it would betray the whole thing. "ah well, aye'll remember that,” the words were hardly the same as the confidence infused sentences that normally left his lips during such transactions. Most often he was the one making inappropriate remarks designed solely to put her off of her game. It was definitely the first time she’d successfully been able to flip the tables around on him and she could feel the self-satisfied smile tingeing her lips at the success.

… One that froze in place as his hands moved to her hips, fingers pressing slightly into the light fabric of her dress beneath and causing her breath to catch. "now who's 'the scared one" Her heart rate hammered within her ribs, the breath trapped within pressing harder upon her in its attempts at escape as his face neared closer to her own. This hadn’t been part of the plan, she’d finally found an opening to push him and found herself put even more on edge in the process. Scared didn’t quite cover the heat racing through her veins, the heat of his body so near to pressing against her own. She couldn’t just let it go though, and not only because of her newly acquired relationship status. She certainly wasn’t considering that with him so close to her. Even if she did succumb to the race of emotions that were boiling under her skin she’d only put the two of them in an awkward situation… One she wouldn’t know how to navigate out of. So she forced bravado out between her teeth, grinning up at him as if it were all part of the plan in the first place, despite the fact that red had finally managed to stain her cheekbones, despite the fact that her body was unconsciously leaning into his. "Who says I'm scared. You are overestimating yourself sir." She was pushing the line of what was acceptable flirting between friends and what wasn’t. She knew it. It didn’t stop her from doing it though. Even the knowledge that he wasn’t really into her like that didn’t seem to dampen the reactions she always seemed to give without her own consent. "Ov're'stimatin?" His confidence was back in spades, something that made her smile even as it made her nervous, she knew enough to understand that that confidence didn’t mean anything good for her, at least not in the long run… Her hands rose as he leant closer, fingers skimming over the backs of his hands in a move that was neither pushing him away or pulling him in, she wasn’t capable of making that decision regardless. ”I t’ink I know ye better than that.” Further. He was pushing her back, the tangle of nerves and anticipation that always seemed present when in his company building up even further until she felt like she would internally combust. Even more so because the heat that had been so close only moments before was now shifting against her, her own hips pushing back into the process before the panic could fully override the very physical response he held over her. It was the panic that had her fingers closing over his wrist in a tight grip, pulling him even further into her before both of their bodies were seemingly sucked through the air.

Only to reappear on the grounds she’d barely visited since the year she graduated… She barely noticed their surroundings though, still too caught up in what had happened only moments before to look around her. Her reaction to him had been too apparent, too real for her to pretend anything but- but it didn’t mean she didn’t have some room for damage control. Sorely needed damage control. Their bodies were still close enough for her to stand up on her toes, fingers running up his chest as she pressed a light kiss to his cheekbone before abruptly moving back from the sphere they’d encircled themselves in. “See, look at that,” her breath was still too shallow- words somewhat breathy despite their nonchalance, “I got you through it just fine.” As if it had all been a planned distraction, as if she’d anticipated him pushing just that far.





TAGGED: Graduates and Family
WORDS: 2,076
WEARING: Thisss
LYRICS: Katy Perry
CREDIT: To BUNNYA! from CAUTION 2.0!

[Robert O'Conner]

WE HAVE SEEN ALL TO BE SEEN
by morning we'll be free
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There was only one person in the world that Robert would be willing to put himself into such a painful position, and that was for Marcus. His youngest brother. Tomorrow was his graduation from Hogwarts Galaxia, the same school that Robert had been forced out of after his first year. He had experienced a muggle graduation, but that wasn't anything overly elaborate. He hadn't had anybody there to support him other than the friends that had been graduating with him. He wanted to make sure that wasn't true for Marcus. The boy still lived at their childhood home for another week or two, depending on how things played out. Regardless, Robert was going to be there for his baby brother. Almost nothing could keep him away, he had taken the day off of work yesterday and Monday, just in case he was going to be needed with anything. He was monumentally proud of his brother, not just for finishing school but for surviving seven years of what he knew had to be hell in order to take the route that Robert hadn't been afforded. Last night he had been in a tizzy, which is why it was a grand thing that Mickey had shown up to keep him mind occupied. Through Chinese takeout, and hours of gaming he had been distracted right up until the pair of them had passed out on the couch. That, had been awkward. He still wasn't certain whether it was a bad awkward or not just yet. It had been last morning whenever he had finally woken up to the sounds of the shower running and his alarm blaring from his nightstand in the bedroom. The 'disconnected controller' message blinking on his television, urging him to pick up a container of stale take out and continue right on playing but he didn't have the time. He needed to get dressed. Really, he should shower but somehow the thought of walking in on Mickey in the shower didn't set right with him. Not that it was a bad image, but just one that while uninvited, he couldn't fathom.

With a groan Robert rolled his body from the awkward position it had been in, half of his body halfway on the floor as his torso was still on the couch. Slumping into a Robert sized puddle on the ground for a long moment he finally dragged himself back onto the couch, using it as leverage until he was standing. Pausing on his way to the bedroom only twice, once to grab the last egg roll from the container, and a second time to kick at the bottom of the bathroom door, to alert Mickey to the fact that he was awake and semi-mobile. The suit that he had had pressed was waiting for him on the inside of his shrunk, the hanger preventing the door from closing all of the way. Scruffing the hair on the back of his head with his hand as he entered the room. He really ought to put a little more effort in, his hand moved to the front of his face and down the stubble covering most of his jaw and cheeks. There just wasn't time. Quickly, he silenced his alarm and pulled his shirt from over his head in one swift motion, letting the fabric fall to the floor, forgotten. Moving around his room, looking for his deodorant. Lifting the oval plastic container with his toes and applying it to his bare under arms and moving wiggling his pants down to his ankles and stepping out of them. He had only been half dressed from last night. His free hand moved to the waist of his boxer briefs, momentarily considering changing into a clean pair and thinking better of it. Partly because he was lazy and partly because he knew that for a woman Mickey got ready fairly quickly. He was already behind, he needed to make up for the lost time. Finishing off the last of the egg roll he had stolen from her leftovers and wiping his hands on his bedspread, thinking better of it and pulling the bedding from the bed entirely, letting it rest on the floor. He didn't want to be tempted to sleep on it now.

He was able to put most of the clothing on fairly easily, crossing back and forth from his room to the living room where his tie was, his socks were, as he remembered that he was forgetting things, banging on the bathroom door with his fist every time he passed by the bathroom. It had started out to show her he was getting ready, and he was urging her to hurry up. He would need the bathroom too, at least he thought that he did. His fingers moved on memory alone as he fastened pencil tie and folded his white collar back down over the fabric. He wore a tie almost every single day for work, even though it wasn't required, this was not unusual for him, only this one was a very nice black tie. His work ones were brown. Pushing the tails of his shirt into his pants and fastening his belt into place he was ready except for his shoes. He hated wearing shoes inside of his house. Banging on the door again he eyeballed the collection of food he had on the tables, they wouldn't have time for lunch and already he was feeling a bit peckish, but it might just be the nerves hindering him. He couldn't wait to see his brother walking across that stage. Nothing in their spread appealed to him, at least nothing he could eat and not get anything on his shirt in the process. He didn't have a back up, he couldn't risk it. Crossing back to the only bathroom in the small hallway he lifted his hand to bang again whenever her voice rang out from the other side of the door. “alright, alright already! Look” the door opened and there she was. He had never seen her look so, like such a, woman. The only times that he had really seen her since she came back into his life was jeans, or casual clothing, or not much clothing at all. Given that she seemed to like wearing his shirts. His lips turned upward at the memory, and continued to climb until he had what could only be called an absurd smile on his face.“Done. I’m done.” He wanted to comment, but that would be crossing the line that they had been flirting with all night long, he didn't trust himself.

“I wasn’t aware you needed to primp that badly.” Lifting his eyebrows he pushed past her into the bathroom and positioned himself in front of the small square mirror, running his fingers through this hair once more and rubbing his finger against his teeth. Satisfied he winked at his reflection and turned back around to her. That hadn't really been why he had been hurrying her along, it had just started to get fun was all.

“DIVA.” He spun around the face her, debating on a sarcastic comment or expression, but she was already on the way out of the room. Getting her girly things together. Shutting the door to the bathroom as he left it, moving to his shoes and sliding them onto his feet, bending over to tie the laces. He wasn't looking forward to this next bit, if there had been any way whatsoever for him to ride his bike there, he would have. “Hey Roberto?” “Hum?” he inquired as he tied the small bows into the corded laces and lifting his body back standing just a few feet from her. He couldn't help it if his eyes ran up her figure on the way up. That dress, he wouldn't mind if she wore stuff like that a little more often. “Just how often have you traveled by side-along?” Buttoning the top button on his jacket he shrugged, not meeting her eyes. “Uhm never…” It was the truth, he hadn't ever been old enough and his mother hadn't like the way that it felt. Said that it flattened her hair or some other such rubbish so she had always taken them the long way. He hadn't ever been given the opportunity before, whenever he went into Alzubra for business, it was through the under age wizard entrance. Whenever he went in for Order business, they always mailed him a portkey. He could only assume that this was going to be sort of like that. He knew it was going to be surprising to her, he was certain that she was very good at it, but it still made him nervous. "Oh. Well... It's really simple. So there's absolutely no need to be nervous..." his eyes shot to hers defiantly, “I'm not nervous.” even if he was, he didn't want her knowing that. If it had been the other way around he would use that sort of emotion as leverage. "That's fine. I won't tell anyone, I can see you’re terrified. If it’s too much you can just you know, grab my boobs if it helps you feel more at ease." Sort of like that. Chewing on the inside of his cheek his bitter eyes fell to her own amused ones. She was liking this a touch too much, he couldn't have that. He wanted to say something snarky, but nothing came out. "ah well, aye'll remember that,” At least he could still think of a dozen ways to remove that arrogant winners smile from her lips.

His hands moved to her hips, fingers dancing on the soft fabric of her dress, even softer than it looked. His palms grasped her small hips easily, he couldn't tell if his hands were so big or her hips so narrow that he was able to reach almost all the way around her. He forced his mind to be tame, this wasn't an invitation for imagination land but a means to an end, this time. His stance widened until his feet were shoulder width apart and his neck craned down to hers slightly with a knowing smile. He didn't want her to win this, if it was even a competition. The smile was already gone from her face. Replaced by something far more heady. "now who's 'the scared one" he watched as her eyes dropped to his lips, just as he had thought that they would. It was cruel, he knew, given her feelings but he couldn't help himself. "Who says I'm scared. You are overestimating yourself sir." He could feel the slight pressure that was her torso leaning into his hands, allowing him to hold her in place and upright. "Ov're'stimatin?" Shaking his head he hunched his shoulders down toward her a little closer. his hands grasping her hip bones with mock possession. He could feel his breath bouncing back off of her face onto his own, heated. His voice dropped an octave as he widened his stance, resulting in his hips moving against hers in the process. "I t'ink I know ye better than that," This was a comfortable area for him, not quite domineering, but manipulating her just a little. His hands pushed a little, separating their bodies, hoping to push away the moment like it was all in good fun, friendly, the awkward laugh he forced he hoped she took as just further joking. Teasing her, like he had always done.

Only this time it was different because she pulled him back, his heart lurched in almost excitement before he realized what she was doing. He didn't even have time to brace himself, which was likely a good thing because whenever the lurching feeling stopped he felt sick to his stomach. Like the world had stopped too suddenly and he felt himself wobbling on his feet for a solid minute. Why, why would anybody want to do that on a regular basis? She looked like it was nothing, did she not feel it like he did? That was, very unpleasant but at least he was still in one piece. He didn't like being taken by surprise like that, or by the kiss she placed to his cheek. It didn't feel right, he didn't like it. It was almost, cordial. Now was not the time to dwell on it however, they were surrounded by people all seeming to head in the same direction, a glance to the watch on his wrist informed him that the ceremony would be starting in only a few minutes and they still had yet to find seats. “See, look at that, I got you through it just fine.” he offered her a nondescript smile with an otherwise unreadable emotion backing it. “Supposin' so.” jerking his head in the direction of the seating he picked up a pair of the programs that were floating around available for everybody to use should they be wanted. He hadn't been around this much magic since the last time that he had been here, almost fifteen years ago. If he dwelled on that, he would get angry, so he didn't. “Come on then,” he grasped her hand and pulled her through the rest of the people as fast as he assumed that she could teeter on those heels, but she never seemed to be having an issue. His eyes scanning the rows of chairs for two close to one another whenever he spotted her grandmother, the same woman who had threatened him not too long ago. He didn't really want to sit by her, but then there was a man rising to his feet and beckoning them over, apparently Mickey was easy to spot in that dress, even he could hardly keep his eyes off of her. “Somebody that you know?”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tags: students and family
Words: 2308
Wearing:this
Notes: none at all.

[Lucinda Roxane Belrose]

Graduation. Maybe the very word wouldn’t have excited her so much if it weren’t for the complete sphere of isolation she’d found herself in since coming to Hogwarts. Not that people weren’t nice enough. Not that Gavin wasn’t attentive when he needed to be. On the surface of it all it seemed fine... only on the surface though. There were underlying dramas here in this castle that she wasn’t privy to, far too many surrounding her betrothed’s life for it to be something she could ignore. He was attentive, attractive, and amusing when he was penning his words instead of speaking. All the three a’s that the girls back at her school had valued so highly, that she valued in her own way. And in public? He was all of these things still; he’d introduced her to all of his friends- as small of a circle as he seemed to actually keep. And again, they’d been nice enough, accommodating enough… but it wasn’t as if she spent any time with them separately. She’d begun to with Kariana, being that she was apparently Gavin’s best friend, but all of that had stopped somewhat suddenly after whatever argument those two had had… Ever since then the other girl had seemed to avoid Lucinda nearly as well as she had been Gavin. None of those problems mattered in the long run though, not really, not today. She and Gavin were leaving the school behind, working towards their wedding day. If her moving to this school had truly been the start of starting their life together, then today marked another momentous occasion in their relationship. It was honestly why she’d chosen white for her dress color… well, that and she had seen the looks Gavin had given Kariana when she’d been walking around in all white for those few weeks. It had caused her to wonder if maybe the girl was making some sort of statement by doing so, but she’d already learned by that point not to question her betrothed in any matter concerning his former? Best friend. She’d forced all of these thoughts out of her mind when slipping into her outfit that morning- forcing it away so that she could better entertain Pearl for the day. Her own parents were there of course, but it was Pearl she was concerning herself with. Pearl would be the one that she needed to appease in order to keep things going as smoothly as they had on that end.

She couldn’t help thinking over all of it though as they were filing into their seats, even through the stream of chatter that she kept flowing in Gavin’s direction, her hands flitting excitedly over the arm nearest to her as if to keep his attention. She really was excited, especially now that the dress robes were in place, the pointed hat placed so perfectly on her piled hair. This was the beginning of the beginning. The start of their prelude in so many ways. Her eyes cut to Gavin’s, grin stretching her lips as she curled her fingers around his own much larger ones. She’d recognized how lucky she’d be to actually catch him even before they’d begun writing to one another, on paper he was the perfect candidate. Off of paper he was too. That was something she’d learned just as quickly. Besides the strange disconnect he seemed to have going on for whatever reason that was. He was handsome. All the more so in his formal robes, jaw set as he looked stoically out over the crowd. Like the lead man in those romance novels that the girls in her class back home had snuck into their dormitories and hidden under their pillows. He was her lead man now, even if there still seemed to be some reluctance over the fact. He could just be extremely old fashioned in that respect though, one hand rose gently up to run over her unkissed lips with a kind of curious wondering. He could be any multitude of things. It wasn’t her business to pry into his past about it. All that concerned she was making the two of them happy. That was it. Again her lips seemed to stretch impossibly high as she turned in her seat to grin at the stage; the headmistress was wrapping her speech up. A speech that Lucinda hadn’t even bothered to listen to. She probably should have tried; she was given the honor of walking that stage first. Although technically the selection was based off of the ‘house cup’ followed by where their names fell alphabetically… it was still an honor. One she felt proud to be receiving as a foreign student, transferred just recently.

She couldn’t help but restrain herself as she heard her name called though, standing fluidly up and walking towards the beaming woman handing over the diploma she’d earned from these past seven years of schooling. Her steps were measured as she approached; lips stretched upwards as she grasped the hand of the woman, nodding absently to whatever words were being said as she turned more center towards the photographer to grin into the lense. “Merci!” The upbeat pattern of her words flew from her lips before she could think it over, turning on her heel and gliding to the seat that had appeared on the opposite side of the stage from where she’d entered. She was officially graduated. She was done. With that portion of her life at least. Her smile only seemed to grow as Gavin followed her, trying to transfer some of her excitement to him even though he seemed so unaffected. Her fingers reached for his once more, twining around his as he took his place beside her. His place. Her place. Her lips twitched, the sound of Kariana’s name being called out forcing her face back towards the stage. She would smile, who knew if this tiff between Gavin and her would last, she may have even smiled wider… had not a man started clapping from out in the audience. Her fingers tugged insistently at Gavin’s hand until he turned his face down to her, turning her eyes up to his in question.

[Sebastian Verhoeven]

Disgusting. They were all disgusting. All of them with their sniveling noses, and their perfumes. All of them. The parents so proud of their children, the children sobbing about the 'end of an era', snippets of conversation registering in his head all of the fucking time. It was...vexing. Sebastian stood in a row of chairs otherwise unoccupied by the audience for the ceremony. At least at first they had. This was supposed to be a big step forward, another step to him completing his contact with Catherine. Today, he would be 'meeting' her for the very first time. Her equivalent of meeting the parents, not that he could actually meet her parents. Not that he would have wanted to even if he could have. If only she knew that he actually knew her family rather well. It amused him to think of how she would react to knowing that he was a plant. To knowing that he was only in her life because he was contractually obligated to. He liked thinking about it, he liked knowing that he could have destroyed her sense of world easily, but that he was also the one holding it together. He knew she cared for him and he pretended to care for her as well. He couldn't earnestly return her feelings but that wasn't important. What was important was that she believed that he cared for her. She liked that he gave her space to be herself, indulged in her little hobbies. Were she his normal type, it would have even been enjoyable.

He could feel her arrive, watched her objectively as she moved into his line of sight with her guest. Somebody that she had never mentioned before. Never knew about him...was this the person she had been spending her weekends with? He would have to slowly end that. Not so quickly that she would notice...but he would eliminate the threat. She smiled just a little too brightly at him. Sebastian didn't bother putting up his facade until he felt her attention shift to him, didn't need to before then. Despite the scared looks of the children walking past him, the double glances from the women walking just past him because something about his face didn't sit quite right with him, lingered in their psyche, made them nervous. He would have relished in it, were they in another setting. He pulled the now familiar mask over his face, changing himself into the man that Michkayela thought him to be. He had been working this personality for a few months now, it was comfortable enough, second nature. Easy. She had simple enough desires, deep seated needs that were simple to fulfill. Simple enough to draw her to him.

His arm raised to greet her, who was she with? It wasn't jealousy that he felt toward her bringing somebody along, no emotions registered as she grasped his arm or smiled at him, nothing other than the same bored affliction he had felt the entire time that he had been here. Not that his face would show it. Externally, he would look thrilled to be seeing her, the apple of his eye, wanting to be near her. To most, it would even seem slightly that he was too excited to see her, but it had been over a week now since they had been near one another...so it was only logical to appear so. The only thing that he couldn't control was his stare, he knew that no matter what he did there was going to be something just behind his eyes. Luckily for him, Micha didn't seem to interested in looking for it as she was in paying attention to his personality, or the personality that he showed her anyway. Slowly, ever so slowly she started to head toward him, the same row that Catherine was now residing in. He had carved out seats for the two of them, but he could persuade the patron to move...that would be the easy part. He willed himself to convey jealousy on his face, willed himself to appear concerned about who this man was. The slightly off kilter gait with which he walked, this man was nothing to him. Not a threat. Not at present, but he would be watched. This was all so fucking boring. He did his duty anyway, as soon as she was close he moved to meet her in the middle, just outside of the row of chairs, his arm moving to wrap around her slender little waist and pull her closer to him. A move that was certainly noticed by the other male. Jealous? That...was more interesting. Sebastian was the one here with social rights. His head turned to press a kiss to her temple, perfume washing over him with the proximity, his eyes never leaving the other man. “You're late,” his tone was jovial enough, almost teasing,, but his face would reflect none of it. Not that she could see it from where she was at his side, his eyes never leaving the scruffy face of the other man. Just the smallest hints of a smug smile on the corners of his lips.