Soteria

CHAPTER 29:

The future is scary, Ivy had to admit as she sat in the great hall, a palm beneath her chin, her grey eyes fixed on the sluggish, swaying movement of the clock that was hypnotising her into a continuous daydream. 

Her written, completed exam papers were before her, abandoned, as her fingers gripped loosely onto her dried, inked simple quill that every other student was currently holding and scribbling away.

It was her last exam, and Ivy was dreading for what was to occur next. She would no longer be able to reside in Hogwarts unless she decided to become a teacher, which would require, depending on the course she picked, years of training and knowledge. Her aspiration to become a skilled auror had now strayed from mind as security and comfort took its place. 

The future was a frightening thing to behold, comprehend, and daydream about, especially if one was exposed within a distressing and dreadful environment filled with trapped anxious bubbles of emotions surrounding the air, waiting to burst and disappear.

Ivy's eyes began to regain some of the life they had lost when she noticed the faint movement of the hand of the large clock moving faintly towards the closing hour. Her gaze drifted, bored, to dark hair that was being held up by a tight, sleek, sophisticated bun.

Professor Merrythought stood erect at the front of the grand room, arms folded across her chest as she stared down at the numerous students, who were scribbling away their brains and guts.

Professor Dumbledore was supposed to be in her place, but apparently he had something urgent and could not fill this role, so, as a result, it was handed over to Merrythought, who embraced it with determination. 

Ivy was aware of the true cause of Dumbledore's sudden urgency. She had a feeling that it had something to do with Grindelwald, seeing as it was 1945, where his defeat and downfall were likely to come soon. She hoped that her arrival and presence wouldn't taint that momentous event that would alter many lives as well as the future as a whole. 

To put it mildly, that would be very very... distressing.

"Right, quills down!" Was the broad voice of the Dark Arts Professor, whose voice echoed demandingly against the four ancient walls, making Ivy jump up from her seat, unaware that she was slouching lazily.

Students quickly obeyed while some, with their teeth nipping their bottom lips, continued writing their last sentence of knowledge before hastily dropping their quill and exhaling relieved sighs.

With her hands folded in front of her, Professor Merrythought gazed at each student, who looked up at her anxiously, awaiting what she was to command next. 

Slowly, her taut, thinned lips stretched into a small smile, her dark eyes glistening a little as she stared before her students, whose nervousness veered into mild uncertainty.

"Congratulations, my fellow seventh years. You have completed your final year here at Hogwarts. I won't go into detail as you'll be given this speech by none other than Headmaster Dippet, but I just wanted to express my gratitude and how pleased I am at all of you for how far each of you have come." Merrythought said happily as her face brightened, so bright that Ivy had to squint.

"It has been an absolute pleasure to teach you, and as many of you are aware, I myself won't be here next year; therefore, I wanted to provide you all this little speech. I know many of you have had ups and downs in my class, but nonetheless, you've all been absolutely incredible to teach, and I hope that each of you fulfils your dreams and future aspirations, which are obviously contingent upon passing these exams, which I'm sure you all will do!"

A sniff was heard from Merrythought that caused many students to gape open-mouthed at her.

It was strange and rare to see the Professor Merrythought smile, let alone shed actual tears, and Ivy understood, she too would respond similarly to her peers right now if she saw Professor Snape here, standing before her, smiling and shedding sincere tears at how proud he was of his students. She snorted internally.