The Keeper

Chapter 54 (final)

I listened to One For The Road by Arctic Monkeys, Dry County by Bon Jovi and Candy by Robbie Williams.

So here we are: the last (main) chapter of The Keeper! It's been over a year since I started writing this and at no point did I imagine it growing into something like it has. I want to say, from the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who's read it this far, who's voted, who's commented. You make my writing worth it, especially as I sit here at 1:15am desperately pouring out my ideas.

Thank you, genuinely. You all made this amazing.

Please vote and comment <3

*

I bit my lip as I buckled the final strap on my suitcase. It was significantly larger and heavier than it was when the year began thanks to the numerous presents I had bought in Hogsmeade. The dormitory was now free from our usual clutter, a striking reminder of the impending holiday. Groaning, I heaved my suitcase to the door where the others were. House elves were due to bring them to the train soon, and if I didn't meet the deadline, I'd have to drag it there myself - something for which I was not physically prepared.

"I've done a last check of the bathroom, and somebody left a black hairbrush," Louise said, holding said hairbrush aloft.

Gasping, Aleeza leapt from her bed. "That's mine!" She took it from her and pressed a firm kiss to her forehead. "I borrowed it from my sister, and she would've killed me if I'd left it. Thanks so much!"

Louise chuckled and shook her head as she fondly watched Aleeza rush to pack the hairbrush in her suitcase. I wasn't sure what Aleeza would do without her much more organised counterpart.

"Right," Sasha said, pulling on her jumper. "It's time to go."

I looked around the dorm for what would be the final time for six weeks. It still hadn't really sunk in, but by the time I stepped out of the common room, I was hit by a wave of longing. Linking arms with Sasha, I focused on the fun I was going to have over the holidays and the fact that I would be back at Hogwarts within two months.

The four of us started to walk in a line.

"Well, we have to meet over the summer," I said. "I'll make sure to write to you all."

"I don't think I could physically survive the whole holiday if I couldn't get in touch with you," Sasha added. "And even if we can't all meet at the same time, I'm also definitely going to write."

"I hope that includes me, Sasha."

Oliver, somehow, managed to dart out from behind us, surprising Louise enough to make her yelp.

"You know it does," Sasha replied.

Beaming, Oliver and I kissed briefly before continuing our walk to the train. I was amazed to see that all of our luggage had arrived already. As was the magic of Hogwarts, I supposed.

The professors were lined up near the train itself, saying goodbye to students that they had enjoyed teaching. I broke away from my friends to say a quick farewell to some of the professors. Professor Sinistra had a certain glint in her eye when she told me to enjoy my holiday. I fought to hide my blush as I moved onto Professor Flitwick.

After the ordeal, I hopped onto the Hogwarts Express and tried to snag an empty booth for my friends and me. They still had a few people they wanted to say goodbye to before we left. I found an empty booth near the exact middle of the train and wasted no time in claiming it.

Within the next few minutes, Aleeza, Louise and Sasha all joined me. Aleeza was sprawled over her girlfriend's lap, a sight that made my heart flutter.