𝕬 𝕯𝖆𝖗𝖐 𝕷𝖔𝖗𝖉 𝖎𝖘 𝕭𝖔𝖗𝖓 | 𝑇𝑜𝑚 𝑅𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒 |

Chapter 54- We'll Meet Again

Another year had come and gone at Hogwarts. Eventually, as the months passed, the weather started to grow hotter and hotter as the days grew longer. The flowers were in full bloom and all the various magical bugs and creatures had come out to play in the new sunshine. The Black Lake glistened in the bright light and waved at the slightest breeze, while the tree that sat by it shed a few leaves at the sudden gust, still trying to get comfortable with its new coat. However, despite the extra hours and quiet serenity of the castle, time was moving rapidly. The days were dwindling and numbered. It was Sunday. The last normal Sunday Frankie and Tom would ever get to spend together at school because next Sunday they graduated.

"You're late."

Tom was sitting beneath the tree, staring down at his faithful nothing-of-interest book and not bothering to address the new arrival other than his initial comment. Suddenly, one of the leaves fell off the tree and obstructed the words on the page he was reading. He shut the book completely, rather than curse nature and brush it aside. Let future Tom try and remember why the hell there was a leaf in his book. Would he be able to successfully recall what tree it was from, or who he spent his Sundays with?

"Sorry, Tom. The girls wouldn't let me go." Frankie answered, in excuse, as she slid down beside him at the base of the tree. "They're hellbent on stealing every moment of my free time, before we graduate, and are acting like I'm never going to see any of them again. It's ridiculous!"

"It must be nice to be so adored. My friends aren't like that," Tom replied. Although, he certainly didn't want the Slytherin boys treating him in the same manner Frankie's Gryffindor friends did, he would've preferred it to the pompous, annoying pride they all had about leaving the school. "They're stupidly convinced that one day we'll all be working for them. So, I suppose they figure what's the use of missing anyone? Goodbyes are overrated."

"They will be working for you, Mr. Minister of Magic." she added, in a-matter-of-fact sort of tone. Everyone knew Tom was ripe to become the Minister of Magic once he left the school. Slughorn had already offered to write both him and Frankie references for the Ministry. He was the only one who seemed to disagree with this decision.

"We've been over this before. I have no interest in becoming the Minister," he groaned, collapsing in the grass and gazing up at the clear blue sky. No one understood why the Ministry repulsed him. Tom didn't want a Ministry job, and, with such a filthy past, he doubted they would want him either. No matter how many letters Slughorn wrote him, it wouldn't stop the rest of the Ministry from looking at him just as the current Minister had. What he needed was a job that he could expand his powers in and still have his freedom. That was clearly not in the Ministry of Magic. "What about you? Surely, you must have thought of something more viable then a seaside retreat by now."

"I still have absolutely no idea." Frankie sighed, lying on her back next to him. Her long hair spread out in the grass instantly like vines and the falling sunlight illuminated her face.

"We're leaving in a week, you know. You might want to get on that." Tom reasoned. She let out a groan of exasperation and turned away from his intent gaze. Hiding from him was a useless fleet though.

"I know. I just can't think of anything that seems right. I'd fail at a desk job in the Ministry, despite what Professor Slughorn thinks, and I don't think I would make a good Auror. I'm not strong enough..." she protested, in frustration. "I don't know what to do."

"Come on now—I don't like to see you've given up. Personally, I think you'd do incredible at either of those jobs." he tried, desperately, in hopes to inspire her a little bit. She'd listen to whatever he told her to do, eventually. Tom didn't want her throwing away her bright future just because her mind could not make itself up. "Don't you want to be like your parents? I think you should be an Auror."