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Unlike previous Easter Holidays where Lina could enjoy the break this year that as not an option, her O.W.Ls were getting closer and closer and Lina couldn't think about anything other than revising not even the upcoming Quidditch finale between Gryffindor and Slytherin, not her dad and especially not Cedric.
She spent hours into the night revising all her subjects with particular focus on Potions and Arithmancy, sometimes she was accompanied by one if not all her friends but more often than not she studied alone under candlelight.
On the last day of half term, Lina received a letter from Professor McGonagall about a careers meeting she was due to have with Professor Sprout and herself during Potions on the second day back.
"Those meetings are nothing," Lucy told Lina on the afternoon she got her letter. Her, Danny and Cedric had literally dragged Lina outside to enjoy a rare sunny day off, they picked a spot in the sun and sat down where Lina proceeded to tell them about the meeting. "Literally all they ask is do you have any idea what you want to do when you leave school."
"What if you have no clue?" Lina asked.
"But you do" Danny pointed out.
"Well yeah but I'm curious" Lina shrugged.
"All they'll do this give you a bunch of leaflets about different careers," Cedric said, "but it really isn't the end of the world if you don't know."
"Do you know what you want to do?" Lina asked her friends.
"I'm probably going to work in the Ministry with my dad" Cedric answered.
"All I know is that before I settle in any job is that I want to travel first," Lucy said, "my aunt did this thing called a gap year before she went to uni."
"What's a uni?" Danny asked.
"It's a higher form of education of muggles, anyway she travelled around Europe and loved it so much she set uni back a year, got a job to save up enough money and then went travelling around America."
"Travelling doesn't sound that bad" Danny noted, "you know I might join you, it'd get my family off my back."
"I'll come as well," Lina said shocking the three, out of everyone in their small group Lina was the only one who knew exactly what she wanted to do "someone's got to keep you two from killing each other and besides I've never seen anywhere."
"Well if you three are going I'm not being the only one left at home," Cedric said.
"Did we just agree to go travelling for a year when we finish school...together?" Lucy asked incredulously.
"I think we did," Lina said.
"We'll have a year to save and plan while Lina finishes her last year," Danny said.
"But what about Eve, will she have enough money?" Cedric asked.
Lina thought back to her vault filled with enough coins to probably last her two lifetimes "I'll be fine" she said.
"We should start in Europe first," Lucy said, "I can ask my aunt the best places to go."
"And then if we haven't killed each other as Lina out it, we can come home for a bit and then plan America and go off again" Danny suggested.
Lina laid down on the grass taking in the sunlight "I can't believe we're going to do this."
Lucy laid down next to Lina "oh yeah you better believe it, baby, two years then Europe here we come."
***
Skip to the second day back to term Lina's last lesson for the day Potions, she gave Snape the note about the meeting, he nodded his head curtly obviously not pleased that he couldn't torment her for the whole duration of the lesson.
Lina was literally counting down the minutes to when she could leave and when it was five minutes until her appointment Lina raised her hand ready to ask to leave but Professor Snape pretended he couldn't see her, Lina tapped her quill against the desk hoping the noise would direct his attention over but that was ignored, she coughed loudly but was stilled ignored, it was only when Fred yelled OI! Very loudly that Snape finally turned around and Lina was allowed to leave.
Lina ran the short distance from the dungeon classroom to Professor Sprout's office that was by the greenhouse. She knocked on the office door slightly out of breath, she took deep breaths to steady herself and by the time the door was opened Lina was able to breathe normally.
"Good afternoon Miss Black" Professor Sprout said.
"Good afternoon Professor Sprout" Lina replied and then spotted Professor McGonagall sitting at the desk "hello Professor McGonagall."
Lina took a seat on the opposite side of the Professors "this meeting is just to talk over any career ideas you might be having in order to make you choosing subjects for N.E.W.Ts level easier" Professor Sprout said.
"I do believe you already have an idea about future careers Miss Lina?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"My goal is to become a healer" Lina uttered nervously, Professor McGonagall nodded.
"Do you know the results and subjects you need to get there?" Professor Spout asked.
Lina nodded "I talked to Madam Pomfrey when I had to pick my extra subjects, so I've got a good idea on what I need."
Professor McGonagall wrote down the notes to what Lina was saying, Lina couldn't help but wonder why she was here, maybe it was because Professor McGonagall always looked out for her.
"Well Miss Black you have good grades, Arithmancy needs a bit of work but there really is no reason why you shouldn't pass your O.W.Ls or be able to excel in N.E.W.Ts level wither" Sprout said, "are you happy to continue all your subjects into N.E.W.Ts level?"
"Well, if possible I would like to give up, I'm passing but like you said it needs work, I don't really get it," Lina said.
"That can be arranged," Professor McGonagall said, "I've also arranged for you to start helping out in the hospital wing starting next year."
Lina's mouth popped open "thank you, Professor."
"Well, I think that's everything covered," Professor Spout said clapping her hands together.
"You're free to go, Miss Lina," McGonagall said, "and don't worry about going back to your potions lesson, it will be ending soon enough."
"Thank you again Professors" Lina left the office, on the way back to the common room she was passed by the hospital wing. It was quiet and Madam Pomfrey was working at her desk, Lina was about to leave when Madam Pomfrey looked up, the pair looked at each other and smiled.
