Serendipity (S. Black)

FIFTY-THREE

"every new beginning is some other beginning's end"

*

And just as quickly as it began, the school year came to a close. After they completed N.E.W.T. examinations, the seventh years were given the last two weeks of the term to do with what they chose. Eva spent many of these days out by the lake or playing Quidditch with her friends. Everyone used their time to the fullest, knowing that after they left Hogwarts, life would never again be the same.

The Marauders landed themselves a final detention with McGonagall for using illegally-brewed Polyjuice Potion to become four extra Professor Slughorns and docking points from Slytherin. This little trick led to the confiscation of the Marauder's Map, which had fallen out of James' pocket as the band of identical Potion's Masters ran down the halls, but they didn't regret the prank. Just as they desired, they would go out with a bang, and so they did.

While it wasn't widely known that Sirius Black asked Eva Taylor to marry him in the dead of night in his dormitory, those who did find out couldn't help expressing their excitement for the young couple. Dumbledore offered his congratulations to them one night after running into them in the hallway. Regulus snuck out of Charms to give them both tight hugs before winking and headed back before Professor Flitwick even noticed he was gone. 

Lily photographed these last few golden weeks and added them to her album, smiling to herself as the pages filled up. She thought that maybe someday when they were old, maybe forty, she didn't know, they would look back and fondly remember being eighteen and reckless.

On the day of graduation, two days before they would leave the castle potentially forever, Eva stood outside amidst a group of her scarlet-robes peers, practically quivering with excitement. As everyone expected, the Marauders were the last in their entire year to show up. Eva only caught snippets of their bickering, but it sounded like they arrived late because Sirius kept redoing his hair. When he walked up to receive his diploma and tried to kiss Professor McGonagall for a final time, Eva noticed that his dark mane of hair did indeed look very nice.

When Professor Dumbledore called her name, Eva actually tripped on her robes. James wolf-whistled for her until Remus smacked him in the head. Grinning, she shook hands with the Headmaster and then approached Professor McGonagall, who was trying to hide an amused smile of her own. Eva meant to just smile and thank her favorite teacher, but she threw that plan out the window and hugged the witch. After the initial surprise wore off, Minerva hugged the girl back.

"Thank you for everything," Eva whispered. "Really. You've done so much for all of us and you've always believed in me."

McGonagall patted her cheek fondly. "There's no need to thank me. Do me a favor, though, and take care of those boys. I won't be there to look after them."