May 26th, 1894 — The Black Lake
Following the Coming Out Ball

Begin as you mean to go on.

Nearly eight years ago, a bright-eyed Madeline Bell had climbed onto a boat with her favourite cousin, set sail across this lake to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Now, she, the friendships she had developed, and the very world itself had grown and changed, the four now-adults climbing back into one of the charmed rowboats to make their final voyage across the lake.

Maddy's head was abuzz, not from the champagne (she had had only one glass to steady her nerves, shortly after making her entrance) but from the momentousness of the occasion: when they stepped upon the shore of Hogsmeade, they would no longer be students, but whatever it was they had once wished to be when they grew up.

(Maddy herself was still waiting to hear back from the quidditch teams with which she had been speaking.)

"When I arrived at Hogwarts," she laughed, "tonight seemed as though a far-off dream!"

Alcyone Slughorn Calla Potts Sisse Thompsett

  

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— Bree is a graphics genius ♡ —

The night had made Calla... itchy. It was strange and unsettling to think that after today, she would never again roam the halls of the place that had been part of her life for seven years and held some of her most significant memories. It was exciting and alarming all at the same time. As much as she was ready to move on and begin the next stage of her life, deep down she wasn't really sure she was ready to grow up at all yet. But time forced her hand as much as it did everyone else's and she really didn't have that much of a choice. Her things were packed and on their way home and they surely wouldn't let her back into the castle to curl into bed.

"I'm not sure I thought of this night at all." Calla confessed, looking up at Maddy and the other two girls in the boat. The four of them were all that was left of their once massive friend group. The thought sent a sharp pang through her. Alice and Sloane both should have been here on this night. Alice should have been able to finish her last two years of school after all she was the one who had wanted it... needed it the most. And Sloane... Sloane should have been alive. It felt wrong to be here seven years later closing the page without the one she'd started it with.

But there was good in it all. She had enjoyed the night of dancing. And even if Alice hadn't been able to come back with them in the boat or walk down the stairs, she had been there. "And I'm not entirely convinced this isn't a dream and I'm not going to wake up tomorrow morning in the castle still."

  

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look at the pretties mj made me!!!

"It does feel a bit like a dream." Sisse admitted from her seat on the bench. The row boat felt so much smaller now then it had the last time she had been in it. Layers of silk and tulle, petticoats and skirts surrounded them. No longer were they the eager young first years they had been, but instead ladies of society.

The whole evening had a gilded shine to it, an endless moment of hope and cheer. Her cheeks felt tight from smiling and her eyes were bright. She didn't want to consider what they were sailing away from, what had been, only what was to come. She reached forward, grabbing Maddy and Calla's hands as they were the closest to her, and catching the eyes of the other three girls. "But no matter what, we've got each other." She promised fervently as the boat began to move into deeper water.

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

It had been surreal to be at the Coming Out Ball as one of the freshly minted debutantes. She was leaving much as she had arrived all those years ago. She kept gazing back at the castle as it became slowly more distant from them.

She was surprised she had not messed up entirely or tripped on the hem of her Sisse-designed gown. She was also saying goodbye to the constant playing of Quidditch and hello to the world of social niceties. Though she did still plan to play recreationally.

She giggled mischievously as her friends all likened things to being some sort of dream. "Should I pinch you all and see if you awaken?" She asked as she made a teasing reach towards Sisse before resting her hand against her hands against each of her hands that had grabbed onto the other two so that they were all sort of linked now. "Indeed we do and I am sure we will be able to see Alice more often now!" That was a bonus but the unsaid echo was that they would not have the same chances with Sloane since she was gone entirely.

  

At the offer of a pinching, Maddy squealed and shimmied as far from her cousin as the small boat would allow, laughing as she did so.

"It was lovely for Alice to come this evening," she said after agreeing with Alcyone. "I think it must have been difficult, at least in some degree. But now, she need not be left out anymore!"

Alcyone Slughorn Calla Potts Sisse Thompsett

  

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— Bree is a graphics genius ♡ —

"No!" Sisse pulled back with a tiny shriek of surprise, mirthful giggles quickly following. "Don't you dare Allie, you shall ruin my night entirely if I fall in."

"It was lovely to see her." Sisse sighed in agreement. Tonight was not the night to dwell on the whatifs and could have beens. On the fact that she had thought that Alice deserved this chance every bit as much as the rest of them. "It had to have been." Because even if Sisse didn't want to dwell on such matters, she knew that Alice likely had been. "But you are both right, it shall be perfect to see her more. Letters simply are not the same as a visit."

  

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Thank you Bee <3 Your magic has made Sisse bloom

"I think," Calla said sagely, hands going to grip the end of the boat and schooling her expression into one fear though it quickly broke back into a smile, "That if anything might see us in the water, it isn't the pinching... but all the wiggling you all are doing." Then the corners of her lips turned up and she shifted her weight and pulled on the edges of the boat, causing it to rock ever so slightly. She wouldn't actually tip the boat - the dresses Sisse designed were far to pretty for that and dips in the Black Lake tended to end poorly for them - but a little threat was easily taken for a joke.

But then she let go and let Sisse take her hand, sobered by the mention of Alice. So she hadn't been the only one thinking of their friend. "It will still be different," she warned, not wanting to turn the conversation downwards but also not wanting her friends to be unprepared. "Alice's family runs on a very different budget than ours and that will become even more apparent outside of school when everything isn't included. I'm not saying not to invite her. I miss her dearly, but just... to keep it in mind? Oh, we should find out what days she works and we can all plan a picnic. If everyone just brings one dish it won't be expensive for anyone. We'll invite the boys too - Lester, Cameron, and Ned. Oh, it will be lovely! Please, girls?! Tell me you would want to!"

  

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look at the pretties mj made me!!!

"I agree," Alcyone said with a smile as Maddy mentioned how lovely it had been to see Alice. Then Calla began talking about how it would still different. Alcyone wasn't really sure why, they all knew what she was saying already. Even so, she nodded to show she understood.

"We most certainly should have a picnic," she said in ready agreement to that idea. Not that she would do any of her own cooking. She would likely bother Cook for some morsels. And it wouldn't cost her a thing so would hardly be expensive.