Ella had seriously debated hiding out and avoiding the end of term feast. She knew she had a lot to be excited about…the feast meant summer and that meant seeing her family, and no more homework, and more free time to spend with friends. It also meant the she’d get to sit with her best friends and have one last meal before they all went their separate ways for the summer. …But people were leaving… Very important people… And Ella Bishop did not do well with goodbyes.

After crying all morning and avoiding things, the third year dried her eyes and got ready to go. She even put on a smile because the blonde refused to make any of the graduating students feel any worse than they might already be feeling. Deep breath. She could do this.

…

Plopping down at the Hufflepuff table, Ella chewed on her lip as she placed the gift she had got for Max under the table. She wasn’t even sure she was ready to give it to him truthfully, knowing she was going to lose it as soon as he started opening the box. Meep. Why did this have to be so hard?

Her green eyes then found the staff table, noting the empty seats of those Professors who had been…Gulp. She closed her eyes and looked quickly away. That kind of stuff was stuff she didn’t care to remember about this term.

Oh! And Alec was here…she hadn’t even seen him. The third year smiled over at her friend and scooted down a bit so she was sitting across from him, making sure to take the gift with her. “H-hey Hair Whipper.” She said as cheerfully as she could. “Ready for summer?”

And Soph was here too? When had she arrived? Ella waved her friend over as she wanted her people right now. That would make this much easier. "Hi Sophie!"