There wasn’t much packing to do, at least on Dhruv’s part. That meant that they could enjoy the Feast that evening without anything urgent resting on their mind. The only thing that was left for them to do was make one final check over the Grounds; naturally that would be done in the morning before they all departed for their homes. The term may be almost at an end but it still meant that Dhruv wanted to ensure the Grounds were left in proper shape. It should be clear to anyone that they took pride in their work.

As usual, the DADA professor was one of the staff to arrive early. As they took their place at their assigned seat, they couldn’t help but think over about what an eventful year it had been, both in terms of the academic and calendar year. They were incredibly proud of Slytherin and their valiant efforts, as much as they were proud of the other Houses. Now, Dhruv was quite looking forward to be home for the summer, even more than they normally would have been.

What a time to be alive.

Hard to believe another term had come to an end. Quite a pleasant one too, which hopefully meant a pleasant summer awaited everyone as well.

But before summer could arrive, there was an End of Term Feast to be had!

Vashti had ensured that everything in her office, her classroom, and her luggage was in order earlier in the day. Files put away, books neat on the shelves, desks and chairs aligned, and everything in between, all neat and tidy for any summer cleaning and ready to be used once more the following term. She kept her things tidy anyway, and so it hadn't taken up too much of the day, which left her more than enough time to get ready and arrive early to the Great Hall.

"Good evening, Dhruv," she greeted them with a smile. "Congratulations to your house on the Quidditch Cup." Her grandson was, unsurprisingly, upset over it, but he would come to terms with it, she was sure. Both winning and losing were all part of the game.

She continued on and took her assigned seat further down the table.

What a night this will shape up to be. Ean had finished his packing as well, not that there was much for him to pack. It was a monumental moment, the first one of their kids would be graduating tonight. He had been able to watch Jan arrive at this very school and now to witness him depart for the last time... well, the depth of those feelings won't hit until much later.

Arriving, Ean wore his usual expression of calm and a pleasant smile. "Evening, Vashti." He greeted as they passed each other whilst making his way to sit next to Dhruv. It seems Kraetos hadn't arrived yet, which was nice, since he had a habit of leaving crumbs for him to wipe before he could sit down.

Under the table, Ean's hand gripped around his own knee before addressing Dhruv. "Well, it's the moment we've all been waiting for... I hope Kraetos brought some snacks for us this time." He might just have to sneak one or two to make waiting easier.


Fear not, hungry staff, Kraetos did have some snacks... but one might question the state of them. He took a gummy worm from the front of his dress shirt underneath the dress robes. After acknowledging Vashti with a quick 'hello' in between bites, he then plopped himself down in the chair. "Alright there, gentlemen?" He asked. Much better than cheese dust, eh?

"Looks like congratulations are due for your lions and snakes, winning those Cups." Kraetos knew it had to be a challenge. He himself being a former lion had a little more care towards how well they did. Taking the packet of gummy worms from his pocket, "Want one?" He'd offer to anyone within the vicinity, before the students arrived, of course.

Wilber had taken some extra time getting to the Feast thanks to his dear Demiguise companion, who had decided to take the feisty route after being told that he could not attend tonight’s festivities. Earl truly knows how to throw a fit - and not even the most skilled juggler could keep all those tantrum balls in the air at once. Needless to say, Earl hadn’t taken to the news calmly but with some extra placating that included the presentation of a tiny teddy bear to keep him occupied, he eventually dropped the attitude.

Fear not, colleagues and students! Wilber was here now.“Good evening, my dears, good evening,’’ Wilber remarked jovially, sweeping towards his seat as though he’d just completed a successful three-club cascade. “Are those the sweet kind, Kraetos? Earl loves those. You should stop by the office with some for him - he’s learned to juggle them before he eats them.” He chuckled at the memory. “Ean, Dhruv. I have no doubt you two have excellent plans for the next few months - just don’t drop any!” Wilber’s eyes twinkled knowingly. “Vashti, my dear. You look as lovely as always,’’ he added in his grandfatherly tone, balancing compliments like a pro.

“While we wait for this wonderful Great Hall of ours to fill, who can tell me what travels under Hogwarts’ occupants’ feet, but when it stops we can get off? And no, my dears, the answer is not ‘that professor who keeps juggling class schedules’!"

Jasmine had arrived to the dais in time to hear the Headmaster's joke. She made sure to pass by her colleagues on the one side of the table, giving Dhruv and Kraetos and Ean friendly shoulder squeezes in greeting. And was pleased to see that there was no cheese dust present in Kraetos hand. Gummy candy. "The sour kind is far superior," she grinned when she heard Wilbur mentioning it to hopefully be the sweet kind. Besides it wasn't like they were sour for too long. "Although truthfully I'm more of a chocolate connoisseur."

"Is it the floor, dear Wilbur? Oh wait, no... shoes?" She chewed her lower lip thoughtfully, settling into her seat and smiled warmly over at Vashti. "Any plans for the summer, Vashti? Do you still take part in flying?" She had taken the time to learn most of her colleagues past flying experiences.

He had been seated for some time already, though settled was perhaps too generous a word. He sat with the resigned poise of a man who had done all the packing he intended to do (precisely none beyond reorganizing a stack of essays, ensuring every corner of his classrooms and academic extensions was mercifully ink free, and the storeroom stench-free ) and who now had no excuse left to avoid attending the feast in its entirety. A certain wrapped parcel still remained in its wrappings but had migrated to his trunk ... where, theoretically, he might actually open it over the summer.

He offered his colleagues the usual polite nods and good evenings, even to - Merlin help them all - Kraetos, whose insufferable habit of extracting snacks of increasingly improbable consistencies continued unimpeded. "Congratulations," he offered mildly, making what for him qualified as an earnest attempt at small talk, "to all respective Houses on their Cup victories. I trust no one plans to commemorate the occasion by shedding crumbs on the staff table." His gaze cut pointedly toward Kraetos’s pocket. No gummy worms for him, thank you - and it would surely shock no one to learn he had an aversion to sweets.

Even as a student he had never been particularly invested in Cup standings, though he had paid marginally more attention this year thanks to his nephew’s growing enthusiasm for Gobstones - an enthusiasm, thankfully, rewarded by a successful term. Still, it was… unpleasant, to say the least, watching Ravenclaw fare less impressively overall. Alas, woe, and other such sentiments.

He would admit (privately) that the Lions pulling out the House Cup was objectively impressive considering the shambles they'd been in at the start of term. A true lesson in chaos theory, really: sometimes you shake the cauldron hard enough and something coherent sloshes out.

The Headmaster's riddle earned a slow blink, though he welcomed the mental distraction. "The moving staircases, Headmaster," he replied, "will be my contribution to the cauldron of thought." He hesitated a moment before indulging in a bit of whimsy - something the Headmaster did plenty for the lot of them. "Metaphorically, of course, the school term also 'moves under our feet'... and we 'get off' when it comes to a close and the halls empty."

Seriously, where had the time gone? One moment she was meeting with new prospective animangus students and the next, Aurora was wrapping up her last transfiguration lesson and submitting her grades at the end of term. It was a busy one for sure with ups and downs but they all seemed to be relatively unscathed as the End-of-Term feast came upon them. As usual the Entrance and Great Halls were abuzz with activity as students and staff gathered once more and the woman made her way to the staff table and her colleagues already there.

“Good evening,” she greeted with a bright smile as she took her seat at the end. Hearing the remark about moving staircases, Aurora wondered what was up with them since they had seemed fine on the way down from the sixth floor. The woman then realizing she must have missed the headmaster’s usual riddle. Oh well. “Congrats to everyone,” she added, the cups having decided fall across three of the four houses. Poor Ravenclaw the odd man out.



Would it have been nice for the Eagles to be claiming one of the cups that marked the unified work of their house members over the course of the term? Yes, of course. But as Marcus had said earlier to one senior student under his care who had been particularly disappointed, they had all put in their best and worked together and sometimes that matter more. The head of house always doing his best to encourage them through the tough times. Alas only the outgoing students didn’t have the option of “there’s always next year’ though they seemed already more caught up in what happened when they left these hallowed halls for the last time.

Slipping into the Great Hall from the back stairs since he knew he was running late as had become his norm dealing with last minute things, Marcus looked out into the gathering students as he moved to his seat. “Good evening everyone,” he greeted with a nod to each already there. Thankfully by the absence of food, the headmaster was there already but hadn’t made his speech.

Wilber chuckled heartily upon hearing Jasmine’s light pushback about sweet gummy worms. “Dearest Jasmine! I would not dispute you on that. Earl, however, would.” He winked before shaking his bald head, the crown which was glistening under the flames warming the Hall. “I’m afraid it’s neither, my dear. Your attempts are appreciated. Professor Cox on the other hand…” Wilber paused for dramatic effects. Really, what was life without a little suspense? “Has hit the nail on the head! The Moving Staircases is what I had in mind. Though I will certainly admire your literal reasoning about the term. It certainly went by quickly, did it not?” After greeting Aurora, Marcus and any other staff members that arrived before declaring, “Well, the time for the speech has arrived!”

Wilber rose from his comfortable throne, arms spread wide as though determined to embrace each person sitting in the Hall at once. “Good evening! As another Hogwarts year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the the happenings throughout that time.” He paused to gaze in the direction of each House Table. “This term has been filled with discoveries of all sorts both magical and personal. You have brewed potions both successful and… remarkably adventurous. You have cast spells that illuminated the classrooms at times. And you have shown, again and again, that courage comes in many forms - sometimes loud and blazing, sometimes small and steady.”

The Headmaster folded his hands, eyes twinkling. “To our first-years and transfer students: you arrived bright-eyed and nervous, and now stand a little taller, a little wiser, and just as bright-eyed, though perhaps more from late-night revising. To our older students: thank you for guiding the younger ones, intentionally or otherwise. And to our seventh-years… though your path soon carries you beyond these walls, remember: Hogwarts always takes its children back - though preferably not through a broken window.” Here, Wilber cast a sideways glance on either side of him, at the Professors sitting there. “I must, of course, acknowledge the tremendous efforts of our staff. Without them, your lessons would be far less enlightening, and the castle far more on fire.”

He now inclined his head, smile still in place. “Congratulations are in order for Gryffindor, who have once again proven that bravery, heart, and just a hint of healthy chaos can indeed triumph. Well done! Your House Cup win is well deserved.” There was a pause for applause. “Another round of enthusiastic appreciation, this time for Slytherin whose skill, strategy, and relentless ambition carried them to victory on the Quidditch pitch. A magnificent performance from start to finish.” Wilber halted in his speech yet again to facilitate the clapping. “Hufflepuff, champions of Gobstones! Patience, precision, and remarkable cheerfulness under pressure have earned you this achievement. Splendid work.” Wilber brought his hands together, clapping along with everyone, not just for Hufflepuff but for the other three as well. “A gentle reminder that each of the four Houses has won in some manner. While academics are important, I am quite pleased to see how well you bonded during our informal gatherings, especially that particularly memorable lakeside event that left even the merpeople rather intrigued. Remember, character building, friendship, and kindness remain far greater treasures.”

The old man spread his arms wide again. “So! Enough of my ramblings. Let us celebrate all that you have achieved. Rest well, return to your respective homes safely, and may your holiday be filled with joy, enjoyment, and minimal mischief… or at least mischief you don’t get caught for. Thank you. Enjoy the feast our House Elves have so delightfully prepared!” Wilber sat smoothly upon his throne once more, while simultaneously, the platters housed on each table were magically filled with deliciousness.

“Good evening, Vashti,” Dhruv greeted. They couldn’t help but smile at the congratulatory remarks. It gave them great pride that the Slytherin team had yet again played so spectacularly. “Thank you. Slytherin - and Hogwarts in general - has quite the talent pool, I daresay.” It gave them great joy just thinking of the bright futures the new professional players will have. Dhruv now chuckled and threw Ean an amused look. “I can see him making quite a mess with whatever snacks he brings along tonight.” Their occupied hand almost absently drew circles with their thumb as they spoke.

Speaking of Kraetos… That amused look Dhruv had been wearing earlier now shifted to the CoMC professor. “No complaints here. I see you’re already filling up your stomach.” Didn’t he ever spoil his appetite for actual food? “Appreciated, Kraetos. The Lions and Snakes certainly worked hard throughout the term. The same can be said for the Badgers and Eagles.” They will never not credit the other Houses for being worthwhile competition. Dhruv cast a look at Ean, an eyebrow slightly arched. Was he going to take up the gummy worm offer?

“Hello, Wilber.” It was always a joy to have the man in one’s company. Even with those juggling puns and bad dad jokes that were cleverly woven into each conversation. ‘Don’t drop any.’ The DADA professor laughed softly. “I assure you I would do no such thing to those plans of mine.” Especially since they involved little Zarri. Jasmine’s arrival took the pressure off of them of trying to figure out that riddle. Her shoulder squeezes reminded them of the sort Ean gave them when they were both fairly new staff members. In return, Dhruv - with the affection of a colleague - patted her hand.

While Dhruv had returned Cox’s greeting with a slight smile, they acknowledged the other words with thanks and another quiet laugh. “Many thanks. And I should hope not. It would be a pity if anyone got covered in cheese dust." Namely Ean and… Ravi? Since the dust most likely would go right through Marion. The arrivals of Aurora, Marcus and Sari surely meant the Feast could get started early? Everyone was here including Bleu.

Even the students were gathered, some arriving and greeting familiar faces with more enthusiasm than others.



Sarika was not at all the type to arrive among the last of her colleagues. However, she had been caught up in a Mirror call with Laz as they talked about the upcoming wedding plans. Still, she wasn’t late, having arrived almost at the same time as Marcus. After greeting everyone with her warm, husky voice, she took her place between Wilber and Jasmine. As usual, she sat there with her feet dangling juuust above the ground.

What was the divination professor thinking about? About the fact that she was eager to get home. Oh, don’t get her wrong; she was going to miss her students, even if she would be otherwise occupied. That thought in turn reminded her that the invitations were to be handed out to her colleagues at breakfast the next morning. For now, as the speech was over, Sarika quietly dove into her dinner.