Hirsch was oddly surprised to find that he was receiving a nod from Dora and not something along the lines of a scowl or a rolling of the eyes. It didn't matter if this was only a start or a one-off or if the nod was more out of politeness than anything else, he was going to accept it.

But before he could say anything, suddenly there was an outburst from the person he had clapped on the shoulder. He looked around and withdrew his hand instantly, as though it had been shocked. "No no, I should be sorry," he said, still smiling somewhat. A smile that, actually, grew when he heard about Mason's opinion of the years spent at school. It as funny, actually, because looking back, Hirsch felt as though the time spent at school was too small and here Mason was, more than ready to leave. "Crazy is one word for it. Eight years is a really long stretch, especially if you were just starting," he mused, "Give it a couple of years, your time spent here will look more like one big blur than anything else. But you're going onto bigger and exciting things now." Did he have plans?

The wiping of the eyes hadn't gone unnoticed but for Rooney's sake, he wasn't going to make a point of mentioning it. It was probably to be expected, actually, but something that wasn't was the question. Hirsch, looking slightly amused now, shook his head. "I think she's letting it slide. It's not everyday that you graduate, is it? Besides, that was a nice display of magic and theatrics." A combination that suited the boy very much.

He opened his mouth to launch into his speech but before he could do so, Gaston was here, talking to the boys as well. The Defence Professor stepped aside to let them talk, giving them some form of privacy in the form of looking around at the Ravenclaw table. Green eyes landed on one Kyle Baker and he decided, maybe, he should say something to the quiet boy. "Mr Baker? I just wanted to say congratulations for the IMPS challenge. You did an exceptional job." Even if some of the challenges were..... well.

A fleeting smile was given to the boy and another one to Gaston as he left. There was a sense of understanding there but he didn't dwell on it, not when he had a few things to say as well. So, he turned back to Rooney and Mason and took a deep breath. "I'm not very good at this so I'll keep this...... short." Or try to. "I want to say congratulations, firstly, for graduating. A lot of hard work and effort would've gone into this, I'm sure. Both of you have grown remarkably over the years and shown attributes that would make Rowena herself proud. In fact, I'm proud to call you my students." He didn't own them, of course, but they were in his house and he did feel a sense of protectiveness over them. "So good luck for the future and know that I'm always here for you, should you two need anything." And he did expect to hear about what they were up to. Just saying.

"Lady Helena, good evening," said Kitty to the Ravenclaw ghost as she floated past her. "How are things?" She loved their ghost and would never pass up the chance at a conversation.

She waved and smiled back at Professor Hirsch as he went to embrace Mason and Rooney. Seeing the exchange brought tears to her eyes, which she quickly wiped away. Then Headmistress Hawthorne spoke, bringing everything else to a temporary pause. Kitty knew Regina must have felt proud for Ilvermorny, since she taught there before teaching at Hogwarts. Kitty also felt happy for the Ilvermorny students, and she clapped enthusiastically with everyone else when Kyle was congratulated. Where was he anyway? Craning around to look, she realized with a happy start that he was sitting at their table. Ooh now she had meet him!

"Congratulations Kyle!" she called out across the table, beaming at the champion. "I was cheering for everyone, you know, so I don't mind Hogwarts didn't win. You were great out there!" Everyone was talking and he was a few seats away from her, but she made sure he heard her anyway by leaning forward and raising her voice. She beamed at him again at the close of her words.

Turning back to Mason, she listened with wide eyed curiosity as he explained his post-Hogwarts plans. "Seeing every library would be cool," she admitted, smiling. "I wonder if there are libraries bigger than Hogwarts in the world." She wanted to say good luck. "Well, um, I just want you to know it was a pleasure knowing you and I hope you are happy and succeed wherever you go." Even if they technically didn't know each other well, she wished the best for all her classmates.

She beamed at Emma when she said yes to writing. "Brilliant!" she said, taking her quick quotes quill out of her bag along with parchment and giving it to her new friend. After she'd written down her address, Kitty wrote hers down and exchanged it. "We'll be friends forever now," she said in satisfaction. "I'll write my first letter tomorrow night from home. Well, if mom doesn't give me a mountain of chores. If she does then the next day I'll write." No way was this a permanent goodbye!

"Thank you Dora, and you too" Kitty said, smiling at the Gryffindor girl as she passed her. "I'll miss you!" Which she would. Dora was one of the people she wanted to get to know more next year.

It was odd, really, because Rooney Bronwyn was a boy of theatrics and while she didn't approve of some of his methods (she hadn't forgotten the table-jumping incident), she was still rather fond of him. "I'm glad you've taken note of those words, Mr Head Boy." There was a smile on her lips before she continued, "You're going to go very far, indeed. I don't doubt it for one minute."

Her Ladyship was often a ghost of a quiet and timid nature so the voice of an unknown young girl talking directly to her came as a surprise. "Hello, Miss. I am Lady Helena, the ghost of Ravenclaw Tower." She seemed polite and not at all as loud and rambunctious as the Lady might have feared. "I'm glad to hear it. It's a shame that your stay has come to an end so soon. Are you excited to go back?" The castle had seemed... louder than usual this term.

The Charms Professor was a respectful man. "Good evening, Professor," she said, returning the smile and the bow with one of her own, "Doing well, I hope?" She hoped he hadn't been put off by the loud Gryffindors; news travelled even amongst the ghosts.

Here was a student she liked to talk to, no matter what the occasion. The Prefect was nice and polite and had a sense of wisdom about her. "Good evening, Miss Kitty," she said, smiling at the Ravenclaw Prefect, "Things are well, though I will miss the castle being full of students." It would be quieter and that was how she preferred it, yes, but the few months of student-free Hogwarts always left an odd feeling. As if there was something missing. "How are things with you? Looking forward to your summer?"

Somehow knowing that the graduates from Hogwarts were in the same boat as she was, in terms of life's decisions, made embracing graduation much more bearable. Louise smiled warmly about Mason's sentiments. "Traveling the world and seeing different libraries sounds like a grand gesture. That probably would have made the prize money even more appealing, is if it didn't have to be used for university. I mean, who's to say we even have to go, right?" She laughed a little. But then there were hugs and exchanges and death squeezes, so instead the Thunderbird's eyes drew towards the others around the table.

The female Ravenclaw champion seemed polite enough; quiet, but polite. "Good luck to you. I have no doubts you will do wondrous things with your remaining time in school." Even if the girl hadn't made it past the first challenge, it was one in which she battled a dementor. That was a challenge in itself and for it to eat away all your happiness, that was a definitive feat for all champions to complete that task.

"I hope I don't either," Louise smiled graciously at the younger girl and her smiled broadened about Ilvermorny hosting. "It would be nice if in the future, Hogwarts could be hosted someplace, but..." she paused, glancing over the Gryffindor table for a moment, before back to Kitty. "I'm not sure you could handle our grounds." Even if she did happen to have bias about Ilvermorny being the better of the two schools, she was under no illusions that it was not for everyone.

Aw! Her younger housemate! Now was Louise's moment to not be surrounded by hugging, because the seventh year couldn't help but envelop the girl a hug of her own. "Emma!" She was NOT going to cry. "Stay sweet, always. And just ... don't forget to live." She whispered into the girl's hair. And her eyes might have been welling up some, but Louise was determined to keep herself together. "I'll miss you, but I promise to write. Only if you promise to keep me updated on all Ilvermorny shenanigans." Also about herself, but that was a given.

When she felt an arm around her shoulder, Louise at FIRST instinct thought it was Maddox Allen, but turned instead to see the smiling face of the Head Boy. The same one who had tossed autographed pictures over all the tables. This was unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome, as they were both in the same shoes in terms of graduation. "Honestly? Excited and relieved, but sentimental." She laughed. "And I suspect I might be crossing the ocean more than just once more in the near future." Louise had plans to greet her parents for an official American-style graduation, but hoped she wouldn't be tied to American soil for too long. "Be great, which I'm sure you will. And I'll make sure to keep this for when you're rich and famous," she smiled, dragging one of his cards and stashing it in her bag. That was when she remembered there books in there to return to someone. Giving the head boy a proper hug, she leaned in and kissed each of his cheeks. "Congratulations."

There was the Ravenclaw house ghost; Louise had thought she had seen the Slytherin one and Gryffindor one around. Brushing up on her Hogwarts History had its advantages in at least recognizing their ghosts. "Good evening," Louise greeted. "It was a very memorable last term, thank you."

Then her former defense professor, aka current Hogwarts Headmistress had stood up for her speech and the initial words were irrelevant, but there was pride when the competition was mentioned and the competitors showing skill and endurance. Applauding both herself and fellow competitors, she smiled down at Kyle who had won the standoff. She was super proud of him and knew he would make great use of the scholarship monies. And graduation, to which she rose when Hawthorne indicated, and now her eyes were positively welling up at her kind words. Thank you she mentally thought as she took her seat again.

The presence of the defense and charms professors down at the Ravenclaw table hadn't distracted her too much, since they wanted to see their own students who were graduating, didn't they? Except, when she heard Miss Hamilton, she turned from her feast and found herself face-to-face with the charms professor, who seemed in far better spirits than most of the term. A chocolate frog? That was surprising, but she smiled nonetheless because it was a sweet gesture.

"Thank you, Professor."

And he was gone, but then she realized she ought to return the books before she forgot. Even if she could always owl a parcel from the states, she wanted to do it in person. Picking up her bag, she wheeled herself in the direction of the staff dais.