graduation day 2.0
Ethan had been waiting for a year. One whole year for this day to arrive and finally it did. It seemed to have taken forever; things always did when you wanted them to hurry up. It had been a good few months since he’d last seen Astoria and now he was ready to pull her in for a kiss and to hold her in his arms.
Since Theon’s unexpected death, Ethan felt lonelier than ever. Work wasn’t as fun anymore (Hamish had lost his spark of joy since Theon passed) and with Astoria finishing her final year at Hogwarts, he didn’t have many people that he could see on a regular basis. Sure, there was Sirius, Grace, James, Lily, but they all had their own lives and it was a rarity if they ever got a chance to see each other. Grace was perhaps the only one he saw regularly, just to check on her and ensure that life was treating her well since everything fell apart.
But today was a day for celebration. It almost felt like Christmas.
With a loud crack exploding into the atmosphere, Ethan apparated from his home in London to just outside of the castle. Tucked away in his pocket was a bag, to which inside he had a bottle of the finest champagne he could find, a graduation card and a copy of Elton John’s Greatest Hits Vol. II; only because she wasn’t aware of who he was when they discussed Christmas music prior to their Christmas together last year.
Ethan made his way across the bridge and stepped in through the grand entrance to Hogwarts. It felt so nostalgic; he felt as though he was just returning home and his knowledge of knowing his way around the castle came back to him in an instant. He steadily made his way to the Great Hall, straightening his jacket as walked. Upon his arrival, he saw a couple of familiar faces (primarily professors) and made his way to a spare seat towards the front. He wanted Astoria to be able to spot him when she was up at the front with all the professors, shaking their hands as she graduated. His heart was beating hard in his chest - most likely out of nerves but also excitement. He was so proud of her and yet the ceremony hadn’t even begun yet.
