Noon- two, all the kiddos who are graduating this year are given awards, diplomas, degrees, and all sorts of other prizes.

(Reply) (Thread)

Michi had watched the whole ceremony proudly, with Monkey in her lap. "Izzy, lookit yer ma," she pointed as Hunter walked across the stage to receive her degree. The whole thing was crazy, she couldn't believe Hunter and Mack were graduating already.

After the ceremony, she ran up trying not to her heel stuck in the quodpot field as she skipped forward. "Hey boo!" she called out, waving an arm over her head.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

Even when Hunter was walking across the stage, making sure to grin big for her photograph while she shook the Headmaster's hand and took her diploma, it all seemed surreal. Could it really be over just like that? It felt like just yesterday that she and Mack were just kids, worried that she wouldn't even get to come to Blue Ridge. But now it was over, almost nine years all together, and she could barely believe that she had made it so far. Her road was marred with more than her share of screw-ups and trouble, granted, but she had made it none the less. On top of being a parent, she was actually a graduate, and more importantly now, an actual certified auror.

Getting a real job was going to be weird, but she knew that it was a necessity. She still hadn't told her parents about her engagement or Izzy yet, and she had a feeling that they wouldn't take kindly to the news or to him, even if he was her son. They would probably be more mad that she hadn't given birth herself. It felt like all they had ever expected out of her. They hadn't even shown up to her graduation, or sent word that they wouldn't be coming. She could practically imagine them bitching now about how they wouldn't be giving her cash to be spending their hard-earned money on some runaway whore's baby. Hard-earned being their own words whenever they tried to prove a point to their daughter; Hunter was sure they had never earned a single thing they had in their lives. It made her sneer. Her mother and father had been born with silver spoons in their mouths, and so had she. It would be there still if she played by the rules, had married someone they approved of by now and not been a witch. But playing to their standards was never Hunter's style, and she was going to earn her own damn money and take care of her own damn business, even if it was going to be a rough start. She didn't need them, and they could be damned if they were rude to her or Michi when she told them about their little family.

She made her way off the stage, the realization sinking in that she needed to look for a job and she might not have a summer vacation this year, as Michi and Izzy came bounding toward her. She had her graduation cap crookedly on her head, grinning widely at the sight of them, and jogging the rest of the way across the green to meet them. "Hey you," she greeted Michi, leaning in to kiss her cheek before dropping her rolled up diploma into her fiance's purse, and liberating Izzy from her arms. She immediately began showering his face in kisses once she had him propped up comfortably in the crook of her arm. "And ma's lil slugger, I didn't forget about you!"

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

Michi had briefly wondered about Hunter's parents, they certainly wouldn't like the path that their daughter choose. Michi didn't care what anyone else thought though; she and Hunter knew that they were going to be fine, they had each other and they were happy.

"Lookit y'all," Michi beamed at the older girl. "A graduate, a parent, engaged. What the hell happened this year?" she asked giving her a playful kiss on the lips.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

"Crazy, right? I actually got my life together, what's that all 'bout?" Hunter laughed, brushing her nose against the other girl's as they kissed. "Gotta grow up pretty quick with the little guy," she agreed. Even if she hadn't been acting entirely grown up in the last week, getting into fights of her own and getting drunk just before Izzy had been born. But she had been trying her very best, for what it was worth, and now it was sort of paying off.

"I don't even got the lowest grades in my class," she grinned.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

"I don't know but I certainly feel like the luckiest bitch alive," she said nuzzling into Hunter. "Even if you did act like a damn fool last week... you was standing up for our boy," she smiled warmly. "No one messes with him, not with two mama bears around."

"Well I always told ya if you applied your damn self you would get better grades," she laughed. "Yer way smarter than you give yourself credit for babe."

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

Jenny was overwhelmed by graduation day as a whole, but she was also incredibly hyped up and ready to go. Her legs had been shaking as she crossed the stage to receive her diploma, shaking hands with the Headmaster and Professor Sweet's hand, it felt like her legs were still made of jelly as she took a seat and watched Ella head up next. Reverse alphabetical order was working in their favor, and with a 'P' last name, they were two of the first few to get their presentations. That was a relief.

There were still awards and commendations and things to give, not to mention her closing speech of the afternoon as Headgirl representing the class of 2012. That was the worrying part. She had rehearsed all week, and she still didn't feel like her speech covered or addressed anything she wanted it to. Hell, it didn't feel like it even addressed anything relevant. She pulled herself together just as she was climbing back on stage, clearing her throat and launching into the speech that she had memorized from her cue cards. It was like a blur of moments before it was all officially over, and everyone was ushering their off the field, people walking in all directions with little clusters of their family and friends.

It was Ron that suggested a late lunch, their family and the Turners, and the Donnellys while they were at it. Madeline and her father had been chatting about 'their girls' ever since they left the ceremony; neither Ella or Sera looked as embarrassed as she felt, and Tatum looked. Jenny found herself biting her tongue as her ever free spirited dad began musing aloud while they walked, asking Madeline why they had all never been out together before. She caught Paula's eyes before looking away. She knew just as well as most of the rest of the family that this was only happening because Sera's father wasn't there in the picture. He had been the reason that the Donnellys and Parrys had never eaten dinner together, or got together, like two normal sets of in-laws. With him gone, there was no more hiding the nature of their relationship and walking on eggshells about it. They could have family days like this now, all of them. She found herself holding Sera's hand, just because she could.

It was lucky that their parents gave them some time to get ready before lunch though, as Jenny was pretty sure that she was going to die without a cigarette. She knew that she'd end up smoking half a pack at the party later, so she had been trying to contain herself, but the aftermath of the speech and ceremony still had her shaken up. She was graduated, a university student now, and she had gotten through her speech without looking like a total dolt. She deserved a cigarette. Letting her mom and dad lead Madeline and the Turners away, Jenny was quick to head up to she and Ella's room, changing out of her gown at least, and fixing up her hair. There wasn't much to choose from as far as wardrobe went, most of their things were packed for the summer, but she had an outfit from under her gown that was just fine. Ron had said half an hour before they'd come back for the kids, so with fifteen to spare, she snuck out of Quirank and headed toward the back of the building. She'd charm the tobacco smell away before either Paula or Ron caught on.

She was leaned against the back wall of Quirank's dorm building, distracted with digging in her purse and looking for a lighter, when she heard the flick of one right in front of her. Looking up to see Rath standing there, lighter lit and waiting to light her up, she just about jumped out of her skin. "Jesus, you scared me!" she told him, before leaning her head forward and letting him light the cigarette for her. She didn't even know that he knew about her smoking, but he had never been one to let much slip by, no matter how much weed he smoked. He could be an observant as his sister. He had probably smelled it on her before, Sera too. "Sneaking in a joint before we eat?" she asked, smiling. "Get lonely?"

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

Rath had always hated formal gatherings, it was just a part of who he was. He preferred laid back gatherings with weed and beers but Madeline was never one for that sort of activity. Speaking of Madeline... he didn't know how to be around her anymore. He was exceptionally proud of her for leaving their father and he loved her to death, she had to be the most wonderful step mother of all time and she had always been there for him and Tatum. He just felt awkward knowing everything he knew. It was also a pain in the ass to be in the presence of other adults because they were always asking what he was going to do after graduation or what he was doing at the moment. It was a pain in the ass because he had no long term plans, he just wanted to bake food and smoke weed, which was a great conversation starter when he was talking to his little sister's girlfriend's parents.

Then inevitably... they would ask about any lovely ladies that had caught his attention. Why the fuck did they always have to bring that up? He couldn't talk about his involvement in a love triangle with his best friend and his girlfriend. He also couldn't talk about how they lived in France and the only way he had been able to see them lately was on skype. Awkward.

He thought he wanted to be alone so he hustled out behind University house to smoke but before long he realized he didn't want to be alone. He walked over to Quirank, predicting one of those girls would be out there having a nervous cigarette before the firing squad. They all thought they were so coy but Rath was on to them. Sure enough, Jenny popped out just as he was settling against the wall.

Rath smirked at her reaction then lit his joint. "Hell yeah I'm sneaking in a joint," he laughed. "I couldn't stand in front of them without it," he admitted. "It's gonna be so fuckin' weird," he hooked an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a half hug. "Congrats by the way future little sis," he teased. "Graduating and everything. Are you ready for this monstrosity of a dinner?"

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

"It's not gonna be that weird," Jenny insisted, leaning lazily into the arm he had around her shoulders. She took a drag from her cigarette, turning her head to exhale. "It could be much worse, I mean.. Hendrix's dad is a little rude, but everybody seems to be getting along, right? I'm just glad that ceremony is over," she admitted. She had been excited and well-prepared for it, but it was like a weight lifted off of her shoulders. It hadn't been an easy year to be Headgirl, and she was sort of looking forward to passing the title on. Mysterious things happening that she couldn't do anything about while she was in office hadn't been part of her plan.

"Either way, thank you.. and I'm as ready as I'm going to get. I'll have to charm the smell off of myself before we go, mom could pick it off of me in a crowd no problem. And if I get a smoking lecture during dinner, then I'm not ready for that," she laughed. She really had meant to quit, they both had almost as soon as they got back together, but it just hadn't quite happened yet. Having Meka and Tatum around to bum off of hadn't helped much, but she couldn't blame them. "What about you? You're okay.. with your mom and everything? She has been really supportive about this whole thing," the blonde asked a little cautiously.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

He laughed and kissed the top of her head. "A little rude? He's a total misogynist and homophobe. How comfortable do you think this is gonna be? Especially when all the adults start asking where my girlfriend is," he said with a grin. "Hey, you did alright kid, the best speech I've head at a graduation in a long time. I don't even remember who gave the speech at my own graduation," he admitted after taking a drag from his joint. If he was being entirely honest though, he would have admitted to how much pot he and Tatum had smoked before their graduation from the academy.

"If they don't know I smoke by now, they're helplessly unaware," he laughed. He had tried to cover it up while he was in the academy but things changed when he shipped off to Paris. He stopped hiding himself and hiding the things that he did despite how much his parents disapproved.

"I'm super proud of Madeline... mom," he corrected himself. He had been doing ti all his life. "After everything with Tate and Sera she was there but it took her so long and I was so mad at her for the longest time," he shook his head. "But I wasn't just mad at her, turns out I was mad at myself for not doing anything to help." It was the most honest thing he had said at all about the whole situation.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)