Chương 324: Ch314- Farewell

Cassian and Bathsheda lingered by the entrance, watching the steady stream of students flood down the steps toward the carriages and the train beyond. Trunks thumped against stone, pets complained from cages, and someone had already started arguing about seat reservations like it was a life-or-death matter. Cassian folded his arms.

"Every year they act like the train's going to leave without them if they don't sprint." Bathsheda glanced at a group of third-years nearly tripping over each other.

"It might, if they keep that up." A first-year boy skidded to a halt in front of them, nearly dropping his trunk.

"Professor... Professor Rosier, uh, bye!" Cassian looked him over.

"You survived the year. That's already an achievement." The boy grinned, then bolted before he could be assigned homework out of habit. Alys passed, dragging her case with Grim Fawley walking beside her. She gave Bathsheda a quick hug without breaking stride. Bathsheda had helped her more than once that year.

"Thank you," she said, already moving. Bathsheda smiled after her.

"Write if you need anything." Cassian tilted his head.

"No hug for me? I'm wounded." Grim gave him a look.

"You assigned three extra essays in the last week." Cassian grinned.

"Have to earn the surname somehow." Grim rolled his eyes. They moved on. Luna drifted through like she wasn't in a rush at all. She stopped in front of Cassian and held out a small folded paper.

"I made a list of spoon formations that might improve message delivery," she said. Cassian took it.

"I'm both concerned and impressed."

"You should be both," Luna said cheerfully, then leaned in and hugged him lightly before wandering off toward the carriages. Cassian watched her go.

"That one's going to rewrite something important and not tell anyone." Bathsheda smiled.

"She already has." Colin came barrelling in from somewhere behind them like a misplaced explosion.

"Professor!" He crashed into Cassian again, arms tight.

"Alright," Cassian said, patting his back.

"You'll knock me off the steps at this rate."

"Worth it," Colin said, beaming as he pulled back. Ron was mid-rant about luggage space as their group climbed down the stairs, arms moving like he could argue the trunk into expanding.

"It's not fitting. I've tried angles. I've tried force. It refuses."

"That's because you packed without drafting a blueprint first. I told you to draw at least three drafts," Hermione said, not looking up from the parchment she'd somehow still found time to read on.

"It's called trusting fate."

"It's called believing miracles," Dean cut in. They ended up clustering near Cassian and Bathsheda.

"You lot arguing about luggage again?" he said.

"Fascinating. Truly the final lesson of Hogwarts." Ron pointed at the trunk with a huff.

"Can you expand it, sir?"

"Of course he can't. It's against the law," Hermione replied. Cassian nodded.

"I'm with Granger." Ron looked betrayed.

"You're meant to support me."

"I support good decisions," Cassian said.

"This isn't one of them." Seamus snorted. Lavender laughed outright. Neville stepped forward, hands stuffed in his pockets.

"Sir." Cassian looked him over.

"Longbottom." Neville huffed a small laugh.

"Thanks. For... the plant thing. And the rest."

"You kept at it," Cassian said.

"That's what matters." Neville nodded, then glanced at Bathsheda.

"Both of you." The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Bathsheda smiled.

"You'll do well."

"Reckon I might," he said, and shoulders squared. Lavender stopped in front of Cassian.

"If I manage the potion over summer, I'm writing to brag."

"Do that and make it insufferably detailed," Cassian said.

"Otherwise I'll assume you gave up and took up knitting."

"I could do both," she shot back.

"Ambitious." Parvati leaned in and hugged Bathsheda.

"Thank you. For not letting us panic every five minutes." Seamus pushed forward, dragging Dean with him.

"Sir," Seamus said, "if I accidentally set something on fire-""When," Dean cut in.

"-when I set something on fire, I'll say it was part of advanced training." Cassian nodded.

"Make sure you sound confident. People believe anything if you say it like that." Dean grinned.

"We've learnt from the best."

"I'll deny everything." Hermione approached. She hesitated a second, then straightened.

"Professors," she said, "We've been lucky to have you both, really lucky." Cassian grinned, "No extra points." She huffed, then turned to Bathsheda and hugged her.

"Thank you." Bathsheda squeezed her shoulder.

"Aim high."

"I will." Ron stuck out a hand. Cassian took it.

"Thanks," Ron said.

"For... not making everything worse."

"High praise," Cassian said. Harry stepped forward, swallowing.

"Before you removed it... it was always there. Like I was one mistake away from losing control." His jaw tightened slightly.

"It's gone now. You didn't just help us," he said.

"You gave me... freedom. In my own head." He hesitated, then stepped forward and pulled Cassian into a quick, firm hug. Cassian gave a pat on his shoulder.

"Good. Don't waste it."

"Thanks." Harry stepped back, glancing once at Bathsheda.

"Both of you," he added. Then he turned before it became something harder to leave.

"Try not to let the place fall apart." Draco's mouth twitched.

"I expect it returned the same way."

"Not letting you lot in, ever." Theo stood beside him.

"If anything goes wrong, I'll assume you caused it."

"Rude," Cassian said. Pansy rolled her eyes.

"He absolutely did." She stepped in and hugged Bathsheda.

"Take care of him."

"I'll try," Bathsheda said.

"You fail," Pansy replied, then smirked at Cassian.

"Don't get boring."

"I'll do my worst." Millicent gave Bathsheda a hug that lasted a second longer than most, then stepped back without a word. Tracey pointed her finger at Cassian.

"When I end up in trouble-""I didn't get your owl," he said. She grinned.

"Thought so." Daphne stood a little apart, watching the rest before stepping forward.

"Can't imagine Hogwarts without you two. Not only the classes... everything you've done for us."

"Daphne." Astoria's voice came from behind her, a little breathless as she hurried to catch up. She stopped just short of them, cheeks flushed. She looked between Cassian and Bathsheda like she wasn't entirely sure how to begin.

"I- um..." She steadied herself, then stepped forward and hugged her. She turned and did the same to Cassian.

"Thank you," she said into his shoulder. Cassian rested a hand lightly against her back.

"Take care, okay?" She pulled back, smiling bright.

"I will." Cassian grinned, "Tell your father to reward us." Daphne rolled her eyes. At the back, Crabbe and Goyle hovered like they'd been pushed forward and regretted it.

"Uh," Crabbe started. Goyle looked at him.

"Yeah." Cassian waited. Crabbe scratched his neck.

"Thanks." Goyle nodded.

"Yeah. For not... writing us off." Cassian studied them, then jerked his chin.

"You didn't make it easy." They both gave a rough laugh. The group started to drift after that. Bits of it breaking away toward the gates, then pausing, then moving again. Someone laughed too loudly. Someone else doubled back to grab a forgotten bag. A few looked up at the castle without saying anything. Cassian watched them go, hands back in his pockets.

"Off you go," he called.

"Try not to wreck anything important."

"Define important!" Seamus shouted back.

"Not my problem anymore!" Cassian replied. A few groans, a few laughs. Then they were moving properly, down the steps, through the gates, toward whatever came next. Bathsheda stood beside him, eyes misty. Cassian glanced at the emptying steps, then back at the castle doors.

"Right," he said.

"That's that." He slipped his hand into hers. Bathsheda didn't let go of his hand.

"So... we split here?" she asked, eyes flicking from him to the emptying grounds and back again. Cassian turned her hand over in both of his, thumb pressing lightly against her knuckles.

"We don't have a choice," he said.

"You and I are the only ones who can work Yrsa's runes properly. Greece and Yucatán are both stirring. If we don't move now, we'll be late to both." Her grip tightened.

"Marauder's already out there," she said.

"What happens if you run into him alone?" Cassian let out a breath through his nose.

"I'm less worried about him." That earned him a look. He tilted his head slightly, searching for the right way to put it and not finding one he liked.

"That thing under the temples..." he said.

"Baths, it doesn't fit in words. When the seals break, when the memory comes back..." He shook his head.

"You'll feel it before you understand it." Her jaw tightened.

"We seal it again," she said.

"Yeah," Cassian corrected.

"That's the job. Keep it buried. Keep the world ignorant enough to survive another century." She stepped closer.

"You're still not answering the question." He gave her a look.

"Which one?"

"What happens if you meet Marauder?" Cassian shrugged lightly.

"Then we talk."

"That's not funny."

"I'm not joking." Cassian added, quieter, "If he wanted me dead, he'd have tried already. That's not how he's playing this. He wants something from me, every time he looks at me, I can see greed."

"That doesn't make it better." Wind moved across the steps, catching the last scraps of noise from the students below. The grounds felt too big all of a sudden. Bathsheda sighed slowly.

"I don't like this."

"Neither do I," Cassian said.

"But we've been dancing around it for years. Two sites. Two seals. Two of us. It was always going to split." She didn't argue that. Instead, she reached up and adjusted his collar slightly, fingers brushing the edge of his coat like she needed something to do with them.

"You'll send word," she said.

"Obviously."

"Regularly."

"I'll write you essays."

"That's worse."

"Exactly. You'll want me to stop." She almost smiled, but it didn't quite land. Cassian squeezed her hand once more, then let go before either of them stalled the moment further. She didn't move immediately. Neither did he. For a moment, it felt like if either of them spoke again, it would undo the decision entirely.

"Greece," he said eventually.

"Yucatán," she replied. He nodded. For a second, neither of them moved. Then Bathsheda stepped in, pulling him into a kiss. He returned it just as tight.

"Don't be stupid," she murmured.

"Can't fix that now." She pulled back, gave him one last look, then turned. Cassian watched her until she disappeared beyond the gates. He turned the other way. He rolled his shoulders, sighed, and started walking.

"Right," he muttered under his breath.

"Ancient horrors, buried souls, and questionable architectural decisions. Let's see what you've been hiding." The air shifted as he reached the edge of the grounds. Space folded. And Cassian vanished.