RJL

May 1995 - Ilvermorny

The hallway was eerily silent as she walked toward her meeting. This was the meeting that would decide her fate, her way in the world. How was she supposed to be calm about this? The only sound was that of the short heels on her black Mary-Janes. God, she hated these shoes, but for such an important meeting, she dared not skimp on any part of the school’s uniform. Her skirt was in place, shirt tucked in, tie knotted neatly on her neck, and her embroidered Horned Serpent house cardigan covered her freckled arms.

Deep breaths. You have plenty of notes. You’re prepared. You’ll be fine.

Her inner mantra wasn’t working as well as she hoped; her heart rate was still staggeringly high, but she didn’t exactly have the time to focus on it. She had reached her destination, a locked door with an old pewter plaque that read ”Professor Solara Mayfield" in a winding cursive font.

She dropped her bag on the first chair in front of the professor’s door and sat down on the second one. There was always one chair outside of Mayfield’s office, but around this time of year, there were usually three to five as people often had to wait in the hall before their seventh-year Career Consultation meetings. She nervously ran her hands over her skirt, smoothing non-existent wrinkles while she waited. There were options, of course, and the girl was prepared to talk about each of them at length, but that didn’t stop her leg from bouncing up and down on her toes in anticipation.

Just when she thought she’d have to find a way to distract herself from the waiting game, the door in front of her opened with a soft click and her head of house appeared. “Lucas, come on in. Thanks for your patience,” Professor Mayfield welcomed her with a smile. She held the door open for her student who grabbed the lone bag outside and took her seat opposite the professor’s desk. “How do you take your coffee dear?”

“Cream and sugar. Thank you,” the student replied. Professor Mayfield levitated a steaming coffee mug over to a coaster on the corner of her desk before opening a file and fumbling with a few pieces of parchment, finally landing on the one she wanted. “Alright Remy, we’re approaching the end of your seventh year. Quite exciting, yeah?”

Remy nervously tucked her hair behind both of her ears. “Exciting is a word for it I suppose. I’m looking forward to being done with school, but I still don’t know what comes next, y’know?”

“Yes, I’m rather familiar with this transition process,” Mayfield chuckled softly. Obviously, this is part of your job, Remy thought, mentally kicking herself at the foolish comment. “But your grades are remarkable. There’s not a lot academically that would hold you back in any career path. Have you given your options any thought since the beginning of the semester when we last spoke?”

Her professor earned herself a sarcastic eye roll. “Have I thought about my options? Only every single day,” Remy said, reaching into her bag and pulling out a leather-bound notebook. She made quick work of untying the cord that bound it shut and flipped to a dog-eared page somewhere in the middle. “Of course I made lists for this.”

“I would expect nothing less. Please continue,” Mayfield encouraged. She knew that once Remy started on something, there really was no stopping her. This meant that this was about to be a “rant” rather than a “conversation,” but she knew that she and Remy would reach a conclusion nonetheless.

“Well, okay. So I have it narrowed down to three things really. Actually, I kind of lied a minute ago. I really like school, I love learning and I wish I could do that forever. I think I’m just ready to be done with exams and they haven’t even started yet. Anyway-” breathe. “The first thing I’ve thought of is doing research for MACUSA in some way. I think there are a few departments I might like. The second one is less research, but I’ve thought about being a professor, maybe here? But I have no idea what I’d teach. None of our classes feel like my “passion” even though I’m good at them. And then the last one is to go to a no-maj university. I really like maps and cartography, and it would be so cool to learn more about the mapmaking process. Plus the history of it is really interesting and I’d also kind of feel like a pirate I think.”

Deep breath.

Professor Mayfield couldn’t help but smile. “Is piracy a career option for you, Lucas?”

“Hey, you said my academics wouldn’t stop me,” she replied with a shrug of her shoulders.

Silence passed between the two. Professor Mayfield’s brow furrowed slightly as she leaned back in her chair, studying the student in front of her.

“You have ties to the British wizarding communities, don’t you?”

Remy nodded. “Yeah, I still carry a UK passport because I was born there. Mum made us both keep them because we have family friends there. We usually go back to visit them once a summer.”

Mayfield smiled at her student with a twinkle in her eyes that had not been present at the start of their meeting. The professor picked up her quill, dipped it in ink, and began to write in the margins of the page in front of her, no doubt some type of school record about Remy. “I think your three options are commendable and worth considering further. Additionally, I’m going to submit your name for an internship. The head of the Auror Office at the Ministry of Magic in London is looking for an assistant, but it starts as an internship - a trial opportunity. He’s a brilliant wizard and you would have plenty of research opportunities at your fingertips. Would that be alright?”

“Y-yeah that sounds amazing actually,” Remy replied with excitement. “Sounds better than teaching a class I have no love for.” She tried not to giggle at the idea of her as an Ancient Runes professor. There didn’t seem to be a worse idea than that. “What do I have to do to apply?”

“Oh, don’t worry about the application, I’ll send over the necessary documents for you. I’ll let you know if you secure an interview, and we can discuss more then,” Mayfield replied with a wave of her hand as if that wave would take care of everything. “Now, I believe you have a study period next, yes? You can take the coffee with you, I know you’re nervous for your NEWTs.”

The coffee mug was now a travel cup with a lid and located on the floor next to her bag, as though it had been there all along. Remy smiled kindly at her professor and began packing up her things. “Thanks, professor. See you in class,” she called as she walked out the door.

Phew, that didn’t go so badly. And there’s even a fourth option to consider now... Merlin, she was glad she got to take her coffee to-go. The caffeine boost would be incredibly necessary to get her through the upcoming study period and the impending doom of a long night in the library.

Remy took her time heading to the library, dragging her hand along the stone wall as she walked. There were only so many days left before she’d leave these hallowed halls for good. She’d made so many memories in this building over the last seven years - it was hard to imagine leaving and venturing out into the “real world.” The friendships, loves, and heartbreaks; the pranks, detentions, feasts, quidditch games, and late nights in the common room. All of it had gone by so quickly - she envied the second-year students right about now. What I wouldn’t give for just one more year...even a few more months would be fine, she mused silently.

Crack.

A sudden impact hit Remy’s shoulder, causing her to stumble forward a few steps. Thankfully, she still had one hand on the wall to support her, which kept her from falling. Once she regained her balance, she rubbed her aching shoulder and turned to see what the hell had hit her so hard.

Or in this case, who. “You planning on saying hello to me? Or did you want to keep flirting with the wall?” Remy’s ears perked up at the sound of the voice in front of her.

“Bug! I didn’t even see you. I’m sorry,” Remy replied with a smile. She closed the distance between the two of them and brought her girlfriend into a sweet kiss. “Besides, I’d always rather flirt with you than this old pile of bricks.”

India Avila chuckled and kissed Remy’s nose. “Wow, the bar is so much lower than I even imagined,” she murmured with a sarcastic eye roll, lacing their fingers together. The two girls looked down at their entwined hands and smiled, relishing the warmth of each others’ touch.

“I just finished my meeting with Mayfield. I was on my way to the library to find you.”

“Well, let’s go then. I’m dying to hear how it went!” India led Remy around the corner and into the library. The majority of the school’s walls were raw bricks, but the library’s walls were covered in endless wooden panels, presumably to keep the echo down. Tables interspersed the bookshelves and lined the windows, creating study spaces among the expansive volumes. India led Remy to a smaller desk with two chairs against one of the windows. Looking out, they could see clear across the courtyard and into the pointed rooftops of the herbology greenhouses. But the two girls only had eyes for each other, greenhouses and courtyards miles away in their minds.

Remy dropped her backpack on the floor and turned to face India, a nervous smile plastered on her lips. “Well, okay. Mayfield says all of my options are good. Which was nice to hear, but also, not helpful. Y’know?”

“Yeah, that sounds like her,” India added during a pause in Remy’s retelling.

“Right? I think I’m leaning most strongly toward the MACUSA research positions. There’s three or four I could be an okay candidate for, and they could be really interesting.” Remy chewed nervously on her bottom lip, waiting to see India’s reaction. It was partially true. Of the options Remy had come into the meeting prepared to talk about, interning or getting an entry level position at MACUSA was the most intriguing of her prospects.

“Bug, that’s amazing. You’d make a fantastic candidate for MACUSA, don’t sell yourself short. You know you’re one of the brightest witches in our year - they’d be damn lucky to have you,” India responded with a smile. Seeing Remy’s nervousness on display, she reached for her girlfriend’s hand again, rubbing her thumb along the back between her thumb and pointer finger. “Hey, this is a good thing, yeah? I know that making decisions like this is scary,” India added, hoping that her validation would be comforting.

Remy cracked a small smile. “Easy for you to say, you’re already accepted into your top-choice healing program. You’re done worrying about this. And it just...” she trailed off and looked up at India’s face. Her eyes were so calm, so stoic, but full of life and kindness. Those chocolate brown eyes that had captivated Remy when they became friends seven years ago, and nearly drowned her when they became partners at the beginning of the year, their last year at school together. Those eyes that currently harbored concern as Remy tried to gather her thoughts. “Mayfield had another suggestion for me when I got there. It’s...well, it’s an internship with one of the top aurors in the world.”

“That sounds like the coolest thing! Where is that, MACUSA?”

“London.”

The other shoe finally dropped for India. This really was a fantastic opportunity for Remy, if she considered it, but London was incredibly far away from Boston, where India’s healer training program would be located. The couple had yet to concretely discuss their plans for their relationship post-graduation. Dozens of unanswered questions lingered between them as whispers of the word London hung in the air.

Chocolate eyes searched amber, each looking for a reaction, an understanding. “Oh my god, you’re actually considering it,” India whispered after a moment.

Remy sighed. “I mean, yeah? How can I not? It’s research and I’d be working with Alastor Moody. The man’s a fucking legend, and he never takes interns,” she started, the smile on her face growing on its own accord, before reality crept back into view. “But...” she looked down and squeezed India’s hand, still laced with hers. “I don’t know what it means for us. What any of these options mean for us actually. But that one is the hardest to think about. And I’m not ready for this...” deep breath. She couldn’t bring herself to say the words.

All of this was hard. Remy wasn’t ready for any of the upcoming goodbyes: to Ilvermorny, to her friends, but especially to India. Everyone tells you how excited they are to graduate, but nobody tells you how hard the world hits you right away.

India took her free hand and placed it under Remy’s chin, lifting her head to meet India’s own eyes once again. Both girls were holding back tears as they gazed sadly at each other. “Hey, Bug, look at me. We don’t have to do this today, okay?” Remy gave the smallest of nods. “We still have a few weeks, you don’t need to process everything all at once. Besides, the Wampus’ are hosting the 7th year party tonight. You know Carlton and Gracie are going to kill us if we don’t show up in good spirits.”

Remy nodded again, this time with more determination. “You’re right, of course you’re right,” she said as she wiped her eyes dry. “Ally and I are supposed to go get ready with Gracie after dinner. Want to come with us?”

“Can’t, I’ve got prefect rounds until 10. But I’ll head over as soon as I’m done,” India smiled reassuringly.

The girls grabbed their bags and headed to dinner, never once untangling their fingers from each other.

* * * * *