I'm hanging on the ropes of hope -- June 1989

It was the last week of Hogwarts for any of us.  Exams were finished... it was that last bit of peacefulness before heading back home for the summer holiday.  Except this was completely different; we were all going to be going our own separate ways after this week.  I was going to Egypt; Gabriel was going to go back to London to study wandlore with his grandfather -- he planned on doing some traveling with that as well; Liam was, well, all he would say was that he was going to find answers.  We were going to have to say goodbye to each other... and we were not sure if we would stay close mates after this.  We all wanted to, but we knew how time changed people, too.  We were not daft.  

The three of us sat beneath the shade of a tree by the lake, enjoying the sun and the breeze.  We were all wearing casual, day clothes of jeans and t-shirts.  Gabriel was reading over some books because the kid never stopped learning; Liam was leaning against the tree with his eyes closed, but we knew better than to believe that he was sleeping; I was attempting to learn some of the local language of the village where I would live while I got settled at Gringotts in Egypt.

Getting frustrated muttering the phrases and words aloud -- seeing the smirk that would flash across Liam's lips as he mostly inwardly laughed at me -- I set the book down.  "What are we doing?  I mean... we're eighteen and we're going off to do all this adult stuff.  Are mental or something?" I asked, looking at the other two.  I mean, I knew that we had to grow up and whatnot, but at what cost?  I was going off to do what I loved doing:  being adventurous... that just meant leaving Tonks and my family and mates behind.

Smirking at the way Bill was butchering the language he was attempting to learn was quite a lot of fun.  When he spoke up, I opened my eyes and looked at Gabe and then at Bill. "Bill, I didn't think I had to explain adulthood to you," I said to him slowly.

I chuckled and looked up from my book and grinned.  "But Liam, sometimes we have to slowly explain things to Bill," I teased.  "I don' tthink it needed a random outburst, though."

I wanted to through my book at the two of them.  "Oh, shut it," I said, shaking my head.  "I just mean... I'm moving to Egypt and you two are going away as well.  I never really thought of leaving you two -- just my parents and the younger kids, you know?" I hoped they would not think that I was being too sappy or anything.

"I'm going to London," I said to him simply.  "That's barely away seeings as that's where I live above the shoppe anyways."  I wanted to do some traveling to find different resources for wands, but that was going to be hard to do, I was sure.  Grandpa was always old fashioned when it came to his wands.

I chuckled at the two of them.  I had no idea where or what I was planning on doing quite yet.  Gabe and I said something about me going off with him; Bill even mentioned me going with him.  I just shrugged them off.  I was different from them.  They accepted me, but I was not going to bring them down with my lycanthropy the way I knew it could happen.  "I'm just happy that you got accepted at Gringotts in Egypt... it'll be a blast to go visit you," I said to him.

I grinned and was rather glad that they were at least being upbeat about everything while I clearly was panicking at being an adult.  "Well, yeah, you lot will definitely have to come visit me," I said to the two of them.  "Liam... have you decided what you are going to do?" I kenw it was a tough situation with him because of all the discrimination.  I mean, Mum and Dad did not know about Liam until our fifth year because I was not sure how they would handle it.

I chuckled at Bill.  "Of course we will," I assured him.  "I'm sure that there would be plenty of things for me to find an excuse to travel to Egypt for with wandlore."  I knew I would need an excuse with my grandpa if I were to leave for an extended period of time.

Of course Gabriel would bring up wandlore.  "Can't you just take a vacation for once, Gabe?" I questioned teasingly.

I met Gabe's gaze as we both noticed Liam avoiding my question.  We worried about him more than he thought we did.  I chuckled, deciding not to push the issue.  "Ah, you and I both know the answer to that one, LIam," I teased, grinning.

I saw their exchange, but ignored it the way I did best. "That is very true," I said, shaking my head. "But I'd rather talk about wandlore than what you two will start badgering me on here soon." I smirked at them. I knew that as much as I wanted to ignore it, however, I knew they would not let it slide for very long.