Graduation?

[hermione_granger4life]

In the fic that I'm writing right now( It's a Draco/ Other Character) they are in their seventh year at Hogwarts(seventh book disregarded). I was just thinking as I typed up my chapter two that more than likely this particular fic is going to be ended shortly after their last year at Hogwarts...is there such a thing as a graduation ceremony at Hogwarts? I've never read anything even remotely concerning a graduation ceremony. Has anyone found anything about them? Does hogwarts even have one or do they just say 'Well you're reached you last year. See ya?" Lol...any help is greatly appreciated.

*Emma

[LucillaJoanna]

It's common enough in fanfiction for the seventh years to have this gala or even ball for graduation. It's fanon. Not canon. Never mentioned. If it is something grand, surely Bill would have told Ron. And the twins would have mentioned it, too. Or Hermione would have mentioned it to them.

The seven years at Hogwarts are equivalent to the British upper school 'forms'. Perhaps you can ask at Being British if they have a graduating ceremony after 6th form (taken by children aged 16-17). I don't think they do. Education is mandatory from age five to sixteen (Correct me if I'm wrong, Britons). And sixth form is called 'sixth form college', the equivalent to NEWTs, but not compulsory. This is somehow reflected in Fred and George's leaving Hogwarts before they've completed their 7th year.

Come to think of it, if there is such a grad 'do at Hogwarts, the twins wouldn't have wanted to miss that, Umbridge or no. They like parties, after all, the possibilities are endless for display and mischief.

They do have the Careers Advice, don't they? That's probably their early school-leaving 'talk'. And then the NEWTs are probably just owled, too.

Each house might have its own party for their seventh years, of course.

My two knuts, Emma.

[hermione_granger4life]

Thank you very much. So I pretty much have free range with this one to do whatever I want? Lol....thank you very much. I didn't think there was any particular thing that was done but I just wanted to make sure. I like the idea of the each house having a party. Thanks a lot!

*Emma

[SiriuslyMental]

In England for school, there really is no grand leaving school celebration. I don't even know if the term graduation is used. My cousins never use it. They just left school and moved on with life.

I could see parties in the common rooms, but probably nothing school-sponsored on a grand scale as what loads of people put into fanfiction. We've never seen anything big for the seventh years leaving school. They take their exams and leave after the End of Year Feast.

[irrevocably blair]

I agree with those who posted above, a graduation ceremony/celebration is never mentioned in canon.

I've never read anything even remotely concerning a graduation ceremony. Has anyone found anything about them?

I'm surprised that you haven't read any fics containing a graduation ceremony/ball/party. It's such a fanon cliche...though possibly moreso in Marauder Era fics, in which the main characters are actually at Hogwarts in their seventh year. A typical fanon-cliched graduation would be a huge ball just for the seventh years, along with a ridiculously sappy ceremony the next day. There may be some sort of small ceremony, but I don't think it would be too extravagant at all. [I also don't think that the parents would come to attend. I don't have a copy of the book handy, but in GoF I thought I remembered Molly saying something about how she hadn't been to Hogwarts in awhile. If parents did attend graduation ceremonies, Arthur and she would have been back at Hogwarts for their older sons' graduations.] Also, as SiriuslyMental mentioned, the idea of individual common room parties is quite believable; with not many students in each year of each house, it wouldn't even be a full-fledged party.

-Blair

[SiriuslyMental]

It's a good thing to think - 1000 students at Hogwarts in total (about). That leaves around 250 for each house. That's seven years of 250 students. There are bound to be - what - 35 or so students to each year? That's a decent party, but I think someone might have noticed if 140 students disappeared for a ceremony. And none of the characters ever mention looking forward to it. This is based off the English system. You do the parties on your own time, sit your exams, and leave. The only sorts of celebrations I've ever heard of/seen are for students that got into Oxford/Cambridge. And that was in a movie.

[LucillaJoanna]

This '1000 students' is one of the big proofs that JKR hates Math just like the most of us. Actually, there seems to be no more than ten students for each year for each house. Harry's year anyway, seemed to be a low birth year for magical children. Draco is in Harry's year.

So, yes, Emma, you have free rein about this, but I strongly advise you not to follow fanon cliche as Blair pointed out. And I agree with SiriuslyMental about the school not hosting the 'party'. If I can make a suggestion, you can have it like a JS Prom thing, where the sixth years (of the House) prepare the little party for their seventh years.

Though of course, your character is Draco Malfoy, and seventh year, DH Disregarded or not, is still a turbulent time, not to mention uncharacteristic, for anyone, especially Slytherins, to waste time and thought to merriment. Unless of course, Voldy is long dead and bashed?

[A.H.]

I've never even thought about any sort of graduation... I've always just imagined a "Well, seven years was to long to be stuck teaching you, don't give me a bad name as a professor. Bye."

Honestly though, I agree with SiriuslyMental. Celebrations in the seperate houses are much more likely than entire balls held each year, at the end of term. And we do sort of know, by an educated guess that nothing to big or grand happens, or the whole school would probably know about it, and would look forward to it, whether they grew up in a wizarding family or not.

I think the possibilities of the house parties is much more 'fun' though, really. The students aren't under watch of Professors, or any authority, and they don't have any set time for the celebration to end. And as it's been stated, you can go anywhere you want with it.

[hermione_granger4life]

Wow...thanks so much to everyone for the help. I don't know who posted the thing in blue but thank you whoever it was...lol. I had never thought about that. No, in my fic voldy is still not defeated so it really wouldn't make sense for any sort of merriment to take place. I might make it to where a small group of slytherins decided to do some sort of prank or something to 'go out with a bang' so to say, but not really go in depth with it because the main characters of the fic won't be partaking in it. You guys have all given me a lot to think about. Thank you sooo much for the help everyone!

*Emma

[irrevocably blair]

No problem, Emma. Always glad to help. :]

I might make it to where a small group of slytherins decided to do some sort of prank or something to 'go out with a bang' so to say, but not really go in depth with it because the main characters of the fic won't be partaking in it.

Just as a note, I'm not sure if it would be particularly IC for Slytherins to play a prank. Slytherins are cunning/scheming, and could probably pull off a good prank... However, pulling a prank seems much more of a Gryffindor-esque activity (as seen in the books).

I guess it just depends on how it's handled (in the fic). Just be sure to keep everyone IC and believable.

-Blair