The Adventure That Lies Ahead | PJO x HP

CHAPTER 82

Harry's euphoria at finally winning the Quidditch Cup lasted at least a week. Even the weather seemed to be celebrating. As June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry, and all anybody felt like doing was strolling onto the grounds and flopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake.

But they couldn't. Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows. Even Fred and George Weasley had been spotted working. They were about to take their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). Percy was getting ready to take his N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), the highest qualification Hogwarts offered.

"Do we really have to have exams?" Isa whined as she slumped in her seat in front of the fireplace inside the Hufflepuff Common Room.

"I'm done. I'm tired," Nolan whined as well.

"I have an idea! What if we just pretend we're sick so that we can skip the test?" She proposed.

"Madam Pomfrey can cure sicknesses in an instant," Nolan's voice came muffled as he buried his head into a pillow.

"Ugh. You're right."

The following day, she met up with the Gryffindor trio, only to be met with bad news.

"They're bringing an executioner to Buckbeal's appeal?" Isa shrieked. "Then that means there is no appeal! They've already decided to kill him."

"That's what I said," Hermione told her. "It's not fair."

"After all those books I've read," Ron grumbled.

"It's all Malfoy's fault," Harry piped up. "If he could've just⎼"

"I know," Isa said. "When's the appeal?"

"On the sixth," Hermione replied. "After our exams."

"Can we go visit Hagrid?" The Hufflepuff asked.

"Not with the security measures around. No, we can't," Ron grumbled again.

Isa turned to face her brother. "Your invisibility cloak?"

Harry scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Yeah... I haven't gotten it yet from the One-Eyed Witch."

She scoffed. "If you don't get it back, someone might steal that, Harry. Get it before you lose it."

"Yes, I know."

Exam week began and an unnatural hush fell over the castle. The second years emerged from Transfiguration at lunchtime on Monday, limp and ashen-faced, comparing results and bemoaning the difficulty of the tasks they had been set, which had included turning the Vera Verto spell which was to turn an animal into a water goblet.

"My rat still had a tail!" Olivia cried into her hands. "McGonagall hates me."

"I hope McGonagall didn't see that mine still had a bit of hair," Isa said.

Then, after a hasty lunch, it was straight back upstairs for the Charms exam. Professor Flitwick tested them on Shrinking Charms. Nolan slightly overdid his out of nerves which led to Isa getting distracted by his mistake also overdid her. After dinner, the students hurried back to their common rooms, not to relax, but to start studying for Potions and Astronomy.