Beauxbatons [Charlie Weasley]

Exam

The day of the exam draws steadily nearer. Isabelle is regularly joined in the library by her seven peers, all of them pouring over book upon book upon book, note upon note upon note. As it turns out, the books Florin got Isabelle for her birthday prove very useful indeed, and the French girl happily shares them around to all the others after she read them through carefully and took notes on both of them, herself.

When Isabelle's not in the library, she's outside in the duelling area behind the huts, practising with one or two of the other students. As it turns out, the exam won't just be a theory one, but it will also have practical elements to it, to see not only if the students know enough about dragons, but are also fit and agile enough to be able to work with them out in the field.

All eight students therefore have been helping each other to the best of their ability, as none of them want to see any one of their friends fail, and in helping the others, it also cements the learning in their own minds. So, when the day of the exam is finally upon them, Isabelle is feeling confident in what she knows, but extremely nervous nevertheless.

The French girl wakes up early on the examination day, both her and Elena getting ready at the crack of dawn. Isabelle gets dressed in a nice, sleeved, red button-up shirt, tucking it into a black skirt, before she pulls on the red velvety boots that Luca and Christopher got her for her birthday, as well as the little dragon ring Charlie got her. She then pulls her hair back into a neat bun, looking presentable for the exam they'll have to sit in a few hours.

Elena and Isabelle head out of their hut, joining up with the six boys, all of whom look rather nice as well, the eight of them eating their breakfast fairly silently, before they head off to meet Florin. The bearded man looks around at them all quite sadly, and Isabelle at once feels a pang in her chest; this might be the last time she'll ever see him.

"I wish all of you the very best — I know you'll all do brilliantly," Florin says to them all, his eyes still sad. "Good luck... I'll miss you all."

And before Florin has time to react, all eight of his students have rushed forwards, pulling him into a massive group hug. They all stay like that for a long moment, before pulling away, knowing it's time to leave.

And with one last glance at Florin, the eight students grab hold of their luggage with one hand and the plant pot Portkey with the other, disappearing from the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary for what might or might not be the last time.

Isabelle and the others land hard in an alleyway around the back of the Ministry of Magic, picking themselves up and cleaning themselves off, putting all their luggage into a purse or briefcase with the use of extendable charms. And with that, they set off towards the Ministry, leaving the alleyway in pairs so as not to attract so much Muggle attention.

Isabelle goes out with Charlie a few minutes after the others have disappeared, and he leads her over to an old red telephone box, which is missing several panes of glass and stands before a heavily graffitied wall.

"After you," he says, opening the telephone-box door for her.

Isabelle steps inside, Charlie folding himself in beside her and closing the door. It's a tight fit; Isabelle is jammed against the telephone apparatus, which is hanging crookedly from the wall as though a vandal tried to rip it off. Charlie reaches past Isabelle for the receiver, dialling six, two, four, four, two.

As the dial whirls smoothly back into place, a cool female voice sounds inside the telephone box, not from the receiver in Charlie's hand, but as loudly and plainly as though an invisible woman is standing right beside them.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."

"Er... Charlie Weasley and Isabelle Leblanc, here to attend our Dragonology Examination," Charlie replies.