Another Dursley

Shrieking Shack

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 we couldn't. Exams were nearly upon us, and instead of lazing around outside, we were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully our 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, of course I gave them hell for it.
Percy was getting ready to take his N.E.W.T.s, the highest qualification Hogwarts offered. As Percy hoped to enter the Ministry of Magic, he needed top grades. Cedric and I were meeting up more than ever, I had weeks to prepare for my ancient runes test, along with the test Madam Pomfrey was going to conducting for me.

Harry and Ron had given up asking me how I was managing, but they couldn't restrain themselves when they saw the exam schedule I had.

Monday

8 o'clock, Arithmancy

12 o'clock, Transfiguration

Lunch

1 o'clock, Charms

4 o'clock, Ancient Runes

8 o' clock potions

"Eli?" Ron said cautiously, because I was liable to explode when interrupted these days. "Er -- are you sure you've got these all down right?"

"What?"I snapped, picking up the exam schedule and examining it. "Yes, of course I have."

"Is there any point asking how you're going to be in class and taking an exam-"said Harry.

"Im not going to class."I said shortly. "Have either of you seen my copy of Numerology and Gramatica?"

"Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading," said Ron, but very quietly. Hermione started shifting heaps of parchment to help me look for it. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I had plenty of opportunity to speak to Hagrid.

"Beaky's gettin' a bit depressed," Hagrid told them, bending low on the pretense of checking that Harry's flobberworm was still alive. "Bin cooped up too long. But still...we'll know day after tomorrow -- one way or the other --"

We had Potions that afternoon, which was an unqualified disaster for harry at least,Try as Harry might, he couldn't get his Confusing Concoction to thicken, and Snape, standing watch with an air of vindictive pleasure, scribbled something that looked suspiciously like a zero onto his notes before moving away, I on the other hand got the perfect score.

Then came Astronomy at midnight, up on the tallest tower; History of Magic on Wednesday morning, in which I scribbled everything Florean Fortescue had ever told us about medieval witch-hunts, while wishing I could have had one of Fortescue's choco-nut sundaes with me in the stifling classroom. Wednesday afternoon meant Herbology, in the greenhouses under a baking-hot sun; then back to the common room once more, with sunburnt necks, thinking longingly of this time next day, when it would all be over.

My second to last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of us had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where we had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a Grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a Hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new Boggart.

"Excellent,Harry," Lupin muttered as Harry climbed out of the trunk, grinning. "Full marks."

Flushed with his success, Harry hung around to watch Ron, Hermione, and I. Ron did very well until he reached the Hinkypunk, which successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire. I did everything perfectly until I reached the trunk with the Boggart in it.