𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞¹ -𝖍. 𝖕𝖔𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗

𝐗𝐕𝐈

Monday

9 o'clock, Arithmancy

9 o'clock, Transfiguration

Lunch

1 o'clock, Charms

1 o'clock, Ancient Runes

"Hermione?" Ron said cautiously because she was liable to explode when interrupted these days. "Er — are you sure you've copied down these times right?"

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

"I have to take Ancient Runes during lunch," Accalia looked like she said something scandalous.

"Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?" said Harry.

"No," said Hermione 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.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had plenty of opportunities to speak to Hagrid during Care of Magical Creatures, which they filled Accalia in after.

"Beaky's gettin' a bit depressed," Hagrid told them, bending low on the pretence 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 —"

They had Potions that afternoon, which was an unqualified disaster, for others. Accalia did great when she brewed her potions, Snape had to give her full marks. Her favourite thing ever was Snape scanning her potions and trying to get her to mess up, yet she never did. The anger on his face when he was forced to give her full marks was the best thing she'd ever seen.

Then Ancient Runes at lunch, which she thinks she passed. Next came Astronomy at midnight, upon the tallest tower; which she passed easily. History of Magic on Wednesday morning, in which Accalia scribbled everything Ted had ever told her about medieval witch-hunts. 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.

Their second to the last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Remus had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where they 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 the marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a Hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a Boggart.

"Excellent, little wolf," Remus muttered as Accalia climbed out of the trunk, grinning. "Full marks."

Happy with her success, she hung around to watch Ron, Harry, and Hermione. Harry did everything perfectly, not surprising. Ron did very well until he reached the Hinkypunk, which successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire. Hermione did everything perfectly until she reached the trunk with the Boggart in it. After about a minute inside it, she burst out again, screaming.

"Hermione!" said Remus, startled. "What's the matter?"

"P-P-Professor McGonagall!" Hermione gasped, pointing into the trunk. "Sh-she said I'd failed everything!"