13~Puzzles

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In years to come, Y/N would never quite remember how he had managed to get through his exams when he hadn't remembered half of the things Hermione had taught him.

It was swelteringly hot, especially in the large classroom where they did their written papers. They had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an Anti-Cheating spell.

They had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap-dance across a desk. Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuff-box – points were given for how pretty the snuff-box was, but taken away if it had whiskers. Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness Potion. Y/N was glad Hermione had made him remember to mix in a clockwise motion first then stir counter clockwise.

Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, Y/N couldn't help cheering with the rest. 

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione, as they joined the crowds flocking out into the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learnt about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

Hermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterwards, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows.

Harry was rubbing his forehead. 

"I wish I knew what this means!" he burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting – it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Maybe it's like some danger detector?" Ron suggested.

"Ooh that's a good one, but then again, wouldn't his scar hurt when we first ran into Fluffy?" Y/N said. "I was thinking it was whenever dark magic was nearby."

"Good point," Ron began. "What if -"

"Will you two stop with these silly ideas, this is a serious matter." Hermione scolded. "Harry, you should go to Madam Pomfrey."

"I'm not ill," said Harry. "I think it's a warning ... it means danger's coming ..."

"Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down." Y/N said, wiping his forehead of the sweat from the overbearing heat.

"I dunno' I can't shake this feeling that I'm forgetting something important." said Harry.

"That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one." said Hermione.

Y/N scoffed at Hermione. 

Harry suddenly jumped to his feet. 

"Where 'ya off to?" Y/N asked sleepily.

"I've just thought of something," said Harry. He had gone white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

"Why?" panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up

"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Harry, scrambling up the grassy slope, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

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