The school year continued to progress, and the leaves grew back on the trees, the sun beating down on them and giving them life. Flowers sprung across the Quidditch pitch after the last game of the season had taken place, with Gryffindor becoming the Champions for the first time in seven years. The seasons had changed from winter to spring, with the weather becoming hotter as the days neared summer. As the months passed, the other Gryffindors seemed to have forgiven Harry, Hermione, and Ron for losing so many house points in one evening. They had never blamed Hope as it appeared that her power scared even the seventh-year students.
The first week of June brought about the Hogwarts end of year exams, causing a nervous and stressed Hermione to irritate her friends into studying. Hope had felt initially secure in her knowledge; however, Hermione's reaction had caused her to panic and, in turn, worry relentlessly about each exam.
Hermione rushed out of their final exam and onto the grassy courtyard with the finesse of someone who knew they had passed. Hope and Ron followed closely behind, their shoulders drooping as they contemplated the difficulty of the History of Magic exam they had just left. Harry trailed a few metres behind the group, grasping his scar in pain. "I'd heard that Hogwarts' final exams were frightful, but I found they were rather enjoyable," Hermione announced, causing her three friends to roll their eyes at her reaction as she had been anxious since the beginning of the year.
"Speak for yourself; that test was impossible," Ron muttered under his breath. He smiled brightly when Hope laughed at his comment, and Hermione simply rolled her eyes at his antics. "Next year, if somebody could please stop me from falling asleep during History lessons, I might actually have a chance of finishing the year with at least a pass in all my subjects."
"I wouldn't count on it, Ron. I haven't slept in a single lesson, and I do the homework. I still had no clue what I was waffling on about in there." Hope retorted, causing Ron to snort loudly while blushing as Hope mentioned his inability to complete the assignments. "At one point, I'm fairly certain I was making up names and hoping that whoever marks it wouldn't notice."
"At least we'll have failed the year together," Ron nudged Hope with his shoulder, which was shaking with laughter as Hermione grew more frustrated with her friends' self-doubt. "What about you, Harry? How'd the exam go?" Ron turned to face his friend for the first time, finally noticing that Harry was practically doubled over in agony, his right hand cupping his forehead. "All right there, Harry?"
"My scar," Harry muttered, standing up and brushing off the situation as if nothing had happened, "It just keeps burning. It's happened before but never like this. I think it might be a warning, like something dangerous is coming." Hope grabbed Harry's hand in comfort, giving him an empathetic smile and asking if he wanted to go to the medical wing to get checked out. "No thanks, I'll be fine. It usually fades after a few minutes."
The group seemed to accept Harry's words, continuing to walk along the cobbled paths that lined the outside of the castle. They had just crossed the bridge that took them to the Quidditch stadium and Hagrid's hut when Harry stopped suddenly, turning to face the others. "Don't you think it's a bit odd that a stranger turns up and just happens to have the one thing that Hagrid wants more than anything?" Harry asked his friends, noticing the bewildered expressions that soon overcame their faces. "I mean, how many people casually wander around with dragon eggs in their pockets and are just willing to give them up?"
"Of course, why did we see it before?" Hope responded, running down the path to see Hagrid, the others following behind her. Hope stopped directly in front of Hagrid. He looked at her while sitting on the steps, carving something into a piece of wood with a sharp knife. "Who gave you the dragon's egg? What did he look like?" Hope questioned once the giant had looked up at her. He began muttering incoherently about the stranger, so she quickly asked another question, saving time to get to the point quicker. "Did he seem interested in Fluffy?"
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Black's Lost Daughter//A Harry Potter Love Story (Book One)
FanfictionHope Black was kidnapped when she was six months old, the same day she lost her mother. Ten and half years later she is finally free and able to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her time at Hogwarts was interrupted by many dangerou...
