The Final Exams
Final exams had arrived, bringing with them a wave of stress, frantic studying, and the occasional minor disaster. The normally lively Gryffindor common room had been transformed into a battlefield of parchment, ink-stained fingers, and students desperately trying to cram an entire year’s worth of knowledge into their heads overnight.
Vi was not one of those students.
She sat with her feet propped up on the arm of a chair, lazily flipping through her Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook while Mylo paced in front of the fireplace, muttering incantations under his breath. Claggor, far more methodical, was buried under a stack of notes, scratching out practice questions with a look of intense focus. Caitlyn, of course, was seated primly at the table, reviewing her Transfiguration notes for what must have been the fiftieth time.
“You know,” Vi said, shutting her book with a loud thump, “at some point, you’re gonna have to admit you already know everything.”
Caitlyn didn’t look up. “And at some point, you’re going to have to accept that if you actually studied, you wouldn’t have to rely on luck to pass your exams.”
“I don’t rely on luck,” Vi said, stretching. “I rely on quick thinking and charm.”
“You can’t charm your way through a written exam, Vi,” Claggor said without looking up.
Mylo snorted. “Watch her try.”
Vi grinned. “Oh, I already have a plan.”
Caitlyn sighed. “I don’t even want to know.”
The next morning, the first exam—Charms—was held in the Great Hall. Long rows of desks had been set up, each spaced apart to prevent any chance of peeking at a neighbor’s parchment. Professor Flitwick stood at the front, giving last-minute instructions before waving his wand, sending the exam papers floating down in front of each student.
Vi stared at the questions, twirling her quill between her fingers.
- Describe the correct wand movement for a Summoning Charm.
- What is the primary limitation of a Levitation Spell?
- How does one properly counteract a Bat-Bogey Hex?
She chewed the end of her quill. Alright, she actually knew some of these. That was a good start.
At the desk to her left, she caught Caitlyn’s perfect posture, already writing away with annoying confidence.
Vi sighed and got to work.
The practical exams were a different kind of chaos. In Transfiguration, Mylo nearly set his desk on fire trying to turn a teacup into a tortoise, while Claggor’s was perfect but refused to stop wobbling. Caitlyn’s was flawless, obviously, and Vi’s… well, her tortoise still had the faint outline of a handle on its shell, but McGonagall gave her points for effort.
Defense Against the Dark Arts went better. They were tested on simple Shield Charms and basic counter-curses, and Vi actually excelled. Professor Potter even gave her an approving nod, which she would be smug about for at least a week.
Potions, however, was a disaster.
Vi’s mixture was supposed to turn a soft lavender color when completed correctly. Hers was bright orange and bubbling ominously.
Slughorn just chuckled and patted her shoulder. “Ah, Miss Lanes, a bit too heavy on the knotgrass, I suspect. No worries, no explosions—this time.”
Caitlyn, naturally, got full marks.
By the time they finished their last exam—Astronomy—Vi felt half-dead, Mylo looked like he had aged five years, and Claggor was muttering something about needing to sleep for an entire week. Caitlyn, meanwhile, stretched her arms with a satisfied sigh.
“Well, that wasn’t so bad.”
Vi gave her a flat look. “That was horrifying.”
Caitlyn smirked. “You’ll survive.”
Vi groaned and flopped onto a bench in the courtyard, letting the warm June sun wash over her. Mylo and Claggor collapsed beside her, looking equally drained.
“I don’t even care about my results,” Mylo mumbled into his arms. “I’m just glad it’s over.”
Claggor nodded. “Agreed.”
Caitlyn sat beside them, opening a book. Vi stared at her.
“Cait, we just finished exams. Why are you still studying?”
Caitlyn turned a page of her copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. “I’m reading for fun.”
Vi groaned dramatically. “I hate you.”
Caitlyn smiled, not looking up. “No, you don’t.”
Vi huffed but didn’t argue. Instead, she closed her eyes, soaking in the peaceful rays of the sun. The end of term was tomorrow, and for the first time since arriving at Hogwarts, Vi wasn’t sure how she felt about leaving.
The thought crept up on her slowly, nudging at the edges of her mind as the warmth of the afternoon settled over them. She had spent most of the year thinking about how wild this place was, how different it was from home—but now, the idea of going back to Zaun, away from the castle, the magic, the friends she had made, felt... strange.
She cracked one eye open, glancing sideways at Caitlyn, who was still absorbed in her book. Mylo was half-asleep beside Claggor, who had finally given up on conversation and leaned back with his hands behind his head. It was peaceful in a way Vi hadn’t expected.
“Hey,” she said suddenly, sitting up. “You guys coming back next year?”
Claggor snorted. “Obviously. What, you think I’m gonna throw away all the work I just put into not failing?”
Mylo groaned without lifting his head. “I’ll come back if I can sleep for the entire first week.”
Vi chuckled before turning to Caitlyn. “And you?”
Caitlyn looked up from her book, tilting her head slightly. “It’s Hogwarts, Vi. Of course, I’m coming back.”
Vi nodded, pretending that answer didn’t make her feel weirdly relieved.
“Good,” she said. “Because I’m not surviving another year without you guys.”
Caitlyn rolled her eyes, but there was something softer in her expression as she turned back to her book.
The rest of the afternoon passed in comfortable silence.