Fire Whiskey in the Moonlight (Remus Lupin)

Chapter Thirty-Five: Much More Stressful than Most Finals

I walked out of my Charms exam feeling like someone had just hit me with a brick. I knew it was going to be difficult but I had no idea just how hard it would be. I waited for Annie by the stairs, sitting down while I did. My peers slowly filed out of the Great Hall, one Ravenclaw girl leaving in tears. I debated going to check on her, but Annie came out a few seconds later and spotted me right away.

"How do you think you did?" She called as she walked over.

"Hopefully I did alright, it was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. How about you?"

"Same, I had to leave question ten blank though. For some reason I've completely forgotten everything we learned about Protean Charms."

"That's too bad. Do you remember what we have next?"

"Unfortunately, yes I do." She groaned. "We have half an hour break for lunch before they start calling us in for our Charms practical but I'd imagine you and I are going to have a bit longer since we are at the end of the alphabet. Then we have our transfiguration practical immediately afterwards. Then another short break before our written transfiguration exam and then we are done for the day."

"Why on Earth would they put all of the practicals back to back? Are they actually trying to kill us?" I said, standing up as I saw Flitwick turn the Great Hall back to normal for lunch.

"I think it's because they can do them simultaneously. They'll be starting the second practical of the day as the first one is ending. So I imagine whoever has the first name alphabetically will be starting Transfiguration right as you and I are starting Charms."

"Well that's not fair, then they get a longer break before the written exam."

"Ya but we get the longer break before the practicals. It all works itself out, and frankly I'd rather have the break before the practicals than the written exams."

"I guess you're right. Come on, let's go get some brain food."

Annie looked appalled, "Did you say brain food?"

"Ya, it's food that's supposed to be good for your brain functions. I'm sure you have heard me use the phrase before."

"I'm pretty sure I'd remember that one! Why do muggles come up with such strange sayings?"

"Oh like Wizards don't say enough weird stuff," I croaked.

---

I couldn't be more thrilled come Wednesday morning, the first NEWT of the day was Herbology, which I dropped after my fifth year, so I had the whole morning to relax. I sat at the Hufflepuff table happily eating my breakfast without a care in the world. The morning mail came, and I had gotten two papers back. Since NEWT and OWL students were currently in classes, the professors had been handing back papers they had just finished grading via the mail owls. I had done fairly well on both of them and tucked them under my hip for safe keeping. I hadn't even bothered getting my bag when I left the tower.

I was hoping that Remus would have some time to hang out before lunch. I was fairly sure he wasn't facilitating any of his exams this morning, and I missed him. By the end of the last two days my brain had been so fried I had just gone back to my dorm and gone to sleep directly after dinner. It was a little silly going to bed so early but I had found it helped a lot the next day in my exams. I felt rather prepared for all of my exams since I had been revising for the last several weeks, so I had decided this week I would only study by looking over my notes quickly before each exam. Saving the rest of my energy for the NEWT itself.

"Hi Viv."

I took a bite of my bacon and turned to see who was sitting down next to me.

"Oh hi Eric." I was definitely surprised to see him at the Hufflepuff table.