Perfect

27. Start of Exams

No fifth year said one word the next morning. Cassie didn't even risk picking up a book. She didn't want to over study and just forget everything the minute she walked into the room.

Once breakfast was over, the fifth and seventh years milled around in the entrance hall while the other students went off to lessons. Then, at half-past nine, they were called forward class by class to reenter the Great Hall.

The four House tables had been removed and replaced instead with many tables for one, all facing the staff-table end of the Hall where Professor McGonagall stood facing them.

Everyone walked in and found their seats, Cassie looked around and found a paper with her name on it, she was to the left of Sirius and in the second row. She folded her hands over the desk, not wanting to look at the test before time.

When they were all seated and quiet she said, "You may begin," and turned over an enormous hourglass on the desk beside her, on which were also spare quills, ink bottles, and rolls of parchment.

Cassie closed her eyes and took a moment to take a deep breath before flipping her test over. a) Give the incantation, and b) describe the wand movement required to make objects fly.

"Perfect," she muttered to herself with a smile and started scribbling down the answer quickly. She flashed through every question like it was basic knowledge, it was.

She had known this stuff forever. She couldn't wait for defense, she had been learning the dark arts for years, she was confident.

AFter about halfway through her test, she glanced up and saw that there was plenty of time left. The Slytherin decided to look over at her brother and was happy to see that he was writing away without concern or difficulty. McGonagall tapped her desk, breaking her away from looking at him. Cassie nodded and looked back down to her test.

Cheering charm...

....counter for hiccups....

Time was called and papers were collected in an instant. Everyone filed out of the room.

Sirius and Cassie glanced at each other. She gave him a smirk and a thumbs up. He smiled back and gave another thumbs up.

Izzy had run up to her excitedly and grabbed her arm, "that was great!" She shook her.

"How do you have so much energy?" Aries asked, he looked exhausted, like he had just played a 10 day quidditch match. Cassie and Izzy laughed at him as they ran from the room, happy to be out of there.

The fifth years ate lunch with the rest of the school (the four House tables reappeared over the lunch hour) and then trooped off into the small chamber beside the Great Hall, where they were to wait until called for their practical examination. As small groups of students were called forward in alphabetical order, those left behind muttered incantations and practiced wand movements, occasionally poking one another in the back or eye by mistake.

Sirius and Cassie were a part of the second wave of students. They both nodded to one another, they may not be speaking right now, but merlin, they heard how rough OWLS were.

"Professor Langley," Flitwick told Cassie and she nodded, walking over to said professor who was just writing down some finishing notes for the last person.

She smiled at her and held out her hand as she sat down across from her, "Cassiopeia Black."

The professor shook her hand, "pleasure, now, don't be nervous. If you could," he pushed an object closer to her. "take this eggcup and make it do some cartwheels for me. . . ." Cassie nodded and pulled out her wand.