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☆☆☆
The months passed at Hogwarts is an uneventful whirlwind of classes, Quidditch and cold weather. Aurora spent the late spring and early summer revising for her end of year exams.
Come June, it was sweltering 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 tapdance across a desk. Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox- points were given for how pretty the snuffbox 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.
Aurora was happy with her performance in each exam, particularly, as it happened, her Potions one. Despite Snape's constant attempts to intimidate his students, Aurora had managed to keep her calm purely out of spite. She was no Potions Master but she thought her Forgetfulness potion was fairly decent.
Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about revolutionary 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, Aurora couldn't help cheering with the rest.
"We're free!" Lizzy sang, dancing circles around Aurora and Padma. Aurora grinned at her. She was so thrilled that they had no more exams to worry about.
The three girls joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds and found a tree sufficient enough to keep them cool. It was such a relief to sit down without having to worry about studying for their next exam.
"Did anyone else think that paper was a bit too easy?" Padma asked suspiciously, once they'd gotten settled. "It only asked half of the topics from this year and-"
"Shh!" Lizzy interrupted, putting a finger to Padma's lips. "It's over now. Let's not dwell. We've a whole week of freedom before we have to worry about results."
"Actually, now that you mention it, Padma..." Aurora started to say. She and Padma exchanged a grin when Lizzy groaned and fell back against the trunk of the large tree.
"I hate both of you."
Aurora laughed lightly. "No you don't," she smiled, nudging Lizzy with her shoulder. "But you are right, there's no use worrying."
"No more stress for the rest of the school year," Lizzy said blissfully. Little did they know how wrong they were about that.
☆☆☆
The news spread around the school like wildfire. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger were saviours. According to rumours, Professor Quirrell had been playing to steal a magical object that Dumbledore was guarding in the school. However, before he could rob this unknown object, the three young Gryffindor had stopped him.
