Scratches (Fred Weasley)

(35) Test Anxieties

"Guess what?" said Florence in an unembellished tone, dropping a pile of books in front of Nicolai, stirring the napping girl awake. "What?" she replied groggily, wiping the trail of drool on the side of her mouth with the sleeve of her jumper. There were scribbled words on her cheek, due to the fact that she had been sleeping on her History of Magic notes.

Florence pointed at the ink, Nicolai rubbing at it lazily before averting her attention back to her.

"I—"

"O.W.L.s are two weeks away! Can you believe that?" Alexander half yelled, sliding into a seat beside Nicolai as he watched Florence's mouth hang open, "What's wrong with her?" he inquired.

"She was about to say something, dumbass, before you just randomly barged in to the scene." murmured Nicolai, who then gestured for Florence to speak. "Actually, I was about to say the same thing Xander said... So, nevermind?" she sighed, sitting down as well, "Well that's that. And I believe that I am unprepared."

"You and the whole fifth year, Flo. It is a widely common fact that we get angsty whenever exams are nearing. And these aren't just exams, Flo, they're our O.W.L.s, also known as the one exam partially responsible for shaping our careers in the Wizarding world!" Alexander said.

"Thank you for that trivia, Xander, I'm sure Florence had not known how important O.W.L.s were up until your thorough explanation." mocked Nicolai, yawning a little bit. "You know Adrianna once mentioned that she threw up in Professor Snape's class once because she forgot the answer to a question he gave her."

"Was it a hard one?" Nicolai was the one to ask, as she was particularly known to have problems regarding Potions and Professor Snape which she liked to call a toadstool  in times of discretion. Alexander shrugged, removing a book from the pile that Florence had dropped onto the table, "She didn't really say."

"I'm screwed." Nicolai wailed miserably, burying her face in her hands.

"Hey," chastised Florence, "No, I don't want to hear that defeatist attitude. I want to hear you upbeat!"

"I'm screwed!" Nicolai repeated, in a much more enthusiastic and exclaimed voice, before shooting her friend a look as Florence laughed it off. "Well go on and continue making me a laughing stock because our Potions teacher hates me with a passion and no one seems to know why he is suddenly acting that way." she grumbled at her friends.

"We're not trying to make you a laughing stock. We just... Wanted to lighten up the mood." said Alexander.

"Yeah. Great strategy then you two." Nicolai said with a frown.

Alexander turned to look at Florence, "You woke her up from a nap, didn't you?" he asked, Florence trying to hide her guilt, "Maybe..." she replied in a small voice, making Alexander groan, "It is a common rule now, from our five years of friendship, that we must not wake up the sleeping dragon—"

"Well, the dragon wants to remind you two that the dragon is just right here, and the dragon wishes that you two refrain from talking about her like she isn't there, thank you very much..."

"Sorry..." muttered Alexander, "Well, look on the bright side, we have the Quidditch final next weekend. One last game before we dive into a crapload of stress, right? And, you're going to see George play." he told Nicolai.

"I'd rather watch Jillian play, if you must know." she mumbled under her breath.

"What did you say? I didn't quite catch that?"

"Nothing." she replied curtly, swerving the topic away, "Florence, have you at all heard, I mean, read anything from your protean buddy? It's been quite awhile that you two talked..."