Jinx Not-So-Malfoy

Chapter 25

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In years to come, I would never quite remember how I had managed to get through my exams when I half expected Voldemort to come bursting through the door at any moment with my parents as his wingmen. Yet the days crept by, and there could be no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door. It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where we did our written papers. We had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an Anti-Cheating spell.

We had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called us one by one into his class to see if we could make a pineapple tap dance across a desk. I couldn't make it tap dance, but it did an amazing Irish Jig. Professor McGonagall watched us turn a mouse into a snuffbox -- points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if it had whiskers. Mine had a picture of a mouse on it and it was really pretty, but what Professor McGonagall thought of it, I was positive. Snape made us all nervous, breathing down our necks while we tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion.

Ron and Hermione didn't seem as worried about the Stone as Harry and I, us having a connection to him. The idea of Voldemort certainly scared them. I realized that when Voldemort must have seen me when I was very little. My mother served him when Draco and I were born, after all.

We were so busy with our studying we didn't have much time to fret about what Snape or anyone else might be up to. Our very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons and we'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until our exam results came out. When the ghost of Professor Binns told us to put down our quills and roll up our parchment, I couldn't help cheering with the rest.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione as we joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

Hermione always liked to go through our exam papers afterward, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so we wandered down to the lake and flopped under the tree where I had met Azalea. I spotted her across the grounds with Alex and smiled to myself. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows.

"No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we findout how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."

Harry was rubbing his forehead.

"I wish I knew what this means!" He burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting -- it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.

"I'm not ill," said Harry. "I think it's a warning... It means danger's coming.... "

Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot. "Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."

Harry nodded. I thought about the day and realized something.

"I can't believe I'd forget that!" I burst out without thinking.

"Forget what? Something on the exam?" Hermione asked.

"No -- it's my birthday tomorrow." I said.