Chasing Love

Chapter Eighty-Five - Seventh Year Exams

Angelina stared into the unknown as she held her shaking hands in front of her, Eliza and Alicia glanced over at her repeatedly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm going to fail." Angelina replied, "I'm actually going to fail."

Eliza smiled, "No, you're not Ang, you're going to be great!"

"How do you know?"

"Because you've revised so much for this! Your hard work will pay off!" Eliza encouraged her, "Eat some breakfast and try not to think about it!"

Once breakfast was over, the fifth and seventh years waited in the Entrance Hall whilst the other students went off to their lessons. Finally, at half past nine, they were called class by class to go into the Great Hall which was now just row after rows of single tables. Eliza sat down and waited for everyone to arrive and then Professor McGonagall told them, "You may begin," She turned over an huge hour-glass on the desk beside her.

With one deep breath, Eliza opened her paper and began to write quickly about the different antidotes and potions. By the end, her wrist ached as she had written so much in such a small amount of time.

In the afternoon, she had her practical for Defence Against the Dark Arts. An old wizard was sat in front of her and he watched as she performed non-verbal spells and charms. In the end he nodded and went on to ask her to perform the Patronus Spell, "It says here, from Dumbledore, that you were taught it during your fifth year by a Professor Lupin, could you please, show it me?"

Nodding her head, Eliza thought about her happiest moment - it was no longer of Oliver, whenever she thought of him it filled her up with sadness, instead it was with the twins (the three of them laughing loudly) - she then shouted "Expecto Patronum!" And then a bright lioness prowled out of her wand and walked towards the man.

"Excellent, excellent!" The wizard smiled at her, "That was wonderful, you may leave now."

"Thank you," Eliza told him before she left to go back to the common room.

In the distance she could hear someone saying her name and she could feel someone shake her repeatedly, "Wake up, Eliza, wake up."

Opening her eyes, she saw Angelina and Alicia standing over her, "What's wrong? Was I screaming again?"

They both shook their heads, "Something's happened! There's a big commotion downstairs in the common room."

"What's happened?" Eliza asked but the two just shrugged as they all put big jumpers and slippers on, "It's got to be bad at this time in the night!"

When they went downstairs they were met with lots of Gryffindors talking loudly, wanting to know what had gone on. Two boys - Dean and Seamus - from Hermione's year - were stood in the middle talking about what they had witnessed from the top of the Astronomy Tower. Apparently, Umbridge and people from the Ministry had gone over to Hagrid's hut during their exam, instead of talking politely with him they started to hex him and that was when Professor McGonagall joined the scene and within seconds she was on the ground unconscious due to the four times she was stun. Luckily, Hagrid managed to escape uninjured but that meant he had left once again.

"But why sack Hagrid now?" Angelina asked as she shook her head, "It's not like Trelawney; he's been teaching much better than usual this year!"

"Umbridge hates part-humans," Hermione replied as she sat down, "She was always going to try and get Hagrid out."

"And she thought Hagrid was putting Nifflers in her office," Katie said suddenly.

Lee covered his mouth quickly, "Oh, blimey. It's me who's been putting the Nifflers in her office. Fred and George left me a couple; I've been levitating them in through her window."

"She'd have sacked him anyway." Dean told him, "He was too close to Dumbledore."

"That's true," Harry sat down too.

"I just hope Professor McGonagall's all right." A fifth year said tearfully.

"They carried her back up to the castle, we watched through the dormitory window." Another Gryffindor student said, "She didn't look very well."

"Madam Pomfrey will sort her out," Alicia said firmly, "She's never failed yet."

Eliza sighed, "Umbridge needs to go now." She shook her head angrily, "How on earth do the Ministry think this is the best thing for us!"

Angelina agreed, "Umbridge is a terrible teacher and person."

It was nearly four o'clock in the morning before everyone in the common room left, Eliza went back to her dormitory with Angelina and Alicia - the three all shared a glance before going to sleep.

Hogwarts was going down the drain, ever since Umbridge had arrived the school had been terrible. To make matters worse it was their last year, their last year at Hogwarts had to be the worst one.