His Goodwitch

Chapter 15: Exams and going down the trapdoor part 1

Third Person point of view

Over the next few weeks, the foursome could think of little else except studying. The exams were creeping closer by the day. Lizzie and Hermione had kindly taken the time to create study schedules for all of them. The four spent time in the library trying to memorise the dates of different wars, when self-stirring cauldrons were invented, how to compose a forgetfulness potion, how to transfigure a mouse into a snuffbox, how to perform laughing charms, where do self-fertilising shrubs grow and what are they used for and how to cure werewolf bites.

The Friday before the start of Exams, the first years were all handed out a sheet of parchment with an exam timetable printed on it by their Head of House. Lizzie read on hers:

Monday

9:10 am – 10:40 am – Transfiguration Practical – Transfiguration classroom

10:40 am – 11:00 am – Break

11:10 am – 12:40 pm – Transfiguration Theory – Great Hall

12:40 pm – 1:40 pm – Lunch

1:50 pm – 3:20 pm – Astronomy Theory – Great Hall

Tuesday

9:10 am – 10:40 am – Charms practical – Charms classroom

10:40 am – 11:00 am – Break

11:10 am – 12:40 pm – Charms Theory – Great Hall

12:40 pm – 1:40 pm – Lunch

1:50 pm – 3:20 pm – Astronomy Theory – Great Hall

Wednesday

9:10 am – 10:40 am – Defence Against the Dark Arts Practical – Defence classroom

10:40 am – 11:00 am – Break

11:10 am – 12:40 pm – Defence Against the Dark Arts Theory – Great Hall

12:40 pm – 1:40 pm – Lunch

12:00 am – 1:30 am – Astronomy Practical – Astronomy Tower top

Thursday

9:10 am – 10:40 am – Herbology Practical – Green House

10:40 am – 11:00 am – Break

11:10 am – 12:40 pm – Herbology Theory – Great Hall

12:40 pm – 1:40 pm – Lunch

1:50 pm – 3:20 pm – History of Magic – Great Hall

Friday

9:10 am – 10:40 am – Potions Practical – Dungeons

10:40 am – 11:00 am – Break

11:10 am – 12:40 pm – Potions Theory – Great Hall

12:40 pm – 1:40 pm – Lunch

The theory exams were held in the Great Hall where students sat at individual desks and passed around anti-cheating quills they had to use. Each exam was an hour and a half long. The practicals meanwhile, students were asked to enter the room one at a time to perform some sort of magic. The potions exam practical was similar seating arrangements to that of the theories but held in the dungeons. When it was Lizzie's turn for the practicals, she was asked to make a pineapple dance across the table in charms. Lizzie had to change a mouse into a snuffbox for transfiguration, where points were given for how pretty it was but they lose points for feature of a mouse (fur, squeaking, whiskers/tail). Lizzie's turned into a pastel purple colour with white Lilies on the edges. In their potions practical class they had to remember how to make a forgetfulness potion without any instructions. In Herbology, they had to identify five plants that was set up in row and show how to care for it. In Defence they were asked to perform a knock back jinx and the curse of the bogies on dummies individually. In Astronomy, they had to do a detailed map of the stars and planets depending on what they saw for the practical. The Astronomy theory consisted of identifying or drawing constellations/planets/galaxies and remembering facts about them (e.g. how many moons does a certain planet have).