Chapter 568: The Exam

As June approached, the atmosphere in the castle grew tense and excited once more. The final event of the Triwizard Tournament was imminent, and the summer holidays were just around the corner. For most students, who hadn't left the castle all year due to the Christmas Ball, the anticipation of this year's break was higher than ever.

Kyle found himself buried in yet another stack of books. This time, Cedric, Cho, and Kanna joined in to help, drafting an extensive list of potentially useful Charms on a long piece of parchment and handing it to him.

"The Four-Point Spell will definitely work, I guarantee it," Cedric insisted. "It makes your wand point due north. Since the Quidditch Pitch is north of the castle, if you follow the wand, you'll definitely find the spot where the trophy is hidden."

"Are you sure the directions in the maze will be accurate?" Cho countered. "Don't forget what happened during the First Task. The Champions' perspective was completely different from what we saw."

"But it's still better than wandering aimlessly, isn't it?" Cedric argued. "Knowing a direction is better than knowing nothing at all."

"You're right," Cho conceded, though she glanced at him skeptically. "Still, if a Four-Point Spell were enough to solve the maze, this task would be way too easy. I'm sure Professor Dumbledore has already considered that."

"That's why the Reductor Curse is more important," Cho added. "Use it to blow through the hedges and head straight for the center without being hindered by the maze."

"I don't think a single Reductor Curse can destroy the kind of hedges they'll use for the maze," Cedric muttered.

This wasn't the first time they'd clashed over which Charm was most useful. Each had their arguments, and it often turned into a competition—as if convincing Kyle meant victory. The winner would bask in smugness for the rest of the day, only for the debate to start anew the next morning.

Kyle usually ended up agreeing with both sides, if only to restore some peace. In truth, he was already familiar with nearly every Charm they'd suggested.

Kanna, however, took a different approach: potions. She presented Kyle with a variety of concoctions—Baruffio's Brain Elixir, Awakening Potion, Poison Antidotes, Healing Potions, Strengthening Solutions, Corrosive Potions, and even Fire Protection Potion, like the one Snape had used to protect the Philosopher's Stone. Each arrived carefully packaged in bottles.

To top it off, she brought him a small vial of golden Felix Felicis. But Kyle didn't accept it.

For one, he didn't want to risk Snape's wrath. It was clear Kanna wasn't yet skilled enough to brew Felix Felicis herself, so its origin was no mystery. Accepting ordinary potions might lead to Snape docking points or sulking, but Felix Felicis was different. Even Snape couldn't brew it easily—it was practically marked "For Kanna only." Taking it would be a surefire way to land in serious trouble, and not even Dumbledore would be able to protect Kyle from the fallout.

Besides, Kyle already had a bottle of Felix Felicis from Kanna, tucked safely away in his suitcase. It had been a Christmas gift from Snape to her during her first year, but since Kanna had a habit of losing things, Kyle had offered to hold onto it. When he later tried to return it, Kanna refused, insisting it was now a gift for him. Snape, of course, likely had no idea about this arrangement.

Another reason Kyle declined was that Felix Felicis was undoubtedly banned for the Triwizard Tournament. The judges weren't just there to score the Champions—they could easily detect if someone had used the potion. After Kyle's explanation, Kanna reluctantly stowed the Felix Felicis away again.

As the tournament approached, Fred and George continued their surveillance of Ludo Bagman. For more than two weeks, they had tracked him tirelessly. But whether he'd caught wind of their efforts or for some other reason, Bagman hadn't met with Karkaroff again. Their routines stayed predictable: Bagman spent his days between the boat and the Quidditch Pitch, with nothing unusual happening.

Though disappointed, the twins eventually suspended their mission. Exam week had arrived, and even Fred and George couldn't afford to flunk too badly if they wanted to survive the holidays unscathed.

For fifth-years, the arrival of the O.W.L.s made the entire castle buckle down. Even the looming final task of the Triwizard Tournament couldn't fully distract them. Books, notes, and frantic cramming took precedence—for one week, at least.

...

The day before the Third Task, the Great Hall was alive with activity. Students filled the lunch tables, their chatter blending into a constant hum of excitement and nerves.

Kanna, however, paid no attention to the noise. She sat hunched over a thick book, flipping through its pages intently. Beside her, Cho was also absorbed in a large open book, though she didn't seem as focused.

"I didn't realize the O.W.L.s would be so much harder than regular final exams..." Cho said, her voice tinged with frustration. "I made so many mistakes on the Transfiguration exam yesterday. There are three critical steps for brewing Polyjuice Potion, and I could only remember two. If I miss the advanced class because of that..."

"Relax, Cho, don't be so hard on yourself," Cedric said reassuringly, handing her a glass of pumpkin juice.

"That's just how O.W.L.s are—they're a bit of a shock," he continued. "I felt the same way when I took mine. I was so sure I'd messed up everything, I could barely sleep. But when the results came back, they weren't as bad as I thought.

"I heard the Wizarding Examinations Authority uses a different grading curve for O.W.L.s compared to our regular finals."

"But I did get the answers wrong," Cho fretted, her stress unabated. She pushed her plate aside, not feeling the slightest bit hungry. With so much left to revise before her next exam, she didn't think she could afford a break.

Kanna seemed to share her sentiments. Though she was eating, her eyes never left her book.

Meanwhile, Mikel and Ryan sat across from them, eerily silent. They stared off into space as if in a daze, occasionally jabbing at their steaks in a way that suggested they might accidentally stuff them up their noses.

Kyle, on the other hand, had no such worries. That morning, as he walked to class with Kanna, he had been informed that, as a Triwizard Tournament Champion, he wouldn't need to take the O.W.L. exams at all.

"They were going to arrange a special exam for you after the tournament," Professor Marchbanks had said, standing at the classroom doorway. Despite being well over a hundred years old, her sharp eyes twinkled with warmth. "But I don't think that will be necessary."

Marchbanks had glanced down at a parchment in her hands, then back up at Kyle with a small smile. "I've reviewed your past exam scores—frankly, no one has ever achieved higher marks during my tenure administering these tests. Not even Dumbledore himself."

She had paused, then added with a touch of pride, "And that article you published in Transfiguration Today? It would have received full marks even on the N.E.W.T. Transfiguration exam."

Her expression softened. "So, you've nothing left to prove. Use your time as you see fit—prepare for the Third Task, or simply relax and enjoy yourself. No need to waste a single moment worrying about exam parchment."

With Marchbanks's blessing, Kyle had spent the morning in the empty common room. To his surprise, the unstructured time was less relaxing than he'd anticipated—it was just plain boring.