Chapter 109 - Fred, You Traitor

"Hurry up, hurry up. Kids, these are just some simple multiple-choice questions. There's no need to act so serious. Do you all enjoy doing test papers so much?"

On the podium, William spoke cheerfully, making light of their situation.

However, the students below didn't even have time to react with anger or despair. While it was true that the test papers were all multiple-choice, William had only given them thirty minutes to finish, which was barely enough for ordinary students; let alone the ones who had been "caught" this time.

Human energy has its limits, even for wizards. Most of the students in this group had mediocre grades and were the type to get a headache just from looking at a test paper.

Even though William had reminded them three times during the test, when it was time to collect the papers, some students still tried to plead.

"Professor, please, just a little more time, just a tiny bit."

William ignored their pleas with a smile and began collecting papers from the students in the back.

Yet, when he turned back around after finishing, these kids still showed no intention of handing in their papers.

"Professor, almost done, just a moment."

Can they really not finish a multiple-choice test in thirty minutes? I thought the questions were reasonable when I prepared them, William thought.

Then he noticed the barely suppressed smirks of the other students; it suddenly clicked. He had underestimated them!

Indeed, these detention students had a far greater knack for outsmarting the professor than regular students did.

William mentally warned himself to be more cautious, then quickly walked up to the podium. If he remembered correctly, there were some old textbooks left behind by previous students stored there.

"Let's see, fourth-year… no, not this one. Ah, here it is—these are the ones."

He pulled out several dusty first-year textbooks and took out a few fifth-year assignment sheets from his bag. These were all first-year level questions but challenging enough that even copying directly from the books would be tricky.

"I didn't expect you all to be so interested in test papers," William remarked as he quickly walked over. He placed the textbooks and assignments on the desks of the students who were still working on the test.

"I'm deeply moved by your enthusiasm. Therefore, regardless of your test scores, I've decided that none of you will be cleaning toilets tonight. Instead, each of you will complete two assignment sheets. It's open-book, but if your score is below 'E,' make sure to copy the entire test paper five times and submit it before your next detention."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Move the desks and chairs to the back of the classroom. Two assignment sheets are no small task. If you're not finished by the end of your detention, it'll count as a fail."

William clapped his hands lightly.

"Off you go, gentlemen."

The students, who had naively thought they had successfully delayed their detention, looked miserable as they used their wands to move desks and chairs. Meanwhile, William returned to the podium, smiling kindly as he picked up the stack of test papers and began reading the names one by one.

***

"George Weasley—hmm, failed. I thought we worked well together, George. Off you go to report to Mr. Filch."

A wave of laughter erupted among the students below. George was now the third unlucky person sentenced to clean toilets.

Even George himself was dumbfounded. He couldn't believe his score. I had rewritten the answers multiple times! How did I fail today?

"Fred Weasley—hmm, just passed. You got one more question right than George. Congratulations, you'll be continuing to copy the remaining sections tonight. By the way, you can help George finish his work. Honestly, your handwriting is so similar."

When Fred's name was first called, there was a burst of laughter below. Everyone was expecting the announcement of a fourth unlucky student. Even George looked eagerly at his toilet-cleaning companion; Fred's company would make the chore far less dull.

But as soon as William finished speaking, the entire classroom fell silent.

As for George, his face instantly contorted into a mask of anguish and disbelief. He stared at Fred with a betrayed expression, as if asking, 'How could you do this to me?'

"Professor, there must be a mistake!" Fred exclaimed in shock. He had been fully prepared to clean toilets. How could this happen?

"It does seem a bit unbelievable. Let me double-check."

"Confirmed. No mistakes."

After carefully rechecking, William affirmed his conclusion.

About five minutes later, seven defeated and speechless students left the classroom in unison.

"George?"

"George?"

After several calls, George finally snapped out of his daze and looked toward the person calling him.

"Hurry up; the Professor said he double-checked the time. If we don't report to Filch within fifteen minutes, our detention time will double."

"Let it double then… Merlin's beard, Fred betrayed us!"

"It wasn't his intention. Look on the bright side; at least we're better off than those poor souls stuck in the classroom doing test papers, right?"

This reasoning quickly balanced everyone's emotions, and laughter and cheerful chatter returned to the group.

"But didn't we just go through an exam ourselves?"

"..."

Silence. Absolute silence.

***

"All right, I believe that during the recent, simple test, most of you mastered the basics of transcription. That's a good start. Next, each of you will come up here to collect a stack of materials for rewriting. Quick-Quotes Quills and parchment are all ready."

"I hope you'll double-check your work against these materials. If there are issues during the review, I'll have no choice but to send you to Mr. Filch for handling."

William called the students up one by one, distributing the materials. Only after he finished did he sit back at the podium, pulling out a third-year textbook to review.

Test papers were something that could always be created with a little effort. Writing them had become a strangely addictive activity for him. Not only did it deepen his research, but it also ensured that this labor wouldn't go to waste. Even if the knowledge wasn't useful for breaking curses, someone could still appreciate the effort.

William's test-preparation posture successfully intimidated the students below. For a while, the only sounds in the classroom were the rustling of papers and the scratching of quills on parchment.

Knock, knock--

The sound of knocking broke the classroom's silence.

"Come in," William replied without looking up.

"Professor, I'm here to report."

A head of flaming red hair appeared within the students' line of sight. Almost everyone recognized him. It was Percy Weasley, a sixth-year Gryffindor and the boys' prefect.

"You're a bit early, Percy. Find a spot to sit for now. Later, you'll review the materials they submit. That won't be a problem, will it?"

"No problem at all, Professor," Percy replied confidently, which greatly pleased William. Percy was exactly as reliable as Professor Binns had enthusiastically recommended. Considering Binns could barely remember most of his colleagues these days, such praise carried weight.

A certificate of internship and a modest stipend funded by the school. Where else could you find such an excellent inspector if not here at Hogwarts?

Feeling reassured, William nodded and returned to his work.

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