After the Herbology Written Exam on the first day of the O.W.L. Exams ended, Ron and Harry left the Great Hall together, stretching lazily with relaxed expressions on their faces.
However, after walking a few steps and meeting Hermione, they realized she looked completely different from them.
Hermione held Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi in her hands, lips pressed tightly together and brows furrowed, looking deeply anxious.
"Hermione, you look like Professor McGonagall right now," Ron could not help asking. "What's wrong?"
Harry voiced his guess. "Was the exam difficult? Or did Fred prank you? Did you bring their Now-You-See-It-Now-You-Don't Ink, only to find that all the writing on your paper had vanished?"
"What? No!" Hermione immediately looked at Harry and explained seriously. "It was ordinary ink. After I finished answering, all my writing was still there. It didn't disappear."
"Then why do you look like that? Like the world's ending next week." Ron scratched his head. "Did you mess up the exam? That makes no sense."
"I just felt like there wasn't enough time..." Hermione sighed. "For the question on 'methods of collecting Bubotuber Pus,' I had only just finished writing down every collection method I could think of when the examiner called for us to stop writing."
"Methods of collecting Bubotuber Pus?" Ron's expression turned strange. "Don't you just squeeze its swellings? Was that question... really so hard?"
"Squeezing is only the most basic method!" Hermione raised her eyebrows. "I remember Neville mentioning in Hogwarts Voice..."
Before she could finish, the corner of her eye suddenly caught sight of someone. "Neville's over there! Come on, I'll go confirm the answer with him!"
Harry and Ron followed her over and saw Neville walking with Vizet and Hanna.
Hermione was already speaking with Neville, who said in an orderly manner,