The order for taking the Transfiguration practical exam was clearly arranged alphabetically.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron were among the first students to finish. Under the guidance of a Ministry of Magic employee, they slowly headed toward the exit.
"Er..." Ron scratched his head, still thinking back on the practical exam. "Harry, do you think there's any chance...?"
"I know what you're going to say!" Harry cut him off. "I don't think it's possible! Absolutely impossible!"
"Then it can only be one hell of a coincidence." Ron shrugged. "Anyway, I never expected this practical exam... to line up with last weekend's detention."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Hermione said. "I noticed that you all performed quite well this time, so you won't have let Professor McGonagall down. She is our Head of House, isn't she?"
Harry returned to the earlier topic. "Either way, I don't believe Snape would actually help us."
"That's true!" Ron said with another shrug. "I was only saying it casually..."
"Come to think of it, that really does make sense... Rather than believe Snape would help us cheat, I'd sooner believe he'd blow up the Ministry of Magic!"
"Agreed!" Harry grinned. "The odds of that second thing are definitely much higher!"
The moment he finished speaking, countless blinding camera flashes struck him head-on, turning everything before his eyes white.
His instinct was to draw his wand. He had only raised an arm and just opened his mouth when he felt something hard slam into his teeth, making tears spring to the corners of his eyes.
Before he could recover, an unfamiliar male voice rang out. "As one of the first students to leave the exam room... Mr. Potter, how do you think you performed?"
He blinked furiously, trying to adjust to the bright flashes, when another unfamiliar