The next morning, when he woke, a fine drizzle was falling outside the castle.
In Albert's limited memories of coming to Hogwarts, every new term seemed to begin with rain.
He dressed quickly, prepared breakfast for Tom, then reached out to rub the cat's head. He decided to have a house-elf take Tom to Isobel later, so the cat could fulfill its true purpose.
"Where are Fred and George?" Albert asked Lee Jordan, who was putting on his shoes. He had noticed earlier that only the two of them remained in the dormitory.
"They went to the Common Room to put up advertising flyers." Lee Jordan grinned. "Those two are really full of energy."
After washing up and heading downstairs, they found several students gathered by the Notice Board in the Common Room, discussing something in low voices. Fred and George were handing out flyers with beaming smiles. They advertised the newest prank products they had for sale.
Rather unexpectedly, the most popular item was Brain Boosting Candy among Albert's Magical Candy—sweets that improved energy, intelligence, and mental clarity.
However, students had to register in advance and pay a deposit to reserve them.
"I must remind you that Brain Boosting Candy cannot be used in exams, especially O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. You'll definitely be caught by the invigilators, so don't count on getting lucky. But it can help you revise more effectively. Whether it's worth the price is for you to decide. Don't say I didn't..." Fred and George were promoting the candy's effects while also throwing cold water on everyone's expectations, but it still could not dampen their enthusiasm.
They could not cheat in O.W.L.s or N.E.W.T.s, but nobody said they could not use it at other times. Ordinary Final Exams were nowhere near as strict. Even if they really