Professor, Do You Know the Half-Blood Prince?

After the attack was resolved, Quidditch Match, which had been suspended for a long time, resumed.

But now there's less than a month left until the end of the semester, and in order to make the most of the time, the upcoming matches are almost back-to-back, with at least three matches every weekend.

Overall, the audience thoroughly enjoyed the show, but the players were exhausted.

Especially Kyle.

As the final exams drew closer, he regretted choosing twelve courses more and more, even though it wasn't his original intention. But this explanation failed to convince Professor McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore.

He still had to memorize long passages of key points from the book for the exam, such as the formulas and meanings of Arithmancy, as well as various common sense about Muggle life... especially the latter, which Kyle wasted most of his time on.

Well, it wasn't until he got to know him better that Kyle realized the way Muggle lived in the eyes of wizards was slightly different from what he remembered.

Take the purpose of a yard, for example. Kyle thought about playing, having afternoon tea, resting, chatting... but none of those felt right.

He didn't realize until he looked through the book that the correct answer was actually for mowing the lawn.

Goodness, they built a yard just to mow the lawn... How much free time do they have?

And the most popular group activity, to Kyle's utter surprise, was watching TV...

Not only Kyle, but Mikel was the same; he even doubted at one point that he had been a fake Muggle for eleven years.

Kyle hoped for the first time that the Mandrake would mature later, preferably after the exams.

Unfortunately, Charity Burbage was discharged from the hospital a few days later.

Even though she spent several months in the Hospital Wing and barely attended the course, the school still showed no intention of canceling the exam.

Professor Burbage had two full weeks to prepare exam papers for the students.

Mikel was so worried that he couldn't eat for several days. He had chosen this course hoping to improve his grades, but now he was lucky to even get an A (passing grade), let alone a high score.

If the questions had been any more difficult, he might have received his first P (fail) in his Hogwarts career.

But putting all that aside, the rest of the summer semester was still quite enjoyable.

Soon, on a sunny morning, exam week began.

For three whole days, Kyle was constantly traveling between different exam venues...

During the Transfiguration exam, as soon as Kyle walked into the professor's room, Professor McGonagall immediately moved the teapot on the table to the side... The students were supposed to turn it into a turtle.

"That's too easy for you. Let's change the exam," she said. "I expect you to write a paper at least five feet long on multiple Transfiguration."

Kyle was taken aback; he had thought Professor McGonagall would ask him to perform a more difficult Transfiguration.

But writing a paper... Kyle didn't understand what kind of exam this was supposed to be.

A written test? But I already took it yesterday.

"It was written for <Today's Transfiguration>."

Professor McGonagall quickly explained, "I've been friends with the editor of this magazine for many years, and we correspond every month. She's very interested in the points you raised at the Transfiguration Club."

Therefore, I would like you to try for the Most Promising Newcomer Award in "Today's Transfiguration".

Almost all contemporary masters of Transfiguration subscribe to this magazine; leaving your name in it would be very helpful for your future."

"When to write it, now?" Kyle's eyes lit up.

"Of course not, you don't have enough time to write a truly excellent paper..."

"Two months should be enough," Professor McGonagall chuckled. "I'll send your paper over when the next semester starts. As for the exams now..."

She casually circled a line on the report card, "Full marks!"

Besides Transfiguration, Kyle also got a perfect score on the Charms exam. Professor Flitwick continued his decisive approach from last year, not wasting any time on him at all.

And then there's the next challenge: Care of Magical Creatures... Ancient Runes... Defense Against the Dark Arts... Kyle passed them all without a hitch.

However, there were also some problems, namely with Muggle Studies and Potions.

Muggle Studies goes without saying; it's a double test of imagination and memory. Kyle kept writing until the very last second before putting down his quill.

But the Potions exam was different; Snape didn't even let Kyle into the classroom, stopping him outside.

"Professor, the exam is about to begin..." Kyle said.

He had reason to suspect that Snape was trying to prevent him from taking the exam this way, and then use the excuse of absence to give him a zero.

This is not impossible.

But Snape paid no attention to any of that, coldly looking at her and asking, "Tell me, what's the deal with that curse!"

"What curse?"

"Don't play dumb," Snape said, emphasizing each word. "That pillar in the Chamber of Secrets that was almost cut in half—that couldn't have been done by Riddle, could it?"

"Oh... you mean the Sectumsempra?" Kyle suddenly realized. "A senior student taught me that."

"To be honest!"

Snape, his face grim, took out a small bottle and held it in his hand.

"Stop lying to me, or I won't hesitate to use other methods... You should know what that is, right?"

"Veritaserum."

"That's right, Veritaserum ..." Snape sneered. "Just two drops will make you reveal all your secrets."

"But Professor, using Veritaserum without authorization is illegal," Kyle advised. "You mustn't let curiosity lead you down a path of crime. Dementor ..."

"Bang!"

Snape squinted and opened the bottle.

"Okay, I'll tell you."

Kyle sighed. "This is something a senior student taught me... Don't get excited, Professor, let me finish."

He blocked Snape's outstretched arm. "That was a sixth-year student... or at least a sixth-year student. I found his Advanced Potion-Making."

Snape's expression stiffened.

Kyle continued, "I only know that he's called the Half-Blood Prince, but I don't know his real name; it's not written in the book."

But I feel that Half-Blood Prince... should be a handsome guy. Of course, he could also be very ugly... so he chose this name to comfort himself."

Snape's face turned purple and blue, and the muscles in his cheeks twitched uncontrollably.

"Shut up..."

Kyle acted as if he hadn't heard him and continued, "If you, Professor, are interested in this Half-Blood Prince, I can help you inquire about him."

You know, I'm pretty popular at school, and I know quite a few older students who probably know who calls themselves the "Half-blood King"...

"I said, shut up!" Snape growled.

Hearing the commotion, the students in the classroom all turned around to see what had happened.

"Turn your head away! Anyone who looks around like that won't get the exam; they'll get zero!"

Snape shouted into the classroom, then turned and glared at Kyle, snarling through gritted teeth, "Where's that book?"

"It might be in the dorm, or it might be somewhere else," Kyle thought for a moment. "I can't quite remember."

"Then find it and give it to me!"

"But professor, the exam..."

Snape's expression shifted again, and after a moment's hesitation, he said in a deep voice, "Tell me, what ingredients are needed to brew the Antidote to Uncommon Poisons?"

"Bezoar, mistletoe berries, Unicorn Horn," Kyle blurted out.

"Very good, full marks." Snape gritted his teeth. "Now, go and find that damned book for me!"

"Okay."

Kyle jogged out of the underground classroom, circled around outside, and then came back.

After all, he always carried that book, "Advanced Potion-Making," with him at all times and never left it in his dormitory or classroom.

"Professor, guess what? I..."

"Give it to me!" Before Kyle could finish speaking, Snape reached out and snatched the book away.

They really snatched it; they were even faster Peeves. Kyle suddenly felt like he was feeding the Long-Browed Tree Monkey at Newt's place, where the food he had just taken out disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Snape looked at the book "Advanced Potion-Making" in his hand with a complicated expression, and without looking up, said, "You can leave now."

"Professor, do you know the Half-Blood Prince...?"

"Roll!"