Exam Complication

On Thursday, June 11, the Defense Against the Dark Arts examination arrived as scheduled.

The morning written exam went as smoothly as ever. To Skylar, questions on defensive principles, classifications of the Dark Arts, and the logic behind countermeasures felt less like an exam and more like reviewing material he had long since mastered.

The real test came during the afternoon practical.

In the temporarily converted examination room, there was only one proctor—Professor Griselda Marchbanks, a senior examiner from the Wizarding Examinations Authority.

An empty gold-framed portrait hung by the window, while heavy curtains draped in one corner, concealing a Boggart behind them. Marchbanks sat sternly on a wooden chair, parchment and quill in hand—clearly her tools for recording scores.

The two had met at House of Malfoy's Christmas dinner, so Skylar respectfully greeted her before Marchbanks explained the examination question and procedure.

"Once I open the curtains, you must focus as much as possible," she said by the book. "Wait for the Boggart to identify your deepest fear, then use defensive magic to dispel it."

The instant the curtains were drawn aside, the air seemed to sink abruptly.

The Boggart first transformed into Voldemort.

That horrifyingly pale face emerged from the dimness, scarlet eyes like congealed drops of blood fixed firmly on Skylar. An invisible pressure surged forth like a tide, and the surrounding air rapidly chilled, condensing into a faint mist.

Marchbanks's back visibly stiffened. Her fingers clenched instinctively, her knuckles whitening as her wand rose slightly.

She had seen countless students' Boggarts, yet this was the first time she had felt such pressure—nearly at the level of actual combat—during an examination. A moment ago, she had nearly cried out.

Yet Voldemort's form lasted only an instant.

The next second, the Boggart violently twisted, collapsed, and reshaped itself—