Time flew, and a month passed. Exam week was fast approaching.
All the students grew nervous. At first, they had complained endlessly about the extra evening study sessions, but now they gradually found themselves too busy to complain.
Shawn, however, had barely done any revision over the past month. Instead, he had focused on House discipline. He was not aiming to earn more House points; preventing any deductions was enough.
Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup, earning its customary hundred points and drawing more or less level with Slytherin.
Fortunately, Slytherin had a Serpent King whose favoritism was utterly off the charts.
Snape had gone wild deducting points from Gryffindor that month, nearly driving Harry Potter to a breakdown.
Snape and McGonagall had also been at each other's throats lately, arguing more than once or twice.
Professor McGonagall was so angry that she wanted to bend the rules herself, but the elegant, fair-minded cat simply could not bring herself to do it.
With Snape deducting points and Shawn safeguarding them, their seamless teamwork had put Slytherin back at the top of the House points standings, a hundred points ahead of second-place Gryffindor.
Shawn felt no shame about it. As he had always said, holding an office meant doing its job.
Besides, he had played strictly by the rules. The old bat had done all the dirty work. What did that have to do with him?
The sky was clear and the air fresh that day, and the week-long exams began.
Countless Young Wizards trudged into the examination rooms with heavy steps and “unwavering resolve.”
Besides written papers, every subject had a practical assessment.
The Potions exam required them to brew the Draught of Living Death.
The Transfiguration exam required them to turn a mouse into a snuffbox.
The Charms