Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, exam week was only two days away.
Sirius was run off his feet too. The Academic Affairs Office had yet to be fully staffed, and its first major undertaking was already upon it.
Under the "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry staggered final examination system," he needed to divide all Hogwarts students except fifth and seventh years into two batches for their exams.
At Friday dinner in the final week, stars glittered across the vaulted ceiling of the Hogwarts Great Hall, complementing the flickering candlelight on the long tables.
The students sat around the long tables as usual, enjoying their food and chattering away. Of course, some of the top students still remembered to keep a book in hand to read.
Harry was eating a piece of pie with his head down when Ron suddenly nudged him with an elbow.
"Harry, look!"
Harry followed Ron's gaze. At some point, all the staff seats had filled up.
It was rare to see all the professors and staff in the Great Hall together at an ordinary dinner.
He turned to Hermione and asked:
"Is something happening tonight?"
Without looking up, Hermione said:
"Probably preparations for the staggered exams. I don't understand-if half the students are taking exams, what will the other half be doing? I asked the professors, but they all said they didn't know."
Only after she finished did she take her eyes off her book and look up.
"What's he doing there?"
"Who?"
They followed her gaze and only then noticed another person sitting between Lupin and Hagrid.
Hagrid's enormous bulk hid him in the shadows cast by the candlelight.
Harry looked puzzled.
"Sirius? Why is he sitting in the staff seats? He's been so secretive lately. I haven't seen him in