CHAPTER 58

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CHAPTER 58 Trials and Triumphs

(LAST WEEK'S CHAPTER)

Elmi emerged from the Dark Forest, the dense canopy of trees casting elongated shadows under the moonlit night. The air carried a mysterious stillness, broken only by the distant hoot of an owl.

The moonlight painted a silver sheen across the grounds as Elmi stepped into the courtyard. The cold night air nipped at his face, but there was a sense of relief in leaving the depths of the Forbidden Forest. The distant torches along the arches flickered, creating a play of light and shadow.

He reached into his enchanted bag and retrieved the cloak of invisibility. Draping the cloak over himself, he slipped past Mr.Filch unseen. Elmi paused for a moment, gazing into the silent expanse of the castle grounds through the arched windows. Firenze's cryptic divination lingered in his mind like a distant echo. 

Elmi contemplated the prophecy. He had a pragmatic approach to prophecies. He was skeptical about their deterministic nature. He regarded them as cautionary rather than preordained. To him, the power of a prophecy lay in the significance one attributed to it.

The comparison to Voldemort's fate, entwined with the prophecy surrounding Harry Potter, flickered across Elmi's thoughts. He mused on the idea if Voldemort had dismissed the prophecy as inconsequential, perhaps the events that transpired would have taken a different course. Lily's protective sacrifice might not have been the linchpin in his downfall.

...

The exam week at Hogwarts had descended, casting a shadow of stress and anticipation over the students. While Hermione seemed to navigate the week with her usual confidence, and Elmi, seemingly unflappable, breakfast was a scene of last-minute revisions for Daphne, Zabini, and Tracey. The trio huddled at the tip of the house table, books and notes scattered around them chaoticly.

Elmi, approaching with a yawn and sleep still lingering in his eyes, joined their gathering. Daphne looked up, her expression a mix of panic, "Elmi, you look like you've just walked out of a dream. How are your exams going?"

Elmi, rubbing his eyes, "Exams? Oh, right. I guess they're going fine. Didn't really stress about them."

Zabini, flipping through a book: "Must be nice not to stress. I feel like my brain is about to explode."

Tracey, nervously tapping her quill: "I can't remember half the spells for Charms. What if they ask us to perform a particularly tricky one?"

Elmi, leaning against the table: "Relax, guys. Stressing won't help. Just take it one question at a time. What's the worst that could happen?"

Daphne, giving him a look: "Fail the exams and have to repeat the year like Flint!"

Elmi, shrugging: "Fair point, but dwelling on it won't change anything. It is just 1st year exams. You can't flunk them even if you want to. Just do your best. And hey, if all else fails, we can form a study group next semester."

At that moment, it dawned on Zabini, "Aren't you and Flint supposed to have a duel? When is it going to happen?"

"After the exams, before we leave for the semester holiday."

Tracey forgot her anxiety about the exams and said,

"Why did you stand up to him like that? I still don't understand it. He is a 5th-year student; can you even beat him."

Elmi smirked, acting arrogantly and half-jokingly. He said, "You all know who I dueled with. Do you really think I am going to be afraid of some 5th-year student?"

Zabini had an annoyed look on his face, "Sometimes I really want to punch that face." At the same time, Daphe and Tracey said,

"Me too." Daphne ground her teeth and said, "He sometimes has such a punchable face."

All of them laughed, and then Elmi said, "All jokes aside, how long are we going to let those would-be death eaters lead the Slytherin to the ground? This is the house of Merlin. We are the most noble of houses, and we have to start acting like one."

...

The Transfiguration classroom buzzed with nervous energy as the first-year students prepared for their practical exam. Elmi stood in front of his designated desk, wand at the ready. Professor McGonagall, stern-faced and precise, circled the room, scrutinizing each student.

"Today, you would be turning your familiar into a cup, a vase, or a bowl. Remember the principles we've discussed in class. Begin."

Elmi, with a focused expression, performed the intricate wand movements. In a matter of seconds, Byakko was transformed into a black-and-white vase. All other students other than Hermione had some imperfections in their transformation. Some had fur on their vase or ears on their bowl.

McGonagall, though impressed, maintained her composed exterior.

"Adequate work, Fawley and Miss Granger. Please proceed to the next exam."

Beads of sweat forming on Ron's forehead struggled with the incantation. At last, he managed to transform his rat into a bowl, but it had a rat's tail and nose on it. As McGonagall stood on top of him with a stern look in her eyes. Ron started to panic more and tried again; this time, he transformed it into a vase. It had fur and ears. 

You could hear his panicked whining as he kept casting another transformation. At last, he succeeded and sighed so loudly that almost everyone in the last room heard him.

...

Tiny balls fluttered in the air as the Charms classroom started to fill with students. In the charms exam, they had to cast a summoning charm onto a small ball, but there was a catch. They had to summon it through a small hole just enough for the ball to pass. Professor Flitwick said,

"Your task is to summon a blue ball among the levitating different colored balls and pass it through this hole." 

He tapped at his head with his finger and said,

"Don't forget the proper incantation and wand movement."

Elmi, confident as ever, stood ready for his turn. He raised his hand and pointed his wand towards the ball, and waited for Flitwick's signal. He turned to Elmi and said, "Mr. Fawley, whenever you're ready."

Elmi, waving his wand: "Accio blue ball!"

The ball soared through the air, passed through the hole without any problem, and landed gently in Elmi's outstretched hand. Flitwick's eyes twinkled with approval.

"Excellent, Mr. Fawley! Precision and control, just as expected."

The summoning of balls continued, with varying degrees of success among the students. Neville Longbottom, beads of perspiration forming on his forehead, struggled to control the summoning spell.

"Accio blue ball!... Come... come, come here!"

Professor Flitwick offered encouragement: "A bit more focus, Mr. Longbottom. Remember the right wand movement. Give it another try."

He tried again, and he managed to pull a silver key into his hand. Malfoy and his goons laughed at what was happening,

"Longbottom, didn't your parents teach you the difference between a ball and a key?"

Goyle laughed and said, "Ohh, right, his parents have gone crazy. They couldn't have taught him anything."

You could see tears falling down Neville's eyes. Upon hearing this, Flitwick got really angry. There was one thing he would never tolerate, and that was bullies.

"MISTER MALFOY AND GOYLE! I do not condone such actions; you will lose 20 points from your exams and cost your house 10 points each."

Malfoy jumped up from where he was sitting and angrily said, "You can't do this, professor, and my father will not tolerate this." Flitwick got angrier and shouted, "I DO NOT CARE WHAT YOUR FATHER WILL TOLERATE. This is my class."

Elmi knew what had happened to Neville's parents. It was heartbreaking, and he couldn't take this anymore and. said, "Malfoy, it looks like the lesson I gave you about manners has left your little head. I do not suffer fools and bullies, and you, Malfoy, are both. When we go back to the common room, I am going to have another talk with you."

Upon hearing what Elmi had said, Malfoy looked frightened, but after hiding behind his goons, as he leaves the classroom, he said,

"I... I do not fear you, Fawley. We, the real Slytherin, will teach you a lesson today."

Neville wiped his tears and thanked Elmi for helping him out. "No problem, Neville, just focus on your exam; you can do it." After some tries, he managed to do it, but Flitwick's attention was focused on Elmi. Flitwick thought he is not only talented but also has compassion for his friends and is an honorable young man. You could see the admiration in Flitwick's eyes.