Exams

Dumbledore had agreed to my meeting and saw me a few days before exams were about to start. I walked up the stairs to his office at the meeting time.

"Come in, Mr. Carter", Dumbledore said before I could knock. I opened the door and walked in. Fawkes cawed at me."please sit down, Mr. Carter," he said. "Lemon drop?" he offered as I sat down. I nodded and said, "Thank you." I sighed. "Professor, if you don't mind, can you tell me anything about the Burroughs family of America?" I asked.

"Yes, your maternal family; of course, before I do, can you show me your inheritance report." He asked.

I looked at him and, after a thought, nodded and presented the scroll I got from Gringotts. He looked it over, nodded, and handed it back. "Just making sure it was an unusual request", he smiled. "From what I've learned is that the Burroughs family is apart of a neutral faction in the magical congress of United States of America, they have alot of power, especially financially. They choose to be neutral because they do not want either faction to gain too much power to topple the other, so they sit on the fence and back underdogs." He stroked his beard. "Lady Burroughs, the current Matriarch, is a lovely woman from all accounts."

"So nothing to be afraid of then, good." I sighed. Dumbledore had a look. "What?"

"The Burroughs are not a problem, but there is one. Lady Burrough's nephew, Marcus Hunter." Dumbledore said i raised an eyebrow in quesiton? "The hunter family are on the side of suppressing the muggles, or Nomaj as they call them. Meanwhile, the leading faction is proposing new reforms between Nomaj and Wizards. Right now, they are more segregated than Britain, and the leading faction is pushing to become more like us, with muggle-born immediate families allowed to know about magic and allow the marriage," Dumbledore explained.

"So why is that a problem?" I asked.

"Well, everyone thinks Marcus Hunter will become heir to the Burroughs family." He said.

"And I, being a possible heir, would threaten his position." I ruffled my hair. "Thank you, Dumbledore."

"My advice, Mr. Carter. Family is a precious gift, even if strings are attached." he smiled at me.

"You know that saying blood is thicker than water?" I said to Dumbledore. He nodded. "Most people misinterpreted that, but the actual quote is 'The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.' I put my faith in my chosen family, sir." I said, got up, and left. "Good night, Professor Dumbledore."

It wasn't long till the exams period; some classes would have practical exams like charms and transfiguration along with written exams. As we got closer to summer, the end of spring heat was starting to make people sweat, and everyone was nervous. I wasn't really in the study group all year, but I had pretty much reinforced all my knowledge.

It was the weekend before exams, and my roommates and I were outside doing revision. Well, they were. I was lying on the grass, humming a song with my headphones on and my eyes closed, trying to relax. A shadow covered my face as something blocked out the sun I opened my eyes. Professor Snape was looking down on me.

"Professor?" I asked in question, taking off my headphones.

"Should you be revising like your roommates?" he asked.

"Doing an important part of revision right now, sir," I said.

"And what's that, Mr. Carter." He seemed angry at me.

"Relaxing", I said," it's like doing stretching after exercising helps make sure you don't get sore muscles," I smirked. "Plus, I want to be well-rested before the test". Snape didn't say anything and walked off. I closed my eyes and listened to my music. My relationship with Severus took a big hit when he sent me to the forbidden forest. Of course, I know why he did, but that doesn't change the fact he used me. I would get over it eventually, but I was still mad at him, especially because I got hurt, but I was going to bitch out as Draco would have. There was sometging I didn't understand the centaur firenze called me 'the minstrel' I didn't have my guitar on me at the time, well it was in my satchel but I wasn't holding it. How did he know I was a musician, what have the devined about me. Thoughts for another time.

The exams were difficult, covering the entire year's syllabus. The charms written test had us drawing wand movements and writing the uses for certain spells. Transfiguration had us turning mice into snuff boxes. Snuff is a powdered tobacco that people used to snort by the way, and they stored it in decorative boxes. We got points for how decorative we made the small box and points off if any mouse traits show, like whiskers or a tail. Mine didn't have any mouse traits and it was adorned with musical notes and people dancing, I was quite proud of it.

Herbology had us covering all the plants we learned about and setting a spikey bush on fire. Dada and the history of magic were just written tests and boring. But exams were finally over, and the whole school was taking the day on the grounds enjoying the sunshine. My friends and I sat by the lake, watching the giant squid bask in the sun. Fred George and Lee were playing with one of its tentacles. I was leaning against a tree, strumming my guitar, not playing a song, just some cords. Susan, Hannah, Dean, and Neville had joined us for a picnic. "Play us a song, why don't you," Grant said.

"Hmm," I tapped my guitar. "Okay". I thought, 'Sorry Ed, but this Ed is taking this song'. •Photograph by Ed Sheeran•

♫Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes

But it's the only thing that I know♫

I sang softly and sweetly

♫When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes

It is the only thing makes us feel alive♫

I smiled and closed my eyes drifting into the song.

♫We keep this love in a photograph

We made these memories for ourselves

Where our eyes are never closing

Hearts are never broken

And time's forever frozen still♫

reaching for a higher pitch, I sang

♫So you can keep me

Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans

Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet

You won't ever be alone, wait for me to come home♫

waves rippled on the surface of the lake.

♫Loving can heal, loving can mend your soul

And it's the only thing that I know, know♫

birds sat on the tree branches, and the wind rustled the leaves.

♫I swear it will get easier

Remember that with every piece of ya

Hmm, and it's the only thing we take with us when we die♫

heads started to surface on the lake, the merpeople had come to investigate.

♫Hmm, we keep this love in this photograph

We made these memories for ourselves

Where our eyes are never closing

Hearts were never broken

And time's forever frozen, still♫

I opened my eyes, and my friend saw that my eyes were a brighter blue.

♫So you can keep me

Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans

Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet

You won't ever be alone

And if you hurt me

That's okay, baby, only words bleed

Inside these pages, you just hold me

And I won't ever let you go

Wait for me to come home♫

I played an acoustic solo for a bit; I smiled and looked at my friends.

♫Oh, you can fit me

Inside the necklace you got when you were sixteen

Next to your heartbeat where I should be

Keep it deep within your soul

And if you hurt me

Well, that's okay, baby, only words bleed

Inside these pages, you just hold me

And I won't ever let you go♫

I finished the song with another solo. then, there was a splash on the lake's surface; looking out over the lake, I could see the rippling waves but nothing else.

That night, I got a sudden strange feeling.

-pov golden trio-

They had just tricked peeves and were climbing up the grand staircase when somebody brushed past them under the invisibility cloak. Eddie was hurrying up the stairs with a violin in his hands. He was muttering to himself.

"It's time, it's time. I am ready. It's time," he muttered as he passed the third floor and kept going up.

"What's up with him?" Hermione asked the group.

"I don't know," said Harry ", but we don't have time to look." he pointed to the third-floor corridor door that was ajar. "Snape has got past fluffy already"