Chapter 47 Final Exam

As the final exams approached, the trio became increasingly busy. Unlike Harry, who was anxious all the time, Hermione and Ron weren't worried about the Philosopher's Stone at all.

After all, neither of them had experienced the terrifying events Harry had in the Forbidden Forest, nor did they suffer from the searing pain in their scars like Harry. Even in his sleep, Harry was often awakened by recurring nightmares.

However, as time passed, every day when Harry walked past the fourth-floor corridor, he noticed that Fluffy was still lying behind the door, alive and well. Clearly, things hadn't spiraled out of control yet.

Of course, Eisen had also been secretly observing everything. To prepare for what was to come, he had even cut back on his alchemy studies significantly.

When he wasn't practicing spells, Eisen kept a close watch on Quirrell through the observation mirror. Although he occasionally glanced at Hermione, Harry, and Snape, his primary focus remained on Quirrell.

Since Eisen's observation mirror indirectly observed people by tracking the terrain around them, he wasn't afraid of being discovered by Voldemort, who was possessing Quirrell.

Soon, June arrived, and the students became busy with their final exams.

For Hermione, every subject was a breeze. Whether it was a practical or a written test, she had no trouble at all.

During the written exams, to prevent cheating, the teachers gave the students special quills enchanted with anti-cheating spells. These quills were highly effective in ensuring honesty during the tests.

For the practical Charms exam, Professor Flitwick had each student cast spells on pineapples, making them tap dance across the table.

In Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall instructed the students to transform a mouse into an intricate snuffbox. The more elaborate the snuffbox, the higher the grade.

As for Harry and Ron, their worst subject was Potions. Snape hovered behind them, just waiting for them to make a mistake.

Eisen, too, contributed to the difficulty of the exams. However, the Astronomy test was relatively simple, requiring only a basic star chart of the solar system. 

In Eisen's opinion, this was hardly a challenge for students who had been in school for a year. After all, they only needed to recall a few planets and moons in the solar system.

The last subject was History of Magic. For many students, the one-hour exam wasn't a punishment but a relief, as they knew they would have a week of freedom afterward.

When they finished the exam under the ghostly supervision of Professor Binns, the students cheered as they set down their quills, eager to enjoy their time off before the results came in.

"The test was a lot easier than I expected," Hermione said as they stepped outside into the sunlight. She couldn't help but chatter to Harry and Ron. "I didn't even need to memorize the details of the Goblin Rebellions or the Werewolf Code of Conduct from 1673."

Harry and Ron, who usually rolled their eyes at Hermione's enthusiasm for exams, surprised her by agreeing this time.

"Yeah, Professor Eisen's method of drilling us with endless questions really paid off," Harry said as he rubbed his scar. "The exam felt a lot easier, but I still have a bad feeling."

"My practical tests were terrible as usual," Ron admitted. "But it doesn't matter, we won't know how bad they are until next week, so no point worrying now!" He patted Harry's shoulder encouragingly.

Harry winced in pain, clutching his forehead. Before Ron or Hermione could react, he burst out, "I really want to know what this means! My scar has been hurting so much lately. It used to hurt, but not like this—it's happening more often!"

"Why don't you see Madam Pomfrey, Harry?" Ron suggested, concerned.

"I'm not sick!" Harry retorted. "I think it's a sign—something bad is going to happen."

"Harry, relax," Ron said with a yawn. The June heat was stifling, and it seemed to sap everyone's energy. Even the other students looked listless.

"Hermione's right. As long as Dumbledore is here, no one can steal the Stone. Besides, we've found no evidence that Snape has figured out how to get past Fluffy. Last time he almost got his leg bitten off. I doubt he's in any rush to try again."

Harry nodded, conceding the point, but he still felt uneasy. Unable to shake the feeling, he shared his concern with Ron and Hermione.

"That's just nerves from the exams," Ron said with a grin. "You were talking about the exams in your sleep last night! But the tests are over now."

Harry, however, was sure that his anxiety had nothing to do with the exams. So what was causing it? Just then, he noticed an owl flying toward the castle with a note in its beak. The sight reminded him of Hagrid—and suddenly, everything clicked into place.

Harry's face drained of color as he realized what was wrong. Without a word to his friends, he sprang up and dashed toward Hagrid's hut.

"What's he doing?" Hermione asked, exchanging a puzzled look with Ron before they hurried after him.

When they arrived at Hagrid's hut, they found him sitting outside, casually peeling pea pods.

"Harry, finished with exams already?" Hagrid greeted them with a smile. "Fancy a cup of tea?"

"Okay, thanks," Ron said, not one to turn down tea. But Harry cut him off, speaking urgently. "No, Hagrid, we're in a hurry. I need to ask you something. Do you remember the night you won Norbert in a card game? What did the stranger look like?"

Hagrid looked puzzled. "I dunno—he kept his cloak on."

Disappointed by the vague response, Harry pressed on. "But did he mention anything about Hogwarts?"

Hagrid scratched his head. "Dunno, maybe. He kept buyin' me drinks. Lemme think… Ah, yeah! He asked what I did for work, and I said I was the gamekeeper. Then he asked what kind of creatures I looked after, and I told him. I also said I wanted a dragon, and he offered to play cards for an egg. He warned me that I'd need to be careful after it hatched, but I said if I could manage Fluffy, a dragon would be no problem."

Harry's heart raced. "And was he interested in Fluffy?" he asked, his voice tense.

"Yeah, come to think of it, he was. I told him Fluffy's easy to handle as long as you know the trick—play him some music and he'll fall right asleep."

Hagrid's words trailed off as realization dawned on him, his face twisting in horror. "I shouldn't have told you that! Wait, where are you going?"

But Harry, Hermione, and Ron were already sprinting away like wild horses, leaving Hagrid calling after them in alarm.

I hope your like the chapter 😊.