June arrived at last and Hogwarts became calmer than most other months. It was the month of exams. OWLs and NEWTs made many anxious, and even the best of wizards and witches fell to the endless nights of self-study.
Ron did it too, and so did Harry. The two knew that Hermione needed no help, so they tried their best to not be left behind. They trained together in the seventh-floor training room, they did mock battles with each other to practice their spells.
Before they knew it, the first exam was on them. The first thing in the morning was a career advice gathering. After that, the written Charms OWLs were taken. It happened in the Great Hall itself, fitted with desks and chairs with equal gaps. There were multiple examiners in the hall, making rounds to ensure there was no cheating.
Let's do this. Ron looked down at the question paper and started to write. The questions were based around the characteristics of certain charms and their effects, or their counter. For example, 'What is the color of sparks of Vermillious charm.' and more.
Ron didn't have to use too much brain to answer the questions since he had already used those charms and had seen firsthand what the color was. The same was the question asking for the incantation for the Exploding Charm.
Bloody hell. Actual battle experience does help in the exam. He realized. If not for having cast those charms, he remembered the others as he was hit by them before.
There were twenty-six questions and the time to finish them was one and a half hours. It was all theory that was derived from practical uses.
Perhaps for the first time in his history, Ron finished the exam in just an hour. He looked around after that and noticed too many frowning faces. It was confusing, but then he realized something. It wasn't that the others didn't know the right answer. It was the confidence that they lacked to satisfy their minds that 'yes, this is the right answer.'.
Ron had no such troubles thanks to his fantastic luck and exploding self-confidence.
"Are you done?" Asked the examiner who noticed Ron relaxing in his seat. She was a witch from outside and not a school faculty member.
Ron nodded.
A few chuckled around him, thinking he just didn't know the answer. But Ron didn't mind since he already started imagining the battle that was merely a few days away. He didn't want anyone to die, but he knew not everyone had the same luck as him.
At that, he looked at Hermione, sitting a few rows ahead of him on the column to his right. He softly chuckled seeing her hands frantically moving, her bushy long hair being adjusted again and again by her free hand.
Let's do it after the last exam.
He then looked at Harry and found the Boy-Who-Lived confidently writing. Of course, Ron had shown him all the spells he knew, so he didn't doubt Harry would do wonderfully.
What the hell was it that I drank that time? He wondered in silence. His life had changed so much since then, after all. I'll have to ask Professor Snape once the battle is over.
Trrrr!
A strong bell rang all of a sudden.
"Hands away from the papers! If you spill the ink, you will be responsible!" The examiners announced and with a flick of their wands, started collecting the sheets from each row.
Soon after, everyone was asked to leave the Great Hall as the practical exam would be conducted next in just an hour. Many dreaded the practical exam more than the written one since this time it was like a personal interview.
"How did it go?" Ron approached Harry and Hermione and asked. He had stopped being too distant from Hermione in order to relax her mind so she could focus on the exams.
"Good, I guess," Harry replied, not so sure.
"It was easy." Hermione proclaimed. "What about you?"
"I can't believe what I'm saying but it was easy," Ron replied, chuckling to himself. "I've used all the spells mentioned in the paper."
Hermione stared at him, narrowing her eyes. "You better get an 'O' then."
"I just might," he boasted.
Right then, the Great Halls door opened and an examiner stood outside with a list in her hand. She started calling names right away, but it was alphabetically from the last names. So, Ron being 'W' had his number near the last few.
"Good luck." Ron patted his two best friends on the shoulder and went over to the side to sit down on the brick fence that separated the corridor and the small open area beyond. Many others were sitting there.
####
"Isn't he being weird?" Hermione asked, it was just her and Harry. "He seems… distant?"
Harry sighed, not aware if this was because of Ron's secret or the upcoming battle. Or perhaps the life and death battles had changed him. It was hard to understand his redheaded friend these days.
"I don't know."
####
One by one, the fifth-year students entered the Great Hall. Some came out excited while others crying. However, everyone who came out quickly got surrounded by others who were yet to go in, interrogating what happened inside.
Eventually, he saw Hermione going in and coming out in record time, with not a single change in her expression. But Ron and Harry knew what that faint smirk on her lips meant.
"Easy?" Ron asked.
Hermione shrugged. "I don't know what they're crying for. It was too easy."
Later, Harry was called in. Surprisingly, this was the longest any student took as Harry came out almost half an hour later. But he showed a thumbs-up to Ron right away.
"What took you so long?" Ron inquired.
"Well, there were three examiners. Usually, only one asks the questions, but this time, all three of them had a go, each with their own. I reckon I did alright, though."
But why? Ron wondered silently.
It was a long wait. Ron almost fell asleep waiting for his turn. The waiting area had almost been emptied by then, most having gone to eat their lunch.
"Ronald Bilius Weasley!"
"Here!" Ron jumped from the wall and strolled to the door. The examiner opened the door and let him enter. The entire Great Hall had been emptied and only a lone, long table was set at the end with three chairs for three examiners.
What the! It's them?
Ron frowned seeing who they were. Moody, Dumbledore, and an old woman that he had never seen, but the fact that she winked at him made it clear that this was likely someone in Polyjuice disguise.
"Professors." Ron greeted them.
Moody sat in the middle, his fake eye rotating like crazy as always. "It's safe to talk here."
Ron nodded. "Did something happen?"
"No, we came here to see how well you prepared your friends. We're impressed." The woman added. "Harry cast a corporeal Patronus charm. Did you teach him?"
Ron chuckled. "No, that one's his true achievement. He actually taught it to me and a couple of others. It wasn't easy, but doable."
"You can do it too?" Dumbledore inquired, stroking his beard.
Ron nodded.
"Can you show it?"
"Is this a part of the test?" Ron asked back.
"It is," Moody stated.
Ron shrugged and took out his wand. Unlike Harry, Ron had plenty of happy memories to pull from, so he flicked the wand quickly. A blue burst of light emitted from the tip of his wand, followed by an animal figure that flew around the Great Hall. It was large, majestic, with a mane—It was a lion.
"Fits well." The woman among the examiners commented.
Moody nodded strongly at the sight. "He did enter an ambush of ten Death Eaters alone and came out alive."
Ron, satisfied with the showcase, stopped casting the charm and focused back on the table. He expected to receive a few more requests.
But instead, Moody fiddled into his coat pocket and took out a palm-sized antique stopwatch. "Take this, Weasley."
Ron approached the table, confused. Carefully, he picked up the watch and inspected it. "What's this for?"
"It's a Portkey out of here. You can use it to leave the school on that day." Moody revealed, "Dumbledore's not keen on you joining us, but the Minister—well, she's got other ideas."
Of course, she does. Ron pocketed the watch silently and stepped back a little to resume the test.
He stared at their faces, and they stared at his face.
Ron ended up scratching his head in confusion. "Is… the test over?"
"It's been over for quite a few minutes now." the woman replied.
"Oh." Ron thanked them and left.
Who is she? I feel like I know her but I've never seen her. Wait, did I pass the exam?
______________________
This book is finished on Patreon.
Check out the final chapters at P@treon.com/MrPlotThickens Or Subscribestar.adult/mrplotthickens
The remaining chaps will be posted here weekly.