"Perfect Vitality Tonic, at least I can't find any faults."
In the underground classroom of Hogwarts, when Professor Marchbank said this, it signified that the seventh-year students had completed all their N.E.W.T. exams.
With the crisp sound of the bell, Kael and the others left the classroom together and headed back to the hall via the stairs.
The exams were over, and everyone's performance varied. Some were very happy, looking forward to the upcoming graduation life.
But more people were reluctant, hoping for the holidays to come slower, just a bit slower.
After seven years of seeing it, the castle they grew tired of suddenly felt fresh again. Every corridor, every painting, even the faded handrails on the stairs became unusually attractive.
They seemed to have returned to the state when they first came to Hogwarts seven years ago, filled with curiosity and interest about everything here.
This feeling is difficult for students of other years to understand.
Several ghosts gathered together, watching the crying and laughing students with expressions as if they had long expected this to happen.
It's the same every year, they are no longer surprised.
"Here we go again, all the sobbing, I really don't understand what's so memorable about this rotten castle." Nearly Headless Nick glanced at the Fat Friar beside him and asked, "By the way, when is he arriving, it should be soon, right?"
"Based on the time, it should be now." The Fat Friar replied, "Oh... here he comes."
As soon as he finished speaking, a water-filled balloon flew down from upstairs and landed precisely in the middle of a group of seventh-year students.
The balloon exploded on a boy's head, drenching him with a large amount of vinegar-mixed water.
A faint sour smell began to spread through the hall.
But that wasn't all — Peeves suddenly laughed loudly as he flew down from upstairs, throwing more water balloons at the seventh-year students in the hall.
He liked to prank the new freshmen, but he also enjoyed leaving those about to graduate with a memorable impression.
Every year at this time, he would cause havoc — two years ago, it was fireworks; last year, it was dungbombs. It's worth mentioning that his suppliers were the Weasley Brothers, who, using up all their stock, turned it into a disaster, at least for Filch.
This year, Peeves chose water balloons mixed with a bit of vinegar.
"Stop it, Peeves!" someone shouted loudly, then drew a wand ready to fight back.
If it were first-year students, they'd be powerless against Peeves' pranks, but now they're seventh-year students. If they still fell for it, then these years of schooling were for nothing.
Thinking of the torment Peeves gave them over the years, several Gryffindors confidently raised their wands, preparing to retaliate before graduation, making Peeves pay.
But they didn't expect that this time Peeves used advanced balloons — prank balloons meticulously developed by the Weasley Brothers, exploding immediately upon contact with charms.
Consequently, the entire hall was drenched in vinegar rain, catching those students off guard and soaking them from head to toe.
"Hahaha... silly little idiots... foolish little idiots... come and see, there are people who fell into a barrel of vinegar here!"
Peeves clutched his stomach, letting out an ear-piercing shriek of laughter.
More and more people heard the noise and came over, driving a group of humiliated seventh-year students to cover their faces and run away.
In the crowd, only a few people were unscathed, and Kael was among them.
When the first water balloon was thrown, he had already used a waterproof charm to protect himself and Conna next to him. So when the balloons exploded, none of the vinegar-laden liquid touched him.
After throwing the last few balloons, Peeves returned again.
"Ah, Little Kael..."
He landed in front of Kael, "So you're graduating too, aren't you?"
"That's right." Kael nodded, "Do you have any last advice, Mr. Peeves?"
"How about repeating a year, just one year." Peeves said with a grin, "After the Weasley pranksters graduate, you're the only interesting one left. The remaining little guys are all too dull — not fun at all."
"As long as you can convince Dumbledore, I have no problem with it."
"Oh... your rejection is truly cold and indifferent." Peeves stuck his tongue out at Kael.
He clearly knew that Dumbledore would never agree to such a request.
If Kael's grades were poor enough to repeat a year, then Hogwarts truly would be a joke.
"What can be done then," Peeves said somewhat vexedly, floating cross-legged in mid-air, "Last time the dungbombs you gave me weren't played enough, really, why did you capture all the invaders so quickly?"
Peeves was referring to the Death Eaters' attack on the castle a month ago.
Upon hearing the news, Peeves immediately reacted, knowing it was the opportunity Kael mentioned, eagerly fetching his special dungbombs and running over with them.
However, the professors acted too quickly; before Peeves could fully enjoy his antics, those cannon fodder Death Eaters were captured in one fell swoop.
What excited him even more was that the professors, despite seeing his actions, did not reprimand him.
Those were special dungbombs after all — not being scolded felt like he was dreaming.