Chapter 28: A Difficult Exam
Douglas listened as the students' ideas grew increasingly unrealistic.
Some suggested freezing the pond completely. Others proposed using petrification spells on the Grindylow.
Technically, those methods could work.
But Douglas knew something the students had not considered.
Did they really have the magical power to sustain those spells?
A Vanishing Charm from a fourth-year student might lower the water level by a single centimeter.
A freezing spell would probably create nothing more than a thin sheet of ice.
Douglas chose not to correct them.
Only when they ran into the gap between imagination and reality would they truly understand.
At that moment, a girl raised her hand.
"Professor?"
Douglas turned.
The student was Angelina Johnson, a tall Gryffindor with long black hair tied into a braided ponytail.
"I think the stages you designed must have a purpose," she said thoughtfully. "They can't just be testing our knowledge of Grindylows, right?"
Douglas studied her with interest.
From what little he remembered, Angelina would later become a Quidditch captain.
He had also seen her student profile before and knew she was a strong competitor within Gryffindor.
Her question pleased him.
Quidditch players, after all, understood something many students forgot:
Victory only mattered if it was achieved within the rules.
"Miss Johnson has asked a very meaningful question," Douglas said approvingly.
"When a wizard enters an unfamiliar environment, the first thing they must do is remain calm."
He gestured toward the classroom door.
"Only a calm mind allows you to deal with unknown dangers."
Then he glanced around at the students.
"Unfortunately, after hearing George's description, none of you considered that."
Several students suddenly realized the truth.
According to George's story, the first stage wasn't actually difficult.
In fact, it could be completed without using any spells at all.
As long as you stayed calm and moved slowly, the Swamp Curse would never activate.
The moment the students understood this, excitement spread through the group.
Some even began laughing at George.
"Three minutes for something that simple?"
Reality, however, proved less forgiving.
By the end of the class, only Fred and George had managed to reach the third stage.
Unfortunately, they were tricked by a Hinkypunk, which led them directly into an ambush by a Red Cap.
Angelina Johnson and Lee Jordan were defeated at the second stage.
In theory, they should have had an advantage.
After all, Ron had spent nearly an entire year telling everyone how he and Harry had defeated a troll the previous Halloween.
But when the critical moment came, Lee Jordan failed to cast his Levitation Charm properly.
The spell collapsed, and the troll knocked him out of the challenge.
Angelina's defeat was even less dignified.
The overwhelming stench of the troll made her nauseous.
She lost concentration and had to retreat.
The rest of the students didn't even pass the first stage.
When the Grindylow grabbed their ankles underwater, none of them managed to remain calm.
Panic took over, and the Swamp Curse trapped them almost immediately.
Even as the class period ended, the students were still buzzing with excitement.
Douglas gathered them together.
"Students, today's practical lesson was very effective."
He paused briefly.
"However, the material here is designed for younger students."
"We can't continue using regular class time for this."
The students' smiles faded slightly.
"So from now on," Douglas continued, "every weekend two seventh-year students will supervise the room from seven in the morning until eleven at night."
"The classroom will remain open."
"You may come and challenge the stages on your own."
A wave of excitement erupted immediately.
But Douglas raised a finger.
"There's one more thing."
The students suddenly grew uneasy.
"For this practical exam, each of you must submit a written assignment."
He spoke casually.
"A report of no less than two feet of parchment."
The entire corridor froze.
Two feet?
At first, everyone stared in shock.
Then they began thinking.
The practical exam included a large amount of material.
If they copied information from their textbooks, they could probably fill two feet without too much trouble.
Only the Weasley twins looked miserable.
Their homework pile was already approaching mountain size.
If they had known a certain song from the Far East, they might have sung it loudly:
"Mountains of homework cannot defeat you,For two twins have appeared.George and Fred,Rare and fearless,No matter how many detentions you serve,The spirit of the twins remains unchanged…"
Fortunately, their classmates quickly surrounded them.
Everyone wanted details about the next stage of the challenge.
Just as the conversation grew lively, it suddenly stopped.
The reason was simple.
The fourth-year Slytherins had just finished their Charms lesson and were walking down the corridor.
Because of the events that morning in the Great Hall, students from both houses glared at each other.
Douglas himself had no idea what had happened earlier at breakfast.
But he was used to the hostility between Gryffindor and Slytherin.
He had seen plenty of it while studying alongside Bill Weasley.
So when Douglas stood beside the Gryffindor students and saw a group of Slytherins approaching—
He instinctively drew his wand.
Ready for trouble.
The action startled everyone.
The tense atmosphere dissolved instantly.
Cassius Warrington, the Slytherin class representative for Defense Against the Dark Arts, stood across from the Weasley twins.
Neither side knew exactly what Douglas intended to do.
But seeing the professor draw his wand clearly wasn't encouraging.
Both student leaders quickly forced awkward smiles.
Fred spoke in the friendliest tone he had ever used in his life.
"Good morning, Mr. Warrington. Off to class?"
"What a coincidence. We just finished ours."
Warrington replied stiffly,
"Yes… quite a coincidence."
He glanced toward the corridor behind them.
"I heard your next lesson is with Professor Flitwick. You'd better hurry."
He smirked faintly.
"He was just praising the Weasley brothers in class."
George's eyes widened dramatically.
"Oh? Really? What did Professor Flitwick say about us?"
Several Slytherins burst into laughter.
The twins' expressions darkened.
They were absolutely certain that the famously kind Professor Flitwick had not been complimenting them.
Warrington raised his eyebrows provocatively.
Still, the presence of Professor Holmes—and perhaps the wand in his hand—kept things under control.
For once, Gryffindor and Slytherin did not erupt into a fight.
Both groups snorted coldly and moved past each other.
Soon afterward, Warrington entered the classroom to begin the Slytherin practical exam.
Perhaps because the Slytherin common room overlooked the bottom of the Black Lake, Warrington spotted the Grindylow almost immediately.
To Douglas's surprise, Warrington first cast a Bubble-Head Charm on himself before entering the water.
Normally, that charm wasn't taught until sixth-year Charms.
In Douglas's eyes, Warrington's version looked extremely fragile, as though it might burst at any moment.
Still, for a fourth-year student, it was impressive.
Perhaps because the Bubble-Head Charm boosted his confidence—and because he had already seen the Grindylow—
Warrington cleared the first stage quickly.
The second stage, however, involved fighting a troll.
Here, Warrington's confidence became a problem.
He unleashed spells rapidly.
Petrification. Stunning. Blasting curses.
One after another.
Unfortunately, his aim was terrible.
Most spells either missed completely or struck the troll's thick body with little effect.
Then, just as the troll relaxed its guard, Warrington prepared what looked like a powerful finishing spell.
At that exact moment—
His fragile Bubble-Head Charm shattered.
The foul stench of the troll rushed straight into his nose.
Warrington froze.
His face twisted.
Then he clutched his stomach and began vomiting violently.
Douglas stared at the scene.
Even he had not expected such an absurd failure.
It looked like the house-elves responsible for cleaning the fourth-year practical classroom were going to have a very busy day.
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