The Gryffindor common room was alive with chatter, of students discussing the latest gossip, practising spells, or nattering on about how they were going to overpower the Minister for Magic. In the best armchairs next to the fire sat four friends, talking animatedly about the upcoming exams and how they could possibly cheat without anyone knowing. Sirius was tall and handsome, with long dark hair down to his shoulders and bright eyes that were always alive with happiness and laughter. Peter was small and weedy, with a mop of blonde hair, small eyes and a wide but slightly nervous grin, showing just how happy he was to have friends, but at the same time how nervous he was about his examinations. James was cool and easy-going with jet-black hair, which stuck up at the back. He loved jinxes and hexes more than any of his friends. Remus was tall and proud with light brown hair and dark eyes full of confidence. He was the most intelligent of the four and the most sensible when it came to encountering someone they didn't like very much.
"Looking forward to the werewolf questions in the exams, Moony?" asked Sirius jovially. "Hah! It'll be a great laugh when we get questions about Animagi! Wormtail, you'd better not get stuck!"
Peter laughed nervously.
"You may begin," said Professor McGonagall, turning over an enormous hourglass at the front of the Great Hall.
There was the sound of papers being turned over – Remus lowered his eyes to his paper and grinned.
1 a) Give a description of how werewolf contamination is spread and b) Describe five differences between the werewolf and the true wolf.
Two seats behind him and three along, Peter was nervously nibbling on the end of his quill, before bending down and scribbling an answer. Four seats along from him, James caught Remus's eye and gave him the thumbs up, a detailed answer just visible on his paper. Near the front of the hall, Sirius was scribbling answers with the air of one who knew it all and wanted to move on. He turned round, grinned at Remus and then turned back round hurriedly as Professor McGonagall gazed in his direction.
When the exam was finished, the four friends left the exam hall together.
"Quite easy if you ask me," James said, ruffling his hair. "Haha, question one – I bet that was over in a few seconds for you, Moony!"
"Naturally, Prongs," said Remus. "I hope you liked the question about Patronuses and what would be more powerful, a stag or a gerbil…"
"I chose gerbil," said Sirius and the four of them exploded with laughter as they meandered down the lawns to the lake where the giant squid was being fed chunks of fish from some of the girls, which it bound in its tentacles and submerged, before consuming.
"Nearly full moon!" James said. "Best time ever, that!"
"Yes it is," Sirius said, looking round with an evil grin at a figure that had just emerged from the castle. "And it's going to be even better this time round…"