They were supposed to be doing revisions for their NEWTS, but Frank was writing a letter and Benjy was reading a Muggle history book. Alice could guarantee that nothing in that book would appear on anyone's NEWT.
"Benjy, what are you doing?"
"Reading Gibbon, The Fall of the Roman Empire," he replied.
"Who for? Stalk in Muggle studies? It's not for Binn's class."
"I'm positive Stalk is ignorant of this book's existence."
"Why are you reading a Muggle book nobody's heard of when you should be doing revisions for exams?" asked Frank.
"NEWTs? Remember them Benjy?" Alice asked.
"I fear no NEWT. Unlike you and Frank, I've carefully chosen my future career. An OWL and a sense of humor are all that's required for Muggle relations. I already have the first and I'm working on the second. My presence in classes is as much a sham as Stalk's claim to be an expert on Muggles."
Benjy reached across and grabbed Frank's paper.
"It's a letter to my parents," Frank said. "They sent a list of things for me to improve."
Benjy tossed the paper aside without reading it. "Your parents are insane, Frank. I thought you knew that."
"Of course I know it. I'm not doing any of this. I just tell them what they want to hear."
"They're not concerned this little exercise will interfere with NEWTS?" asked Benjy.
"Success is assumed. They seek perfection."
"Your parents don't ask for much, do they?" Alice asked.
"Not much," he said and smiled at her.
I really should decide how I feel about him, thought Alice.
NEWTS begin in a week. Frank's writing his parents a pack of lies, Benjy's reading the books we should be studying in Muggle Studies, and I'm pretending to do revisions while I ogle Frank. We're all mad.