Something went funny with the document I uploaded so I've had to re-upload chapters 44 and 45. Hopefully they work a bit better now.
"One hour left and then we're done!" Justin was practically bouncing on the way to their History of Magic exam.
"Yes, but we still have one exam left," Ernie said, not taking his eyes his revision cards.
"Chill, it's one exam," Justin nudged him. Lizzie rolled her eyes, Justin had no idea what he'd just let himself in for.
"One exam?" Ernie said through gritted teeth. "One exam? Justin, if we don't pass all of these exams then we don't get to go into second year."
Justin looked like he was regretting his giddiness.
"This one exam could cause us to have to retake first year! And that's assuming we've all passed our other exams!"
Justin looked sheepishly at Lizzie, who shook her head. She wasn't helping him with this.
"Sorry, I didn't think of it that way," Justin said, hanging his head in shame.
"It's okay, please just be quiet so I can finish reading my notes."
Justin mimed zipping his mouth shut.
Lizzie caught his eye and had to look away to stop from laughing. She loved her brother, but she knew how caught up he could get in academic stuff, and she did not want to risk him snapping at her right now.
By the time they reached the corridor the exam room was in, Ernie had reached his final note card, and Lizzie and Justin had found a crumpled-up ball of paper and had started playing catch.
"Okay, I'm done," Ernie said, apparently only just noticing the game of catch that was going on.
"Well we're playing catch now, and you're not allowed to join in," Lizzie explained.
"Are you even taking this exam seriously?"
"Of course, each time we catch the ball we have to recite a fact that we've learnt this year," Justin explained sarcastically, surprisingly managing to keep a straight face.
"Oh, okay, that's good then." Apparently the sarcasm went completely over Ernie's head.
Lizzie exchanged another look with Justin, and again had to look away so that she didn't laugh.
"Where are the others?" Ernie said, looking around with a panicked look on his face.
"When he stops panicking that he doesn't know anything, he starts panicking about everyone else," Lizzie explained to Justin.
"Ah, gotcha. Well Zacharias was checking a thing in the library, and Susan and Hannah were testing each other in the common room. They'll be here soon."
"But what if they're not?"
"Ernie, calm down. We're here, they'll be here, everyone will be fine," Lizzie said, resisting the urge to shake him.
"But what if they're not?"
"Go and sit over there," Lizzie pointed to a little alcove. "And don't come back until I say you can."
"What?"
"Go, just go, you're putting me on edge."
Ernie stuck his bottom lip out, but walked over to the alcove and sat down.
"How did you do that?" Justin sounded impressed.
"When Ernie puts me on edge I normally end up kicking him, so it's easier for him to do as I ask."
"When are you going to let him come back?"
"When the others get here; he should be calm then."
"You reckon?"
"I hope so, or Hannah might smack him."
Ernie grinned and the pair lapsed into a comfortable silence.
Lizzie was going over facts in her head, attempting to check whether she remembered everything she'd learn this year. She knew she didn't, but hopefully she remembered enough to pass the exam.
To be honest, she sighed, she really wished she had paid more attention in their lessons, but Professor Binns was so dull, she could barely stay awake half the time; his voice just had that kind of quality to it.
She knew that the Werewolf Code of Conduct had been developed in 1637, and she knew it was developed by the Ministry of Magic, but she couldn't remember what it really was. Something about their behaviour she was guessing – she knew it had failed but that was because nobody wanted to admit to being a werewolf. As long as that didn't come up she'd be fine.
Except that was the level all her knowledge was on with this subject: she knew a bit, but not a lot.
Lizzie sighed to herself again, hopefully she could muddle through.
She looked around the corridor, seeing various states of nerves and stress.
There was a group of Ravenclaws who all looked bored, as though this was the last thing they wanted to be learning about. Lizzie didn't blame them.
A couple of the Gryffindors were leaning against the wall by the door that would take them into their exam, and they looked fairly nervous. Neville was there (practically wearing a hole in the floor by the amount he was fidgeting), and Lizzie waved at him when he caught her eye. He gave her a small wave back, stress clear on his face.
So far as she could see, none of the Slytherins had arrived yet, although this didn't really surprise her. They still had about 10 or so minutes before the exam began – Ernie just liked to be early because "what if the teachers' clocks are fast? They could begin the exam and we'd miss it!"
Lizzie did hope that everyone got here fairly soon; it was reassuring to have everyone here. On some level she was like Ernie in that way.
"You alright?" Justin asked, nudging her slightly.
"Getting nervous."
Justin rolled his eyes, "you always do this, you're fine right up until the exams about to start and then you freak out."
"Sounds about right," Lizzie gave a forced smiled, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You've put Ernie in the corner then?" Hannah grinned, walking up to Lizzie and Justin with Zacharias and Susan.
"He was panicking that you guys weren't going to arrive in time for the exam," Justin explained.
"Of course, he was," Hannah rolled her eyes.
Lizzie walked over to him, leaving the pre-exam chatter behind.
"Ernie, do you want to come back now?"
Ernie turned to face her, "are you panicking?"
"Little bit."
"I'll come back."
The pair wandered back over to the rest of the Hufflepuffs. The other students were starting to arrive now.
Hermione gave Lizzie a little wave as she walked past, she looks nervous but determined. Ron and Harry, who were walking behind her, looked worried. From what Hermione had told Lizzie over the year, neither of the boys liked to pay attention in class.
As the corridor began to fill up, all the students began to get much quieter.
Nerves seemed to be setting in, which was understandable, but equally there was an undercurrent excitement. Everyone knew this was the final exam. It made it exciting and terrifying, because very few people paid attention in History of Magic classes.
A couple of minutes later, the doors to the exam room opened and the students began to make their way in.
"Good luck," Ernie whispered to Lizzie, squeezing her hand.
She squeezed his back, "you too."
