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The first week of O.W.L.s went by quickly as far as Celeste was concerned. She made no serious mistakes in any of the practical exams, although she did turn her salt shaker into a rooster instead of a hen, something her mother, watching from behind the examiner's table, didn't appreciate. She was positive she received an 'Outstanding' in Charms, Professor Flitwick was so excited after she finished, Celeste saw him levitate a few feet as she left the Great Hall.

The only exam Celeste was really worried about was Potions. This exam was the second to last exam, to be taken on the Thursday of the final week. When Thursday morning came around, Celeste went down for breakfast feeling ill. Remus tried to comfort her as she ate, her mother even stopped by on her way to the staff table to wish her luck and gave her arm a quick squeeze.

The written exam went by excruciatingly slowly. After that was finished, Celeste ate a hurried lunch before dragging herself to the room the fifth years were to wait in before they were called in to their practical exams. She was the first there, the other students soon arrived but no one spoke. Even the students who did well in Potions were nervous. Waiting for her name to be called, Celeste began to think about Severus and how she had promised Remus she would try to patch things up with him. History of Magic was the last exam of the week, and since there was obviously no practical exam to go with it, after the written test, they were free. Celeste made up her mind that after lunch tomorrow she would seek out Severus and try to work things out.

"Potak, Celeste," Professor Brewster's voice cut into Celeste's thoughts as he summoned her onto the Great Hall for her exam.

Following him, Celeste took deep, calming breaths so as not to throw up all over the examiner as they came face to face.

Oh, no, Celeste thought, as Professor Brewster placed her with the cranky old warlock who had tested her for Charms, he had been impressed in spite of himself then, but Celeste knew he would not be too pleased with her Potions skills.

Celeste was instructed to brew the restorative draught used for chronic insomniacs, when brewing this in class Celeste had burned a hole in her desk and received a detention. The memory of that unhappy day and the knowledge that she was a miserable Potions student weighed heavily on Celeste's mind. When she remembered how Severus had once loaned her his notes on that very potion and had even offered to help her make it, she lost it completely.

Fighting back tears, Celeste accidentally poured in too much lavender essence, causing a dense purple smoke to swell up out of her cauldron. She tried to vanish the smoke with a wave of her wand, but she was choking so hard on the thick smoke that she vanished the examiner's chair instead. Alternately coughing and apologizing to the furious examiner, Celeste helped him to his feet. One look from Professor Brewster gave her permission to leave, and she did.

After the door to the Great Hall closed behind her, Celeste flew through the Entrance hall and outside onto the grounds. She ran without looking where she was headed, and so ran straight into someone else. Celeste hit the ground and looked to see whom she had charged into.

The young man picked himself up off the ground and dusted off his robes. Celeste's apology stuck in her throat, it was Severus Snape.

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