Exams arrived and everyone in the castle was as on edge as Hermione and Percy. The third-years emerged from their Transfiguration exam at lunch-time on Monday, all weary and fed up, compring theor results and complaining about the difficulty of their exam, a part of which included turning a tea-pot into a tortoise. Hermione, quite irritated, asked whether her tortoise had looked more like a turtle which was the least of anyone's worries.
"Mine still had the spout for a tail - I am definitely going to fail that..."
"Were the tortoises supposed to breath steam?"
"Do you think I'll fail because it didn't have a head?"
After a hurried lunch the third-years were straight back upstairs for their Charms exam. Professor Flitwick had tested them on Cheering Charms and Harry's had been so over-done that Ron burst into a fit of hysterical laughter and had to be led away into a quiet room for an hour to calm down until he could do his own Cheering Charm. After dinner, the third -years were back in the common room but not to relax - to study for their exams the following day; Care of Magical Creatures, Astromoy and Potions.
Hagrid's heart didn't seem to be in it at all the following morning and Bella couldn't say she blames him. He provided them with a fresh tub of Flobberworms and told them that in order to pass the test, they had to make sure theor Flobberworm was still alive at the end of one hour. As Flobberworms flourised best if left on their own, it was the easiest exam they had ever sat and gave them plenty of opportunity to speak to Hagrid.
"Beaky's seemin' a bit depressed." Hagrid said sadly, pretending to check that Harry's Flobberworm was still alive. "Bin cooped up too long. But still... we'll know day after tomorrow - one way or the other."
Bella hadn't had the heart to tell the others what Draco told her. She knew they should know, should prepare themselves for what was going to happen but she couldn't bring herself to tell them - she didn't want to see Hagrid even more upset than he already was.
The third-years had Potions that afternoon which, to no ones surprise, was an asbolute disaster. Harry's Confusing Concoction wouldn't thicken, Ron's cauldron exploded and Bella's turned a violent shade of red. Then came Astronomy at midnight in the tallest tower. Then History of Magic on Wednesday morning followed by Herbology. Defense Against the Dark Arts came on Thursday morning and brought with it the most bizzare exam any of them had ever sat. Lupin had concocted some sort of obstacle course outside in the blazing sun in which they had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a Grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh, ignoring the mis-leading directions from a Hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new Boggart.
Bella was farely shaken after her encounter with the Boggart but nothing compared to Hermione who burst from the trunk, shrieking.
"Hermione!" Lupin said, startled. "What's wrong?"
"P-P-Professor McGonagall!" Hermione gasped, pointing into the trunk. "Sh-she said I'd failed everything."
It took a while to calm Hermione down. When she finally could breathe normally again, they made their way back to the castle. Ron was inclined to laugh at Hermione and her Boggart but an argument was avoided by the sight that met them at the top of the steps.
Cornelius Fudge, sweating slightly in his pinstriped cloak, was standing there staring out onto the grounds. He started when he spotted Harry.
"Hello there, Harry!" he said. "Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?"
"Yes." Harry replied.
Bella and the others, obviously not on talking terms with the Minister of Magic himself, stood awkwardly to the side.
"Lovely day." Fudge said. "Pity ... pity..."
"Yeah, I'm sure he's just torn up with guilt." Bella muttered under her breath to Ron.
Fudge sighed deeply and looked down at Harry with heavy eyes.
"I'm here on unpleasant business, Harry, I'm afraid. The Committee for th Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness to the execution of a mad Hippogriff. As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the Black situation, I was asked to step in -"
"Does that mean the appeal's been brought forward?" Ron interrupted, stepping up next to Harry.
"No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon." Fudge replied, looking curiously at Ron.
"Then you might not have to witness an execution at all!" Ron said firmly. "Buckbeak might get off!"
Before Fudge could answer, two wizards came through the castle doors behind him. One wizard was so ancient he seemed to be withering away before their eyes; the other was tall and strapping, with a thin black moustache. Bella assumed they were representatives from the Committee as the very old wizard cast a weary eye towards Hagrid's cabin and said faintly; "Dear, dear, I'm getting too old for this... two o'clock, isn't it, Fudge?"
The black moustached man was fiddling with something on his belt; Bella looked to see he was running his thumb along the blade of a large, shining axe. Ron opened his mouth to say something but Bella elbowed him in the ribs and nudged him towards the Entrance Hall.
"What did you go and do that for?" He raged. "Did you see them? They've even got the axe sharpened! This isn't justice!"
"Do you want Dad to lose his job?" Bella hissed.
"Bella's right Ron." Hermione added. "You can't go saying things like that to his boss!"
"As long as Hagrid keeps his head this time and argues his case properly, they've no possible reason to execute Buckbeak." Freya said softly.
All around them, people were talking excitedly as they ate their lunch, happily anticipating the end of exams that afternoon, but Harry, Ron, Hermione, Bella, Freya and Emily, lost in worry about Hagrid and Buckbeak didn't join in.
Everyone apart from Hermione had their las exam in Professor Trelawney's dusty classroom. They all walked up the marble staircase together and Hermione left them on the first floor to go to her Muggle Studies exam. When they reached the seventh floor, they saw that the rest of their class were sitting on the spiral staircase to Trelawney's classroom, trying to cram in some last minute revision.
"She's seeing us separately." Neville informed them as they sat beside them.
He had his copy of Unfogging the Future open on his lap at the pages dedicated to Crystal gazing.
"Have any of you ever actually seen anything? Anything at all?" he asked them.
"Nope." Ron replied offhandedly. He kept checking his watch and everyone knew he was just counting down the minutes until Buckbeak's appeal.
The line outside of Trelawney's classroom shortened extremely slowly. As each person climbed back down the stairs the rest of the class hissed "What did she ask?" "How did it go?" But they all refused to say.
"She says the crystal ball's told her that, if I tell you, I'll have a horrible accident." Neville said anxiously as he approached them on the landing.
"How convenient." Bella dralwed in a very Malfoy-like manner.
"You know, I'm starting to think Hermione was right about her." Ron said, jabbing his thumb towards the trap door overhead. "She's a right old fraud."
"Yeah." Harry said quietly. He too continued to check the time. "Wish she'd hurry up."
"Bella Weasley." said the familiar misty voice from above their heads.
Bella shook her head slighty then climbed the silvery ladder, out of sight, into Trelawney's classroom. The heat in the tower was stifling and Bella's nostrils were assaulted by the strong aromas of perfumes from the fire behind Trelawney's high-backed chair.
"Good afternoon, my dear." Trelawney said softly. "Go on, have a look into the Orb and tell me what you see."
Bella sighed; she knew she would spent the next twenty or so minutes lying through her teeth - there was just no way she would see anything. Bella bent over the crystal ball that sat atop the table and stared, stared into the swirling white fog within, wondering just how boring your life had to be to want to be a Seer. Just as Bella had mentally given up any hope of seeing something, the fog within began to move and twist. Bella gasped loudly.
"What is it?" Trelawney asked, leaning forward in her chair. "What do you see?"
"I see..." Bella couldn't say exactly what she could see. "- a man."
There was the shape of a man, a shadowy figure, crouching low and holding a large bundle in his arms.
"Excellent!" Trelawney said cheerily, scribbling on her parchment. "What else do you see?"
"He's holding something?" Bella squinted, turning her head from side to side, trying to see clearer.
The shape within changed and there were two figures, unlike the las these figures weren't shadowy, Bella could see them as clearly as if they were standing in the classroom beside her. One was a woman, her mother, and the other a man with long black hair.
"Is that - Professor Snape?" Bella snorted, squinting further.
"Professor Snape?" Trelawney repeated.
"No, it can't be." Bella chuckled to herself.
The man and her mother were clearly arguing in the scene, her mother was throwing her arms into the air animatedly, her face screwed up as if she was yelling.
"My dear, what do you see?" Professor Trelawney urged.
As soon as it had appeared, the scene disappeared, leaving only the swirling silver mist behind.
"Nothing." Bella said softly. "It's gone."
