22/2/24

After getting changed out of their Quidditch robes, and getting away from all the extra Gryffindor's congratulating Harry, he, Hermione, Ron, Annie, Lupin, and Sirius make their way to the hospital wing.

As they get there they could hear Jack was talking, meaning he was awake.

"And then after Sandy and me chased the mares around, we come across Pitch, and Sandy gave the catchphrase 'Silent but Deadly' a new meaning to me... Don't worry Pitch was alright, just a bit bruised I'm guessing."

"Well they were originally Sandy's weren't they?" Elisa's voice asked. "Yeah so I would be mad at him too."

"You're awake!" Harry said cheerfully coming over to them making Jack pause in his story.

"Of course I am!" Jack said accepting Harry's hug. "Thank you for being here when I woke up by the way," he said sarcastically.

"It was the final Quidditch match," Harry said in his defence.

"A good friend would be beside the bed of their sick – possibly dying friend – and not playing sports." Jack argues crossing his arms.

"Look I had to play," Harry continued to defend himself. "Gryffindor only has me and you as Seekers meaning we couldn't both be here or else we couldn't play."

"And won!" Ron butted in cheerfully getting shots of 'Be quiet Ron' shot at him.

"Besides you were knocked out for so long, we thought you would stay asleep." Harry said.

"Lucky for you Jack," Lupin said breaking up the repeating argument "You have woken up just in time for exams which will start on Monday."

"Er... You know what Professor, I think I um... might still be a little sick *cough – cough*" Jack said sinking back against the pillows and playing the weak / helpless student. "And you know, stress from the exams, might make it worse, so maybe..."

"Well, we'll just have to hang on to them for you then," Lupin said heading for the door "I shall go and tell everyone that you might have to spend the summer here to take them if you're too sick to do them now."

"But it's the World Cup this summer!" Ron said trying to stop the defence teacher.

"Yeah Moony, you wouldn't want Jack to miss out on that would you?" Sirius asks, his face still painted.

"Well then, I suggest he gets better soon, to do the exams with everybody else." Lupin said pausing just at the door looking to Jack with a smirk.

Everyone looked to Jack wanting an answer.

"But I haven't revised yet," Jack said sitting up again "I've been here asleep remember?"

"You have the rest of today and tomorrow to start cramming some knowledge into that tiny head of yours, mate," Bunny's voice said from his seat on the other side of Jack's bed.

Groaning, Jack leaned back against the pillows again looking up at the ceiling.

Over the next few days (once Jack was discharged from the Hospital Wing) all there seemed to be on anyone's minds was exams.

In the Gryffindor common room, it seemed everyone (even the Weasley twins who were doing their OWLs) was focusing on their studies.

But it seemed Hermione had it worst, she was the last to head up to bed, the first to come down the next morning.

Being the good friend-big-brother he was after hearing about this, Jack stayed up with her and set her up on one of the sofa's with a blanket if she nodded off during the night.

He was just doing so on this night in fact, with Baby Tooth helping him, when Annie came to talk to him about something.

"Here," she said handing wooden-baby-Jack back to him. "So I don't forget when the exams are over."

"You found your center then?" Jack said taking it but keeping it out "Can you make a Patronus?"

"No, I don't think I'm magical enough yet." she said crossing her arms.

"You're very magical, Annie," Jack said leading her away from Hermione. "Besides magic level has no effect on Patronus'. It's about the power you have to try and protect those you love, the hopes, dreams, wonder, memories, and fun." Jack said not believing he was naming the Guardian's center's in this speech.

"Look the point is," he said seeing Annie's confused look. "Try believing in yourself a little, mix it up with those good memories, and keep trying. You know how to do it, the words the theory, etc. Someday you will make a Patronus. You've got the making's of greatness in ya. All in here," he said pointing to her head. "You just got to stick to it, and keep trying. And when that day comes... Then you can give Baby Jack back to me." he said giving the doll back.

Smiling a little, happy tears in her eyes, Annie hugged Jack tightly and went back to bed.

Smiling himself, Jack went to bed himself wanting to rest up for the Defence exam tomorrow.

The reason he wanted to rest was because Lupin had set up an obstacle course with everything they had learnt that year woven into it.

Jack was the only one not surprised by it because he had seen Fourth Years doing it with their lessons the other day.

Baby Tooth was there to support everyone, but Lupin had given her firm instructions not to interfere or help out.

Step one – Wade across a deep paddling pool holding a Grindelow.

Step two – Cross a series of potholes containing redcaps.

Step three – Squelch through marsh while ignoring misdirection's from a Hinkypunk.

Step four – Climb into a trunk containing a new Boggart.

"Excellent Harry," Lupin muttered when Harry climbed out of the trunk smiling. "Full marks."

"That's my god-boy!" Sirius (who insisted on being there) cheered clapping loudly.

Jack would also have got full marks if they weren't deducted because he froze the water and the marsh pit. He also took longer to face the Boggart.

With that they both hung around for Ron and Hermione to do theirs.

Jack laughed when Ron found himself in a waist high marsh pit, but then hit him when he laughed at Hermione's Boggart of Professor McGonagall saying she failed everything meaning all the stress and endless sleepless nights she went through for the whole year would have been foe nothing.

It took a few minutes to calm both Jack and Hermione down, but once they were they went inside to have some lunch before the Harry and Ron went to have their Divination, and Hermione went to her Muggle Studies exam.

Having a free hour, Jack went to spend it in the Room of Requirement absorbing the cold it gave him.

AN Comment if you can tell were Jack's 'speech' came from ;)

Also, I feel like I'm close to the end, but I'm not sure how close.