In the end, Lockhart left Hogwarts overnight, which led to another suspension of the Dark Magic Defense class.
Principal Dumbledore announced at dinner that the final exam for the Dark Magic Defense class was officially canceled, which elicited cheers from the students.
June had arrived, and the scorching sun made Hogwarts feel stifling.
Hermione carefully poured the potion from the cauldron into a bottle. The green, viscous liquid had a bitter smell. Despite its unappealing appearance and scent, Hermione's brown eyes brightened with satisfaction. She placed the bottle on the table, waiting for Snape's evaluation.
This was the last exam of the semester: the Chaos Potion in Potions class.
Next to Hermione was a cooled crucible, which had been prepared by Luke. He had finished his potion first.
"Excellent quality, Miss Granger," Snape commented in his usual nasal tone as he examined Hermione's potion.
Hearing this, Hermione smiled. Luke had also received an "excellent" evaluation earlier, meaning their Potions class grades would be the same. Hermione felt victorious.
Clenching her fists, she exited the dimly lit Potions classroom. As she stepped into the sunlight, which bathed her in a golden hue, she squinted slightly.
"How were the grades?" a voice suddenly asked.
"Not bad," Hermione replied with a smile, turning her head to see who had spoken.
Hermione looked vibrant in her black plaid shirt and grey pleated skirt, which fell to her knees.
"Do you think you'll win the results competition this time?" Luke asked with a smile, playfully squeezing her cheek.
Hermione puffed out her cheeks and pulled away from his touch. "At best, we'll be tied! Don't forget, my grades in the history of magic class are far from perfect."
As they spoke, Harry emerged from the classroom looking dejected.
"Did you blow up the cauldron?" Hermione asked, her eyes widening with concern.
Harry's face was a mix of black and green. "I didn't control the fire properly, and it exploded."
"Then you might need to rebuild it," Hermione advised.
Luke suggested, "Perhaps you could use some potion and plead with Snape."
"Do you think it will work?" Harry asked, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
"It's worth a try. After all, you've been experimenting in potions class," Hermione whispered.
Harry eyed the young couple with a hint of suspicion, but the thought of avoiding Snape's class was tempting.
After a brief chat, Luke and Hermione made their way to the auditorium. Harry waited for Ronald, contemplating whether he should ask Snape for mercy.
As night fell, the auditorium was buzzing with anticipation. It was the last night at school before the Hogwarts train to King's Cross departed the following day. Professor McGonagall had closed the doors, signaling the start of the final dinner of the semester.
Dumbledore took his place at the central podium, ready to address the students.
In front of him were four hourglasses filled with gemstones of different colors: Gryffindor with ruby, Ravenclaw with sapphire, Slytherin with emerald, and Hufflepuff with diamond.
Among the four hourglasses, the emerald one was the fullest. That meant Slytherin had won the House Cup again this year.
Under Snape's usually indifferent demeanor, a rare smile appeared. Since he became the head of Slytherin, the house had won the Cup nearly ten times. It was a notable achievement.
The transcripts were also distributed to the students.
"I don't remember you blowing up any cauldrons," Ronald said, glancing at Harry's report card. "So why did you get an A?"
Harry blushed and stammered, unable to explain. He couldn't exactly say he'd turned into a Harley and bargained with Snape for a favor, and even more surprisingly, Snape had agreed after some hesitation!
Harry truly didn't understand what had caught Snape's attention after he took the potion.
"We're a draw!" Luke said, looking at Hermione's report card with a smile. Both of them had received O's this semester, making it a tie. However, Luke had once again won the House Cup.
"Have a nice holiday, little wizards!" Dumbledore said as a lavish feast appeared on the table. This was their last meal together.
---
The next morning, Luke had already packed his belongings into the Shenwei space and boarded the Hogwarts Express to go home.
"It feels like time flies so fast," Hermione said, leaning against the soft seat as Hogwarts castle grew smaller and eventually vanished into the fields.
"Yes, Miss Hermione, you've improved so much over the past two years," Luke said, leaning forward and gently tucking a strand of curly hair behind her ear. "You've grown a lot since the shy girl I first met."
"Can you perform that?" Hermione asked softly, recalling their first meeting at the wand shop.
Luke thought back to the scene and then picked up his wand, made from Thunderbird tail feathers. He used lightning to create a golden tree in mid-air, surrounded by tiny falling leaves.
Hermione's eyes sparkled as she watched the golden tree. She then moved to sit beside Luke.
"This is your reward," Hermione said, closing her eyes slowly.
Luke chuckled and said, "I accept your reward."
Under the blue sky, the train moved slowly across the vast plains, while a sea of clouds surged beneath them.
....
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