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Chapter 104: An Exam is One of the Few Things You Can Skip Without Anyone Complaining
2022-07-14 Author: I'm Just a Pigeon
“…corrupting your younger brother, corrupting your younger sister—Ron has only been at school for a year and already dares to break school rules at the start of term, and Ginny has been at school for less than a year!”
“Don't tell me you're innocent, sneaking off to the Hog's Head Inn right at the start of school, getting detention from a professor until now. Fred, I don't even want to start counting all the trouble you two cause at school anymore, but as for corrupting your younger brother and sister, just you wait and see how I'm going to deal with you…”
“And you, George, don't think I've forgotten your name. You two are always causing trouble together—since your first year, I've stopped punishing you too harshly for your mischief, but today is different! If I hear that you two have bewitched your sister or brother into doing something foolish again, then you can just wait for the same punishment they get!”
The booming broadcast of the Howler startled William.
He was even a little surprised—the two troublemakers hadn't caused any major problems recently, so why the sudden Howler?
Even after hearing the letter's contents, he felt a bit of injustice for the two of them. Their younger siblings made a mistake, so why were they the ones getting criticized? And if they made a mistake, didn't they have older Weasleys above them?
However, this feeling of injustice was immediately washed away by the memory of their violation records—too numerous to fit in a single file—and the fact that their older brother was top of his year and a recognized model student. To say they had nothing to do with it... his conscience would ache for a long time.
——
At the Gryffindor table, Fred and George glanced at each other, then started to laugh.
“Got another Howler? Haven't heard one since first year—”
A nearby student teased them—because in their first year, the two Weasleys received a Howler almost every week.
“No, it's not about getting one, the letter was sent to the wrong person again—what does a letter for George, with instructions for Fred, have to do with me?”
“Haha…”
The fourth-year Gryffindor students burst out laughing.
Taking this opportunity, the two of them quickly left the dining table.
“Fred, did you tell Ginny stories about the Forbidden Forest?”
“I did. You?”
“Without a doubt.”
They looked at each other and sighed—they'd endured that shouting for nothing, and they couldn't even write back to protest their innocence.
“But blaming us for Ron's business is going too far. Even we never thought of flying a car to school!”
“Exactly. But at least this time Mom didn't shout in the letter about learning from Percy. She's finally made some progress.”
“Should we take Ginny to the Forbidden Forest for some fun?”
“Forget it. I don't want another Howler. Besides, what if we get caught and have to organize files together? If that information gets seen, I'd rather go dance with a troll.”
They both shook their heads at the same time, shaking the terrible possibility from their minds.
——
That evening, William, having missed the chance to properly enjoy the drama at noon, finally saw the two sources of it.
“Good evening, Messers Weasley. Today's task is heavy, so you'll need to work overtime.”
William smiled and beckoned to them—a professor must act like a professor; being busy trying to get gossip was just too undignified.
“This stack of case files is yours, and this stack is yours. They must be finished tonight. Professor Binns is already starting to complain that he doesn't have more material.”
“This much?”
“Yes. Because there's so much, I'm making an exception tonight and allowing you to use a Quick-Quotes Quill. Next time, you won't be so lucky. Copying things without doing it by hand just has no soul.”
William made a small, well-intentioned joke. Copying these cases was part of their repentance, and if they used a Quick-Quotes Quill, the work wouldn't leave them any time to actually absorb the information. The punishment would then be just for punishment's sake, losing much of its meaning.
“Professor, copying by hand will kill us.”
“No worries. I'm discussing it with Professor Binns. Maybe we'll have a test in History of Magic, and everyone who fails can come here to copy files. We'll have enough manpower soon enough.”
Since it wasn't class time anyway, William didn't even bother to plan out his boast. Even if Professor Binns really did plan an exam, the students would still learn something by studying for it in advance. He wasn't at all afraid of the two of them leaking his boast as if it were news.
Would any student really come and complain to a teacher because a rumored exam didn't happen?
What a joke—William had been a student too. When it came to exams, you could boast about them without any need for accountability.
The truth was, because there weren't enough students in detention, Professor Binns had decided to work on the history of the past headmasters after finishing this section. Even William was puzzled. Why was this ghost professor working so fast? Not even working 24/7 could explain this level of dedication.
Having spun a little tale for the two students, William's desire for gossip gradually faded, and he began his own work.
Although he had mostly finished creating the exam questions for the first years' material, there was still a mountain of knowledge to review for later. Making exam papers in advance was a form of preparation. Supervising detention was fragmented time; doing research risked distraction, while studying might make him lose his professorial authority. Creating exam papers was just right, and it saved him from using up other time.
——
“Fred, the professor isn't joking, is he?”
While William was focused on making the exam paper, the twins began to communicate with their eyes.
“Joking? Which professor at Hogwarts gives an exam before the end of term?”
Fred retorted with a look.
“History of Magic—if History of Magic has an exam, what other subjects will?”
“Potions probably won't have one. Snape hates the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, which is definitely good news.”
They exchanged playful glances, then their shoulders slumped in disappointment—Potions was probably the only subject that wouldn't follow the new professor's lead and have an exam.
“I'm getting a bad feeling.”
“Me too—he's not actually making an exam paper, is he?”
After repeatedly urging each other on with their eyes, and nearly starting an argument, the two finally decided who would go see what the professor was doing.
“Professor, look at this file. It seems to have been recorded by a different caretaker than the others. Should I copy it in with them?”
“Let me see.”
William put down the book and paper in his hands, commanded the quill to stop, and took the file.
“Hmm, it looks like there was a change of caretaker. It was probably misplaced, or the caretaker was changed that year. For now, set this file aside with others like it; don't organize them.”
“That's great, Professor. That's a lot less work. I feel like I can live again. Are you making an exam paper?”
“Oh, this?”
William held up the paper he was writing, glancing at the quill's work as he did so.
“Yes, Professor.”
“It's not an exam paper.”
William shook his head and replied with a smile.
His words put the two brothers, one near and one far, at ease—although Professor Lockhart seemed quite busy, what if he got a crazy idea and asked Professor William for an exam paper?
“The exam paper is already finished. This is the homework for those who fail.”
*CRACK...*
It was as if they had been struck by lightning.
(end of chapter)
2022-07-14 Author: I'm Just a Pigeon
“…corrupting your younger brother, corrupting your younger sister—Ron has only been at school for a year and already dares to break school rules at the start of term, and Ginny has been at school for less than a year!”
“Don't tell me you're innocent, sneaking off to the Hog's Head Inn right at the start of school, getting detention from a professor until now. Fred, I don't even want to start counting all the trouble you two cause at school anymore, but as for corrupting your younger brother and sister, just you wait and see how I'm going to deal with you…”
“And you, George, don't think I've forgotten your name. You two are always causing trouble together—since your first year, I've stopped punishing you too harshly for your mischief, but today is different! If I hear that you two have bewitched your sister or brother into doing something foolish again, then you can just wait for the same punishment they get!”
The booming broadcast of the Howler startled William.
He was even a little surprised—the two troublemakers hadn't caused any major problems recently, so why the sudden Howler?
Even after hearing the letter's contents, he felt a bit of injustice for the two of them. Their younger siblings made a mistake, so why were they the ones getting criticized? And if they made a mistake, didn't they have older Weasleys above them?
However, this feeling of injustice was immediately washed away by the memory of their violation records—too numerous to fit in a single file—and the fact that their older brother was top of his year and a recognized model student. To say they had nothing to do with it... his conscience would ache for a long time.
——
At the Gryffindor table, Fred and George glanced at each other, then started to laugh.
“Got another Howler? Haven't heard one since first year—”
A nearby student teased them—because in their first year, the two Weasleys received a Howler almost every week.
“No, it's not about getting one, the letter was sent to the wrong person again—what does a letter for George, with instructions for Fred, have to do with me?”
“Haha…”
The fourth-year Gryffindor students burst out laughing.
Taking this opportunity, the two of them quickly left the dining table.
“Fred, did you tell Ginny stories about the Forbidden Forest?”
“I did. You?”
“Without a doubt.”
They looked at each other and sighed—they'd endured that shouting for nothing, and they couldn't even write back to protest their innocence.
“But blaming us for Ron's business is going too far. Even we never thought of flying a car to school!”
“Exactly. But at least this time Mom didn't shout in the letter about learning from Percy. She's finally made some progress.”
“Should we take Ginny to the Forbidden Forest for some fun?”
“Forget it. I don't want another Howler. Besides, what if we get caught and have to organize files together? If that information gets seen, I'd rather go dance with a troll.”
They both shook their heads at the same time, shaking the terrible possibility from their minds.
——
That evening, William, having missed the chance to properly enjoy the drama at noon, finally saw the two sources of it.
“Good evening, Messers Weasley. Today's task is heavy, so you'll need to work overtime.”
William smiled and beckoned to them—a professor must act like a professor; being busy trying to get gossip was just too undignified.
“This stack of case files is yours, and this stack is yours. They must be finished tonight. Professor Binns is already starting to complain that he doesn't have more material.”
“This much?”
“Yes. Because there's so much, I'm making an exception tonight and allowing you to use a Quick-Quotes Quill. Next time, you won't be so lucky. Copying things without doing it by hand just has no soul.”
William made a small, well-intentioned joke. Copying these cases was part of their repentance, and if they used a Quick-Quotes Quill, the work wouldn't leave them any time to actually absorb the information. The punishment would then be just for punishment's sake, losing much of its meaning.
“Professor, copying by hand will kill us.”
“No worries. I'm discussing it with Professor Binns. Maybe we'll have a test in History of Magic, and everyone who fails can come here to copy files. We'll have enough manpower soon enough.”
Since it wasn't class time anyway, William didn't even bother to plan out his boast. Even if Professor Binns really did plan an exam, the students would still learn something by studying for it in advance. He wasn't at all afraid of the two of them leaking his boast as if it were news.
Would any student really come and complain to a teacher because a rumored exam didn't happen?
What a joke—William had been a student too. When it came to exams, you could boast about them without any need for accountability.
The truth was, because there weren't enough students in detention, Professor Binns had decided to work on the history of the past headmasters after finishing this section. Even William was puzzled. Why was this ghost professor working so fast? Not even working 24/7 could explain this level of dedication.
Having spun a little tale for the two students, William's desire for gossip gradually faded, and he began his own work.
Although he had mostly finished creating the exam questions for the first years' material, there was still a mountain of knowledge to review for later. Making exam papers in advance was a form of preparation. Supervising detention was fragmented time; doing research risked distraction, while studying might make him lose his professorial authority. Creating exam papers was just right, and it saved him from using up other time.
——
“Fred, the professor isn't joking, is he?”
While William was focused on making the exam paper, the twins began to communicate with their eyes.
“Joking? Which professor at Hogwarts gives an exam before the end of term?”
Fred retorted with a look.
“History of Magic—if History of Magic has an exam, what other subjects will?”
“Potions probably won't have one. Snape hates the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, which is definitely good news.”
They exchanged playful glances, then their shoulders slumped in disappointment—Potions was probably the only subject that wouldn't follow the new professor's lead and have an exam.
“I'm getting a bad feeling.”
“Me too—he's not actually making an exam paper, is he?”
After repeatedly urging each other on with their eyes, and nearly starting an argument, the two finally decided who would go see what the professor was doing.
“Professor, look at this file. It seems to have been recorded by a different caretaker than the others. Should I copy it in with them?”
“Let me see.”
William put down the book and paper in his hands, commanded the quill to stop, and took the file.
“Hmm, it looks like there was a change of caretaker. It was probably misplaced, or the caretaker was changed that year. For now, set this file aside with others like it; don't organize them.”
“That's great, Professor. That's a lot less work. I feel like I can live again. Are you making an exam paper?”
“Oh, this?”
William held up the paper he was writing, glancing at the quill's work as he did so.
“Yes, Professor.”
“It's not an exam paper.”
William shook his head and replied with a smile.
His words put the two brothers, one near and one far, at ease—although Professor Lockhart seemed quite busy, what if he got a crazy idea and asked Professor William for an exam paper?
“The exam paper is already finished. This is the homework for those who fail.”
*CRACK...*
It was as if they had been struck by lightning.
(end of chapter)
