Chapter 15: 1st Exams and Start of Summer
Lena and Jasmin woke up early in unison and their eyes meet before both of them smile and start to get up in order to start the day of their first exams at Castlehaven.
They dressed quickly, pulling on their crisp school robes and running a brush through their hair. Lena fumbled with her tie, her fingers trembling slightly. Jasmin noticed and gave her a reassuring smile, but the tension in the room was palpable.
As they exited the Mist Tower and made their way through the castle, they could sense the anxious energy around them. Students hurried past them, clutching their textbooks and muttering to themselves. The normally cheerful castle was filled with a tense silence, broken only by the occasional sound of a nervous cough or the rustling of paper.
When they entered the Great Hall, the atmosphere was even more charged. The room was packed with students, all seated at their respective house tables, their faces reflecting various degrees of nervousness and apprehension. Lena and Jasmin took their seats at the Mist House table, their eyes scanning the crowd.
The clatter of utensils and plates filled the room as the students picked at their breakfast. Lena and Jasmin managed to swallow a few bites, but their stomachs felt tight and queasy. They knew they had to eat something, but it was difficult to muster an appetite with so much at stake. They exchanged worried glances, their minds racing with thoughts of the exams to come.
“We start with Charms right?” She asks Lena as they both stood up to leave the hall.
Lena nodded, her eyes still scanning the crowd as they made their way towards the exit. "Yeah, Charms is first," she said, her voice sounding slightly strained.
As they stepped out of the dining Hall and into the hallway, the tension seemed to intensify. The castle was filled with the sounds of shuffling feet and whispered conversations. Lena and Jasmin made their way to the Charms classroom, their hearts pounding in their chests.
When they arrived, they found that the classroom was already nearly full. They took their seats, trying to remain calm as they waited for the exam to begin. Lena fidgeted with her wand, her mind racing with the countless spells and incantations she had studied.
Professor Mathers finally entered the room, his stern expression sending a wave of nervous energy through the class. He announced the start of the exam and the room fell silent, save for the sound of quills scratching on parchment.
Lena and Jasmin worked diligently through the exam, their minds focused on the task at hand. They tried to shut out the noise of their surroundings and concentrate on the questions in front of them. As the minutes ticked by, the tension in the room seemed to mount. Lena noticed Amber at the front of the room, confidently finishing up her exam and handing it in early with a smile on her face. Lena couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at Amber's apparent ease with the exam.
Finally, Professor Mathers called for the end of the exam, and the students let out a collective sigh of relief. Lena and Jasmin turned in their papers and exited the classroom, the weight of the first exam already starting to lift off their shoulders. They found Amber waiting for them outside the classroom, still wearing a wide grin.
"How did it go for you guys?" Amber asked eagerly.
"I think it went okay," Jasmin replied cautiously.
"I'm not so sure," Lena said, her face falling. "I found some of the questions really difficult."
"Don't worry," Amber said, placing a reassuring hand on Lena's shoulder. "You're smart, Lena. You'll do great."
Lena smiled weakly, grateful for Amber's kind words but still feeling uncertain about how she had done.
They had a break before their next exam. They decided to spend the time studying in the library, reviewing their notes and preparing for the upcoming Potions exam. As they worked, they couldn't help but overhear the whispers and murmurs of the other students around them, all discussing their performance in the previous exam and speculating about what the next one might hold.
As the noon hour approached, Lena and Jasmin decided to take a break from studying and grab a quick bite to eat in the courtyard. The sun was shining, and the sky was clear and blue, but Lena and Jasmin couldn't fully enjoy the beautiful day as the stress of the exams weighed heavily on their minds.
"I don't know about you, but I'm starting to feel the effects of all this stress," Lena said, taking a deep breath.
Jasmin nodded, "Yeah, me too. I just keep replaying all the possible questions and answers in my head."
"Let's take a few minutes and just breathe," Lena suggested. "Maybe that'll help calm our nerves."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, taking deep breaths and trying to clear their minds.
"I just keep reminding myself that we've prepared for this, and we know the material," Jasmin said finally. "We just have to stay focused and trust in ourselves."
Lena smiled, "You're right. We've got this."
As the time for the Potions exam drew closer, Lena and Jasmin gathered their things and made their way to the Potions classroom, where they would face Professor Sarb, a notoriously strict and demanding professor. The nerves and tension in the air were palpable, as the students prepared for what was sure to be a challenging and intense exam.
"I can't believe we have to brew a Strength Potion for this exam," Jasmin said, looking over her notes.
"I know," Lena replied. "But we've done it before, and we can do it again. Remember, we need to add the dragon's blood after the fifth stir, not the sixth."
Jasmin nodded, grateful for the reminder. They took their places in the classroom, their hearts pounding as they waited for the exam to begin.
As Lena and Jasmin worked together, their eyes locked in concentration, they could see the silver glow of the potion growing stronger and the vanilla aroma filling the air. They could feel the tension in the room slowly lifting as they approached the final steps of the potion-making process. They carefully added the last ingredients and watched as the mixture turned a vibrant shade of silver and emitted a strong vanilla scent. They shared a smile of relief and satisfaction as they turned in their potion to Professor Sarb.
Meanwhile, Lucas struggled to keep up with the complex instructions of the potion recipe, his hands shaking as he added the wrong ingredients at the wrong time. The smell of burnt herbs filled the air as his potion turned a sickly green color. He knew he had failed the exam, but he still pushed through, determined to finish the potion to the best of his ability.
As the exam came to an end, Lena and Jasmin emerged from the classroom feeling relieved and accomplished, while Lucas looked dejected and defeated. The girls tried to offer him words of encouragement, but he could barely look them in the eye.
Lena and Jasmin commiserated with their friend but tried to lift his spirits by pointing out that Professor Sarb had still given him partial points for the other aspects of the potion. "You did better than you think," Jasmin said, patting him on the back.
Lucas managed a small smile and thanked them for their encouragement. They walked back to the Mist Tower together, discussing the exam and trying to push the stress of the day to the back of their minds.
As Lena, Jasmin, and Lucas settled into the comfortable chairs in the Mist Tower common room, they breathed a collective sigh of relief. The last exam of the day was still ahead of them, but for the moment, they were able to relax and enjoy a few moments of downtime.
Lena and Jasmin took a few deep breaths, trying to calm their nerves before the next exam. Lucas, who had been studying quietly in the corner, looked up and gave them an encouraging smile. They chatted for a few minutes about the previous exams and Lucas's struggles with the Strength Potion, but he seemed to be in better spirits now as he already starts to joke a bit about it.
As Lena, Jasmin, and Lucas made their way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, they were surprised to see Amber waiting for them outside.
"Hey, Amber," Jasmin said, greeting her friend. "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to wish you guys good luck," Amber replied with a smile. "And maybe get some good luck in return."
Lena and Jasmin grinned at their friend, happy to see her. They chatted for a few minutes, sharing some last-minute study tips and calming each other's nerves. Lucas, who had been feeling a bit down after his earlier exam, seemed to perk up in the company of his friends.
As they entered the classroom, Lena and Jasmin couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that this was the last exam of the day. Professor Ravenwood, their Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, greeted them with a stern look.
"Take your seats, and we will begin," he said curtly.
Lena and Jasmin sat down at their desks, feeling the weight of the day's exams lifting off their shoulders. They exchanged a quick smile, feeling confident that they had done their best. Lucas sat down next to Amber, feeling more relaxed now that he was surrounded by his friends.
The exam began, and Lena and Jasmin found themselves answering the questions with ease. They had studied hard for this exam, and it showed. Lucas and Amber also did well, and they felt a sense of pride as they worked through the exam together.
Finally, Professor Ravenwood called for the end of the exam, and the students let out a collective sigh of relief. As they turned in their papers and exited the classroom, Lena, Jasmin, Lucas, and Amber all shared a sense of accomplishment. They had made it through a gruelling day of exams, and they had done it with each other's support and encouragement.
After the exam, Lucas and Amber caught up with each other outside the classroom. Lucas mentioned his struggles in the potion’s exam earlier that day, but Amber reminded him of his strengths in other areas and lifted his spirits. They all left the classroom feeling proud and determined, ready to enjoy the remaining evening.
As the four of them left the classroom, Lucas stole a glance at Amber, a look of admiration in his eyes. Lena and Jasmin, sensing the moment, exchanged knowing smiles and decided to give them some space. They wished their friends a nice evening and headed outside to enjoy the remaining sunlight.
The fresh air and warm sun were a welcome relief after the long day of exams. Lena and Jasmin strolled through the courtyard, their minds still racing with the events of the day. They talked about the exams, the questions they had answered, and the moments that had made them proud.
As they walked through the courtyard, Lena and Jasmin spotted a quiet spot under a large tree, where they could sit and talk in private. They settled themselves down on the grass and continued their conversation, discussing their hopes and fears for the future and reflecting on their journey so far at Castlehaven.
The sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the courtyard. Lena and Jasmin watched as students slowly trickled out of the castle, their exams done for the day. They felt a sense of relief wash over them, knowing that they had one day of exams behind them.
"It's been a tough day," Lena said, looking over at Jasmin. "But we made it through."
Jasmin smiled back at her. "Yeah, we did. And we did it together."
Lena reached over and took Jasmin's hand, their fingers intertwining. They sat in silence for a few moments, enjoying each other's company and the peacefulness of the moment.
They talked about all the memories they’ve already made and how truly magical this place is before watching the sun slowly set on the horizon, holding each other’s hand and whispering encouraging words.
Her arm wrapped around Lena she holds her against her chest and they keep sitting there for a while until the moon was the only thing illuminating the courtyard.
“Let’s head back to the dormitory, ok?” Jasmin asks and Lena nods and smiles before they got on their feet and started to head back inside the castle, talking about if Lucas and Amber are going to get together or not.
They reached the Mist tower and quickly climbed up the stairs and entered the Mist common room.
The room was completely empty and the two girls quickly made their way into their dormitory where they made themselves ready for bed. They walk over to Lena’s bed still holding each other’s hand and lay under the blanket.
“Good night my love.” Lena whispers and moves closer to kiss Jasmin for the night who eagerly moves in as well and smiles as they break apart.
“Good night Sweetie.” Jasmin replies quietly whispering in her soft voice. They both snuggle up close and fall asleep quickly.