The Chamber of Secrets
"Allthosetimeswewereinthatbathroom,andshewasjustthreetoiletsaway,"saidRonbitterlyatbreakfastnextday,"andwecould’veaskedher,andnow..."
Ithadbeenhardenoughtryingtolookforspiders. Escapingtheirteacherslongenoughtosneakintoagirls’bathroom,thegirls’bathroom,moreover,rightnexttothesceneofthefirstattack,wasgoingtobealmostimpossible.
Butsomethinghappenedintheirfirstlesson,Transfiguration,thatdrovetheChamberofSecretsoutoftheirmindsforthefirsttimeinweeks.Tenminutesintotheclass,ProfessorMcGonagalltoldthemthattheirexamswouldstartonthefirstofJune,oneweekfromtoday.
"Exams?"howledSeamusFinnigan."We’restillgettingexams?"
TherewasaloudbangbehindHarryasNevilleLongbottom’swandslipped,vanishingoneofthelegsonhisdesk. ProfessorMcGonagallrestoreditwithawaveofherownwand,andturned,frowning,toSeamus.
"Thewholepointofkeepingtheschoolopenatthistimeisforyoutoreceiveyoureducation,"shesaidsternly. "Theexamswillthereforetakeplaceasusual,andItrustyouareallstudyinghard."
Studyinghard! IthadneveroccurredtoHarrythattherewouldbeexamswiththecastleinthisstate. Therewasagreatdealofmutinousmutteringaroundtheroom,whichmadeProfessorMcGonagallscowlevenmoredarkly.
"ProfessorDumbledore’sinstructionsweretokeeptheschoolrunningasnormallyaspossible,shesaid. "Andthat,Ineedhardlypointout,meansfindingouthowmuchyouhavelearnedthisyear."