Through the Trapdoor

           Inyearstocome,HarrywouldneverquiterememberhowhehadmanagedtogetthroughhisexamswhenhehalfexpectedVoldemorttocomeburstingthroughthedooratanymoment. Yetthedayscreptby,andtherecouldbenodoubtthatFluffywasstillaliveandwellbehindthelockeddoor. 

           Itwasswelteringhot,especiallyinthelargeclassroomwheretheydidtheirwrittenpapers. Theyhadbeengivenspecial,newquillsfortheexams,whichhadbeenbewitchedwithanAnticheatingspell. 

           Theyhadpracticalexamsaswell. ProfessorFlitwickcalledthemonebyoneintohisclasstoseeiftheycouldmakeapineappletapdanceacrossadesk. ProfessorMcGonagallwatchedthemturnamouseintoasnuffbox—pointsweregivenforhowprettythesnuffboxwas,buttakenawayifithadwhiskers. Snapemadethemallnervous,breathingdowntheirneckswhiletheytriedtorememberhowtomakeaForgetfulnesspotion. 

           Harrydidthebesthecould,tryingtoignorethestabbingpainsinhisforehead,whichhadbeenbotheringhimeversincehistripintotheforest. NevillethoughtHarryhadabadcaseofexamnervesbecauseHarrycouldn’tsleep,butthetruthwasthatHarrykeptbeingwokenbyhisoldnightmare,exceptthatitwasnowworsethaneverbecausetherewasahoodedfiguredrippingbloodinit. 

           Maybeitwasbecausetheyhadn’tseenwhatHarryhadseenintheforest,orbecausetheydidn’thavescarsburningontheirforeheads,butRonandHermionedidn’tseemasworriedabouttheStoneasHarry. TheideaofVoldemortcertainlyscaredthem,buthedidn’tkeepvisitingthemindreams,andtheyweresobusywiththeirstudyingtheydidn’thavemuchtimetofretaboutwhatSnapeoranyoneelsemightbeupto.