HP: The Duelist of Hogwarts - 474

Chapter 474: Exams Over and a Nameless Unease

In the Transfiguration practical, the Ministry examiner watched the animals racing across the floor and fluttering through the room, then sighed in open admiration. “Incredibly delicate Transfiguration, unquestionably fourth-stage. Fifth year, and already at this level. Astonishing.”

Hearing the praise, Professor McGonagall, standing to one side of the classroom, could not help smiling, pride written all over her face. Fourth-stage Transfiguration in the fifth year, even Dumbledore had been no better back then.

Magical items were, of course, forbidden during exams. So the Transfiguration Sean displayed at this moment was his true ability. Though he had only just stepped into it, it was genuine fourth-stage Transfiguration.

Ever since obtaining Raven’s Claw, Sean’s Transfiguration had improved and reached the fourth stage. At first, he had been fumbling his way through it, half-understanding and half-guessing. But as time passed, with repeated use, he gradually grasped the core of fourth-stage Transfiguration and finally crossed the threshold that had blocked him for so long.

Only then did Sean truly understand what Raven’s Claw actually did. It let a wizard glimpse the principles of higher-level Transfiguration early, then internalise them through practice, the way self-study could never compare to having a master guide your hand.

After finishing Transfiguration, Sean headed to the final practical of Potions.

When he entered the classroom, quite a few seventh years were already brewing, including a familiar face. Buck Icke from Ravenclaw, who had once attended the Potions Club with Sean, was in his seventh year this time.

Buck clearly already knew Sean was sitting O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s back to back, so he was not surprised to see him here. When their eyes met, Buck gave Sean a small nod, then lowered his head and returned to his cauldron.

Anyone who made it into Snape’s Potions Club was, naturally, one of Hogwarts’ top talents. It was just that in front of Sean, all their “genius” seemed to fade into nothing.

As for Sean’s Potions practical, the Ministry examiner could only smile wryly. By rights, as the official overseeing the Potions exam, his own skill was excellent, and he even had the authority to recommend and nominate papers to The Golden Cauldron. He held a certain standing in Britain’s Potions academic world, but no matter how high his status, in front of Sean, he could only smile in resignation.

Sean brewed Felix Felicis cleanly and efficiently. The examiner sniffed it, ran a quick test, and could not help praising, “Top-quality Felix Felicis. If a vial like this were in the Ministry, departments would fight each other for it.”

Seeing how reluctant the examiner looked to let it go, Sean smiled. “If you don’t mind, you can have this vial.”

The examiner’s eyes lit up, and he nodded at once. “Truly? Then I won’t stand on ceremony!”

Sean watched him pocket the potion with impressive speed, then nodded politely and turned to leave the classroom. His exams were, at last, completely over.

“Hah…” Sean exhaled, stretched his arms, and muttered to himself, “I’m exhausted. Thank Merlin, I won’t have to come back to Hogwarts after this. Once Voldemort is dealt with, I can finally live the life I actually want.”

With that, Sean started to head for Snape. He had mailed out his paper, yet nearly two weeks had passed, and The Golden Cauldron editorial office still had not given him a definite response, so he wanted to ask Snape what was going on.

Just as he was about to leave, Buck Icke, who had also just finished his exam and come out of the classroom, called out to him.

“Sean, are you going to find Professor Snape?”

Sean turned back, nodded, and smiled. “Yes. Exams are done, so I’m going to talk to him about my paper.”

“Then you might want to wait a bit,” Buck said. “Before my exam, I happened to see Professor Snape leaving Hogwarts. I don’t know what he went to do, but if it’s something that requires him to leave the castle, he probably won’t be back quickly. It’s been less than three hours since I saw him go, so there shouldn’t be anyone in the Potions office right now.”

“Professor Snape left Hogwarts?” Sean repeated. “Why?”

Buck froze, about to say he didn’t know, but then he noticed Sean’s slight frown and the way his gaze went distant. Only then did Buck realise that the question did not seem meant for him.

After waiting a moment and seeing Sean still lost in thought, Buck shrugged, told Sean he was heading off, and left the dungeon.

Sean came back to himself and walked quickly to Snape’s office door. From the moment he heard Snape had left Hogwarts, a bad feeling had been crawling up his spine, so he pressed his hand to the office door at once. A halo flared in his pupils, and white mist swam across his eyes.

Scene after scene involving Snape unfolded in Sean’s vision. Because he was using the office door as a medium, the first image concerned the door itself, and it was something Sean had lived through before, a moment from the past. He saw himself sprinting out of the office, slipping away before Snape could unleash his usual poisonous sarcasm.

Then, after Sean left, Snape pressed a hand over the Dark Mark on his right arm, his expression tight with pain.

The images flickered rapidly, settling on Snape keeping a close watch over Sean’s exams. Once Snape confirmed Sean only had Potions left, he returned to his office, gathered a few things, and left Hogwarts.

After that came Snape travelling to the hidden Malfoy Manor and into a concealed chamber to meet Voldemort, but the vision turned unclear there, blurring until it vanished completely. Every time Sean used his Spirit Vision to observe Voldemort, some inexplicable interference always appeared.

Staring at the future that dissolved into nothing, the unease in Sean’s chest only grew heavier. After a brief moment of thought, he made his decision.