As the days slipped by, I began to settle into a familiar feeling that I can't say I'd missed. One that I hadn't felt in a long, long time. Pre-exam stress. As completely irrational as it was, I couldn't rid myself of it— whether that be in this life, or the other. No matter how prepared I was for a test, I would always feel a pit in my stomach. Especially whilst lining up for the exams.

The Charms exam fell on a Monday for my year group and on that morning, we gathered in the Entrance Hall. All around me students went over their notes, whispering furiously to each other. Each whisper was different to the next but together, they created a sort of white noise that I settled into as I stepped into the filled waiting area.

We couldn't enter until a professor—probably Flitwick—invited us into the Great Hall, which had conveniently been turned into an exam hall for the next week. As I entered, I leant against the stone wall, its chill doing nothing to calm my erratically beating heart. I swallowed nervously, my brow narrowing at the dryness of my throat, forcing me to fish through my bag for some water.

"You alright?" Remus sidled up to me.

I returned my canteen to my bag. "Yeah I'm fine. You?"

He let out a dry laugh. "I'm terrified, mate. I've prepared so much for this but I can't help but feel nervous."

Lily's usually bright smile was strained. "I get what you mean…"

"I don't!" Cadmus grinned. His boisterousness was like a sledgehammer to glass, destroying the tense atmosphere in an instant. "I've got this!"

Michael snorted. "You know, somehow, I doubt that. I haven't seen you pick up a textbook once this past week."

"Then again," Ellie mused. "Cadmus is capable of a few miracles every once in a while, right?"

"Thanks Ellie!" the boy smiled obliviously.

A little shocked, my eyes flicked up towards him.

"You…" I searched his face for any inkling of understanding at what Ellie had just said and was speechless when I found none. "Hey, didn't you get what she just said?"

Behind him, Ellie held her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking a little.

"No," Michael began to grin. "I don't think he did."

Lily rolled her eyes and huffed, "Cadmus, think about what she just said."

Slowly, the happy gleam faded from Cadmus' eyes and an annoyed flare took its place. "Well, she said…" he whirled around. "Hey—!"

The door leading into the Great Hall creaked open, silencing the many ongoing conversations. Professor Flitwick slipped through the gap and quietly closed the door behind him with a soft click.

"Good morning, children," he smiled. "Thank you for being here so promptly. Please line up in class order so that we may get you inside as soon as possible and away from the cold here."

I bent over, picking up my satchel and slinging it over my shoulder before joining the rest of my class. Not too long afterwards, we were filed into the hall, each of us sitting at a small desk. On each sat a quill, an inkwell, and an unfurled roll of parchment. At the foot of the table was another roll of parchment in case we needed it.

Flitwick waited for the rustling to finish before he spoke. "You will have an hour and a half to complete this theory exam. Please attempt every question to the best of your ability. I also ask that you make sure that your penmanship is legible, else I will struggle to give you all the outstandings that I know you deserve— there's only so much magic can do, after all. That will be all; you may now begin."

And with those words, my heart settled and I unfurled the marked parchment in front of me. As I dipped my quill into the inkwell at the front of the desk, a self-confident smile spread across myself.

It was then that I realised that I would ace the test.

OOOO

One break, lunch, and several hours of exams later, I stepped out of the Great Hall and began the descent to the basement. I snuck a glance at the high windows of the ornate hall, blinking owlishly at the darkening sky outside.

I turned as a sigh tore itself from Cadmus' lips. "Merlin, that was brutal! Three exams in one day!"

"Two theory exams and one practical," Michael corrected. "It could be a lot worse. The Gryffindors had four theory exams today. At least we don't have any tomorrow— only the Charms practical. I'm not sure about Remus and Lily though, since they only had the Charms theory exam with us in the morning."

Ellie smothered a yawn, her blue eyes glazed over. "That's nice and all, but I'm so hungry…"

"It's…" I sneaked a glance at my wristwatch. "...four fifty-three. Dinner won't be for another two hours."

Ellie's head slumped forward, her brown tresses obscuring her face as she groaned out, "But that's not for ages…"

Michael, although tired, looked a lot better than Ellie and Cadmus. "Guess we'll have to stay hungry then."

"Not exactly," I smirked, stopping in front of a familiar painting and raising my hand. "I don't think I've brought any of you here yet, have I?"

The pear giggled and the three Hufflepuffs flinched, both at the unexpected sound and the suddenness with which the painting swung inwards. A blast of sweltering heat buffeted my face as I stepped into the kitchens.

"Hey Dippy!" I cupped my hands over my mouth, leaning against the side of the entrance. "I've finished all my exams for today!"

The elf at the pot closest to me turned around, flashing me a grin. "Dippy is happy for you, Cyrus."

I held his gaze for a moment before stepping aside. "These are my friends: Cadmus, Ellie, and Michael."

The three preteens shuffled their feet for a little, not knowing what to say.

I basked in their awkwardness for a little bit before I turned back to Dippy. "Think you can whip up something? Of course, if it's too much trou—"

"No trouble at all!" he hopped off the pedestal and was soon replaced by another elf. "We are cooking dinner, but Dippy can give Cyrus and his friends an early dinner."

"That'd be amazing," I raised an eyebrow to my friends as the elf wandered off. "Welcome to the kitchens you three."

By the time they'd been led to the low table, their shyness had vanished as they ravenously began to devour the bowls of rice and stew before them. In no time, they'd finished their bowls and had all asked for seconds. And to my amusement, Ellie had soon asked for thirds.

"Now that hit the spot," Cadmus stretched his arms upwards and groaned as they clicked. "You've been coming here all year then?"

"Yup," I said in between bites. "Sometimes I'd miss breakfast because I'd sleep in, meaning training would run for a little longer than usual. Thankfully Dippy's been here to help."

The elf looked back as he cut a few tomatoes and moved on to some lettuce, not slowing in the slightest. "And Dippy is very happy to help!"

Ellie smiled as she sipped from a wooden cup. "He's nice, isn't he?"

"Yeah," Michael finished the last of his stew. "I wouldn't mind coming here instead of heading to the Great Hall in the mornings."

"Imagine that!" Cadmus snorted. "Just walking across the basement to get a midnight snack," he turned to me and narrowed his eyes. "Wait… is that where you get all that food from?"

I smiled, a little sheepish. "Guilty as charged."

"And you didn't think of telling me?" Cadmus fumed, slamming his hands on the sides of the table.

"Does it really matter?" I asked him. "You always end up getting some anyway, right?"

"...Still," he muttered.

"Well, at least you can get a snack whenever you want," I sighed. "Also, I'm not the only one in the house who happens to have food on them, you know? You could've asked Viola, or Eric. Heck, even Eva! Especially since you seem to love stealing her food the most."

"Alright, alright," he rubbed the back of his head, his freckled face flushing a little. "I get it, mate."

His reaction, of course, was not lost on me, nor Ellie and Michael who smirked at each other. I cringed a little, remembering that puberty would come knocking on my door sooner or later— hopefully later. My first go at it wasn't fun, and I had absolutely no interest in having a second.

Unfortunately, the decision wasn't up to me, I thought with a grimace.

Dippy circled around the table, holding out a platter of chocolate cake. Its captivating scent slipped past the overpowering aroma of stew in the kitchen and entered my nose. "Dessert is ready!"

"Wow!" Cadmus grinned. "Thanks Dippy!"

Ellie inched away from the cake, her face a little sickly. "You guys have fun with that. I think I ate too much…"

Michael bumped her shoulder as he passed by. "Don't mind if I do."

I watched the two boys fight over the knife for a little before I got an idea.

"Hold on you two," I pulled out my wand and they froze.

"What are you doing?" Cadmus asked.

"What he said," Michael nodded.

I held my wand in front of me, picturing a small blade at its tip, passing through the cake as easily as a hot knife would through butter. "Watch. Diffindo."

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Narrowing my brow in focus, I cut out three, perfectly shaped slices of chocolate cake. I returned my wand to its holster and slid the three plates of cake across the wooden table.

The table was silent for a while, the two boys staring at me in astonishment.

Cadmus broke the silence first. "Mate, what the actual hell was that?!"

I sneaked a glance at Ellie. Her head was buried in her arms and she was—I hoped—fast asleep.

I inched away from Cadmus, who stuck his head in my face. "The Severing Charm."

"Wait," Michael started. "Isn't that a second-year charm?"

"...I like to study ahead," was my reply.

"You don't say," Cadmus rolled his eyes and picked up the slice of cake. He chewed it slowly, taking a sip from his water before he placed it back on the wooden plate. "At this point, Michael, I've given up. Cyrus is just a completely different type of human being."

"Oi," I frowned. "My little stunt may have been a bit excessive but I'm not that bad," I turned to Michael. "Am I?"

Michael stared at me intently before he sighed. "I wouldn't put it exactly as Cadmus did, but I guess he's right. I know we all take our studies seriously but we don't enjoy it as much as you do— that doesn't count Snape and Remus by the way. Maybe it's because you're a Muggleborn and this is all new to you but Merlin…"

I shrugged and finished off the last of my cake. "I think you're right— not all of it, but most. See, before I got the letter, all of this? It was fiction to me. Magic, dragons, werewolves, and vampires. Those were things I saw in fairy tales, not real life. Finding out that it's not fiction has made me want to see how strong I can become. And I know we've got people like Dumbledore running around but who's to say that we can't get strong with enough hard work and dedication?"

Whilst I wasn't being entirely truthful with them, I wasn't exactly lying either. I wanted to get strong, but not for personal satisfaction more so than simple survival. With a war brewing over the horizon and my own blood status painting me as a target, getting strong was a necessity.

Cadmus spoke up through a mouthful of cake. "Bu' e's 'umble door!"

"Swallow your food," I instructed, unconsciously channelling my inner Sadie. "And so what? Our house is one that lives and breathes hard work. Not all of us will get that strong but tell me, you two, what's to stop us from trying?"

It was quiet for a while until a snort from Michael breached the silence. It grew into a low chuckle. "You know what? Screw it, I'm in."

"Good to have you aboard!" I grinned. "Cadmus?"

"Me?" he swallowed, washing down the cake with some water. "Well I don't know about becoming as strong as Dumbledore, but I'd like to become an Auror like my dad one day. And you lot are my friends, if you guys do something, I'm probably going to do it too."

We turned our expectant eyes towards Ellie, hearing her soft snores escaping the folds of her arms.

"Oh…" Michael's arm dropped to his side. "She's asleep."

Cadmus cupped his hands over his mouth but Michael placed a hand on his shoulder, silencing him. "Don't."

He walked over to her and gently shook her awake. "Ellie? Hey, Ellie? Wake up."

She stirred, slowly lifting her head out of her arms. "...Morning."

"It's six in the evening, Ellie." I said.

"R-Re-Really?" she yawned. "Oh, we're still in the kitchens."

Michael pulled her up. "I think we should head back into the common room. All that food's started to make me rather tired."

I felt a yawn creep up my throat. "Y-Yeah, me too."

"I've no idea what you lot are talking about," Cadmus shook his head and picked up another slice of cake. "I could still fit in… another two— maybe three?"

"He's such a pig…" I heard Michael mutter, both impressed and disgusted. "I don't know how you can fit that much inside your stomach."

Ellie blinked, her bleary eyes glinting. "You don't? I remember him eating an entire cake on his own last christmas."

Michael's face was blank for a moment, and then it blanched. "Oh Morgana, don't remind me of that…"

Ellie giggled. "Aunt Cassie took it away to the kitchen but he brought it upstairs and ate it in front of us. He threw up so much afterwards!"

"Ellie!" Michael clamped his hands over his ears, screwing his eyes shut tight. "Shut. Up."

After thanking Dippy, I stepped out onto the basement, feeling a little disoriented due to the sudden shift from hot to cold. The few moments it took to gather my bearings were enough for the three children to catch up to me.

"Think you could run away from us, eh?" Cadmus teased, glomping me.

I stumbled a little, righting myself as he hung off my neck. Once he slid off, I rolled my eyes. "Definitely. You're all so annoying."

Michael winced as he rapped the entrance to the common room. "Ouch! And here I thought you liked us."

"Like you lot?" I laughed. "More like I tolerate your presence."

Ellie laughed, a little more awake than earlier. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Cyrus."

We strolled into the common room, laughing, in search of a couch to splay ourselves against.

And we found one in absolutely no time.

OOOO

The next morning, my Defence Against the Dark Arts class was huddled together before Professor Brezova. The nervousness in the air was palpable as we waited for her to speak.

"Good morning everyone," she said. "Welcome to your Defence Against the Dark Arts practical exam. Before I start, let me stress that I believe in your abilities. There is no reason to be afraid. You have all done this several times before. Remember to keep a calm heart, a focused hand, and clear mind at all times, understand? Good. First up is Eleanor Allanach."

Ellie shuffled forwards a little nervously. Her auburn wand was clutched tightly in her hand as she strode forwards, determined. To Michael's elation, it took her all of five minutes to send the Imp back into its cage using a well-cast knockback jinx coupled with the Levitation Charm. Once she was done, she walked back, beaming.

"Next is Thomas Avery."

A wiry-haired Slytherin boy sauntered into the centre of the room. His slightly lopsided smile was cocky, and he turned back and flashed Mulciber a confident grin. As much as I would have liked him to fail, Avery put his money where his mouth was and subdued his imp in two minutes. His way of doing so was a little too brutal for my liking, though. Avery sent the Imp flying into the stage and it was knocked unconscious due to slamming head-first into the wood.

"Cyrus Azar."

Cadmus clapped my shoulder encouragingly and I gave him an easy going smile. "I've got this, mate."

"We know you do," Ellie smiled. "But some luck wouldn't hurt now, would it?"

I shook my head. "Oh don't you worry. I'll take all the luck I can get."

I stood in the centre of the room when one of the cages atop the stage rattled furiously.

"Professor!" an imp cried. "Let me at him! It's not about fun anymore! I want to chomp on his fingers and rip out his hair!"

Brezova shot me an inquisitive look.

I smiled, a little embarrassed. "I floated it around the class last week and then locked it in its cage the week before that."

Amusement danced in her brown eyes. "I see… this will be quite interesting, then."

She floated over the rattling cage and I caught a flash of yellow in its shadowed depths. "Your exam officially starts in three…"

The imp giggled. "Oh ho~! Please don't stop me, Professor. I'm going to enjoy this…"

"One," the cage clattered open and the Imp shot out, not wasting a second.

I spun off to the side, curling my wand inwards before flicking it sharply. "Vermillious."

A small red spark shot towards the Imp, but it nimbly sidestepped it. The spark struck the floor with a sharp crack and dissipated over the stone floor.

"Damn it," I growled, backpedalling as the Imp raced forwards at once. "Flipendo!"

It ran straight into the knockback jinx and was sent tumbling to the floor. The Imp shot back up immediately, its leathery face pulled into a snarl. It brandished its claws and leapt towards me, arms extended. "Not today!"

I was more than a little frustrated since I had to make sure to restrain myself with every spell lest I wound up accidentally turning it into paste. I manoeuvred myself back to the centre of the room, watching as the Imp pivoted and soared into the air, its black nails glinting.

I smirked, swishing my wand off to the side. "I'm sorry, but it's not going to be any different today either. Wingardium Leviosa!"

The Imp slowed down before coming to a complete stop. Still, it hovered in the air, its spindly limbs kicking and lashing through the air.

"Not again!" it howled, staring at me hatefully. "I curse your home to be infested with doxies, wizard!"

I snorted and floated it into the cage. "Yeah, not happening anytime soon. Colloportus."

It clicked shut and was sent back onto the stage, the Imp within snarling at me through the slightly rusty bars.

"Well done, Azar," Brezova smiled as she sent the cage back onto the stage. "Join the rest of the class."

I nodded and raced back to the Hufflepuffs.

"What was that about?" Cadmus asked. "Is it just me or was that Imp out to get you?"

"There wasn't a single annoying joke," Michael commented.

Ellie hummed. "I could swear it cursed at you, didn't it?"

I laughed. "Yeah. It promised that my home would be infested with doxies."

Cadmus snickered a little. "Why doxies of all things?"

"Dunno," I shrugged. "But, hey, I did it!"

"Like there was ever any doubt," Cadmus rolled his eyes. "It's not like you didn't do it just last week, right?"

I slumped my head forward, my hair hiding my smirk. "Cadmus, my friend, you wound me!"

Michael nudged my shoulder. "Oh suck it up!"

Ellie pointed towards the centre of the room where a Hufflepuff was trying—and failing—to pry his Imp off his leg.

"Yikes," I winced as I watched it rake its claws over the boy's thigh.

He hissed in pain and ripped it off his leg, throwing it across the room. Immediately afterward, he stomped hard against the floor and jabbed his wand towards it. "Flipendo!"

The Imp collided against the stone wall, the sickening thump of flesh against concrete forced its way into my ears. Slowly, the unconscious creature slid down the notched wall and crumpled to the floor.

"...Is it dead?" Cadmus whispered, breaking the silence that had pervaded the hall.

Brezova quickly conjured a bobbing green sphere that washed over the downed Imp. She was quiet for a moment whilst she waited for the sheen on its skin to fade. "It's not dead."

The class collectively let out a sigh— though it was mainly from the Hufflepuff side of the room.

Brezova whirled on the boy, her voice stern. "Stevens."

He straightened, his eyes fearful. "Y-Yes, Professor?"

"I can understand your knee-jerk reaction to the imp scratching you, but losing your temper like that is dangerous. What if you got one of your friends hurt, or worse, killed because you couldn't control your temper and did something rash?"

The boy's bottom lip trembled but he said nothing.

The woman held his gaze for a moment longer before she broke away and sighed. "With that said, I cannot blame you for a natural reaction. I only ask that you watch your temper in the future. That, Stevens, is something that we can control."

He nodded wordlessly and limped back towards the line.

"Where are you going?" Brezova called out after him. He froze. "Come back here."

He shuffled forwards nervously, flinching a little when Brezova whipped her wand towards him.

"Episkey."

I couldn't see what was happening, but Stevens' posture was noticeably relaxed and the only evidence of his injury, when he turned around, was the small bloodstains on the side of his robes and the cut on his trousers.

"Wanted me to fix that?" I gestured towards the bottom of his robes.

He smiled, the tension leaving his face. "That'd be nice, yeah."

I bowed my head and drew my wand. "Tergio."

The dried blood faded off his robes, but the tear on the cloth still remained. I quickly muttered the incantation of the Repairing Charm and it was soon mended.

Just behind me, the next name was called up, and another rattling cage was brought to the floor.

OOOO

Once everyone had finished the practical exam, we were free to go. That left me with nothing to do until the History of Magic exam at two. I exited the class, trailing just behind the crowd of golden-robed first-years, enjoying the morning breeze.

I must have tripped or something because the next thing I knew, my hands were held out in front of me, stopping my face from planting into the uneven stone floor. Unfortunately, the raucous laughter that started up behind me just as I'd fallen suggested otherwise. Leaning against the wall, I smothered the flash of annoyance and tried to unknot the mess of leather that my shoelaces had become.

Once I was done, I scanned the corridor for the culprit. It didn't take me long to find them.

"Mulciber…" I growled, my wand in hand as I stepped towards him. Before I could do anything, Brezova stepped out of the hall.

"Azar," she said, a little forcefully. "Put your wand away— that's three points from Hufflepuff. Be glad that I arrived sooner, else you would have had a detention instead of just losing points."

Not ceasing my glaring, I acquiesced and sheathed my wand.

Mulciber smirked.

"And you," she turned to him and her frown deepened as she crossed her arms. "Don't think I didn't see what you did there. Ten points from Slytherin for casting magic in the hallway. You will also be sitting detention with me after our lesson tomorrow. Now leave."

Mulciber and his friends left without a word of protest, though not before he shot me one last triumphant smirk over his shoulder. However, no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't mask the annoyance burning in his eyes.

I turned to Brezova. "Thank—"

"Azar," she cut in, her brown eyes slightly warmer than usual. "I've seen how Mulciber has been trying to wind you up these past few weeks, and whilst you have been trying very hard to not respond, he won't stop until he draws a reaction from you— that much is obvious to me. Can you honestly tell me that you won't give him one? Because it seems to me that he almost got what he wanted today."

I sighed, my shoulders slumping a little as I deflated. "I know, I know… I won't give him one…"

She stared at me silently. "...Well, at any rate, I'll see you for tomorrow's lesson, Azar. Enjoy the rest of your day."

I mumbled my thanks and trailed down the corridor, thankful at the lack of companions. And despite how many times I told myself that I wouldn't give Mulciber a reaction, each time he did or said something that made my hackles rise, I felt my self-control slipping.

I knew that it was no longer a question of if I would give him a reaction, only when and how bad. Because everyone had a boiling point, and deep down, I could feel that I was nearing mine.