In the room filled with potions.
Lucien looked at the seven oddly shaped bottles on the table, thought for a moment, then pointed to the smallest one.
"This 'dwarf' potion allows you to move forward, through the black flame."
Then he pointed to the bottle at the far right.
"This one allows you to return, through the purple flame."
Lucien then identified the remaining potions one by one, clearly distinguishing which were poison and which were harmless.
Dumbledore clapped softly and praised him. "Your answers were very quick. To be honest, logical reasoning is something many wizards aren't particularly good at."
"There's no need to drink the potions. Professor Snape doesn't brew them easily."
As he spoke, Dumbledore waved his hand, and both flames disappeared.
He then stepped into the final challenge room.
As expected, Lucien saw the mirror.
The Mirror of Erised.
Taking Fawkes's tail feather from his pocket, Lucien asked, "Headmaster, you didn't seriously expect me to follow Harry and the others all the way to this final trial, did you?"
Dumbledore nodded gently.
"I will teach you a small piece of magic—a better way of observing."
Taking a silver bracelet set with sapphires from his pocket, Dumbledore slipped it onto his wrist, then drew the Elder Wand and began chanting a long series of spells.
Lucien watched as Dumbledore walked toward the Mirror of Erised. When the hand wearing the bracelet touched the mirror's surface, ripples spread across it, and in the next instant, Dumbledore vanished directly into the mirror.
Lucien raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So this is the so-called 'small magic'?"
How many spells had old Dumbledore developed when he had nothing better to do?
Hmm. That bracelet was likely an alchemical tool, enhanced by spells—and a combination of rather complex ones at that.
Another little trick he could learn from Dumbledore.
Hogwarts' library was a tangible treasure trove of knowledge, and the greatest wizard of this century standing before him was a walking one.
After finishing his demonstration, Dumbledore stepped back out of the Mirror of Erised and began teaching Lucien this "small magic."
Time formally entered exam week.
The year-end examinations for each subject proceeded as scheduled.
Students were required to use standardized exam quills, enchanted to prevent them from cheating.
"Phew… not nervous, not nervous…"
Ron kept encouraging himself before entering the examination room.
Seeing this, Lucien also reassured him. "It's all right. You all did very well on the final test I set. This year-end exam is just another test—just perform as you normally do."
Thinking back on the effort he'd put in over this period, Ron felt a little more at ease. After being thoroughly drilled by Lucien's assignments and assessments—weekly quizzes, monthly exams, and the most recent final test—his nerves had strangely eased quite a bit.
In addition to written exams, there were also practical examinations, such as those in Transfiguration and Potions.
Professor Flitwick had them make pineapples tap dance. Full marks were awarded if the pineapple could tap dance all the way across a desk.
Professor McGonagall required them to transform mice into snuffboxes, with marks based on the snuffbox's refinement and craftsmanship.
"Lucien Grafton."
Hearing Professor McGonagall call his name, Lucien walked into the examination room.
Seeing him, McGonagall showed a faint smile. "This certainly won't be difficult for you. But Dumbledore mentioned you'd be giving me a little surprise?"
Professor McGonagall truly couldn't imagine what more Lucien might have to demonstrate, having already witnessed his complex and exquisite fusion Transfiguration.
In the very next second, McGonagall understood what the so-called "little surprise" was.
The handsome young man standing before her vanished, replaced by an owl with its wings slightly spread.
Looking at this utterly ordinary owl, so commonly seen around the school, McGonagall's gaze froze, and the hand holding the marking board stiffened for a moment.
Professor McGonagall's reaction was exactly what Lucien had expected.
Previously, only Dumbledore knew that he was an Animagus. After some consideration, he had discussed it with Dumbledore, and they planned to register it with the Ministry of Magic over the summer.
So this was a good opportunity to show Professor McGonagall the result in advance.
In any case, his Animagus form was not fixed; he could change it freely.
If he were discovered by the Ministry of Magic as an unregistered Animagus, that would be real trouble. He would be expelled from Hogwarts on the spot and sent straight to Azkaban.
He hadn't studied enough yet. There were still so many books he hadn't read, so much knowledge waiting for him.
Phew. Speaking of which, this summer was going to be very busy.
There was a lot to do: observe dragons at a dragon reserve and scout locations, accompany Newt to North America to release Thunderbirds, go to the Ministry of Magic with Dumbledore, and… visit the Weasley family.
After naturally receiving full marks, Lucien left the examination room.
As the next examinee went in, Lucien chatted with Harry and the others.
"Seamus Finnigan!!!"
An angry voice laced with alarm rang out from inside the examination room, unmistakably Professor McGonagall's.
That name?
That Gryffindor explosion expert? What had he done this time to make Professor McGonagall's voice crack like that?
Lucien glanced at the examination room door, feeling a bit curious.
A few minutes later, Seamus walked out with a long face, sniffling.
After some questioning from Harry, the truth was pieced together.
It was actually very simple.
Seamus had blown up the mouse.
The kind of explosion that splattered the entire classroom…
After this little "interlude," everyone moved on to the next exam.
Potions required brewing a Forgetfulness Potion.
This in itself wasn't difficult—if one ignored Snape's oppressive style of invigilation.
It was said that some students were so nervous that they subconsciously tasted their own potion to test its effects.
But a Forgetfulness Potion… heh. If Snape hadn't intervened because he couldn't stand it anymore, that entire cauldron of potion would probably have ended up in that student's stomach.
The final subject was History of Magic.
Questions like: Which ancient wizard invented the self-stirring cauldron?
And then they would truly be free.
After enduring an entire semester, they could enjoy a carefree week before the results were announced, and then head home for the summer holidays.
"Phew, that felt even easier than the questions you gave us, Lucien!"
Ron was all smiles as he walked out of the examination room.
Hermione, on the other hand, was comparing answers with Lucien, looking distressed after realizing she'd answered one small question incorrectly.
Only Harry remained silent, clutching his forehead as the lightning-shaped scar throbbed with a burning pain.
~~~
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