June is the season when the weather starts to become hot.
As the final exam quietly arrives, the sky seems to resonate with it, with the school being tightly embraced by the blazing sunshine for days. The air is filled with an indescribable tension and anticipation.
It's fair to say everyone's emotions are complex and subtle.
The scenery outside the castle is becoming increasingly picturesque, but within the Hogwarts campus gently caressed by heat waves, little wizards find it hard to enjoy the joy and freshness of summer — after all, everyone knows June signifies the arrival of final exams, which is something almost all little wizards are unwilling to face.
Of course, there are a few exceptions.
For those little wizards who diligently study every day, are familiar with magic spells and ancient texts, the arrival of exam week is like a long-awaited feast awaiting to be unlocked. Their eyes sparkle with confidence, and transforming countless days and nights of efforts into outstanding grades is the moment they anticipate the most semester.
However, not everyone can face this test with such a calm mindset. Some little wizards, perhaps due to last-minute cramming, feel flustered and anxious when faced with piles of review materials and intricate magic theory. This group is slightly more prevalent in Gryffindor College.
Some even attempt little tricks like having their family get exam questions in advance, only to realize the bitter taste of their parents' connections failing them for the first time.
No one can find out exam questions in advance, not even descendants of pure-blood families, and there are plenty of Slytherin students whose faces turn grim as they're sarcastically mocked by their headmaster, Professor Snape.
Hufflepuff College students are also actively preparing, but they spend the least average time in the library, and few know that this college has students who just can't sit still.
Moreover, their pursuit of grades isn't high; passing can be considered to have met this year's efforts, and better grades are regarded as a delightful surprise.
Their non-competitive attitude is unique across Hogwarts. Of course, this doesn't mean Hufflepuff's little wizards never score well in exams. Quite the opposite, sometimes they even outperform Slytherin College, and have the fewest failures across the school.
Ian has always considered this reason not only due to their good exam attitude but also certainly tied to the fact that most holiday homework is outsourced to these diligent badgers.
The saying goes, "Read a hundred times, and its meaning will be found." Being able to repeatedly complete professors' assignments from different angles, surely lays a solid foundation for Hufflepuff students.
Perhaps even Hufflepuff College students themselves haven't realized this - in contrast, Ravenclaw College's students have reached new heights of competition during the last month.
There's no better grade, only the best one. All exam subjects must score full marks, which is the obsession of nearly all Ravenclaw College students.
As for those who know they have shortcomings and can't score full marks, the cunning boys and girls use various strategies like "I'm just going out for a bit" and "I'm going to play outside" as excuses and reasons to fool and deceive their fellow classmates.
Not really cunning, just standard "academic battle" maneuvers.
"What the heck are these guys? It's only a few hours until the exam and they're still hiding and secretly studying, all trying to use finals to stage their life's one-time spectacular script?"
Due to Grindelwald's intimidating remarks, Ian didn't sleep well all night. When he prepared for the exam the next day, he exited the Room of Requirement before dawn.
However.
As he returned to his dorm room to change clothes, he occasionally encountered classmates still secretly reviewing in inconspicuous corners along the way, making him feel these fellows were even more elusive than Albus Dumbledore.
A little wizard studying in the chandelier greeted him with "Young Professor, good morning," startling Ian, mainly because of the little wizard still wearing a disguise made of cardboard around his protruding head.
Designed with patterns similar to the chandelier's surroundings, only the inverted triangle method of wearing it nearly made Ian believe he woke up into a Hogwarts version of Silent Hill.
"What the heck are you guys doing! Won't the finals also start betting?" When Ian returned to the dorm room, he found William's dark circles were heavier than those of an Iron-eating Beast.
His desk was practically piled with all the books related to this semester.
"Standard Spell, Beginner" "Comprehensive Guide to the History of Magic" "Basic Guide to Transfiguration" "Dark Arts: Self-defense Guide" "Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi" ...Even though William has already mastered these books, he still worries every few hours whether he's forgotten some parts of them.
"Oh, right, today's the exam."
Only Michael remained with a typically half-awake lifestyle attitude.
He not only didn't study overnight, but Ian had to slap him awake from deep sleep, making this Brother Xiao Hei probably the least competitive of all Ravenclaw students.