"Aren't you going to do a pre-battle sneak attack?"
Ian saw Michael lazily climb out of bed. He glanced at the bedding and didn't see any books, confirming that this roommate was quite different from the scheming boys in their own college.
"It's just an exam, no need to make it like going to war." Michael had a pretty good attitude. He really hadn't been secretly studying, he just paid more attention in class during the last few weeks.
In fact, in the last few weeks of the semester, the professors were no longer teaching the students new knowledge but were instead helping them consolidate what they had learned to face the final exams. In this regard, Hogwarts didn't seem to be much different from most Muggle Schools.
"Exams are the real battlefield."
William finally put down his book, turned around seriously, and responded, "To ensure nothing goes wrong in the exams, we need to control any variables that might cause a mistake in our scores."
Saying this.
William let out a long sigh and patted the textbook on the desk.
"I think I can definitely get all O's. In the last month, I have repeatedly studied all the textbooks. Surely the professors won't test us on things outside the syllabus, right?"
He wanted to be more confident, but there was a hint of apprehension in his voice. William's demeanor resembled those Gryffindor College students with 'pre-exam anxiety syndrome.'
The only difference was that Gryffindor College students were worried about failing subjects, while William feared he wouldn't achieve the top grades in all subjects—Outstanding (O), Exceeds Expectations (E), Acceptable (A), Poor (P), Dreadful (D), Troll (T), which were Hogwarts' grading standards.
"Don't worry, if someone like you who works so hard can't get all O's, I don't think many people can." Ian kindly comforted his roommate.
However.
Unexpectedly, William let out a heavy sigh, sounding more worried, "It's different, everyone's talent is different. Even without comparing to someone as ridiculously talented as you, I'm still falling short, like how Michael can always point out a few of my mistakes without studying every night."
"This is the gap in talent. I imagine there are quite a few people like him at school," William's anxiety and staying up late to study had reasons. After all, it's one thing to have a classmate like Ian who is ahead of everyone, but another roommate who, while always smiling and chasing after girls, learns faster than himself.
If it were most people, most would feel very insecure inside.
"I'm studying hard too, you know."
Michael couldn't empathize with William's feelings, and a bit helplessly retorted while brushing his teeth. Just because he didn't like learning what he'd already learned didn't mean he wasn't studying hard.
"Isn't it possible, besides me, Michael is probably the only one in our grade with better grades than you?" Ian had long noticed Michael's "study genius" trait. As a young professor secretly tutoring the little wizards, he knew there was no second person like this among the first-year students of Ravenclaw College.
William clearly hadn't realized he was a rare talent himself and thought this situation was common when looking outside their dormitory.
"You can guarantee it's like this in Ravenclaw College, but you can't guarantee the other colleges are the same, right? I heard that the best student in several grades isn't from our college. Can you believe the top second-year student is someone who plays Quidditch all the time?"
"There are always, and always will be, people with talent, and quite a lot of them. I dread imagining how I would be disliked when I go home." William's current state would clinically be called mental exhaustion.
Ian the Witch Doctor immediately diagnosed it and thought of a remedy.
"Don't move."
He ran to the desk, opened a drawer, took out a feather pen, dipped it in ink and, under William's puzzled gaze, walked up and pressed William's head.
"What's this for?"
William felt Ian writing on his forehead.
"I'm casting a ritual magic on you, it reduces self-exhaustion and fills you with confidence." After Ian finished writing, he pretentiously chanted a spell.
"Ba-bao-lee-bo, Ba-boo-lee-bao~"
Ian's magic wand circled three times above William's head.
The serious demeanor immediately made William happy.
"Thank you, Ian."
His sincere gratitude almost made him want to hug Ian around the waist while sitting.
Ian dodged him.
After all, William's peculiar fondness for shorts made Ian uncertain of his character's purity.
"Can this magic increase luck?" Michael, having finished his wash, came out of the bathroom, curious and inquired.
"Of course not."
Ian shook his head.
"Then does it increase wisdom?"
Michael continued to ask.
Ian shook his head again, "This is just a confidence rune, reducing self-exhaustion at best, not decreasing wisdom counts as good already, how can you expect it to increase your wisdom."
His words left Michael a bit surprised.
"This is actually a magic rune? It seems a bit like Chinese characters." Michael wanted to reach out and touch it but was directly grabbed by a vigilant William.