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CHAPTER TWELVE - 🍂 ୧ second week . . .
of o.w.l.s ও🦌

THE WEEKEND HAD COME TO AN END, signaling the start of a fresh cycle of OWLs exams. The students now had to brace themselves for a second consecutive week of rigorous assessments. With the initial week coming to a close, the fifth-year students were nearing the tail end of their academic year.

The students in the group were eager to tackle the first subject being examined, Defense Against the Dark Arts, as they found it an intriguing and engaging field, despite it not being their greatest academic strength. The practical aspects of the subject proved to be particularly motivating, as the students relished the opportunity to apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios rather than simply memorizing and analyzing abstract theories.

Autumn arrived at the exam venue slightly earlier than her friends, accompanied by Remus. The two sat down in close proximity to one another, with the male seated directly behind her. This arrangement meant that Autumn would have to frequently twist her body and turn around to converse with him directly.

Their lighthearted banter came to a sudden halt as Remus shifted the topic to a more serious subject, saying, "So, Autumn, are you ever going to tell James that it was you, not Evans, who was in the hospital wing back in third year?"

Autumn's surprise was evident as her hand paused mid-tap, her eyes widening in response to his mention of the incident. She asked, with a hint of bewildered caution, "How did you find out about that?"

Remus chuckled softly in response, leaning in closer and lowering his voice to maintain discretion, he explained, "It was a full moon night, and I was resting in the hospital wing before Poppy brought me to the shack."

Autumn attempted to cover her initial shock with a strained laugh but couldn't help a muttered "Dang" slip out, expressing her mild disappointment at his knowledge of the situation.

Autumn acknowledged his accurate observation and revealed her curiosity about how much he knew of the situation, stating, "So... you saw that, huh?"

Remus leaned back into his seat, indicating his intention to continue the conversation. He asked, "So? Are you?"

Autumn hesitated for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of revealing the truth. She finally responded, "I don't know. I mean, it doesn't really matter, does it?"

Remus offered a suggestion, suggesting a possible outcome if she chose to keep the secret to herself, saying, "It might have prevented those comments about how you and Evans are nothing alike."

Autumn cringed at the reminder of the past insults, before admitting it no longer meant much.

"I think I'll just keep it a secret. It doesn't really matter if James never finds out," she replied. Their conversation was interrupted by approaching footsteps, indicating the proximity of their friends, making them suddenly mindful of their surroundings.

James leaned his head over, making his presence known as he interrupted their conversation and asked curiously, "What secret?"

Remus attempted a cover-up by saying, "That you have great hair."

James was quick to spot the lie and expressed his skepticism, saying, "Yeah, sure. I'll believe that if it's about Sirius."

James proceeded to display a hint of arrogance, confidently showing off his hair, stating, "I mean, I do have nice hair, but the one with great hair isn't me."

James shifted his focus to his friends, and with a playful smile, he put pressure on them to reveal the secret.

The pair maintained their silence, refusing to give in despite James's insistence. The male then proposed a deal to break the stalemate, folding his arms and tapping his chin contemplatively while maintaining his firm stance. He offered, "Alright, here's a deal then: If I manage to successfully conjure a corporeal Patronus during the practical exam, you'll spill the secret to me."

Despite being intelligent, James often gave the impression of being an underperformer due to his lack of effort. However, when he put his mind to it, he revealed his true capabilities. He had already proven his intelligence by successfully completing the animagus transformation training with Sirius and Peter to aid their friend Remus, displaying a remarkable degree of dedication and perseverance.

Autumn and Remus exchanged a glance, silently agreeing to accept the proposed offer. Given James' track record of impressive accomplishments, they figured the odds were in their favor.

As she considered the potential consequences of sharing the long-held secret, Autumn voiced a sense of trepidation with a soft murmur, "I have a feeling I might regret this."

Nonetheless, she took James' outstretched hand and shook it firmly, signaling her agreement to the terms of the deal.

...

Autumn was floored, her voice betraying her astonishment as she whispered, "Merlin, he really did it." She averted her gaze, leaning slightly towards Remus.

The male nodded in confirmation, saying, "He's been able to do it for some time now."

Autumn's reaction was immediate, her voice rising as she exclaimed, "AND YOU DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING! REMUS JOHN LUPIN!! I'll get you back for this!" Remus took this as his cue to dash away, laughing merrily.

James sauntered up to Autumn, his grin widening as he declared, "You owe me a secret."

Autumn let out a deep sigh, her face contorting into a look of exacerbation and distress as the memory of the deal came rushing back to her mind. A sense of dread filled her as she slowly exhaled.

In response, she tapped James' chest gently and confirmed his question with a weary tone, "I'll tell you after the exam week is over. Understood?"

James persisted in his request for Autumn to divulge her secret, reminding her about their agreement now that he had upheld his end of the bargain.

Autumn stood firm, however, and chose to defer the revelation of the information until the end of the exam week.

James shrugged nonchalantly, conceding. "Alright then, fair enough."

After finishing their assessment, the trio left the exam room and joined the rest of their group, who had exited the Great Hall after wrapping up their own tests.

Without wasting a moment, Autumn hurried over to Raven, who was chatting with Sirius, Elliot, and Peter, and immediately threw her arms around the other girl.

"Rave, Remus and James are awful!" Autumn declared.

Raven responded with a loving gesture, gently patting Autumn's head while returning the embrace. Curious, she asked, "What'd they do?"

The males attempted to play coy, claiming, "Nothing," all the while maintaining their innocent expressions as they met Autumn's gaze.

James continued to sport a mischievous smirk, leaning slightly as he met her gaze, despite being taller and towering over her petite frame.

He proceeded to offer a brief explanation, saying, "We accepted a bet and lost." The male couldn't suppress his smug satisfaction at the outcome of his actions, further irritating the female.

Autumn's anger grew as she vented her frustration, saying, "Remus played dirty! He knew I was going to lose and didn't say anything!" She shot an accusing finger at the tall male.

In her heated state, she attempted to push James away, but he remained undeterred by her forceful behavior, maintaining his proximity and his wide grin as he observed her.

Sirius interjected in the standoff between Autumn and the others, joining the conversation with eagerness. He approached the trio, intrigued, and asked directly, "What did you bet on?"

Elliot chimed in on the conversation, raising a suggestive question that threatened to heighten the already tense mood. "Is it a date or something?"

Autumn's body language mirrored her irritation as she waved her arm in a dismissive gesture, signaling her reluctance to share information in the heated moment.

Noticing James' curiosity peaked, she took pleasure in keeping him in suspense, responding with wit: "It's something we'll talk about after the exams." The female skillfully shut down any further inquiries from the male, delaying the revelation indefinitely.

James maintained his lighthearted and upbeat demeanor, unfazed by the outcome. Despite the initial disappointment, he was not overly bothered by her decision to remain tight-lipped, though he couldn't deny his intrigue and anticipation of the secret's revelation.

Grinning, he playfully spread his arms wide and said, "I thought you'd break your silence," mocking her failed attempts to keep the secret and maintain a composed demeanor.

The banter and chatter continued as the group left the exam room and made their way to a courtyard that was free of activity. It was the perfect spot to pass the time before their evening meal later in the day.

The atmosphere was upbeat and cheerful, with each one of them contributing to the positive mood with their carefree attitudes. As they walked, they all appeared to enjoy themselves and the dynamics of the group's interaction.

...

The two days that followed included tests in Astronomy and Transfiguration, the final main subjects to be covered. With just one more week of exams remaining, the group prepared for the end of the week, which would include the completion of two additional optional subjects.

According to the examination schedule, the group was scheduled to take the Arithmancy exam, with Raven, Remus, and Autumn in attendance, as they had all taken the subject as part of their elective.

During the Muggle Studies exam, James, Sirius, Peter, and Elliot sat together in their designated seating area, focused on their specific study topic.

Finally, the group would take the final exam together during the Care of Magical Creatures exam.

The entire group assembled in the Great Hall, according to the schedule, after taking a leisurely break from the exam area for lunch. They settled at the back of the hall, with James, Sirius, and Remus occupying adjacent seats, with James situated in the middle of the row. The other members of the group sat around them, forming a circle.

Autumn was seated opposite Sirius, facing him head-on. James was engaged in lighthearted conversation with Remus and Raven.

Seizing the opportunity, Sirius leaned forward and quietly inquired about the nature of the wager. "So, what's the deal with James? What's this about a bet?"

Autumn thought about whether she should disclose the details but ultimately decided that she might as well tell him about it, since she and James would talk about it anyway. She provided some context, saying, "It's a bit complicated because it kind of... refers back to what happened back in third year."

Sirius's reaction was one of surprise as he struggled to control his outburst at the mention of the incident with the Hippogriff that nearly injured James.

He quickly asked to confirm the topic of Autumn's future conversation with James, still stunned. "Wait, are you telling him about...what almost happened to him?"

Autumn quickly shook her head in response to Sirius's concern, making it clear that her revelations would not touch on the incident that could have had dire consequences.

To clarify, she added, "No, definitely not! It's not something I should tell him about... it's about when he was in the hospital wing."

Sirius appeared intrigued by this new information, raising his eyebrows slightly. He then expressed his suspicion with a playful gesture. "The hospital wing? Wait, did something happen between you and James while he was there?"

Sirius chuckled as Autumn flicked his forehead playfully in response to his playful comment. He was aware that his approach appeared suggestive, but he didn't sincerely believe that anything improper had occurred.

With a grin, he joked, "No, blimey, Sirius. Not everything leads to something scandalous."

Impatient, Sirius called out, "All right, Rivers, enough stalling. Spill it." The lean, black-haired male was eager to hear the details directly from her.

Sirius checked to see if James was still preoccupied with his current conversation before focusing his attention back on Autumn.

Autumn smiled slightly as Sirius jokingly called her a "gossip girl." Leaning closely, she prepared to share the secret.

Complying with her cue, Sirius leaned forward as well, closing the distance between them to hear the confidential information she was about to divulge.

Autumn chuckled lightly as she described the upcoming secret to her friend, realizing it sounded less impressive when spoken aloud.

She shared the experience, saying, "James was out of it, and well he mistook me for Lily. So I just pretended to be her." Wrapping up with a playful remark, she admitted, "Honestly, it's not such a big secret when you say it like that."

Sirius burst into laughter as Autumn revealed the instance of James mistaking her for Lily while under the influence of a potion given to him after his encounter with the Hippogriff. Joking, he mentioned, "Wait. It was you?! James wouldn't stop talking about it, saying he felt like he died and saw heaven. Well, fate has truly come full circle, even if he mistook you for her, he ended up going for the heaven he claimed to have seen."

Sirius chuckled heartily as he continued to think of the previous event, and its impact on James' romantic endeavours. He playfully remarked, "I can understand why he'd go for a heaven like that. You're a catch yourself!"

Autumn almost choked when she heard the revelation from Sirius, feeling utterly shocked and incredulous. She quickly dismissed the statement with soft chuckle and responded with a bewildered expression, insisting, "He fancies Lily."

Sirius, noticing her disbelief, flicked Autumn's nose with a reprimanding gesture and then joked, "You can't be that dense, Autumn."

"I'm not having this conversation with you," Autumn stated firmly, turning her face forward to avoid further engagement.

"Oh come on Autumn," Undeterred, Sirius resorted to playful whining, trying to coax Autumn back into the discussion. She remained unyielding, maintaining a determined gaze ahead, refusing to acknowledge his efforts and treating him as if he didn't even exist.

Autumn tried to calm her mind by closing her eyes for a moment, desperately trying to put what Sirius had shared with her out of her mind. But the sound of James' voice kept intruding on her thoughts, making it impossible for her to dismiss the information she had heard.

Once the testing period was over, Professor Flitwick, the teacher in charge of overseeing the exam, announced the end of the assessment period, instructing students to lay down their quills.

The conclusion of the exam period prompted an unexpected release of tension among the students. Professor Flitwick was the teacher in charge of overseeing the tests and used his wand to gather all the scrolls in preparation for their collection.

However, the short professor had underestimated the number of scrolls, and the rush of paper caused him to be knocked off the platform he was standing on. The students couldn't help but erupt in laughter at the comical sight. Those sitting closest to the front row quickly rose to help the beleaguered Professor back onto the platform.

Professor Flitwick acknowledged the kind gestures from the students and expressed his gratitude, replying, "Thank you... thank you," before addressing the rest of the group.

Afterward, he announced, "Very well, everybody! You're free to go!"

The four young members of the Marauder's circle exited the hall, as the final exam had come to a close. As they walked down the corridor, they were joined by the trio of Autumn, Raven, and Elliot, who lagged behind them by a few feet.

Before any one could respond, Raven expressed her relief now that the exam period had ended. However, the four male friends ahead of them were already engaged in a conversation, which quickly drew the trio into their discussion.

Sirius walked a step to the side of Remus and addressed him with a humorous tone, "Did you enjoy question ten, Moony?"

Remus responded in an annoyed hiss, with a touch of amusement, "Loved it. 'Give five signs that identify the werewolf. Superb question."

James, who was several steps ahead of the group, interjected with a sarcastic, mocking tone, "D'you think you managed to get all the signs?"

Remus responded to James' sarcastic query in a serious tone, listing off the answers: "One: he's sitting on my chair. Two: he's wearing my clothes. Three: his name's Remus Lupin." Though his responses were meant to be tongue-in-cheek, he delivered them in a straight-faced manner.

Peter, part of the group and appearing anxious, joined the conversation. He stated, "I got the snout shape, the pupils of the eyes, and the tufted tail, but I couldn't come up with anything else..." taking a brief pause.

James expressed his growing frustration with a contemptuous question, asking Wormtail, "How thick are you, Wormtail? You run around with a werewolf once a month--," leaving his question hanging, waiting for an answer.

Remus, with a firm tone, implored him to keep his voice down, expressing his concern in an urgent manner, saying, "Keep your voice down."

Autumn couldn't help but glance at her companions, noticing how casually the boys were discussing the sensitive topic. Feeling uneasy, the young girl believed the conversation might attract attention, but fortunately, the surrounding students remained oblivious.

Raven, upon noticing Remus' evident discomfort, swiftly intervened between him and Sirius. Attempting to redirect the attention of the two males toward herself, she endeavored to cut off the conversation before it proceeded further.

Elliot reacted similarly, placing an arm around Peter and Sirius, striving to shift the discussion to another topic. Meanwhile, James adjusted his pace to match that of Autumn, and engaged her in conversation.

James broke away from the group and turned to the female, initiating the conversation with the statement, "So, it's the end of exams--" pausing when he noticed her expression.

Autumn responded in a sarcastic, yet lighthearted manner, with a slight smirk and a detached demeanor. She made a slightly dismissive remark, saying, "Oh really? What gave that away?"

James continued walking alongside her, displaying a hint of amusement at her sarcastic response. He leaned toward her, getting closer and positioning his face in front of hers, then asked jokingly, "Ha ha, very funny, Rivers. So, you going to tell me?"

Autumn playfully pushed his face away, signaling her unwillingness to engage further in banter for the moment. With a firm tone, she stated, "After dinner." Emphasizing the intention to relax, she added, "Let's just go and relax."

The group located a relaxing area beside the Black Lake and decided to take a break. James and Sirius leaned against the tree trunk in a sitting position, while Elliot stretched out lazily on the grassy ground, using his robe as a makeshift pillow.

Raven and Autumn joined Remus and engaged in cheerful conversation about the book he was engrossed in.

Peter settled down next to Elliot, lounging on his arms with a slouched posture, enjoying the remaining warmth of the sun.

Sirius confidently declared, "Well, I thought that paper was a piece of cake." He exuded confidence, certain of his high performance on the test. With pride, he asserted, "I'll be surprised if I don't score 'Outstanding' on it, at least."

James concurred with his friend's sentiment, replying, "Me too." He produced a Golden Snitch from his pocket, which attempted to wriggle free from his grip.

Sirius inquired about the origin of James' possession, asking, "Where did you get that?" as he gestured towards the Golden Snitch in his hand, still squirming to escape.

James, now scrutinized by Sirius about the Golden Snitch in his possession, casually responded, "Nicked it." The wiggling Golden Snitch struggled to break free.

James engaged in a peaceful conversation with Sirius, but his focus unexpectedly shifted. He spotted a specific Slytherin boy and nudged his companion to direct his gaze. With a smirk, he suggested, "Why don't we have some fun?" Sirius followed James' line of vision and observed the Slytherin student sitting near the bushes.

Sirius whispered with a menacing grin, "Snivellus."

James and Sirius shared a mischievous smile, glancing at their friends engrossed in conversation or relaxing, taking delight in the prospect of pulling a prank undetected.

The two rose from their seated positions and kept a watchful eye on their blissfully unaware friends, silently slipping away in the direction of the unsuspecting Slytherin boy.