The days seemed to just have flown by, the fifth years growing anxious and anxious for their O.W.L exams, and the rest of the school for their annual year-end tests. Professor McGonagall had not been merciful during their test that afternoon, making sure she covered almost everything she discussed from September up until that very month. Florence hadn't all too anticipated everything she saw on her papers, but was able to survive nonetheless.

They came out from the classrooms looking stressed and frazzled, Alexander's hair messy from all the hair ruffling he did whilst taking the test. Nicolai looked peachy—but still worried about her test score. Professor Mcgonagall had mentioned something about it being a relative O.W.L.s mock tests and everything they saw there might be present during the final exams.

Tests became more lethal and mind twisting, even the gentle Professor Sprout had not been so gentle upon giving them loads of essays due in a few days time. The three barely got any sleep from studying and doing research at the library. There was even one instance where Alexander had slept in the library—faint black texts sticking to his cheek.

"I give up on life!" Nicolai declared, her whole body occupying the couch as she buried her head under the throw pillows. Florence took it as an opportunity to sit on her bum, making the shorter brunette yelp. "Get off of me, you fat ass."

"You're one to talk," Florence snorted, patting her bum, "Yours is pretty fluffy too. Hypocrite."

"What scandal are you two creating this time?" gasped Alexander, who descended from the boys dormitories, his hair untamed and damp on his head. He was one who loved cold showers before he engaged into hardcore studying, it gave him some sort of 'focus'.

"Please, Xander, what's more scandalous than your face?" Nicolai countered, making Florence chortle in amusement as Alexander shot them dirty looks, "Okay, rude you two. That was very, very rude. And I didn't even do anything."

"As if you aren't  used to playful banter, Xan."

He pursed his lips, before plopping down beside his friend, "Point taken. So anyways, I was hoping we could start working on the Astronomy paper. I kind of am having trouble with that one—"

"I'm done with that." Nicolai chimed in, Florence nodding, "Same here."

"Well then, this study session is pretty useless." Alexander sighed, moving to pick up his quill. "Perhaps you could give me a list of the reference books you looked in to for the paper. I suck at finding books, if you must know."

Florence nodded, "Nicolai found most of the useful ones. There's A Guide to Planets and Stars, Space Entities For Future Astronomers, Big Wide Space, and... What was the title of that big book you found, Nic? It gave us a lot to write down."

Nicolai looked deep in thought for a moment, "It was the one with a galaxy spine... Hardbound Black leather with stars on the cover... The title's font was in bold —"

"Very informative. Ten points to Ravenclaw for being so observant regarding the physical aspects of the book." mocked Alexander as Florence stifled a laugh, "Honestly, Nicolai, who remembers a font style and forgets the title itself?"

"You can't blame me... Florence and I were in a rush to finish all of it..." she huffed, sliding her Potions textbook onto the desk with an impish grin, "Let's do Potions instead, yeah? Snape is awfully determined in kicking my arse. That foul git. If he wasn't my professor I would have mouthed him off..."

Alexander grumbled something under his breath, "Yeah, I suppose we could do Potions first... That is if you agree to do Transfiguration next."

"Sure."

"Ofcourse."

He clapped his hands together. "Right, let's get started then shall we?" Florence snorted, "Do you think everyone's as enthusiastic as ourselves when studying?"

"Absolutely not. I could already imagine the Gryffindors opting for drowning themselves in the Black Lake rather than studying."

Alexander laughed, "Ah, such a vivid image in my head."

The next day went well enough, and it was as if the teachers were worn out from rapid firing them with tests and essay homeworks. Care of Magical Creatures was awfully dull that afternoon. It was like no one was doing their work and Hagrid was just letting them slack off. Infact, Hagrid was nowhere to be seen, and everyone was just lying about on the grass or chatting noisily.

The half giant man came out from his hut halfway through the classes, his nose red and puffy as he occasionally sniffled. Gripping hers, Nicolai's and Alexander's essay, Florence staggered forward towards the man, who was hunched over a wooden table, his eyes glassy.

"Er. . . Professor Hagrid?" Florence called quietly as she neared his outdoor desk. Hagrid looked up, mopping a worn out looking handkerchief across his eyes as he looked at his student, "Ah, Ms. Price. Is tha' yer' essays tha' I gave ye' lot?"

Florence nodded, "Yes,  um, mine, Nicolai and Alexander's. Where shall I put it?"

Hagrid gestured to the pile of papers being held down by a single stone, presumably the works of her other classmates. Florence gently lifted the stone, before tucking in the papers in haste. She looked up at him and his moping expression, curiosity getting the best of her.

"Have you been crying, Professor?" Florence inquired, "That is if you don't mind me asking." she added quickly, Hagrid sniffling again in response. "Oh no, it's not a problem tha' yer' askin'. I 'ppreciate the concern." he paused to blow his nose loudly, Florence stepping back slightly just for precaution.

"I jus' got a letter, ye' see. 'Bout buckbeak. Lucius Malfoy's gotten pretty serious when' he said tha' he'd file a case. I didn't think tha' I' would lead ter' execution." he dissolved into tears after that, Florence grabbing a chair as she sat across from him.

"Oh, I'm sorry Professor Hagrid. You must feel very terrible. I'm so sorry for buckbeak— he doesn't really deserve it. I think he's a great Hippogriff, and that the Malfoy incident was that little rat's fault."

"No use cursin' the past now I guess. I'll jus' 'ave ter'. . . ter' stay strong, fer' buckbeak's sake." He sniffled, his naturally incoherent voice even hard to understand from all his crying, "Thank ye' fer' sympathizing with me, Ms. Price."

"It's not problem, Professor Hagrid. Give buckbeak a tight hug from me." she said, and with that Hagrid nodded, and Florence sauntered back to her seat on the grass beside her friends, odd looks on their faces. "What?"

Nicolai snorted "What do you mean what? We could hear Hagrid wailing like a dying goat—" Florence shot her a look. "Sorry." she said sheepishly, "But really, what was the sentiment all about?"

"They're executing buckbeak." she replied glumly, "Because of that drama queen Malfoy."

"That's. . . That's so sad. I can only imagine what Hagrid's feeling." Alexander said.

"So it would have been much more considering to his part if you refrained from calling him a dying goat behind his back." Florence said, throwing a sideway glance at Nicolai, a frown immediately dawning upon the brunette's face.

"Hey. In my defense, I didn't know it was that big of an issue. I thought maybe he got teary eyed with how good your flobberworms essay was." she grumbled.

"I don't think anyone gets teary eyed when reading any sort of flobberworms essay." Alexander pointed out.

"Shut up Xan."

                                                                                                         ------

"George. . . I've been thinking about something. . ." said Fred, nudging his twin brother who was miraculously engrossed in studying for a test they were having in a few minutes. George looked up at him, irritated, "Yes, I've heard from Florence about Nicolai admitting to being bisexual, no it does not affect our relationship in any way." he said bluntly, before ducking back to reading his notes.

Florence had been bugging George about it for quite a while, and the redhead assumed that it was what got his brother thinking as well. Fred raised his brows, "Well, aren't you at least a bit curious as to who made her realize she was bisexual? — Nevermind that, that wasn't what I was going to ask you."

George looked back up at him, "Then what?"

"As I said, I've been thinking about these instances where. . ." he paused, unsure of how he was going to say it.

"Instances where what? Come on, Freddie, cough it out. I have half a page more to study and I don't want you wasting my time." Fred scoffed at this, before reluctantly pushing through with what he was going to say.

"Instances where Florence says things. . . And it's weird because I'm pretty sure my protean buddy has said it at some point. It's happened more than one time, the first one I thought of it as an eerie coincidence. But the other two couldn't be coincidences."

George gaped at him, not out of surprise, but out of nervousness, "So you're saying that you think Florence is your mystery person?" he inquired, Fred making a gesture that was in between yes and no.

"I-I don't know. That's what I've been thinking about. You see, you told me once that you thought that Florence was also my protean buddy right? And then these occurrences happened and I can't help but think that as well. Do you still think she  is?"

"No." answered George tersely, swallowing the lump on his throat as his eyes flickered anywhere but on his brother, Fred giving him a look. He snorted, "No, absolutely not, Freddie. I mean, you said it was absurd. Now I think that so as well..."

"But what if she is?" Fred pushed on, George having a vivid mental picture of their brilliant plan being flushed down the toilet. He tried not to be so obvious about it, "Fred. She's not your protean buddy. If she was then Nicolai would of have told me about something relatively similar to it."

"What if Nicolai didn't tell you because she swore to secrecy?"

"Oh please, Fred, we tell each other secrets.... Even ones that were not supposed to share, we tell each other."

Fred's eyes widened, "Did you tell her about what happened during the summer leading to the third?!" he gasped.

"I may of have mentioned it once..." he lied again, for the sake of the other lie to be realistic enough. Fred glared at his brother, "George!"

"Sorry..." he muttered, "Anyways, that was done. And no, I strongly believe that Florence isn't your mystery girl. Maybe you remembered a few things wrongly and you just heard her say something relatively similar so you just assumed that it was the same thing?"

Fred looked perplexed, "But I don't remember it wrong, George. I couldn't of have."

"Maybe," George began, a mischievous smile on his face, "Maybe you're constantly overthinking that because maybe there is some part in you that actually wants your protean buddy to be Florence. You've taken a liking towards her, haven't you?"

Fred's cheeks flared into the same color as his hair, before frowning, "No I have not, George. Godric's sake, you're misunderstanding things again."

"What's not to like about Florence, Freddie? I mean, you obviously have a knack for fancying brunettes. And she plays Quidditch! If you're shy in admitting it, it's no biggie really. I understand how your—hmm, let's see, how to put it..— captivated, yes, captivated with her brown eyes." George began to bat his eyes.

"Ridiculous you are." Fred grunted.

"Or probably her lighthearted smile that gets you smiling as well—"

"Cut it out, George!"

His twin gave out a heartfelt shrug, "Well, if it isn't that, then I am a hundred percent certain the Florence isn't the one owning the other piece of protean charm."

"But how are you so certain? Why—" Fred paused, pursing his lips together. For a brief moment they were silent, the two staring at each other. Fred glared at his brother all of a sudden, his brown eyes narrowing down to accusing slits, making George frown. "What?"

"You know something. . . Don't you?"

George remained silent, mouth ajar as if hesitant to reply. ". . . No?"

"George Weasley!" he scolded, letting his inner Molly Weasley shine through, "Don't you dare lie to me!"

"I'm not!" He insisted, thinking of all the ways Nicolai could murder him if either one found out that they had something to do with it. It scared him to unbelievable extents.

"Stop playing stupid with me. I know when you're lying to me!"

"Fine! I do know something. And it's not Florence, if you must know."

Instead of Fred dropping the topic, he looked even enraged. Not that his anger towards his twin would last very long, but it was there at that moment. "George!" he half yelled, startling the Hufflepuffs that sat infront of them. He flashed them a brief smile, before resuming his death stare.

"What?"

"I told you to leave it be!"

"But it's not like I told you or anything! She's still anonymous to you."

"You're a downright git, you know?" Fred grumbled, still frowning, "Well you better just shut your mouth about it. I still don't want to know who she is. And if you do spoil it for me, I will refuse to acknowledge you as my twin."

George snorted, "I don't need your acknowledgement for us to be twins. We look alike, that's already a lot of proof that we are."

"I do not care. Those are the consequences."

"Alright, fine."