Chapter 54: 54: The End of First Year

Although the UK is an island nation, summers can still be stiflingly hot. Even the magical Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry couldn't escape the oppressive heat. The end-of-term exams fell in the hottest part of the year, and the young witches and wizards had to ditch their long robes, attending their practical exams in short-sleeved Muggle attire. Professor Flitwick's Charms exam was relatively simple. He asked the students to tidy up a room full of scattered desks and chairs using the Levitation Charm. Nolan not only arranged the furniture but also used magic to boil water and brew a pot of tea for Flitwick. For a first-year student, this was no small feat. Impressed, Professor Flitwick generously awarded him full marks. Professor Snape's Potions exam required students to brew a potion that could cure hair loss. True to form, Snape prowled the room, sneering and glaring icily, particularly at students who weren't in Slytherin. His presence unnerved many, causing a wave of errors that turned the hair-restoration potions into solutions for growing nose hair. Rumor had it that the day after the exam, the Weasley twins rigged Snape's toilet to explode while he was using it. Poor Snape supposedly ended up in the sewers. As a bonus, the Weasley twins hung their spoils of war—a toilet seat—on the door to the Potions classroom and gleefully regaled anyone who would listen with tales of the "old bat" swimming in muck. Snape hunted the Weasley twins for a week and gave them a merciless failing grade. As for Nolan... his potion caused drinkers to immediately sprout goat-like curly hair. While Snape was visibly displeased, he begrudgingly awarded Nolan full marks. In Defense Against the Dark Arts, Grand Duchess Felicia had set up an obstacle course, complete with strange creatures popping out to attack the students. Nolan kicked three Siberian Fire Turkeys and punched a giant rabbit—which, aside from its ferocious roaring, was otherwise harmless—securing first place in the exam. Naturally, Felicia gleefully gave her younger brother full marks. Transfiguration, of course, was Nolan's strongest subject. Professor McGonagall tasked the students with turning chairs into cradles for kittens. Nolan didn't just produce a decorative rattan cradle adorned with Persian chrysanthemums—he also included a comfortable cushion, a toy wand for kittens to play with, and a box of cat litter featuring a portrait of Miss Nancy on the packaging. Professor McGonagall was utterly charmed by the furniture and awarded Nolan full marks without hesitation. In fact, Nolan aced most of his subjects, including Astronomy and Herbology. However, he struggled with History of Magic, a subject he found entirely uninteresting. He couldn't remember the name of the first Minister of Magic who proposed the Pureblood Elf Ownership Prohibition Act, nor could he pinpoint the year of the first house-elf rebellion. Why should he care about such things anyway? When the results were announced, the Slytherins lamented that Nolan hadn't managed to score perfect marks in every subject. Still, despite this minor blemish, Nolan took first place overall in the first-year final exams. It was then that everyone began to understand why the younger girls in the lower years referred to him as "the Little Prince of Slytherin." Some even speculated that Nolan was destined to become a great wizard, as there were only a handful of first-year students in history who had ever achieved such high scores. Perhaps Dumbledore was among the top students in his time as well—who could say? With exams over and the holidays fast approaching, the students of Hogwarts began to relax. Freed from the shadow of endless revisions, they busied themselves with dates, games, and leisure. Even the Slytherins, with their composed airs, couldn't resist indulging in youthful merriment. After all, children are inherently drawn to joy. Eve, however, didn't join in the festivities. This year, she secured the eighth spot in the final rankings. It was an impressive achievement—after all, back in September, Eve had been an unremarkable Muggle. Yet now, she had outperformed many young witches and wizards from magical families. Unfortunately, her academic success didn't earn her the respect of her Slytherin housemates. Eve's circle of friends still consisted of just Alicia and Nolan. On this particular day, Eve was trudging through the courtyard, clutching a stack of thick notes and rubbing her tired, dark-ringed eyes. She was on her way to see Professor McGonagall, determined to resolve a few lingering questions before the holidays began. As she passed by the lake, she glanced over absentmindedly—and froze in her tracks. There was Nolan, standing near the water. Beside him was an older Slytherin girl, likely a second-year. The older girl seemed to be trying hard to convey something to Nolan. She even handed him a small gift before fleeing, her face flushed with embarrassment. Eve stared blankly at the scene, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. "She's pursuing Nolan," came a soft, girlish voice near her ear. Startled, Eve turned to find Cho Chang standing beside her. Cho appeared to have been observing Nolan as well, and judging by her demeanor, she had been there longer than Eve. Eve pursed her lips and lowered her head, mumbling, "How do you know that...?" Cho gave her a sharp glance, clearly displeased by her reaction, and replied coolly, "It's obvious. Nolan took first place in the exams this year, and everyone admires him. Some even say he's destined to surpass Professor Dumbledore and become a truly great wizard. Among his peers, he's the best of the best—so of course everyone likes him. Girls want to date him." "But isn't it too early for that?" Eve murmured, her voice tinged with discomfort. Cho wrinkled her nose in irritation. "Too early, too early—if you wait too long to act, Nolan will have been snatched away before you know it. Love is a battlefield for girls. What sense is there in letting an enemy invade your territory without putting up a fight? Do you think your age is some kind of shield that will make the competition spare you?" Cho's annoyance stemmed from her own perspective on the situation. To her, Nolan's aloof nature, combined with his brilliance, made him irresistibly cool to many girls. But she believed their blind adoration was shallow and lacked genuine affection. And she knew Nolan wasn't the type to engage with just any girl. Even so, seeing anyone try to get close to Nolan made her uncomfortable—no matter who it was. "Twelve this year... Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen... By fourth year, this war will be decided. Nolan is mine," Cho declared firmly, her voice low but unwavering. ~~~---------------------- Patreon Advance Chapters: patreon .com / HPdreame