Kyle had been secretly watching Kanna ever since the Quidditch final, worried that she might agree to go with him but secretly resent it.
For two weeks, however, Kanna had behaved completely normally, as if nothing had happened. She showed no signs of reluctance or hidden frustration, so Kyle gradually let his guard down and refocused on preparing for what was to come.
It was a normal evening in mid-June. Everyone was gathered in the Great Hall, eating dinner and discussing their holiday plans.
Suddenly, the doors swung open from the outside, and several elderly wizards entered, laughing as they walked alongside Dumbledore.
Leading them was Professor Griselda Marchbanks, followed by Professor Tofty and a few other familiar faces.
Anyone who had taken their O.W.L.s before knew exactly who they were and what their arrival at Hogwarts meant.
Final exams.
"Why is it so early this year?" Ron, sitting at the Gryffindor table, ran his hands through his hair in disbelief. "Aren't the exams supposed to be next week? Or have I lost a whole week of my life?"
Harry was standing there, mouth slightly open.
He hadn't even finished reviewing all the material yet… Well, to be more accurate, he hadn't even started. So why were the exams suddenly here?
"You haven't lost anything," Hermione said suddenly. "They're here for the N.E.W.T. exams."
"N.E.W.T.?" Ron blinked.
"That's right," Hermione confirmed. "Only the O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. exams are supervised by the Wizarding Examinations Authority."
"In that case, we haven't reached our exam period yet, have we?" Ron let out a sigh of relief.
Hermione gave him a pointed look. "If you waste time like you did before, it won't matter how long you put it off—you might as well take the exam tomorrow."
"Don't say that, Hermione, I've already started reviewing." Ron pulled out a book. "Look, I just borrowed this from the library at lunch."
"Yeah, and you haven't even flipped through a page yet," Hermione sneered.
Similar conversations were unfolding all across the Great Hall as the realization sank in—exam week had officially begun.
The N.E.W.T.s, the most rigorous and tedious exams in the wizarding world, required an extra week compared to other years.
Kyle had already known this from last year, and Cedric had even shared some advice with him.
In short… don't panic, don't mispronounce the Charms, and you'll pass.
It sounded simple enough, anyway.
…
The next day, the N.E.W.T. exams officially began.
The castle became much quieter than usual. Professors were stationed in front of several key corridors, and anyone passing by instinctively lowered their voice under the professors' stern gazes.
The first day was the written exam.
Kyle had never experienced such a rigorous examination before. Each classroom contained only ten seventh-year students, yet there were three professors overseeing the exam.
In addition, the examination room was equipped with a large Sneakoscope. The device could accurately detect magical reactions in the surrounding area, ensuring that no one brought in any enchanted items.
As soon as a girl walked into the classroom, the Sneakoscope began beeping like an alarm, the shrill sound echoing through the room. The noise didn't stop until Professor Tofty removed a bow-shaped barrette from her hair.
The girl stood frozen in shock, completely at a loss for what to do.
Professor Tofty examined the barrette briefly.
"A shape-shifting hair clip," he said. "It only alters appearance, nothing to do with cheating."
He waved his hand, signaling her to proceed. The seventh-year girl finally came to her senses and hurried inside.
Kyle followed her into the room.
He immediately noticed an additional mirror as tall as the wall directly opposite the entrance.
It was a Revealing Mirror, similar in function to Gringotts' Thief's Downfall. Though not as effective, it was enough to disrupt the effects of Polyjuice Potion. Anyone attempting to disguise themselves as another person would be exposed in the reflection.
Next to the lectern, a teapot emitted wisps of white smoke.
Kyle caught the scent of Mandrake root and Venomous Tentacula powder, mixed with a few other herbs.
If his guess was correct, it was some sort of tranquilizing potion, but he wasn't sure what purpose it served.
At first, he thought it might be to detect the use of Baruffio's Brain Elixir or Felix Felicis, but he soon realized that a professor was specifically responsible for checking students for the use of magical potions.
That professor was Griselda Marchbanks.
Having worked at the Wizarding Examinations Authority for nearly a century, Marchbanks possessed extensive knowledge of magical potions—her expertise rivaled that of Snape and Slughorn.
With just a quick glance, she identified a student who had taken a potion.
The culprit was a seventh-year Ravenclaw boy. He hadn't taken Baruffio's Brain Elixir, but he had consumed a potion designed to keep him calm—still an unauthorized aid.
Fortunately for him, Professor Marchbanks didn't disqualify him outright. Instead, she instructed him to stand at the doorway and wait for the potion's effects to wear off before he could enter.
How long he would have to wait—and whether he'd still have enough time to complete the exam—depended on how much he had taken.
If he had only taken a small dose, he might still have a chance to answer the questions. But if he had consumed too much, and the potion's effects didn't wear off until the exam ended, his written exam score would be invalidated.
Judging from the relieved expression on the boy's face, he likely wouldn't have to wait too long.
Kyle wasn't surprised. There were always students like this in every exam—those who tried their luck but left themselves an escape route.
After all, the "Exam Law" stipulated that only students who had consumed Baruffio's Brain Elixir or Felix Felicis would have their exam results immediately canceled. The penalties for other potions were much more lenient.
It was a minor loophole, but that was the business of the Wizarding Examinations Authority. Kyle had no interest in interfering.
He walked into the classroom and took his seat.
The room, which typically held ten students, now had only nine. Parchment, quills, and ink had been placed on each desk in advance—students were not allowed to bring anything of their own.
Professor Marchbanks made a few final rounds of the classroom before leaving.
Twenty minutes later, the exam began.
The morning sun streamed through the windows, warming the room. The sunlight made Kyle feel a little drowsy.
He finished early and waited for the exam period to end. As soon as it was allowed, he was the first to hand in his exam paper and leave the classroom.
At that moment, the sixth years had just finished their lesson.
On the stairs leading to the foyer, Kyle happened to cross paths with a group of Gryffindors leaving class.
Among them were Hermione, Ron, and Harry.
"Kyle," Hermione waved from afar and called out.
She ran over, slightly nervous, and asked, "How did it go? Were the N.E.W.T. exams harder than the usual final exams?"
"Well... I guess so," Kyle said after a moment's thought.
"Guess so?" Ron looked around. "What does that mean?"
"It means I can't really tell," Kyle shrugged. "Let's put it this way—between the Lighting Charm and the Levitation Charm, which one do you think is harder?"
"They're both pretty easy," Ron blurted out.
Those were first-year spells, so of course, they weren't difficult for a sixth-year. But after a moment, he reconsidered and added, "If I had to choose, I'd say the Levitation Charm is a bit harder."
"That's the answer I was going to give," Kyle said with a shrug. "Seriously, the N.E.W.T. exams are a bit harder."
This time, Ron understood—but he almost wished he hadn't. This was the first time he had met someone who described the dreaded final exam as nothing more than a simple spell comparison.
It was so irritating... For a moment, he really wanted to slap the book in his hand against Kyle's smug, carefree face.
But for some reason, he held back the urge and continued asking patiently.
"So, is there any trick?" Ron asked hopefully. "What's the secret to getting a high score on the N.E.W.T. exam?"
This was what he desperately needed to know. As a sixth-year, it was only today that Ron truly realized how close the N.E.W.T.s were to becoming his reality.
Harry and Hermione also perked up their ears, listening intently.
"The trick," Kyle thought for a moment, "is not to be nervous, not to write your answers in the wrong section, and you'll pass."
Ron was stunned. "That's it?"
Don't be nervous? That was no advice at all! Didn't Kyle think everyone already knew that?
"Well... and don't try to be clever," Kyle continued. "I know you all probably have some Felix Felicis lying around, but remember—don't use it during the N.E.W.T.s, or your results will be invalidated."
"And don't think you can just repeat the year and retake the exam next time. If you're caught cheating like that, it's the equivalent of expulsion. You won't get a single certificate."
"Of course we wouldn't cheat," Hermione blurted out, and Harry and Ron nodded in agreement.
"That's good," Kyle said.
"But even if someone used Felix Felicis, they wouldn't get caught," Ron suddenly muttered under his breath. "It's Liquid Luck. And getting caught cheating wouldn't exactly be lucky, would it?"
"Why do you think that?" Kyle glanced at him. "Felix Felicis is just a name. Its real effect is simply to push you toward making better choices—it's not undetectable."
"Think about it this way: if someone took Felix Felicis before an exam, there's a good chance they'd decide not to take the test at all. After all, missing one exam is still a lot luckier than getting all your results canceled."
"Is that so?" Ron blinked.
"Of course," Kyle said. "Otherwise, why do you think there's a rule banning Felix Felicis from major sporting events and exams? If it really couldn't be detected, why bother having the rule in the first place?"
As they talked, the group reached the first floor, and Kyle immediately left Harry and the others to head toward Kanna, who was waiting by the entrance to the Great Hall.
"What's the afternoon exam?" he asked.
"Didn't you check the schedule before you left the common room?" Kanna replied. "It's still the same exam this afternoon, but it's Gryffindor and Slytherin taking it. We don't have our next exam until tomorrow."
"Oh, I forgot," Kyle said, scratching his head.
Because of the strict supervision and limited resources—both in terms of professors and examination props—the N.E.W.T.s only tested one subject per day. Students were split into different groups based on their houses.
Of course, this only applied to subjects with a large number of students. For subjects with fewer participants, like Ancient Runes, the entire morning was dedicated to the exam.
Lunch was excellent, but Kyle noticed that there were fewer students at the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables—all seventh years.
It seemed they were eating elsewhere, separated from the students who had already taken the exam, likely to prevent them from leaking any questions.
In that case, taking the exam first definitely had its advantages—at least they weren't restricted.
After lunch, he and Kanna returned to the common room.
The tension in the room was palpable. Every seventh-year student was scrambling to review their textbooks, preparing for tomorrow's exam.
The atmosphere was so serious that even the younger students unconsciously gave up the best seats, lowering their voices when they spoke or walked through the room.
Time always seemed to pass quickly during exams, and before long, a week had flown by.
With the final exams for the other grades also wrapping up, the N.E.W.T.s entered their second phase—Charm application.
"Don't be nervous, kid."
Kyle stood in the empty classroom in front of three examiners. Griselda Marchbanks sat in the middle, with a representative from the Wizarding Examinations Authority on her left and Professor McGonagall, representing the school, on her right.
Normally, this position would have been filled by Dumbledore, but he was nowhere to be seen. In his absence, Professor McGonagall, as Deputy Headmistress, had taken his place.
The Wizarding Examinations Authority understood the situation. Given the current circumstances, it was impossible for Dumbledore to remain at the school for long periods, and Professor McGonagall's presence in his stead was expected.
"The first question in this Charms exam is the Freezing Spell," Griselda Marchbanks said, pointing to a glass of water in front of her. "You need to freeze it as quickly as possible. I don't think that will be a problem for you."
Kyle pulled out his wand and gave it a swift wave.
In an instant, the water in the glass turned to solid ice.
"Oh, not bad," Professor Marchbanks said with a smile. "I knew you'd handle that just fine. Let's continue. The next task is a combination spell. You need to treat us as enemies and set up a fortification around us to defend against our attacks."
"The standard time is five minutes, but for you… how about two minutes? After two minutes, we will attack, and you'll be scored based on how long you can hold us off."
"No problem," Kyle agreed without hesitation.
He had to admit that the task was fitting. After graduation, they would soon be facing Death Eaters directly, and self-preservation would be the most pressing concern.
Of course, Kyle had his own preferred methods of survival, but none of those were suitable for this exam.
Taking a slow breath, he gripped his wand and moved it with swift precision.
The ground beneath the three professors immediately softened into a muddy swamp. Then, the terrain began to rise, forming an earthen wall that stretched all the way up to the ceiling.
It wasn't the most intricate defense, but it was effective.
Professor Marchbanks tested the wall by casting a simple Charm at it, but all it managed to do was create a small indentation.
Then she conjured a dummy and sent it forward, but the moment it touched the ground, it sank into the swamp.
"Hmm, not bad," she murmured, nodding in satisfaction.
The bog restricted movement, and the earthen wall blocked attacks—simple, yet efficient.
More importantly, Kyle had performed these tasks swiftly and effortlessly, as if he were merely going through routine coursework.
But that was enough.
"No problem, it's done," Professor Marchbanks declared.
The earthen wall crumbled back to the ground, and the swamp solidified into its original state.
"Not bad."
Once Kyle had left the classroom, Professor Marchbanks turned to Professor McGonagall.
"So what Albus said was true? The boy really did take on Fenrir Greyback and two Death Eaters alone?"
"Of course it's true," Professor McGonagall said, her tone light, almost amused. "There's no reason for Headmaster Dumbledore to lie about something like that, is there?
"And I was there when Kyle took down Greyback."
"That's remarkable," Professor Marchbanks said softly. "I've been looking forward to personally supervising this boy's N.E.W.T. exams for six years now, but it seems the process has been somewhat redundant."
She paused for a moment, lost in thought.
"I still remember Albus during his graduation exams," she mused. "He could have performed far beyond expectations, but he deliberately held back—he just wanted to do the bare minimum."
"Perhaps he felt that was enough," Professor McGonagall offered.
In truth, she was quite curious about the details of Dumbledore's exams, but she was too reserved to ask outright.
"Yes, it was just an exam. There was really no need to make a spectacle of it," Professor Marchbanks said with a smile.
She picked up her quill and, without hesitation, wrote a large 'O' beside Kyle's name.