Harry Potter : Bloodraven

Time moved on like a river that never paused for anyone.

The grand inter-school Quidditch tournament had drawn to a close by the end of May. The roaring cheers, the glittering fireworks, and the high-speed clashes of broomsticks were already fading into memory as June arrived, bringing with it the first true signs of summer.

The skies deepened into a richer shade of blue, and the days stretched longer—warmer, slower, lazier. Flowers unfurled across the grounds in bursts of colour, and the air was thick with the scent of wild herbs and freshly cut grass.

And with the coming of summer, the school settled into its usual end-of-term rhythm. Another academic year was winding down, and final exams crept closer with every sunrise, quietly swallowing whatever excitement still lingered after the tournament.

As always, a wave of panic swept through the castle, as if some great and terrible reckoning were upon them. Common rooms glowed long after curfew, packed with tired students muttering incantations under their breath. The library became a battleground, filled with whispered arguments over borrowed textbooks and borrowed time.

There was no room for gossip anymore, and hardly anyone spared a glance at the headlines. Even the usual Ministry scandals failed to stir interest.

And while the students wrestled with revision notes, the professors weren't having a leisurely time either. Final exams didn't appear out of thin air, after all. For the past month, every teacher at Hogwarts had been busier than usual.

On top of their regular classes, they were expected to prepare both written and practical exams for every year they taught. Maverick was no exception. Though his schedule was a little lighter than the others, he still had three sets to prepare: Alchemy for the first- and second-years, and Muggle Science for the sixth-years.

As for the seventh-years, their N.E.W.T.s were handled by the Ministry's Department of Magical Education. Muggle Science might be new to Hogwarts, but it had long been part of the curriculum at other wizarding schools around the world.

Though Maverick had no hand in writing the exam itself, his course materials had been sent to the Ministry at the start of the year. The examiners used them as a reference, along with N.E.W.T.-level exams from other countries, to craft the written paper. Of course, Maverick was shown the final version before it was administered, and only after he gave his approval was it cleared to be given to the students.

As the second week of June approached, tension thickened in the air like mist before a storm. No matter how much the students wished otherwise, the exams began—right on schedule.

On Sunday, the first-years sat their theoretical Alchemy exam. The second-years followed on Monday morning, and that same afternoon, the sixth-years faced their written Muggle Science paper.

Midweek brought the practical Alchemy exams for both first- and second-years, which were completed and marked by Thursday evening.

Naturally, these weren't the only exams underway. The other subjects followed their own carefully staggered schedules, with no overlaps and few delays. Throughout the week, classrooms and corridors bustled with nervous students and busy staff as written and practical tests unfolded one after the other, each running like well-rehearsed spells.

"Fourteen Outstandings from the sixth-year Muggle Science class… twenty-seven from the first- and second-year Alchemy students… the rest mostly Exceeds Expectations and Acceptables," Maverick murmured, turning over the final stack of papers. "Not a single Poor or Troll."

Outstanding meant excellence, Exceeds Expectations showed a solid understanding, and Acceptable was the lowest passing grade. Not a single mark had fallen below the line—and the overall average was even better than last year.

A quiet smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Grading was done, every one of his students had passed—and he was quietly proud of the results.

By the end of the week, the bulk of the final exams had concluded. First through fourth years were at last free to roam the grounds again, and sixth-years were already beginning to relax. But for the fifth and seventh-years, the hardest part was only beginning.

In the third week of June, right on schedule, a delegation from the Ministry arrived to oversee the O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. examinations. It was the same team as the previous year, headed by Lady Bueme, the Director of Magical Education, along with her seasoned examiners. Working closely with the Hogwarts staff, they took charge of the final phase of the academic year.

The written and practical portions of the O.W.L.s were completed over the first two days, followed by the N.E.W.T. exams on Tuesday and Wednesday. Unlike the internal assessments conducted by the Hogwarts professors—whose results had already been posted on the school notice board—the outcomes of the Ministry exams wouldn't be released until the following week.

Once their duties were complete, the Ministry delegation departed, and on Thursday evening, the school gathered for the final feast of the academic year in the Great Hall.

It was grander than the usual evening banquets, with a wider array of food and drinks, festive decorations throughout the hall, and a lively atmosphere. The night was filled with closing remarks, recognition of special achievements, and, of course, the highly anticipated announcement of the House Cup winner.

Unsurprisingly, Slytherin had taken the House Cup again this year. Perhaps it was because the Gryffindor trio never got the chance to save the day, since Maverick had resolved the problem before the year even began.

Without any last-minute heroics to earn a surge of points, Gryffindor fell behind and finished in third place, with Ravenclaw ahead of them. And Slytherin—well, in truth, they had simply performed better across the board.

"So," Dumbledore asked amid the cheerful noise of the feast, slicing into a bit of treacle tart, "have you any curious adventures planned for the holidays?"

"Quite a bit, actually," Maverick smiled faintly. "Magitech's got a new product launching in November, so I'll be busy overseeing the final prep. Once term starts again, I won't have much time to spare."

He paused for a moment, then glanced at Dumbledore with a teasing glint in his eye. "This one might stir up even more excitement than Magic Vision did."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, intrigued. By now, everyone knew what Magic Vision was. It wasn't an exaggeration to say it had been the most revolutionary alchemical product to hit the magical world in centuries.

"Really? Even more impressive than Magic Vision?" McGonagall chimed in from his other side, raising her teacup with interest. "Then, Professor, I expect you'll be inviting us all when it launches, right?"

Dumbledore chuckled softly. "Minerva is quite right, of course. Do remember to include us on the guest list... Your company's—what do you call them—ah, yes, keynotes... always rather fascinating to observe." His eyes twinkled with quiet amusement. "And I have no doubt that whatever it is you intend to unveil, it will stir yet another wave of remarkable change."

"I'll make sure you all get front-row seats, Headmaster," Maverick said with a smile toward them.

They carried on in easy conversation, their voices calm and unhurried while the Great Hall hummed with the excitement of students.

---

At the Gryffindor table, the trio sat in their own little bubble, caught in conversation.

"You're going to Egypt for the holidays? That sounds incredible," Hermione said, wide-eyed. "I wonder what kind of unique magic they have there. I'd love to study how their magical culture differs from Britain's."

She spoke quickly, her voice laced with curiosity and a hint of envy—not the bitter kind, but the sort that came from a deep, earnest longing to experience it herself. After all, her family was entirely Muggle, and a magical holiday was something they simply couldn't offer.

"Yeah," Ron said, nodding. "Dad's taking us. Says it's an early celebration before he starts working for Professor Caesar."

He paused, thinking it over, then added, "As soon as he accepted, the professor gave him some kind of starting bonus. Percy didn't say how much, but I bet it was a ton of Galleons. No way we'd be able to afford a month-long trip otherwise."

"That's really brilliant, Ron. I'm happy for you—and tell your dad congratulations from me," Harry said with a smile.

"Yeah, from me too," Hermione added. "Is it true? Did he really get a big position in Professor Caesar's company? Ginny mentioned something about it as well..."

"I dunno all the details," Ron said through a mouthful of roast potato. He swallowed, took a drink of juice, and continued, "But I guess so. There's even an interview with the Daily Prophet this Saturday because of it. I'll be home by then, and—" he grinned stupidly, "—bet we'll be in the paper too. Can't believe it. First a holiday, now we're gonna be famous!"

"Alright, we get it," Hermione sighed, rolling her eyes. Ron's excitement had made him ramble, and she couldn't think of what else to say.

Then she turned to Harry. "What about you?"

"Hmm… not sure yet," Harry said, thinking for a moment. "But Professor Caesar wants to see me tomorrow morning, right after breakfast before we get on the train. Maybe he's got something planned, like last year..."

Hermione's eyes widened, this time with a sharp, genuine envy, and she instinctively grabbed Harry's arm.

"Ouch—bloody hell, Hermione! What did I do now?" Harry said, turning to her with a puzzled look.

She hesitated for a moment, then made up her mind. No way. No way was she going to spend the holidays without magic. "Please…" she said, looking him straight in the eye. "Take me… take me with you."

"What?"

"I said I want to come too," she repeated, more determined now. "Go with you to see Professor Caesar?"

Harry blinked. His professor had only casually mentioned for him to stop by. It hadn't sounded particularly formal. After a second of thought, he shrugged. "Sure, why not? After breakfast tomorrow—we'll go together."

Meanwhile, at the staff table, Maverick listened quietly to their conversation while casually chatting with the other professors. In the end, he couldn't help but shake his head and let out a soft sigh.

---

The next morning, Harry and Hermione walked out of Maverick's office with bright eyes and excited expressions, then raced back to the Great Hall where students were gathering for departure.

Whatever they had discussed inside had clearly thrilled them. So much so that when they told Ron everything, his eager excitement for the Egypt trip quickly gave way to envy, and suddenly, his own holiday didn't seem nearly as exciting anymore.

But alas, it was a family trip. And Ron, knowing his mother, didn't dare ask if he could skip it.

By ten o'clock, the last of the carriages had rolled out toward Hogsmeade Station, carrying the students of Hogwarts home for the summer. Laughter and chatter echoed behind them, fading into the distance like the final notes of a song.

Another year had come to an end—some students would not return, and certain friendships and rivalries would fade into memory. Yet Hogwarts, ever constant, would open its doors again in September, ready to welcome new stories, new faces, and the next chapter of their magical journey.

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Author's Note:

And that's a wrap on Book Two! Hope you all enjoyed the ride.

I always try my best to make each chapter more fun and engaging than the last, and I really hope it's been worth your time.

Up next—we're heading into the summer holidays. There'll be a bit of Marvel, a bit of Harry Potter, and…

cough cough

I'll try not to make it too long.

But it's definitely going to be interesting.

As always, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for reading and supporting this story. It truly means the world to me. ❤️

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