Chapter 636: Preparing for the Exam
Chapter 636: Preparing for the Exam
“Liam, Hermione, are you going to sign up for this exam?” Harry asked as he and Ron approached the corner. “I think that if anyone in Gryffindor can pass this exam right now, it would be the two of you.”
“We will definitely take the exam. There’s a war going on outside, and I believe it’s more meaningful to join the fight than to sit in class,” Liam replied.
“Couldn’t agree more, mate,” Ron chimed in with a tone of admiration. “I think the knowledge you and Hermione have now makes attending classes a complete waste of time. I wish I could graduate and join the battle to teach those Death Eaters a lesson, but with my current academic level, I’d never pass the exam.”
“The battlefield is not a place for games,” Hermione said sternly. “It’s filled with death, and no one loves it there.”
“I know that,” Harry nodded. “But I’m prepared to face everything. You know, in the end, only one of Voldemort and I will survive. So, I can’t stay out of this war.”
“Even so, I think you shouldn’t rush into the battlefield if you’re not strong enough,” Liam said, looking at Harry. “Even if you’re destined to fight, it’s best to do so when you have as much power as possible. Otherwise, you’ll just be wasting everyone’s efforts.”
“I understand,” Harry nodded. “But I still hope to join the battle as soon as possible and contribute my strength. I can’t hide behind others forever in this war.”
“So, for your dream, focus on your studies now. This will help you have a better chance of surviving on the battlefield, and only by surviving will you have a future,” Liam patted Harry on the shoulder.
“Thanks!” Harry nodded vigorously. “I’ll try to keep up with you.”
Hearing this, Liam paused in his steps. He had only intended to comfort Harry like a movie hero, but he hadn’t expected to become Harry’s role model. Still, it was for the best. Liam felt that if Harry listened to him, it might reduce the chances of Harry impulsively rushing to the battlefield and getting himself killed.
After leaving the Common Room, Liam and the others headed straight to Professor Mcgonagall’s office. When they entered, Liam noticed that Professor Mcgonagall, though just arriving, was already busy. At least a foot-thick stack of parchment lay on her desk, and she was wearing glasses as she read through a document, occasionally making notes with her quill.
It seemed that when Professor Dumbledore was busy, all the school’s daily affairs were handed over to Professor Mcgonagall. For example, when Liam and the others approached her desk, they saw her reviewing a food supply list for Hogwarts.
“Liam, Hermione, you’re here to sign up for the exam, right?” Professor Mcgonagall looked up at them. “Please take a seat and wait while I finish this list, and then I’ll register you.”
After waiting for a minute or so, Professor Mcgonagall signed her name at the bottom of the list, placed the parchment on a small stack of processed documents on her left, and removed her glasses.
“Liam, I must thank you for your donation. Otherwise, I doubt the school would have enough food to last until next month,” Professor Mcgonagall said. “Headmaster Dumbledore has considerable wealth, but it’s mostly in the form of magical artifacts and books. In the current situation, they can’t be exchanged for potatoes, bread, or various meats and eggs.”
“I’m just fulfilling my duty as a Board Member,” Liam said modestly. “Unlike other Board Members, I don’t have enough connections or the ability to provide much help, so I can only contribute through money to fulfill my responsibilities.”
"Actually, the School is in most need of financial assistance right now", Professor Mcgonagall muttered under her breath. Then, she addressed Liam and the others. "Alright, I'll register you for the N.E.W.Ts Exam."
She pulled out a list from a drawer and checked off the names of Liam and Hermione.
"By the way, what do you plan to do after the exams?" Professor Mcgonagall asked after she finished and put away the list. "You are aware of the current situation, aren't you?"
"We can only decide after the exam results are out", Hermione replied. "It's all speculation until we've taken the exam."
"Miss Granger, have a bit more confidence", Professor Mcgonagall said with a smile. "I can assure you that if you and Liam can't pass this exam, then no one else will be able to."
"Thank you for your praise", Hermione blushed. "If we do pass, I think we'll stay at Hogwarts Castle to manufacture magic artifacts. This will help provide the necessary magical items for the ongoing resistance. Additionally, the castle is the safest place, and it will be easier to communicate with everyone."
"Hogwarts only permits students and staff to reside here—" Professor Mcgonagall paused and lightly tapped her forehead. "These recent events have been quite overwhelming. As Board Members, your family has the right to live in the School. However, most Board Members prefer their own manors, where they have house-elves to serve them, so they usually don't stay at Hogwarts."
"Alright, I wish you all the best for the exam. May Merlin bless you. By the way, the exam is this weekend, so there's no need for a class schedule. Use these few days to review thoroughly", Professor Mcgonagall concluded. "You can leave now; I have a lot of work to handle."
"Goodbye, Professor Mcgonagall", Liam and Hermione bowed and left her office.
The rest of the week passed quickly, and Liam devoted almost all his time to studying for the exam. The others were doing the same, and in the Library, many Seventh Year students could be seen diligently studying.
Fortunately, Liam had borrowed Percy's notes from his previous exam preparation and used a Memory Transference Device to transfer all the content into his brain. Hermione also benefited from the same service.
"Didn't you used to say that this was cheating?" Liam teased as Hermione emerged from the Memory Infusion Chamber.
"At the time, I just didn't fully understand some things", Hermione replied, pushing herself out of the chamber and standing up. "Magic learning is different from ordinary studies. The core is the manipulation of magic power. As long as you can successfully use magic, that's what matters. The method of memory infusion doesn't change the fact that the knowledge is still knowledge."
"Besides, not everyone can input so much memory at once. I think the amount of knowledge one can absorb is related to the strength of their soul", Hermione added, lifting her chin slightly. "If Harry tried, he could probably only infuse the content of one book into his mind. Any more, and his brain would struggle. As for Ron, I doubt he could manage more than half a book."
"Alright, you're a genius", Liam laughed, earning a roll of the eyes from Hermione.
In addition to memory infusion, Liam and Hermione practiced the spells and potions they would need for the exam during their free time. Finally, it was Friday afternoon, and the exam was scheduled for the next day.
(End of Chapter)
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