บท 86: End of Exams
After written exams, there are practical exams as well. For the charms practical exam, Professor Flitwick called them up one by one to his desk to have them make a pineapple waltz across the desk. For Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox with points being given based on how pretty it was and with points being deducted if the snuffbox had whiskers.
During potions, Professor Slughorn merrily peeked at all of them in a rather distracting manner as they all tried to brew a Forgetfulness potion. The astronomy exam with Professor Sinistra is enjoyable. They all had to chart as many stars as possible. Since the exam is outside in the cool air, they are all able to relax giving it their all during the exam.
The Herbology exam is in the greenhouses. It is a breeze for Rowan and Severus as it was merely properly pruning and explaining the various properties of plants such as Molly. They were used to weeding back at home-.
And not but least the very last exam is History of Magic. The exam is one hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons, before finally being free! They would be free for a whole week until the exam results are out!
Everyone eagerly awaited with bated breath for the ghost of Professor Binns to speak. Finally, Professor Binns dismissed them, "Put down your quills and roll up your parchments."
"Yes!" Everyone cheered even Rowan grinned in relief.
"Freedom," Terry exclaimed as they joined the crowd flocking out into the sunny grounds. "Now what am I to do with all the space in my days and evenings? Shall I take up music, art, or become a great painter?"
"Physical exercise might be a good idea, you're rather scrawny," Rowan bluntly replied earning her a dark glare from Terry.
"I'm just glad that it's all over," Severus sighed in relief. "Although I wished I hadn't bothered to memorize the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."
Terry snorted under his breath and muttered something about overachievers earning him a swift glare from the twins as they wandered over to a shady tree out on the grounds and flopped under a tree.
Many others are doing the same as they watched a few of the older Gryffindor years tickling the tentacles of the giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. Yawning loudly, Rowan tiredly closed her eyes and rubbed her tired stomach. It was her last day, thank goodness and soon she would be free for another 28 days of this unfortunate monthly pest. She must have dozed off, because the next thing she remembered was Severus gently shaking her awake and saying, "C'mon Rowan, it's time to head back inside."
Rowan sleepily opens her eyes and rubs the sleep out of them. Holding out his hand to aid her to her feet, Rowan takes Severus's outstretched hand. With a grunt, she climbs to her feet as Terry stretched, "Well, I don't know about you two but I'm starving."
"Yes, well, I believe that is a common side effect after taking such strenuous exams," Severus drily remarked as they crossed the lawns and stepped into the castle for lunch.
Taking a seat, they begin to eat hungrily eat the light spread of sandwiches and other such items. Not long after, Rowan wipes the crumbs from her mouth and rises to her feet. "I'll see you, both later."
"And where are you headed?" Severus arched his brow in disbelief.
"The Library," Rowan resolutely chimed back causing Terry to shake his head in disdain as she walked away.
"You know, I think there's something very wrong with Rowan," Terry huffed under his breath. "Even the Ravenclaws are taking a break," he vividly gestured to the relaxed Ravenclaws.
Severus could only sigh mournfully as he took another mouthful of his sandwich. "That's Rowan for you, she's simply unexplainable," as Terry grunted in agreement as the two boys continued to stuff themselves with food.
With no small measure of surprise, Madam Pince blinked in incredulity at spotting Rowan in the library so soon after the exams. Rather pleased Madam Pince gave one of her favorite patrons a brief nod of respect, before returning to her work. There is much to do during the summer for a librarian like properly cataloging all the books!
Tired and ready to be finished with the project, Rowan rolled up her sleeves and grabbed the last journal in the archive. In her haste, she accidentally knocked a loose journal nearby onto the ground. The book thankfully falls onto her foot causing her to grunt in pain and relief at the sound of its falling being muffled.
Rowan hurriedly grabs the book off the floor lest Madam Pince notices or worse. In her haste, a thin notebook slips out from inside the journal causing her to freeze in surprise and suspicion. Glancing around, Rowan returns the fallen journal back to the shelf and cautiously grabs the thin notebook.
Rowan is all but through the last journal in the archive. She only has a few pages left, she would easily be done within the hours. Yet her curiosity is piqued. Sitting down with the notebook, she begins to examine it. The notebook seems rather old, but not old enough that the pages are yellowed with age.
The notebook seems rather worn before Rowan flips the notebook open. There are not many pages inside, but there are rough edges signaling pages that had been torn away. She flips through the pages to see if there is anything else inside only finding a crinkled letter at the back of the notebook.
With care, Rowan unfolds the wrinkled letter and begins to read,
"If you've found my notebook that means that I've failed in my duty to bring the truth to light. I make no excuses for myself for I know that I am a weakling and a coward…."
The rest of the message is blurry and unreadable. The wet ink had stained into the page. The ink had not had enough to dry before the letter had been hastily folded away.
Carefully folding the letter and returning it to its place, Rowan flips to the front of the notebook and begins to pay attention to what she is seeing. Disbelief flashes across her face at seeing the name of Tom Marvolo Riddle circled multiple times with red ink. There is even a small muggle photograph showing Riddle at Wool's Orphanage. The following pages are filled with detailed information regarding Tom Riddle's time at Hogwarts. His achievements, his friends, and other personal details.
The next pages are handwritten interviews with four individuals related to Wool's Orphanage. Tom Marvolo Riddle is born there and resided there for the first 17 years of his life. Yet what is most remarkable is the interviews.
Just skimming through the interview, Rowan can see Tom Marvolo Riddle's true character.
Billy Stubbs is an orphan, who resided at Wool's Orphanage.
Billy Stubbs remarked, "He was awfully quiet, but you know that if you made him mad, he'd get even." Billy paused. "There wasn't ever any proof and I think it's rather silly now, I mean he was only a boy of our age."
"But what?"
"Well, my rabbit was found hung from the rafters a day after Tom and I fought."
The next is Mrs. Cole, who is in charge of Wool's Orphanage.
Mrs. Cole flatly stated, "There was always something off-putting about him."
"Oh?"
"He frightened the other children. I never saw any proof mind you, but the children were all terrified of him especially Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop."
Amy Benson, a former orphan that resided at Wool's Orphanage.
With great fear, Amy Benson whispered, "He can't know!"
"I promise, I shan't speak of this a word to anyone."
"He…he took us to a cave."
"And then what happened?"
"He hurt us."
The last interview is only a single statement from Dennis Bishop, a former orphan, who resided at Wool's Orphanage.
Dennis Bishop only said two words in the interview, "He's Evil."
Uneasy, Rowan flips through the rest of the pages that show handwritten dates and times but there is no further context or explanation to hint at the meaning of the dates and times. Abruptly, the note notes cut off showing gaps, where pages are missing. The last page showing any information shows only a single phrase circled multiple times, the Knights of Walpurgis. With the rest of the binding torn away, there are no further clues to be found.
Furrowing her brows, Rowan studies the worn notebook. Of all the places to hide a secret notebook, why this location of all places? There are better places to hide a notebook such as in the forbidden section of the library. Unless, they were searching for something else, but what?
More importantly, who would conduct an investigation on Tom Riddle? Who is the original author? And what happened to the rest of the notebook and the author?
A sick uneasy feeling creeps down Rowan's spine. She did not need to wonder. Whoever the original author was, they were very much dead.
Knowing she did not have much time left, Rowan puts the notebook away and returned to finish her project. By the time dinner rolled around, she had finished reviewing the last pages she needed. Yet instead of feeling relieved, there prevailed an uneasy sensation.
In some ways, the unknown death of the mysterious author haunted her. She is a child fighting against a powerful, dangerous dark wizard. And would Rowan also mysteriously disappear in the end? It is a question that she did not have the answer to.
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EsliEsma
EsliEsma The majority of quotes of what occurred while Riddle was in the orphanage come from actual characters that are interviewed by Albus Dumbledore or seen in the pensive. I just turned them into first-person scenarios.
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