HP: I beat the otome game at Hogwarts

"An exam?" Lee Jordan screamed and fell off his chair. "We have to take an exam?"

George and Fred, who were throwing textbooks at each other at the back of the classroom, also stopped. Everyone turned around and stared blankly at Professor Flitwick.

"Under these extraordinary circumstances, the teachers have not closed the schools so that everyone can receive an education," Professor Flitwick said with a smile at the podium, seemingly oblivious to the students' shock and despair. "Therefore, the exams will proceed as usual. I believe you will all study diligently, and I wish you all good results."

The classroom was filled with cries of anguish.

"This is also Professor Dumbledore's instruction to maintain the normal operation of the school as much as possible," Professor Flitwick continued. "At the end of the semester, everyone can check how much they have learned this year. Knowledge is always the most precious treasure of mankind."

Lyra lay on the table, poking her fingers with her wand, feeling a strange sense of peace. She had witnessed the entire event; Dumbledore remained calm and composed even after being removed from his position as headmaster, managing to keep the school running smoothly despite being away from the castle—his return to Hogwarts must be imminent.

Furthermore, from the perspective of training a future savior to shoulder great responsibilities, Headmaster Dumbledore should set challenges for Harry every year. Last year, the challenge for Harry was the Philosopher's Stone; this year, it will likely be unraveling the mystery of who will inherit the Chamber of Secrets.

Maybe Headmaster Dumbledore is currently munching on some honey candy while timing his return to watch Harry's adventure unfold.

Seeing Harry looking exhausted in the morning, Lyra believed that their little savior must be working hard again to solve the mystery set up by Headmaster Dumbledore.

It seems being a savior isn't so easy. While others only need to take one exam at the end of the semester, Harry has to take an extra individual exam set by the headmaster.

Lyra silently felt sorry for Harry.

*

After several days of arduous review, Professor McGonagall announced some new information to everyone in the auditorium.

"I have some good news to tell everyone."

The students in the auditorium stopped eating and made a commotion.

"Dumbledore is coming back!" the twins shouted excitedly.

"You've captured the heir to Slytherin!" a girl at the Ravenclaw table screamed.

"Quidditch is back!" exclaimed Wood, a Quidditch fanatic.

"Final exams have been cancelled!" many more people shouted expectantly.

Professor McGonagall waved for everyone to quiet down: "Professor Sprout just told me that the mandrake has finally been harvested, and tonight we will be able to bring the petrified people back to life. This means that one of them might be able to tell us who, or what, attacked and harmed them."

Professor McGonagall smiled, her usually serious face breaking into a smile: "I sincerely hope that this year will end with us catching the murderer."

A cheer erupted in the Great Hall, and the professors in the faculty seats all smiled. Even Professor Snape, who was usually stern-faced, wore a relaxed expression at this moment.

“Oh my god, Hermione will probably go crazy when she wakes up,” Lyra heard Ron laughing nearby. “If she finds out that there are only three days left until the final exams and she hasn’t even started studying, she’ll probably faint.”

“Perhaps a more lenient approach would be to leave Hermione as is and wait until after the final exams,” George chuckled.

“I don’t think it will affect Hermione’s chances of getting first place in her grade even if she wakes up only one day before the exam,” Lyra said, taking a sip of milk. Harry nodded in agreement.

Just then, Ginny walked over and sat down next to Ron and Harry. The red-haired girl looked very nervous, clearly wanting to say something to Harry and the others.

Lyra suddenly remembered her old diary and wondered if Ginny wanted to apologize honestly, or perhaps she wanted to take advantage of everyone's happiness to confess her feelings.

She quickly pulled the twins to the other end of the table to chat with Lee Jordan, giving Ginny some space. Then, she secretly observed the situation while holding her milk glass.

Lyra didn't get the scene she imagined. Just as Ginny was about to say something to Harry, Percy returned from his prefectural duty and went to eat.

From the other end of the table, Lyra saw Ginny hop away like a rabbit, while Percy sat in the seat Ginny had just vacated, piling lots of pies onto his plate, looking like he was starving.

Leila sighed in disappointment and continued drinking her milk.

*

After Professor McGonagall announced the good news that the mandrake had matured in the morning, everyone relaxed spontaneously.

Teachers were no longer as strict in escorting students to the classroom door, and older students were more free to enter and leave the library, since there were only three days left until the exam.

Lyra was separated from the twins. After class, she remembered that a book was about to expire, so she ran to the library to return it.

On the way, they encountered Professor McGonagall, who was escorting students to the safety corridor. Lyra quickly dodged away—Gonagall was known for her strictness and would definitely deduct points from anyone seen acting alone.

To avoid Professor McGonagall, she hid in a secluded corridor. After Professor McGonagall led the group away, Lyra was about to leave when she saw a familiar red-haired figure in the distance.

It's Ginny!

She was holding Harry's black leather diary in her hand, walking forward in a strange, stiff posture, as if her body was being controlled by someone else; it was extremely bizarre.

Without thinking, Leila followed, but as soon as she took a step, someone grabbed her arm from behind.

"Where are you going all by yourself?" a cold, drawn-out voice asked.

Leila turned her head and saw the platinum young master, with whom she had parted on bad terms last time, glaring at her with a stern face.

"You violated the rules and went out alone without permission. I'm going to tell the professor, and you'll be getting points deducted!"

"Hey! You're being too petty!" Laila tried to shake off the hand that was gripping her arm.

"What did you say? How dare you call a Malfoy petty—" Draco Malfoy wrinkled his nose in anger, furious at himself for following the dark-haired girl as soon as he saw her walking alone in the corridor.

“If you’re not being petty, just pretend you didn’t see me right now—” Lyra was determined to run after Ginny and tried to forcefully shake off the platinum boy’s hand.

Draco Malfoy was furious; he had never seen such an ungrateful person. Just as he was about to loudly accuse this heartless Gryffindor, he suddenly saw her expression change—

A rustling sound came from above, as if something was crawling over.