Chapter 330: Professor, Do You Know the Half-Blood Prince?
After the attack was resolved, Quidditch matches, which had been suspended for ages, resumed with a vengeance. With less than a month left until the end of term, the remaining games were packed into an intense schedule, with back-to-back matches and at least three games every weekend.
The spectators loved it, but the players were worn out—especially Kyle. As the final exams loomed closer, he started to regret taking on twelve courses. Though he hadn't exactly planned on such a grueling load, neither Professor McGonagall nor Headmaster Dumbledore seemed sympathetic to his predicament. He still had to prepare for exams, memorizing dense material: complex arithmancy formulas, the meanings of various ancient runes, and, to his dismay, an abundance of trivia on muggle culture.
And that last subject proved surprisingly challenging. The deeper he delved into Muggle Studies, the more Kyle realized that wizards' interpretations of Muggle life diverged oddly from what he knew. Take the yard, for example. When asked about its purpose, Kyle thought of leisure activities like playing games, having afternoon tea, or just relaxing. But according to the study materials, the correct answer was "mowing the lawn."
Mowing the lawn? Kyle couldn't fathom it. A whole yard built just to trim grass? Wizards really had an odd view of muggle life.
Even more puzzling, the most popular muggle group activity, according to his textbook, was watching TV. Kyle and his friend Mikel, who'd spent eleven years as a muggle, both started questioning their grasp on muggle culture.
For the first time, Kyle found himself wishing that the mandrakes—the key to curing the petrified victims—would mature after the exams. But his hopes were dashed when Charity Burbage, the Muggle Studies professor, was released from the Hospital Wing just a few days later.
Though she had missed months of classes, there was no plan to cancel her exam. Instead, Professor Burbage was given two weeks to prepare it. Mikel, who'd taken Muggle Studies as an "easy A," was now panicking. He'd hoped for a high mark, but now he feared he might be the first to get an "F" (Fail) at Hogwarts.
Despite the academic chaos, the rest of the summer term was enjoyable. The grounds were lush, the weather mild, and spirits high.
Then, exam week arrived under clear, sunny skies. For three days straight, Kyle dashed from one exam room to another, barely catching his breath.
In the Transfiguration exam, Kyle entered to find Professor McGonagall waiting beside a teapot on her desk. Students were tasked with transforming the teapot into a turtle.
She looked at Kyle thoughtfully. "This is too easy for you," she declared. "Let's change the exam." Her eyes glinted with challenge. "I want you to write an essay of no less than five feet on the subject of multiple transformations."