Today was the dreaded day—final exams. Or, as I like to think of it, the equivalent of facing a gauntlet of challenges at Hogwarts. Except instead of battling dark creatures or brewing complex potions, I was armed with a pencil and a calculator, ready to face down a stack of papers filled with questions that seemed determined to trip me up.
The morning started off with “Defense Against the Dark Arts,” which, in reality, was my psychology exam. The questions were tricky, like trying to fend off a boggart that kept changing form. I knew the material well enough, but when it came down to it, I felt like I was just barely keeping my head above water. Each question seemed to pull from the depths of the syllabus, things I’d glanced over but never fully grasped. By the time I handed in my paper, I wasn’t sure if I had defeated the metaphorical Dementor or if it had sucked out just enough of my confidence to leave me second-guessing everything.
Next was “Potions”—chemistry, of course. This one felt more like trying to brew Felix Felicis but ending up with something that was just good enough to get by. I measured my answers as carefully as I would ingredients, hoping to get the right reaction, but I know a few of my calculations were shaky. When the time was up, I handed in my exam, feeling like I had managed to put together something passable, but certainly not a masterpiece.
The final hurdle was “Transfiguration,” or what is actually computer science. This was the one I had been dreading the most. The exam was every bit as challenging as I’d feared, like trying to turn a teacup into a tortoise and ending up with something that was… almost a tortoise, but not quite. I fumbled through some of the code, barely managing to get the right output. By the time I finished, I knew I hadn’t aced it, but at least I didn’t completely fail.
When it was all over, I felt a strange mix of relief and exhaustion. I had made it through, but just barely. It felt like scraping by with a passing grade in a class at Hogwarts—not the kind of performance that would win the House Cup, but enough to avoid a lecture from McGonagall. I’m not sure how well I did overall, but I’m hoping I at least managed to pass everything.
Tonight, as I’m writing this, I’m trying to push the worry to the back of my mind. There’s nothing more I can do now except wait for the results. It’s a bit like waiting for exam results at the end of a school year at Hogwarts, wondering if you’ll get an O.W.L. or a Troll. I’m not expecting any glowing remarks, but as long as I don’t have to face any retakes, I’ll consider it a win.
For now, I’m just glad it’s over. I’m planning to spend the next few days doing absolutely nothing that involves studying. Maybe I’ll finally get around to exploring some of the “hidden corridors” on campus—aka the places I’ve been too busy to check out during the semester. Here’s to surviving another round of magical trials, even if I just barely made it out intact.
