October 19, 2003

Slow And Steady Wins The Race

"Arrrrrgggggghhhhh!" boomed Ron.

"I just can't seem to get this right!"

"The homework that Professor Mcgonagall gave us is so difficult!"

"Cool down Ron," sighed Hermione "You're never gonna get this right if you continue complaining."

"Yeah, Ron, you had better pay more attention during Professor Mcgonagall's tranfiguration lessons next time," commented Harry.

"Oh all right. Will you two just stop nagging and give me a break? I have still have to write two parchments of Professor Flitwick's Charms essay and one and three-quarter parchments of Professor Mcgonagall's Transfiguration essay," blabbed Ron.

"Ron!" chided Harry and Hermione.
Harry and Hermione went up to their dormitories, leaving Ron in the Gryffindor common room all by himself.

The next morning, when Ron woke up and turned to Harry's four-poster bed, he found out that Harry was not there. However, Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finnigan were both still in bed. Ron looked around the room but Harry was no where to be found, so Ron washed up and got changed and went downstairs to the common room. Harry and Hermione were sitting in the armchairs discussing the homework they had already done when Ron interrupted them.

"Ron!" lectured Harry and Hermione. "Didn't you see us talking? How could be so rude and interrupt our conversation?"
"What's with the two of you today?" snapped Ron. "Why are the both of you so touchy today?"

With that, Harry and Hermione barged out of the common room through the portrait hole without another word. They went down to the Great Hall where most of the students were already seated. Harry and Hermione found themselves a seat and sat down.

A few seconds after they had took their places,
Ron came strolling in towards the Gryffindor table, clutching two parchments in his hands. He handed one parchment to Harry and the other to Hermione and took his place beside his brother Fred Weasley.
Harry and Hermione looked at the parchment that had been given to them:

I'm sorry I interrupted your conversation back in the common room. I know I was wrong to snap back at you. I'm sorry.
Ron.

Harry and Hermione looked up at each other and then to Ron and smiled.

After breakfast, the three of them went for their Transfiguration lessons. They walked up the stone staircase and into the classroom at the third level.
Professor Mcgonagall was waiting for all the students to arrive before starting the lesson. When all the students had arrived, she gave out some slips of paper, on it wrote Hogwarts Term Examinations and a time schedule. As usual, Hermione was delighted but Harry and Ron squirmed.

After dinner that day, Hermione went up to the library. Harry and Ron on the other hand, went back to their common room to prepare for their first examination next Monday.Harry was looking up on Beasts when Hermione came charging into the common room.

"I can't believe we have so few topics to study." panted Hermione.

"What?" wondered Harry and Ron. There is altogether five topics of every subject to study and you still find it little?"

"Well, of course I find it little!" boasted Hermione. "Well, gotta go! I've got lots of topics to revise on." And with that, she ran out of the portrait hole without looking back.

Next Monday came in a flash and students could be seen with faces buried in books everywhere in the school. The first examination, which was Potions, started after lunch at two o' clock in the afternoon for Harry, Ron and Hermione. This meant that they had extra time to study in the morning as lessons for the day were cancelled because of the term examinations.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were in the common room studying. When the bell rang for lunch, they made their way to the Great Hall for lunch. After lunch, they still had an hour to spare so; they walked to the examination room and studied outside while waiting.

When it was two, they made their way inside the room where Professor Snape was waiting. After the exam and after Snape had recorded their marks, the three of them left the room.

A whole week of term examinations passed quickly and the day when the results would be given out arrived. Harry, Ron and Hermione waited patiently for their turn to come.

Then, Hermione broke the silence, "I wonder if I can get distinctions this time round?" she muttered.

"I'm sure you can," a stammering voice replied. It was Ron's.

"Don't worry, Ron," comforted Harry. "You will too."
"You too," added Hermione.

Hermione's turn came. She walked in worried but walked out with a smile on her perspiring face and glittering face.
Harry was next. He too walked in worried but came out almost as happy as Hermione.

Ron was the only one left among them who had not received his marks. He walked in very nervous and dripping with cold sweat. Harry and Hermione felt quite nervous and worried for Ron too.

There was a murderous silence and then Ron came out grinning from ear to ear.

"Tell us Ron," begged Hermione. "Please?"

"Yeah Ron." cooed Harry. "You’re making me nervous."

"Oh all right" confessed Ron. "I passed all my subjects."

"And?" questioned Harry and Hermione.

"And not only that… I also passed with four distinctions!"

"You what?" bellowed Harry and Hermione. "Unbelievable!"

Professor Dumbledore came striding over next with a smile on his bright face.

" So, Mr Weasley, I heard you have the most distinctions among the students in your level" he announced. "Well done."

"Wow!" gasped Harry and Hermione. "Congratulations, Ron."

"I see Mr Weasley, that slowness and steadiness helped you to win this race between your two friends here.” added Professor Dumbledore. "I didn’t expect you to 'overtake' Ms Granger and Mr Potter. But you did so, congratulations once again." And with that, he left Harry, Ron and Hermione to enjoy the time together.

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Credit
Sam
kANGEROUSAM caught your attention at 12:29 AM