HP: Fantastic Beasts And The Right Way To Use Them

"Come on, Percy, you can do this!"

At the school entrance, a young man with red hair and a face full of freckles was constantly muttering to himself. After several deep breaths, Percy forced himself to calm down, but his face still showed obvious anxiety.

"Relax a bit." Wood beside him smiled and patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Professor Kahn already said the O.W.L. exam won't be too difficult. Aside from Fire Crabs, there aren't any creatures that could harm you."

"And even with Fire Crabs, at most they'd just burn you, and that kind of injury would only take a day to heal at Madam Pomfrey's!"

"I'll try my best."

Forcing a smile, Percy wanted to say he was fine, but his expression and demeanor were full of tension, and he really couldn't bring himself to say such self-deceptive words.

After all, his dream was to enter the Ministry of Magic, even to become Minister for Magic someday.

If he wanted to achieve this dream, he needed to get Outstanding in every subject at school at minimum. Missing even one could become a permanent stain on his future.

Although his performance in this class had already been good enough, he still wanted to do better.

Lost in various anxious thoughts, Percy felt himself becoming more and more nervous.

Just as Percy's stress was mounting, a somewhat impatient female voice suddenly sounded nearby.

"If you're scared, don't take the exam. Stop being an eyesore here."

Turning his head, Percy saw a girl wearing Slytherin robes with a prefect badge on her chest looking at him disdainfully.

After a moment of recollection, he remembered this girl's name and identity.

Gemma Farley, Slytherin's prefect. Good grades, but liked to nitpick, exactly like her housemates.

I don't think I've ever provoked her?

Frowning, Percy spoke slowly.

"Miss Farley, as a prefect, I haven't done anything inappropriate before the exam. Please watch your language. If you continue this unreasonable behavior, I reserve the right to report you to the professors."

"You!" Eyes flashing with anger, Gemma was about to lose her temper, but seeing several Gryffindor students with unfriendly expressions and then looking at her own side, where she had no companions, she wisely chose not to escalate the situation.

Slytherin students weren't very interested in Care of Magical Creatures. Although many would choose it in the third year, by the fifth year, only she remained.

While Professor Kettleburn deserved some credit for this, other Slytherin students genuinely didn't like this class much.

"Tch, besides tattling, what else can you do?" Pursing her lips in displeasure, she said nothing more and lowered her head to look at her study materials.

The school entrance was briefly quiet. With the sound of approaching footsteps, several Ravenclaw students walked toward the entrance, led by a girl with long golden hair and a tall figure, wearing Ravenclaw robes with a prefect badge on her chest.

She wore gold-rimmed glasses, her eyes full of intelligence and wisdom. But seeing Percy's tense expression, her eyes showed a trace of gentleness as she walked slowly to Percy's side.

"Very nervous?" the girl asked softly, using her hand to adjust Percy's collar. "Don't worry too much. Your grades are good. There won't be any problems."

Feeling the soft hand brush across his chest and hearing those gentle words, Percy suddenly felt most of his nervousness dissipate, leaving only some warmth on his face and a strange feeling in his heart.

Composing himself, Percy spoke softly.

"Thank you, Penelope. Having someone comfort me made me feel much better."

Hearing this, Wood, who had just comforted Percy, froze.

???

Am I not human? Am I even human at all?

What, when she comforts you it's very effective, but when I comfort you it's completely useless?

So I'm the outsider here?

I thought only those bastards Lee and Andrew would prioritize romance over friendship like this. I never expected you, Percy, with your thick eyebrows and honest face, to be the same kind of person!

I'm angry! The kind that can't be coaxed!

But clearly, Percy didn't sense Wood's complex emotions, only smiling foolishly at the girl before him.

Adjusting her intellectually beautiful gold-rimmed glasses, the girl showed a gentle smile, tightened Percy's tie, then placed her hand on his chest.

"That's good then. Good luck on your exam!"

Grasping the hand on his chest, Percy's expression gradually became tender. "You're so kind, Penelope."

Gradually, their hands slowly joined together, and their gazes began to intertwine, gradually sparking some chemistry.

As the atmosphere between them became increasingly ambiguous, someone finally couldn't stand it anymore.

"If you want to have a romance, could you find a classroom for it?"

Slamming shut the book in her hands, Gemma could no longer contain the anger in her heart.

As a prefect, she should set a good example for her fellow students, but weren't these two being a bit excessive?

Although they hadn't said anything explicit, their gazes were practically creating sparks!

The exam was already stressful enough without having to watch these two being lovey-dovey!

Could the lovebirds please get lost?

Startled by these words, Percy quickly let go of her hand, his face red as he turned away.

But the girl across from him clearly didn't have such a good temper.

Her eyes turning cold, Penelope turned around, adjusted her gold-framed glasses, and met Gemma's angry gaze.

"What, do you have a problem with that?"

An invisible current sparked between the two, their imposing aura making all the surrounding students involuntarily step back two paces.

A few seconds later, Gemma spoke first, her tone icy and expression gloomy.

"Protecting him now, are we? Tch, always putting on that aloof goddess act. Your persona's crumbling now?"

Penelope across from her met her gaze without any guilt, her look making anyone who saw it feel chilled to the bone.

"Even if it crumbles, it's still better than you! Snake House trash, why don't you count how many people from your house are rotting in Azkaban!"

"Oh ho ho, when you can't win the argument, you start attacking houses?"

"Who started this in the first place?"

Watching the two argue more and more fiercely, cold sweat gradually appeared on Percy's forehead. He felt that as a prefect, he shouldn't let them publicly quarrel before an exam.

Steeling himself and stepping forward, Percy wanted to stop this inexplicable dispute.

"Um, we're all prefects; we should set a good example for other students..."

The two women attacking each other simultaneously turned to look at Percy, who was trying to mediate. Gemma's gaze was incredibly cold, and although Penelope's expression was slightly better, her resentful look tinged with coldness still made Percy feel like he'd fallen into an ice cave.

"What's it to you?"

"Percy, are you taking her side?"

"Uh..." Feeling somewhat unsettled under their intimidating stares, Percy turned his head and looked at Wood beside him with pleading eyes.

Silently stepping back two paces, Wood pretended not to know this person and stood aside whistling innocently.

But after a while, under Percy's desperately beseeching gaze, he still gently pushed open the door and put on a surprised expression.

"Um, isn't it almost time for the exam?"