The first week of June arrived with a heat that seemed to press down on the castle like a physical weight. The windows of the Great Hall were thrown open, but the air was still, thick, heavy with the scent of parchment and ink and nervous sweat. The enchanted ceiling showed a sky of pale blue, cloudless, indifferent to the drama unfolding below.
Edmund woke before dawn. He had not slept well. The dreams had come again—the mirrors, the poison, the shade of Salazar Slytherin. But he pushed them aside. Today was the first day of the N.E.W.T.s. Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests. The name was apt.
He dressed slowly, his fingers trembling as he buttoned his robes. His left arm, healed now, still ached from the damage of the sixth gate. The Heir's Ring pulsed on his finger, warm and steady, next to the Prince family ring. He looked at them both and took a breath.
Today was Charms.
---
The Great Hall had been transformed. The four long tables had been removed, replaced by hundreds of small individual desks, each one facing the front. The enchanted ceiling showed a sky of pale blue, cloudless, indifferent. The windows were open, but no breeze stirred the heavy air. At the front of the hall, a raised platform held the desks of the examiners—stern-faced witches and wizards from the Wizarding Examinations Authority, their robes formal, their expressions unreadable.
Edmund found his assigned seat near the middle of the hall. His number was 147. He set down his quill, his ink bottle, his wand. He waited.
The lead examiner, a witch with grey hair and steel-rimmed spectacles, rose from her desk. The hall fell silent.
"Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests," she said, her voice carrying to every corner of the room. "Subject: Charms. Theory paper. You have two hours. Begin."
---
The parchment was warm as Edmund touched it, the ink still fresh. He read the first question, then the second, then the third. They were difficult—harder than any test he had taken before—but not impossible. He had studied. He had prepared. He began to write.
*Question 1: Explain the theoretical principles underlying the Patronus Charm, including the role of emotional memory and the distinction between corporeal and incorporeal Patronuses.*
Edmund wrote about the nature of happiness, about the memories that anchored the spell, about the silver lion that had burst from his wand in the Gauntlet. He wrote about the theory he had read in sixth year, about the research he had done for his own Patronus, about the moments of joy that made the charm possible. He discussed the difference between a corporeal Patronus—which took the form of an animal and could physically interact with the world—and an incorporeal one, which was merely a shield of silver mist. He cited the research of Professor Catullus Spangle, who had first documented the emotional requirements of the charm in the 15th century.
*Question 2: Describe the wand movements and incantation for the Shield Charm, including the variations for sustained versus instantaneous protection.*
He diagrammed the wand arcs in the margin, explaining the difference between *Protego* and *Protego Maxima*, the latter requiring a circular motion rather than a flick. He discussed the magical energy required to maintain a shield against multiple attackers, noting that sustained protection drained the caster's reserves exponentially. He included a section on the limitations of the Shield Charm against dark curses, referencing the research of Wilbert Slinkhard.
*Question 3: A wizard wishes to enchant a broomstick to fly at speeds exceeding the current legal limit. Discuss the charms involved, the safety considerations, and the legal implications under Ministry regulations.*
Edmund smiled. This was not a question about theory. It was a question about application, about ethics, about the real world. He wrote about the Cushioning Charm, the Braking Charm, the Balancing Charm. He wrote about the dangers of exceeding speed limits, about the regulations imposed by the Department of Magical Transportation, about the fines and penalties for non-compliance. He concluded with a discussion of the moral responsibility of a wizard to prioritize safety over ambition.
*Question 4: Explain the difference between a Cheering Charm and a Laughing Charm, including the physiological and magical effects of each.*
Edmund wrote about the subtle distinctions between the two charms—one inducing genuine happiness, the other merely causing laughter. He described the physiological responses: the release of endorphins, the relaxation of muscles, the lowering of magical defenses. He discussed the potential dangers of overuse, including magical exhaustion and emotional dependency.
*Question 5: A witch wishes to enchant a portrait to speak with her deceased grandmother. Discuss the charms involved, the ethical considerations, and the limitations of magical portraiture.*
This was the hardest question. Edmund wrote about the nature of magical portraits, about the fact that they captured only a shadow of the person, not their true soul. He discussed the ethical implications of attempting to raise the dead, even in image form, and the laws that prohibited certain types of enchantment. He concluded that while a portrait could be made to speak, it would never truly be the grandmother—only a memory of her.
---
The two hours passed in a blur of ink and parchment. Edmund's hand cramped, but he did not stop. He wrote until the last minute, filling every page, leaving nothing blank. When the proctor called "Time," he set down his quill and stretched his fingers. His wrist ached. His head pounded. But he had answered every question.
---
The practical examination for Charms was in the afternoon. Edmund ate a quick lunch in the Great Hall, his stomach too tight for food, his mind already racing ahead. His friends sat with him, offering quiet words of encouragement.
"You've got this," Cassius said. "You've been casting Charms since before we met."
Arthur nodded. "The Patronus alone will impress them."
Horace handed him a small vial of blue liquid. "Peppermint tonic. Steadies the nerves."
Edmund drank it. The liquid was cool, sweet, and he felt his heart slow.
Astrid said nothing. She simply touched his hand, then turned back to her book.
---
The practical examination was held in a small room on the first floor, its walls lined with targets and obstacles. A panel of three examiners sat at a table near the door—two witches and one wizard, all strangers, all expressionless. Edmund stood in the center of the room, his wand in his hand.
"Mr. Prince," the lead examiner said, consulting her notes. "You will perform the following spells. You have thirty seconds for each. Begin."
**Spell One: *Fulminis Praesidium* – Lightning Shield**
The first spell was not one Edmund had learned in class. It was a N.E.W.T.-level defensive charm that created a shield of crackling electrical energy, capable of deflecting not only spells but also physical projectiles. The examiner's wand flicked, and a series of enchanted darts shot toward Edmund from three directions. He raised his wand and spoke the incantation.
A shimmering barrier of blue-white energy erupted around him, arcs of lightning dancing across its surface. The darts struck the shield and disintegrated, their metal components melting on contact. The shield held for the required ten seconds, then dissipated.
The examiners exchanged glances. One of them made a note.
**Spell Two: *Lacuna Memorium* – Memory Extraction**
This was a delicate charm, used by obliviators to extract specific memories from a subject without harming them. Edmund had practiced this on conjured subjects in the Room of Requirement. The examiner placed a small crystal vial on the table.
"Extract the memory of this event," she said, pointing to a conjured figure of a wizard casting a spell.
Edmund raised his wand. *Lacuna Memorium.* A wisp of silver mist rose from the figure's temple and drifted into the vial. The memory was contained. The figure continued its loop, unaware of what had been taken.
"Sufficient," the examiner said.
**Spell Three: *Gravitas Reversa* – Gravity Inversion**
The floor beneath Edmund's feet glowed red. The examiner had enchanted a section of the room to have triple gravity. Edmund was to reverse the effect for himself only, not the entire area.
*Gravitas Reversa.* He felt the weight lift from his body. He rose six inches off the ground, hovering. He moved his wand to control his drift, navigating across the high-gravity zone without touching the floor. He landed gently on the other side and cancelled the spell.
**Spell Four: *Aegis Animarum* – Soul Shield**
This was a charm designed to protect the caster from Dementors without requiring a Patronus. It was less powerful but more sustainable. Edmund had never used it before, but he had read about it in the Restricted Section.
The examiner conjured a Dementor—a construct, not a real one—and it glided toward him. Edmund raised his wand. *Aegis Animarum.* A silver mist enveloped him, not forming a Patronus but wrapping around his body like a second skin. The Dementor recoiled, unable to sense his emotions. It dissolved.
The examiners were silent. The lead examiner nodded.
**Spell Five: *Veritas Revelio* – Truth Revealing**
This was Edmund's own spell, the detection charm he had developed for the Register. He had not known if he was allowed to use it in the exam, but the instructions had said "any legal spell."
The examiner placed a sealed box on the table. "Inside this box is an object. You may not touch it. Identify what it is."
Edmund cast *Veritas Revelio*. The box glowed, revealing the magical signature of its contents. A silver locket, old, enchanted with a protective ward.
"It's a locket," Edmund said. "Silver, with a protective enchantment. Circa 18th century."
The examiner opened the box. The locket was exactly as he had described.
"Extraordinary," the examiner murmured.
**Spell Six: *Expecto Patronum* – The Patronus Charm**
The final spell. The examiner conjured a swarm of Dementor constructs—six of them, circling the room. The temperature dropped. The light dimmed.
Edmund raised his wand. He thought about the trial, about the seventh gate, about the choice. He thought about his friends, about the Prince manor, about the school he would build. He thought about the silver lion that had saved him in the forest.
*Expecto Patronum.*
The lion burst from his wand, larger than before, brighter than before. It roared, and the Dementors scattered, dissolving into shadow. The lion circled the room three times, then returned to Edmund, nuzzling his hand before fading.
The room was silent.
"That will do, Mr. Prince," the lead examiner said. "You may go."
Edmund bowed and walked out of the room. His heart was pounding. His hands were steady. He had done everything he could.
---
He walked back to the common room, the afternoon sun warm on his face. His friends were waiting.
"How did it go?" Cassius asked.
"I don't know," Edmund said. "We'll find out."
"You probably got Outstanding," Arthur said.
"Probably not."
"Probably yes."
Edmund sat down beside them, and for a moment, he let himself rest. Tomorrow was Transfiguration. He would need his strength.
---