"So… Professor Lupin is going to work for Yu?"
Ron's eyebrows shot up so high they nearly disappeared into his hairline. He leaned back in his chair, his neck stiff against the backrest, his expression exaggerated with shock.
"Yu has a company?!"
The club had just wrapped up a round of celebrations, cheering and rejoicing over their triumphant victory in the "Defend Jane Yu" campaign.
Amidst the cheers, Harry had casually spilled the news to Ron about Professor Lupin's future, something Ron had been particularly curious about.
"Yeah," Harry replied, scratching his head. "I mean, she's already made so many gaming devices. Having a company doesn't seem that surprising…"
"True—but she never mentioned it—or maybe she did, just in passing—"
Ron stared blankly ahead, muttering under his breath, "Filthy rich people… why can't I be one of them…"
With all the chatter and gaming noise around him, Harry could barely make out what Ron was saying, catching only fragments like "sponsor me" or "cling to her coattails."
He began to suspect there was something wrong with his hearing.
"Anyway," Harry continued, "Professor Lupin told me he really likes his new job. Free Wolfsbane Potion, and apparently Yu pays him quite generously in Galleons."
Harry's emerald-green eyes sparkled with joy, genuinely happy that his father's friend and one of his favorite professors had found a good place to land.
But Ron still looked dazed.
"Yeah, I'd love that too… Galleons… playing games… Do you think I could drop out of school and work for Yu? Would she hire me?"
Harry imagined for a moment what it would be like if Ron worked at Jane Yu's company:
Lounging with his feet up, spending every moment with Jane, shouting and playing games 24/7, all while earning a fortune…
What kind of dream life was that?
"I don't think you'd make it," Harry said flatly, cutting off Ron's daydream. "Because I'm already in line."
Ron gave him a curious look, ignoring Harry's murderous glare.
"What does that matter? We could both drop out and work there."
Harry choked for a moment before ruthlessly shattering Ron's fantasy.
"Yu's hiring standards probably require at least ten O.W.L.s with Outstanding grades."
"And gaming devices involve advanced alchemy. That's a subject we can't even take until sixth year."
Ron, disheartened by the thought of his own dismal grades, slumped in his chair—but then a new idea struck him.
"Or do you think Yu might be looking for a boyfriend? If not, maybe a girlfriend? I've got five brothers and a sister I could recommend. Surely being a relative could land me a position?"
This time, Harry no longer doubted his hearing. He realized it wasn't his ears that had a problem—it was Ron's brain.
He decided to channel Hermione's approach to end this increasingly absurd conversation.
"Wake up, Ron. We have less than a week until exams."
That hit Ron where it hurt. His stiff posture crumpled under the weight of reality, and he choked out:
"Have you started revising? Do you think… if I go to Yu or Hermione for tutoring now, it's not too late?"
Harry shook his head sympathetically and lit a metaphorical candle for himself as well.
None of them had cracked open a textbook, too busy with gaming devices and the "Defend Jane Yu" campaign.
Ron began contemplating the meaning of life with a serene expression, even considering writing to his parents to ask if they could start over with a new son.
...
Unlike them, Jane Yu never worried about her grades.
Despite not opening a single textbook, she breezed through her exams with ease. A few minor hiccups aside, her results were unaffected.
After all, she had the unwavering support of the strongest team of professors and countless private tutoring sessions. It was nearly impossible for her to fail.
Transfiguration's teapot-to-turtle, Charms' cheering charm, Potions' Confusing Concoction—she could practically complete them with her eyes closed.
And for Care of Magical Creatures, the Bowtruckle that Newt brought in even came up and gave her a kiss.
As for History of Magic, Professor Binns had long drilled the key points into her.
But midway through the exams, Jane received a message from her guardian.
"You must attend the Ancient Runes exam, in the first classroom on the eighth floor," Dumbledore reminded her. "I've spoken with Professor Babbling about your private lessons with me—"
Faced with the prospect of yet another exam, Jane touched her hairline.
Juggling a flood of purchase orders, communication with her business partner Lucius, and eleven exams, she felt like her forehead was on the verge of balding.
Sleep deprivation left her disoriented, barely able to tell whether she was at Hogwarts or elsewhere.
So the next day, during exam time, she stumbled into the second classroom on the eighth floor instead of the first.
The exam papers were already laid out on the desks. Half-asleep, she automatically wrote her name with her quill.
But the questions didn't seem to match Ancient Runes.
"23 + 32 = ?"
"19 - 18 = ?"
"13 × 13 = ?"
"159 ÷ 3 = ?"
"What is the square of 11?"
"Draw a right triangle and explain the relationship between its three sides."
In her daze, Jane felt like she was back in primary school math exams. Half-leaning on the desk, she scribbled down her calculations and answers.
As she drifted into deep sleep, a thought flitted through her mind:
These questions… simple as they are… don't seem related to Runes…
But… I must be dreaming… Dreaming about exams… Unable to resist the overwhelming sleepiness, she closed her eyes and fell into a deep slumber.
"Miss Yu? Wake up, Miss Yu?"
Jane awoke to the sight of Bathsheda Babbling and Septima Vector standing before her, gently nudging her awake.
"Miss Yu, why are you in the Arithmancy classroom?"
Professor Babbling hurriedly pulled her up and led her out.
"You went to the wrong place! The Ancient Runes exam is next door! Luckily, it's not over yet!"
She was frantic. The headmaster had specifically instructed her to look after this student, and now she had gone missing during the exam!
Jane jolted awake, realizing what had happened.
No wonder the questions didn't make sense!
She had thought she was dreaming—
But she had actually walked into the wrong exam room!
...
What Jane didn't know was that after she left, Septima Vector, the Arithmancy professor, collected her test paper.
A student wandering into the wrong classroom and even seriously answering questions? She found the situation amusing.
With a smile, she glanced over Jane's answers—only to realize something was off.
The exam had only started ten minutes ago, yet the paper was already filled out completely?
Had she underestimated the difficulty of her questions?
Intrigued, she pulled out a quill and began grading the paper—only to grow increasingly alarmed.
A perfect score?
How could it be a perfect score?
A young witch who had never attended an Arithmancy class had just aced the exam?!
She looked up at the students still scratching their heads and furiously scribbling, then rubbed her eyes.
Was she seeing things?
Pressing her temples, she closed her eyes, trying to calm her shock.
"Numerology" and "Graphology" were the core topics of this year's curriculum…
But this young witch, Jane Yu, had mastered them completely!
Professor Vector suddenly understood why her colleague, Professor Snape, often referred to students as trolls—
The gap between individuals could indeed be so vast!
At this moment, she too felt as though the students before her had brains stuffed with dried grass!
Thrilled by her discovery, she could barely contain her excitement as she contemplated rushing to Dumbledore's office.
A prodigy in Arithmancy had just been uncovered by sheer accident!
She was determined to persuade Headmaster Dumbledore to ensure that this student, Jane Yu, would enroll in her class next year!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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