CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: I HATE MONTHLY EXAMS
I love going to school. But one day, Prof. McGonagall told me not to come to school tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, because there’s going to be a two-day monthly exam.
Draco muttered, “What luck being a retard. They can be exempted from exams.”
Harry glared at him and said, “Those who attend the exams don’t mean they’re not retards.”
They always liked to argue, but I can’t do anything about it. I never understand what they’re arguing anyway.
Prof. McGonagall smiled also said, “Remember to come back to school two days later. I should’ve done this during last month’s exam. With you absent, our overall marks wouldn’t be pulled down by yours.”
I picked up my bag and went home. I’ve finished eating my lunch and I can hear the “clank, clank” noise the fork made inside my empty lunch box. But tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, I wouldn’t be carrying my bag and my lunch box to school.
Mother said, “For these two days, you better sit tight and study on your own, and don’t watch any TV. Not going to school doesn’t mean you can get away from studying.”
So I didn’t watch any TV, like she said. I woke up the next morning and watched the people outside my window. I saw many kids going to school in their uniform. I also say someone from my school. It was Cedric Diggory, the boy next door. I called out, “Hey, Ced!”
He looked up and saw me, “Aren’t you going to school? You’re gonna be late!”
I said, “My professor told me not to go.”
“Lucky you,” he replied, then started running to school.
I saw another student with a ball in his hand. Maybe he had P.E. today. Almost immediately, everyone was gone, so I had to look at other things. There were a pair of crows sitting on the electric pole and they were making such a loud noise that sounded almost like the way our class practiced their singing. I laughed inwardly. Too bad I wasn’t in the team. Prof. McGonagall told me to be below the stage and clap my hands real hard. I clapped so hard it kinda hurt. Maybe I shouldn’t have clapped that hard.
“Take out your books and study, Ron,” Mother suddenly stuck her head through the door and gave me a stern warning.
I quickly took all of my textbooks out and lined them all up on the table. Then I opened my exercise book and started to look for words to copy. I started with my English textbook and copied four words big, man, one and me from Chapter One. But then I remembered we’ve reached Chapter Eight, so I erased everything and turned to that page. After looking at that page for a while, again I found the four words big, man, one and me, so I copied them down. Then I realized what a bloody fool I was. I shouldn’t have erased the words I had copied in the first place!
Copying words was boring. I wondered what were Harry Scarface and the others doing. If I could go for monthly exams, that would be fun. But I only know how to get water and throw the garbage. Monthly exams are for smart people.
I wanted to sneak into the school but I was afraid that Prof. McGonagall would see me and get angry. Maybe I could try hiding behind the wall that surrounded the school. But then again, maybe not. We, the students, must listen to what the teacher says.
After two days, I carried my bag to school. I greeted Harry Scarface happily. He patted my shoulder and asked, “So, getting the luxury of sleeping in, eh?”
Hermione asked me to get water as usual. She said, “Without you these two days, we had no water to drink. Everyone was so busy cramming their brains into the books, they simply had no time to get water for any of us.”
So I cleaned the kettle and ran all the way to get freshly boiled water. I didn’t forget Prof. McGonagall’s warm share of water either, full to the brim.
I love going to school.
Harry Scarface said, “I’ve just read the newspaper saying that sooner or later they will abolish unnecessary tests. By then we won’t need to have to go through so many of them. I really hate monthly exams.”
I hate monthly exams too. Monthly exams keep me from going to school.
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