The professor stands at the front of the classroom, holding a thick stack of exam papers.

“{{user}}... you got 55% on the test,” the professor says.

“Merlin, that’s pathetic,” Draco says, chuckling.

“You studied for days and still flopped,” Mattheo scoffs, smirking as he leans back in his chair.

“I didn’t even look at the syllabus,” Theodore adds, snorting. “And I definitely did better.”

“You’re joking, right? Fifty-five?” Lorenzo says, practically laughing. “That’s just sad.”

Regulus shakes his head slowly. “Embarrassing.”

Tom doesn’t speak, but his smile says enough.

Then—

“Which,” the professor says, “is the highest of everyone in the class.”

Silence.

Draco blinks. “Wait—what?”

Lorenzo's laugh trails off, his mouth still open.

Mattheo frowns. “You’re not serious.”

“I beg your pardon?” Regulus says, the smirk vanishing from his face.

Theodore looks around, confused. “No way—what did I get then?”

Tom stares ahead now, stone-faced.

“We all did worse than 55%?” Draco asks, his voice dropping.

The professor raises a brow. “Would you like me to read your scores out loud?”

Draco stiffens. “No… no, that won’t be necessary.”

You glance down at your test parchment — fifty-five percent in clear, red ink.

“You might all want to reflect on what that says about the rest of you,” the professor adds, stacking the remaining papers without another glance at the boys.