With June's arrival, the weather turned hot and humid, the skies bright and cloudless.
Every day, Jon would ask the House-elves in the kitchen for a few pints of chilled pumpkin juice. Then he and Astoria would sit by the lake or under the shade of a tree, enjoying the soft summer breeze while reviewing the details of medieval witch-hunting strategies and the five exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration.
But such an easy life was short-lived. Exams began soon after, and the castle fell into an unusual silence.
On Monday at lunchtime, the second-year students shuffled out of the Transfiguration classroom one by one, disheveled and dispirited, complaining loudly about the difficulty of the test... The exam required them to turn a book into a turtle!
"I think mine turned into a terrapin..." Astoria whispered to Jon as she left the classroom.
"It's fine, they all look about the same!" Jon reassured her.
Jon found the other subjects equally manageable. The Charms exam required the Unlocking Charm and the Cheering Charm, both effortless for him.
The next morning during Potions, Snape stalked menacingly between the cauldrons, scrutinizing the students' progress on their Swelling Solution. But as always, he failed to find a single flaw in Jon's work.
Before Jon left, Snape scribbled a terse remark across his exam parchment.
The Defense Against the Dark Arts exam was more of a small adventure. Students had to wade through a pond swarming with Grindylows, cross a pit infested with Red Caps, and finally make their way through a swamp to defeat a Hinkypunk.
It wasn't difficult—everything had been covered in class—and when Jon finished, Lupin gave him an approving look.
The Herbology exam, however, was tougher than many expected: they were tasked with transplanting and replanting a Devil's Snare. Many students struggled, but Professor Sprout kindly assured them that she would not let anyone fail.
The last exam, History of Magic, took place on the morning of June 6. At precisely 11:15 a.m., as that exam ended, their semester of study seemed to be finally over.
As Jon left the examination hall, he ran into Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. Dressed in a pinstriped cloak, he was speaking with several wizards, one of whom was holding an axe nearly two meters long.
Fudge didn't notice him; the Minister's gaze was fixed on Hagrid's hut in the distance.
Continuing upstairs, Jon reached a window on the eighth floor and pulled out his brass telescope.
He first looked toward Hagrid's hut, where Buckbeak the Hippogriff was lazily eating grilled fish, completely unaware of the judgment awaiting him.
Then Jon shifted his gaze a few hundred yards further, to the Whomping Willow. There, he spotted a yellow cat and a large black dog sitting side by side, as though deep in discussion.
A faint smile tugged at Jon's lips.
He calmly put the telescope away, went to the Great Hall for a quick bite, and politely declined several classmates' invitations to play Quidditch that afternoon. After lunch, he returned alone to the owlery.
...
The snowy-white owl once again landed on Jon's shoulder, nuzzling him affectionately.
"Jorgrin, my dear..." Jon murmured, "I need you to fly to London once more. This will be the last time..."
The owl bobbed its head, showing it understood.
Jon found a clean spot free of droppings, sat down, and checked his timing one last time.
Today was June 6. According to his calculations, sunset would be at precisely 7:00:38 p.m. Sunset meant moonrise—and since tonight was the full moon, it was also the time when Remus Lupin would transform.
Once Lupin became a werewolf, Sirius Black would take his Animagus form to protect his godson Harry and fight him off. Gravely injured, he would collapse by the lake, revert to human form, draw the Dementors' attention, and finally be captured by Snape.
The entire sequence would last no more than ten or twenty minutes.
Jon had sent Jorgrin back and forth to London more than ten times already, just to calculate the exact delivery time of an owl post. On a clear, windless day like this, Jorgrin needed roughly five hours and ten minutes to reach London.
That meant if Jon sent a letter at 2:10 p.m., by about 7:20 p.m. the Ministry of Magic would know that Black had been sighted at Hogwarts. They would immediately notify Minister Fudge, who was spending the night at the castle.
Instead of the original course of events—where Snape woke the resting Fudge and handed Black to him and the Dementors—Fudge would now arrive in high spirits, leading the Dementors directly to the scene and taking custody of Black himself.
From there, Jon didn't need to worry. With Dumbledore's help, Harry and Hermione would use the Time-Turner to rescue Black and set him free...
The ending wouldn't change, but Jon would gain the status of an informant.
And the bounty on Sirius Black stood at a staggering 3,000 Galleons—no, it had even been raised to 5,000 just a few days ago.
Half of that reward would go to anyone who provided detailed information about Black's whereabouts!
The Ministry of Magic was an official institution; an official bounty posted in writing could not simply be ignored.
Jon pulled out parchment and quill, then began to write rapidly:
"Dear Madam Amelia Bones,
Greetings!
I am an ordinary second-year student at Hogwarts: Jon Hart.
We met once in Azkaban (I was with Professor Dumbledore at the time), so you may remember me.
I now have a very serious matter to report.
Just a few minutes ago, I saw the wanted criminal Sirius Black here at school, by the Black Lake, beside the Whomping Willow.
I was terrified and ran away. Black didn't seem to notice me.
I intended to contact Professor Dumbledore, but I don't know where his office is and couldn't find him.
Therefore, I can only write to the Ministry for help—I hope you can send law enforcement officers in time to bring Black to justice!
P.S. Before Black is returned to Azkaban, I ask that the Ministry keep my report strictly confidential... As a Muggle-born Hogwarts student, I am very afraid of Black's revenge.
Thank you!
Jon Hart"
At the bottom of the envelope, he wrote in bold letters: "Report: Sirius Black's Whereabouts."
He tied the letter securely to Jorgrin's leg and instructed, "Deliver this to Madam Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
Amelia Bones was known as one of the more fair and responsible senior officials in the Ministry (the Department of Magical Law Enforcement ranked just below the Minister himself), and Jon thought it safer to address the letter to her.
As soon as he released the owl, the white shape vanished into the sky.
...
Jon stepped out of the owlery—only to be struck squarely in the chest by a tiny owl flying straight at him.
Rubbing at his ribs, Jon noticed a slip of parchment flutter to the floor at his feet.
He bent to pick it up and found a short message written upon it:
"Jon,
If you're free, come to my office around four o'clock. The password is 'iced lemonade.'
Albus Dumbledore"