In fact, the Dark Arts Defense exam can be roughly divided into two stages.

From Professor Sprout's first challenge to Professor Snape's fourth, the main purpose is to test students' mastery and application of the main courses, while also showcasing some magical techniques.

Although the difficulty of the challenges, based on the professors' younger selves as reference templates, may seem a bit high at first glance, considering that the "Dark Arts Defense Exam" is taken in teams of three, if students can prepare carefully, complement each other's strengths, and combine the power of three young wizards, passing the challenges is not as difficult as one might think.

According to predictions from both Ellena and the school's professors, if students from the four houses could put aside their prejudices and unite, forming mixed teams and sharing their resources, most young wizards could stumble and push their way through to the end of the fourth challenge.

Therefore, the academic credit bonus for this instance is also set at the fourth challenge.

Any wizard team that successfully passes the fourth challenge will be considered to have achieved good marks (e) again in the practical exams for Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, and Charms at the end of the year. If they already had good marks, they will be promoted to outstanding (o); and if they already had outstanding, they will be promoted to outstanding plus (o?).

However, from the fifth challenge onwards, it is the real "Defense Against the Dark Arts" final exam.

Since it involves real magical combat, only those who have passed the first four challenges, proving that they have reached a qualified standard in magical knowledge and flexible application, are eligible to enter the subsequent combat simulations. This can also be considered a safety lock set by Ellena and the professors after much discussion, for students who are not fully prepared.

"Are you ready? Behind this door, there are no standard answers to solve."

Standing at the door leading to the fifth challenge, Ellena looked at the three young witches in front of her and said with a serious face.

"Wands ready, the next three challenges are all practical magic exams, the methods are unlimited... and the only hint is - apart from the three of you, everything that appears in it will be your enemy."

"So... behind the door, are the giant spiders in the Forbidden Forest?"

"Not necessarily, it could be something else. As the keeper of the challenges, I can't reveal too many details."

"Magical combat..."

Hermione looked thoughtfully at Ellena, unbuttoned her robes, and casually placed her black wizard robe on the table in the room. Luna and Hannah followed suit and took off their clothes.

After a year of studying Defense Against the Dark Arts, they understood the importance of flexibility in magical confrontation. Ordinary wizard robes provide almost no defensive effect against spells and impact damage.

As a witch with magic, the less cumbersome fabric on her body, the higher the defense will be.

Glancing at the two enviable companions around her, Hermione's gaze fell on Ellena's chest, and she breathed a slight sigh of relief, curiously glancing at the magical phantom on the white-haired puffball's head that had turned into a bright yellow question mark.

"By the way, Ellena, are there any side quests to help us pass the next challenge?"

"Um, yes... As the only group with a difficulty level lower than the first year, you can get a little help."

Ellena nodded seriously, and while speaking, she couldn't wait to hand the little braised snacks she was holding to Hermione.

After waiting for four whole challenges, she finally had the opportunity to complete her NPC quest, giving the warriors the strongest cheat prepared by the mastermind and close friend - SSR-level God Pet [Cerberus]

Although for various reasons, she had not been able to play a role before, but after reaching this challenge, Ellena could finally use her privileges to open a little back door for the little wings, helping them to be more successful...

"...This, we can't take it."

Hermione was silent for a moment, then silently handed the three-headed little milk dog back to Ellena.

Looking at the little braised snacks that had returned to her hands, Ellena was slightly stunned and said anxiously.

"Eh?! Why! Don't look at it being silly now, it's very reliable to throw it out when you encounter danger!"

"Awoo? Woof? Woof!"

"I know, we all know how powerful Fluffy is in its adult state. But!"

Hermione nodded, gently patted the little braised snacks on the head, and a stubborn expression appeared on her face.

"Because of this, we can't accept this kind of cheating behavior. We've finally made it to the fifth challenge through our own strength, and I don't want to rely on Fluffy's power to win the final reward in this dishonorable way."

Although according to Newt Scamander's *Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them*, and the Ministry of Magic's list of dangerous magical creature ratings, Cerberus, dragons, and Acromantulas all belong to the highest XXXXX level of dangerous creatures.

But in fact, this danger rating is more from the perspective of aggressiveness.

If the division is based on danger and threat level, an adult Cerberus that has awakened its fire ability can almost sweep the Acromantula colony in the Forbidden Forest, and even some small adult dragons may not be able to defeat the "enhanced" Fluffy in its complete state.

For Hermione, a grade obtained by cheating is worse than failing the exam.

On the other side, Luna Lovegood also nodded in agreement, although she didn't speak, her eyes had already made a choice.

Yes, if she really just wanted to get the final reward, she might as well just ask the white-haired puffball for gold coins - she knew that there were mountains of Galleons hidden under Hogwarts. Ellena had stuffed a handful of them into her hands when they first met.

Luna didn't intend to cheat to pass the challenge, she was only participating in this "Defense Against the Dark Arts exam" for fun.

As for Hannah Abbott, who had drunk Courage Potion, Euphoria Elixir, and Sadness Potion in one go...

Under the mixed effect of the potions, the little iron girl was in an unusually excited state. To put it more appropriately, she didn't care what the opponent was, or where the opponent was, she only knew that she was going to go on a killing spree next!

While everyone wasn't paying attention, Hannah had refilled her status and was just waiting to push the door and set off.

Looking around at the confident little wings, Ellena shrugged helplessly.

"Okay, since you insist, then I can only wish you good luck..."

Anyway, she would be accompanying them throughout the subsequent challenges, and if something really went wrong, she could intervene at any time. After all, this was one of the requirements that Dumbledore had agreed to allow her to introduce magical combat into the castle.

It wasn't about the hunting exam in the next challenge, after all, there had been similar exams in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class in previous years.

The most important thing was the form of the sixth challenge...

Ellena's eyes flickered, she didn't give any more hints, and took out an Invisibility Cloak from her pink wallet and draped it over herself, disappearing silently from the three girls' sight.

And as the girl's figure disappeared, the tightly locked door to the fifth challenge made a click sound.

The practical exam had begun.

***

As soon as they pushed open the door, Hermione and the others smelled a nauseating stench.

It was a smell that combined stinky socks and a public toilet that had never been cleaned. The stench brought tears to the girls' eyes, accompanied by a strange low growl and the sound of huge feet dragging slowly across the ground.

Hermione subconsciously held her breath and looked up.

She saw a troll at least fifteen feet tall wandering in the empty room. It had granite-like dark and rough skin, and its huge and clumsy body was like a pile of huge gravel, topped with a cocoa bean-sized head. Its right arm, which reached its knees, dragged a thick wooden club, and its thighs, as thick as tree trunks, were covered with a layer of disgusting keratin.

Obviously noticing the sound from the door, the troll stopped and turned to look at the door.

The troll clumsily swung its long ears and sized up the three pale-faced little dots in front of it. It made a decision with its small head, and a fierce look quickly appeared on its ugly face. It took a big step forward, raising the club in its hand.

Facing such a rampaging and ugly behemoth, Hermione Granger seemed to be frightened. The wand in her hand trembled non-stop, and she muttered to herself, as if she was constantly thinking about what kind of spell she should cast.

Before entering, she had always thought that she would be dealing with some larger spiders, not such a monster.

Trolls, specifically mountain trolls, are classified as XXXX by the British Ministry of Magic. Their skin has high magical resistance, they are incredibly strong, they are mostly in a state of rage, and they like to eat raw meat, from wild animals to humans...

Countless pieces of information about trolls flashed through Hermione's mind. Most of the information recorded in books about dealing with trolls is to use the troll's stupidity to lead it into a trap, or to slowly knock it down from a distance.

However, the books don't write about the specific way to knock it down...

Hermione looked at the approaching troll, and her mind gradually went blank. She couldn't even recite complete spells.

If it were a different scenario, or if she knew what she was dealing with in advance, she could probably find several spells to solve this ugly behemoth. But for some reason, those spells in her mind seemed to be covered by a layer of fog.

However, the troll, roaring and rushing over aggressively, wouldn't give her much time to think. The club whistled in its hand, seemingly wanting to smash the three little human girls in front of it into a pulp in one go.

"Stupefy!"

A dazzling red light grazed Hermione's cheek and struck the troll's dark skin.

Luna Lovegood raised her wand and quickly cast a spell, but the spell hit the troll's skin and didn't cause any reaction. As a young witch who wasn't even eleven years old, the magic in her body was too weak.

The girl's spell hit this fifteen-foot-tall behemoth and couldn't even hinder its movement. Feeling provoked, the troll let out an even more terrifying snort, and the big club in its hand slammed down without hesitation.

Below the big club was Hermione, who was still standing there, limp all over.

Luna subconsciously let out a shrill, terrified scream and tried her best to pull Hermione to the side.

"Hermione! Be careful!"

The troll's ugly and ferocious face gradually revealed a hint of satisfaction with its destructive desire. In its stupid little head, the image of the human cubs in front of it being destroyed by its big stick had already begun to appear.

Bang!

With a dull impact sound, the whistling wind suddenly stopped.

"Ugh! Ouch... That really hurts..."

Hannah grinned, sucked in a breath of cold air, and tightly grabbed the front end of the huge club with both hands.

The troll's movements stopped instantly. It blinked its eyes stupidly, seemingly not understanding why its big club hadn't successfully smashed the few fragile human cubs away. It roared and wanted to pull its club back from Hannah's hands.

However, facing Hannah Abbott, who had already cast three layers of enhancement runes, it didn't get its wish right away.

Hannah tensed her face, grabbed the club tightly, and glared at the troll's ugly big nose that was close at hand without fear, while clenching her teeth and squeezing out a few words from her teeth intermittently.

"Hermione, don't be dazed! Quickly, quickly use your... explosion spell! Its strength... is a bit bigger than mine, I can't hold on... for too long... or you help me transfigure a... big stick... it's okay..."

Hermione nervously raised her wand, her lips trembling violently, and subconsciously shouted out a voice that appeared in her mind.

"Bombarda Maxima!"

A dazzling white beam of light cut through the air and struck the troll's chest, bursting out a very strong blast of air. All the strong impact force was directed towards the troll. Cracks bloomed on its seemingly indestructible dark skin.

"Aww--"

Caught off guard by the attack, the troll subconsciously let go of the club and staggered back a few steps, letting out a painful and angry howl. The shrill and terrifying sound echoed in the empty room, bringing up layers of echoes.

Bang!

Before the troll could react, Hannah rushed forward with a firm look, swung the club in her hand and smashed it hard on the original owner's head, hitting it over and over again.

Bang! Bang!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The troll swayed in place and fell face down on the floor with a bang, shaking the entire room.

After a long time, Hannah stopped panting, trembling all over and gasping for breath.

Hermione Granger stood there, staring at what she had done, her wand still held high in her hand.

Finally, Hermione took a deep breath and spoke first in a trembling voice.

"Is... it dead?"