Ordinary Wizarding Level

Wrong answers only

Previous Chapters:

https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003768423

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https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003770117

Tags:

@Teddy.J.B @Pervaza972 @CatsAndRoblox @Missy Clara Oswald

(sorry for the bit of delay, I have this chapter finished a while ago but I made a cascading error in the following chapter and until I was sure both chapters were free of my mistake I had to hold this one back. Hope you enjoy.)

Chapter Four: Catch-up and O.W.L.s

Harry woke up the next morning to the smell of a mushroom and bacon quiche, as did Theodore. Looking at his watch he realized it was nearly eleven.

‘I guess we really were up late last night, huh,’ said Theodore as he got changed.

Harry put his day clothes on and the two headed downstairs where the breakfast quiche was waiting on the dining table and Remus and Canini were already eating. Alongside the quiche was also a stack of toast and a pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice.

‘Ah, you boys are finally awake, I was starting to think I’d have to make you lunch instead of breakfast. Come, eat,’ said Remus, looking slightly more cheerful than he had been the previous night.

‘Yeah, before it gets cold,’ said Canini as she took a bite of toast.

Harry and Theodore didn’t have to be told twice, they drew up a chair and Harry took a little of everything. Harry hadn’t had the pleasure of Remus’ cooking really since Christmas as for the funeral all Harry really ate was sandwiches and cereal before he had to head back to the Dursley’s. They all mostly ate in silence, but only because their mouths were too busy eating the delicious food. Then when Harry was finished Remus smiled and put his hands on his shoulders.

‘I never got a chance to tell you before, but you have grown so much since Christmas,’ said Remus, with a hint of pride in his voice, ‘Theo had his big growth spirt last year, but over the past several months you and Canini have shot right up. Once we get the supply list for the year we’ll probably have to get you both new robes. The Weasley's want us to go the same day they do.'

As he and the others moved to the living room that made him remember something and he asked.

‘That reminds me, while I have been receiving letters and the daily newspaper I’m still a little out of the loop. How are the Weasley’s?’ Harry asked.

‘Well Harry, there has been some big news over there,’ said Remus with a smile. ‘Arthur finally got a well deserved promotion.’

‘Oh, that’s great,’ said Harry, who knew just as well as the others that Mr Weasley was probably the most hard working employee at the Ministry of Magic and yet his department had been understaffed and underfunded. ‘What has he been promoted too?’

‘A new position created by the new Minister, to help deal with Voldemort and his Death Eaters,’ answered Theodore. ‘Mr Weasley’s division is called the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects.’

‘And get this Harry,’ said Canini, instead of just one underling he now has I think ten people he is now in charge of.’

‘What exactly does his department do?’ asked Harry, as while it sounded important he had a hard time seeing Mr Weasley being proficient in something that didn’t involve magical items in some way.

‘Ever since the public learned that Voldemort has returned low-life that are out to make a buck have been selling fake protective charms and potions that at best do nothing but at worse cause actual bodily harm,’ explained Remus. ‘Times like these people can’t be putting their faith in items that will do nothing to help them, and St Mungo’s can’t handle much more addiction injuries, so it is Mr Weasley and his department’s job to separate the fakes from the real deals and confiscate the ones that don’t work.’

‘That does sound like a job he would enjoy,’ said Harry.

‘Oh, and speaking of jobs, Fred and George fully opened their joke shop in Diagon Alley,’ said Theodore.

‘Yes, they sent me an owl saying whenever I get to see it for the first time I can try out whatever I want,’ said Harry excitedly.

‘How come they did that?’ asked Remus, Harry had never told his guardians that he had given most of his tri-wizard tournament prize money to the twins to use in their shop and the rest to Theodore to grow his independence.

‘Er, just from being such a supporter of them over the years. You know that not everyone supported their dream,’ said Harry trying to sound as convincing as possible.

‘Yes, Molly has told me many times that she did not approve of their career choice, but in recent conversations she seems to have come around and given them her approval,’ said Remus.

‘If only she’d give approval to her other son’s choices,’ said Theodore sarcastically, although Harry didn’t fully understand.

‘What? Did Percy do something?’

‘No, Percy still isn’t on speaking terms with his family. What Theodore is referring to is that Bill has gotten engaged,’ explained Remus.

‘Oh? Good for him,’ said Harry, although he still didn’t understand the disapproval comment Theodore had made. ‘Who’s the lucky person?’

‘Your fellow tri-wizard champion, Fleur Delacour, she is Bill’s fiancée. The wedding is to be sometime next summer,’ said Remus. Harry remember Bill saying something about Fleur beginning working at Gringotts, though he couldn’t remember if Bill had mentioned they were an item.

‘Well that’s nice, Bill is a good man and she has a kind heart, I’m sure they’ll be great together. Why doesn’t Mrs Weasley approve?’

‘I think it’s her Veela heritage,’ said Canini, ‘as much as it makes hetero men practically drool over her, it seems to have the opposite effect on hetero women. Mrs Weasley isn’t the only one who dislikes her, she’s stay at the Burrow right now and Ginny and Hermione Granger also dislike her. Ginny does make some good points about Fleur being a bit full of herself and that they’re rushing into things, but I think it’s mostly the anti Veela charm magic happening.’

‘While it might a little fast, I have seen faster during the previous war,’ said Remus. ‘Couple’s who don’t know how much time they’ll have so get to living life as fast as they can. James and Lily were married only a short while after Hogwarts and had Harry when they were only twenty, Andromeda and Ted were even faster with their marriage and having Nymphadora, and Molly is one to talk as she and Arthur eloped not long after their graduation as well. At least Bill and Fleur are having a long engagement before they tie the knot.’

‘I think that’s one of the reasons Ginny has against Fleur,’ said Canini. ‘That if it was true love they would be married a lot sooner, but I don’t understand all this romance at the best of times anyway.’

That seemed to exhaust the topic of the Weasley’s, Remus’ expression went a bit more serious as he asked Harry a question.

‘So, you helped Dumbledore convince Horace Slughorn to come back to Hogwarts?’

Harry nodded, it would appear that Dumbledore confessed to him the contents of the previous evening, ‘Really I didn’t do much, just being at his house seemed to convince him.’

‘He was still at Hogwarts when the Marauders were there,’ said Remus. ‘In fact, I think he might have been teaching at Hogwarts for the same amount of time as Dumbledore. I wanted to know Harry, what was your opinion of him?’

Harry was still not sure of what his opinion of Slughorn was, he didn’t seem to be malicious, but his blood status remarks were off-putting. Harry shrugged and gave a non-committal jerk off the head.

‘Yes, I understand what you mean,’ said Remus, nodding wisely. ‘He was a nice man and an excellent teacher, but none of us Marauders really liked him all that much. If you didn’t already have famous connections or were a decently skilled Slytherin you would have to be an absolute prodigy to get his attention. Sorry, I guess even after nearly twenty years I’m still jealous because I was one of the highest performing students of my year, but I believe because I was a Gryffindor Half-blood skilled in subjects other than what he taught that I never really caught his eye.’

This confused Harry as Remus was very gifted in Defence Against the Dark Arts which must be what Slughorn taught as that was the position that was open, but he didn’t press him for clarification. Something else popped into his mind that he wanted Remus specifically to answer.

‘Moony, you wrote me to say that Susan survived, but Amelia was the only family she had left and she isn’t of age yet so she can’t live on her own, what happened to her?’ Harry wanted to make sure one of his oldest friends was going to be ok.

‘When the attack first happened I went to Susan and offered her to stay with us actually, that she could stay in our spare bedroom or bunk with Canini. However she knows I am in the Order, and what happened to-er-Sirius, and she said she didn’t want to emotionally risk moving in with someone who will likely be killed as well,’ Remus paused for a moment when he saw the terror on his children’s faces. ‘She was in shock and grief, I’m being as safe as I can and I won’t be gone any time soon, I promise. Anyway, her girlfriend’s family, the Moon’s, offered her to stay with them until she’s of age or longer if necessary and Susan decided to move in with them.’

Harry thought that was probably for the better, while everyone seemed to be slowly recovering from the loss of Sirius, they still weren’t ready to add another person to their household. Perhaps Remus was just looking to fill the space that was missing in the home.

‘Well, it’s a nice day outside,’ said Remus. You three should go out and enjoy the sun, just try and stay within the property so that the Fidelius Charm keeps you safe.’

So Harry grabbed his Firebolt and the others picked up a spare broom each, they all put their shoes on and made their way to a clearing in the trees on the cottage's property. From the outside it looked like a thick orchard, but just past a couple trees it was a big open field where they could fly around as long as they didn't go higher then the tree line. They kicked off and flew around a bit, which cheered Harry up greatly, but he still had questions he wanted answered, so while still flying the three flew in close to one another.

'What is going on with Tonks?' Harry asked. 'I've only seen her with brown hair once before and it was at her grandmother's funeral, but even then a couple days later while still sad her hair was back to being colourful.'

'I think its because her grandmother had a more natural death, Sirius' death was anything but, and we think—' began Theodore.

'No, I know,' said Canini. 'She blames herself for his death.'

'How does she work that one out?' asked Harry, in spite of himself.

'Just before Sirius began dueling Bellatrix Lestrange she had been battling me and Tonks, and I know Tonks thinks that because she is an Auror she should have been able to defeat Bellatrix or at least distract her long enough for Dumbledore to deal with her,' explained Canini. 'Bellatrix though sent a spell so powerful at us that while I was able to shield us it still knocked us over and stunned us a bit. There was nothing we could have done but she doesn't see it that way.'

'And it doesn't help that they were close,' added Harry, now thinking from Tonks' point of view. 'We think of her as our cousin, but Sirius had acted like a second father to her since she was nine, she's known him nearly as long as I have.'

'Like many forms of magic a Metamorphmagus' shape changing ability can be effected by their emotions,' said Theodore. 'Being calm often results in the most control, anger or excitement can cause unintended changes, and it would seem grief and depression can make it near impossible to use their powers entirely.'

'Do you think her having trouble with her powers will effect her missions in the Order?' asked Canini in a worried tone. 'As most of her tasks relied on the fact that she could disguise herself however the Order needed.'

'I don't know,' admitted Harry. 'Though I'm sure Dumbledore will find tasks for her, as the Order need all the help they can get.'

Theodore and Canini looked at each other and then Theodore spoke.

‘Did Dumbledore mention anything else to you while you were recruiting this years teacher?’ he asked.

‘Well, he is going to be giving me private lessons this year,’ said Harry.

'Shut up? Really?!' asked Canini both excited and nervous.

'I only just remembered,' said Harry honestly. 'He told me last night in these very woods.'

'Goodness, I can't believe you're going to get to learn under Dumbledore himself,' said Canini, practically star struck. 'What do you think he'll be teachi..?'

Her voice tailed away. Harry saw her and Theodore exchange looks again. Harry flew down to the soft grass bellow and the other two followed, his heart beating rather fast . Dumbledore had said to do it...Why not now? He fixed his eyes on the grass, which was gleaming in the sunlight from above, and said, 'I don’t know exactly why he’s going to be giving me lessons, but I think it must be because of the prophecy.'

Neither Theodore or Canini spoke. Harry had the impression that both had frozen. He continued, still speaking towards the ground, 'You know, the one they were trying to steal at the Ministry.'

'Yes, but no one knows the message it contains, as it was destroyed,' said Theodore quickly. 'Although that wasn't you and Neville's fault.'

'But Theo, you know that the Daily Prophet thinks—' Canini began, but Theodore hushed her.

'The Prophet’s got it right,' said Harry, looking up at them both with a great effort: Theodore seemed frightened and Canini amazed. 'That glass ball that smashed wasn’t the only record of the prophecy. I heard the whole thing in Dumbledore’s office, he was the one the prophecy was made to, so he could tell me. From what it said,' Harry took a deep breath, 'it looks like I’m the one who’s got to finish off Voldemort...At least, it said neither of us could live while the other survives.'

The three of them gazed at one another in silence for a moment. Then Canini started crying a little.

'Oh Harry, you've had this on your chest for weeks,' she said giving him a quick hug. 'Are you ok, oh Harry...'

'We had all wondered, Tracey and Allison included, after we returned from the Ministry...' began Theodore. 'But we had all promised not to ask you about any of it, however I was very curious after what Lucius Malfoy had to say about what the prophecy contained. He had mentioned that it was about you and Voldemort, so we all speculated it might be about you and his destiny, but I never imagined "neither of you can live while the other survives". I agree with Canini, are you ok, are you scared?'

'Not as much as I was,' said Harry. 'When I first heard it, I was...but now, it seems as though I always knew I’d have to face him in the end...'

'When Remus said Dumbledore would be collecting you personally, we thought he might take the opportunity to tell you something about the prophecy,' said Canini eagerly. 'While we were wrong about when he told you, we weren't wrong that picking you up had a couple extra agendas. And you shouldn't worry Harry, think of it this way, if Dumbledore thought you stood no chance he wouldn't be spending time out of his day on you—he must really believe in you, Harry!'

'I guess, but I still don't know what he plans on teaching me, just that its not Occlumency,' said Harry, a warmth was spreading through him that had nothing to do with the sunlight; a tight obstruction in his chest seemed to be dissolving. He knew his siblings were more shocked than they were letting on, but the mere fact that they were still there on either side of him, speaking bracing words of comfort, not shrinking from him as though he were contaminated or dangerous, was worth more than he could ever tell them. 'Possibly some very advanced defensive magic like the type he used against Voldemort at the Ministry.'

'Well, its good to know at least one of the lesson's you'll be able to attend this year,' said Theodore. 'The wait for my O.W.L. results is killing me.'

'I'm sure you did fine Theodore,' said Canini in a tone that made Harry think he's brought this up several times before.

'Hang on,' said Harry, as another part of last night’s conversation came back to him. 'I think Dumbledore said our O.W.L. results would be arriving today!'

'Wait, really‽' squealed Theodore. 'As in today today? Oh my goodness! I'm going back inside to see if any owls have arrived yet...'

And with that Theodore ran back through the woods towards the cottage.

'Am I going to be like that in two years?' asked Canini as she watch Theodore disappear in the trees.

'Maybe, though Theodore is a bit hyper when it comes to grades,' responded Harry. 'I'm going in too, I want to write Allison and Tracey about the prophecy.'

Harry then went inside and took the time to tell Remus about the prophecy as well, and while nervous for Harry, he too was quite supportive of him. He then helped Harry craft two letters to Tracey Davis and Allison Runcorn explaining the prophecy to them and what it meant to Harry, though despite his promise a couple weeks back Remus was still hesitant when Harry sent Allison's letter.

During this time Theodore was pacing like crazy, Harry was starting to regret telling him their results were on their way.

'I know I've probably gotten my "Outstanding" in Potions, but I need one in Herbology as well for most of the positions I'm interested in,' he ranted. 'And while I try my best in that class it doesn't come as naturally to me as mixing brews does.'

'Theodore, there is only a single student in our year who does better than you do,' blurted Harry eventually when he had heard enough. 'You are going to get more "Outstanding"s than the rest of our friend group.'

'Remus, what does happen if you don't get sufficient O.W.L.s for the career you want?' Canini asked.

'For some classes there can be make up courses if the teacher is willing and the student is desperate enough, there are also lessons outside of Hogwarts that some employers count as equivalent credits, finally, sometimes the O.W.L.s a job says it requires are just a suggestion and if you're skilled enough they'll still take you and train you on the job. It won't come to that though Theo, I know you did fine.'

The conversation didn't get to continue though as Theodore was now pointing through the kitchen window. Two black specks were clearly visible in the sky, growing larger all the time.

'Pretty sure those are owls,' said Canini, looking through the window.

'And there are two of them,' said Harry, hastening to her other side.

'One for the both of us,' said Theodore in a nervous wreck. 'I can't take this...'

Theodore gripped Harry tightly around the elbow.

The owls were flying directly to Mould-on-the-Wold Cottage, two handsome tawnies, both of which, it became clear as they flew lower over the path leading up to the house, was carrying a large square envelope.

'Oh goodness!' panicked Theodore.

Remus squeezed past his three children and opened the kitchen window. The owls soared through it and landed on the table in a neat line. Both of them lifted their right legs.

Harry moved forward. The letter addressed to him was tied to the leg of the owl in the middle. He untied it with fumbling fingers. To his right Theodore’s hands were shaking so much he was making his whole owl tremble as he detached his letter.

Nobody in the kitchen spoke. At last, Harry managed to detach the envelope. He slit it open quickly and unfolded the parchment inside.

Harry read the parchment through several times, his breathing becoming easier with each reading. It was all right: He had always known that he would fail Divination, and he had had no chance of passing History of Magic, given that he had collapsed halfway through the examination, but he had passed everything else! He ran his finger down the grades...he had passed well in Transfiguration and Herbology, he had even exceeded expectations at Potions! And best of all, he had achieved "Outstanding” at Defense Against the Dark Arts!

He looked to Theodore, who had his back to him and his head bent.

'Well, how'd you do Harry?' asked Remus, seemingly giving Theodore more time to read and reread his results.

'I passed everything but Divination and History of Magic, I got an "Acceptable" for Astronomy, everything else is "Exceeds Expectations" except for DADA which I got an "Outstanding".

'That's amazing, I am very proud of you Harry!' said Remus beaming.

'What about you, Theo?' said Canini tentatively, for Theodore still hadn’t turned around. 'How were your results?'

'Fairly well...I got an "Acceptable" in Divination though...' he began, but then Canini ripped the paper out of his hand.

'Besides that passing mark he has three "Outstandings" including the two he needed and the rest are "Exceeding Expectations".'

'Give that back, oh you can be so annoying,' said Theodore trying to get his marks back. 'Even though its a pass an "A" means I can't continue that class.'

'You didn't want to take Divination anymore anyway!' laughed Canini, finally giving Theodore his marks back, he smiled to.

'Well I am proud of you too Theodore, and you did very well in your third year exams Canini,' said Remus with pride. 'My three kids are geniuses! I think this calls for dessert before lunch.'

While the other two cheered, Harry looked back down at his results. They were as good as he could have hoped for. He felt just one tiny twinge of regret...This was the end of his ambition to become an Auror. He had not secured the required Potions grade. He had known all along that he wouldn’t, but he still felt a sinking in his stomach as he looked again at that small black "E".

It was odd, really, seeing that it had been a Death Eater in disguise who had first told Harry he would make a good Auror, but somehow the idea had taken hold of him, and he couldn’t really think of anything else he would like to be. Moreover, it had seemed the right destiny for him since he had heard the prophecy a few weeks ago...Neither can live while the other survives...Wouldn’t he be living up to the prophecy, and giving himself the best chance of survival, if he joined those highly trained wizards whose job it was to find and kill Voldemort?

Previous Chapters:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Tags:

@Bellatrisblack @CatsAndRoblox @Rose.gold.kiisses @MeowTasticCat @Jellybean Jade @Missy Clara Oswald @Teddy.J.B @Pervaza972

(Hey, I'm back from vacation. I have three chapters finished but I am going to post them separately over the next three days.

Pervaza, after what you commented last chapter I think you'll really like this one😉)

Chapter Thirty-Three: O.W.L.s

The joy from the match continued to fuel more than two whole houses, which was a perfect distraction to continue filling Theodore in on what had happened the day prior. It was another fine, warm day, the four of them decided to go studying under the beech tree on the edge of the lake, where they stood less chance of being overheard than in the common room or the schools courtyard.

They spread their books out in the shade of the beech tree and sat down while they discussed further what had happened in the forest.

‘So, let’s see if I got the facts straight,’ said Theodore, ‘Hagrid has a sixteen foot half-brother hidden in the forest, and Hagrid has been visiting him but because he helped Firenze the Centaurs really don’t want him or any human in the forest, and now Hagrid thinks he’s about to be sacked so once he’s gone he wants the four of us to domesticate a giant as well as teach it English.’

‘You forgot the part where Grawp likes to grab anything in sight, but beside that I think you got the gist,’ said Allison.

‘Wow, you are right. Hagrid really has lost the last shred of sanity,’ Theodore responded while scratching his head. ‘I can sort of understand him trying to do that for Grawp if he’s his brother, but to ask us to do his job for him? That’s just straight up crazy!’

‘Well, we’re hoping he’ll keep his job as long as possible so the responsibility doesn’t fall to us as soon,’ said Tracey.

‘What are we going to do,’ said Theodore now becoming overwhelmed. ‘We have our O.W.L.s not long from now, we still have so much studying to do for them. And then how are we supposed to get to Grawp when Pansy and her Inquisitorial Squad are always keeping an eye on us. An-And if we’re caught then for sure this time we’ll be expelled, and I—‘

‘How was the quidditch match?’ Harry blurted. He wanted to take his brother’s mind off of Grawp for a minute.

‘Er, sorry,’ said Theodore, ‘what do you mean?’

‘I think what Harry means is we left right after the first score, we don’t know what happened after that other than the fact that Gryffindor won the match,’ said Tracey. ‘Tell us about what we missed.’

‘Um well, Davies was the only one who actually managed to score against Ron. He was brilliant, thanks to him Gryffindor managed to gain enough points that the final match ended with them in second place for the whole season,’ began Theodore. ‘In the end Cho was chasing the Golden Snitch and then Ginny shot up like an arrow from beneath her and caught it.’

‘So Cho didn’t catch the Snitch?’ asked Harry.

‘No, and you might actually want to go talk to her, Harry,’ said Theodore, now directly looking at Harry. ‘When she lost after being so close she started crying in anger and threw her broom as hard as she could the second her feet touched the ground.’

‘What? Why, she’s lost once or twice before, I’ve never seen her be a sore loser before,’ admitted Harry.

‘That’s why I think you should go talk to her, I think this was about more than just losing the match.’

‘I think I saw Cho in the courtyard as we passed by it,’ added Tracey. ‘Go now before you chicken out.’

Getting the message that his friends weren’t going to drop the subject until he talked to Cho, he gathered up his books and made his way towards the courtyard. It was absolutely packed with students, but Cho was easy to spot as she was the only one there sitting by herself. Her nose was stuck in a book study for one of exams so she didn’t see him approach.

‘Er, may I sit here?’ he said while pointing to the empty spot right next to her. She looked up and her eyes widened.

‘Oh, Harry, hi. I didn’t see you there,’ she said, her cheeks going a little pink. ‘Sure, you can sit.’

And so he did, he sat down to the left of her and put his books down to his right. They sat next to each other awkwardly in silence, but then Harry spoke up.

‘I saw your match yesterday,’ Harry fibbed, all he had seen was her kick off into the air.

‘Yes, I saw you in the Ravenclaw stands, that meant a lot,’ she said with a faint smile, but then it faded. ‘Although I was rubbish in the match, wasn’t I?’

‘No,’ said Harry, solely going off the information Theodore had told him. ‘You did great, you spotted the Snitch first and were this close to getting it before Ginny caught it. It happens sometimes.’

Cho’s smile now was genuine.

‘Thanks Harry, I don’t know if I was that good, but I appreciate the kind words.’

Harry knew boosting her confidence was not the only thing he had come here to do.

‘However…’ he continued, ‘why did you cry out and throw your broom like you did, you nearly fractured it.’

Embarrassment and self disappointment now engulfed her smile.

‘Yeah, it ended up with some splinters I had to repair,’ she said, trying to change the subject but he wouldn’t let her.

‘Cho…’

‘Because I’m a failure Harry!’ Cho exclaimed.

‘What do you mean? Are you getting bad grades in a class, because exams aren’t over yet and I’m sure you could make up for—‘

‘No, it’s not like that, I am passing everything, but not by much so I’m not sure what that’ll mean for my future, I have likely failed me and my parents,’ she began, Harry could tell she was gearing up for a rant. ‘And now I have fail my house as we only won a single match this year and points wise we ended in last place. It was me who invited Marietta despite knowing she didn’t really want to be there, so I failed the entire D.A. I haven’t been there for you despite this year being equally hard on you, so I’ve failed at being your girlfriend. And I failed Cedric, I couldn’t be there for him either, so—‘

‘You didn’t fail Cedric, you weren’t a champion so there was nothing you could do, and I was in shock as to what was happening so I probably couldn’t have done anything either, I’ve been blaming myself all year too Cho but neither of us could have saved him,’ Harry had finally said it, after a year of guilt he finally accepted that what happened to Cedric was not his fault. ‘Despite what Theodore always says grades aren’t everything, you’re a hard worker, and so anything you want to do I’m sure you can do it. There were a few people at the D.A. who probably were just there for someone else, it could have just as easily been Michael Corner or Zacharias Smith who leaked our information. And if I’m being honest I think I’ve failed at being a boyfriend too, so maybe for now we can both be failures that still care for one other?’

For a moment he thought Cho was going to cry again, but instead she smiled which was a relief.

‘Thank you Harry, I really mean that,’ she began to pack up her books, ‘I should go talk to Professor Sprout to talk about a second chance, but I’ll see you at supper?’

‘Er yeah, of course,’ said Harry, just bewildered at how fast her mood improved.

‘Oh, and one more thing,’ she quickly leaned over and gave him a kiss. She then got up and left.

Harry enjoyed talking to her and seeing her smile, but as she walked away he couldn’t stop thinking about how he didn’t feel any joy when she kissed him.

The castle grounds were gleaming in the sunlight as though freshly painted; the cloudless sky smiled at itself in the smoothly sparkling lake, the satin-green lawns rippled occasionally in a gentle breeze: June had arrived, but to the fifth years this meant only one thing: Their O.W.L.s were upon them at last.

Their teachers were no longer setting them homework; lessons were devoted to reviewing those topics their teachers thought most likely to come up in the exams. The purposeful, feverish atmosphere drove nearly everything but the O.W.L.s from Harry’s mind, though he did wonder occasionally during Potions lessons whether Remus had ever told Snape that he must continue giving Harry Occlumency tuition: If he had, then Snape had ignored Remus as thoroughly as he was now ignoring Harry. This suited Harry very well; he was quite busy and tense enough without extra classes with Snape, and to his relief Theodore was much too preoccupied these days to badger him about Occlumency. She was spending a lot of time second guessing what topics he should be putting the majority of his focus into.

He was not the only person acting oddly as the O.W.L.s drew steadily nearer. Ernie Macmillan had developed an irritating habit of interrogating people about their study habits.

‘How many hours d’you think you’re doing a day?’ he demanded of Harry as they queued outside of Transfiguration, a manic gleam in his eyes.

‘I’m not sure,’ said Harry. ‘At least a few…’

‘More or less than eight?’

‘I guess less,’ said Harry, not expecting this level of intensity.

‘I’m doing eight,’ said Ernie, puffing out his chest. ‘Eight or nine. I’m getting an hour in before breakfast every day. Eight’s my average. I can do ten on a good weekend day. I did nine and a half on Monday. Not so good on Tuesday—only seven and a quarter. Then on Wednesday—‘

Harry was deeply thankful that Professor McGonagall ushered them into her classroom, forcing Ernie to abandon his recital.

Meanwhile jerks like Draco Malfoy had found a different way to induce panic.

‘Of course, it’s not what you know,’ he was heard to tell Daphne and Millicent loudly outside Potions a few days before the exams were to start, ‘it’s who you know. Now, Father’s been friendly with the head of the Wizarding Examinations Authority for years—old Griselda Marchbanks—we’ve had her round for dinner and everything…’

‘You suppose he’s lying?’ Theodore whispered to Harry and the girls, looking frightened.

Even if he’s been honest there’s nothing we can do about it,’ said Tracey gloomily.

‘I don’t think it’s true,’ said Neville quietly from in front of them. ‘Because Griselda Marchbanks is a friend of my gran’s, and she’s never mentioned the Malfoys.’

‘What’s Marchbanks like, Neville?’ asked Theodore at once. ‘Is she strict about how answers are formatted?’

‘Bit like Gran, really,’ said Neville in a subdued voice.

‘You knowing her won’t hurt your scoring, will it?’ asked Theodore.

‘Oh, I don’t think it will make any difference,’ said Neville, still more miserably. ‘Gran’s always telling Professor Marchbanks I’m not as good as my dad…Well…you and Harry saw what she’s like at St. Mungo’s…’

Neville looked fixedly at the floor. Harry and Theodore glanced at each other, but didn’t know what to say. It was the first time that Neville had acknowledged that they had met at the Wizarding hospital.

Meanwhile a flourishing blackmarket trade in aids to concentration, mental agility, and wakefulness had sprung up among the fifth and seventh years. Harry and Allison were very much tempted by the bottle of Baruffio’s Brain Elixir offered to them by Ravenclaw sixth year Eddie Carmichael, who swore it was solely responsible for the nine “Outstanding” O.W.L.s he had gained the previous summer and was offering the whole pint for a mere twelve Galleons. Allison, who was broke after paying Rita assured Harry she would reimburse him for her half the very first day back in the fall, but before they could close the deal, Theodore pulled the two of them away.

‘Come on Theo, we weren’t going to use the stuff on any tests, just for studying,’ pleaded Harry.

‘You idiots,’ he shouted. ‘Were you going to try to buy Harold Dingle’s “powdered dragon claw” along with the Baruffio’s Brain Elixir?’

‘Harold has powdered dragon claw?’ said Allison eagerly.

‘No, he doesn’t,’ said Theodore, rolling his eyes. ‘These brain enhancers don’t actually work, you know that right?’

‘Except for dragon claw,’ Allison tried to explain, ‘it increases your brain function and allows the user to be extra cunning for a couple hours. So does Harold Dingle have any or not?’

‘He says he has some,’ said Theodore, ‘but I’ve seen both his and Eddie Carmichael’s bottles, they’re fakes. The dragon claw specifically looked more like dried doxy droppings.’

This information took the edge off Harry and Allison’s desire for brain stimulants.

They received their examination schedules and details of the procedure for O.W.L.s during their next Transfiguration lesson.

‘As you can see,’ Professor McGonagall told the class while they copied down the dates and times of their exams from the blackboard, ‘your O.W.L.s are spread over two successive weeks. You will sit the theory exams in the mornings and the practice in the afternoons. Your practical Astronomy examination will, of course, take place at night. Now, I must warn you that the most stringent Anti-Cheating Charms have been applied to your examination papers. Auto-Answer Quills are banned from the examination hall, as are Remembralls, Detachable Cribbing Cuffs, and Self-Correcting Ink. Every year, I am afraid to say, seems to harbor at least one student who thinks that he or she can get around the Wizarding Examinations Authority’s rules. I can only hope that it is nobody in this class today. Our new—headmistress’—Professor McGonagall pronounced the word with the same look on her face that Aunt Petunia had whenever she was contemplating a particularly stubborn bit of dirt—‘has asked us teachers to tell the students that cheating will be punished most severely—because, of course, your examination results will reflect upon the headmistress’s new regime at the school…’

Professor McGonagall gave a tiny sigh. Harry saw the nostrils of her sharp nose flare.

‘However, that is no reason not to do your very best. You have your own futures to think about.’

‘Excuse me, Professor,’ said Theodore, his hand raised, ‘at what time after the exams will we learn our results?’

‘An owl will be sent to you each student some time in July,’ said Professor McGonagall.

‘Great,’ said Susan Bones sarcastically, ‘we’ll be worrying about our results for weeks…’

Since Harry would likely be spending the majority of the summer at Privet Drive, he could just imagine sitting in his tiny bedroom waiting for his O.W.L. results. Well, he thought, at least he would be sure of one bit of post next summer…

Their first exam, Theory of Charms, was scheduled for Monday morning. Harry agreed to test Tracey after lunch on Sunday but regretted it almost at once. Despite being the best in the class she was suffering from just as much second guessing as Theodore. She kept getting him to question her on the most random things Flitwick had only mentioned once or twice in class, and then didn’t seem to believe him whether he told her she’d gotten it right or wrong.

‘Why don’t you just do it yourself?’ he said firmly, handing the book back to her.

Meanwhile Allison was reading two years of Charms notes with his fingers in his ears, his lips moving soundlessly; Theodore was trying to perfect his wand movements for the spells, and Daphne was reciting the definition of a Substantive Charm and then checking it against The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5.

Dinner was a subdued affair that night. Harry, Tracey, and Allison did not talk much, but ate with gusto, having studied hard all day. Theodore on the other hand kept putting down his knife and fork and grabbing his bag from under the table, from which he would seize a book to check some fact or figure. Allison was just telling him that he ought to eat a decent meal or he would not sleep that night, when his fork slid from his limp fingers and landed with a loud tinkle on his plate.

‘Look over there!’ he said faintly, staring into the entrance hall. ‘Is that who I think it is? Are they the examiners?’

Harry, Allison, and Tracey whipped around on their bench. Through the doors to the Great Hall they could see Umbridge standing with a small group of ancient-looking witches and wizards. Umbridge, Harry was pleased to see, looked rather nervous.

‘We should get closer and check them out,’ said Tracey.

All four nodded and they hastened toward the double doors into the entrance hall, slowing down as they stepped over the threshold to walk sedately past the examiners. Harry thought Professor Marchbanks must be the tiny, stooped witch with a face so lined it looked as though it had been draped in cobwebs; Umbridge was speaking to her very deferentially. Professor Marchbanks seemed to be a little deaf; she was answering Umbridge very loudly considering that they were only a foot apart.

‘Journey was fine, journey was fine, we’ve made it plenty of times before!’ she said impatiently. ‘Now, I haven’t heard from Dumbledore lately!’ she added, peering around the hall as though hopeful he might suddenly emerge from a broom cupboard. ‘No idea where he is, I suppose?’

‘None at all,’ said Umbridge, shooting a malevolent look at Harry, Tracey, Allison, and Theodore, who were now dawdling around the foot of the stairs as Allison pretended to fix her pink headband. ‘But I daresay the Ministry of Magic will track him down soon enough…’

‘I doubt it,’ shouted tiny Professor Marchbanks, ‘not if Dumbledore doesn’t want to be found! I should know….I examined him personally in Transfiguration and Charms when he did N.E.W.T.s…Did things with a wand I’d never seen before…’

‘Yes…well…’ said Professor Umbridge as Harry, Theodore, Allison, and Tracey dragged their feet down the dungeon staircase as slowly as they dared, ‘let me show you to the staffroom…I daresay you’d like a cup of tea after your journey…’

It was an uncomfortable sort of an evening. Everyone was trying to do some last-minute studying but nobody seemed to be getting very far. Harry went to bed early but then lay awake for what felt like hours.

He remembered his careers consultation and McGonagall’s furious declaration that she would help him become an Auror if it was the last thing she did…He wished he had expressed a more achievable ambition now that exam time was here…He knew that he was not the only one lying awake, but none of the others in the dormitory spoke and finally, one by one, they fell asleep.

None of the fifth years talked very much at breakfast the next day either. Theodore was practicing incantations under his breath while the salt shaker in front of him danced, Tracey had both Achievement in Charming and Standard Book of Spells open and was reading them simultaneously, and looking over at the Gryffindor table Neville kept dropping his knife and fork and knocking over the marmalade.

Once breakfast was over, the fifth and seventh years milled around in the entrance hall while the other students went off to lessons. Then, at half-past nine, they were called forward class by class to reenter the Great Hall, which was now arranged exactly as Harry had seen it in the Pensieve when James, Sirius, Remus, and Snape had been taking their O.W.L.s. The four House tables had been removed and replaced instead with many tables for one, all facing the staff-table end of the Hall where Professor McGonagall stood facing them. When they were all seated and quiet she said, ‘You may begin,’ and turned over an enormous hourglass on the desk beside her, on which were also spare quills, ink bottles, and rolls of parchment.

Harry turned over his paper, his heart thumping hard…Two rows to his right and one seat ahead, Theodore was already scribbling…He lowered his eyes to the first question: a) Give the incantation, and b) describe the wand movement required to make objects fly…

Harry had a fleeting memory of a club soaring high into the air and landing loudly on the thick skull of a troll…Smiling slightly, he bent over the paper and began to write...

‘Well, that was a little better than expected, right?’ asked Tracey anxiously in the entrance hall two hours later. ‘There weren’t any surprise questions, but still I felt I rushed my answers for the last several questions…’

‘Tracey, when it comes to Charms you give even Hermione Granger a run for her money, I’m sure you did great’ said Allison encouragingly.

The fifth years ate lunch with the rest of the school (the four House tables reappeared over the lunch hour) and then trooped off into the small chamber beside the Great Hall, where they were to wait until called for their practical examination. As small groups of students were called forward in alphabetical order, those left behind muttered incantations and practiced wand movements, occasionally poking one another in the back or eye by mistake.

Tracey’s name was called. Trembling, she left the chamber with Stephen Cornfoot, Michael Corner, Vincent Crabbe and Kevin Entwhistle. Students who had already been tested did not return afterward, so Harry and Allison had no idea how Tracey had done, or Theodore when he was called.

‘I’m sure they both did fine, Tracey is a Charms protégé and Theodore is the best studier amongst us,’ said Allison.

Only a few minutes after Theodore went in, Professor Flitwick called, ‘Parkinson, Pansy—Patil, Padma—Patil, Parvati—Potter, Harry.’

‘Best of luck, Harry,’ said Allison quietly. Harry walked into the Great Hall, clutching his wand so tightly his hand shook.

‘Professor Tofty is free, Potter,’ squeaked Professor Flitwick, who was standing just inside the door. He pointed Harry toward what looked like the very oldest and baldest examiner, who was sitting behind a small table in a far corner, a short distance from Professor Marchbanks, who was halfway through testing Draco. Harry could see Theodore with another old wizard at the other end of the room.

‘Potter, is it?’ said Professor Tofty, consulting his notes and peering over his pince-nez at Harry as he approached. ‘The famous Potter?’

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry distinctly saw Pansy throw a scathing look over at him; the teacup she had just attempted to levitate fell to the floor and smashed. Harry could not suppress a grin. Professor Tofty smiled back at him encouragingly.

‘That’s it,’ he said in his quavery old voice, ‘no need to be nervous…Now, if I could ask you to take this eggcup and make it do some cartwheels for me…’

On the whole Harry thought it went rather well; his Levitation Charm was certainly much better than Pansy’s had been, though he wished he had not mixed up the incantations for Color-Change and Growth Charms, so that the rat he was supposed to be turning orange swelled shockingly and was the size of a badger before Harry could rectify his mistake. He was glad Theodore had left the Hall by the time of his mistake and neglected to mention it to him afterward. He could tell Allison, though; Allison had caused a teaspoon to develop polkadots and start spitting sparks and had no idea how it had happened.

There was no time to relax that night—they went straight to the common room after dinner and submerged themselves in studying for Transfiguration next day. Harry went to bed, his head buzzing with complex spell models and theories.

He forgot the definition of a Switching Spell during his written exam next morning, but thought his practical could have been a lot worse. At least he managed to vanish the whole of his iguana, whereas poor Hannah Abbott lost her head completely at the next table and somehow managed to multiply her ferret into a flock of flamingos, causing the examination to be halted for ten minutes while the birds were captured and carried out of the Hall.

Until I started writing my ootp re-write I was under the impression that Hogwarts students took O.W.L.s in both fifth year and sixth year, and N.E.W.T.s in their final year, but then I read Snape saying that his class next year (sixth) will be a N.E.W.T.s class, and Fred and George (who are seventh years) mentioned that they intend to take some N.E.W.T.s at the end of that year (although they'll actually drop out before hand).

I just want some clarification, do students who pass their O.W.L.s at the end of their fifth year go on to do two years of N.E.W.T.s or am I missing something.

Previous Chapters:

Chapter 1: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003622070

Chapter 2: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003623371

Chapter 3: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003624429

Chapter 4: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003627163

Chapter 5: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003627566

Chapter 6: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003628099

Chapter 7: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003629240

Chapter 8: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003629849

Chapter 9: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003633592

Chapter 10: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003636880

Chapter 11: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003637775

Chapter 12: https://harrypotter.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000003637976

Tags: @Bellatrisblack @CatsAndRoblox @Rose.gold.kiisses @MeowTasticCat

(I am back from my vacation, so time to upload the next chapter. I also realized that since I added an original chapter that makes tis one #13, and given the title I think that's fitting. Enjoy)

Chapter Thirteen: Professor Umbridge

Monday was the first day since they had all arrived that he got up at the same time as his dorm-mates. There wasn't usually friendly banter, but sometimes they'd at least say 'morning' to each other, and everyone would mind their business as they got ready, but today everyone but Theo was staring at him as he got changed, he could hear Blaise Zabini sniggering behind his back. It took every once of self restraint to just ignore them and make his way up to breakfast.

As he and Theodore entered the Entrance Hall a line of fourth-year Ravenclaws walked by; they caught sight of Harry and hurried to form a tighter group, as though frightened he might attack stragglers.

Harry tried to push that out of his head as he and Theodore came across a small group of people, including Tracey and Canini, standing around a board were announcements were sometimes posted. Harry went for a closer look and Theodore followed. What everyone was staring at was a large new sign which read:

"GALLONS OF GALLEONS!

Pocket money failing to keep pace with your outgoings? Like to earn a little extra gold?

Contact Fred and George Weasley, Gryffindor common room, for simple, part-time, virtually painless jobs

(WE REGRET THAT ALL WORK IS UNDERTAKEN AT APPLICANT’S OWN RISK)"

'We should have known the twins would try perfecting there business once back at Hogwarts,' said Canini.

Harry thought it was kind of brilliant however, 'They're geniuses, by getting kids to test the products they'll spread awareness of their company, as well as if something goes horribly wrong they have the best nurse in the world just upstairs. Though I doubt Madam Pomfrey would appreciate it.'

As they entered the Great Hall, Harry's energetic mood immediately plummeted, once again everyone turned to look at him and he could almost hear the things they were saying behind his back. The enchanted ceiling above them echoed Harry’s mood; it was a miserable rain-cloud gray.

'You alright Harry?' asked Tracey?

'Harry is just annoyed by how so many people think he made up You-Know-Who's return,' said Theodore succinctly, when Harry did not respond.

Tracey, whom Harry had expected to react angrily on his behalf, sighed.

‘Yeah, me and Allison have been dealing with something similar in our dorm. It’s not just Pansy either, Millicent has been bad mouthing you, and Daphne has been oddly quiet.’

‘Been having a nice little chat with them about whether or not I’m a lying, attention-seeking prat, have you?’ Harry said loudly.

‘Of course not,’ said Tracey calmly, ‘I’ve been telling them to shut their gossiping mouths shut and trying to prevent Allison from murdering them. Harry, did you really think we didn’t have your back. We are with you, no matter what.’

There was a short pause as the group sat down at their table, now joining Allison.

‘Sorry,’ said Harry in a low voice.

‘It’s ok Harry,’ said Tracey with a half smile. ‘I know how hard things have been.’

‘We’ve all been through hard times,’ said Theodore. ‘And they are going to get more difficult. Dumbledore said last year that You-Know-Whose gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. He said we must show we are stronger through bonds of friendship, but we can’t be friends with the school if we are struggling to be friends in our group.’

‘That was over two months ago,’ said Allison, ‘how do you remember that?’

‘Information can be very important,’ he responded, ‘I never know when I might need it so I try and remember as much as I can.’

‘The point of the matter is,’ Tracey pressed, ‘that now both Dumbledore and the Sorting Hat which probably knows more about Hogwarts and its history than any living thing are saying that things are about to get really bad. We have been fighting amongst ourselves, letting tensions rise, but that isn’t going to do us any good. We should make an agreement, that no matter how things get that we have each other’s back.’

Harry didn’t quite now what to say to that, but Allison who is usually so stoic and didn’t like soft emotions, put her hand on Tracey’s shoulder.

‘I agree. Things are going to get worse before they get better, so we are going to need allies. I am with you Tracey.’

‘I’m with you too you guys,’ said Theodore. ‘I don’t know where I’d be without you all.’

Harry was taken a bit a back, he had not been expecting his friends to take an oath like this, but he knew how horrible it felt when there was resentment and mistrust amongst his friends and he knew he couldn’t take that from both them and the rest of the school.

‘Alright, then I’m in too. I agree with what Allison said, we are stronger as a group than as rivals.’

With that settled they started eating their breakfast. After taking a bite of toast, Harry looked up at the staff table. Professor Grubbly-Plank was chatting to Professor Sinistra, the Astronomy teacher, and Hagrid was once again conspicuous only by his absence.

‘Dumbledore didn’t even mention how long that Grubbly-Plank woman’s staying,’ he said, as he took another bite.

'He might have done that on purpose,' said Theodore.

‘What do you mean?’ asked Harry.

Theodore lowered his voice, ‘Well, if Hagrid really is on an important mission, Dumbledore himself might not know when Hagrid is returning.’

There was a defining silence as Harry started panicking again, if it was that serious what if Hagrid never came back, what if...

‘But I’m sure he will return soon,’ said Tracey, putting a hand on Harry’s arm.

‘Yes, you’re probably right.’

With a whoosh and a clatter, hundreds of owls came soaring in through the upper windows. They descended all over the Hall, bringing letters and packages to their owners and showering the breakfasters with droplets of water; it was clearly raining hard outside.

Harry hadn’t been expecting any mail knowing that nearly everyone he knew was under strict owl rules, but he could make out his trusted snowy owl coming in for a landing. When Hedwig landed Harry handed her an owl treat and took the letter. It was a letter from his aunt Andromeda and uncle Ted wishing him good luck on the start of school.

Someone else who received mail was Allison. She moved her scrambled eggs aside quickly to make way for a large damp barn owl bearing a sodden Daily Prophet in its beak.

'What are you still getting that for?' said Harry irritably, thinking of all the rubbish that was being written in there, as Allison placed a Knut in the leather pouch on the owl’s leg and it took off again. 'Isn't it all lies?'

‘The articles on you are all lies,’ she replied while she unfurled the newspaper and began reading, ‘but this is still the best way to know what is happening at the Ministry, and we need that information to stay prepared.’

It was only at the end of breakfast when they had received their schedules that she had finished reading. ‘Nothing today, at least where the Ministry is concerned yesterday was a boring day. There wasn’t even an article berating you Harry.’

‘That’s good, I didn’t want my first day to have a fresh article fueling our classmates discussions,’ said Harry as they all stood up. ‘Is your schedule the same as ours today Allison?’

While Harry, Tracey, and Theodore took the elective Divination, Allison had quite it early in her third year and switched to Study of Ancient Runes.

‘Today I’m the same as you, it’s Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday I have Runes class.’

‘Ok,’ said Tracey, ‘then we’ll all be going to Charms, double Potions, Herbology, and double Defense today.’

With the topic now being classes, Theodore had a question, ‘So we’re in fifth year now, that means we have O.W.L.s at the end of the year. Do you think the rumours are true that they’re fifty times harder than the regular exams?’

‘Last year Terence started studying for his O.W.L.s all the way in the fall,’ said Tracey.

‘I thought that was because he liked you,’ said Harry.

Tracey blushed, ‘He studied in the courtyard to be closer to me, but he really was studying that entire time. But what I don’t understand is why they’re so important, aren’t they just tougher exams?’

‘No,’ said Theodore, ‘the O.W.L.s determine what N.E.W.T.s you’re able to take in your final two years, and your N.E.W.T. results determine what jobs you’re eligible for. You can’t get any high paying jobs without a couple N.E.W.T.s, and again you can’t take any N.E.W.T.s without doing well on your O.W.L.s.’

Theodore then saw the worried look on Tracey’s face, ‘But, um, I’m sure you’ll do fine.’

‘You won’t be completely alone Tracey,’ reassured Allison. ‘This is also the year teachers will help you figure out what job you’d like and what O.W.L.s you should put your energy into to achieve that job.’

‘D’you know what you want to do after Hogwarts?” Harry asked the others, as they started getting closer to the Charms classroom.

‘Potions,’ said Theodore at once, ‘I want to invent new potions.’

‘That’s cool that you got that all figured out,’ said Tracey, ‘I have no idea what I want to do. What about you Harry?’

It was Harry’s turn to go a little sheepish, he knew what he wanted to do, but the person who had suggested it to him had turned out to be a murder.

‘I want to be an auror, like, um, like how B-‘

‘Like how Sirius was and Remus suggested,’ Allison said very suddenly. Harry looked at her with surprise, and then gratitude. She then continued. ‘And you’d be following in Remus’ and your cousin’s footsteps. My dad really wants me to be an auror too, but I don’t think that’s where my passions lay.’

‘Well where do they lay?’ asked Theodore, but it was at that moment they had reached the Charms classroom.’

Charms with Ravenclaw wasn’t Harry’s favourite classes, but Professor Flitwick was a nice man and a good teacher so Harry didn’t have any problems paying attention. Unlike in previous years however, Flitwick assigned homework in the very first class, and spent the first fifteen minutes of their lessons lecturing the class on the importance of O.W.L.s.

‘What you must remember,’ said little Professor Flitwick squeakily, perched as ever on a pile of books so that he could see over the top of his desk, ‘is that these examinations may influence your futures for many years to come! If you have not already given serious thought to your careers, now is the time to do so. And in the meantime, I’m afraid, we shall be working harder than ever to ensure that you all do yourselves justice!’

They then spent more than an hour reviewing Summoning Charms, which according to Professor Flitwick were bound to come up in their O.W.L., and he rounded off the lesson by setting them their largest amount of Charms homework ever.

‘I want you all to write a detailed explanation on the following charms from previous years and show me your paper tomorrow; the Banishing Charm, Fire-Making Spell, Levitation Charm, Mending Charm, and the Severing Charm.’

To Harry this had been the longest Charms class in his life and was relieved when the bell finally rang.

‘Things really must be getting serious if Flitwick gave us homework on the first day,’ said Allison. ‘He usually only goes over the curriculum for the year and saves the homework for the next class so we aren’t overwhelmed on the first day.’

‘We’ll probably have to pull a page out of Terence’s book and set aside study time for every single day,’ said Theodore.

‘And you’ll help us with that, right?’ asked Harry.

‘I’ll help you all come up with better studying strategies, but you won’t see me giving you answers to anything. If we get caught cheating this year we potentially face worse consequences then just detention.’

Before heading to Potions they decided to review their Charms homework in the damp courtyard. A fine misty drizzle was falling, so that the people standing in huddles around the yard looked blurred at the edges. Harry, Tracey, Allison, and Theodore chose a secluded corner under a heavily dripping balcony, turning up the collars of their robes against the chilly September air and talking about what Snape was likely to set them in the first lesson of the year. They had got as far as agreeing that it was likely to be something extremely difficult, just to catch them off guard after a two-month holiday, when someone walked around the corner toward them.

‘Hello, Harry!’

It was Cho Chang and what was more, she was on her own again. This was most unusual: Cho was almost always surrounded by a gang of giggling girls; Harry remembered the agony of trying to get her by herself to ask her to the Yule Ball.

‘Hi,’ said Harry, feeling his face grow hot. At least you’re not covered in Stinksap this time, he told himself. Cho seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

‘You got that stuff off, then?’

‘Yeah,’ said Harry, trying to grin as though the memory of their last meeting was funny as opposed to mortifying. ‘So did you...er...have a good summer?’

The moment he had said this he wished he hadn’t: Cedric had been Cho’s boyfriend and the memory of his death must have affected her holiday almost as badly as it had affected Harry’s...Something seemed to tauten in her face, but she said, ‘Oh, it was all right, you know...’

‘Are you a Tornados fan?’ Allison demanded suddenly, pointing at the front of Cho’s robes, to which a sky-blue badge emblazoned with a double gold T was pinned. ‘I’m one of there biggest fans.’

‘Yeah, I do,’ said Cho.

‘Have you liked them for a long time or are you a recent fan?’ Allison continued to press.

I’ve supported them since I was six,’ said Cho coolly. ‘Anyway...see you, Harry.’

She walked away. Tracey waited until Cho was halfway across the courtyard before rounding on Allison.

‘Why did you do that?!’

‘I was trying to save the conversation, it looked like it was going down hill.’

‘But she obviously wanted to talk to Harry, not to you!’

‘Why would she want to talk to just Harry, we both play Quidditch with her.’

Harry had told Theodore that he liked Cho, and Tracey had figured that out on her own, but Harry realized just now that it must never have been brought up to Allison. Tracey gave her best friend a pitiful look.

‘My poor blind friend, there’s much we should discuss.’

‘That’s the bell,’ said Harry, who was glad to bring an end to that conversation.

Tracey and Allison walked a bit behind Harry and Theodore as they made their way down to Snape’s part of the dungeon. Although Harry couldn’t hear what they were saying he assumed it was about his feelings for Cho.

What Harry could not stop thinking about in the long trip down the stone stairs was that between Neville and Allison he would be lucky ever to have two minutes’ conversation with Cho that he could look back on without wanting to leave the country.

And yet, he thought, as they joined the queue lining up outside Snape’s classroom door, she had chosen to come and talk to him, hadn’t she? She had been Cedric’s girlfriend; she could easily have hated Harry for coming out of the Triwizard maze alive when Cedric had died, yet she was talking to him in a perfectly friendly way, not as though she thought him mad, or a liar, or in some horrible way responsible for Cedric’s death...

Yes, she had definitely chosen to come and talk to him, and that made the second time in two days...and at this thought, Harry’s spirits rose. Even the ominous sound of Snape’s dungeon door creaking open did not puncture the small, hopeful bubble that seemed to have swelled in his chest. He filed into the classroom behind Theodore with the girls close behind and went to their usual table at the back, ignoring the quiet whispers of other students who were looking right at him.

‘Settle down,’ said Snape coldly, shutting the door behind him. There was no real need for the call to order; the moment the class had heard the door close, quiet had fallen and all fidgeting stopped. Snape’s mere presence was usually enough to ensure a class’s silence.

‘Before we begin today’s lesson,’ said Snape, sweeping over to his desk and staring around at them all, ‘I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an ‘Acceptable’ in your O.W.L., or suffer my...displeasure.’

His gaze lingered this time upon Neville, who gulped.

‘After this year, of course, many of you will cease studying with me,’ Snape went on. “I take only the very best into my N.E.W.T. Potions class, which means that some of us will certainly be saying good-bye.’

His eyes rested on Harry and his lip curled. Harry glared back, feeling a grim pleasure at the idea that he would be able to give up Potions after fifth year.

‘But we have another year to go before that happy moment of farewell,’ said Snape softly, ‘so whether you are intending to attempt N.E.W.T. or not, I advise all of you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high-pass level I have come to expect from my O.W.L. students. Today we will be mixing a potion that often comes up at Ordinary Wizarding Level: the Draught of Peace, a potion to calm anxiety and soothe agitation. Be warned: If you are too heavy-handed with the ingredients you will put the drinker into a heavy and sometimes irreversible sleep, so you will need to pay close attention to what you are doing.”’

On Harry’s left, Theodore sat up a little straighter, his expression one of the utmost attentiveness.

‘The ingredients and method’—Snape flicked his wand—‘are on the blackboard’—(they appeared there)—‘you will find everything you need’—he flicked his wand again—‘in the store cupboard’—(the door of the said cupboard sprang open)—‘you have an hour and a half...Start.’

Just as Harry and the others had predicted, Snape could hardly have set them a more difficult, fiddly potion. The ingredients had to be added to the cauldron in precisely the right order and quantities; the mixture had to be stirred exactly the right number of times, firstly in clockwise, then in counterclockwise directions; the heat of the flames on which it was simmering had to be lowered to exactly the right level for a specific number of minutes before the final ingredient was added.

‘A light silver vapor should now be rising from your potion,’ called Snape, with ten minutes left to go.

Harry, who was sweating profusely, looked desperately around the dungeon. His own cauldron was issuing copious amounts of dark gray steam; Tracey’s wasn’t emitting any vapour, Ron’s was spitting green sparks, but Theodore’s was exactly as Snape had described, silvery as a unicorn’s hair. As Snape swept by he looked down his hooked nose at Theodore’s without comment, which meant that he could find nothing to criticize. At Harry’s cauldron, however, Snape stopped, looking down at Harry with a horrible smirk on his face.

‘Potter, what is this supposed to be?’

Pansy’s group at the front of the class all looked up eagerly; they loved hearing Snape taunt Harry.

‘The Draught of Peace,’ said Harry tensely.

‘Tell me, Potter,’ said Snape softly, ‘can you read?’

Blaise Zabini laughed.

‘Yes, I can,’ said Harry, his fingers clenched tightly around his wand.

‘Read the third line of the instructions for me, Potter.’

Harry squinted at the blackboard; it was not easy to make out the instructions through the haze of multicolored steam now filling the dungeon.

‘Add powdered moonstone, stir three times counterclockwise, allow to simmer for seven minutes, then add two drops of syrup of hellebore.’

His heart sank. He had not added syrup of hellebore, but had proceeded straight to the fourth line of the instructions after allowing his potion to simmer for seven minutes.

‘Did you do everything on the third line, Potter?’

‘No,’ said Harry very quietly.

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘No,’ said Harry, more loudly. ‘I forgot the hellebore...’

‘I know you did, Potter, which means that this mess is utterly worthless. Evanesco.’

The contents of Harry’s potion vanished; he was left standing foolishly beside an empty cauldron.

‘Those of you who have managed to read the instructions, fill one flagon with a sample of your potion, label it clearly with your name, and bring it up to my desk for testing,’ said Snape. ‘Homework: twelve inches of parchment on the properties of moonstone and its uses in potion-making, to be handed in on Thursday.’

While everyone around him filled their flagons, Harry cleared away his things, seething. His potion had been no worse than Tracey’s, which was now giving off a foul odor of diesel fuel, or Neville’s, which had achieved the consistency of just-mixed cement and which Neville was now having to gouge out of his cauldron, yet it was he, Harry, who would be receiving zero marks for the day’s work. He stuffed his wand back into his bag and slumped down onto his seat, watching everyone else march up to Snape’s desk with filled and corked flagons.

When at long last the bell rang, Harry was first out of the dungeon and had already started his lunch by the time his friends joined him in the Great Hall. The ceiling had turned an even murkier gray during the morning. Rain was lashing the high windows.

‘What Snape did to you wasn’t right, Harry,’ said Theodore as he sat next to him.

‘Oh really Theo, I’m surprised you said that because you’re always so busy sucking up to him.’

Tracey looked like she was going to intervene, but Theodore spoke first.

‘No, what he did was wrong, almost everyone was unable to make a complete potion, and yours was far from the worst, so to single you out to give a zero to wasn’t right.’

‘Yeah, well,’ said Harry, glowering at his plate, ‘since when has Snape ever been fair to me?’

None of the others answered; all three of them knew that Snape and Harry’s mutual enmity had been absolute from the moment Harry had set foot in Hogwarts.

‘I think we thought Snape might lighten up on you this year,’ said Tracey as she looked carefully around; there were half a dozen empty seats on either side of them and nobody was passing the table. ‘Now that he’s on our side against You-Know-Who.’

‘I guess working together isn’t enough of a reason to him to stop treating me unfairly,’ said Harry before taking a drink of pumpkin juice.

‘And I wonder if we are really working together at all,’ said Allison. ‘What proof do we have that he truly stopped working for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.’

That left their lunch on a sour note, and there moods did not improve as they attended Herbology as the rain made the path to the greenhouses all muddy. Similar to Charms, the Slytherins had Herbology with the Ravenclaws, and once again although it wasn’t Harry’s favourite class, Professor Sprout was a tough but kind teacher.

‘I want you all to write a paper on Mandrake’s,’ said Professor Sprout near the end of class. ‘It’s due on Wednesday and once marked I’d hold onto it as it may be very important in June.’

‘With Flitwick wanting us to write those reviews, Snape wanting a foot long essay on moonstones, and Sprout wanting a paper on Mandrakes we are going to be drowning in homework by Wednesday. That Umbridge woman had better not give us any...’ said Harry.

So i was reading OOTP and it was a part where they sat down to write the OWL's and Prof. Mcgo.. told that certain items were not allowed, one of them were remembralls. I was wondering how these would help. The only thing i could guess were that if u missed a question it would become red.

Rules: State your house, answer either OWLS or NEWTS, not both. Answer in the comments. Let's start

OWLS

Where did Lily and James Potter live?

Who predicted the Prophecy about Harry Potter?

Who is the Dark Lord?

NEWTS

What charm involves a secret keeper?

Who was the first owner of the Elder wand?

Who made Gryffindor's sword?

You guys already know the rules, so let us start

OWLS

What is the last book of the HP series?

What is the spell Hermione uses to stop Neville in the 1st book?

What is the spell that makes things fly?

NEWTS

Which team(s) uses Thestrals to ride in the Battle of 7 potters?

Who is the last team to arrive after the battle of 7 potters?

Who does Bill say is dead after the Battle of 7 potters?

ENJOY!

You guys already know the rules, so let us start

OWLS

What is the last book of the HP series?

What is the spell Hermione uses to stop Neville in the 1st book?

What is the spell that makes things fly?

NEWTS

Which team(s) uses Thestrals to ride in the Battle of 7 potters?

Who is the last team to arrive after the battle of 7 potters?

Who does Bill say is dead after the Battle of 7 potters?

ENJOY!

By now, everyone should know the rules, so I'll just skip them and tell you only 2 of them: answer ONLY OWLS or NEWTS, and state your house. Let's go

OWLS

Which year was Harry in when Oliver Wood earned the Quidditch cup?

Who is the author of the HP series?

Who is Harry's so called “aunt”?

NEWTS

What is the year that WW2(Wizarding war) ends?

True or false: Some underage wizards might have fought in the battle of Hogwarts? If true, name 1 of those wizards.

What are the names of Molly's brothers?

Enjoy!

By now, everyone should know the rules, so I'll just skip them and tell you only 2 of them: answer ONLY OWLS or NEWTS, and state your house. Let's go

OWLS

Which year was Harry in when Oliver Wood earned the Quidditch cup?

Who is the author of the HP series?

Who is Harry's so called “aunt”?

NEWTS

What is the year that WW2(Wizarding war) ends?

True or false: Some underage wizards might have fought in the battle of Hogwarts? If true, name 1 of those wizards.

What are the names of Molly's brothers?

Enjoy!

Rules: state your house, answer either OWLS or NEWTS, not both, answer in the comments, don't cheat, be honest. Let's start

OWLS

Who is the oldest Weasley brother?

Where does that person work?

Which Weasley brother does work on dragons?

NEWTS

Who did Albus Dumbledore love?

What is the first house mentioned by the Sorting hat in Harry's first year?

Who is the last person to be sorted in Harry's first year?

Enjoy! Also Hufflepuffs, START ANSWERING

Rules: state your house, answer either OWLS or NEWTS, not both, answer in the comments, don't cheat, be honest. Let's start

OWLS

Who is the oldest Weasley brother?

Where does that person work?

Which Weasley brother does work on dragons?

NEWTS

Who did Albus Dumbledore love?

What is the first house mentioned by the Sorting hat in Harry's first year?

Who is the last person to be sorted in Harry's first year?

Enjoy! Also Hufflepuffs, START ANSWERING

Rules: state your house, answer either OWLS or NEWTS, not both, answer in the comments, don't cheat, be honest. Let's start

OWLS

Who is the oldest Weasley brother?

Where does that person work?

Which Weasley brother does work on dragons?

NEWTS

Who did Albus Dumbledore love?

What is the first house mentioned by the Sorting hat in Harry's first year?

Who is the last person to be sorted in Harry's first year?

Enjoy! Also Hufflepuffs, START ANSWERING

CONGRATULATIONS. This marks 1 week of HP Quizes. A lot has changed, and please write in the comments of how I can improve. Anyway, rules: state your house, don't answer BOTH OWLS and NEWTS, only answer one of them, be honest, write in the comments, don't cheat. Alright, let's go.

OWLS

Who is appointed the 1st High Inquisitor of Hogwarts?

Who was Harry's first crush?

Who was Ginny's boyfriend BEFORE Harry and AFTER Michael Corner?

NEWTS

Where does Harry go when he goes to Hogsmeade for the first time (in Prisoner of Azkaban)?

True or False: Other than Ron and Hermione, no one else saw Harry in Hogsmeade illegally?

What are the names of the Peverell Bothers?

ENJOY!

CONGRATULATIONS. This marks 1 week of HP Quizes. A lot has changed, and please write in the comments of how I can improve. Anyway, rules: state your house, don't answer BOTH OWLS and NEWTS, only answer one of them, be honest, write in the comments, don't cheat. Alright, let's go.

OWLS

Who is appointed the 1st High Inquisitor of Hogwarts?

Who was Harry's first crush?

Who was Ginny's boyfriend BEFORE Harry and AFTER Michael Corner?

NEWTS

Where does Harry go when he goes to Hogsmeade for the first time (in Prisoner of Azkaban)?

True or False: Other than Ron and Hermione, no one else saw Harry in Hogsmeade illegally?

What are the names of the Peverell Bothers?

ENJOY!