1st chapter: The accident
The first day of Harry's, Hermione's and Ron's fifth year began very well, because there were no lessons.
"I love the late summer", Ron sighed with pleasure and lay down on the field near the lake. Hermione meanwhile took her schoolbooks out and sat down, back to the stem of a tree.
"What do you do?!", Ron asked like she became mad and sat up, staring at her.
"Learning", Hermione answered offended, "You should do the same if you want to get some O.W.L.s!"
Ron launched into an answer, but Harry interrupted him, "Don't fight now! It's a wonderful day, let's relax a bit."
Ron lay down again, but Hermione gave a snort and opened her book.
"I will tap my full potential in this exams!", she retorted resolutely, "And so I must learn every moment I can spare!" When she didn't look at him, Ron imitated her very realistic, so Harry had to laugh. Hermione looked up.
"What do you laugh about?", she asked warily.
"Nothing", Harry replied quickly and tried to control his laughter. Hermione put her head in the book again and continued reading.
"We should make a plan about when and what we learn", she proposed, "To be well prepared to everything. I've already made one for me, you can look at it if you want to."
"Oh, I don't need such a plan!", Ron said promiscuously and smirked, "I'll begin learning two or three days before the exams, that should stretch." Hermione stared.
"You're kidding!", she said nervously with trembling voice, "Tell me you're kidding! You can't be serious about that!" Ron looked severe for a moment, but then he couldn't hold his ground anymore and burst into laughter.
"I'm maybe a bit dumb", he chuckled at the insulted Hermione, "But even I am not that nuts!"
"Well", Hermione snapped spikily, "I have already cared for my plan!" She took out a colourful grid and directed towards Harry. "You are allowed to copy it if you want to." She glanced at him provoking.
"Maybe…", Harry answered slowly, "I will think about it."
Ron grinned mockingly.
"He won't copy it", he said convinced, "He's too lazy! He'll do it like I will!"
"No he won't!", Hermione hissed at him angrily, "Will you Harry?"
"How I said…", Harry answered, feeling uneasily, "I don't know yet!" Hermione turned her head away and sulked.
"Alright", Harry retreated, "Show me your plan."
Hermione beamed at him and took the plan out again.
"I've marked every subject in a different colour", she explained happily, "You see, for example red for transfiguration or blue for potions. That helps me not to mix them up. Here is listed, when we have the exams. The dates and times are in the same colour as the subject, which will be examined. I would like to learn maximum two subjects per day, so I written it down like that. It fits, you see? It's very well-ordered. I want to be the best in the exams and with this plan it is possible."
"And you did that all on you own?", Harry asked astonished, "This is… Wow!" Hermione went bright red.
"Well…", she answered a bit embarrassed, "A couple of books were necessary, but in the end I did it alone."
"Unbelievable", Harry gasped and looked at the plan, "What's this subject?" He pointed at a pink column without something written in it. It was placed in the grid for every day.
"That's nothing!" Hermione suddenly seemed very nervous and went even redder. She wrapped the plan in hastily and changed the topic.
"What about going to Hagrids? We haven't talked to him since we've seen him with the first-years!" She stood up and heaved her bag. "Let's go!"
"OK, good idea", Ron agreed, while Harry was still a bit irritated by those pink pads, but stood up, too.
The golden trio walked together to the gamekeepers hut.
"I'm afraid he isn't there", Hermione suddenly noticed and paused, "He's having a lesson for sure!"
"Why should he?", asked Ron, "We have a free day, so why shouldn't he have one, too?"
"That's right, Ron", Hermione answered thoughtfully, "But…"
"We're almost there", Harry interrupted her, "We'll see if he's there or not."
"OK", Hermione answered, took the last steps to Hagrids door and knocked three times.
"Who's there?", came a voice from inside the hut.
"It's us, Hagrid", Ron answered. The door swung open and they could see Hagrids happy face.
"Fine to see you, very fine!", he said, "Wonderful day today, isn' it? You should be outside!"
"We've been outside since now, but we wanted to visit you", Hermione smiled, "We haven't talked to you for two months!"
"Then come in!", Hagrid said friendly and opened the door wide enough, so Harry, Ron and Hermione could enter. Fang, the boarhound trotted to them and Harry padded its enormous head.
"So, what had happened during the summer holidays?", he asked interested and sat down next to his friends.
"Well, there wasn' anything important, you know, just the normal stuff. I worked a bit with Beaky, he is now able to make a few tricks when I tell him!", Hagrid beamed, "He is such a clever boy!"
Ron gave a laugh. A hippogriff wasn't his idea of a clever boy…
"And was there something special about your holiday?", Hagrid asked, while he stood up to get a pot of tea and four cups.
"Nothing that has to be mentioned", Ron waved his hand off.
"And what is about your exams?", Hagrid questioned and infused the tea, "You're already nervous, aren' you? Well, for sure you are!"
"It keeps with reasonable limits…", Ron answered, interrupting Hermione who had already opened her mouth.
"I for one have made a plan, when and what to learn, Hagrid", she said essentially, "To make it as easy as I can. Ron is so careless toward the exams!" She glanced at the red-haired with annoy.
"That's our Hermione!", Hagrid laughed, "And now drink your tea before it gets cold!"
When Harry, Ron and Hermione left Hagrids hut, they rested a bit at the pumpkins, where the hippogriff Buckbeak was tied.
"Hi Buckbeak", greeted Ron and waved his hand. Then he suddenly froze and screwed his eyes up.
"What's up, Ron?", Hermione asked interested.
"There is something", Ron answered and protected his face with his hand, because the sun shone so bright that it blinded.
"Something?", Hermione requested.
"Yeah… Something, I don't know… shimmering and shining", Ron answered and got a bit nearer.
He raised his hand to touch the bark of a tree. Immediately, a shower of yellow-orange sparks flew right to him from deep in the forest and hit him at the chest.
Ron gave a choking scream, then he became quiet and sunk to the ground. The sparks were captured in him and didn't come out again.