Hello everyone! So, this story is finished and I am in the works on a sequel.

I hope you all enjoy! Please, be warned that this story contains child abuse, violence, and there are other warnings in future chapters. The rating is for a reason!

Enjoy!

ooooooo

Harry had rarely seen the front entrance hall of Hogwarts so crowded. It was just after winter break and it seems everyone was using this opportunity to greet their friends and inquire about Christmas gifts. He could have sworn they all had ample time for this kind of camaraderie on the train. For the first time in his fifth year, Harry was a little glad of his reputation as the resident crazy guy. A few people started to push against their neighbors in an effort to give him more distance and he only scowled at them in reply.

It wasn't until he and his friends were almost out of the dense crowd that Harry saw the first numbers appear over a student's head. He couldn't help but pause and jerk his head in that direction. Above a Ravenclaw sixth year's head was the number 782 in glittering white. Her friends were patting her on the back and giving her slightly appreciative glances.

"Okay, okay. Me next," a boy said. The Ravenclaw nudged her friend who turned to the boy and waved her wand at him. The numbers 623 showed above his head. He shrugged and didn't seem too upset at the numbers.

Harry and his friends had all stopped and stared, wondering at this new marvel. They weren't the only ones. Most of the entry hall were stopping and some closest to the spectacle finally asked what was going on.

"It's a spell to show your magical core amount. Sort of like a score on how powerful you are," one of the sixth years said. Before much else was said McGonagall's voice spread out over the crowd.

"Move along, people! This is not a place for loitering. To your common rooms!"

Hermione and Harry moved on and had to drag a reluctant Ron with them. "That was a cool spell. Don't you think, Harry?"

"Yeah, seems cool. Come on, I want to get cleaned up before dinner."

The two boys continued to chat about the spell as they walked towards the Gryffindor dormitories. "Can you imagine what Dumbledore's number must be? I mean, it's got to be like off the charts, right?" Ron asked.

"For sure. What about Goyle's, though? Or Crabbe? You think it can show negative numbers?" They chuckled together before Hermoine butted in.

"Just great! Another way for wizards to compare their wand lengths. As if we don't have enough competitiveness in this school."Her lips were pursed and her arms crossed as she walked.

Ron rolled his eyes before slinging an arm around her back, "Come on, Hermione. It's all in good fun. There's no problem with a little good-natured rivalry." The witch didn't seem to be appeased. "Besides, it could be interesting to really compare the numbers, right? Maybe there's some, I don't know, scientific correlation or something?"

Her arms dropped as she considered his words. Now he was talking her language. "You could be on to something, Ron. If you can really collect data on the strength of a wizard's magic with, say, their blood lineage, maybe we could finally have solid proof that purebloods aren't all they're cracked up to be."

Harry grinned at Ron. He definitely saw what Ron did. The redhead knew how to appeal to Hermione's genius, sometimes. He scratched at his face in a mock thinking gesture, "Yes, yes. Perhaps with enough data, we can finally discover the source of squibs and muggleborns. Or perhaps the source of Umbridge's dark evil powers."

His friends laughed while Harry rubbed at the back of his hand. Then, as if being summoned, Umbridge came toddling down the corridor in her little pink heels.

Harry mumbled under his breath "Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beeltlejuice." Hermione snorted while Ron gave him a very confused look.

"Step apart, there. Boys and girls are not to be so close, now. Get to your rooms before I assign detention."

"Yes ma'am," they all said in unison before moving past her, rolling their eyes as soon as she wasn't looking and both boys wrapped their arms around their female friend, stumbling up the stairs as they continued on.

ooooooooo

By the next morning, the magical score charm was being used everywhere. Many unsuspecting students would be meandering their way to their first lessons and find shimmering numbers hovering over their heads.

A pattern quickly appeared that showed most students ranging between the low 500s to the upper 700s. There were plenty of outliers, however. Some students had had the gumption to charm some of the professors with surprising results. Dumbledore was unsurprisingly off the charts at 1257. McGonagall was an impressive 1065 and Flitwick was a very respectable 956. No one had had the guts to charm Umbridge or Snape, yet.

All of the floating numbers had not escaped the attention of Umbridge who quickly created a new educational decree banning the use of the charm. It was ignored, just like every other decree she issued.

Harry and his friends finally took their opportunity to charm each other that evening in the common room, out of the view of Umbridge or Slytherins. Hermione had embraced the use of the charm in the wake of Umbridge's decree and had since been taking careful record of the numbers they knew for certain, looking for any evidence to support or disprove pureblood elitism.

Sitting around the fireplace in the squashy chairs, they all laughed in reaction to some of the numbers they had already seen.

"So, did you see that Parkinson was only a 533? I mean, dang. I think Crabbe was a 524," Ron laughed. Neville was looking decidedly nervous. The friends had all, fortunately, ducked getting the charm on them in public. So now the anticipation was mounting.

"Yes, well, Michael Corner was a very respectable 689. So that starts to support my hypothesis that so-called 'blood purity' is completely ridiculous. But of course, everyone is going to point to Malfoy's 703," everyone rolled their eyes at that. They hadn't been thrilled to see the prince of Slytherin with such a high score. "Let's add our numbers in now and see where we stand." She took out her wand and without any ceremony pointed it at Ron and said the charm. "Planimus Magicae."

White shimmery numbers displayed over Ron's head. 645. Ron shrugged and seemed ready to be satisfied with that number. It wasn't far off from where Fred and George had each sat with unsurprisingly identical 652s.

Hermione quickly added his number to her list before asking him, "Okay, now me."

Ron returned the favor and soon there were the numbers 765 shimmering over her head. Everyone broke out into huge smiles as Hermione blushed. "Wow, Mione. That's awesome! I knew it would be high, but…." Ron ended the sentence with a whistle. Hermione only blushed more and seemed pleased that her number would only further support her theory.

Next, she turned her wand to Neville who was practically sweating at this point. She waited a moment and gave him a little encouragement, "Whatever it is, Neville, we know you're plenty powerful." Then without letting him stop her she cast the charm. Everyone was very pleased to see 614. Neville's eyes practically bugged out of his head and Ginny patted him on the back, making him blush. She turned to Hermione and nodded for her turn.

Hermione cast the charm at Ginny and the numbers wavering over her head read 657. The little sister was merciless in her taunts. "Take that, Ron! I'm stronger than you! Haw-haw!" In response, Ron rolled his eyes and huffed that something along the lines that it was a 'stupid charm anyways'.

Harry gulped. He was the only one left. He had to admit to himself that he was a bit nervous. He was the 'boy-who-lived', after all. What if his number was in the 500s? Ron rubbed his hands in anticipation. "All right, now it's Harry's turn. This should be good."

"Oh, so now it's not a stupid charm, huh?" Ginny smirked at her brother. He blushed before nudging Hermione into casting the charm.

"Planimus Magicae."

The numbers 698 floated above Harry's head. He happily shrugged and most of the rest of them seemed pleased for him. Ron had a slight let down expression. Harry was surprised. It was a rare moment when he actually wanted Harry to outshine him. Ron said, "I was thinking it might be above Mal…" but before he finished another number appeared above Harry's number. This one read 845.

"What the…?" Ron voiced what everyone else's face said.

Hermione popped up and was scrambling for her book bag before Neville stopped her, "It's after curfew, Hermione. The library is closed." Harry couldn't help but chuckle at her disappointment.

She slumped back to the ground and for a moment everyone was struck silent. Eventually, Harry sighed before saying, "It can never be straight forward for me, can it?"

"Oh, Harry. Don't worry. I'm sure nothing is wrong. Just you know, different. I'll figure it out," his bookworm friend said while patting his arm.

Ron slapped Harry on the back and said, "If I were you, mate, I'd take credit for that second number. Wow!" Harry grinned at him and they laughed together for a moment as they talked about Malfoy's reaction to the second number. Suddenly Ron's eyes grew in horror. "Blimey, mate. I just realized. Hermione isn't going to let up until she has answers. We're doomed!"