The Fifth years received the timetables for their OWL and all the instructions regarding the examination. It was a big deal in Hogwarts and it could be seen on the face of all fifth years. They were all running on a few hours of sleep, trying to study as much as they could.

The first date soon came upon them and everybody could feel the tense environment around the fifth year. After breakfast the fifth and seventh- years gathered together and were called one by one inside the Great Hall. All the house tables had been replaced by many individual tables for the examination.

A few days went by, and until now Flora thought all her exams went well, especially Charms and Potions. She was not so sure about Divination and History of Magic. The next exam was Defense Against the Dark Arts. One of her favorites.

When they all were seated and quiet, Professor Flitwick turned over the hourglass and asked them to start. The exam was mostly about dark creatures, counter jinxes and protective spells. It went well for Flora. In the middle of the exams she heard Sirius laughing. He was sitting to her left. Is he laughing at the question paper? I didn't find any question funny? She wondered. Only marauders knew what made Sirius giggle.

A short distance away James yawned hugely and rumpled his already untidy hair. Sirius gave him a thumbs up from his seat where he was lounging in his chair at his ease. Remus and Mathias were also nearby but they were busy making last minute changes and rechecking their answers. Mathias looked up and winked at them. Remus rolled his eyes at them. Peter was chewing his fingernails anxiously.

"Quills down please!" Professor Flitwick instructed. After Professor Flitwick had collected the parchments and allowed them to leave, Jmaes hastily crossed out the snitch he had been embellishing, jumped to his feet, slung his bag over his back, and stood waiting for his friends to join him.

"Did you like question ten, Moony?" Asked Sirius as they emerged into the Entrance Hall.

"Loved it." Lupin said briskly. "Give five signs that identify the werewolf. Excellent question.

"Did you manage to get all the signs?" James asked in a tone of mock concern.

Think I did. One: he's sitting on my chair. Two: he is wearing my clothes. Three: his name's Remus Lupin. " Wormtail was the only one who didn't laugh.

The marauders strode off down the lawn towards the lake. Edward Rosier and Severus Snape were also proceeding towards the lake after they got off the Great Hall.

The marauders stopped in the shade of a beech tree on the edge of the lake and threw themselves down on the ground. Jmaes reached inside his pocket and took out a struggling Golden Snitch he had nicked before the exams began. He started playing with it and his reflexes were excellent.

Lupin had pulled out a book and was reading. Mathias took his leave to meet Evanna. They all groaned. "You are forgetting about your boys, Matty." Sirius shouted only for Matt to throw a piece of rock at him. James was still playing with the snitch and kept looking over at the girls by the water's edge.

"I'm bored," said Sirius after a while.

"This'll liven you up, Padfoot." Said Jmaes quietly. "Look who it is…" Sirius's head turned. He became very still like a dog that has scented a rabbit.

"Excellent." He said softly. "Little Rosier."

Snape had left Edward to go meet Avery and Edward was standing near the lake, stowing the O.W.L. paper in his bag. As he started walking, Sirius and James stood up. Lupin and Wormtail remained sitting: Lupin was still staring down at his book though he had a faint frown line between his eyebrows. Wormtail was looking between James and Sirius with a look of avid anticipation on his face.

"All right, Little Rosier?" said James loudly.

Edward reacted so fast it was as though he was expecting an attack: dropping his bag, he took out his wand from his robes and was halfway into the air when James shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

Edward's wand flew twelve feet into the air and Sirius let out a bark of laughter. "Impedimenta!" he said pointing his wand at Edward who was then knocked off his feet. Students all around had turned to watch.

He lay panting on the ground and James and Sirius advanced on him. "How'd the exam go, little Rosier?" said James.

Edward was trying to get up, but the jinx was still operating on him. He was struggling as though bound by invisible ropes.

"You– wait. Just you– wait" He panted, staring up at James with an expression of purest loathing.

"What are you gonna do, little Rosier?" said Sirius coolly. "Call your brother, better yet your father?" It was a sensitive topic for Edward.

Edward let out a stream of mixed swear words and hexes but with his wand away, nothing happened.

"Wash out your mouth" said James coolly. "Scourgify!" Pink soap bubbles streamed from Edward's mouth at once and he was choking.

Flora was confused when she first saw the students gathering around the lake. She went nearer and to her horror, saw Edward and James at it again. She was furious.

"Leave him ALONE!" she shouted.

"All right, Abernathy?" said James coolly.

"Leave him alone." she repeated. She was looking at James with every sign of a great dislike. "What's he done to you?"

"Well" said James, "It's more of the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean.." Many of the surrounding students laughed except Flora and Lupin, who was still apparently intent on his book.

" You think you're funny," she said coldly. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone."

"Say, you look beautiful today. Will you go out with me?" said James. "Go on.. Go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on little Rosier again." James had said this to rile Edward up since he knew Edward had a crush on Flora. He wanted to see how Edward would react.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid." Flora replied angrily. How dare he ask her out after all this. She could not believe this was the same James who wrote in the diary.

"Bad luck, Prongs. Worst than Evans." said Sirius briskly. By this time the jinx was almost off. Sirius turned to him but he was too late. Edward had directed his wand straight at James, there was a flash of light and a gash appeared on the side of James's face. James whirled about and a second flash of light later, Edward was lifted up in the air. People roared with laughter.

"LET HIM DOWN!" Flora shouted. She had her own wand out now. James and Sirius eyed it warily.

"Ah, Abernathy, don't make me hex you" said James earnestly. By this time, many more people had joined the spectators including Flora's roommates and to Edward's horror, his older brother, Felix.

"Take the curse off him, then!"

James sighed, turned to Edward and muttered the counter- curse.

"There you go," he said, as Edward struggled to his feet. " You're lucky Flora was here, Little Rosier–"

"I don't need help from filthy Mudbloods like her!" Edward shouted much to his regret. He had to do that. He could not let Felix see Flora defending him. He would get suspicious and if he were found out about his crush on Flora, his family would certainly kill her. He could not let anybody harm her.

Flora blinked. She could not believe that Edward said that to her.

"Fine!" she said coolly. " I won't bother in future." She said as her voice quivered a little.

"Apologize to her!" James roared at Edward, his wand pointed threateningly at him.

"I don't want you to make him apologize, you are as bad as him." Flora shouted looking at James.

" What?" yelped James. "I'd never call you a – you- know- what!"

"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off that Snitch like you're the greatest Quidditch player ever, walking down the corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can. You make me SICK!"

"Flora!" James shouted after her. "Hey Abernathy!" but she didn't look back. The girls followed her back.

"What is it with her?" asked James sincerely.

"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate." said Sirius.

"Right," he said furiously. By then Felix and his other friends had arrived and the marauders thought it wise to leave the scene.