I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter 4 Results
Harry awoke nearly an hour later from a surprisingly dreamless sleep. He got up, stretched, and put on his glasses. As he headed for the door he noticed that the normally empty frame hanging on the wall was in fact not empty. He stopped and looked at the ex-headmaster standing in the frame.
"Finally," Phineas growled. "I thought you'd sleep all day."
"Sorry," Harry replied. "I had no idea anyone was waiting on me. Is everything alright?"
"Oh everything is fine," the man in the painting said, rolling his eyes. "Albus Dumbledore just has me baby sitting apparently, as you are all by yourself for the day. Nobody has time to take care of you so I'm stuck here."
Harry was slowly becoming quite irritated. Do they really think that I can't take care of myself? Harry was insulted that they didn't think that he could stay out of trouble for one day.
"Well are you just going to stand there and stare at me child? Don't you have something better to do?"
Harry left the room, shutting the door rather harder than was necessary. Why does no one trust me? Harry was past angry now and just wanted to mope. He decided that he would just wonder around the place. It was quite beautiful now that the cleaning was done.
He opened a nearby door, and met the gaze of a large regal looking animal. Harry bowed to the hippogriff, and it returned the gesture. He began stroking the head of the magnificent beast, which closed its eyes in approval.
"How's it going, Buckbeak?" Harry asked softly. The hippogriff did not respond but leaned its head in to encourage Harry to keep petting.
Harry decided to stay in there for a while and keep Buckbeak company. He had just settled down on the floor with the huge beast curled up beside him and his battered old book that he had yet to finish when a tapping at the window distracted him. As they were on the second floor, he knew it had to either be an owl, or some Weasleys, but was betting on the prior.
He opened the window, and a small tawny owl hopped through. Harry took the letter off of its leg and stared at the Hogwarts crest against the heavy yellow parchment envelope. My O.W.L results, Harry thought. A slight panic was building up inside him. What if I failed everything? I won't be accepted into any of the N.E.W.T classes, and I'll be kicked out of Hogwarts. Harry was hyperventilating. Buckbeak sensed his distress, and trotted over to his side. He nudged the boys arm and brought him back to reality. Harry smiled his thanks and broke the seal on the envelope.
Mr. H. Potter, The following are the results of the Ordinary Wizarding Level tests which you participated in last term. As you know a grade of A, E, and O are passing grades, while anything lower is failing. Each individual test counts as 1 level. The overall score is there only for your convenience. Congratulations on receiving 13 O.W.L.s.
Charms: Written: Outstanding Practical: Acceptable Overall: Exceeds Expectations
Transfiguration: Written: Exceeds Expectations Practical: Outstanding Overall: Exceeds Expectations
Herbology: Written: Acceptable Practical: Acceptable Overall: Acceptable
Defense against the Dark Arts Written: Outstanding Practical: Outstanding Overall: Outstanding
Potions: Written: Exceeds Expectations Practical: Outstanding Overall: Outstanding
Care of Magical Creatures: Written: Exceeds Expectations Practical: Outstanding Overall: Outstanding
Astronomy: Written: Acceptable Practical: Poor Overall: Poor
Divination: Written: Poor Practical: Dreadful Overall: Dreadful
History of Magic: Written: Dreadful Overall: Dreadful
Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress
Harry stood stalk still. He had gotten 13 O.W.L.s. Thirteen! That was more than he had expected. Wait a minute! He had passed potions! How on earth had he done that, and an outstanding no less!
Harry sat heavily on the floor, never taking his eyes off of the parchment he held out in front of him. How long he sat like that, dazed and sure that this had to be a dream, he didn't know. Sometime later his attention was called elsewhere by a shout from down stairs, followed by the wails of Sirius's mother in her frame.
"Harry!" some male voice from the floor below bellowed up the stairs. Harry got to his feet, and trudged down the stairs. "Harry!" Ron screamed again, not noticing that his friend was standing right in front of him.
"Ow," Harry replied conversationally, rubbing his ringing ears.
"Oh, sorry," Ron grinned.
"Not a problem. Just help me shut her up," Harry said, heading toward the screaming portrait. They shut the curtain on the painting with more than a little difficulty, and Harry beckoned Ron into the room beyond. "Why don't we get out of her earshot," Harry suggested. "Sorry about that," Ron said. "I completely forgot about her. So, how are you doing?"
"I'm alright," Harry replied.
Ron gave him a rather incredulous look. "Okay. now tell me the truth."
"I'm fine," Harry said adamantly, then sighed. "I miss him. He died. Of course I miss him, but I actually think I'm okay." Harry had yet to tell Ron and Hermione the other half of what was weighing on his mind. They didn't know that Dumbledore had told him about the prophecy, and for the time being Harry thought that it would be better that way.
"You know that if this place is too. if you want to. you know you can stay with us," Ron never was a very eloquent speaker, but Harry was able to pick the meaning out of the words that fell from his mouth.
"Dumbledore figures I'm safer here, and besides. it's not that bad here. I'm starting to like it, but thanks for the offer, and I wouldn't mind visiting. there isn't a whole lot of outdoors around here," Harry replied.
"Anytime," Ron said enthusiastically. "We can get some quidditch practice in, since you'll be back on the team this year."
I had nearly forgotten about that, Harry thought. I had nearly forgotten about quidditch? When did that happen? Harry asked himself in amazement. Well, I was a bit busy last year; Sarcasm dripped from his inner voice.
"Harry!" Ron shouted. Harry looked up into his friends concerned face. "Are you okay?" Harry had been quiet for quite some time. He smiled at Ron and apologized, claiming that he was simply tired. "Dreams still as bad as they were?" Ron asked quietly, as though a lower volume would make the question hurt less.
"They haven't changed," was all that Harry could make himself say.
"Oh!" Ron exclaimed. "I almost forgot why I came!" He pulled parchment envelope from his pocket. "Did your O.W.L. results come yet?" Harry nodded pulling an identical envelope from his own pocket. They exchanged, and congratulated each other on passing 5th year. Ron had received ten passing grades, and two outstandings. He and Harry had passed all of the same classes, with the exception of Ron's poor in potions. "Mom says I could have done better, but I think she's okay with it, seeing as I got more than Fred or George. She's still furious at them and proud of them for leaving school, which leads to some interesting lectures." Ron smiled wide, and the conversation continued until they heard someone in the living room.
Harry and Ron made their way over to the door, and peered out. Severus Snape was standing in front of the fireplace, staring blankly into the flames. Harry was going to leave the man alone, but Ron had other ideas. Harry hurried to keep up with Ron as they made their way across the room.
"Professor?" Ron sneered, as though this was not the proper place for their teacher to be. Snape turned to look at them. Harry caught a glimpse of the bruise under his right eye, a gift given to him by Voldemort at last night's meeting, and unless Harry was very mistaken he had the gifts of all of the Death Eaters hidden beneath his robes.
"Sir," Harry interrupted his friend, "did you need something?" He was careful to make sure that his knowledge of last night was not noticed by the professor.
"Not from you, Potter, that's for sure," Snape sneered at them. "I am waiting on the headmaster. Leave."
Harry pushed Ron back toward the kitchen, and then turned and supplied helpfully, "He hasn't been by here since quite early this morning," and continued on with his friend.
"Stupid." Ron said continuing with a string of words that would cause his mother to use a scouring charm on his mouth.
Harry grinned, "You kiss your mother with that tongue?"
Ron paused for a moment, "NO!" Ron shouted, looking wide eyed at Harry.
"MOUTH! I said mouth! I swear I did!" Harry flushed red at his mistake.
"No you didn't," Ron said, though it took him a while through the never- ending laughter.
"What's so funny?" Hermione asked from the doorway.
"Nothing," Harry said a bit too quickly, while Ron told her everything. It was quite difficult to understand Ron through the gasping and giggling, so she only caught the word tongue, and decided that she really didn't want to know.
"I showed up at your house, and your mother told me that you were here visiting Harry," Hermione said to the still laughing boy in front of her. "How are you Harry?" she added to the other boy.
Harry didn't get a chance to answer though, as the towering figure of an angry potion's master appeared in the doorway. "Would you stop that infernal racket immediately," he asked, though it wasn't a question.
"Sure," he replied, and then looked to his friends, "Why don't we go up stairs?"
"Potter!" Snape shouted, when the three of them were nearly halfway up the stairs. "Get down here!" Harry motioned for his friends to stay where they were, and descended the stairs. When he stood directly in front of Snape, the man spoke. "I hear you passed your potions O.W.L."
"Yes, sir," was Harry's even toned response. "Do you honestly expect me to take you as one of my N.E.W.T. students?" Snape was getting angrier by the minute, and Harry wasn't sure why, but he was not going to rise to the bait.
"Yes, sir. You said you only take student's with top grade O.W.L.s and I made an Outstanding in potions, so that would make me one of them."
"Well, you are wrong, I only accept students with talent, and that does not include you," Snape sneered at the boy.
"Go up stairs with your friends please, Harry," came a voice from the fireplace. The two looked over to see the headmaster step from the flames. Harry nodded and complied, meeting Ron and Hermione where he had left them on the steps.
When they entered the room, they found Phineas dozing, and Hermione asked, "Is that true Harry, did you really get an O in potions?" Harry nodded and Ron grinned. They all traded result papers. The owl had met Hermione at the car when she and her parents pulled up at the Burrow. They spent the rest of the day talking about the classes they were going to take, and wondering who was the last person to truly achieve nineteen outstanding O.W.L.s before Hermione, who blushed a deep crimson when the boys went on about it.
Harry's friends only left Grimwald Place when Mrs. Weasley came and drug them off to bed, after fawning over Harry for a good ten minutes, of course.
Harry went to bed early that night, and quite content. He actually got some rest, as his nightmares left him alone for nearly five hours, but that was all the relief he got, because they did come. Violent and bloody as ever, they came.
A/N I don't like this chapter. I don't know what it is, I'm just not happy with it. I understand completely if you guys don't like it either. If they don't start getting better, I'm going to scrap this story all together. Everybody say thanks to Erfa, and to Luci who helped me figure out how to grade the O.W.L.s and put up with the nervous breakdown that writing this gave me.
Re-posted due to author's stupidity. Thanks to Mella deRanged for pointing it out. I hadn't been able to find where it mentioned Percy's O.W.L. scores, and just completely forgot about Hermione's extra class.
Read and review!
Chapter 4 Results
Harry awoke nearly an hour later from a surprisingly dreamless sleep. He got up, stretched, and put on his glasses. As he headed for the door he noticed that the normally empty frame hanging on the wall was in fact not empty. He stopped and looked at the ex-headmaster standing in the frame.
"Finally," Phineas growled. "I thought you'd sleep all day."
"Sorry," Harry replied. "I had no idea anyone was waiting on me. Is everything alright?"
"Oh everything is fine," the man in the painting said, rolling his eyes. "Albus Dumbledore just has me baby sitting apparently, as you are all by yourself for the day. Nobody has time to take care of you so I'm stuck here."
Harry was slowly becoming quite irritated. Do they really think that I can't take care of myself? Harry was insulted that they didn't think that he could stay out of trouble for one day.
"Well are you just going to stand there and stare at me child? Don't you have something better to do?"
Harry left the room, shutting the door rather harder than was necessary. Why does no one trust me? Harry was past angry now and just wanted to mope. He decided that he would just wonder around the place. It was quite beautiful now that the cleaning was done.
He opened a nearby door, and met the gaze of a large regal looking animal. Harry bowed to the hippogriff, and it returned the gesture. He began stroking the head of the magnificent beast, which closed its eyes in approval.
"How's it going, Buckbeak?" Harry asked softly. The hippogriff did not respond but leaned its head in to encourage Harry to keep petting.
Harry decided to stay in there for a while and keep Buckbeak company. He had just settled down on the floor with the huge beast curled up beside him and his battered old book that he had yet to finish when a tapping at the window distracted him. As they were on the second floor, he knew it had to either be an owl, or some Weasleys, but was betting on the prior.
He opened the window, and a small tawny owl hopped through. Harry took the letter off of its leg and stared at the Hogwarts crest against the heavy yellow parchment envelope. My O.W.L results, Harry thought. A slight panic was building up inside him. What if I failed everything? I won't be accepted into any of the N.E.W.T classes, and I'll be kicked out of Hogwarts. Harry was hyperventilating. Buckbeak sensed his distress, and trotted over to his side. He nudged the boys arm and brought him back to reality. Harry smiled his thanks and broke the seal on the envelope.
Mr. H. Potter, The following are the results of the Ordinary Wizarding Level tests which you participated in last term. As you know a grade of A, E, and O are passing grades, while anything lower is failing. Each individual test counts as 1 level. The overall score is there only for your convenience. Congratulations on receiving 13 O.W.L.s.
Charms: Written: Outstanding Practical: Acceptable Overall: Exceeds Expectations
Transfiguration: Written: Exceeds Expectations Practical: Outstanding Overall: Exceeds Expectations
Herbology: Written: Acceptable Practical: Acceptable Overall: Acceptable
Defense against the Dark Arts Written: Outstanding Practical: Outstanding Overall: Outstanding
Potions: Written: Exceeds Expectations Practical: Outstanding Overall: Outstanding
Care of Magical Creatures: Written: Exceeds Expectations Practical: Outstanding Overall: Outstanding
Astronomy: Written: Acceptable Practical: Poor Overall: Poor
Divination: Written: Poor Practical: Dreadful Overall: Dreadful
History of Magic: Written: Dreadful Overall: Dreadful
Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress
Harry stood stalk still. He had gotten 13 O.W.L.s. Thirteen! That was more than he had expected. Wait a minute! He had passed potions! How on earth had he done that, and an outstanding no less!
Harry sat heavily on the floor, never taking his eyes off of the parchment he held out in front of him. How long he sat like that, dazed and sure that this had to be a dream, he didn't know. Sometime later his attention was called elsewhere by a shout from down stairs, followed by the wails of Sirius's mother in her frame.
"Harry!" some male voice from the floor below bellowed up the stairs. Harry got to his feet, and trudged down the stairs. "Harry!" Ron screamed again, not noticing that his friend was standing right in front of him.
"Ow," Harry replied conversationally, rubbing his ringing ears.
"Oh, sorry," Ron grinned.
"Not a problem. Just help me shut her up," Harry said, heading toward the screaming portrait. They shut the curtain on the painting with more than a little difficulty, and Harry beckoned Ron into the room beyond. "Why don't we get out of her earshot," Harry suggested. "Sorry about that," Ron said. "I completely forgot about her. So, how are you doing?"
"I'm alright," Harry replied.
Ron gave him a rather incredulous look. "Okay. now tell me the truth."
"I'm fine," Harry said adamantly, then sighed. "I miss him. He died. Of course I miss him, but I actually think I'm okay." Harry had yet to tell Ron and Hermione the other half of what was weighing on his mind. They didn't know that Dumbledore had told him about the prophecy, and for the time being Harry thought that it would be better that way.
"You know that if this place is too. if you want to. you know you can stay with us," Ron never was a very eloquent speaker, but Harry was able to pick the meaning out of the words that fell from his mouth.
"Dumbledore figures I'm safer here, and besides. it's not that bad here. I'm starting to like it, but thanks for the offer, and I wouldn't mind visiting. there isn't a whole lot of outdoors around here," Harry replied.
"Anytime," Ron said enthusiastically. "We can get some quidditch practice in, since you'll be back on the team this year."
I had nearly forgotten about that, Harry thought. I had nearly forgotten about quidditch? When did that happen? Harry asked himself in amazement. Well, I was a bit busy last year; Sarcasm dripped from his inner voice.
"Harry!" Ron shouted. Harry looked up into his friends concerned face. "Are you okay?" Harry had been quiet for quite some time. He smiled at Ron and apologized, claiming that he was simply tired. "Dreams still as bad as they were?" Ron asked quietly, as though a lower volume would make the question hurt less.
"They haven't changed," was all that Harry could make himself say.
"Oh!" Ron exclaimed. "I almost forgot why I came!" He pulled parchment envelope from his pocket. "Did your O.W.L. results come yet?" Harry nodded pulling an identical envelope from his own pocket. They exchanged, and congratulated each other on passing 5th year. Ron had received ten passing grades, and two outstandings. He and Harry had passed all of the same classes, with the exception of Ron's poor in potions. "Mom says I could have done better, but I think she's okay with it, seeing as I got more than Fred or George. She's still furious at them and proud of them for leaving school, which leads to some interesting lectures." Ron smiled wide, and the conversation continued until they heard someone in the living room.
Harry and Ron made their way over to the door, and peered out. Severus Snape was standing in front of the fireplace, staring blankly into the flames. Harry was going to leave the man alone, but Ron had other ideas. Harry hurried to keep up with Ron as they made their way across the room.
"Professor?" Ron sneered, as though this was not the proper place for their teacher to be. Snape turned to look at them. Harry caught a glimpse of the bruise under his right eye, a gift given to him by Voldemort at last night's meeting, and unless Harry was very mistaken he had the gifts of all of the Death Eaters hidden beneath his robes.
"Sir," Harry interrupted his friend, "did you need something?" He was careful to make sure that his knowledge of last night was not noticed by the professor.
"Not from you, Potter, that's for sure," Snape sneered at them. "I am waiting on the headmaster. Leave."
Harry pushed Ron back toward the kitchen, and then turned and supplied helpfully, "He hasn't been by here since quite early this morning," and continued on with his friend.
"Stupid." Ron said continuing with a string of words that would cause his mother to use a scouring charm on his mouth.
Harry grinned, "You kiss your mother with that tongue?"
Ron paused for a moment, "NO!" Ron shouted, looking wide eyed at Harry.
"MOUTH! I said mouth! I swear I did!" Harry flushed red at his mistake.
"No you didn't," Ron said, though it took him a while through the never- ending laughter.
"What's so funny?" Hermione asked from the doorway.
"Nothing," Harry said a bit too quickly, while Ron told her everything. It was quite difficult to understand Ron through the gasping and giggling, so she only caught the word tongue, and decided that she really didn't want to know.
"I showed up at your house, and your mother told me that you were here visiting Harry," Hermione said to the still laughing boy in front of her. "How are you Harry?" she added to the other boy.
Harry didn't get a chance to answer though, as the towering figure of an angry potion's master appeared in the doorway. "Would you stop that infernal racket immediately," he asked, though it wasn't a question.
"Sure," he replied, and then looked to his friends, "Why don't we go up stairs?"
"Potter!" Snape shouted, when the three of them were nearly halfway up the stairs. "Get down here!" Harry motioned for his friends to stay where they were, and descended the stairs. When he stood directly in front of Snape, the man spoke. "I hear you passed your potions O.W.L."
"Yes, sir," was Harry's even toned response. "Do you honestly expect me to take you as one of my N.E.W.T. students?" Snape was getting angrier by the minute, and Harry wasn't sure why, but he was not going to rise to the bait.
"Yes, sir. You said you only take student's with top grade O.W.L.s and I made an Outstanding in potions, so that would make me one of them."
"Well, you are wrong, I only accept students with talent, and that does not include you," Snape sneered at the boy.
"Go up stairs with your friends please, Harry," came a voice from the fireplace. The two looked over to see the headmaster step from the flames. Harry nodded and complied, meeting Ron and Hermione where he had left them on the steps.
When they entered the room, they found Phineas dozing, and Hermione asked, "Is that true Harry, did you really get an O in potions?" Harry nodded and Ron grinned. They all traded result papers. The owl had met Hermione at the car when she and her parents pulled up at the Burrow. They spent the rest of the day talking about the classes they were going to take, and wondering who was the last person to truly achieve nineteen outstanding O.W.L.s before Hermione, who blushed a deep crimson when the boys went on about it.
Harry's friends only left Grimwald Place when Mrs. Weasley came and drug them off to bed, after fawning over Harry for a good ten minutes, of course.
Harry went to bed early that night, and quite content. He actually got some rest, as his nightmares left him alone for nearly five hours, but that was all the relief he got, because they did come. Violent and bloody as ever, they came.
A/N I don't like this chapter. I don't know what it is, I'm just not happy with it. I understand completely if you guys don't like it either. If they don't start getting better, I'm going to scrap this story all together. Everybody say thanks to Erfa, and to Luci who helped me figure out how to grade the O.W.L.s and put up with the nervous breakdown that writing this gave me.
Re-posted due to author's stupidity. Thanks to Mella deRanged for pointing it out. I hadn't been able to find where it mentioned Percy's O.W.L. scores, and just completely forgot about Hermione's extra class.
Read and review!
