Chapter Twenty Two: O.W.L.s Frenzy
When Sirius and Clarice reappeared at the lake, Sirius changed right back into his Animagus form. Clarice took the wedding bands and the engagement ring, put them on the chain of the locket, and put the locket on her neck. She was crying hysterically.
"Clarice are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Let's go. I need to get back to the dormitory immediately. If anyone catches me out here I'll be in loads of trouble."
Sirius grabbed hold of Clarice and waited for her to Apparate. Only this time, she didn't. She changed form into a hippogriff and flew to her dormitory window. When they got inside she changed back and went right to bed, without answering Sirius' questions.
The following morning, Clarice went down to the Great Hall for breakfast and found that Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George were already there. It was Saturday and the O.W.L.s started on Monday so things were very tense when it came to the fifth and seventh years.
"Why didn't anyone wake me when you guys were coming down to breakfast?"
"I tried to," said Hermione, "but Rex wouldn't allow it."
"Alright."
"So, Fred, George, Clarice. Are you guys ready for your O.W.L.s?" asked Ron.
"Are you ready to die?" asked Fred in reply. Even Fred and George were feeling the strain of these exams.
"George what are you doing?" asked Harry.
"What does it look like?" he replied.
"You can't possibly be studying," said Ron, "you've never done that before. Either of you."
"Yes well, mum will kill us if we fail all of our O.W.L.s." said Fred.
"Don't worry you two. I can help you guys," said Clarice.
"Oh, that reminds me, Clarice. McGonagall gave me your O.W.L. schedule when you were in the hospital wing. Here you go," said Fred.
Clarice looked down at the parchment. It read as follows:
Monday Morning:
Charms written Muggle Studies
Monday Afternoon:
Charms Practical
Tuesday Morning:
Potions written Arithmancy
Tuesday Afternoon:
Potions Practical
Wednesday Morning:
History of Magic
Wednesday Afternoon:
Ancient Runes Divination Practical
Wednesday Night:
Astronomy
Thursday Morning:
Transfigurations written Advanced Potions written
Thursday Afternoon:
Transfigurations Practical
Advanced Potions Practical
Friday Morning:
Care of Magical Creatures Written
Friday Afternoon:
Care of Magical Creatures Practical
Monday Morning:
Defense Against the Dark Arts written Advanced Herbology written
Monday Afternoon:
Defense Against the Dark Arts Practical
Advanced Herbology Practical
Tuesday Morning:
Herbology written Advanced Transfigurations Written
Tuesday Afternoon:
Herbology Practical
Advanced Transfigurations Practical
Wednesday Morning:
Advanced Charms written
Wednesday Afternoon:
Advanced Charms Practical
Thursday Morning:
Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts written
Thursday Afternoon:
Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts Practical
Fred, who was looking over her shoulder, grimaced at the sight of all the exams she was taking.
"How are you supposed to sit for two exams at once Clarice?"
"Don't worry."
At the comments Hermione just started to smirk. As she was taking eleven classes at the moment, she knew how Clarice was going to sit for two exams. She was going to do it as well.
"Hermione, how are you going to sit for two exams at once?" asked Ron, when he noticed her smirking.
"Oh don't you worry about me, Ron. Worry about the Potions Final."
Indeed of the six friends, it was only the two girls who knew how the other was attending two classes at once.
Later that afternoon back in the common room, Percy was telling off a bunch of first years for disturbing the peace. While he was telling them off, Fred, George and Clarice were trying to cram for their exams. None of them had been studying because aside from Clarice's problems, they had been pulling practical jokes to lighten her mood lately. They had a lot of work to do and very little time to do it. Finally at three a.m., they dragged themselves to bed.
Sunday was the same as Saturday. Anyone who was found making any noise in the common rooms and library were likely to receive detention from the prefects, points deducted from the Head Boy and Girl, or even from the professors. Everyone was tense. The seventh years were about to go into the last qualifying wizarding exam in their school careers. The fifth years were about to go into the wizarding exam that would effect what careers they could even apply to.
With everyone as tense as ever and the grounds looking so tempting, Clarice suggested to Fred and George that they go study out by the lake. Not many people were actually going outside because they were spending so much time studying and it would in essence be quieter outside.
The trio went to Gryffindor Tower to get the rest of their school things. When in the dormitories, Clarice decided to bring Sirius for some exercise. He hadn't gotten out much recently.
Fred led the way down to the lake. The three sat on a blanket that Clarice had conjured and anchored with their books. It was nice. They took turns quizzing each other on different things that were bound to come up on the exams. When they went thru all the subjects they have together, George started playing around with Sirius and Fred continued to quiz Clarice in her extra subjects.
The afternoon was so nice. The weather was warm, they were together and Clarice was laughing more. She was even beginning to gain some of her weight back. Things were looking better and better everyday.
Too soon the sun set and the trio had to go back to the dormitory. Clarice had more energy and was happier than she had been in days. She wanted to do something nice for someone and decided it should be her cousin.
As they got to the common room, Fred and George went to their dormitories, following Ron who had just started to climb the stairs. Clarice saw that Hermione was going to go to her dormitory.
"Hermione! Wait a second!"
Hermione looked back at Clarice. Percy looked up warningly.
"Sorry Percy. I didn't mean to make that much noise. Hermione, can you bring my things to my dorm? I know they might be heavy but use the spell locomotor school bag and it will move on its own. I need to talk to Harry a bit before bed."
"Sure."
"Harry. Come here," Clarice whispered, not wanting to make Percy angry again.
Harry walked over to Clarice and they climbed out of the portrait hole.
"What is it?"
"Give me a hug. I want to show you something. Just, whatever you do, don't let go of me until I say its safe. Okay?"
Harry nodded and gave her a hug. Everything began to get fuzzy.
When Sirius and Clarice reappeared at the lake, Sirius changed right back into his Animagus form. Clarice took the wedding bands and the engagement ring, put them on the chain of the locket, and put the locket on her neck. She was crying hysterically.
"Clarice are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Let's go. I need to get back to the dormitory immediately. If anyone catches me out here I'll be in loads of trouble."
Sirius grabbed hold of Clarice and waited for her to Apparate. Only this time, she didn't. She changed form into a hippogriff and flew to her dormitory window. When they got inside she changed back and went right to bed, without answering Sirius' questions.
The following morning, Clarice went down to the Great Hall for breakfast and found that Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George were already there. It was Saturday and the O.W.L.s started on Monday so things were very tense when it came to the fifth and seventh years.
"Why didn't anyone wake me when you guys were coming down to breakfast?"
"I tried to," said Hermione, "but Rex wouldn't allow it."
"Alright."
"So, Fred, George, Clarice. Are you guys ready for your O.W.L.s?" asked Ron.
"Are you ready to die?" asked Fred in reply. Even Fred and George were feeling the strain of these exams.
"George what are you doing?" asked Harry.
"What does it look like?" he replied.
"You can't possibly be studying," said Ron, "you've never done that before. Either of you."
"Yes well, mum will kill us if we fail all of our O.W.L.s." said Fred.
"Don't worry you two. I can help you guys," said Clarice.
"Oh, that reminds me, Clarice. McGonagall gave me your O.W.L. schedule when you were in the hospital wing. Here you go," said Fred.
Clarice looked down at the parchment. It read as follows:
Monday Morning:
Charms written Muggle Studies
Monday Afternoon:
Charms Practical
Tuesday Morning:
Potions written Arithmancy
Tuesday Afternoon:
Potions Practical
Wednesday Morning:
History of Magic
Wednesday Afternoon:
Ancient Runes Divination Practical
Wednesday Night:
Astronomy
Thursday Morning:
Transfigurations written Advanced Potions written
Thursday Afternoon:
Transfigurations Practical
Advanced Potions Practical
Friday Morning:
Care of Magical Creatures Written
Friday Afternoon:
Care of Magical Creatures Practical
Monday Morning:
Defense Against the Dark Arts written Advanced Herbology written
Monday Afternoon:
Defense Against the Dark Arts Practical
Advanced Herbology Practical
Tuesday Morning:
Herbology written Advanced Transfigurations Written
Tuesday Afternoon:
Herbology Practical
Advanced Transfigurations Practical
Wednesday Morning:
Advanced Charms written
Wednesday Afternoon:
Advanced Charms Practical
Thursday Morning:
Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts written
Thursday Afternoon:
Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts Practical
Fred, who was looking over her shoulder, grimaced at the sight of all the exams she was taking.
"How are you supposed to sit for two exams at once Clarice?"
"Don't worry."
At the comments Hermione just started to smirk. As she was taking eleven classes at the moment, she knew how Clarice was going to sit for two exams. She was going to do it as well.
"Hermione, how are you going to sit for two exams at once?" asked Ron, when he noticed her smirking.
"Oh don't you worry about me, Ron. Worry about the Potions Final."
Indeed of the six friends, it was only the two girls who knew how the other was attending two classes at once.
Later that afternoon back in the common room, Percy was telling off a bunch of first years for disturbing the peace. While he was telling them off, Fred, George and Clarice were trying to cram for their exams. None of them had been studying because aside from Clarice's problems, they had been pulling practical jokes to lighten her mood lately. They had a lot of work to do and very little time to do it. Finally at three a.m., they dragged themselves to bed.
Sunday was the same as Saturday. Anyone who was found making any noise in the common rooms and library were likely to receive detention from the prefects, points deducted from the Head Boy and Girl, or even from the professors. Everyone was tense. The seventh years were about to go into the last qualifying wizarding exam in their school careers. The fifth years were about to go into the wizarding exam that would effect what careers they could even apply to.
With everyone as tense as ever and the grounds looking so tempting, Clarice suggested to Fred and George that they go study out by the lake. Not many people were actually going outside because they were spending so much time studying and it would in essence be quieter outside.
The trio went to Gryffindor Tower to get the rest of their school things. When in the dormitories, Clarice decided to bring Sirius for some exercise. He hadn't gotten out much recently.
Fred led the way down to the lake. The three sat on a blanket that Clarice had conjured and anchored with their books. It was nice. They took turns quizzing each other on different things that were bound to come up on the exams. When they went thru all the subjects they have together, George started playing around with Sirius and Fred continued to quiz Clarice in her extra subjects.
The afternoon was so nice. The weather was warm, they were together and Clarice was laughing more. She was even beginning to gain some of her weight back. Things were looking better and better everyday.
Too soon the sun set and the trio had to go back to the dormitory. Clarice had more energy and was happier than she had been in days. She wanted to do something nice for someone and decided it should be her cousin.
As they got to the common room, Fred and George went to their dormitories, following Ron who had just started to climb the stairs. Clarice saw that Hermione was going to go to her dormitory.
"Hermione! Wait a second!"
Hermione looked back at Clarice. Percy looked up warningly.
"Sorry Percy. I didn't mean to make that much noise. Hermione, can you bring my things to my dorm? I know they might be heavy but use the spell locomotor school bag and it will move on its own. I need to talk to Harry a bit before bed."
"Sure."
"Harry. Come here," Clarice whispered, not wanting to make Percy angry again.
Harry walked over to Clarice and they climbed out of the portrait hole.
"What is it?"
"Give me a hug. I want to show you something. Just, whatever you do, don't let go of me until I say its safe. Okay?"
Harry nodded and gave her a hug. Everything began to get fuzzy.