Disclaimer: i don't own Harry Potter. Nope, not me.
A/N: Yay for reviews!
Once more, this is a just-in-case-I'm-away chapter (because I'm such a nice person!). This one is a Remus chapter…
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Dinner that night was, Remus reflected, a rather odd affair.
Everyone in Hogwarts ate in the Great Hall, but Fudge and Aemilia seemed determined to avoid each other, and Harry seemed determined to avoid the Dursleys, and Severus seemed determined to avoid every one - particularly Helena, who had woken in the early evening.
It's going to be interesting when she finds out she's pregnant, Remus thought. I hope I'm there to watch.
He was oddly cheerful and did not know why. He had the oddest feeling he should be more melancholy, but why that should be he had no clue.
He was sitting with Dumbledore, Aemilia, Helena, Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys (minus Percy) at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. He had caught Aemilia throwing vicious glances over her shoulder to the Slytherin table, where Fudge was eating with a sourfaced Dursley family. Severus was sitting several seats away from them, by himself. Helena was looking at him pensively. She had not said much all evening.
The younger generation were in fine form, however. "I can't believe I passed SIX subjects!" Ron whooped. Harry and Hermione were both grinning fit to burst as well.
"What did you pass, Ron?" Remus asked.
"Here." Ron handed him a sheet of paper. "Read and weep, Professor, read and weep."
"You can call me Remus, you know," Remus said distractedly as he turned his attention to Ron's results.
From the desk of the Board of Magical Education (Examination Department)
Mr. Ronald Weasley
Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry
Dear Mr. Weasley,
This is your official notification of the results of your Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations. The Department of Magical Education would like to congratulate you on receiving nine OWLs.
Defence Against the Dark Arts (theory) - Outstanding
Defence Against the Dark Arts (practical) - Outstanding
Three OWLs achieved
Charms (theory) - Exceeds Expectations
Charms (practical) - Acceptable
OWL achieved
Transfiguration (theory) - Acceptable
Transfiguration (practical) - Exceeds Expectations
OWL achieved
Potions (theory) - Acceptable
Potions (practical) - Exceeds Expectations
OWL achieved
Herbology (theory) - Acceptable
Herbology (practical) - Acceptable
OWL achieved
Care of Magical Creatures (theory) - Exceeds Expectations
Care of Magical Creatures (practical) - Outstanding
Two OWLs achieved
Divination (purely practical) - Poor
OWL not achieved
Astronomy (theory)- Poor
Astronomy (practical) - Poor
OWL not achieved
History of Magic (purely theory) - Poor
OWL not achieved
Congratulations!
Griselda Marchbanks
Head Examiner
"Why did you get three OWLs for Defence Against the Dark Arts?" Ginny asked her brother. "How does that work?"
"Ask Hermione," Ron replied, yawning.
"If you get an Outstanding result in a subject, it counts as another OWL," Hermione explained. "Two OWLs means you've reached the next 'level,' so to speak. You get three OWLs if you get an O in the theory and the practical exam. It's like the highest level."
"Well done, Ron," Remus said, handing the piece of paper back to Ron. "May I see your results, Harry, Hermione?"
"Of course, Professor!" Hermione said eagerly, handing him her results sheet.
Harry was rooting around in his bag for his. "I'll give them to you in a sec," he told Remus.
Remus began to read Hermione's results.
From the desk of the Board of Magical Education (Examination Department)
Miss Hermione Granger
Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry
Dear Miss Granger,
This is your official notification of the results of your Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations. The Department of Magical Education would like to congratulate you on receiving twenty-four OWLs (the highest amount in Britain this year.)
Defence Against the Dark Arts (theory) - Outstanding
Defence Against the Dark Arts (practical) - Outstanding
Three OWLs achieved
Charms (theory) - Outstanding
Charms (practical) - Outstanding
Three OWLs achieved
Transfiguration (theory) - Outstanding
Transfiguration (practical) - Outstanding
Three OWLs achieved
Potions (theory) - Outstanding
Potions (practical) - Outstanding
Three OWLs achieved
Herbology (theory) - Outstanding
Herbology (practical) - Exceeds Expectations
Two OWLs achieved
Care of Magical Creatures (theory) - Outstanding
Care of Magical Creatures (practical) - Outstanding
Three OWLs achieved
Arithmancy (purely practical) - Outstanding
Two OWLs achieved
Study of Ancient Runes (purely theoretical) - Exceeds Expectations
OWL achieved
Astronomy (theory)- Outstanding
Astronomy (practical) - Exceeds Expectations
Two OWLs achieved
History of Magic (purely theory) - Outstanding
Two OWLs achieved
Congratulations!
Griselda Marchbanks
Head Examiner
Remus raised his eyebrows. "Twenty-four OWLs, Hermione?"
Hermione was beaming with pride. "Yes."
Remus reached over and shook her hand. "Well done."
"I have noticed," Dumbledore spoke up, "that while Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley both have awards for Special Services to the school, you do not, Miss Granger." His eyes twinkled. "I think, that with the highest amount of OWLs in Britain, one is warranted."
Hermione turned red. "A - a special award? Thankyou, Professor!"
Harry had found his results and passed them to Remus. "Here you go," he said.
From the desk of the Board of Magical Education (Examination Department)
Mr. Harry Potter
Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry
Dear Mr. Potter,
This is your official notification of the results of your Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations. The Department of Magical Education would like to congratulate you on receiving eleven OWLs.
Defence Against the Dark Arts (theory) - Outstanding
Defence Against the Dark Arts (practical) - Outstanding
Three OWLs achieved
Charms (theory) - Exceeds Expectations
Charms (practical) - Exceeds Expectations
OWL achieved
Transfiguration (theory) - Exceeds Expectations
Transfiguration (practical) - Outstanding
Two OWLs achieved
Potions (theory) - Acceptable
Potions (practical) - Outstanding
Two OWLs achieved
Herbology (theory) - Acceptable
Herbology (practical) - Acceptable
OWL achieved
Care of Magical Creatures (theory) - Exceeds Expectations
Care of Magical Creatures (practical) - Outstanding
Two OWLs achieved
Divination (purely practical) - Poor
OWL not achieved
Astronomy (theory)- Poor
Astronomy (practical) - Poor
OWL not achieved
History of Magic (purely theory) - Dreadful
OWL not achieved
Congratulations!
Griselda Marchbanks
Head Examiner
Remus passed the paper back to Harry. "Eleven," he said, smiling. "Well done."
Harry smiled crookedly. "Thanks, Prof - Remus."
"Your father and Sirius both got eleven OWLs," Remus told Harry.
Harry's green eyes lit up. "Really? How many did my mother get?"
"Twelve," Remus replied. "James was very jealous, let me tell you!"
"What was my dad's job?" Harry asked. "It says in my mum's diary - the one that Aemilia gave me - that he wanted to be an Auror…"
"He did want to be an Auror," Remus answered, "but for… reasons -"
"Order reasons?"
"Yes. Because of those reasons, he became an Unspeakable."
Harry breathed in sharply. "He worked in the Department of Mysteries?"
Remus nodded. "The papers that the court case is over tomorrow… they're the result of your dad working there."
"What about my mum? Didn't she help?"
Remus shot an uneasy glance at Helena. He really did not want to have to bring up the Arachniae in front of her.
But, surprisingly, she did it for him. "Have you heard of the Arachniae, Mr. Potter?"
"No," Harry replied uneasily. He had been introduced to Helena earlier, but he was still uncomfortable.
"The priestesses of Arachne," Helena answered. "No longer in existence." She said this so curtly and stonily that Remus wondered if she'd put some kind of eldritch charm on herself to stop her from having an emotional breakdown. "They have - had - books that dealt in depth with matters of life and death, secrets shared with them by seelie wights in ancient times. Your mother had access to them."
Harry looked quizzically at Remus. "My mother was a priestess?"
"Until she fell pregnant with you. Then she left and began working from home. She wrote articles for a periodical on Charms," Remus said. He sighed. As always, thinking of the Arachniae brought Regina into his mind. "My sister Regina was a priestess as well." There was something niggling at him, something about Regina, but he could not put his finger on it.
"What about Sirius? What was his job?" Hermione asked. She and Ron had evidently been listening to the whole exchange.
Remus grinned. "Sirius worked two jobs. He was a junior member of the Muggle-worthy Excuse Committee for the Ministry by day, but by night he was Sirius Black, First Violinist for the London Wizarding Philharmonic."
"Sirius played in an orchestra?" Ron asked, aghast. "Isn't that… kind of… girly?"
Hermione hit him. "No, it's not!" she told him shrilly.
Remus laughed gently. "Of course it's not girly, Ron. Loads of men play the violin. Where did you get the idea that playing the violin is girly?"
Ron cast an evil glare at Fred and George, who turned bright red and evidently felt the need to change the subject. "Hehehe…" Fred said. "Well… won't Snape be pleased when he finds out his favourite students passed? Have you told him yet?"
"No," Hermione replied.
George grinned. "OI! SEV!"
Ginny dissolved into giggles. Hermione gave her a disparaging look.
Severus swept over, looking like, Remus considered, an oversized, bad-tempered bat. "What?" he asked George shortly.
"I believe Mr. Weasley was calling you over," Dumbledore said smoothly, "so these three students could tell you personally the results of their Potions OWLs."
Severus looked bitter and irritated. "Well?" he barked, rounding on Harry, Ron and Hermione.
"I passed, Professor," Ron said cheerfully, seeming to believe that he was safe while Dumbledore was there. "An A and an E."
"Very well," Severus spat. "Potter?"
"An A and an O, sir," Harry answered.
Severus looked coolly at Harry. "My, my, the Department's standards have gone down, haven't they? Miss Granger?" he snapped suddenly.
Ron draped a proud arm around Hermione's shoulders. "She got two Outstanding OWLs," he said proudly.
Severus looked like he'd eaten something very unpleasant. "Well done, Miss Granger," he said coldly, before sweeping out of the hall.
Ron was in fits of laughter. 'Did you see the look on his FACE!? He looked like someone had shoved dung under his nose!"
"Yes, yes," Fred said. "Shut up and eat. Here, have some pumpkin pie."
Ron, Harry and Hermione all wrinkled their noses. "Yuck," they said simultaneously.
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