Chapter 7. Wand Polishing 101
Harry sat at his desk and reread the letter from Hermione. He had written her back the day after he had his talk with Dumbledore and Hedwig had just returned with her reply late last night.
Dear Harry,
Don't you dare think you are to blame. I am doing fine and the fact that I was hurt was my own fault as I should have stunned the guy instead of silencing him. My fault-- not yours. I am not going anywhere and I will not be feeling like I never want to see you again. You are my best friend-- that's right--best. (Don't you dare tell Ron, but it is true.) You are not bad luck and I will not accept your apology because there is nothing to apologize for. We stick together because that's what friends do.
You are welcome for the news. I was pleased that most all of it was good news to pass along. You are also welcome for the journal. I was hoping you might use it at least to vent so that if things go like they did last summer, you will not have to keep it all pent up until you see Ron and myself. I understand though, how you felt; just being home now for barely over a week makes me feel so isolated.
I am glad that you say you are having a better time this summer. When do you think we will get our O.W.L. scores? They said some time in July and it is the 9th today. I hope we do not have to wait until the end of the month--I think I might go insane! I know, I know, you think I am mad and maybe you could care less right now how you did but it is important. Well, maybe not so much as other things but they do reflect five years of work and will determine the classes we can take next year and shape our futures.
I hope to see you soon and I really do hope you can stop blaming yourself.
With Love From,
Hermione
Harry had written thanking her for keeping him informed with news and had asked how she had been doing since she had spent most of the last week at Hogwarts recovering in the hospital wing. He then proceeded to apologize for not listening to her that night about his vision possibly being a trap and for dragging her along into the trap and for causing her to be injured. He had said he would understand if she never wanted to see him again. He also thanked her for the journal but that at the moment his thoughts weren't quite clear enough to be made into complete sentences.
He was still a little surprised that she had admitted that O.W.L. scores were not the most important things in the world but he figured that trying to take on nearly a dozen Death Eaters who had no moral dilemma in killing students would change the way anyone looked at their priorities. After rummaging for a new nib for his quill in his trunk, he dipped it in ink and began to write.
Hermione,
I am glad you accept my apology. Whether you say it or not, I take it as such. I know this may sound morbid but it sometimes helps to believe that things could be worse and to think of what else could have gone wrong that night but didn't and losing you is one thing that was a rather close call. I am glad you are recovering.
He really could not imagine if she or Ron or anyone that had went with him to the Department of Mysteries had decided they never wanted to see or be near Harry again after what had happened. He could understand it, but right now, he would never be able to pull himself out of the guilt he felt for losing Sirius if someone else were to blame him for what had happened.
Things are very calm here--it helps that my uncle has taken to working 14 hours a day and on weekends, too. I think he is avoiding being here with me. It makes for a nice improvement. I get to visit with different friends now during tea with my neighbor.
Harry knew she would know this was Mrs. Figg who was a member of the Order. He had just found out that afternoon when Tonks and Lupin had shown up to see Harry at tea time that Hermione would be moving to Grimmauld Place this next weekend as her parents were set to leave for some undisclosed destination. Lupin was currently the only one staying full time at the Order headquarters.
I happen to know that O.W.L. scores should be arriving next week and that there should be a bit of a surprise in there. You might want to cast a silencing charm as soon as you open the letter so you don't disturb too many people when you read it. You never told me--what did you decide on for your career choice?
Harry knew Hermione would be nearly as excited to get her scores as to find out that they would then be able to perform magic outside of school.
Well, I need to dash to shower and get ready. I am expected for a visit in less than an hour. Wish your parents good luck and see you soon.
Harry
He finished the letter, rolled it and tied it up and set on his desk, as Hedwig was still asleep. He would send her out with it later when he got back from Mrs. Figg's.
The next day Harry showed up at Mrs. Figg's with some trepidation, as this was the day that Mad-Eye Moody was supposed to instruct Harry on the basics of wand use, care, and such. Harry had gone over A Wizard and his Wand the previous two nights so he wouldn't be completely clueless. He had found out several interesting things about wands: such as a wand might last for anywhere from a few years to a century depending upon the user and his or her need for the strengths that the wand offered. Harry had recalled that Ron had started school using Charlie's old wand and found out that this was likely because a wand with a core of dragon heartstring is needed to effectively cast any spells on a dragon. He also read about the rare effects of brother wands meeting and being forced to duel. The book cited that most known cases of this occurred when identical twins, who would often be chosen by brother wands, were trying to curse each other in a sibling spat. Harry wondered if perhaps Fred and George had brother wands and that this was why they spent so much time making jokes to prank each other and others.
Moody and Harry were seated across from each other at the dinning table and Harry felt as if he was being tested and interrogated and not at all there for a relaxing time of tea. Indeed there was no tea in sight--not that it bothered Moody; his motto was 'have hip flask, will travel'. "Alright now boy, when was the last time you polished your wand?"
"Er…" Harr could not help the blush and had to screw up his face to fight down a fit of laughter as he knew all too well that Fred and George considered "polishing their wands" to be a fine endeavor best practiced at least once a day.
"A wand needs to be taken care of! You can't expect it to always be in perfect condition if you don't take good care of it and prepare it for use! Now, let's see it…" Harry had purposely worn a long sleeve t-shirt in which he was able to conceal his wand in the sleeve (he knew all to well what Moody thought of using trouser pockets) and now took out his wand and handed it to Moody.
"What are you, mad?! You just gonna give your wand to anyone who asks?!?! First lesson--NEVER GIVE UP YOUR WAND!!"
Harry thought this was quite unfair as it was Moody asking for the wand and of course he wouldn't give up his wand on purpose; the problem seemed more to be when his wand was forcibly taken. "What if I am disarmed or someone does take it?"
"Then you get it back! Dumbledore told me how your wand is particularly useful against You-Know-Who so you keeping it on your body is even more important. But even the best wizard might be disarmed or knocked out and lose his wand…best if you avoid that altogether."
Oh, that clears that up. "Constant vigilance--got it."
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!! It is not just a phrase--it is a WAY OF LIFE!! And if you want a life to live, then you'd do well to adopt it!"
This went on for nearly three hours and Harry had never been more happy to see Mrs. Figg than when she arrived back from her errands to express surprise that Mad-Eye and Harry were still there. Moody had said it taken longer than he expected because the boy had 'barely an ounce of wand wit' and had never even been properly instructed on the intricacies of wand polishing. Harry couldn't help but hear a comedic routine in his head quipping on every possible double entendre in voices that sounded an awful lot like Fred and George.
The most helpful thing Moody had done was to give Harry a wand holster that could be used to strap on his wand in a variety of locations: his calf, his forearm, over his shoulder, on his upper arm, or on his back of his neck along his spine. The leather holster had attachments for the different locations and was charmed to adjust as needed. Moody said Aurors or wizards who lived around muggles who were not often wearing robes primarily used them. Moody had also suggested that Harry practice drawing his wand from various locations and that if he got really good he would nearly be able to summon his wand to his hand with the help of some minor wandless magic which Moody said would be undetectable. He explained that the Ministry was only able to detect underage magic by monitoring for the casting of known spells and therefore unnamed or wandless spells rarely set off the underage detectors.
Over the next few days Harry was still trying to not feel like he was swimming with a weight tied to him when he thought of Sirius and Harry was still not quite able to get his head around what the prophecy meant to him and what passed for his life. Harry was often pondering what people would think if they knew the entire thing and how they might treat him after they knew. He thought that Hermione would probably be shocked at first, question it and the reliability of any kind of divination, then accept it and analyze every angle of it and research everything to do with prophesies and Dark Lords. Ron would probably stare open-mouthed for a few minutes and then say, "That sucks, mate." and then comment that he hoped this would not prevent Harry from playing quidditch. Mrs. Weasley would probably sob and try to stuff Harry away in a cupboard to make sure he remained safe for the rest of his life. Lupin would--well, Lupin would probably treat him mostly the same. Harry liked having tea and chats with Lupin as he had a very even manner about him that was neither excitable nor depressing. Lupin always seemed to take everything in stride and the long stretches of silence that Harry suffered upon anyone who visited with him never seemed to much bother Lupin, which made Harry feel quite at ease around him. Sirius--if Sirius were around to hear the prophecy, well, perhaps he might just think it was rather exciting. The previous summer when Sirius had heard that Harry had to fight off dementors, he had been jealous because at least Harry got to do something. If it were Sirius in the prophecy, he would stand up and meet it and he wouldn't think twice about it. Yes, Sirius would most definitely grab this bull by the horns and make it dance. And so would my father.
And that was the thought that propelled Harry to read and study the books that Dumbledore had lent him with an intensive fervor to rival Hermione's. He was engrossed in a chapter on the use of Switching Spells as active defense in the book Dueling with Wizards Who Play Dirty when the arrival of an unknown owl flew in through his window bearing an envelope with a Ministry seal. "What?!? I wasn't doing magic! Did I accidentally say an incantation out loud and trip their detectors?" But when Harry unrolled the parchment he sat down immediately and scanned the sheet, "O.W.L. scores!!!"
Ordinary Wizarding Level Examination Results for:
POTTER, Harry James
Released by Griselda Marchbanks,
Department Head of Wizarding Examinations Authority,
Ministry of Magic
The following scale is used to score examination results and determine passing grades.:
Passing Scores
O = Outstanding
E = Exceeds Expectations
A = Acceptable
Failing Scores
P = Poor
D = Dreadful
T = Terrible
Minimum course score requirements for acceptance into N.E.W.T. preparatory courses at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are listed on the course sign-up forms provided by Hogwarts. The abbreviation "NA" stands for "Not Attempted". Questions, concerns or contestations of earned scores shall be directed to the Ministry Office of Wizarding Examinations Authority.
Course
sCORE
Charms
Theory
O
Practical
E
Overall
E
Transfiguration
Theory
E
Practical
O
Overall
O
Herbology
Theory
E
Practical
E
Overall
E
Defense Against the Dark Arts
Theory
O
Practical
O
Overall
O
Potions
Theory
E
Practical
O
Overall
O
Care of Magical Creatures
Theory
O
Practical
O
Overall
O
Astronomy
Theory
E
Practical
P
Overall
A
History of Magic
Theory Only--Overall
P
Ancient Runes
Practical Only--Overall
NA
Divination
Practical Only--Overall
P
Arithmancy
Practical Only--Overall
NA
Muggle Studies
Practical Only--Overall
NA
"I can't believe it……Potions!!!!" Harry had to reread the parchment several times before it had finally sunk in that he had aced the majority of his exams-- with a few expected exceptions that did not bother him at all. "It will be worth spending another two years with Snape just to annoy the bloody git!" said Harry shaking his head in amazement.
He was just thinking this was turning out to be an incredible day when it got even better as he looked at the second piece of parchment behind his results:
WIZARDING EXAMINATIONS AUTHORITY DECREE NUMBER 12All underage students passing Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations in each of Transfiguration, Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts course are hereby granted temporary licensure to perform magic outside of school. All students are expected to adhere to the Ministry Guidelines for the Proper Use of Magic. Abuse of this privilege will result in loss of said privilege and may be cause for expulsion.
Signed: Griselda Marchbanks, Department Head of Wizarding Examinations Authority, Ministry of Magic and Cornelius O. Fudge, Minister of Magic