Rain

Chapter Twenty-Seven

OWLs

Dorothy awoke the next morning before anyone else in the girls' dormitory. Her enchanted clock told her that it was just a little bit after four o'clock and OWLs were starting in four hours. She tried to roll over and go back to sleep but was unsuccessful. The day was going to start early for her. She stood up off the bed, picked up her clock, and turned off the alarm setting it was on. Next, she took down the poster of the US Jets, the United States Quidditch team, and rolled it up before setting it in her trunk with the rest of her stuff. Next she picked up everything but her clock off her nightstand and put it in her trunk as well, scratching Coal behind the ears as he rubbed up against her leg.

"Our last day, Coal," Dorothy whispered to the ebony colored cat. "I guess that means we have to say good-bye to everyone today…after I take my OWLs. Then we get on the train tomorrow morning and head home. Aunt Mildred locks herself in her office after lessons and has to have her food brought to her. I can tell she's grieving father's passing…"

A few tears welled up in Dorothy's eyes but she quickly brushed them away, finishing her packing and pulling a book out from under her pillow. She flipped the cover open and looked down at the photograph of her mum and dad, both smiling happily, as her mother showed off her new engagement ring. She turned the page. A wedding picture with her mother and father smiling and young. Then a picture of her mom pregnant with their first child…they had a miscarriage. Then the next page, she's pregnant again, this time with Dorothy.

The dark-haired Gryffindor girl continued through the photo album, tears spilling freely down her cheeks and landing on pictures of her family together. Then, as she turned yet another page, she saw a picture she didn't want to see at that moment. A picture of three-year-old version of herself, her father, her Aunt Mildred, and her Grandparents, all standing around a casket, dressed in black and crying freely.

"I get the feeling that I'll have another picture in here similar to this," whispered Dorothy, closing the photo album and also putting it away in her trunk before looking back at the clock. 6:47…time flies by when you're distracted.

She stood up and got some clothes out of her trunk after taking everything out again. A black button up blouse, a black skirt, black stockings, and her robes. She dressed silently, glancing out the window frequently, took out her clothes for the next day, put everything else back in the trunk, and then locked it. Glancing at her clock one more time before leaving the dormitories, Dorothy found that it was very nearly seven o'clock and that everyone else around her was awake.

"Good morning," greeted Hermione rather sadly. Lavender and Parvati did the same as they started to dress themselves. "Exams start soon, let's go get some breakfast."

Dorothy followed Hermione out of the girls' dormitories and into the common room where they met up with two very tired-looking young men named Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley.

"Morning, guys," said Dorothy as cheerfully as she could but failing miserably. "Shall we go to breakfast? I don't like just standing around and waiting for something to happen. Besides, we have OWLs today."

Both Harry and Ron groaned at these words but followed the two girls out of the common rooms and down the Grand Staircase, toward the Great Hall. When the four of them entered the dining area of the school, they all sat at the Gryffindor table and ate the little their stomachs would allow, which wasn't very much. After the Great Hall filled up, Dumbledore stood up and the Hall became incredibly quiet.

"Good morning, my students," he said with less cheer than usual. "As I'm sure you're all aware, today is the day all fifth and sixth years will be taking the OWLs and the seventh years will be taking the NEWTs. I hope you've all studied hard and are prepared. Now, if those of you taking these exams today will look under your plates, you'll find you testing schedule. If you're taking the OWLs, you'll notice that History of Magic is first, so bring some quills and ink with you, remember, note Answer Charms will be allowed for this test. Your wand will be confiscated and your quills exams before hand…" Dumbledore went on to explain the NEWTs to the seventh years and then the students were filed out of the Great Hall so the staff could rearrange the tables for testing.

Dorothy remained silent for a long time, recounting all of her information in her mind but constantly being interrupted by someone or something. The doors to the great hall opened again and a tall, lanky man with gray hair, a combed mustache and a line for a mouth appeared, taking in each of the students. He stepped out into the hall and counted all of the students standing before him.

"Good," he grumbled in his rough voice. "Please enter the great hall and take a seat. Fifth years in the fronts, sixth years in the back. Also, please hand your wand to Bruno as you enter and allow Matilda to make sure you haven't got any cheating devices on you and haven't cast any spells on your quills."

After each of the students went through the line of people, they entered fully into the Great Hall. Each seat was labeled with a name of the person to be sitting there. Dorothy searched around and finally when she reached the last room, she saw one seat with her name and sat there. What she wasn't expecting however, was that she was sitting next to Draco Malfoy. He grinned at her but she simply looked ahead as the tall, bony, old man took his place at the front of the Hall.

"You have three hours to complete this examination. There are 200 questions fore fifth years and 250 for sixth years," he explained. "Each of the papers has been fitted to your skill level deepening on what form of History of Magic class you took over the year. In addition, the papers have been charmed with No-Peek Spells to keep all students from cheating off of their neighbor. When I say, I will turn the hourglass over and you will begin. Ready?" He paused a moment as he looked over the anxious faces. "And, begin!" He flipped over the hourglass and all of the students read their first questions.

Dorothy blinked and stared at her first question, determined to finish her 250-question exam before the time ran out.

Question #1: How many giants are estimated to have been killed off in the past century?

Dorothy quickly scribbled her answer: Nearly Two-Hundred Million.

'Maybe this won't be so bad,' she thought.

With five minutes remaining, Dorothy chewed the end of her quill as she contemplated over the very last question.

Question #250: What were the names of the five rebel Goblins that started the Goblin Rebellion? How and when did the rebellion begin? (Please use the exact date.)

Dorothy looked up at the hourglass as every little grain trickled down into the bottom. She then snapped her head down and twisted the quill ferociously between her teeth as she thought. With mere seconds left, she scribbled down what she could remember and clacked her quill down on the table, most of the feather missing.

"Quills down, please," said the man with the straight, grim lip as he set the hourglass down on the staff table behind him. "Matilda will be taking up your tests and Bruno will be returning your wands."

Just as the older man sad, the very solemn looking witch came around and picked up each one of the test papers, looking at each of the students in turn. She took up Draco's paper first, and then Dorothy's. When her test was gone, the dark-haired Gryffindor girl looked over at Draco who was leaning back very coolly in his seat, trying to look smooth and arrogant, and doing exceedingly well. He gave Dorothy one of his normal, sly smirks, one he hadn't given her since the beginning of the years, and closed his eyes leisurely. Bruno sets my wand gently in front of me and does the same with Draco's.

"You can go," said the man, once everyone had gotten his or her wands back.. "You next OWL starts in 15 minutes."

Dorothy met up with Hermione outside the Great Hall and gave a relieved sigh.

"I almost thought I wasn't going to get done in time," commented Dorothy, putting her quill and wand away. "The first 100 were pretty easy but I started getting confused with the last 150. Too many big words in such small print."

"I hated that," stated Ron, walking over to Hermione and Dorothy with Harry at his heel. "I didn't understand more than three-quarters of that test. I think I failed."

"AND we have potions OWLs next," Harry reminded and he and Ron groaned. Dorothy sighed and checked her watch.

"Speaking of which, we have five minutes till it starts. I'm sure they've set the booths up in the Great Hall for this year's examinations. We just have to take two more OWLs and then lunch and then we have an hour after lunch as a study break."

"So, what's the other OWL we're about to take? Potions and—?" asked Ron, looking at his schedule.

"Defense against the Dark Arts."

……………………………Tick, tock. Tick, tock…………………………………………………………………………………………

OWLs ended at 4:30 PM. Everyone who'd been stuck in a booth with a Ministry worker was tired, stressed (about how they did), and hungry. It was a relieving time when dinner came…for most. Dorothy on the other hand was staring blankly at her plate and simply shoveling the food around with her fork.

"You okay, Dorothy?" asked Ron, looking at her as she nibbled at her food.

"Huh?" she asked, seemingly coming out of her daze. "Oh yeah. Just tired is all. You know, this might be the last meal I eat at Hogwarts since I'm eating breakfast on the train tomorrow. Are you all going to come to the Hogsmeade Station? You don't have to if you don't want to. I'd probably end up breaking down and burst out crying before I leave." She gave a disheartened laugh and looked back at her food.

Draco whom was sitting at the Slytherin table, looked up from his food and over to the Gryffindor table. Her head was bowed and he could almost see her crying…almost. Suddenly, Dumbledore stood up, waiting for the Hall to quiet down before speaking. When it did so and he had every student's attention, he cleared his throat and spoke.

"OWLs are over," he declared and waited for the Hall to settle down once more after giving the approved cheer, "…and I hope you all did well. Unfortunately, though this is a very happy time for most of you, I am actually speaking to say farewell to student." The Hall once against erupted with noise, only this time it was murmurs and whispers. Dumbledore did not, however, wait for them to finish their conversations before he went on with his announcement. "No, no student has died so there is no need to fret over that. Tomorrow, Ms. Dorothy Agel, whom we had the pleasure of transferring into Hogwarts at the beginning of the year, is leaving tomorrow morning to head back to Bristol. She has just faced a tragedy in her family and is returning home with her aunt, Professor Mildred Watts. Now, for the most serious part of this news. If I may, with Ms. Agel's consent," Dorothy nodded, "tell you all how this tragedy occurred…" Dumbledore paused a minute to collect his thoughts. "The Dark Lord, as we all know, had arisen and returned to power. His followers are flocking to him from the very corners of the earth. Mr. Hubert Agel, the deceased, was killed by a Death Eater in his home not but a week ago. With this news, I urge you all to take great caution in these future days and especially during your summer holidays. Ms. Agel may not be joining us next year for her final year because of…business issues. I advise you all to say your farewells to her tonight or tomorrow at the Hogsmeade Station. Those of you who'd like to come are welcome. Now, once you've finished eating, please go to your common rooms immediately. Good night."

The murmurs and whispers from the students became an uproar of chatter as soon as the Headmaster sat back down. Without saying a word, Dorothy stood up, stretched, said goodnight to her fellow Gryffindors and left the Great Hall, taking long strides in getting to the common rooms. She gave the password to the Fat Lady, entered onto the carpet, and head to girls' dormitories, ready to sleep…if her mind would let her.

A/N: Well? We've got one more chapter to go. In the next chapter Draco and Dorothy do not make up…they'll make up (possibly) in Conquest of the Heart. You'll also find out why my story is called Rain. I'll fill you in with some details of the sequel and stuff so R&R. I hope to see you soon. Ciao.

WEM