Twin Power
Chapter Eighteen: OWLS Part One
Jimmy Lightwing had transferred to Hogwart's from the Southwestern Institute of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Tempe Arizona when his parents moved to England to work with the Ministry at the end of last year. He had become great friends with the other fourth years that he was going to go through the OWLS with this year, and was proud to be a Gryffindor. He had heard many great things about this house from the different students that were in the house. He had heard that the Great Harry Potter was even in this house. Of course he knew who Harry Potter was, and was glad that he had him as his Headmaster, and learned all he could about him. He wasn't an obsessed person, but he was a brave warrior, like Harry was. He considered Harry one of the bravest Witches and Wizards in the last 20 years. Jimmy prided himself in his DADA studies along with his Potions studies. He was fairly certain that he could pass the tests for Charms and Transfiguration also, but the four of them decided that they would each take only three of the tests, one of them being one of their choice. The other two were going to be Potions and DADA, since that is what they all excelled in quite well. "Well it looks like I'm going to take the Charms OWL also. I am best at that one of the two I was thinking of." So Jimmy was studying his notes for his Charms, and some of the notes that he was able to get from some of the fifth years to study also. He was fairly confident in his work, and happy that he was going to be able to do it.
The four of them met for one of their meetings the week before OWLS were to start. They were going to tell each other what their third test was going to be. Jimmy had just walked into the Room of Requirements, and had it set up for a meeting, when the other joined him.
"Jimmy, I was thinking, why do we have to take only three OWLS each, I know for one that I'm ready for more than the one. I also know that the others are ready also." The other two nodded their heads in agreement.
Jimmy looked over at his girlfriend and Ravenclaw 4th year, Bobby Sue McTaggert and smiled. "You know what Bobby Sue, I was thinking the same thing. How many do you all think we should take? I say no more than five a piece."
"That sounds good to me Jimmy, so that will add two more tests to each of our schedules. Should it be two that we pick for our own, one for our own and one that we all take, or two that we all take?"
"I think that it should be two that we take of our own volition. I know that the five I want to take are, Potions, DADA, Transfiguration, Charms and Care of Magical Creatures. How about you three?"
Bobby Sue said, "I am taking Potions and DADA of course, but I also think I will take Transfigurations and Charms with you but instead of CoMC, I am going to take Ancient Runes." Bobby Sue being one of the smartest students in the Ravenclaw house, picked one of the hardest ones to take, but they knew she excelled in it.
"Well I'm going to take the Potions and DADA with you all, but I'm also going to be taking Charms, Herbology and Divination. I know that you all think that Divination is a bad subject, but I have a real talent." Tommy Grinder was a seer that's what Professor Trelawney had said anyway.
"You guys can take the hard ones, but along with Potions and DADA, I will be taking Muggle Studies, History of Magic and Astronomy. I think that they will be interesting ones to take, and get them over with before next year. "Melissa Jorgesson had been going with Tommy Grinder since the beginning of the year, and she was one to have her head in the stars sometimes.
"So it is decided on which ones we are all taking, good luck to you all. Well I think we should all be revising and getting ready for the tests." They spent the next week getting ready for the testing, and also keeping up with their school work.
The day of the testing, Jimmy came down to Breakfast with the rest of his friends early, and ate a fulfilling breakfast. After breakfast he and the rest of them sat for their Potions written. They didn't have any problems with it, considering that it was one of their best subjects. They breezed through it quite easily, and then had their practical right after lunch, in which they had to brew a couple of different potions that weren't any problem for them either. The rest of the day was off for them, considering that they only had one subject test a day.
The next day found him out in the field. They were led out to a cage that was covered. When it was uncovered they were told to identify the twenty creatures that were inside, and then to safely feed them. The creatures ranged from Blast Ended Screwt's to a Gryphon and a Pegasus. Jimmy found that he did quite well here also, because of his American Indian Heritage, he found that he had a affinity with animals, both magical and non-magical.
He was petting the Pegasus when he noticed that one of the other 5th years was having problems with his Gryphon. So he went over and helped him calm the animal down before he could be hurt badly. The testers looked at Jimmy with a mixture of hate and thanks. They didn't think that he should have helped the other student, but they were thankful that no one was hurt in this.
He walked back up to the castle with a spring in his step, and ran into the Headmaster in the main hall. "You did well out there Jimmy, really showed your pride and courage that is well known for the Gryffindors. Good show for your house, twenty points for Gryffindor for your courage." Harry smiled at the young man, and went off on his way again.
The rest of his testing went quite well, he breezed through the DADA exam with out a problem, then Charms and Transfiguration had gone quite well also. He only had a slight problem with the practical for Transfiguration, but got through it well. His only mistake was turning the quill into a porcupine with feathers, instead of porcupine quills. The tester got quite a chuckle out of this, but still marked him off for that. "Don't worry son, that is a simple mistake that is made sometimes. At least you got it into the shape of a porcupine." He smiled at Jimmy and the boy felt better about his mistake. He made it through the rest of the transformations without a problem. He finished off with his signature transformation, of turning a toothpick into a small living tree. The tester was surprised but ended up giving him full marks on his test for that one.
Jimmy went off to his dorm with a smile at the end of his OWL testing and sent a letter off to his parents letting them know that he was finished with his OWLS for now, and that he thought that he had done good.
