The next night, Ron, Harry, and Hermione returned to the Charms classroom for Ron to try Harry's potion. This time, Ron turned completely brown.

"Finally!" Harry said cheerfully. "Now I can start those stupid parchments…"

"Ron, who's trying your potion?" asked Hermione.

Ron hesitated. "Er — Dean." He went red. "I figured you and Harry had already tried a potion, so it would be best not to make you test mine."

Harry was grateful to Ron. Hermione seemed pleased, but still upset about how horrible Christmas had been.

The next Monday, classes were starting again. They had Transfiguration first, and they were still in the huge review.

They worked on things from their second year. Sadly, the class was becoming rather boring, as Harry had already learned everything. Even though Hermione insisted that she liked and need the review, Harry could tell she was rather bored too.

Right after Transfiguration came Potions. Everyone brought in their two parchments, and Snape walked around bitterly snatching them out of people's hands. The only person he didn't snatch the parchments from was Malfoy. He had looked quickly through Malfoy's and said, "Becoming an animal? Wonderful work."

However, he paused after taking up Harry's. He glanced at it, reading part of it. He smiled. "Well, very clever, Mr. Potter… a potion for camouflage. Tell me, did Weasley help you come up with such an unimaginative idea?" Malfoy smirked at Harry. Snape moved on to Ron's. Snape read Ron's too, and then he said, "Brute strength? Even less imaginative than Potter's, Weasley. And Mr. Thomas tested yours? Was Mr. Potter ill?" He moved on to Hermione's. Harry prayed that he would have respect for Hermione and not read it, but there was no such luck. A nasty smile spread across his face. "Wings, Miss Granger? How predictable. However, I never would have imagined Potter would agree to try that potion, let alone allow you to provide photos!" He shoved the page with pictures in front of Harry and then the class. Hermione went dead white and said nothing. Harry felt bad for her and was furious at Snape. However, Snape was in a particularly nasty mood, and he grabbed Neville's next. "Dear boy, don't tell me anyone was foolish enough to try yours?" However, he did not say a word after reading further. It seemed that he had seen that Hermione had been willing to try. He did have nerve enough, though, to whisper, "Think you brave, don't you, Miss Granger?" as he passed Hermione.

After class, as everyone got packed to leave, Snape came over and told Harry to stay after class. Harry saw Snape say the same thing to Malfoy and wondered if it wasn't about the Quidditch team. Harry mumbled, "Goodbye," to Ron and Hermione and went up to Snape's desk, as Malfoy did the same.

Snape sat down and said, "It was brought to my attention by Professor McGonagall that you, Mr. Potter, are joining with Mr. Fred Weasley to try and get Malfoy off of Slytherin's Quidditch team."

Harry swallowed, but he stood his ground. "Yeah. Malfoy tried to kill me."

Malfoy scowled at Harry, but glanced nervously at Snape.

Snape smiled nastily and said, "You know something, Potter? I think it's childish that you can't handle falling off of your broomstick. I think that Malfoy did nothing you couldn't handle, and I think it's rotten of you to use this as an excuse to punish Malfoy." Then, he added, "Plus, your father would've done the same thing Malfoy did."

Harry felt his cheeks redden. "TAKE THAT BACK!"

Snape stood up. "WHAT? What did you say to me, Potter?"

"I SAID TAKE THAT BACK ABOUT MY FATHER! HE WOULDN'T HAVE KNOCKED ANYONE OFF THEIR BROOMSTICK!" Harry shouted.

Snape hissed, barely above a whisper, "Is that what you think, Potter? Then I don't think you know your father very well at all. Now, you and Mr. Malfoy are excused." He stood abruptly and pointed toward the door.

Shaken, Harry walked silently beside Malfoy out. Malfoy was smiling gleefully. "Gee, too bad, Potter. Guess there's one teacher here who doesn't like you. Must be hard for you to comprehend, isn't it?"

Harry turned to Malfoy sharply. "Shut up, Malfoy! Shut up! You don't know anything, all right? You think you're so great, but you're nothing."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "Am I? One of these days, Potter, we'll see who's underestimating whom." With that, he turned and took a different path to the Great Hall.

Harry stuck his hands in his pockets and realized that his wand was not there. He suddenly remembered leaving it on a desk in Transfiguration. Harry headed back towards Professor McGonagall's room. When he was a few feet away, he heard shouts coming from the classroom. He recognized the voices as Professor Somorum and Professor McGonagall.

" — Insulting, Professor McGonagall! It is absolutely insulting," Professor Somorum was shouting.

"I don't understand what is wrong — "

"You know, Professor McGonagall! You see? I don't even call you by your first name, because you asked me not to. I'm not asking a lot of you, only that you treat me as an adult, as a teacher, like you!"

"I am not like you, and kindly don't compare us!"

"Why do you hate me?"

"You know, Professor! You follow poor Potter as if you were his mother. Really, Professor, it's unnecessary and rude. He gets enough annoyance from Professor Trelawny! She is always predicting his death and he's getting nervous. He doesn't need you — "

"I'm not telling Harry that he's going to die! Is that why you barge into my class uninvited, and don't even give an excuse for being there? Why I cannot talk to any of my students outside of class?"

"Oh, I barge in? I don't remember inviting you to speak with me."

"You're not teaching now, Professor McGonagall! And why do you always stop me from talking to students?"

I am only looking out for them. I don't want to see them suffer as — "

"NO! Don't bring that up, Professor McGonagall! I told you, that wasn't my fault!"
"Don't raise your voice at me, Professor Somorum! She was depending on you!"

"And I was doing what I could. Does that count for anything?"

"No, because I don't think that you were doing what you could. And kindly stay away from Potter and Braham!"

"You can't do that, Professor McGonagall! You can't tell me to stay away from my own students!"

"You can't waltz around this school as if you are in charge! You prowl about the school like you were Headmaster, and act as if you can change everything."

"So that's it too? You're afraid I'm going to have more of an influence than you?"

Harry decided he should go ahead and get his wand, and he opened the door quickly, making the Professors turn sharply.

Professor McGonagall went white. "Potter! What are you doing here?"

Before Harry could speak, Professor Somorum said, "Left his wand." She pointed to Harry's wand, on a desk in the very back of the room. "I'm assuming?"

Harry nodded.

"Very well, get it and go, Potter," Professor McGonagall said, fuming.

Harry obediently rushed and picked up his wand.

"Come on, Harry. I'll walk with you to the feast," Professor Somorum said, leaving before Professor McGonagall could stop her. As soon as they were far enough, she said to Harry, "That was risky, Harry. Eavesdropping can get you in a lot of trouble."

Harry nodded. "I'm sorry, Professor."

Professor Somorum sighed. "No, no. You only reminded Professor McGonagall and myself that we are adults. Ordinarily, I'd ask you to keep this a secret, but I don't think that'll do any good. So, instead, I'm going to ask you to mention this to no one except Ron and Hermione. All right, Harry?"

Harry nodded. "But, what did she mean by she didn't want to see us suffer?"

"I can't tell you that Harry, not now."

"And, why do you stay around Jessica a lot? I've never noticed that before."

"That's something you'll have to wait and find out too."

They had reached the Great Hall, and entered. Professor Somorum walked up to the Head Table, and Harry took his seat at the Gryffindor table.

"What's up, Harry?" Ron asked, seeing Harry's eyes follow Professor Somorum.

"I just saw something," Harry smiled. Hermione and Ron bent their heads in, and Harry spoke in barely above a whisper about what he had just heard.

When Harry was finished, they were bewildered. "So, McGonagall and Somorum were just fighting?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah. But she also is around Jessica Braham a lot, and also apparently was involved in something else… she let someone down… although she insisted it wasn't her fault."

Hermione frowned. "I wonder what happened?"

Harry shrugged. "She told me that I'd have to wait and find out."

Classes were nearly unbearable. They were long, and now the review in Transfiguration had ended, and Professor McGonagall had not been lying: It was more work than they had ever had to do before. Harry also continued being stalked, and got very little sleep.

Harry's only relief came from the Quidditch practices and games. Gryffindor beat Hufflepuff 160 to 20, although without Cedric Diggory, who had been their Seeker, the team was diminished. When Harry had played against Cho, who was the Seeker for Ravenclaw, he had managed to keep his mind focused enough for Gryffindor to win 180 to 50.

In early April, it was time for the fifth years to take the O.W.L. exams. Neville was extremely nervous, and grew very pale. A lot of the fifth years were nervous, including Hermione, though Harry and Ron assured her that she would do well. Ron said, "You always get over a hundred on the finals, Hermione. You just can't do badly."

However, Harry was still nervous. On the morning of Monday, April third, all Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs met in Professor McGonagall's room.

Once everyone was seated and quiet, she said, "Good morning everyone. Before we begin, let me explain to you what will be happening today. I will explain the rest of the week after the exam. There will be a written portion, followed by a practical portion, which I shall evaluate. You will have one half-hour to complete the written portion of the exams. I will now be giving you quills with anti-cheating spells, and I suggest you not test them, as they turn you a brilliant shade of purple, if I remember correctly." A few people laughed. Professor McGonagall passed out the quills and exams, and then said, "Ready? Begin."

Harry bit his lip and began the exam. The questions were all scenarios in which you wanted to use a spell from Transfiguration. You had to write the spell in. One of the questions was:

"Which spell would you use if you wished to change a raven into a writing desk?"

After half-an-hour had passed, Professor McGonagall said, "All right, time is up. Put down your quills. Now, if you will line up outside the classroom, I will call you individually for your practical exam."

Everyone filed outside. After everyone was lined up, Professor McGonagall said, "Susan Bones, you're first." Susan looked nervous but gave a weak smile as she went silently into the classroom, and Professor McGonagall shut the door behind her.

The class all began talking.

"I really don't think I did well at all on the exam," wailed Neville.

"I wish I could look it over one more time," said Hermione.

"Hermione, I bet you were finished by the time we were half-way through reading the tenth question," Ron said. "Don't worry about it. I should be worried about it. Besides, you're parents are Muggles! They won't care how you do. Mum'll kill me if I do poorly."

Hermione then began yelling at Ron about how her parents did care about her grades and how even if they did not, she did. Harry didn't pay attention.

"Hermione Granger!" Professor McGonagall said. Harry realized how many people had already taken their test.

Hermione had a look of dread as she stepped inside the room. "She gets over a hundred on the exams, and she gets nervous now? How does she think people like me feel?" said Ron. "You nervous, Harry?"

Harry didn't answer. He felt it was best for him not to talk. It wasn't that he was nervous, more concerned.

A minute later, Hermione emerged from Professor McGonagall's classroom, looking happy. "It's not hard at all!" she said enthusiastically.

"Of course it isn't, for you," muttered Ron.

Soon afterwards, Professor McGonagall called, "Harry Potter."

"Good luck," said Ron and Hermione together, Ron less energetically than Hermione.

Harry nodded, and stepped into Professor McGonagall's classroom. She shut the door behind her, and led Harry to her desk. She sat behind it, and motioned for Harry to sit on a seat in front of the desk. On it was a short, fat cactus, with long needles.

"What you have to do, Potter, is transfigure this cactus into a vase of roses. I don't care which color. You may take your time, but you may only have up to five minutes," explained Professor McGonagall.

Harry hesitated, thinking, and remembered the spell. He said the spell, pointing his wand at the cactus, and it turned into a vase filled with —

"White roses? Well — my goodness — I've never seen — good job, Potter, you did well." Professor McGonagall smiled weakly at Harry. Harry didn't understand why McGonagall seemed to be upset by Harry's white roses. "You must not tell any students in this class what you did, or discuss what happened, until after everyone has finished. Then, you may not tell anyone outside of this class until the exams are finished. Understood?"

Harry nodded, and followed McGonagall to her door. She called the next person, and Harry found his way back to Hermione and Ron.

"How was it, Harry?" asked Ron.

"It wasn't bad, Ron," promised Harry. Hermione nodded. Ron was as white as a ghost, and his freckles stood out vividly.

A few minutes later, Professor McGonagall called, "Ronald Weasley." Speechless, Ron left, giving Harry and Hermione a look as if he were walking off to his death.

"Poor Ron, he's so nervous," muttered Hermione. Harry nodded. Ron wasn't the only one though. Ron was the last student to be tested, but even people who had already taken the test looked ill. Seamus kept looking only at his feet, and Neville was practically sobbing. No one spoke.

Finally, after a few minutes of silence, the door opened, and Professor McGonagall said, "All right, everyone. Come in." Everyone took their seats again, and Professor McGonagall got their attention. "You have just completed your first O.W.L. exam. Some of you did quite well, and others will not be too pleased. Let me explain how the O.W.Ls work. You will take a combination of written and practical exams in Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, and History of Magic. In each class, you will be eligible to obtain fifty points, or three hundred overall. The scores in each class will be added together. That number will be divided by twenty, and rounded to the nearest even number. If you know that you did poorly on this exam, I would suggest studying hard for another class, for you might be able to make up lost points. You will be taking one exam daily, and will be excused from other classes for the afternoons. However, you should spend the afternoons studying and preparing for the test you will be having the next day. Tomorrow, Gryffindors will go to the dungeons for your Potions exam, and Hufflepuffs will take the Charms exam.

"That is all. Thank you, and good luck on the rest of your exams. Do not forget, you may not talk to anyone else about this exam. You may now talk amongst yourselves."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat alone, in one corner of the classroom.

"I completely messed up," moaned Ron. "I turned the cactus into a bunch of daffodils instead of a vase of roses."

"Really? I thought that it was quite simple. What about you, Harry?" asked Hermione.

Harry thought for a moment and said, "It was odd. Professor McGonagall seemed to be upset by my roses. They were white."

Hermione and Ron's eyes grew wide.

"White roses, Harry?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah, what's the big deal?" Harry asked, even more concerned at their reactions.

"Harry, don't you remember Cedric's funeral? White roses symbolize death," whispered Ron. Hermione looked speechless.

"But, so what? I mean, how does that affect me?" Harry asked, nervous.

"Well, it's usually an omen of death," Hermione said.

"But — but, Hermione, you don't believe in death omens! You quit Divination because you were annoyed by Professor Trelawney always seeing those death omens!" said Harry.

"That's because she's clearly a fake, and those omens were harder to prove. However, you and I can't argue whether you made white roses appear…" Hermione said.

The exams were very unpleasant. Harry enjoyed not having homework, but he felt sick to his stomach most of the time, dreading the exams, finding himself on his last nerves. He still ate poorly, and hadn't heard from Sirius in the longest time. Was he all right? Where was he?

For Potions, there was another mix of practical and written exams. After the written portion, the students had to create a potion to cure boils. Harry didn't trust Snape's awful glares, and he wondered if he could possibly write to someone to explain he wasn't graded fairly.

After that exam came Charms, which was mainly written, although they had a small practical part as well.

For Defense Against the Dark Arts, there was a written exam, which mainly went over creatures Harry learned in his third year, and very little about the Unforgivable Curses. He noticed that there was nothing about what they had just learned, which Harry found curious.

The History of Magic exam was the hardest, as the class was so boring it was hard to stay awake long enough to learn anything. However, it was the last exam that was required, and Harry was not the only one who threw down his quill enthusiastically when Professor Binns called time.