It was the night before the big feast. Hermione was making sure she had everything she needed when there was a knock on the door. "Come in please." Aideen walked into the room rather calm. "Aideen, is something wrong? You're not your regular, hyper self."
Aideen said, "Well, there is this really old man standing in our common room. He wants to talk to us all. He wouldn't say anything when I questioned him, but he has the coolest glasses!" Aideen's hyperness began to leak out when she mentioned the glasses. The two walked down to the common room to see Professor Dumbledore staring at the empty book case.
"Hello Professor Dumbledore. What brings you to our humble abode." Hermione walked over to the professor and stared at the book case, "Umm, professor, is the book case supposed to be empty?" Hermione looked as if she would be crushed if the answer was yes.
"No, actually there is supposed to be a piece of parchment and a quill. I have worked a magical library system in for you. Sort of a muggle search engine, you could call it. You can type in keywords, titles, or authors and the books should appear on the shelf pertaining to the subject matter. Btu I didn't come here to talk about book cases. I came here to talk about the three of your schedules. I have come to assume that the three of you may be needing to take some what more advanced classes. I would like to put the three of you through a standardized test of sorts. Seeing as you, Hermione, have spent a summer in another country and you two, Aden and Aideen, we know almost nothing about your magical abilities. So at 1:00 today would you please report to the great hall for the written portion of your exams." With that Professor Dumbledore left.
"EXAMS? Hermione, what am I supposed to do? I don't know anything other than wand work! I'm gonna fail! They're gonna kick me out of this school and I just got here! Nooooooo! Hermione, don't let them do this to me!"
Aden walked into the room. "What's the matter with her?" he asked Hermione.
"We have to take exams so Dumbledore can place us in higher classes. Aideen lost it at the word exam."
"Oh, that's normal for Aideen. Don't worry sis, I'll cram everything into that small brain of yours like always!" Aden smiled at the thought of this. It got him in shape for tests while Aideen actually learned something.
"Can't you just make it a spell that I retain everything I you tell me?" asked Aideen. "All that studying makes my head hurt and I never remember any of it!"
"I don't thin there's a spell that does that Aideen, you know it too." Hermione replied.
Aideen pouted. "Then cram me." And the studying began.
That night they headed down to the great hall, where a few of the teachers would hold their exams. Professors McGonagall, Snape, and Flitwick were there with clip boards and intense stares.
"Good evening students," said Professor McGonagall. "Welcome to your exams. I'm assuming you'll be relived to hear that there will be no paper work on these exams, just wand work."
"WHAT?" gasped Hermione and Aden at the same time.
Aideen couldn't help herself. She ran right up to Professor McGonagall and hugged her, uttering a relieved, "Thank you!"
Hermione yanked Aideen off of the shocked Professor, "I'm so sorry Professor; I can't control her at times."
"It's alright my girl, just try not to let that happen again."
"Yes Professor…" Aideen shyly said, obviously embarrassed by her outbreak. You could tell by the look on Professor Snape's face that he didn't want the same thing to happen to him.
"But Professor," Hermione protested, " When Professor Dumbledore came to see us today, he specifically stated that these were going to be written exams."
"Did he? Well, he must have been mistaken. You are only having oral exams. So let's begin, shall we? Will you each approach a table. On each table you will find everything you need. There may be extra but that is where memory comes in. Also you will find a scroll. On each given scroll are directions. Since not all of your teachers could be here, we decided it would be easiest to represent each professor this way. When you are done with this portion, we will clear the tables. Please take your positions!"
They all headed to a table, one in front of each teacher, Hermione automatically heading to Flitwick, knowing her skill in the charms and hoping she would be able to weasel points out of Flitwick that way. Aideen headed to McGonagall, and Aden unbeknownst of his wrath, went to the table in front of Snape.
The exams were fairly uneventful. Everything seemed so easy to Hermione. She remembered trudging through potions that now just came naturally. She didn't even measure some of the ingredients. Aideen and Aden weren't having any trouble either.
They were finished transfiguring, brewing, charming, and defending within the hour. They seemed to also finish at the same time. The professors showed no emotion once so ever. The tables were cleared and McGonagall said, "Now we are asking you to complete the same tasks again. But this time, without your wands. Normally this isn't done until after you graduate as an auror but Professor Dumbledore feels it is important these particular tests are administered to you three now, only you three. You are not to show off your wandless magic or let on to anyone about the extra classes you may be taking. Now please begin again."
The three returned to their common room feeling tired but excited. They had just been told that they would be taking extra classes and dropping some that no longer pertained to them. They still had to take required classes so no one got suspicious but they either had to drop electives or take their extra classes with a time turner. Hermione was very unwilling to use a time turner again. She remembered being completely warn out all third year but Aden and Aideen were very enthusiastic about this endeavor. Hermione gave in though when Aden and Aideen pointed out their extended powers and how much they already seemed to know.
Hermione had been thinking about this. Why did they suddenly have these extra powers? Where did they come from? Was it a side effect of being together? Was there a link between them and they were playing off each others strengths? All these questions and more bounced around in Hermione's head that night as she drifted off to sleep.