Disclaimer : I do not own anything of the Harry Potter universe, it all belongs to JK Rowling, I just love writing about the fantastic universe she presented us.

This story is/was posted on my other account, since I had trouble posting a new story on this account. Now that it is all worked out, I'm moving that story here, since that will be easier to manage all of my stories. The story is mostly the same as before, minus some mistakes or typos.

If there are still grammar or spelling mistakes, please let me know. English isn't my native language (plus I have dyslexia), so it is possible that there are still a few mistakes in my stories even though I edit them before I post them. I hope you'll enjoy the story.

The Change - chapter 9

On Monday morning, Harry ate a little breakfast together with Ron and Hermione before they would start with their written exams. Hermione was going over different potions, while Ron and Harry were just filtering her out and focusing on their breakfast.

Both of Harry's written exams had gone quite well. To his delight, he had to explain the effects of the polyjuice potion on his OWL exam, something he was able to do in great detail thanks to the use of the potion in his second year. He had answered the rest of the questions a little less extensive, but all the information that they had asked for was there. He had taken all the time he got, so when he handed in his sheets, he was immediately directed towards the Great Hall, where they would have to brew a potion.

They got the instruction of brewing a Draught of Peace and Harry had to bite back a chuckle because of the irony of brewing that potion for a stressful exam. Harry didn't need to get out his potions book and walked towards the potion ingredients immediately to retrieve what he needed.

Harry worked meticulously on the potion, but used some helpful suggestions from other books he had read about potions. He was sweating when he was finally ready, focusing very carefully on the amount of stirs he gave the potion. The moment he saw the potion emit a silvery vapor, he put out the flames and placed two sample in vials and brought them over to the examiners.

After that, he cleaned up his desk and left the Great Hall. He knew it would be at least half an hour until he had to go in for his NEWT exam, so he walked around for a while mindlessly before he went back inside. There he saw George and Fred waiting.

"Hey guys" Harry greeted him.

"Harry"

"How nice"

"To see you"

Harry smiled and started talking with the twins about the coming Potions exam. It was clear that they were excited. Apparently, they liked brewing potions, since they often had to do so for their products. Eventually, they could enter the Great Hall again.

Once they were all standing at a desk, they got the instructions of making Draught of Living Death. After going it over in his head, combining the few books he had read this potion in, he went to retrieve the ingredients necessary. He started with pouring water in his cauldron and then crushed the Sopophorus Beans. After that, he added African sea salt with the water and then the juice of the Sopophorus Beans. He was quietly humming while he was working on his potion. It was actually fun brewing, if you didn't have Slytherins trying to boycott you and Snape hanging over you cauldron or breathing in your neck.

After an hour, Harry's potion had a lilac color. According to the textbook, he now had to stir counterclockwise until the potion turned transparent like water. After many stirs, his potion had barely paled. Thinking very deeply he remembered a technique he had read about with another potion. He started to try and add a clockwise stir after a number of counterclockwise stirs. He first tried after eight stirs, but saw no effect. Then after seven stirs and he could see a faintest discoloring. Trying his luck, he tried stirring six times counterclockwise before adding a clockwise stir and the effect was very clear, his potion had turned soft pink. Continuing like that, his potions kept losing color, until you could barely see a pink shine in it. It was then that their time was over, so he bottled again two samples and went to file them with the examiners.

Relieved that potions was over, he left the Great Hall and went to Tonks' quarters again where they talked for half an hour, mostly Harry describing how his exam went, before he headed back to the tower.

On Tuesday, they had Care of Magical Creatures. They would first have a short written exam, before they would head to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

When it was Harry's turn for the practical exam, he went to professor Waldended.

"Good morning professor" Harry greeted him politely.

"Good morning Mr. Potter, could you start with identifying the knarl in this group of hedgehogs?" the professor started immediately.

Harry nodded and went to retrieve some milk in a scale from the ingredients and objects table. Carefully putting the mild with the hedgehogs, he saw immediately that one stood out, crawling back and away from the milk.

"I would say that is the knarl professor" Harry answered.

"Very well, could you now demonstrate how to handle this bowtruckle please?"

Harry went to get some woodlice and placed it on his hand. The bowtruckle who adores woodlice, carefully stepped on his hand to eat it, even if it looked a bit suspiciously towards Harry.

"Now is the moment you could harvest the tree where the bowtruckle originated from for wands" Harry remarked while the creature was eating.

Harry then had to feed and clean a fire-crab without getting burns and then he had to prepare a meal that would fit the diet for a sick unicorn.

Even giving some more information here and there, Harry was convinced his exam had gone well enough and smiled at Hagrid when he left the grounds.

In the afternoon, during his NEWT practical examination, Harry was extremely glad he had asked Hagrid for help while studying for it, or he would have probably ran away the moment a griffin was placed in front of him. To professor Tofty's surprise, the griffin liked Harry, like the previous one had done while he was with Hagrid. Harry gave it raw meat and pet it for a while before he had to continue with his exam.

His second creature was a kappa. Before Harry approached it, he carved his name in a cucumber and threw it in the little pond the kappa was in. Then Harry started, trying to trick the creature to bow, since he had learned, that would deprive him from his strength.

Once he had been able to do so, he faced the last creature. He was led to a giant cage and when he looked closer, he saw it contained a manticore.

"As last part of this exam, you have to incapacitate the manticore" professor Tofty instructed.

Harry thought for a little while, before he went to get some fresh meat. Before he threw it to the manticore, Harry got ready to strike. He tossed a piece of meat directly towards the manticore and tried to stun the creature in its mouth. It didn't work for the first two attempts, but the third time, he struck the manticore directly in the mouth, making it slump to the ground.

Wiping away the sweat that had formed on his forehead, he turned to professor Tofty again.

"Well done Mr. Potter, you can leave now" professor Tofty dismissed him.

When Harry entered the castle, professor McGonagall strode towards him "Mr. Potter, could I have a word please?"

Harry nodded and followed his professor towards her office, once seated there she said "You must have noticed that your exam package tomorrow is quite filled?"

"Yes professor, I was even wondering how I might do three written exams and two practical exams on one day" Harry answered, thinking how hard it already was to do just two of each.

"Exactly, I have brought this to the attention of the examiners and they have agreed that you can take your Arithmancy exams this evening or tomorrow evening before the Astronomy practical. If you chose to take them this evening, you won't be able to return to your own dormitories this evening" professor McGonagall laid out the option.

Harry thought for a while before he decided "I'll take the exam this evening professor"

"Very well, please come to my office at six this evening. I'll make sure there are sandwiches" she added as an afterthought.

"Thank you professor, I'll see you this evening" Harry told her and he wanted to make way to Tonks' quarters.

"Mr. Potter, make sure you bring fresh clothes with you" she told him before he left her office.

Harry nodded and left. He quickly went to the Gryffindor Tower informing Ron and Hermione, retrieving his books, nightwear and a fresh set of clothes. When he arrived at Tonks' quarters, they talked for a few minutes, before Harry started to revise his Arithmancy on her coach.

At ten before six, Tonks alerted him about the time. Harry quickly retrieved everything he had shattered around. Before he left her quarters, she gave him a kiss on his cheek for good luck before he left.

Harry arrived at professor McGonagall's office a minute before six and entered through the open door.

"Good evening Mr. Potter. If it is alright with you, we will start immediately. Professor Tofty is here to oversee the exam" professor McGonagall greeted him.

"That would be fine for me professor, how much time do I have?" he asked.

"You have until midnight for both exams Mr. Potter" professor Tofty informed him.

Harry nodded, placed his bag at the other side of the office and then went to sit at the desk that was clearly meant for him. The moment he sat down, he didn't hear anything around him and looking around, he noticed there was a privacy bubble around him.

Smiling, Harry started with his OWL examination, actually enjoying himself. Arithmancy was a lot like Math in muggle school and that had been his favorite subject. He easily made his way through the exam, starting with the predicting part and then going over to the analysis of a spell. Harry wrote a very detailed essay of the spell, using multiple feet of parchment.

Once Harry was done with his OWL exam, he first ate a few sandwiches before he started with his NEWT exam. This one was evidently a lot more difficult, which meant for Harry that it actually posed a challenge. Harry used every piece of information he had read in his textbooks and other books. The black haired young man started to have cramps in his hand but he persevered.

A little bit before eleven in the evening, Harry was finished and started gathering his exams. Getting up, he went to professor Tofty and professor McGonagall, handing in his exams.

After doing so he asked "I'm sorry professor, but where do I have to sleep this night?"

Professor McGonagall smiled "I've made arrangements that you can sleep on Tonks' sofa, I thought you wouldn't mind"

Harry smiled even though he was thoroughly exhausted "Thank you professor"

"You will go through the floo" she informed him.

Harry nodded, even though he already dreaded the trip. Before he left the office, he took his bag and bade both of the professors a good night.

As predicted, Harry landed flatly on his stomach in Tonks' quarters, making Tonks jump up from the coach.

"Harry, I hadn't expected you this soon" she said while she helped him up.

"I was done a bit earlier, thank you that I can stay here, it would have been weird to stay with professor McGonagall" Harry chuckled but swayed a bit on his feet.

Tonks took his arm to steady him and asked concerned "Are you alright?"

Harry nodded "Just really exhausted, but only two days left and I'm done"

"You haven't slept much these past weeks have you?"

"No, I've been revising as much as I could, but making double the exams is also tiring" Harry explained.

"I can only imagine" she said while she led him to the sofa. "I was a zombie after taking my OWL's and my NEWT's and you're doing them at the same time"

"It was your idea" Harry retorted.

Tonks smiled "Yes, should I apologize?"

"No, it's fine" Harry yawned, barely able to keep his eyes open, but he persevered, relishing in the moments he spent together with Tonks.

"Right, why don't you get changed and I'll get us some hot chocolate whilst you're doing so. You know where the bathroom is"

Harry nodded and took his bag to the bathroom to change. When he came out, two cups were waiting on the side table. Sitting next to Tonks, she gave him a cup and they talked the next few minutes about his Arithmancy exam. When they had finished their hot chocolate, Tonks took out some blankets and a pillow for Harry and even enlarged the sofa.

Harry didn't protest and got under the covers immediately, falling asleep when his head touched the pillow. Tonks watched over him for a few minutes before she softly kissed his forehead and went to bed herself even though she would have preferred falling asleep again like the last time.

The next morning, Tonks woke up and when she checked in on Harry, he was still deep asleep like she had suspected. She first asked a house elf if they could bring some breakfast for two before she went to wake Harry up.

"Harry" she gently shook his shoulder "You might want to wake up if you want to eat breakfast before your exam"

Harry looked around disorientated, squinting his eyes to look around. Tonks chuckled and handed him his glasses.

"You really are blind without your glasses, aren't you?" Seeing how he had focused on her the moment his glasses were on his nose.

Harry shrugged. "I guess so." He had never really thought about it, but the fact that he only saw blurs without his glasses probably did mean he saw next to nothing without them.

"Come on, breakfast is ready" she told him before she went to sit at the table.

"Ready for today?" she asked him when he took a seat at the table after he had quickly changed.

"There are only OWL's left and no more NEWT's, should be a walk in the park" Harry responded with a wink.

Tonks laughed at his remark "I'm guessing you're looking forwards too the end of the exams?"

"That's putting very lightly. I think I'll sleep for a week when I'm done" Harry admitted.

"Judging from the bags under your eyes, you can use it"

"I know, sadly I won't get that pleasure since I really need and want to go to Hogsmeade on Saturday" Harry said.

"You can sleep on Friday and tomorrow afternoon also" Tonks pointed out.

"That's true. I was wondering if you could come to Hogsmeade? I promised Ron and Hermione that I would go, but I have go to Gringotts there to ask if they can check the wards around Privet Drive. And after the fiasco of last time at Hogsmeade…" Harry explained. "Plus, you promised me a day graced with your presence after our duel"

Tonks smiled, at the prospect of accompanying Harry to Hogsmeade, but also because he asked her for help. "Sure, I'll go in disguise though, wouldn't do well if the Defense professor is seen with three of her students"

Harry laughed "You're right, thanks Tonks"

"No problem, I'll meet you where the carriages drop you off at eleven in the morning, I'll come and find you" she told him.

"Thanks, and thank you for breakfast, but I believe I have to go to my exam now…"

Tonks looked on her watch "You're right, give me a second. I have to walk you there"

He looked a bit confused to this remark. "Sure, why do you have to walk me?"

"Because I have to stop you from spreading the questions and answers of the Arithmancy exam of course" she said from her bedroom.

Before they left her quarters, she gave him a hug telling him he would do great. After that, she walked him to the Great Hall without talking against each other. She also waited with him at the sides before he could enter the waiting room bordering the Great Hall, once there, she left him with Ron, while they waited to do their Divination exam.

When he was called inside the Great Hall, he noticed that it was divided in two parts, one part where other students, Hermione included, were making their Arithmancy exam. He went to the table of professor Marchbanks.

"Good morning Mr. Potter, ready for your exam?" she asked him.

"I'll be glad it will be over honestly, this isn't really my favorite nor best course" Harry admitted.

Professor Marchbanks only smiled wider before she instructed him to read the tea-leafs of his cup. Harry did so and thought he hadn't done so bad. Then he had to read the professors hand, which Harry wasn't that sure about, before he had to read tarot cards. Able to at least explain the cards and making up a story around them, he performed the last part of his exam, gazing in the crystal ball.

Harry looked in it for a few minutes before he shook his head and told professor Marchbanks "I'm sorry, but I don't think the images will appear for me"

Professor Marchbanks just nodded "That was the end of you exam then"

"Alright, thank you for your time, even though I was dreadful"

Professor Marchbanks didn't acknowledge what he had said but dismissed him instead. Harry left the Great Hall and waited for Ron to come out.

An hour later, he finally did and immediately said, "I'll be glad I'll have a Poor on this exam, but I don't think I should be that optimistic."

"Ron, I don't think we even had the hopes of passing. I had to tell professor Marchbanks I just didn't see anything in the crystal ball and for the rest I made up a lot." Harry admitted.

"Same with me, except that I accidentally described my examiner in the crystal ball, seeing him through it and I'm afraid the description wasn't flattering" Ron told him.

"Thanks, that actually makes me feel better about it" Harry said.

Ron grinned "Happy to help, I'm just glad I get to drop the subject now"

They waited for the next twenty minutes until Hermione would be done with her exam, while they talked some more about their failure of Divination exam, laughing in the process.

When Hermione was finally done with her Arithmancy exam, she immediately started comparing her answers with those of Harry.

"Sorry." Harry mouthed towards Ron and Ron's answer was to just turn with his eyes, showing Harry he understood.

During lunch, Hermione eventually calmed down and was able to ask about their exams.

"It could have gone worse, at least I was able to do two of the four parts of my exam" Harry told her happily.

Hermione almost looked offended and wanted to say something about it before she mumbled something that resembled. "Oh it's just Divination"

"Did I hear that correctly Hermione" Ron asked "Were you badmouthing a Hogwarts course?"

Hermione blushed but said with her head held high "Yes, sorry but I think Divination is rubbish"

"You and me both" Harry quietly agreed.

They walked back in the Great Hall to get lunch, talking about Astronomy that they would have in the afternoon.

"Oh, I asked Tonks to accompany us to Hogsmeade on Saturday" Harry told them. "I hope you don't mind?"

Hermione smiled "No, not at all, I'd probably feel safer"

"And Tonks is great to hang out with" Ron added.

Harry nodded "We have to pass by Gringotts, I have a request to make to the goblins"

During the rest of the lunch Harry explained about the blood wards that should be around his relatives house and how he wanted to test them before he would decide what he would do during the summer.

After lunch, they had their theoretical exam of Astronomy, where they had to, among other things, describe the moons of Jupiter and sum up the stars in the Corvus constellation.

When they were done with their theoretical exam, most of the fifth years went back to their common room, to study for History of Magic, which they would have the next day, and revising their Astronomy charts for a last time before they headed to the Astronomy Tower at eleven in the evening.

For the practical examination of Astronomy, they got a blank star-chart that they had to fill in with the precise positions of the stars and planets that were observable that night. They got two hours to do so and Harry worked very hard to fill in his chart, trying to remember all of the names of the stars and planets. He was able to fill in four fifth of his chart before the two hours were done and he had to hand in his chart.

They all went to bed quickly after their exam, since they had History of Magic the following morning.

On Thursday, they finally had their last day of exams. If Harry was lucky they were his last exams in Hogwarts entirely. They had History of Magic in the morning, so they should be done by noon and it wouldn't be a moment to soon.

They had breakfast before they had to start. Some of them were looking at their notes for a last time, others were barely able to keep their eyes open, while the rest of them were just longing for it to be finally over.

When they could finally start with their exam, they got questions about wand legislation, riots with the Goblin, breaches in the statue of secrecy, questions about the Wizengamot or the International Confederation of Wizards and many others.

Harry's head was literally pounding when he was working on his last questions, so when he had finally answered the last question about the witch hunts, he couldn't be more relieved.

When he exited the Great Hall, Ron was already outside waiting.

"Want to go fly for a bit?" Ron asked him.

"I should ask clearance from Madam Pomfrey first" Harry told him. "I'll do that, while you wait for Hermione, alright"

"Fine by me" Ron replied.

So Harry made his way to the infirmary. When he entered, Madam Pomfrey asked him "What did you do now?"

Harry smiled "Nothing Madam Pomfrey, I was just wondering if I could go flying this afternoon. I know I need your clearance"

"I guess it couldn't hurt by now, but please be careful, I wouldn't want you in my care the last days of the year" she told him.

"I will Madam Pomfrey, thank you" Harry said, while he accepted the slip of paper, clearing him to fly.

Harry all but ran back to the Great Hall, where he saw that Hermione had joined Ron again. Before Hermione could ask about his exam his almost shouted "I can go"

"Great mate, how about we eat something first and then head out… I hope you don't mind?" Ron asked Hermione.

"No, as long as you don't mind that I watch, then I'm all fine with it" Hermione replied.

Over lunch, Hermione managed to go through their answers on their exam, before they went to retrieve their brooms to go and fly. At the quidditch pitch, Hermione placed herself in the stands, while Harry and Ron nearly jumped on their broom.

The moment Harry was in the air, he felt free again, forgetting about the exams and all of his problems and worries. He even forgot about his tiredness. He and Ron played a little game, throwing with the quaffle and Harry helping Ron with his keeping by trying to score with the quaffle.

They all enjoyed themselves a lot over the hours they spent there and they even managed to convince Hermione to fly a bit. All in all, it was a great ending of their exams.

While they were making their way over the castle Ron mentioned "I heard there will be a little end of exams party this evening that the twins planned"

"I just hope the common room won't be destroyed at the end of the evening" Hermione said.

"You aren't going to say something about the party itself?" Ron asked, surprised.

"I would say we all deserved a little party, we have finished our OWL's after all and the seventh years their NEWT's" Hermione answered.

"So did Harry" Ron cut in.

"That's true, so for the seventh years and Harry, it might be their last days in Hogwarts" Hermione pointed out "The party is tradition that I won't even try to stop, even professor McGonagall doesn't

"I think I like this Hermione" Harry said "But you're right, last year they partied until four in the morning and not once professor McGonagall passed by. She just doesn't wants us disturbing the younger years, that's all"

"This is going to be fun" Ron grinned.

"Yes, well, we should go to dinner and after that, I have to prepare for tonight…" Hermione told them.

Ron sniggered which earned him a smack on the head by Hermione. Laughing they entered the Great Hall for dinner. Hermione quickly ate her dinner, just like a lot of the other girls from Gryffindor, before they hurried off.

"Those girls are bloody mental" Ron remarked.

Most of the boys nodded and Seamus remarked "I even heard Lavender saying she has a special dress for the evening that she's been carrying with her the entire term"

"I don't understand, you just take a shower and put on clothes, why do they need three hours?" Dean asked exasperated

While the boys were talking about the party and the girls, Harry whispered in Ron's ear "I'm going to swing by Tonks' for a little while, alright?"

Ron smiled "Sure mate, say hello to her for me"

Harry nodded and left the table. He walked the distance to the second floor before he knocked on the all too familiar door.

When Tonks opened the door she said with a wink "I'm surprised it took you so long"

Harry just rolled his eyes and entered her quarters "I actually went to fly for the afternoon. We even managed to coax Hermione on a broom"

"I would have paid to see that. It must have been great to fly again?"

"The perfect remedy after a History of Magic exam and taking your OWL's and NEWT's together" Harry replied.

"I can imagine… Butterbeer" she asked while she already passed him one.

Harry took the butterbeer and took a sip "How are you doing with correcting your exams? It's probably quite different than making them"

"Almost all of them are done, I think I'll be able to finish correcting them tomorrow" answered Tonks. "And I'm not sure if I prefer making them or correcting them. They are both a tedious thing"

"So you're also almost done with your teaching job then?" Harry questioned.

"Yes, I think I'll miss parts of it actually, but I've been itching to go on active duty again…" Tonks confessed.

Harry smiled "I can understand that. I for one have no idea what I'll do after the thirtieth"

"I know Harry, but we can't do anything before we know what wards are around Privet Drive and how powerful they are" Tonks told him.

"I understand Tonks, it's just eating at me knowing that I might have to go back to the Dursleys"

Tonks gave him a hug and said "No matter what, I'll make sure that they can't lay a finger on you. I promise you that"

Harry nodded and was silent for a while before he asked "When will we know our results?"

"Normally, you get your OWL results in the beginning of August, I suspect however that you'll get them with your NEWT's, which should be the next to last day of June" Tonks answered.

"That's at least a month less that I have to wait for my results, another advantage of taking both my OWL's and NEWT's" Harry agreed.

Tonks gave a nod in acknowledgment before she inquired "What will you do, with what will normally be your last week at Hogwarts?"

"First have a party this evening in the Tower, then sleep, go to Hogsmeade, probably fly a lot, spend some time at the lake, relaxing with Hermione and Ron" Harry laid out.

"Visiting your good old friend Tonks?" she suggested, raising her eyebrows a little.

"Of course, how could I have forgotten you" he mocked her, since it was said in a ridiculous voice and a huge smile.

Tonks swatted his arm and they both started laughing simultaneously. It felt good for both of them to be able to laugh, especially after everything that had happened to them in the past months.

"Alright, you should leave or you'll be late for that party… I guess I'll see you on Saturday?" Tonks reminded him.

"Yes, thank you for your wonderful company" Harry said while he got up from the sofa stretching a little from the stiffness that had settled in his limbs.

Tonks laughed "It was my pleasure, now go on, enjoy that party"

Harry was still grinning while he was going to the Gryffindor Tower for the party.

They had been right, predicting it would be an epic party. There was butterbeer and firewiskey, snacks from the kitchens, music and fireworks provided by the twins. It went on until five in the morning and none of the fifth or seventh years got out of their beds before lunch. Harry and Ron even missed lunch, sleeping in that late.

The rest of their Friday was just sitting around in the Gryffindor Tower and going to bed early.