O.W.L.s

Warm summer rays showered the castle grounds from the cloudless sky. Younger students enjoyed the gentle breezes or temperate water of the Lake. June arrived and, with it, the final stretch before the fifth years' O.W.L.s. [B5, 706]

Classes were all review, without homework. All subjects focused on the upcoming exams. At least two explosions happened in Professor Chaudhary's classroom during each of Siria's independent study sessions, though she had only caused one of them. Ron assured Siria she had nothing to worry about, as Seamus Finnegan managed to melt through another cauldron and Hannah Abbott had knocked hers over. [B5, 706]

Hermione handed Colin Creevey all of Siria's foreign spellbooks, expect for the two Siria happened to have in her bag. "You're not being tested on them anyway," Hermione told Siria before she dove back into her Arithmancy textbook. With her studying schedule, they had time for half an hour of Occlumency a night, followed by a half hour of stretching and clearing their minds before bed. Siria honestly felt the stretching helped more than the Occlumency.

Siria adjusted her and Ron's bags on her shoulder as Ernie Macmillan interrogated their study habits. Ron was caught off guard when Ernie said he got at least eight everyday. He took his bag from Siria and pretended to look for something, as Ernie turned his focus to her. [B5, 706]

"I'm getting an hour in before breakfast," Ernie continued to explain (B5, 707). Siria inhaled the moment Ernie let out his breath.

"It's the quality— not the quantity of study," Siria said. "You could study fifteen hours, but, if you're not studying in a way that helps you retain the information and lets you perform the spell, it's not going to do you any good, is it?"

"Well, I mean," but Ernie was saved explaining what he meant by Professor Sprout calling them into the greenhouse.

"Do you suppose we ought to be studying more?" Ron asked out of the corner of his mouth. Siria put her bag on the ground.

"We couldn't study enough to do as well as Hermione, but, anything you're worried about, we'll do together," Siria said.

"You aren't worried?" Ron asked. She shrugged as she pulled on her dragonhide gloves.

"Enough to puke my guts out, but I can't really let anyone other than you and Hermione know."

On their way back from Care of Magical Creatures, a few days before exams would start, Malfoy told Goyle "Of course, it's not what you know, but who you know. Griselda Marchbanks, head of the Wizarding Examinations Authority, is a family friend."

"Do you think that's true?" Hermione asked as she linked her arm through Siria's.

"Only an idiot would rely on connections to pass an exam," Siria said louder than she needed to. Malfoy glared over his shoulder. She cocked her chin up, but Malfoy turned back to the castle. [B5, 707]

"I don't think it is true," Neville whispered to Hermione. "She's a friend of my gran's and she's never mentioned the Malfoys." (B5, 707)

"What's she like, Neville?" Hermione asked. "Is she strict?"(B5, 707) Siria chuckled. Hermione ignored her as Neville explained that Griselda Marchbanks was a lot like his gran and that knowing her wouldn't help him any. "Gran's always telling Professor Marchbanks I'm not as good as my dad… Well… you saw what she's like at St. Mungo's…" (B5, 707). His eyes dropped the grass.

"Siria could help in Transfiguration!" Ron threw out. He shrugged at Siria's look. "You've got Defense Against the Dark Arts in the bag," Hermione told Neville. "You did really well in the D.A.," she said and glanced to Siria.

"Really well!" Siria agreed with an exaggerated nod.

Whether their encouragement was a enough or Neville didn't really need it, he managed to stay away from the flourishing black-market of concentration aids, mental agility boosters, and magical wakefulness solutions (B5, 707). Hermione confiscated more than half of them, by herself, and proved many of them to on the level of dried doxy droppings or hair tonics (B5, 708). There was only one trusted wakefulness solution.

Fred and George made a small fortune off their One-Eye Open Solution, which turned out to be the secret to Hermione's long nights. One drop in your drink at dinner was guaranteed to keep you up through the night, "But there's a two night in a row limit!" George reminded Siria when he handed her a bottle the size of her index finger. Siria rolled her eyes as she held the Galleon out.

"We're not taking your money," he said. She looked him in the eye. He crossed his arms and shook his head at her. "With all the money you've put in? And product suggestions? Fred and I agreed ages ago— not a Knut from either of you."

"I'm sharing with Hermione and Ron, it's part theirs," Siria insisted.

"Then good for them to have a mate so well connected," George said. Siria sighed, but pocketed it and the Galleon. "That a girl," and George patted Siria's wild dark hair. He smirked when it bounced right back up. "Go get those twelve O.W.L.s."

"I'm only taking nine!"

Professor McGonagall explained that fifth years would sit their theory exams in the mornings and practical in the afternoon. The exception was Astronomy, which had a morning exam but after dark practical. Exams would be broken up over two weeks. She went over the list of banned items like Auto-Answer Quills and Remembralls. Professor McGonagall paused and sighed. [B5, 708-709]

"Of course, your examination results will reflect upon the headmistress's new regime at the school," she said, "that is no reason not to do your very best. You have your own futures to think about." Professor McGonagall went on to let them know their results would arrive some time in July. [B5, 709]

The evening before exams, Siria made Hermione leave her books in Gryffindor Tower. She hoped it would make Hermione take a break from all of their studying. "What was the Counter-Charm again?" Hermione asked for the fourth time since they sat down. Ron glared at Siria.

"Hermione, just use 'finite'," Siria said, as she put another roll on Hermione's plate. Hermione put down the last piece of her shredded dinner roll to pick up the new one.

"Honestly, Siria 'just use 'Finite'," Hermione grumbled and shook her head. "I'm sure that's a completely acceptable way to counter the hiccups of an overpowered Cheering Charm." Fortunately, Neville remembered.

"You know, I've been meaning to ask," Siria said, "but why isn't Latin an option? I mean, we don't have any language classes, but 'finite', 'lumos', you know." Hermione gave an extremely annoyed and exaggerated roll of her eyes.

"Why don't we just trap a bunch of magical youths together with the knowledge to create their own spells, because that couldn't possibly go wrong?" Hermione asked. "You'd have people running around hexing each other accidently or calling up magic they can't control. For as much as I can't stand the Ministry, there's a reason we learn Ministry-Approved magic. These spells have been tested relentlessly."

"But the magic I've been reading is just the language they speak and it's worked fine," Siria said. Hermione sighed as she picked up another dinner roll to tear apart.

"That works for them and that's great," Hermione said. "I mean, 'Point Me' is in English, isn't it? It just isn't the normal circumstance because, since our older spells are in Latin, it's a proven method." Hermione paused, mid-tear on her roll.

"Siria, have you been experimenting with spell making?" Hermione asked. Siria turned her head away, to the doors of the Great Hall.

"Hey," she said a little loudly, "that looks like the examiners."

"Siria, don't you— really?" Hermione asked and got to her feet. "Umbridge looks nervous," she smiled.

"Shall we go and have a closer look?" Ron proposed. They agreed and headed to the doors. [B5, 710]

"No idea where he is, I suppose?" Professor Marchbanks asked Umbridge about Dumbledore. Umbridge shot Siria a malevolent look as she confessed the Ministry didn't know, but would catch him. "I doubt it," Professor Marchbanks said. "Examined him personally in Transfiguration and Charms for his N.E.W.T.s… did things with a wand I'd never seen before…" [B5, 711]

"Yes… well…" Umbridge said as she sharpened her glare at Siria, who laced her boot up, as though it came untied, as an excuse to eavesdrop. Siria tightened the laces when something on Professor Marchbanks's robes caught her eye.

"Excuse me," Siria called as she approached. Hermione's fingers tugged at the fabric on Siria's blouse, but she grabbed on too late to stop her. "Professor Marchbanks," Siria said, "that broach," and Siria gestured to the golden badger with onyx eyes that clung onto her royal violet robes.

"Ah, yes," Professor Marchbanks nodded at Siria's scar. "I'd expect you to spot a Causer original." Her tiny, wrinkled hand picked the badger off her robes. It curled up on her palm and froze, as though stunned. "Your father had it made especially for me," she said, as she extended it for Siria to see better. "I see you appreciate it well," she said at Siria's smile, which was more for the steam from Umbridge's ears than the fine details carved into the badger.

"Dear, I'm expecting great things from you," Professor Marchbanks told Siria. "Though, I expect there isn't a witch or wizard who isn't, I had the pleasure of examining your mother and father— Lily Evans and Sirius Black though, Professor Tofty," she said and turned her handsome face to her old and equally small college. "If I'm not mistaken, you examined James Potter, did you not?"

"James Potter, very talented in Transfiguration," Professor Tofty gave a small nod, almost as if he were falling asleep. "Such a shame, the Potters. We can't go easy on you, dear," he told Siria. "Lots of people were hurt by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, you'll be examined to the same measure."

"I'd be disappointed otherwise," Siria smiled. "Thank you, Professor Marchbanks, Professor Tofty," she gave a small bow of her head. As Siria turned to leave, she winked to Umbridge before she linked her arm with Hermione's.

"I can't believe you sometimes," Neville said. "I could never do something like that in front of Umbridge." Siria linked her other arm with Neville's and smiled at him.

"Don't go thinking I forgot about you standing up to us first year," Siria said. "Even Dumbledore said it was really brave…" Siria paused and looked to Hermione.

"What?" she asked.

"Dumbledore said something about how it's hard to stick up to your friends," Siria said.

"Yes," Hermione nodded.

"Wait," Ron said. "You don't think he was talking about…" Ron gave Siria a firm look over his shoulder. She nodded.

"Talking about what?" Neville asked. Siria nudged him with her shoulder.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think he wants it kept secret," Siria said, "and that I ought to, but, Neville, I think eleven-year-old you was braver than seventeen-year-old Dumbledore."

Even Parvati and Lavender were silent as they got ready for bed. They each climbed into their beds and listened to the others. Siria's stomach turned more with each anxious shift and huffy sigh. She pulled her curtains open and glanced at the other beds.

"I'm going down to the common room," Siria said. "I'm taking some One-Eye Open Solution and I'm not sleeping tonight."

"Same!" Hermione cried and leapt from her bed.

"Do you have enough to share?" Parvati asked.

"Fred and George gave me another bottle," Siria said as she climbed into her trunk. "No studying is the only rule."

"Then count me in," Fay said. Fay and Lavender helped Siria carry some board games down to the common room. Siria snuck up to Ron's dorm.

"Wha—" Ron startled and jerked the blanket up over him. Siria sighed. "You can't share my bed if Hermione kicked you out unless you… change," he whispered. Siria rolled her eyes.

"I'm not sleeping," Siria said. "We're playing board games in the common room," she shook the little bottle of wakefulness. Ron threw the blanket off.

"Be right down," he said.

"Um…" Neville whispered. Siria looked to him.

"You coming?" She asked. Neville, Dean, and Seamus came down with Ron.

Fruits, sweets, and cocoa cluttered one of the tables by the fire. Dobby leaned around the table to smile at Siria. "Miss Siria, Dobby is very happy to bring you anything else. Clau was saying that she is very happy Miss Hermione and her friends is so polite with their 'thank yous' and their 'pleases' and so we oughts to be helpful," Dobby said. "Dobby is of course happy to be helpful without the 'pleases' and 'thank yous'."

"Well, there will always be a 'please' and 'thank you' to you, if I can help it," Siria said. "Thank you, Dobby." He gave a small bow of his tiny head before he Apparated away.

As the night continued, other restless students came down. Any who happened to have board games brought them, as students increased and spread out. Sometime after one, Hermione stopped running up to check spells as she played Neville, Ron, and Siria in Chinese chequers.

When the sun rose, they cleaned up and went down for breakfast, a large, lively group of laughing Gryffindors. Parvati held Siria's hand and smiled at the Mood Polish. They were almost the same shade of blue-green. "We're practically twins," Siria joked.

"Don't tell Padma," Parvati said. "She thinks you can only have one twin."

"You might not want to introduce her to Lavender then," she said. They laughed, knowing it wasn't all that funny, but it was relieving. When they returned from breakfast, exams would be upon them. It felt like their last chance to laugh before their futures were decided.

After breakfast, the fifth and seventh years waited in the entrance hall as the others headed to lessons. "You've got this!" Colin Creevey shouted to Siria. She waved. He and Dennis howled at Siria. Her face went so scarlet it hurt, but she squeezed her eyes shut and howled back. The laughs outnumbered the glares.

"You're in better spirits than I thought," Cassius said as he and the others came over.

"You competed in the Triwizard Tournament together," Cedric said, "I'd think you're fine with pressure."

"It's because we competed together that he knows my stomach is eating itself," Siria joked and squeezed her stomach playfully.

"Did you have a late night cram session or something?" Maddy asked.

"We played games," Neville said. He looked to the floor when the others looked at them.

"What do you mean you played?" Bianca Storm asked. "If you don't pass your O.W.L.s, you'll be laughing stocks."

"Taking a break won't kill them," Patricia said. She gave Neville a kind smile and he nodded, but couldn't look her in the eye.

"I might suggest that tonight," Cedric said, "if you don't mind." Siria laughed.

"Actually, Ced, we've got the rights to pre-test game night," Siria said. "You should've been in Gryffindor," and she stuck her tongue out.

The doors of the Great Hall opened. Her stomach sank through the floor as her nails turned anxious red-orange. Hermione linked her arm through Siria's and Ron's. She smiled up at the two of them. "Good luck, everyone," she told them. Her own nails were an almost glowing orange.

"Strong as we are united," Siria said.

They entered the Great Hall together. The House tables were replaced with individual desks. Cassius nodded to Siria, as he continued to the back with the other seventh years. Siria took her seat and hoped her heart wouldn't explode. Somehow, she heard Professor McGonagall announce "You may begin" over the thunderous beat in her ears. The pieces of parchment turned over as the hourglass started. Siria closed her eyes and took a deep breath. [B5, 712]

"If it's so important to know the time, get a watch," Siria said as she shook her watch off and slapped it into Hermione's hand. "That's the fifth time you've taken my arm and it's only been a half hour."

"Sorry," Hermione sighed. She fastened the watch around her wrist. "I'm just so nervous… what if I get a really strict examiner?"

"McGonagall is our Head of House," Ron said. "Who could be more strict than her?"

"What if I panic?" Hermione asked while she picked lettuce off her plate. "What if I'm asked to change a teapot into a tortoise and I turn into… into," she sighed "not a tortoise…"

"Just shoot birds out of your wand to distract them while you fix it," Ron suggested. Siria nodded as she refilled their goblets.

"What if I'm asked to turn water into rum and I turn it into pumpkin juice?" Hermione asked.

"Honestly, I'd rather have pumpkin juice," Siria said as she put down her goblet.

"Hermione, if you don't eat something, you'll be too hungry to focus," Ron said and slapped a large scoop of vegetables onto her plate. She eyed them like they were a dragon. Siria swept a scoop onto her spoon.

"Does 'Mione need the airplane?" Siria asked while she bounced the spoon on her finger and smirked at Hermione.

"You wouldn't dare…"

Hermione did not speak to Siria the rest of lunch. She kept silent through her name getting called and, like the others, did not return after her exam. Ron and Siria leaned back to back as they waited to be called. Occasionally Siria would knock her head into Ron's and ask "but it was funny, wasn't it?" or note "I picked the peas out of her hair, didn't I?" Ron would give an agreeing grunt or non-committal "yeah."

Professor Flitwick called Siria with some others. She waved to Ron and entered the Great Hall. Siria caught sight of Malfoy being tested by Professor Marchbanks a few people away. Her hand jerked with the urge to pull the wine glass he levitated toward her, but she clenched her fist and pulled on a smile instead. [B5, 713]

"That's the spirit," old Professor Tofty told her. "Now, if you would please make this tea cup dance for me." (B5, 713)

Though Siria felt she did well enough on Charms to pass, she felt confident with Transfiguration. "For a bonus point," she Transfigured her hair from its wild black mane to thin, dark red. Herbology went as well as she could have hoped. Defense Against the Dark Arts went better than Siria thought it would. She finished the written exam with time to go over her answers and for another bonus point produced a Patronus Charm for Professor Tofty. [B5, 714]

Hagrid gave Siria an ear to ear grin and wide wave as she headed back to the castle after her Care of Magical Creatures practical O.W.L. She returned the wave and smile while she hoped she did well enough to warrant his enthusiasm. "It was easy enough," she told herself. They had to find a knarl in a dozen hedgehogs, pick a diet for a sick unicorn, handle a bowtruckle, then feed and clean a firecrab without major injury. She rubbed a small bit of her burn healing paste on her finger, which was one of the smaller injuries she saw. [B5, 717]

Divination went even more poorly than Siria could have foreseen. After twenty minutes of not being able to see anything, she sighed and looked at Professor Marchbanks. "I'm no good with Divination," Siria said. "About all I can see is that I'm not going to pass, and I wouldn't continue even if I could."

"You would like to quit the subject?" Professor Marchbanks asked over her clipboard.

"I'd rather call it a 'graceful resign from the subject', but yeah," Siria said. She eyed Siria for a moment; her gaze wandered over the lightning scar and hung on Siria's eyes.

"You have your mother's eyes," Professor Marchbanks said and gave a small smile as Siria repressed eye roll. "I'm sure you've heard it often enough." Professor Marchbanks rested her clipboard on the table. "I remember Lily Evans, very talents in Charms, magical and social. She seemed fearless during her practical N.E.W.T.s." Siria leaned forward, to hear Professor Marchbanks's quiet voice better.

"I've found there isn't an examinee that I can't remember," Professor Marchbanks said. She lifted her teacup and saucer with a gentle smile. "Not just the Albus Dumbledores, Tom Riddles— oh yes," she nodded at Siria's widened eyes, "but the 'Joe Schomos' as they're called. Even if someone doesn't show exceptional magical talent at O.W.L. or N.E.W.T., you never know what they are great in. I believe it's never too late to bloom into who you are meant to be.

"They expect things greater than Lily Evans or James Potter or Sirius Black could achieve. The world expects Dumbledore level things from you, magical or otherwise," she said. Professor Marchbanks drew a line down the rest of her page. "Bloom well, Ms. Potter-Black."

At eleven o'clock, it was a clear dark night for Astronomy (B5, 718). Professors Marchbanks and Tofty strolled the rooftop while students searched to fill their star charts (B5, 718). Siria found Vega in the sky then filled the rest of the Summer Triangle by memory. She sighed as she filled in Draco, after finding its head. Siria added Mars as the doors of the castle opened and half a dozen figures stepped onto the lawn.

They moved in silence, with their wands at the ready, but unlit (B5, 719). Siria held her eyepiece in one hand and pocketed her other hand. She closed her eyes and thought of the little brown capsules she dropped back in February. "[Grow]" Siria told them. "[Grow!]" She thought as she gestured with both of her hands. Someone gasped and Siria shot up to look.

"It's beautiful!" Lavender announced as she pointed to the grounds. Quicker than dye in water, flamingo pink luminescent moss took over the grass. It cast light on the half dozen figures cloaked in black, who leapt onto Hagrid's porch like the moss would burn through their shoes.

Siria leaned over the wall to better scowl at two familiar faces: Umbridge's and the Auror from Dumbledore's office. Ron grabbed Siria's arm. He looked her in the eye and shook his head.

"Really," Professor Tofty said as he approached them. "This is an examination."

"Go back to your chart," Siria whispered to Ron. He pressed his lips together with a face that said he didn't approve of leaving. "Go!" She mouthed. Ron huffed, but left as Professor Tofty reached Siria. She shot a final glare at Umbridge, as Hagrid let Umbridge in, before Siria turned to Professor Tofty.

"Like Ms. Brown said, it's very lovely," Siria said. "What do you suppose caused it?" Professor Tofty squinted down at the figures that remained on Hagrid's porch. One of them gave several silent exaggerated waves of their wand, which did nothing to the moss.

"I'm not sure, but certainly nothing to do with Astronomy," he patted the air above Siria's shoulder. She sighed, but returned to her test. She added Saturn then looked back to Hagrid's.

One of the Aurors was making progress with the moss. They appeared to vacuum it up with the tip of their wand. Siria knew it wasn't what was actually happening, but also knew she couldn't figure it out from the Astronomy tower. Whatever Umbridge was up to in there, couldn't be good.

BANG! (B5, 720)

Hagrid's door burst open as he and Fang tried to flee the jets of red that seemed to bounce of him. A man cried for Hagrid to "be reasonable." Hagrid roared back. "Reasonable be damned, yeh won' take me like this Dawlish!" The Aurors on the porch turned their wands to Hagrid, but their spells bounced off. One of them hit Fang with a Stunning Spell. Hagrid howled. He slammed into the Auror that stunned Fang, swept him off the ground with one hand, and threw him. The Auror did not move. [B5, 720-721]

"What can we do?" Ron asked as he and Hermione met Siria at the edge. "Can your moss attack?"

"That's yours?" Hermione asked and looked to the grounds to inspect the moss like it would make Siria's name. "It's McGonagall!" She pointed down. [B5, 721]

"Leave him alone! Alone, I say!" Professor McGonagall instructed as she marched toward them. "On what grounds are you attacking him?" She withdrew her wand and knocked away a Stunning Spell like it was a tennis ball. "How dare you!" [B5, 721]

Siria grabbed Hermione's barrette. "Sorry," she said as she pulled it from Hermione's bushy hair. Siria chucked it down at the ground. She pointed her wand at it while she gestured with her free hand. "[Become a shield]!" She shouted "Integumentum! Shield her!" The small barrette morphed as it bore into the ground. Now a tall, ornamental wall, it reflected two red jets of light. One hit its sender.

Professor McGonagall dueled two Aurors and Umbridge as she shouted for them to leave Hagrid alone. Hagrid slammed another Auror into the ground, who remained down. He looked to Professor McGonagall. "You've no grounds to attack us!" Professor McGonagall told them. "I've only defended myself and you come at me like cowards."

"Siria!" Parvati slapped her palm sized, golden butterfly hairpin into Siria's hand. "That one's going around the back!" She pointed to the Auror who managed to vacuum up some of the moss earlier. [B5, 721]

With even more force than the last one, Siria threw the hairpin down. Four jets of red fired at Professor McGonagall from different directions. The butterfly pin landed, nearly as large as the castle doors, so close to one of the Aurors it knocked them back, too late to stop their spell. In a single blink, four Stunning Spells hit Professor McGonagall. [B5, 721]

Hagrid shouted "COWARDS!" He took the closest Auror and threw them at Umbridge. Both collapsed. Hagrid swept Fang onto his shoulders and ran into the forest. [B5, 722]

Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs alike were petrified on the tower top. Professor Tofty's feeble voice said "Five minutes…"

"But why sack Hagrid now?" Angelina Johnson asked as the fifth years finished recounting what they saw from the Tower top.

"Umbridge hates part humans," Hermione said with a bitter glare to the fire. "She was always going to get rid of him, even if he wasn't so close to Dumbledore."

"And she thought Hagrid was putting nifflers in her office," piped Katie Bell.

"Oh blimey," said Lee Jordan. He covered his mouth and looked to Fred and George. "It was us."

"She would have got him for something else," said Fred.

"It was just a matter of time," added George, though he reeked of guilt. [B5, 723-724]

"I just hope Professor McGonagall's all right," said Lavender (B5, 724). She wiped at her eyes.

"She took enough to stun a dragon," Siria said, "but she's always been strong…" she shook her head.

"McGonagall could have taken any of them one-on-one," said Angelina and punched her fist into her palm.

"She could have taken them three-on-one," said Parvati. "She was doing fine until that fourth one got behind her." Parvati shuddered and looked to Siria. Though Siria shrunk and summoned Parvati's and Hermione's accessories back, neither had put them back in. Parvati stroked her butterfly hairpin. "I should have noticed faster," she said. Lavender put her arm around Parvati and nuzzled her.

"You were the only one who noticed," said Fay. "I hope that Auror wet themselves or worse!"

They sighed. Slowly, students went back up to bed. In the case of the fifth years, headed to their dorms for the night. Hermione eyed Siria's watch as they climbed their stairs.

"Siria!" Hermione said and pressed Siria's watch into her face. "Look!"

"Yes— very late," Siria said as she pulled her face away.

"No, Sirius," Hermione said. Siria looked. For the first time since January, the thin rune covered wand hand of her watch was at 3 o'clock. Sirius Black was finally home.