Chapter 20:
OWLs
By Jelsemium
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, alas.
The OWLS were almost an anticlimax.
The questions, as Hermione had surmised, were far easier to deal with than the questions in the Practice OWLs. Or maybe it was because he'd followed Hermione's advice for once and revised until his eyes began to blur.
He made a few small blunders, he knew, but the examiners seemed inclined to overlook them. Perhaps they hadn't even noticed them.
The awe that the examiners displayed made the OWLs somewhat easier on Harry, but extremely hard on the furniture.
The Care of Magical Creatures examiner allowed a Niffler to get loose. It managed to get into Dumbledore's office and smash the glass doors of Dumbledore's book cases and broke several of his astronomical instruments.
The history examiner kept feeling faint. That wouldn't have caused much damage, except that the sherry bottle she had brought to revive herself was smashed when the Niffler escaped.
The Potions examiner managed to drop several beakers and a mirror during Harry's potions exam.
The Transfiguration examiner lost her spectacles. Which might explain how she managed to change a wall banner into a crystal chandelier. The chandelier was unfortunately too heavy to the hook that the banner had been on.
Padfoot, who was watching the proceedings with deep suspicion, had to leap frantically to avoid being smashed by the falling light fixture. Only quick wand work on Dumbledore's part kept the crystal shrapnel from injuring anybody.
When the Charms examiner met Harry, she couldn't stop giggling. And when Harry successfully demonstrated his Patronus, she let out such a squeal that several windows shattered and the Divination examiner dropped his crystal ball.
It couldn't have been a very well made crystal ball, because it shattered when it hit the ground. Or perhaps it was that the Charms examiner's shriek was more potent than they realized.
"I predict that Filch is going to be furious," Harry said.
Pyrex Lucid smiled wryly. "I think that may qualify as an 'Acceptable' for Divination," he said. "Unless you would care to try another method?"
Harry shook his head. "I'll take the 'Acceptable'," he said. "I really wasn't expecting that much."
Lucid smiled again and said. "I quite understand. Divination isn't everybody's cup of tea."
Harry laughed. At this point, any joke would have sounded good, because his OWLs were over, his birthday was tomorrow and he would be leaving the hospital wing on August 1st.
He wasn't sure where Dumbledore had decided to send him. However, this summer, even the Dursleys would be better than Hogwarts.