Chapter 76

OWLS and Darkness

Note from J.M. Jackson: And so we're coming to a major part of the fifth year. The next few chapters are going to be action packed, full of adventure, courage... and some sorrow. That is all I'll be saying on the story.

I do want to say something though. There are times when I try to ignore some of the darkness within the world, not because I agree with it or want to ignore it, but because I fear it, and I fear some things that happens. Still, writing this story has always been a good thing because I've been blessed to know some fine people, and your reviews have pushed me to make this story better.

But recently, on , I saw a new review, which was transphobic and disgusting. I deleted it, obviously, but I noted the coward who had left it hadn't even dared share who they were, they left it as an anonymous comment.

I will not allow cowards to stop me from telling this story which I know a lot of you have been enjoying. I have always appreciated your reviews and comments, and it means a lot to me. For that, I want to thank all of you.

The world needs the good people like you, and not the hate. There is no need to hate or be homophobic, or transphobic, or hate in any way. We need to be better, and I hope that the message spreads as far and wide as possible.

Thank you for listening to me, and for reading mine and Mystic Dodo's story. Without Mystic Dodo, this story would never have begun.

As the exams came around, Lily could see how stressed everyone was. There had been tests already, for the Apparition lessons. Hermione, of course, passed with flying colours. Lily and Lavender also passed, although Parvati, Padma, and Ron failed, although only because they left small parts of themselves behind; in Ron's case, half an eyebrow. Lily assured him that he'd pass the next time. After all, these weren't the final tests for the fifth years: they had been arranged by Dumbledore before he had left the castle, allowing the fifth years to get some practise in for when the exams began in their sixth year.

Even though most of the school had been avoiding Umbridge's lessons through the Skiving Snackboxes, everyone was studying for everything, hard. Even Malfoy hadn't been harassing anyone, given how busy he was with his exams, although he had been bothering people in other ways.

Everywhere Malfoy went, he was saying aloud that it wasn't what people knew, it was who they knew, and claimed that his family knew the examiners very well, and would get preferential treatment, although Neville assured the others that he knew one of the examiners, Griselda Marchbanks, very well as she was best friends with Neville's gran, and Griselda was always firm, but fair.

None of the teachers were setting homework; all the time was being spent on revision. Snape was pushing a lot of revision on them, and making sure all of their potion skills and knowledge were up to his standards, giving detention and taking points from anyone who hadn't been paying attention.

In the most recent Occlumency lessons, Snape was even keeping Lily and Ginny longer, making sure they were really prepared.

"Potter, I will be most displeased if either of you get less than an Outstanding on your OWL's. I will admit… you have improved in class, to a degree that I will be expecting you in my class next year, and I only allow students who get an Outstanding to join my NEWT class," Snape told them.

"Yes, Professor," Lily and Ginny said at the same time.

"Now, get going, both of you," Snape said. Lily left with Ginny, and as they walked towards the Gryffindor common room, Lily looked at Ginny.

"He's definitely changing, isn't he?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, that's for sure," Ginny agreed. "I really don't understand any of this."

"Right now, let's focus on our OWLS, and hope that we can finish this year without anything else bad happening," Lily told her, before kissing her softly.

"Don't say that, you'll jinx us," Ginny teased, smirking as they headed back to the common room.


The morning of the first exam came quickly, and it was the potions exam. Lily felt anxious, and had spent the entire weekend studying, looking at every note that Snape had put in the book for her. She was studying with Ginny as well, the two of them working hard to make sure Lily were ready, since Ginny wouldn't be taking her OWLS until the next year.

Even Hermione was stressed from all the studying, researching every textbook. When Lily entered the exam room, along with, Hermione, Parvati, Lavender, and several others. Snape wasn't there, but Umbridge was, given she was the Headmistress now.

As the exam began, Lily could almost feel Umbridge's eyes on her as she focused on the instruction to brew a potion, one that they couldn't use their potions book for.

Thankfully, the potion, whilst complicated, was one of the potions that Snape had insisted Lily study carefully, and so she was able to use the additional instructions that was in her new book that Snape had given her.

For the first time since the year began, Lily felt confident with Umbridge around, wanting to show the old hag that she wasn't going to be beaten by her.

As she added more of the ingredients and stirring them in, she could see a small smile on Madam Marchbanks face as her potion changed colour, as she knew it should.

"You seem to be a natural at this, dear," Madam Marchbanks said as she looked at the potion.

"Thank you, ma'am, I have an excellent teacher," Lily said, adding the next ingredients.

"And so polite as well," Marchbanks complimented. She walked over to the next cauldron, looking over the work of Hermione, also complimenting her.

Lily could practically hear Umbridge's teeth grinding. Umbridge had wanted Lily to fail, but Snape had made sure she wouldn't. The next exam was Defence against the Dark Arts, and again, Lily was looking forward to showing Umbridge up.

By the time the day was over, Lily felt confident that she had gotten Outstanding in both Potions and Defence Against The Dark Arts. The examiner had asked Lily if it was true that she could summon a corporeal Patronus and had been given a bonus mark when she had summoned the Doe, thinking of Umbridge being gone from Hogwarts.

The rest of the week went well enough, although Hermione had been stressing about making mistakes, which everyone had tried to convince her that she'd be okay.

"But how? I know I mistranslated several of the runes, and that could knock a lot of points off my score," Hermione was stressing.

"Hermione, Uncle Sirius once told me something; Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it never gets you anywhere," Lily told her.

"I don't get it," Ron replied.

"Well, you can rock in a rocking chair, moving back and forth, but you don't actually move, do you?" Lily asked.

Hermione tried to relax a little, but the next exams were going to keep them busy, including the upcoming Astronomy exam, which would take place at night. Lily didn't expect to do well there, of course, but she wasn't overly concerned.

Her muggle studies exam, however, went very well, and it was one she had no concerns about. Not only had she been raised in the muggle world, Lily had gotten on very well with Professor Burbage, the Muggle Studies teacher, who had always made her lessons fun.

Lily wasn't surprised to see none of the Slytherin's at the Muggle Studies exam; most of them, like Malfoy, thought that they were better than that, and didn't need to 'waste their time' although the lessons were important, including some cooking lessons, and surviving in the muggle world.

Lily had also learnt a lot about why Muggles and Witches/Wizards lived apart from one another, in greater detail. She had known about the Salem Witch Trials in the US, but what had surprised her most is that there was a time when Muggles and Magical people all lived in harmony. However, muggles became too reliant on magic, and that eventually led to them becoming afraid of it.

Because of that fear, witch trials had begun. Some of the wizarding world wanted to fight back and take over, but most didn't. In the end, the Ministry worked with all the strongest of the wizarding world, including House Elves, Goblins, Witches, Wizards, and more, and created a massive spell which affected the world.

The muggle world forgot about the presence of real witches, although there were some who remembered, somehow, and tried to convince the world of the presence of Magic. That came to an end quickly, as did the Witch Trials, and since then, the Statute of Secrecy had been adopted by the whole world of magic.

That had been a question in the History of Magic exam, so Lily was thankful that Professor Burbage had explained it to them. It wasn't that she didn't like Professor Binns, it was just… she was sure he wanted everyone to join him as a ghost, and so tried to bore them all to death.

That was something she felt sorry for Binns about; how little had his life mattered to him? He had just gone to sleep one day, and gotten up as a ghost, going straight to continue his teaching. Had he not regretted his death? Had he even noticed?

The idea of ghosts was something Lily both loved and yet was saddened by, merely because she wished her parents could have been ghosts. But she had learnt from Nearly Headless Nick that people would need to prepare to become ghosts, using some form of magic, with Professor Binns being the only exception.

What if her parents had become ghosts? Would they have helped raise Lily? Or watched over her at least? The thing she did take comfort from was that there was more to life than, well, life. If ghosts existed, then there had to be some form of an afterlife, perhaps a paradise where she'd get to see her parents again one day.


Wednesday came, and as Lily entered the Astronomy tower, ready for the exam, she found a spot with Hermione, Lavender, Ron, and Parvati, all of whom were looking tired but ready. Lily understood why the exam had to be held at night, but it would have been nice if they'd have been able to get some sleep at least before the exam.

With the exam beginning, Lily was thankful that she remembered some of the lessons that she had been taught, but the exam wouldn't be entirely peaceful.

It wasn't long before the exam was interrupted by a loud bang from outside; Lily, and several others – despite the examiner's protests – got up and went to the window. They were looking down at Hagrid's cabin, and Lily could see several figures outside of it.

"WHAT THE RUDDY HELL DO YER THINK YER DOING?" Hagrid shouted, as a jet of light shot towards him.

Hagrid was able to avoid being struck, and fired back a curse of his own at whoever it was that had attacked him, sending the attacker flying backwards.

"What's going on?" Ron demanded.

"Umbridge. She didn't want a scene like Professor Trelawny," Hermione guessed, as more attackers approached, trying to subdue Hagrid.

"They don't have enough people to stop Hagrid," Lily said, seeing Hagrid take down three wizards.

"It'll be his giant blood; giants are resistant to a lot of magic," Hermione whispered.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" a very familiar voice called out.

"Aunt Minnie!" Lily exclaimed, as she saw Minerva approaching the battle scene. One of the attackers tried to curse Minerva, but she pulled up a shield and took out the attacker.

"I've gotta go and help her!" Lily exclaimed.

"Lily, you can't," Hermione exclaimed, as Umbridge's voice spoke up, demanding that Hagrid surrender immediately, and ordering Minerva back to the castle.

"This is entirely unacceptable behaviour from…" Minerva started but was struck with several stunning curses at once.

"AUNT MINNIE!" Lily screamed in fear, as everyone in the exam room cried out angrily at what they had just seen.

Hagrid, meanwhile, let out a roar, proclaiming the ministry wizards as cowards and grabbed the nearest wizard, throwing him into several others, before letting out a loud whistle. Lily saw Buckbeak emerge from the forest, with Hagrid picking up Minerva, and placing her on Buckbeak, before getting on himself, and flying off from the castle.

"Absolutely disgraceful behaviour," the examiner said, clearly stunned at what he had just seen.

"That's it. I'm done now. I'm taking her down," Lily snapped angrily. "I need… I need…"

"Sirius," Ron said. "Now we call in for help."

"Agreed," Lily said. "What that miserable old hag just did…"

Lily felt tears streaming from her eyes as she collapsed into a chair, the exam all but forgotten now.

"Is she okay?" Professor Tofty asked.

"Professor McGonagall is her aunt," Lavender said. Tofty nodded in understanding as Lily was being embraced in a hug by Hermione, Ron, and Parvati.

"Absolutely disgusting behaviour," Tofty commented. "I'm sure she'll be okay, Miss Potter. I've known Minerva McGonagall for a long time, and she's a strong witch."

"Where will Hagrid take her?" Ron asked.

"Knowing him, somewhere safe where she can be looked after," Hermione said, as Lily simply wept, fighting her emotions of both sorrow and anger.

In that moment, she wanted to go and attack Umbridge, and end her. She also suspected that the second Sirius found out, he'd be here, ready to attack Umbridge.

Lily barely remembered leaving the exam with the others, all of them helping to guide her to the Gryffindor dorm room, where Ginny was waiting for them. She had also heard what had happened, and took Lily into her arms as soon as Lily entered the girls dorm, wanting to comfort her and help her. The question was, would there be any chance of comforting her?


Hermione quietly left the girls dorm, borrowing Lily's invisibility cloak, and headed down to the main grounds. She looked around, ensuring that she was alone, before pulling out what looked like a small, glass vial filled with red smoke.

She took a breath and smashed the vial onto the ground. The smoke rose up and began to take the shape of a person. Hermione smiled as she saw the smoke take on the shape of Fleur.

"It works," Hermione was relieved to see Fleur.

"Of course eet does, you helped design eet," Fleur replied. "What is wrong?"

"Something… something bad just happened," Hermione began to explain everything that had happened, also revealing the one thing she hadn't told anyone; the scars on her hand from the detentions she had been in with Umbridge, as well as the scars on everyone else's hand.

Fleur looked distressed as she heard the story. "Why did you not tell me?" Fleur asked.

"I… Lily and I… we didn't want anyone to come and get into trouble," Hermione admitted softly, tears in her eyes.

"Bah, I do not care about zat Umbridge person, and no one is allowed to hurt my girlfriend and not pay the price," Fleur told her. "Go back to bed and get some rest. Tomorrow, Umbridge will pay for her crimes."

"Please be careful, Fleur," Hermione pleaded. "I… I can't lose you. I… I love you."

"And I love you," Fleur answered, the smoke figure gently cupping Hermione's cheek. "I will always be here for you, and I will make sure Umbridge can never hurt anyone again."

As Hermione stood there with the smoke figure of her girlfriend, she felt a little concerned, but she knew that something had to be done. She and Fleur had made the communication device whilst writing to each other during the summer holidays, and finishing it at Christmas, but this had been the first time they had tested it.

Hermione had been willing to let Lily decide when they acted, but what had just happened could not go unpunished. It was time to end Umbridge's reign, once and for all.