Inglorious Bastards [Theodore Nott]

Chapter Sixty-Four

At last, June finally came, and it was the month that every fifth year dreaded. O.W.L.s. Carina has been studying nonstop for this day for the past month, and she was sure that she would get a decent score. She took on McGonagall's advice in focusing on subjects she wasn't faring well – Potions, History of Magic, and Herbology. She only hopes that she could get an "O" for Potions and History of Magic, she could care less about Herbology. She could comfort in studying upside-down on the couch and have been reading her notes at that position for the past hour. Many found her way of studying weird, but then again, everyone also had their ways of memorizing. Maybe it was the blood that was piling up in Carina's brain that helps with memorization, they thought. While Carina studied, Ernie Macmillan started interrogating people about their study habits. She heard him asking Ron about his and was now nearing her, but before Ernie could open his mouth, Carina raised her wand at him.

"Talk, and I swear, I will throw you out of this Tower, Macmillan," Carina said.

Ernie had no other choice but to back away and leave her be. But of course, Carina was still stressed with the O.W.L.s and had gained the annoying habit of pacing around the room.

They received their examination schedules and details of the procedure for O.W.L.s during their Transfiguration lesson.

"As you can see," McGonagall told the class, "your O.W.L.s are spread over two successive weeks." (Carina groaned and hit her head on the table lightly) "You will sit the theory exams down the dates and times of their exams in the afternoons. Your practical Astronomy examination will, of course, take place at night. Now, I must warn you that the most stringent Anti-Cheating Charms have been applied to your examination papers, Auto-Answer Quills are banned from the examination hall, as are Remembralls, Detachable Cribbing Cuffs, and Self-Correcting Ink. Every year, I am afraid to say, seems to the harbor at least one student who thinks that he or she can get around the Wizarding Examinations Authority's rules. I can only hope that it is nobody in Gryffindor. Our new – headmistress – has asked the Head of House to tell their students that cheating will be punished most severely – because, of course, your examination results will reflect upon the headmistress's new regime in the school... however, that is no reason not to do your very best. You have your own futures to think about."

"Professor. When will we find out our results?" Hermione asked.

"An owl will be sent to you sometime in July," McGonagall said.

"Great," Carina sighed. "That'll be a good gift for my father. A big fat T in Potions."

Harry chuckled which earned a kick under the table from Carina.

"No doubt Sirius would march up to Snape and demand why he gave you a T then," Harry said.

"That'd be a sight to see," Carina chuckled. "I love my Dad."

Later that day, though, Carina's owl, Hester came with a letter for her. It was from her father. It was only short, but enough to ease her nerves before the examinations.

Don't stress yourself, you'll do fine. And good luck!

Padfoot.

And at the bottom, Sirius added a little stick doodle of him with a thumb's up, which caught Roman's attention, and said,

"Why does it look like your father's holding a dick in his hands?"

"Not everyone's an artist, Roman," Carina hit him at the shoulder with her book.

~*~

Monday. Carina and the others had Theory of Charms. Carina had been reading all day for the exam, and when they were all placed in their seats and given the paper, and when McGonagall said "You may begin" and turned over an enormous hourglass on the desk beside her, Carina started to write down her answers. Charms was an easy test for her since almost every charm on the exam was already been used by her for troublemaking-scenarios.