Lily Potter (Harry Potter's Twin)

Chapter 35

The castle grounds were gleaming in the sunlight; the cloudless sky smiled at itself in the smoothly sparkling lake, the satin-green lawns rippled in the warm breeze: June had arrived, but to me and my fellow fifth years this meant only one thing: O.W.L.s was here at last.

Teachers were no longer setting us with homework; lessons were devoted to reviewing those topics teachers thought most likely to come up in exams. People were acting oddly about exams. Hermione hasn't put out elf clothes in days. Ernie Macmillian had developed an irritating habit of interrogating people about their study habits.

"How many hours d'you think you're doing a day?" he demanded while we waited outside Herbology, a manic gleam in his eyes.

"I dunno, a few..." said Ron.

"More or less than eight?" asked Ernie.

"Less, I s'pose," said Ron looking slightly awkward.

"I'm doing eight,"said Ernie puffing his chest. "Eight or nine. I am getting an hour before breakfast everyday. Eight's my average. I can do ten on a good weekend day. I did nine and half on Monday. Not so good on Tuesday- only seven and a half. Then on Wednesday-"

I was deeply thankful that Professor Sprout ushered us into the greenhouse three at that point, forcing Ernie to abandon his recital.

Meanwhile, the Slytherins had found a different way to induce panic.

"Of course it's not what you know," said Malfoy to Crabbe and Goyle loudly outside of Potions a few days before exams were to start, "it's who you know. Now, fathers been friendly with the head of the Wizarding Examinations Authority for years- old Griselda Marchbanks- we've had her round for dinner and everything..."

"Do you think that's true?" Hermione whispered to me, looking frightened.

"I wouldn't believe it if Dumbledore told me,"I said.

"You're right," said Hermione, smiling at me.

Meanwhile a flourishing black-market trade in aids to concentration, mental agility, and wakefulness had sprung up among the fifth years and seventh years. I had to keep an eye on Harry and Ron, whom were much tempted by the Baruffo's Brain Elixir offered to them by Ravenclaw sixth year Eddie Carmichael, who swore it was solely responsible for the nine "Outstanding" O.W.L.s he had gained the previous summer and was offering the whole pint for a mere twelve Galleons. Ron and Harry almost closed the deal before Hermione confiscated the bottle from Carmichael and poured the contents in the toilet.

"Hermione, we wanted to buy that!" shouted Ron.

"Don't be stupid," she snarled. "You might as well take Harold Dingle's powdered dradon claw and have done with it."

"Dingle's got a dragon claw?" said Ron eagerly.

"Not anymore," said Hermione as I walked over to inspect the contents in the toilet. "I confiscated that too. None of these things actually work you know-"

"Dragon claw dose work!" said Ron. "It's supposed to be incredible, really gives your brain a boost, you come over all cunning for a few hours- let me have a pinch, go on, it can't hurt-"

"This stuff can," I said grimly, looking at the so called Brain Elixir. "I've had a look at it, and it seems to actually be dried doxy droppings."

I found a Healing book about all the so called diy meds wizards made. Dried doxy droppings can give you a rash for up to 5 years. I told Harry and Ron all of the dangerous things that had happened to people when using brain boosters in the past. The information took the edge off of there desire's for stimulants.