saudade • harry potter⁴ [UNEDITED/ON HOLD]

𝐱𝐢𝐱. the value of o.w.l.s

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      𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐀𝐖𝐍 Nyx noticed that it was just as rainy and onerous as the previous day which otherwise should have been a sign for a good day (Nyx liked the rain) but at breakfast, Hagrid's absence from the staff table drained the mood. Just where was he? Why wasn't he back yet? What if he was in trouble? Although ... what could possibly have Hagrid, a half-giant, in mortal danger? Nyx dreaded to know the answer. 

"But on the plus side, no Snape today," said Ron bracingly.

Hermione yawned widely and poured herself some coffee. She looked mildly pleased about something, and when Ron asked her what she had to be so happy about, she simply said, "The hats have gone. Seems the house-elves do want freedom after all."

"I wouldn't bet on it," Ron told cuttingly. "They might not count as clothes. They didn't look anything like hats to me, more like woolly bladders."

Hermione did not speak to him all morning.

Double Charms was succeeded by double Transfiguration. Professor Flitwick and Profesor McGonagall both spent the first fifteen minutes of their lessons lecturing the class on the importance of O.W.L.s.

"What you must remember," said little Professor Flitwick squeakily, perched as ever on a pile of books so that he could see over the top of his desk, "is that these examinations may influence your future for many years to come! If you have not already given serious thought to your careers, now is the time to do so. And in the meantime, I'm afraid, we shall be working harder than ever to ensure that you all do yourselves justice!"

Careers? Nyx hummed softly. What did she want to do with her life after Hogwarts? She hadn't given it much thought before; maybe now was the time to start thinking about it more? 

They then spent more than an hour reviewing Summoning Charms, which according to Professor Flitwick were bound to come up in their O.W.L., and he rounded off the lesson by setting them their largest amount of Charms homework ever. It was the same, if not worse, in Transfiguration.

"You cannot pass an O.W.L," said Professor McGonagall grimly, "without serious application, practice, and study. I see no reason why everybody in this class should not achieve an O.W.L. in Transfiguration as long as they put in the work." Neville made a sad little disbelieving noise. "Yes, you too, Longbottom," said Professor McGonagall. "There's nothing wrong with your work except lack of confidence. So ... today we are starting Vanishing Spells. These are easier than Conjuring Spells, which you would not usually attempt until N.E.W.T level, but they are still among the most difficult magic you will be tested on in your O.W.L."

The tricky bit of the Vanishing Spell was what they were practicing on. Nyx didn't take too kindly to using the spell on a couple of harmless snails and so she lacked the "confidence" or the willpower to properly perform the transfiguration. It took Hermione having to explain that it wasn't doing any harm to the creature because technically the spell is used to vanish both animate and inanimate objects "into non-being, which is to say, everything".