𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞 || 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Chapter 64

Tuesday 1st June, 1977

The dreaded time had come.

O.W.L.s.

I'd spent the entire day yesterday in the library, barely allowing myself a break before I went back to studying, frantically trying to cram in as much as possible before my first O.W.L.s that occurred yesterday, which were both practical and theory exams on Charms.

I barely saw Regulus during O.W.L.s; I barely saw anyone really, too busy studying as much as possible for the upcoming O.W.L.s. I'd been in the library so much that I had my own corner that I used to revise, going through my notes like my life depended on it.

Sometimes the marauders would join me in my corner, helping me revise or studying for their own exams. Other times I'd find my friends from my own year level with me, also studying as much as possible before O.W.L.s. They all knew that the corner needed silence above all else since I snapped at anyone who made a noise.

When it was time to go into the Great Hall for my Charms theory, my heart was hammering in my chest. I'd been convinced I'd get every answer wrong and fail my O.W.L.s. I walked in with my friends, but we were all split up according to our last names, forcing me to leave them behind. I had Dorcas a bit in front of me and Evan right behind me though, so it wasn't too bad. The theory exam went surprisingly well, though. I'd answered every question, and while I wasn't sure about some of the answers I'd given, overall I was optimistic of my results, a big change from when I started the exam.

After lunch was Charms prac, something I was significantly more nervous about. I couldn't just study out of a book for this; I had to actually do the spell, and I was extremely anxious about it. I waited in a line with the other students who hadn't had their name called, waiting for my turn uneasily.

"Pifter, Potter, Rosier, Rowle."

I glanced at Evan nervously, relieved that I'd have one of my friends in the exam with me. We found each other's hands and walked with them intertwined for as long as we could before going to stand in front of our separate examiners, silently wishing each other good luck.

The exam went by surprisingly quick. The examiner, a short, stubby man, sent me a kind smile and asked me to do a few spells. I was given a rush of confidence when I completed the growth charm on a badger perfectly and the examiner complimented my skills. The victory was dampened when I tried to change the badger's fur green and ended up turning it a sickly yellow.

I walked out of the exam feeling a little down, though Evan helped perk me up when he recounted how he had shrunk the badger instead of enlarging it. When we met up with the others, they also told tales of their mistakes, and though some were worse than others (Avery had somehow managed to turn his badger hot pink) we were all comforted when reminded we were in it together.

Today I was faced with my Transfiguration O.W.L.s and spent as much time before hand in the library. Even so, as I did the theory test I spent a solid twenty minutes staring at the blank space where the vanishing spell definition was supposed to go. I knew what it did of course, but I couldn't remember the official definition the ministry gave it, which was what the test was asking for. In the end I wrote my own definition of it, which wasn't the correct answer but was hopefully similar enough.

After that I had a quick lunch, preferring to go to my corner and spend the rest of the break in the library before the practical Transfiguration exam. I felt sick as I waited in line for my name to be called again, wanting very badly to impress McGonagall with my scores but unsure if I'd be able to. I wasn't necessarily bad at Transfiguration, but I knew McGonagall had high expectations and I was desperate to reach them.