OMINISxMC 𝒊 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒚 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆

Chapter 6: The Prisoner of Azkaban

"Your O.W.L. timetables," Professor Ronen announced. He set two pieces of parchment down in front of Ominis and Euphemia at breakfast before tottering off down the length of the table.

"Our...no," Euphemia whispered, horrified. She picked up the parchment, staring at it. There were ten subjects, with ten exams, and her name across the top. "Oh, no..."

"What's wrong?" Ominis asked.

"There's a timetable for me, here, Ominis—they want me to take my O.W.L.s!" she hissed. "I wasn't supposed to—oh, fuck..."

Ominis put down his toast, brushing the crumbs off his fingers on his napkin. "I thought you weren't taking them until next year?"

"I wasn't supposed to—it was a deal I made with Professor McGonagall—I completely forgot about it, what with all the fucking time travel, and now I've got to take my O.W.L.s and I'm going to fail—I'm not ready!"

"You're panicking," Ominis said, taking her hands in his. "Breathe."

She took a deep breath, but it didn't help. "What am I going to do?" Euphemia could feel the tears welling up in her eyes.

"First, you're going to calm down. I am going to help you, and you're going to trust me. I will get you through your O.W.L.s, all right?"

"How? Ominis, I can't do this—I can barely keep up as it is, and I haven't prepared at all, and I'm going to fail—I know I am. And then what will I do with my life? I'm already freaking out about what's going to happen to me after Hogwarts—how am I supposed to survive with no O.W.L.s, too?"

Ominis shushed her. "Stop. Stop thinking like that. I am not going to let you fail, all right? You have to trust me. Listen." He pulled the timetables towards himself. "You said you have ten subjects, correct? You don't have to take the exams for all ten. You can choose to take as many as you like—as many as you feel confident about."

"So none," she sniffed, petulant. It was hopeless.

"Not none. Six. Let's try for six, all right? It's a respectable number, but it's realistic too."

"You're taking twelve," Euphemia muttered.

"I have four more years of magical education than you do, and I was raised a wizard my entire life. Do not compare yourself to me. It isn't fair."

"I don't think I can get six."

"That's all right, because I know you can. Look at this schedule." He pressed it into her hands. "Pick six subjects, all right?"

Euphemia scanned the paper. It was overwhelming. "I don't know which ones I'll need..."

"Don't worry about that. Just eliminate the four hardest ones—the ones you know you definitely don't want to take. Potions, right?"

"Yes, definitely potions."

"All right, done. Strike it from the schedule."

Euphemia did. "And Divination. I'm never going to be able to see a dog in my tea leaves, no matter how many books I read. I can't do that one."

"I also can't see a dog in my tea leaves," Ominis grinned, elbowing her. "What else?"

"Magical Theory, then. Fig is great, but I am barely passing already and I know he goes easy on me." She struck out that one as well.

"One more," Ominis said.

She frowned. "History of Magic. My brain just goes blank when I see all those dates. Even you couldn't teach me a thousand years worth of history before exams."

Ominis smiled. "I could, but I won't push it. What are we left with?"

Euphemia scanned the list. "Herbology, Beasts, Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy, and Charms."