Meeting the Marauders

The Last of OWLs

Chapter 54: the last of OWLs
-Bex p.o.v.-

"Only one more after this." Severus chuckled as we walked down the corridor leading to the great hall.

I laughed, "DADA and Transfiguration are going to be a breeze." I spoke as we neared the great hall doors.

We had to wait in the entrance area, right off of the great hall until they were ready for us to enter. Severus pulled me closer as a group of Ravenclaws absorbed in their school books shoved past.

The large set of double doors swung open, "you can come in. Take your seats and sit quietly," the small Professor Flintwick said and stood aside so the rush of students could enter.

The house tables were removed and in its place were rows of desks. Each desk for one fifth year. The only thing that made the great hall look anything like it normally did was the enchanted ceiling. Even the teachers table was removed and replaced with a large desk for the teacher in charge of looking after the tests and students. Today, that teacher was Flintwick.

My assigned seat was in the very back of the third row over, I was one of the closest to the doors. The six rows in total were perfectly straight and situated in the perfect distance from each other, making it hard for any student to cheat, the rows were facing the teacher's desk.

Severus glanced over his shoulder at me, I winked with a smirk. He mouthed 'good luck' before turning back to face forward. He was a row to the left of me, the second row and a little more than halfway up from Flintwick's desk.

I looked around the room, catching a glimpse of the back of Lily's head, before it was blocked by James sitting down. James was a row to my right and closer to the front, though his messy hair was unmistakably recognizable. Lily was a row over from him and farther up, she was in the front.

Movement in the corner of my eye turned me away from James' back and to a boy placing his legs up on the table and leaning back. Sirius, who was four seats behind James, looked at ease and completely relaxed.

Remus, on the other hand, looked nervous. He was sitting one seat back from Sirius and two seats over, in the sixth row.

"Attention." Flintwick stood on a stack of books, claiming the attention of every fifth year in the room, he glared, "I'm sorry, Mr. Black, am I disrupting your relaxation time?"

Everyone turned to look at Sirius Black. Hundreds of pairs of eyes were watching as he let his feet drop to the floor. "Sorry sir," he smirked, "I just thought if make myself at home. I will be sitting here for about an hour."

"Next time don't think." Flintwick glared, the testing put every teacher in a bad mood, they seemed more stressed than half the students. And then again, they were justified. If a student didn't pass, they would be forced to have that student over again, with the lower-class-men. And there were about one hundred and twenty in this room, all of which could end up in his class of current fourth years next year.

I giggled, filling the silence. His glare turned to me. "Miss. Dumbledore, if you would please close the doors."

Everyone moved their eyes to me as I stood from my seat and walked a few yards back to close the doors. The large doors slammed shut, closing us in the room.

"You all know the rules. If anyone is caught breaking them, you will be immediately sent out and your test will be destroyed." Flintwick's glare moved from student to student, causing many of the students to look away. He stepped off of the books and onto the ground, walking down the columns, scrolls of tests trailing after him, he levitated one test and placed it on one students desk. He continued doing it, weaving up and down the columns, flicking his wand each time he reached a desk. "You many begin." He spoke once he had finished.

With that, I unrolled my parchment, the questions were simple enough.

Question one: What is the incantation for the Seize and Pull Charm? I quickly scrawled out the answer, writing Carpe Retractum on the line designated for the answer.

Question two: List the three forbidden curses? On the line I wrote out: the Cruciatus Curse, the Imperious Curse, and the Killing Curse.

Question three: What is the only way to defy the Imperious Curse? Your own free will, I wrote.

The test was simple, and quite boring. Easy to complete.

Question ten: Give five signs that identify the werewolf. I gave an amused smile at the question, this ones got to be the easiest question, I couldn't help but think as I wrote my answer, I did in fact know a werewolf. The tufted tail, dilated pupils, snout shape, intelligence, liking for human flesh.

I finished the exam with a little over ten minutes left. Fifty questions on Defense Against the Dark Arts, done in about forty-five minutes.

With my quill set down and my exam rolled up once more, I looked around the room. Only a handful of people were done, mostly Ravenclaws.

The time ticked by, at ten minutes left Sirius rolled his exam up and leant back once more, his feet on the table. Remus began looking over his test. Severus was still writing away, it looked as if he was writing a book, the only essay like question was the very last, asking to explain how you kill a werewolf. Severus seemed to be going very into detail about it.

"Five more minutes!" Flintwick called throughout the quiet room, he was walking between the rows of students, right next to James.

James yawned, ruffling his hair and rolling his exam answers up. When Flintwick was past James and onto another row, James turned in his seat and grinned at Sirius.

Sirius was leaning back, his chair on its back two legs and his feet propped up on the desk. With his arms behind his head, he looked at ease and perfectly calm. Sirius moved one arm from behind his head and gave James a thumbs-up, then placed the arm back behind his head. The Hufflepuff girl that sat behind him was practically drooling, she was so busy fawning over the un-noticing boy that she hadn't even started the last question, the essay question, instead she sat twirling her hair and staring at Sirius.

Rolling my eyes I turned and looked at Remus, he was frowning slightly at his answers, probably critiquing himself worse than the examiners would. Every once in a while he would scratch his chin with the tip of his quill.

"Quills down, please!" Flintwick called out, his high pitched voice coming out more like a child than an authoritative figure. "That means you too, Stebbins!" He glared at a Ravenclaw boy who was trying to fit another line on his paper. "Please remain seated while I collect your parchment! Accio!" The scrolls all flung themselves at the small professor, knocking him off his feet.

Several students laughed, only a couple of students from the front stood and helped the professor up and back onto his feet.

"Thank you... Thank you." He panted, "very well, everybody, you're free to go!"

Everyone stood, collecting their things and leaving the large room. After shouldering my bag I stood by my desk, waiting.

Severus was so absorbed in reading the question sheet, he didn't notice I was walking beside him.

We walked in silence, following the crowd out onto the grounds. Lily and the rest of the girls were following us, talking about the test and the marauders followed after them.

We went towards the lake, he sat down by a bush, not too far away from the lake, "I'll see you in a bit, Sev." I told him. He barely nodded, still pouring over the questions.

I walked down to the lake where Lily sat with Marlene, Alice, and a few other girls. "Hey guys." I smiled.

"Hey! How do you think you did?" Lily asked.

"Pretty good, it was so easy." I answered with a shrug. "What about you?"

She giggled, "I'm glad I studied on werewolves. If I didn't I wouldn't have remembered how to kill one and I would have failed on the essay."

I giggled, "I've got to go, I promised I'd see Regulus after the OWLs."

The girls all giggled and ooohed.

"It's not like that." I rolled my eyes with a smile. "We're friends."

Marlene spoke up, "yeah right! You guys are always together!"

I rolled my eyes, "bye girls." I walked away, past the boys by the tree and Severus by the bush, over to the courtyard. I immediately saw Regulus, "hey Reggie." I grinned, skipping to his side.

"Aria," he grinned, "how'd you do? Good?"

I giggled, "I don't know my results yet. But yeah, I think I did well. It was simple."

"That's amazing!" He grinned, pulling me into a hug and twirling me around.

I giggled, leaning into him as he spun us around, my arms were around his neck and my legs bent at my knees.

When he set me down I had to clutch his arm to not fall over. He chuckled, "dizzy?"

"Only a bit." I giggled. "How did you do? Feel good about it?"

He shrugged, "yeah I think I did well, I know I didn't do horrible."

"That's great, have you spoke to Lucius? How does he feel about it?" I asked.

"He feels great," he chuckled, "he's celebrating with Cissy."

My eyes brightened, "ooooh Cissy? They're out celebrating, huh?" I giggled, my grin widening.

"How about Severus?" Regulus asked nodding to my previous questions.

"I don't know," I gave a little huff and a fake pout, "he wouldn't talk, he was so focused on the exam question sheet."

Regulus chuckled and flung his arm over my shoulder, "he'll be here soon, yeah?"

"I doubt it, he could barely acknowledge my presence, he's probably still sitting by that bush looking at the questions." I rolled my eyes.

"Let's go get him, shall we?" Regulus started towards the lake, pulling me along.

The closer we got to the lake the louder it was, there was a crowd of people surrounding the tree that the marauders sat under.

I frowned, "what's going on?"

"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can- I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me sick." I heard Lily exclaim, she walked out of the circle and started towards the castle.

"Lily? What's happening?" I asked confused, grabbing her hand.

"Potter and Black are terrorizing Snape." She said with a glare.

"Snape? Since when do you call Severus by his surname?" I asked with a look of confusion.

"Since he started calling me Mudblood." She choked the word out, tears threatening to spill over.

"Oh," I gasped, my eyes widening. "Lily, I'm sure he didn't mean it-"

"Then he wouldn't have said it," she glared and ran off.

"I've got it, you handle this." Marlene smiled sympathetically, hurrying after Lily with Alice close after.

"Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?"

"Potter! Black!" I screamed, shoving past the group of laughing students surrounding them.

"Oh look here, Snivellus, another girl here to save you." Sirius smirked, twirling his wand.

"Put him down!" I commanded. "Now!"

"Alright there, Dumbledore? How were the exams?" Sirius asked with a small smirk, flicking his hair from his eyes.

"I said put him down." I repeated.

"And why should we?" James jeered with a smirk, "you heard what he said to Evans, I think he should be punished."

"I don't care what you think, Potter," I glared, "put him down or else." I pulled my wand out, pointing it at him.

"Or else what?" Sirius spoke up, striding towards me with that smirk plastered across his face.

"Or else I'll have to hex you." I glared.

"And would you really do that, Gorgeous? Or is this an empty threat?" He taunted, his smirk more proclaimed as he stood closer to me.

"None of my threats are empty." I smirked dangerously, "just try me." I knew by now the tips of my hair would be red and my eyes the darkest black.

The crowd seemed to evaporate, leaving the tree and returning back to their former places. All that remained were the four boys, Severus, Regulus, and myself.

"Just put him down already." Remus finally looked up from his transfiguration textbook that he was pretending to read.

The two boys looked at the previously silent one, reading the emotion covering his face, James muttered the counter curse, lowering his wand.

"You're lucky, Snivelly. Next time no one will be there to stop us." James glared.

"Next time Gorgeous won't want to stop us." Sirius glared at the boy as well.

Regulus moved, attracting the attention of the latter boy. Sirius' eyes moved from Regulus to his previous spot beside me and back to the boy.

"If it isn't my little brother, here to help?" Sirius lifted an eyebrow, his mouth in a flat line.

Regulus glared at his brother, "I do help my friends."

"Oh so Gorgeous, here, is only a friend?" Sirius questioned, "from the look of things you seem to fancy her. You're always at her side, do what she says, and have to please her at all costs, like her own personal lap dog."

I cut in, "just because that's how you treat your friends doesn't mean that's how everyone else treats their friends." I glared at the boy with so much hatred, my clear dislike for the boy was evident just in my reaction to his words and movement.

"Really now? Is that how you see me?" Sirius cocked his head in interest, "because I don't often do as I'm told," he smirked, recalling our last meeting.

I glared, "trust me I know." I turned away, walking with Regulus who was supporting Severus. We had only walked a few steps away before I turned back. "Oh and Black?" I spoke walking up to him.

"Yeah Gorgeous?" He smirked, his eyes lighting up with interest as I turned and walked closer to him.

"None of my threats are empty," I slapped him hard on his cheek, much harder than I did before. "I told you next time you talk to me it would be worse. Do us both a favor and don't talk to me again, Black." I walked away, going with Severus and Regulus.

"She slapped me, again!" Sirius exclaimed.

"I'm just reading between the lines, mate," James started, amusement clear in his voice. "But I'd say she doesn't want you to speak to her again."





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Soooooo that's the chapter! What do you think? I basically went off of J. K. Rowling's chapter in The Order of the Phoenix. The part where Bex comes to save Severus is at the end of Snape's memory where Harry doesn't get to see if James really did pull down Severus' pants because he was pulled out of the memory. I made it to where his pants aren't pulled down, it's stopped by Bex.
Comment, vote, share, fan, follow, etc! Thanks guys! Only a few more chapters left! This next one might be the last! I don't know yet!