Hermione Granger and the Prisoner Of Azkaban (Completed)

Chapter 14 - Exams

Dedicated to Loritina

Hermione would've wanted to have celebrated the Quidditch match for longer, but she couldn't. Exams were nearly upon them, and Hermione was spending most of her time in the library, frantically revising frantically and trying not to cry, and the workload kept piling up on her

The day before the exams started, they got their timetables. Hermione copied hers onto a blank piece of parchment before going to the Great Hall. She was about to start revising Arithmancy when she realised that she didn't have it on her
"Hermione?" Ron said quietly "Er - are you sure you've copied down these times right?"
"What? Yes, of course I have" said Hermione, glancing at her timetable. It was completely fine. What was he talking about?
"Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?" asked Harry

Oh. Right

"No" said Hermione "Have either of you seen my copy of Numerology and Gramatica?"
"Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading" said Ron quietly. Hermione surpressed a smirk

As she frantically looked for her book, Hedwig flew down to their table holding a note in it's beak. Harry took it off her and she flew away
"It's from Hagrid" Harry said eagerly "Buckbeak's appeal - it's set for the sixth"
"That's the day we finish our exams" said Hermione distractedlly, now rummaging through her bag
"And they're coming up here to do it" said Harry "someone from the Ministry of Magic and - and an executioner"
Hermione looked up and stared at Harry. Ron remained silent
"They're bringing the executioner to the appeal! But that sounds as though they've already decided!"
"Yeah, it does" said Harry miserably
"They can't" Ron said angrily "I've spent ages reading up stuff for him, they can't just ignore it all!"

Hermione had a chance to talk to Hagrid at their Care of Magical Creatures exam. It was the easiest exam she had even taken. Hagrid had got another box of Flobberworms, creatures that thrived best when left to their own devices, and said that they had to be alive after an hour for them to pass
"Beaky's gettin' a bit depressed" said Hagrid "Bin cooped up too long. But still... we'll know day after tomorrow - one way or the other-"

Two days after that was the last days of exams and the day of the appeal. Hermione was outside again for the Defence Against the Dark Arts exam. Professor Lupin had made a sort of obstacle course for them to complete, with every creature they had studied somewhere in it. Hermione had to admire his dedication, especially as the full moon was that night

Hermione was one of the last people to go. Harry did everything perfectly, just as Hermione had expected. He probably wouldn't admit it, but he seemed to be naturally good at Defence Against the Dark Arts. Ron did well too until he got to the section with the Hinkypunk in it, where he got incredibly confused and Dean had to pull him out of the marsh he was stuck in

Then it was Hermione's turn. She thought she did very well, until she got to the last part - a huge trunk with another Boggart in it. This was the one part of the exam she couldn't prepare for, as she had no idea what her greatest fear was

She got into the massive trunk and squinted into the darkness. She heard the CRACK as the boggart transformed. Hermione was beyond surprised to see Professor McGonagall marching towards her. She wasn't scared of her! She was too intreaged to think of something funny, and she watched intently

Professor McGonagall reached her and gave her a piece of parchment with the Hogwarts logo on it. It was at that point that Hermione forgot that what was happening wasn't real. The logo was too realistic to be fake, right?

She looked at what was written on it. It was her exam results. She stared at the marks and started hyperventilating. It said that she had failed everything! No... that couldn't be right... they must have gotten something wrong...