Into The Light (Golden Trio Era) {2}

OWL Panic

Finally June arrived, a month that used to be a time of relaxation and lounging in the sun, was no more since the foursome were fifth years and had their OWLs. Mikayla could recall just how nice the rays of the sun felt breaking through the leaves of the beech tree this time of year before, but this year she was doomed to candlelight and libraries. Thankfully, homework was scarce, but lessons now were replaced with hardy review sessions and they were expected to do studying outside of class as well. Hermione acted as another teacher for the boys, and demanded even more independent studying of them, whilst Mikayla mothered herself.

They received their examination schedules during Transfiguration, the room became absent of voices but filled with the scratching of quills against paper once McGonagall had finished posting the dates and times on the blackboard. "As you can see, your O.W.L.s are spread over two successive weeks. You will sit the theory exams in the mornings and the practice in the afternoons. Your practical Astronomy examination will, of course, take place at night." She held her wand pressed between her two palms as she spoke. "Now, I must warn you that the most stringent Anti-Cheating Charms have been applied to your examination papers. Auto-Answer Quills are banned from the examination hall, as are Remembralls, Detachable Cribbing Cuffs, and Self-Correcting Ink. Every year, I am afraid to say, seems to harbor at least one student who thinks that he or she can get around the Wizarding Examinations Authority's rules. I can only hope that it is nobody in Gryffindor. Our new- headmistress-" McGonagall's face showed pain to say such a word in reference to Umbridge, "-has asked the Heads of House to tell their students that cheating will be punished most severely- because, of course, your examination results will reflect upon the headmistress's new regime at the school..." She gave a small sigh, her nostrils flared ever so slightly within the sigh.

"However, that is no reason not to do your very best. You have your own futures to think about." "Please, Professor," Hermione raised her hand, "when will we find out our results?" "An owl will be sent to you sometime in July," answered Professor McGonagall. Ron and Mikayla turned to each other and exchanged a glance. She could recall the day that Fred and George got their results in the mail. They had stolen them and hidden them successfully for a few hours until Ginny dug them out of their room and outed them. The situation at hand also made Mikayla wonder how her Dad did on his O.W.L.s, she knew her mum got 7 OWLs, she always struggled with Transfigurations and Arithmancy. Mikayla assumed she would get the chance to ask her dad what he got when they are discussing her scores in July.

Theory of Charms would be their first examination of many, and it was scheduled for Monday morning, the worst time on the worst day for an exam. Hermione checked out books upon books for studying, but Hermione didn't believe Harry when he told her she was correct. She kept taking the book back and checking the 'right' answer, Harry gave up and swapped seats with Mikayla allowing her to test Hermione correctly. Ron was hunched over reading through two years of Charms notes in horrendous handwriting, his hand pressed against his mouth and his eyes darting back and forth, sometimes skimming the same line with a frown. "Use mine Ron, they're actually legible" Mikayla laughs, handing him over her notes, Hermione snorts at Mikayla's remark causing Ron's ears to redden.

Dinner that day lacked any noise on part of the fifth years, those who weren't studying like Hermione and Mikayla were either shoveling food into their mouths or just silently panicking. Mikayla attempted to eat quickly so that she could get in some one on one review with Hermione while the common room was still vacant. Her attention was caught when Hermione's fork fell from her fingers and rang against the plate.

"Oh, my goodness," Hermione gasped ever so lightly, looking into the entrance hall. "Is that them? Is that the examiners?" All of the foursomes' heads whipped toward the doorway. Through the doors to the Great Hall, they could see Umbridge standing with a small group of ancient-looking witches and wizards. Umbridge, Harry was pleased to see, looked rather nervous. "Shall we go and have a closer look?" Ron eyed them and then glanced back to them, they nodded and hastily got up from their seats, their heads still turned in their direction. They walked quickly toward the doors of the Great Hall but slowed their paces as they passed over the threshold and began to walk in such a way that they knew where they were going as to not be suspected.

One of the examiners, a small woman whose back was curved forward with age and whose face was so wrinkled her skin might as well have been unpressed clothing, was speaking very loudly when she was responding to Umbridge. She was obviously almost deaf by the sound of it, her and Umbridge were standing only a foot apart. "Journey was fine, journey was fine, we've made it plenty of times before!" the small witch said. "Now, I haven't heard from Dumbledore lately!" she looked around as if he would appear as soon as he heard his name. "No idea where he is, I suppose?" "None at all," Umbridge looked back at the four Gryffindors disdainfully, Ron was stooped down pretending to tie his shoe so that they may stay in the immediate area for a moment longer. "But I daresay the Ministry of Magic will track him down soon enough..." "I doubt it," the witch said loudly, and almost proudly, "not if Dumbledore doesn't want to be found! I should know... Examined him personally in Transfiguration and Charms when he did N.E.W.T.s... Did things with a wand I'd never seen before..." "Yes... well..." Umbridge said without emotion, her bitter smile appearing on her face. They started up the marble stairs and went as slowly as we could manage. "let me show you to the staffroom... I daresay you'd like a cup of tea after your journey...."

That evening the common room was full of fifth years attempting to pull in some last minute studying, but no one was getting very far. Mikayla couldn't concentrate on any of her books, even Hermione was looking frustrated whilst buried in her notes. By the time the boys gave up and went to bed, there were only a handful of people left in the common room, Hermione and Mikayla being two of them. Mikayla and Hermione yawned simultaneously, "come on 'Mione, we need to be well rested or our brains will fry." Hermione hummed, Mikayla closed Hermione's books, and started cleaning up her notes. "You. Bed. Now." "Yes mum." Hermione jokes tiredly, before making the journey up to the dormitories.