Twisted Tales

O.W.Ls

Umbridge takes little time getting everyone back in line. While the swamp still hasn't bee cleared up, all the teachers claimed they had no idea how to fix it, classes continue on. With O.W.Ls looming closer and closer with each passing day, there's a palpable feeling of nerves reverberating throughout the castle.

The reality of it all finally sinks in for me while in Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall scrawls the examination schedule on the board, giving everyone in the class a stern look, her lips drawn into a thin line.

"As you can see your O.W.Ls 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." McGonagall explains as everyone copies the schedule down from the board. "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."

Our first exam will be Charms theory. Draco and I spend endless nights in the common room, notes and books strewn across the flagstone floor. We shoot dirty looks at anyone who dares try and disturb us, Draco chasing away curious first years with a flash of his Prefect's badge. Our main form of communication becomes complicated questions and demands for various charms to be performed at random. There is no usual grumble about any of this mattering in the future or not seeing the point. While our futures are pretty much already set out, neither one of us is willing to slip in class ranking.

When I'm not studying with Draco, I'm going through notes with Ron, Harry, and Hermione. The only thing Granger seems to be focused on is our examinations. While the other boys slack off, often joking around or pretending to read through notes, Hermione sits behind an ever-growing stack of books.

"As if she's not going to get all O's," Ron grumbles as we pack up another late night of studying in the library.

My original plan wasn't to do any work the night before the exam, but when Harry invited me to join them, my study-scrambled brain couldn't come up with a good enough excuse not to. Now, practically throwing myself down the steps to Draco's dormitory, I'm just ready for bed.

"You might as well just move an extra bed in here," Blaise jokes as I slide in next to Draco.

While the girl's dorms are set up identical to the boys, I prefer it here. The room is circular with little nooks for the beds set back in the walls. Each nook has a thick green velvet curtain you can pull across it, offering the sleeper darkness and privacy. Between the beds on the outside wall are floor to ceiling windows, allowing the lake to be seen. In the middle of the room is a circular fireplace, the flames constantly crackling away at the logs.

"We'd have to get rid of the fireplace."

"At least then you'd be exactly where you like to be," Blaise answers, buttoning up his sleep shirt.

Rolling onto my side, I watch him, "And where exactly is that?"

"At the center of attention," Blaise teases, sticking his tongue at.

Draco curls his warms around me, pulling me in closer to his chest, "Leave her alone, Zabini."

"We're just having a bit of fun, love," I answer back, twisting around to place a quick kiss on the tip of Draco's nose. "He doesn't mean anything by it, do you, Blaise?"

Zabini shoots a look at Draco, "Just a bit of fun, Malfoy."

Blaise was the first person I met when coming to Hogwarts. He plopped down in the train compartment right next to me and began gushing about how excited he was to finally be going to school. While we've had our fair share of riffs, we've managed to maintain a friendship. We're able to play off of each other's creative side and he's always up for pulling pranks on Crabbe and Goyle.