Emma Potter

76: The prediction

Harry's euphoria at finally winning the Quidditch Cuplasted at least a week. Even the weather seemed to be celebrating; as June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry,and all anybody felt like doing was strolling onto the grounds andflopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkinjuice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones or watching thegiant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake. 

But we couldn't. Exams were nearly upon them, and instead oflazing around outside, the students were forced to remain insidethe castle, trying to bully our brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows. 

EvenFred and George  had been spotted working; they wereabout to take their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). Percywas getting ready to take his N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), the highest qualification Hogwarts offered.

 As Percy hoped to enter the Ministry of Magic, he needed top grades. Hewas becoming increasingly edgy, and gave very severe punishmentsto anybody who disturbed the quiet of the common room in theevenings. 

In fact, the only person who seemed more anxious thanPercy was Hermione.Me, Zoe, Harry and Ron had given up asking her how she was managingto attend several classes at once, but we couldn't restrain themselves when we saw the exam schedule she had drawn up for herself. The first column read: 

Monday

 9 o'clock, Arithmancy9

 o'clock, Transfiguration 

Lunch 

1 o'clock, Charms

 1 o'clock, Ancient Runes 

"Hermione?" Zoe said cautiously, because she was liable to explodewhen interrupted these days. "Er — are you sure you've copieddown these times right?" 

"What?" snapped Hermione, picking up the exam schedule andexamining it. "Yes, of course I have."

 "Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two examsat once?" I said ."No," said Hermione shortly. "Have either of you seen my copyof Numerology and Gramatica?"

 "Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading," said Zoe,but very quietly. Hermione started shifting heaps of parchment from our table in the library.looking for the book.

 Just then, there was arustle at the window and Hedwig fluttered through it, a noteclutched tight in her beak."It's from Hagrid,"I said, ripping the note open. "Buckbeak's appeal — it's set for the sixth." 

"That's the day we finish our exams," said Hermione, still looking everywhere for her Arithmancy book."And they're coming up here to do it," said Zoe, still readingfrom the letter. "Someone from the Ministry of Magic and — andan executioner."

 Hermione looked up, startled."They're bringing the executioner to the appeal! But that soundsas though they've already decided!" 

"Yeah, it does," said Zoe slowly. 

"They can't!" I howled. "I've spent ages reading up on stufffor him; they can't just ignore it all!"But I had a horrible feeling that the Committee for theDisposal of Dangerous Creatures had had its mind made up for itby Mr. Malfoy. 

Draco, who had been noticeably subdued sinceGryffindor's triumph in the Quidditch final, seemed to regainsome of his old swagger over the next few dayS

 And the worst thing of all was that we had no time or opportunity to go and see Hagrid, because the strict new security measureshad not been lifted, and Harry didn't dare retrieve his InvisibilityCloak from below the one-eyed witch.