Professor Trelawney's Prediction (PA)
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Exams
June approaches, and the days grow warmer. Students spend more and more time on the Hogwarts grounds, drinking pints of iced pumpkin juice, playing Gobstones and watching the giant squid float around the lake. They cannot waste much time, however; exams are fast approaching. Even Fred and George Weasley study for their OWLs. Percy, who is studying for his NEWTs, is edgy and has been giving harsh punishment to anyone who disturbs the Gryffindor common room.
Hermione's exam sheet starts as follows, much to the boys' confusion:
Monday 9 o'clock, Arithmancy 9 o'clock, Transfiguration Lunch 1 o'clock, Charms 1 o'clock, Ancient Runes
The pair gives up on asking how she will manage to sit for two exams at once. She wonders if either's seen her copy for Numerology and Grammatica ("Oh yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading," Ron jokes).
In Care of Magical Creatures, Hagrid—bending over under the pretense of checking on Harry's flobberworm—informs them that Buckbeak is depressed.
Later that afternoon, in Potions, Harry has a hard time learning the Confusing Concoction (he can't get it to be thick enough), and Snape is pleased at the chance to award him something that looks like a zero in his notes.
The next exams were: Astronomy at midnight, on the tallest tower; History of Magic on Wednesday morning (Florean Fortescue's information about witch-hunts is very useful - PA4); Herbology is Wednesday afternoon.
The Defence Against the Dark Arts exam is on Thursday morning: it is comprised of an obstacle course of sorts, including a pool with a grindylow, potholes full of Red Caps, a marsh with a hinkypunk and finally a Boggart.
Remus gives Harry full marks. Ron fails when he reaches the hinkypunk; Hermione cannot get past the Boggart, which for her takes the shape of Minerva McGonagall telling her that she's failed all her subjects.
Ron would like to keep mocking her, but he falls silent when the Trio returns to the Hogwarts castle and meet Cornelius Fudge on top of the steps that lead to the Entrance Hall.
Fudge
Fudge, wearing a pinstriped cloak, greets Harry. Ron is awkward, and says nothing; he is not on speaking terms with the Minister. Cornelius mentions that he has come on an unpleasant mission: to be a witness to the execution of a "mad hippogriff" for the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. He was on his way to Hogwarts because of "the Black situation" anyhow.
Ron speaks up, wondering if the appeal's already happened. Fudge says it hasn't, to which Ron ferociously replies that it is possible that Fudge will have to witness no execution.
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