The Girl Who Saw Tomorrow II » Harry Potter

2.4 | The Wyrd

Later that same morning, Hermione Granger seemed to be in great agitation. Harry had just told her that their O.W.L. results would be arriving today resulting in her pacing nonstop, stealing glances at the kitchen window.

"Hermione, calm down, I'm sure you've done great," Sirius tells her earnestly. "You're the brightest witch of your age!"

"Stop, stop, stop!" she shakes her head vigorously. "I know I've failed everything!"

Sirius opened his mouth to offer more words of comfort but thought better of it, giving Hermione a sympathetic smile. He had returned to Grimmauld Place for the night, as he did usually, and came back to the Burrow that morning.

Margaret, who had been helping Fleur, had just finished pealing carrots and turned around to place the bowl on the table when there was a small burst of flame in front of her.

Mrs Weasley yelped, thinking it came from the stove, but then said 'oh' as a small card and a phoenix feather levitated in front of Margaret who was equally startled.

"What is it?" asks Hermione urgently. "Does it say something about your O.W.L. results?"

"No, it's a playing card," Margaret answers unhelpfully, wiping her hands on the apron and reaching up to take the familiar brown-and-gold card from the air.

She turned it over to see the same small symbol tinkling lightly. As she ran her thumb over it, a sudden image of Headmaster's office at Hogwarts appeared in her mind, followed by a flash of the Sword of Gryffindor, Tom Riddle's diary, Ravenclaw's Diadem and Marvolo Gaunt's Ring.

Margaret blinked, flipping the card to see a time and date noted down: 4:44 PM, July 25.

"So, what does it say?" asks Ron.

"I think I'm supposed to meet Dumbledore after lunch today," Margaret answers rather absently, taking a seat and picking up the phoenix feather. "Not sure why," she adds, lying casually.

Hermione turned away, still restless, "Mrs Weasley, you're quite, quite sure no owls have arrived this morning?"

"Yes, dear, I'd have noticed," says Mrs Weasley patiently. "But it's barely nine, there's still plenty of time..."

"I know I messed up Ancient Runes," Hermione mutters anxiously, "I definitely made at least one serious mistranslation. And the Defence Against the Dark Arts practical was no good at all. I thought Transfiguration went all right at the time, but looking back-"

"Hermione, will you shut up, you're not the only one who's nervous!" barks Ron. "And when you've got your ten 'Outstanding' O.W.L.s-"

"Don't, don't, don't!" Hermione shrieks, flapping her hands hysterically. "I know I've failed everything!"

"What happens if we fail?" Harry asks the room at large, but it was again Hermione who answered.

"We discuss our options with our Head of House, I asked Professor McGonagall at the end of last term."

"At Beauxbatons," says Fleur self-importantly, "we 'ad a different way of doing things. I think eet was better. We sat our examinations after six years of study, not five, and then-"

Fleur's words were drowned in a scream. Hermione was pointing through the kitchen window. Four black specks were clearly visible in the sky, growing larger all the time.

"They're definitely owls," Ron says hoarsely, jumping up to join Hermione at the window.

"And there are four of them," says Harry, hastening to her other side.

Meanwhile, Margaret stared warily at the window, not making a move to get up.

"One for each of us," Hermione adds in a terrified whisper, gripping both Harry and Ron tightly around the elbows. "Oh no... Oh no... Oh no..."