The Marauders: Year Six #Wattys2017

Sirius Black's O.W.L.

Sirius Black's O.W.L.

"You studied?"

"Yes, every day since term ended."

"And you've got your quill, ink pot?"

"Fuck."

"Here. Luckily for you, I thought ahead." Dorcas Meadowes shoved a little ink pot and a feather quill into Sirius's hands as they stood in the little brass elevator in the Ministry for Magic. "Bloody hell your hair's a fright." She licked her fingers and reached over, running her hand through the mop of hair to smooth it out. "I wish we'd had time to have you change your clothes, Dolores Umbridge is a bit of a --" she paused.

Sirius raised his eyebrows.

"She's a piece of work, I'll leave it at that," Dorcas said. "Now, listen, she's probably going to say stuff and you need to keep your temper in line, do you understand?"

"Sure." Sirius was still tired, his heart raced from the running they'd done - from the yard in the Lupin house, through the fireplace floo, across the wide hall of the Ministry...

Ding! The elevator door opened and Dorcas ushered him out. The laces on Sirius's boots flopped about, untied, clicking against the thick soles.

They arrived to an office door with a gold name plate stuck upon it - Dolores Umbridge, Secretary of Education and Testing Regulations, Ordinary Wizarding Levels.

Dorcas put her hands on Sirius's shoulders. "You're going to be brilliant, I know you will. Deep breaths, stay calm, just focus on your test and it will be all right. Alright?"

Sirius nodded.

Dorcas reached out and knocked on the door.

It opened immediately and a squat woman stood in the door, dressed head to toe in pink, with curly blonde hair, was smiling out at them. She reminded Sirius of a horrible toad. Dorcas said, "Good morning Ms. Umbridge."

"Good morning Miss. Meadowes," the woman said in a sugary voice. She turned to look at Sirius. "You must be Sirius Black," she said and her eyes sparkled in a way that made Sirius uneasy. "Our little hoodlum." She looked him over head to foot - his black trousers, the thick boots untied around his ankles... the skin-tight tank top and tattoos... messy hair, despite Dorcas's efforts... smudged eyeliner... Dolores Umbridge didn't look impressed. But she stepped aside anyway and let him in, but she blocked Dorcas. "You may come to collect him in exactly one and one half hours." And she closed the door.

Dorcas's hands shook. She closed her eyes and sighed, leaning against the wall across the corridor from Umbridge's office... and slid down to sit and wait, not daring to go far, just incase Sirius needed her.

Dolores Umbridge locked the door of the office and walked primly around to her seat. She paused. "Would you like some tea, Mr. Black?" she asked. But she didn't wait for a reply, she magicked a cup before him and a teapot appeared from somewhere and poured a spot of red tea into the cup. "There you are. Calms your nerves."

"Thank you," Sirius murmured.

"I assume from your... ghastly appearance... that you were running late again today?" she asked with accusation lingering in her tone.

Sirius said, "Well it was one of my mates birthdays yesterday and we were camping out. That's all."

Dolores Umbridge said, "I should have thought that your friend would understand if you missed his birthday celebrations in order to focus on your studies that mean so much to you according to Ms. McGonagall and Mr. Dumbledore."