Selena Black

Chapter 13: Professor Trelawney's prediction.

Chapter 13: Professor Trelawney's prediction.

Chelbell2016:

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Selena's POV:

Harry's and my euphoria at finally winning the Quidditch Cup lasted 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 and flopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake.

But they couldn't. Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows. Even Fred and George Weasley had been spotted working; they were about to take their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). Percy was 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. He was becoming increasingly edgy, and gave very severe punishments to anybody who disturbed the quiet of the common room in the evenings. In fact, the only person who seemed more anxious than Percy was Hermione.

Harry and Ron had given up asking her how she was managing to attend several classes at once, but they couldn't restrain themselves when they saw the exam schedule she had drawn up for herself. The first column read:
　　Monday
　　9 o'clock, Arithmancy
　　9 o'clock, Transfiguration
　　Lunch
　　1 o'clock, Charms
　　1 o'clock, Ancient Runes

"Hermione?" Ron said cautiously, because she was liable to explode when interrupted these days. "Er -- are you sure you've copied down these times right?"

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

"Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?" said Harry.

"No," said Hermione shortly. "Have either of you seen my copy of Numerology and Gramatica?"

"Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading," said Ron, but very quietly. Hermione started shifting heaps of parchment around on her table looking for the book.

Just then there is a rustle at the window. Hedwig flutters through it, a note clutched tightly in her beak.

"It's from Hagrid," harry says after he rips the note open. "Buckbeak's appeal- it's set for the sixth."

"Thats the day we finish our exams," Hermione points out as she continues to look for her book.

"And they're coming up here to do it," Harry continues to read the letter. "Someone from the ministry of magic and-and an executioner."

I freeze and Hermione looks at Harry startled.

"They're bringing the executioner to the appeal!!"" She repeats. "But that sounds as though they've already decided!!"

"Yeah it does," Harry says slowly.

"They can't," Ron howls. "I've spent ages reading up stuff for him, they can't just ignore it all."

But I have a feeling they can and will. Why would they care?

*SELENA BLACK*   

Exam week began and an unnatural hush fell over the castle. All of us third years emerged from transfiguration on Monday limp and ashen-faced, comparing results and bemoaning the difficulty of the tasks they had been set, which had included turning a teapot into a tortoise.