Magic? || Years 5-7

Up in the Air: Year 6/Summer

When Amisty came down the stairs a few minutes later after Hermione had run off, the brunette was sitting at the kitchen table with a tapping foot as Mrs. Weasley attempted to patch up her black eye.

"It just won't budge," Mrs. Weasley fretted as she flipped haphazardly through The Healer's Helpmate. "This has always worked before, I just can't understand it."

Amisty had already read the book cover to cover three times over. There was a chance she had it memorized.

Ginny shook her head from where she was sitting, "It'll be Fred and George's idea of a funny joke, making sure it can't come off."

"But it's got to come off!" Hermione protested desperately. "I can't go around looking like this forever!"

"You won't, dear, we'll find an antidote, don't worry," Mrs. Weasley soothed, waving Amisty over.

"Bill told me 'ow Fred and George are very amusing!" Fleur smiled in what Amisty assumed was supposed to be amused but ended up patronizing.

"Yes, I can hardly breathe for laughing," Hermione snapped grumpily as Amisty leafed through the rest of the book.

Hermione leaped to her feet, pacing as and twisting her fingers as she cast nervous glances out the window.

She sighed,"Mrs. Weasley, you're quite, quite sure no owls have arrived this morning?"

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

"I know I messed up Ancient Runes," Hermione muttered under her breath, "I definitely made at least one serious mistranslation. And the Defense 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!" Ron almost shouted. "And when you've got your eleven 'Outstanding' O.W.L.s. . ."

"Don't, don't, don't!" Hermione wailed. "I know I've failed everything!"

"You know," Amisty turned to Ginny, who was the only one who would register anything she was saying anyway, "it might not be a bruise at all. Knowing those two, it's probably some sort of paint or dye charm."

Ginny nodded, "Sounds like Fred and George to me."

"What happens if we fail?" Harry asked.

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

Amisty's felt a rather unpleasant twist in her gut, but she continued her somewhat conversation with Ginny.

"Any idea what sort of spells can get rid of a dye charm?"

"A strong Cleaning Charm might - "

"At Beauxbatons we 'ad a different way of doing things," Fleur announced, and Ginny and Amisty rolled their eyes at each other. "I think eet was better. We sat our examinations after six years of study, not five, and then - "

Thankfully, Fleur was quickly cut off by a rather hysterical scream erupting from Hermione's throat.

She pointed out the window, where four dark, flying specks slowly grew closer.

"They're definitely owls," Ron's voice was rough as he joined Hermione at the window.

"And there are four of them," Harry added, stepping up to her other side.

"One for each of us," Hermione whispered. "Oh no. . . oh no. . . oh no. . ."

Amisty walked hesitantly Ron's side, biting on a bent finger as she watched the owls come closer, each holding a large square envelope with the Hogwarts crest.