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Aurora Areli
I HAD HOPED THAT the euphoria from winning the Quidditch Cup would last more than its weeklong run, but unfortunately, exams were nearly upon us. As June approached, all anybody wanted to do was spend time lazing about outside in the sunshine, but instead, we were stuck inside revising.
Even Fred and George were working, as they were about to take their OWLs. Percy was also about to take his NEWTs, and because he wanted to get into the Ministry of Magic, needed top grades. This meant there were severe punishments handed out to anyone who disturbed the quiet of the common room in the evenings. The only person who seemed to be more anxious than Percy was Hermione.
It was understandable — after I had finally figured out her Time-Turner secret, it made sense how she was taking so many classes. Harry and Ron, thankfully, had given up on asking her about the situation, but when they saw the exam timetable she had written up, couldn't restrain themselves.
"Hermione," Ron said cautiously, since she was liable to explode when interrupted these days. "Er — are you sure you've copied down these times right?"
"What?" Hermione snapped, picking up her timetable and examining it. "Yes, of course I have."
"Is there any point asking how you're going to sit two exams at once?" Harry asked.
"No," Hermione said shortly. "Have any of you seen my copy of Numerology and Grammatica?"
"Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading," Ron said, but very quietly, so that Harry and I were the only ones that heard him. I rolled my eyes at him as Hermione began shifting heaps of parchment around on her table in search of her book. Just then, there was a rustle at the window and Hedwig fluttered through it with a note clutched tightly in her beak.
"It's from Hagrid," Harry said, ripping the note open. "Buckbeak's appeal — it's set for the sixth."
"That's the day we finish our exams," Hermione said, continuing to look around for her Arithmancy book.
"And they're coming here to do it," Harry said, still reading from the letter. "Someone from the Ministry of Magic and — and an executioner."
Hermione looked up, her startled expression mirroring my own.
"They're bringing the executioner to the appeal!" she cried.
"But that — that sounds like they've already decided," I said, shaking my head in disbelief.
"Yeah, it does," Harry said slowly.
"They can't!" Ron howled. "I've spent ages reading up stuff for him, they can't just ignore it all!"
I had a horrible feeling that the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures had had its mind made up for it by Lucius Malfoy. Draco had toned down the sneers and snide comments since Gryffindor's victory against Slytherin, but with Buckbeak's trial approaching, seemed to regain some of his old swagger. From the derisive words I overheard, Malfoy seemed sure that Buckbeak was going to be killed, and was thoroughly pleased with himself for bringing it about.
