An American at Hogwarts

Chapter Fifty-Seven

A/N: Shoutout to Shaycock for being an absolute beast and going through and reading/voting on my entire Grant Ward book in like, four hours. You're amazing, and I love you ❤️❤️❤️

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As per usual for me and this stupid mystery, I didn't get answers quickly.

I was hoping beyond hope that Ana would be able to finish analyzing the blood sample we got by Sunday night, but no such luck. After tearing my hair out all weekend waiting for a result (I couldn't do anything to help, and that made it worse than when I was combing through endless data), I got ripped out of my routine of pacing and waiting in the Gryffindor Common Room by a terrifying new enemy:

O.W.L.s.

The wizarding standardized tests that would determine my future started in exactly fifteen days, and the panic of being wildly unprepared finally set in when McGonagall started our Monday lesson with a speech.

"Now class, as I'm sure you're all aware, your Ordinary Wizarding Level Exams begin in just two weeks. You will need an O or an E in most cases to continue in any courses of study you wish to remain in at Hogwarts. I cannot stress enough the importance of these tests in ensuring your future success in the magical world. Do not take these exams lightly. You've worked hard all year. Continue that pattern for another few weeks, and it will pay off."

Everyone sat on the edge of their seat for her entire speech, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Kenneth break his pencil because he was holding it so tight.

When the bell rang at the end of the period, everyone walked out in a very anxious silence.

"Holy shit..." I muttered to my friends as we walked in a daze to our next class. "These tests determine the kind of jobs you can have after school? Like, tests from when we're sixteen say whether or not you can be an auror or whatever in the future?"

"Yup." Fred's eyes were unfocused, and all of my friends mirrored his stressed expression.

"That's ridiculous," I said. No one responded. We trudged to Charms, and I was suddenly very glad to have a position at Stark Industries that didn't depend on some magic test.

We sat down in Charms, and Flitwick started teaching the last new spell we'd learn before our O.W.L.s. Professor Vector did the same, although luckily for me I understood the things she was saying fairly easily. The magic in numbers was a familiar topic to me; this was just the first year that it was literal magic.

At lunch, the atmosphere in the Great Hall was subdued. A gloomy silence hung over everyone, and students at every table buried their noses in books without glancing up even once.

"This is awful," I said, more to myself than anyone specific as I looked around the Hall. I couldn't bring myself to dive into another textbook just yet, although I planned to get some serious work done in History of Magic.

"At least it'll be over in a few weeks," muttered Alicia. "One way or another."

"Why didn't this start earlier? I mean, I know I was completely distracted by my storm mystery, but what about everybody else?"

I didn't get an answer, so I turned my attention back to my friends. They were all staring at me like I was crazy.

"What?" I demanded.

"Alexa, the entire school's been like this for at least a month," said Lee. "You've been so focused on your mystery that you haven't noticed, but all the fifth and seventh years have been tearing their hair out about exams since February at least."