HEATHENS - Harry Potter ✔

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The year passed in a blur. With Dumbledore, Fred, and George gone, and the DA finished there was little hope left in any of the students. All the fifth years were studying non-stop for their Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations, running off to the library at every chance they got.

Surprisingly enough, Ron was the busiest of them all; on top of studying and Prefects duties, he also had weekly Quidditch practice. On the other hand, both Kiera and Harry were spending a significant amount of their time serving detentions from Umbridge, their scars now so severe that they would doubtfully ever disappear.

After Easter, the fifth years had all received career advice from their Head of House. Kiera had had an awkward meeting with Snape which Umbridge had observed, during which she said that she hadn't thought of her future much (to which Umbridge gave a condemning and triumphant 'humph' with a large smile on her face) and Snape had told her that based on her current grades she would have a wide spectrum of options (which less than satisfied Umbridge, to say the least), but that she really ought to choose a job to aim for.

Gryffindor had miraculously won the Quidditch cup. Ron had become something of a hero in his house and the altered version of 'Weasley is Our King' could be heard sung even a week later.

Harry, Hermione, and Kiera, however, did not see the match. Hagrid, whom Kiera had been properly introduced to months prior, had taken them into the Forbidden Forest and showed them his little (but not so small) brother 'Grawp' and asked them to look after him in case Hagrid himself had to leave. They had, to their regret, agreed to help him, now consoling themselves with the idea that as long as Hagrid was there, they would never have to visit the giant.

This possibility, however, was wiped off the table on Wednesday night, during their Astronomy examination, when Umbridge along with six others had tried to ambush him causing the half-giant to flee.

To make matters even worse, Professor McGonagall had been hit with four Stunning Spells and had ended up unconscious.

In any case, Kiera found herself in the Great Hall completing her last O.W.L. exam before she felt like she had even blinked. She might have studied for History of Magic as hard as she had studied for all her other exams, but they all nonetheless came much faster than she would have liked, and she couldn't help but feel underprepared up until the point that they were allowed to turn over the page and start.

Kiera had only just begun question number ten (How was the Statute of Secrecy breached in 1749 and what measures were introduced to prevent a recurrence?) when the paper disappeared. In fact, along with the exam, the desk, other students, and the entire Great Hall had vanished. She was walking along the dark and cold corridor to the Department of Mysteries.

Her steps were firm and purposeful as she strode down the corridor, running on occasion, unable to suppress her eagerness as she approached her goal at last. She stepped into a circular room with dozens of doors and walk straight across the room and through one of them, then through a room with dancing lights and a mechanical ticking, approaching a third door.

She was in a massive room – larger than the Great Hall she had recently occupied – with shelves upon shelves of glass spheres. When she reached number ninety-seven, she turned left, and then in front of her was a man, squirming on the floor like a wounded animal.

"Take it for me ... lift it down, now ... I cannot touch it – but you can ..."

The person on the floor shifted a little but did not follow her demand.

Kiera lifted her wand which she held in a skeletal hand and pointed it at him. "Crucio."

The man screamed in pain. He yelled his throat raw, and she laughed. Its was so cold that it almost