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. . .
The castle's euphoria at Gryffindor 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 onto the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones, watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake, or as Tilly preferred, reading a book in the quiet, warm air.
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 their windows. Even Hazel Stickney had been spotted working; she was about to take her O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). Penelope Clearwater was getting ready to take her N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), the highest qualification Hogwarts offered. If Penelope planned on following Percy Weasley to the Ministry of Magic, she needed top grades. She 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 Penelope was Percy and Hermione.
Matilda had given up on asking Hermione if she'd like some help with studying and telling her to try and talk with Professor McGonagall about dropping some of her classes. Ron and Harry, after seeing the exam schedule she had drawn up couldn't refrain from asking how she's managing to attend several classes at once. The first column of the schedule read:
Monday
9 o'clock Arithmancy
9 o'clock Transfigurations
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?"
