Potter toad. OWL (Harry Potter)

OWL (Harry Potter) This article is part of a series of articles about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
(Hogwarts)


original name	Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Motto	lat. Draco dormiens numquam titillandus , "Never tickle a sleeping dragon"
Year of foundation	11th century
Type of	magic school
Rector	Minerva McGonagall
students	Gryffindor Hufflepuff Ravenclaw Slytherin
Location	Great Britain

Hogwarts(the official name of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry or, more rarely, Hogwarts Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in translations - School / Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry "Hogwarts". The clarification in the second book that "Hogwarts" translated into "muggle" language is "boar" is not accurate. If you rearrange the syllables of the English name (Hogwarts), you get the word warthog, that is, an African wild boar, warthog.).

Hogwarts is most likely the only magic school in England. The training lasts 7 years. Exams are taken at the end of each year, but exams at the end of the 5th and 7th years are especially important for the future students. The exact number of students at Hogwarts is unknown, but most likely absolutely all wizard children from Great Britain are accepted there. If we take into account the number of students in one course of one faculty, and on average it is 10 people, then in total about 280 children study at the school.

Albus Dumbledore, his deputy - Minerva McGonagall. The Director reports to the Board of Trustees, which consists of 12 members.

Education at school is free, but students usually buy books and school supplies themselves. However, there is a special fund for the purchase of textbooks and school supplies for poor students.

School location and general information

a huge, crumbling, rather intimidating castle, with a jumble of turrets and battlements. Similar to the Weasley House, this building could not have been built by Muggles, because it is supported by magic.

According to another interview, Hogwarts is somewhere in Scotland. Numerous spells in and around the school make it impossible for a Muggle to find the school: all a Muggle can see is ruins and a "Keep out" sign. On the territory of the school, in addition to the castle, there is a mountain lake, a large forest, called Forbidden because of the dangerous creatures living there (in particular, giant spiders (Acromantulas) and centaurs), greenhouses, a cemetery (by the end of the sixth book, there appears, among others, white marble crypt of the deceased Albus Dumbledore), an owlery, a forester's hut and a Quidditch field. The castle is surrounded by mountains. Stairs (of which there are 142 in the castle) and school premises are moving. The castle is hung with paintings, the characters of which go to visit each other. Some doors in the castle open only if you touch them in a certain place, others - if you politely ask them, the third doors are fake, and behind them there is a wall.

Transgression to and from Hogwarts is prohibited, but this ban can be lifted for a limited time in a limited space. Electronic and electrical devices on the grounds of Hogwarts do not work. In the book Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Hermione explains that the reason is the high level of magic on the school grounds. However, the school has a radio that runs on magic, not electricity.

The nearest settlement is the small village of Hogsmeade - the only one in England where only wizards live. Hogsmeade is also the name of not only the village, but also the nearest railway station to Hogwarts, where the Hogwarts Express train arrives (see below). On the map that J.K. Rowling drew for the filming of the films based on her books, the station is southeast of the school, and the village of Hogsmeade is to the northwest.

The slogan of Hogwarts "Draco dormiens numquam titillandus" which means in Latin "never tickle a sleeping dragon". Rowling explained that she wanted to come up with a practical slogan for Hogwarts, because in most schools the slogans are elevated, like "Ad Astra" ("To the Stars"). Hogwarts also has a hymn, which is given in Chapter 1 of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Information about the number of students at Hogwarts is contradictory. In one interview, Rowling said that there were about 1000 in total, in another - that in the past she believed that there were about 600 of them, but now she is not sure about this. There are apparently 40 students in the Potter course, 10 in each department.

The school is run by a director and deputy director. By the time the action begins, the headmaster is Albus Dumbledore, his deputy is Minerva McGonagall. The Director reports to the Board of Trustees, which consists of 12 members.

Little is known about school funding. Attempts by the Ministry of Magic to control the school ("Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix") suggest that the school is funded by the Ministry of Magic, although the source of this funding is not specified.

According to an interview with Rowling, the school is multifaith.

The novel mentions similar schools in other countries - Sharmbaton (Beaubaton) in France and Durmstrang, probably located in one of the countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula. In addition, the Salem Witch Institute is mentioned, whose name suggests that it is located in the United States. It is not clear from the text whether this institute is a school of magic, but Rowling has confirmed that this is indeed the case. The fourth book also mentions a school of magic in Brazil.

Admission

The Magic Quill at Hogwarts registers the birth of wizards and writes their names on a large roll of parchment. Every year the scroll is read and invitations to Hogwarts are sent to all English children who turn 11 no later than 31 August. It is not necessary to accept the invitation: some parents prefer homeschooling. The invitation must be accepted or rejected no later than July 31st. In the event that a child is raised by Muggles, one of the school's staff will come to speak with the child and his parents or guardians and help him with the purchase of textbooks and equipment.

Along with the letter, a list of textbooks, forms and inventory is sent. In 1990, the list included 8 textbooks, plus:

Three plain work robes (black)
One simple pointed hat (black) for each day
One pair of protective gloves (dragon skin or similar material)
One winter coat (black, silver clasps)
1 magic wand
1 cauldron (tin, standard size no. 2)
1 set of glass or crystal bottles
1 telescope
1 copper scale

Students can bring an owl, a cat, a toad or a rat with them. Freshmen are not allowed to bring brooms with them.

Students usually buy books and school supplies themselves. The sixth book mentions a special fund for the purchase of textbooks and school supplies for poor students.

There is no information in the books about how children under 11 learn to read, write and count. Children whose parents or guardians are Muggles are more likely to attend regular Muggle elementary schools, as was the case with Harry Potter and probably Hermione Granger. Children from magical families may be taught by their parents or some form of magic is used to teach them the elementary school curriculum.

Road to Hogwarts and the first day

The standard way (at least for students) to get to Hogwarts is the Hogwarts Express train, departing at 11 a.m. from platform 9¾ on September 1st. The platform can be reached by passing through the dividing barrier between platforms 9 and 10. The train runs all day and arrives at midnight in the magical village of Hogsmeade.

Hufflepuff

Ravenclaw

Slytherin

At different times studied at the Slytherin faculty: Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Blaise Zabini, Marcus Flint, Theodore Knott, Millissent Bulstrode, Adrian Pusey, Wayne Black, Tom Marvolo Riddle (Lord Voldemort), Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, Regulus Black, Bellatrix Lestrange, Marvolo Gaunt, Morfin Gaunt, Patricia Dammington, Narcissa Malfoy, Rodolphus Lestrange, Rabastan Lestrange, Horace Slughorn.

Semesters, vacations and holidays

The academic year is structured in the same way as in regular schools and colleges in the UK.

The academic year is divided into 3 semesters, separated by Christmas and Easter holidays, starting on September 1 and ending in June, followed by a 9-week summer vacation. During the Christmas and Easter holidays, students have the right to stay at Hogwarts. Those who remain for the holidays do not attend classes, and a holiday is arranged for them at Christmas and Easter. During the Easter holidays, teachers give a large number of homework to prepare for the annual exams.

There are no other holidays at Hogwarts. There are five holidays at Hogwarts: the first and last day of the school year, Halloween, Christmas and Easter. Occasionally, additional celebrations are arranged, such as the Yule Ball during the Triwizard Tournament.

Items and personnel

There are about 13 teachers at Hogwarts, called (except for the broomstick teacher) professors, and each one specializes in their own subject. In addition, the school has a nurse, supply manager, librarian and forester. About a hundred house elves work in the kitchen and keep the castle clean.

Required subjects

Astronomy

Optional subjects

Exams and assessments

Ordinary papers are usually graded on a 100-point system (from 0 to 100), although Hermione received 112% in spells in her first year and 320% in Muggle studies in her third year.

At the end of the 5th year, an examination will be held in all subjects studied, called OWL - Super Excellent Magic(English) OWLs - Ordinary Wizarding Levels ; other translations - Magic Training Standards, Standardized Wizard Marks, OWL - Perfectly Ordinary Magic Level). There are the following grades in the OWL exams:

Passing grades
- P - excellent
- B - Above Expected
- U - Satisfactory
Failed grades
- C - Weak
- Oh - Disgusting
- T - Troll (To Ron, this last assessment at first seemed to be a joke of Fred and George, but then turned out to be real).

To continue studying in this subject, you must obtain a grade of at least At, although some teachers require P or AT. Some students who receive low grades continue to study at the SOB level in the last two years.

After passing the exams, graduates get a job. For many professions or positions, the requirements for candidates include grades, subjects taken, and their number in the COB and TOAD exams.

OWL roughly corresponds to the English GCSE exam, and TOAD to the A-level exam.

student life

A day at Hogwarts begins with breakfast in the Great Hall. Students sit at their departmental desks and can eat, socialize, or finish their homework. The principal and professors are eating at the High Table at the far end of the hall. As a continuation of breakfast, the owls bring students mail, usually consisting of the Daily Prophet, letters from parents and friends, and parcels from home. The bell announces the beginning of the first lesson at 9:00.

Morning study consists of two double (one and a half hour) lessons with a short break, allowing you to move from class to class. After lunch, classes resume at 13:00 and continue until approximately 5:00 pm. In some lessons, one faculty participates, in others, two faculties together. Freshmen are sometimes released on Fridays at noon. In the evening, students have dinner in the Great Hall, after which students from different faculties disperse to their living rooms.

The living rooms have armchairs, sofas, study tables and fireplaces for heating. Students can relax or do their homework. The living room leads to the bedrooms, which are furnished with four-poster beds, faculty-colored curtains and thick pillows, and a tray with a jug of water and glasses. There is a bedside table next to each bed.

On some weekends, students from the 3rd year are allowed to visit the village of Hogsmeade. Underage students require written permission from their parents or guardians to visit. Popular among students, in particular, are the Three Broomsticks and Boar's Head bars, Madame Puddifoot's cafe (a haven for couples in love), the Sweet Kingdom confectionery and the Zonko magic joke store.

Food

Hidden places at Hogwarts

The room where the philosopher's stone is kept

Entrance through the hatch in the corridor on the third floor. To get the Philosopher's Stone, you need to overcome several obstacles, see the article "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" for more details. At the end of Harry Potter's first year (scholar year 1991/2), the Philosopher's Stone is destroyed.

Chamber of Secrets

Serves as the home of a basilisk. Created by Salazar Slytherin before he left Hogwarts. The basilisk was originally intended to purge the school of muggle-born students. Located deep underground. Entrance from the toilet where Moaning Myrtle lives. To open the passage, you need to go to the crane with the snake and say in snake language "Open". A tunnel opens in the sink. The tunnel leads to a wall decorated with an image of two snakes with emeralds instead of eyes. The serpent's tongue opens a passage into a very long, dark corridor adorned with monumental snake statues, including two stone pillars carved with snakes touching the ceiling. Between the pillars is a colossal statue of Salazar Slytherin. A basilisk lives inside the statue, crawling out of the statue's mouth when summoned by its owner, 16-year-old Tom Riddle. In the past, Tom Riddle opened this room and ordered the basilisk to kill Moaning Myrtle. At the end of the 2nd year (1992/3 academic year), Potter, along with the phoenix, kills the basilisk and the young Tom Riddle. In the final book, Ron and Hermione reopen the room and use the basilisk's fang to destroy one of the Horcruxes, Penelope Hufflepuff's chalice.

secret passages

There are 9 secret passages from/to school known. Filch knows 4 of them, but where they lead is unknown. Other 5:

Pass through the Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack.
Move behind the mirror on the 4th floor. Where it leads is unknown. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Sirius says that he is big enough for the assembly.
Walk through the statue of the One-Eyed Hunchback. To open the passage, you need to knock on the statue with a wand and say Dissendium. The hump of the statue opens the door to the basement of the Sweet Kingdom store. First mentioned in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, ch. ten.
A passageway between two Vanishing Cabinets, one at the school, the other at the Gorbin and Burks shop in Knockturn Lane. The move worked until Peeves trashed the Hogwarts closet in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Draco Malfoy (Gorbin tells how to fix a closet, which is located at Hogwarts; the second closet is located in Gorbin and Burke shop) repairs cabinets. The move is not shown on the Marauder's Map.
Move from Help-room. Opened in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and leads to the Boar's Head Inn. Not listed on the Marauder's Map as the Map did not exist at the time of creation. However, in accordance with the nature of the Help-room, from there you can open several passages to different places.

Room of Requirement

Another name is So-and-Syak.

The room is located on the seventh floor opposite the portrait of Barnabas the Crazy (off. translation variant - Varnava Vzdryuchenny), beaten by trolls whom he tried to teach ballet.

You can enter this room only if there is an urgent need for it. Sometimes it is there, sometimes it is not, but when it appears, it is equipped for the needs of the seeker. To get into the Rescue Room, you need to go past the wall three times, focusing on your desire - then a door will appear in the wall.

At the same time, for each person the room appears different and the way he imagines it. In the seventh book, it is said that Neville Longbottom understands the room.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Albus Dumbledore at the Yule Ball says that, going to the toilet, he found himself in a completely unfamiliar room with an excellent collection of chamber pots.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Dumbledore's squad held meetings and training in defense against the forces of evil in the room. About the existence of the room and how to get into it, Harry Potter learned from the house elf Dobby. Here is a description of the room was in the OD classes:

“A spacious room lit by the light of torches like those that burned in the dungeon eight floors below. Bookshelves lined the walls, and large silk cushions lay on the floor instead of chairs. On the rack at the far end were instruments - harmful scopes, stervovisors, lie detectors and a large cracked Enemy Developer.

Dobby himself used the Help-Room to help Winky get over his hangover. He also mentions that Argus Filch found cleaning supplies there when he ran out of supplies.

Battle for Hogwarts- the final battle of the second magical war, in which all the forces that fought on the side of Voldemort and the forces that fought against him came together.

Chronologically, the Battle is, as it were, divided into two parts: before the one-hour respite announced by Voldemort, and after.

First stage

Knowing that Harry Potter had returned to Hogwarts, the castle was attacked by Death Eaters, giants, acromantula spiders, and dementors. Warned in advance, the deans of the faculties evacuated students who had not reached the age of majority. The first rebuff to the attackers was given by the seventh-year students of Hogwarts, led by their teachers, their friends and relatives, as well as, to the best of their ability, the castle statues and even the poltergeist Peeves. Voldemort did not participate in the battles, he only needed Harry Potter, without Potter, the battle for the Dark Lord lost its meaning. Not only that, Voldemort wanted to kill Potter personally. Therefore, when the advantage was clearly on the side of the Dark Lord, he announced an hour-long break, setting the condition: Harry Potter must surrender to him, then, they say, the good Dark Lord will have mercy on the unreasonable defenders of Hogwarts.

While the court is doing business, Voldemort lets his snake go for a walk, but halfway along the way he blunts Nagini on Severus Snape, believing that Snape's death will make him the master of the Elder Wand, and leaves him to die in the Shrieking Hut. Dying Snape manages to convey his memories to Harry. After reviewing them, Potter learns that he is another, unrecorded Horcrux, and his death is necessary if he wants to defeat Voldemort. He decides to voluntarily allow himself to be killed by Voldemort, hoping that someone else will finish off the Dark Lord when he becomes an ordinary mortal. Leaving for the Forbidden Forest, where Voldemort's "headquarters" is located, he meets Neville Longbottom and asks him, if given the opportunity, to kill Nagini. Nagini was the last remaining Horcrux, but Harry doesn't tell Neville about it. Just asks to kill Voldemort's snake.

Harry Potter was ready to die so that Voldemort would stop torturing people. He voluntarily came to the Dark Lord's camp and quite consciously set himself up under his deadly spell Avada Kedavra. After his death, Harry finds himself in a certain place between life and death, where he meets the spirit of Dumbledore, who explains that that disgustingly screaming creature that looks like a baby is a piece of Voldemort's soul, from which Harry's soul has now been freed. And if Harry wants, he can return to the world of living corpses, because for his revival, Tom Riddle took his blood three years ago, in which the protective magic of Lily Potter is still present.

Meanwhile, Voldemort believes that Potter is dead, the prophecy has been fulfilled, and now no one can threaten him. He removes Nagini's magical protective cage, carrying the snake simply on his shoulders, tells the captive Hagrid to carry Potter's body in front of him, and advances at the head of his Death Eaters to Hogwarts. Harry diligently pretends to be dead, although he is very upset by the inability to calm Hagrid.

Arriving at the castle, Voldemort shows his defenders the body of Potter and the corpse of Harry, believing that now the resistance has been broken. Neville tries to attack the Dark Lord, but he is immediately disarmed and immobilized. Voldemort puts the Sorting Hat on Neville and sets it on fire. Suddenly, the giant Grohh appears, along with him the Thestrals, led by the hippogriff Buckbeak, and the centaurs who had previously maintained neutrality, attack Voldemort's army. They distract Voldemort and the Death Eaters, Neville is released from the spell, snatches the Sword of Gryffindor from the Hat and cuts off Nagini's head. Taking advantage of the turmoil, Harry hides under an invisibility cloak.

Second phase

Now not only Grohh, thestrals and centaurs adjoin the defenders of the castle, but also the inhabitants of Hogsmeade, and the house elves of Hogwarts led by Kreacher.

Gradually, the Death Eaters are overcome, the battle turns into the Great Hall of Hogwarts, where only Voldemort remains, fighting with McGonagall, Slughorn and Kingsley, and Bellatrix Leistrange, fighting with Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood and Hermione Granger. She sends a deadly spell at Ginny, which she barely dodges. And then there is Mrs. Weasley. An angry mother who stood up to protect her child is a terrible sight! With a cry of "Don't you dare touch my daughter, you bastard!", Molly enters into a deadly fight with Bella, not allowing anyone to interfere ("Out of the way! She's mine!") In their duel. The death of Bellatrix gives strength to Voldemort, he scattered his rivals like dry leaves and wanted to hit Mrs. Weasley, but then Harry lowered a shield spell between them and threw off the Invisibility Cloak.

At the very beginning, Harry asked everyone not to interfere. Just him and Voldemort. "So I have to do it." Before the fight, he explains to the Dark Lord his most important mistakes: this is Severus Snape, who played on the side of Dumbledore, and Lily Potter's self-sacrifice, and Dumbledore's own death planned (and not murder, as Voldemort wanted), and Harry himself's willingness to give your life in exchange for protecting other people... Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes... "You should learn from them, Tom Riddle." Tom Riddle... This name seemed to deprive Voldemort of his throne, his halo of an invincible evil genius, turned him into an ordinary person. And then Harry tells Tom Riddle who really is the owner of the Elder wand, which the "heir of Slytherin" holds in his hands and considers a reliable weapon. A few minutes before his death, Dumbledore, the then Master of the Elder wand, was disarmed by Draco Malfoy, and Malfoy, in turn, was defeated by Harry Potter ... Not believing his ears, Voldemort sends Avada Kedavra at Harry, at the same time Harry shouts out a disarming spell "Expeliarmus", and the Elder wand in the hands of Tom Riddle, not wanting to kill his true master, strikes the Dark Lord himself.

With the death of Voldemort, the Battle of Hogwarts ended.

Members of the Battle of Hogwarts

Many people fought against Voldemort and his troops. Named in the book (the dead are marked with an asterisk):

Students

teachers

Ordinary work is usually graded on a 100-point system (from 0 to 100), although Hermione received 120 points in spells in her first year and 320 points in Muggle studies in her third year.

At the end of the 5th year, an exam is held in all subjects studied, called OWL - Super Excellent Magic or "Standard Magic Training" (eng. OWLs - Ordinary Wizarding Levels ; other translations - Magic Training Standards, Standardized Wizard Marks, OWL - Perfectly Ordinary Magic Level). There are the following grades in the OWL exams:

Passing grades
- P - excellent
- B - Above Expected
- U - Satisfactory
Failed grades
- C - Weak
- Oh - Disgusting
- T - Troll (To Ron, this last assessment at first seemed to be a joke of Fred and George, but then turned out to be real).

After the 7th year, students take exams TOAD - Creepy Academic Brilliant Graduation(English) NEWT - Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests ; in other translations - SPIDER - The Most Difficult Sorcerer Skill Test and TRITON - Typically Solved Exhausting Test). The grading system for TOAD is the same as for OWL, but usually 3-4 subjects are taken at a more advanced level. After passing the exams, graduates get a job. For many professions or positions, the requirements for candidates include grades, subjects taken, and their number in the COB and TOAD exams.

OWL roughly corresponds to the English GCSE exam, and TOAD to the A-level exam.

Ron was so glad that he was able to help Gryffindor scratch out the Quidditch Cup that he couldn't concentrate on anything the next day. He went over and over to discuss the match, and Harry and Hermione couldn't find a moment to talk about Grawp. True, they did not try too hard to start this conversation: neither Harry nor Hermione wanted to bring Ron back to earth in such a cruel way. Since the day was clear and warm again, they persuaded Ron to study for the exams under the birch tree by the lake: there were fewer prying ears than in the Gryffindor common room. At first, Ron was not enthusiastic about this idea - he liked sitting in the tower much more, where he was constantly clapped on the shoulder in a friendly manner, and sometimes “Weasley is our king” was dragged on again - but after a while he agreed that he too good for a breath of fresh air.

They spread out their textbooks in the shade of a birch and sat down on their own, listening for the twentieth time to Ron's story of how he took his first ball yesterday.

Well, that is, I missed the ball from Davis, so I didn’t have full confidence in myself, but, I don’t know why, when Bradley flew at me - he came from nowhere - I suddenly thought:

"You can!"

And I had no more than a second to choose where to rush, - you see, he seemed to be aiming at the right ring, well, in the sense, for me the right one, but for him something left, - but it was as if an inner voice told me that he's a trick, and I decided to take a chance and rushed to the left - therefore, to the right of him, - and ... well, you saw how it ended, - he modestly concluded, unnecessarily ruffling his hair and looking around to make sure that their nearest neighbors, a bunch of gossiping third-year Hufflepuffs, heard his words. - And in about five minutes I look - Chambers is flying at me ... What? Ron cut himself off in mid-sentence when he saw Harry's expression. - What are you grinning at?

Nothing," Harry replied quickly, and nuzzled his Transfiguration notes, trying to wipe the smile off his face. The truth was that a second ago, Ron had reminded Harry very vividly of another Quidditch player who had once ruffled his hair under that same tree. I'm just glad we won, that's all.

Yes," said Ron slowly, enjoying the sound of those words, " we won. Did you notice the look on Chang's face when Ginny grabbed the Snitch right under her nose?

She must have been crying," Harry said bitterly.

Yeah…but more of annoyance than anything else…” Ron frowned slightly. “But did you even see how she threw the broom away when she landed?”

Well... uh... - drawled Harry.

Honestly... no, Ron," Hermione said with a heavy sigh, putting down her book and fixing him with an apologetic look. - Forgive us, but all that Harry and I saw yesterday at the stadium was Davis' first goal.

Ron's picturesquely disheveled hair seemed to droop in frustration.

Have you watched the match? he said softly, looking at them in confusion. - Have you seen any of my throws?

Well... no," said Hermione, touching his hand in a conciliatory way. - But we didn't want to leave the stadium, Ron - we had to do it!

Yah? Ron asked. His face flushed menacingly. - Why is that?

Because of Hagrid," said Harry. "Now we know why he's been bruised forever since he got back from the giants." He invited us to the Forest with him, and we could not refuse - he persuaded us so much ... In general, listen ...

The whole story took him five minutes, after which the indignation on Ron's face gave way to deep disbelief.

He brought one of them with him and hid it in the Forest?

Yeah," said Harry grimly.

No," said Ron, as if denying what had happened could change him. - No, it can not be!

He did it anyway," Hermione said firmly. "Grawp is about sixteen feet tall, likes to uproot twenty-foot pine trees, and knows me," she chuckled, "under the name of Hermie."

Ron let out a nervous laugh.

And Hagrid wants us...

Taught him English,” Harry finished for him.

He's crazy," Ron said in an almost reverent tone.

Yes,” Hermione said irritably, turning the page of Stepped Transfiguration and scowling at the row of diagrams illustrating the transformation of an owl into theater binoculars. I'm starting to think so too. But, unfortunately, Harry and I promised to help him.

Well, you'll have to break your promise, that's all," said Ron firmly. - That is, I want to say ... we have exams on the nose, and the chances that we will not fly out of school are about that much. He brought his thumb and forefinger together, leaving only a narrow slit between them. - And anyway ... remember Norbert? And Aragog? Have we ever had anything to gain from meeting the monsters of Hagrid's pals?

You're right, but the trouble is... we promised," said Hermione in a pathetic voice.

Ron smoothed his tousled hair. He seemed to be in serious thought.

Okay, he sighed. "Hagrid hasn't been kicked out yet." And if he's lasted that long, maybe he'll last until the end of the semester, and then we won't even have to come close to Grawp.

The surroundings of the castle shone in the sun as if they had been washed clean; the cloudless sky smiled at its own reflection in the sparkling surface of the lake; the silky green lawns occasionally rippled in the light breeze. June came, but for the fifth-year students, this meant one thing: the exams finally moved close to them.

They were no longer given anything at home; all the lessons were devoted to reviewing the questions that, in the opinion of the teachers, they almost certainly should have met in the exams. In the atmosphere of hectic, focused preparation, Harry forgot about almost everything except the OWL, although at times, especially in Potions class, he wondered if Lupin had managed to talk to Snape about continuing Occlumency classes. If he succeeded, then Snape must have ignored Lupin just as he was now ignoring Harry. However, Harry was quite happy with this: he had enough worries and worries without additional lessons with Snape, and Hermione, to his relief, was too busy these days to scold him for neglecting Dumbledore's advice; she walked, constantly mumbling something under her breath, and for several evenings she did not leave clothes for elves in the corners.

Hermione wasn't the only one who started acting weird in the run-up to the OWL. Ernie MacMillan developed a bad habit of asking everyone about how they prepare for exams.

How many hours a day do you spend preparing? he asked Harry and Ron with a maniacal gleam in his eyes as they walked to herbology together.

I don't know, said Ron. - Several.

More than eight or less?

Less, probably, - said Ron, slightly alarmed.

I have eight, - Ernie said, puffing out his chest. - Or even all nine. I still cut out an hour before breakfast every day. Eight is my average. On a good weekend, I can reach ten. On Monday I got nine and a half. Tuesday is not so good - only seven and a quarter. But on Wednesday...

Harry was very grateful to Professor Sprout for the fact that at that moment she invited them to the greenhouse and Ernie had to shut up.

Meanwhile, Draco Malfoy has found a new way to spread panic.

Of course, it doesn't matter how much you know," he lectured Crabbe and Goyle loudly before Potions class a few days before the exams began. - Important, whom you know. For many years my father has been on friendly terms with the old woman Griselda Marchbanks, the chairman of the Magic Examination Board - she has been to dinner parties with us, and in general ...

Do you think this is true? Hermione whispered anxiously to Harry and Ron.

If so, there's nothing we can do about it," said Ron sullenly.

I don't think that's true," Neville Longbottom said calmly behind them. “The thing is, Griselda Marchbanks is friends with my grandmother, and she never mentioned the Malfoys.

What is she, Neville? Hermione asked immediately. - Strict?

To be honest, they have a lot in common with their grandmother,” Neville admitted despondently.

Well, such an acquaintance won’t hurt you anyway,” Ron remarked encouragingly.

It is unlikely that this will be at least some good, - Neville said even more despondently. - Grandmother keeps telling her that I'm far from my father ... and you yourself saw what she was like in St. Mungo's hospital ...

Neville stared grimly at the floor. Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged glances but couldn't think of a way to answer him. The first time Neville mentioned his meeting with them at the magical hospital.

In the meantime, the underhand trade in various means to increase concentration, mental alertness and attentiveness, which had previously flourished among fifth and seventh years, reached its climax. Harry and Ron were immediately seduced by a bottle of Baruffio's elixir for intellectual growth - it was offered to them by sixth-year Ravenclaw Eddie Carmichael. He claimed that last year he got "excellent" in nine items at OWL only because of the elixir, and he was ready to part with a whole pint for the ridiculous price of twelve galleons. Ron promised Harry that he would pay him for his half as soon as he finished Hogwarts and went to work, but before they could shake hands, Hermione took the bottle from Carmichael and poured its contents down the toilet.

Hermione! We wanted to buy it! yelled Ron.

Don't be idiots, she snapped. "You should have bought Harold Dingle's dragon's claw powder!" And enough about that!

Does Dingle have dragon claw powder? Ron asked eagerly.

Not anymore, Hermione replied. I also confiscated it. All this stuff is pure swindle, okay?

Not the dragon's claw! Ron exclaimed. - This is a cool thing, it clears your brain so much that you then go smart-smart for several hours ... Hermione, give me a pinch of this powder, please, it won't hurt ...

Might hurt," Hermione said softly. - I examined it. It's actually dried doxy droppings.

After this message, Harry and Ron lost the desire to chase brain stimulants.

At the next Transfiguration lesson, they received the schedule of exams and got acquainted with the rules for conducting them.

As you can see,” Professor McGonagall said as the students copied down the dates and times of all exams from the blackboard, “you will be taking the IDS within two weeks. Morning hours are reserved for written work, afternoon - for testing practical skills. The practical exam in astronomy will, of course, take place at night.

Next, I must warn you that your exam materials are subject to exceptionally strong Anti-Deception Charms. Reminders, self-replying pens, false cuffs, and self-healing ink are not allowed. Unfortunately, almost every year there is at least one student in the school who believes that he is capable of cheating the Magic Examination Board around his finger. I can only express the hope that there will be no such among the Gryffindors. Our new... headmistress" - McGonagall said the word with the same expression that Aunt Petunia used when cleaning the apartment when she encountered a particularly stubborn stain on the carpet - "has asked the deans of departments to warn their students that fraud will be punished in the strictest way - because, as you yourself understand, your results may cast a shadow on the new orders established by the director ...

Professor McGonagall sighed slightly. Harry saw the wings of her chiseled nose flutter.

However, there is no reason for you not to show your best. You need to think about the future.

May I ask Professor? Hermione raised her hand. - When will our results be known?

Each of you will be sent an owl with grades in July,” McGonagall said.

Fine," Dean Thomas said in a distinct whisper. - So, before the holidays you can not wag your nerves.

Harry imagined himself sitting on Privet Street in a month and a half, waiting for his OWL scores. Well, he thought, he's got at least one letter this summer.

Their first exam, in spell theory, was scheduled for Monday morning. On Sunday afternoon, Harry agreed to check on Hermione, but almost immediately regretted it: she was terribly worried and kept snatching the textbook from him to see if she had made any small mistakes in her answer. In the end, Harry was hit hard on the nose by a sharp edge

"Success in incantational sciences."

Take care of it yourself,” he said firmly, returning the book to her and wiping his watery eyes.

Meanwhile, Ron stuffed his ears with his fingers and moved his lips silently as he read two years of spell notes, Seamus Finnigan lay on his back reciting the definition of an independent spell, and Dean checked it out on General Theory of Spells for fifth year. Parvati and Lavender practiced basic Movement Spells, making their pencil cases race along the edge of the table.

At dinner on the eve of the exam, an atmosphere of mild depression reigned. Harry and Ron didn't talk much, but they ate heartily, hungry from a whole day's work. However, Hermione kept putting down her knife and fork and diving under the table to fish a book out of her bag and check some fact or figure. Ron was about to tell her to eat properly or she wouldn't sleep when the fork slipped from her weakened fingers and fell into her plate with a loud clatter.

Hold me,” she muttered, looking into the lobby. - Is it really them? Examiners?

Harry and Ron instantly turned on the bench and stared out the open door. Umbridge was standing in the lobby, and next to her was a group of very ancient-looking wizards and sorceresses. Harry was pleased to see that Umbridge was clearly nervous.

Maybe take a closer look? Ron suggested.

Harry and Hermione nodded, and the three friends hurried to the open doors. When they crossed the threshold, they slowed down and marched decorously past the examiners. Harry thought the tiny, round-shouldered witch with her wrinkled, cobweb-like face was Professor Marchbanks; Umbridge addressed her with great reverence. Professor Marchbanks must have been a little deaf; she answered Umbridge very loudly, although they were no more than two paces apart.

Great, great trip, we come here not for the first time! she said impatiently. "By the way, I haven't heard from Dumbledore for a long time!" she added, looking around the hall, as if she hoped that the former director was about to emerge from the broom closet. - Where is he now, do you know?

I have no idea,” Umbridge replied, casting a vicious glance at Harry, Ron and Hermione who were stuck at the bottom of the stairs: Ron was pretending to tie a loose shoelace. “But I dare say the Ministry of Magic will find him soon.

Hardly! barked the tiny Marchbanks. "Unless Dumbledore himself wants to be found!" I already know ... I myself took a TOAD from him for transfiguration and spells ... What he did with his wand - I have never seen anything like this in my life!

Mm... yes... - mumbled Umbridge. Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked up the marble steps, dragging their feet. - Let me take you to the teacher's room. You wouldn't refuse a cup of tea after such a trip, would you?

The rest of the evening passed rather dismal. Everyone tried to repeat something at the last minute, but it was of little use. Harry got into bed early, but lay awake for what seemed like hours. He recalled the career counseling and the outraged McGonagall's declaration that she would help him become an Auror, no matter the cost. Now, just before the exams, he regretted that he had not expressed more modest intentions. He understood that he was not the only one who could not sleep today, but none of his comrades gave a voice, and at last, little by little, they all fell asleep.

The next morning, at breakfast, the fifth-year students still hardly spoke to each other. Parvati muttered incantations under her breath, and the salt shaker in front of her twitched convulsively. Hermione reread Achievements of the Magical Sciences at such a speed that her eyes seemed blurry, and Neville dropped his knife or fork every half minute and knocked over a bowl of marmalade.

When breakfast was over, the fifth and seventh years were left loitering in the lobby, while the rest of the students went to their classrooms. Then, at half-past nine, the rest began to be invited class after class back to the Great Hall, which became exactly the same as Harry saw it in the Pensieve when his father, Sirius and Snape took the OWLs: the four faculty tables were removed, replaced by many desks facing the end of the Hall, where there was a table for teachers. Behind him stood Professor McGonagall. When everyone sat down in their seats and calmed down, she said: “So, let's start” - and turned the huge hourglass over. Spare pens, jars of ink, and scrolls of parchment were laid out and arranged beside them.

Harry took his ticket with a pounding heart - Hermione, who was seated three rows to the right of him and four desks closer to the teachers, was already scribbling like crazy - and read the first question "a) give the magic formula and b) describe the movements of the wand with which you can make things fly.

A vague image flashed through Harry's mind: a club hovering high in the air and crashing down on the troll's thick skull... Smiling faintly, he bent over the parchment and began to write.

Well, it's not all that bad, is it? Hermione asked uneasily in the lobby two hours later, still clutching her exam paper in her hand. "I'm not sure I did justice to the Laughing Spells though,"

I just didn't have enough time... Did you mention the hiccup spell? I was afraid that it would be too much ... and to question twenty-three ...

Hermione," Ron said firmly, "what happened is over. Let's not answer all the questions for the second time - for me personally, one was enough.

The fifth-year students ate lunch with everyone else (the faculty tables were returned to the Great Hall for lunch), and then moved to a small room next to the Great Hall, from where they were to be invited to an oral exam. Soon they began to be called in small groups in alphabetical order; those who waited for their turn muttered incantations in an undertone and practiced wand movements, from time to time inadvertently treating their neighbors with a poke in the eye or in the back.

Hermione's name came up. Trembling, she left the room with Anthony Goldstein, Gregory Goyle, and Daphne Greenglass. Those who passed the exam didn't come back, so Harry and Ron didn't know how Hermione had performed.

There is nothing to worry about her. Remember the spell test when she scored 112? Ron said.

Ten minutes later Professor Flitwick called out:

Parkinson, Pansy! Patil, Padma! Patil, Parvati! Potter, Harry!

No fluff or feathers, - said Ron quietly.

Harry walked into the Great Hall, holding his wand tightly, tremblingly.

Professor Tofty is free, Potter," Flitwick croaked from just outside the door. He pointed Harry to a small table in the far corner, where probably the oldest and baldest of all the examiners sat. Not far from him, Harry saw Professor Marchbanks - she was taking an exam from Draco Malfoy.

So, you are Potter, then? asked Professor Tofty. He consulted the payroll and glanced over his pince-nez as Harry approached him. - That famous Potter?

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry distinctly saw Malfoy give him a withering look. The glass he lifted into the air with the Levitation Spell fell to the floor and shattered. Harry couldn't suppress a grin. Professor Tofty smiled reassuringly at him.

Well, well, - he said in a rattling old voice, - there is no need to be nervous. Now, if you'd be so kind as to take this egg cup and make it roll over a few times.

In general, Harry, as it seemed to him, performed quite well. The levitation spell was definitely better for him than for Malfoy. True, he mixed up the magic formulas for growth and color change, so that the rat, which he was told to make orange, swelled up to the size of a badger. Although Harry himself corrected his mistake, he was glad that Hermione was not around, and after the exam did not report this incident to her. However, he told Ron about it - Ron himself managed to turn a plate into a large mushroom and had no idea how he did it.

There was no time to rest in the evening: after dinner, they immediately went to their living room and set about preparing for tomorrow's Transfiguration exam. When Harry finally got to bed, his head was spinning with complex magical theories and diagrams.

In the morning, in the written exam, he forgot the definition of the Conspiracy of Exchange, but after lunch, perhaps, he won back on the oral one. In any case, he managed to make his iguana disappear completely, while the unfortunate Hannah Abbot at the next table completely lost her head and managed to turn her ferret into a whole flock of flamingos - as a result, the exam was interrupted for ten minutes to catch all the birds and carry them out of the Hall .

On Wednesday, they had passed their Herbology exam (other than a slight sting of a toothy geranium, Harry had done relatively well), and Thursday was the Defense Against the Dark Arts exam. Here Harry felt for the first time that he had nothing to reproach himself for. He answered all written questions without difficulty,

and in the oral exam he took particular pleasure in using all the required Shield Charms in front of Umbridge, who watched him coldly from the door.

Bravo, bravo! exclaimed Professor Tofty

(this time he was examining Harry again) when Harry, at his request, effectively dealt with the boggart. - Fabulous! Well, I suppose that's it, Potter... unless...' He leaned forward a little. - I heard from my close friend Tiberius Ogden that you can summon a Patronus... Would you like to demonstrate? Of course, for extra points...

Harry raised his wand, looked straight at Umbridge and imagined she was being fired.

- Expecto patronum!

A silver deer burst out of his wand and galloped through the hall from end to end. All the examiners followed him with their eyes, and when he turned into a silvery haze, Professor Tofty enthusiastically applauded his sinewy, knotted hands.

Wonderful! - he said. "Very well, Potter, you may go!"

At the door, passing by Umbridge, Harry met her gaze. There was a nasty grin at the corners of her wide frog mouth, but Harry didn't mind. If he understood anything

(however, just in case, he was not going to ring about his success), he had just been given an "excellent".

On Friday, Harry and Ron had a day off, and Hermione handed in the ancient runes. Since there was still a whole weekend ahead, the friends decided to take a break from preparation. They stretched out and yawned by the open window, from which a warm summer breeze blew, they played magic chess. In the distance, at the edge of the Forest, Hagrid loomed - he was teaching a lesson with junior students. Harry tried to guess what kind of creatures they were studying and decided they were unicorns as the boys stood slightly apart. Then the door behind the portrait opened and Hermione stepped into the room. She was very out of sorts.

How are your runes? Ron asked, yawning and stretching.

I mistranslated "ehwaz," Hermione said fiercely. “It means 'comradeship', not 'protection'. I confused it with "eykhvaz".

Come on," said Ron lazily. - It's just one mistake. You still get your...

Shut up! Hermione snapped. - Sometimes the fate of the entire exam depends on one mistake. And to top it off, someone slipped a Niffler into Umbridge's office again. I don’t understand how they managed to cope with the new door, but I just walked by and heard her yelling there - you could think that he was trying to bite off a piece from her leg ...

Great, - chorus said Harry and Ron.

It's not great at all! Hermione exclaimed hotly. - Have you forgotten? She thinks it's Hagrid's tricks! And if she kicks him out, you and I will cry!

He has a lesson now. She can't blame him," said Harry, waving towards the window.

Sometimes I'm amazed by your naivety, Harry. Do you really think she needs proof? Hermione was clearly not going to calm down. She strode resolutely into the girls' bedroom and slammed the door shut behind her.

A sweet girl with a wonderful personality," muttered Ron, pushing his queen into the field where one of Harry's horses stood.

Hermione walked around scowling most of the weekend. However, Harry and Ron had no time to pay attention to this: they spent the lion's share of Saturday and Sunday studying for the Potions exam, scheduled for Monday. Harry was expecting the most trouble from this exam; he was sure that he would end his hopes of becoming an Auror. Indeed, the writing assignment was quite difficult, but Harry seemed to have scored the highest score for the Polyjuice Potion question: he had taken the banned drug in his sophomore year and was therefore able to describe its effects in great detail.

After dinner, it turned out that Harry had been so desperately afraid of the practical exam for nothing: when Snape was not around, he felt much freer in front of the cauldron. Neville, who was sitting very close to Harry, also looked much more cheerful than in Potions class. When Professor Marchbanks said, "Please move away from the cauldrons - your time is up," Harry corked the sample bottle, almost certain that at least he hadn't failed.

There are only four exams left," Parvati Patil said wearily as they made their way back to the Gryffindor common room.

Only! said Hermione sarcastically. - I have numerology ahead of me, and there is probably nothing more difficult than this!

Everyone had the good sense to refrain from protesting, so she couldn't vent her anger on them and limited herself to chastising some freshmen for giggling too loudly in the common room.

Tuesday was the Care of Magical Creatures exam. Harry was determined to turn him in as best as he could so as not to put Hagrid in harm's way. Practical tests took place on a green meadow at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Students were asked to identify a narl among a dozen common hedgehogs

(The correct method was to offer milk to them all in turn; narls, highly suspicious creatures whose needles have a number of magical properties, usually go berserk at this, believing that they are trying to poison them); show how to handle bowtruck; feed and clean the firecrab, while avoiding serious burns, and, finally, choose from a variety of foods that will not harm the sick unicorn.

Harry saw Hagrid watching them excitedly from the window of his hut. When Harry's examiner, a pretty, plump witch, smiled at him and told him he could go, Harry furtively gave Hagrid a thumbs up before heading back towards the castle.

The written exam in astronomy on Wednesday morning passed without any unpleasant surprises. Harry wasn't sure that he had correctly named all the moons of Jupiter, but he had no doubt that none of them were inhabited by lions... Practical astronomy was supposed to start in the evening, and the afternoon was set aside for divination.

Even by the standards of Harry himself, who had long lost hope of mastering this science, he performed very badly. It would be easier for him to see moving pictures on an empty table than in a magic crystal that stubbornly remained transparent; he was completely at a loss during the tea-leaf divination, declaring that it seemed to him that Professor Marchbanks would soon meet a fat, dark-skinned, and soaking stranger, and to top it all, he confused the line of mind with the line of life on her hand and told her that she should was to die last Tuesday.

Well, this is where we were bound to fail,” Ron muttered grimly as they climbed the marble stairs. He had just brightened up Harry's spirits by telling him how he described in detail the appearance of an ugly man with a wart on his nose that appeared in his magic crystal, and then looked up and found that it was the reflection of his examiner.

We shouldn't have chosen this idiotic item at all, said Harry.

Well, now we can finally give it up.

Yes, Harry agreed. - No more pretending that we care what happens if Jupiter and Uranus finally quarrel.

And I won’t worry anymore if the tea leaves in my cup say: “Die, Ron, die!” - I'll just take it and throw it in the trash, where they belong.

Harry laughed and just at that moment Hermione caught up with them. He immediately cut off his laughter, fearful of angering her.

Well, in my opinion, I passed numerology normally, - she said, and both friends breathed a sigh of relief. - Perhaps, before dinner, we still have time to quickly look at the star maps ...

At eleven, having climbed to the top of the Astronomical Tower, they were convinced that the night for observing the stars turned out to be ideal - quiet and cloudless. The surroundings of the castle were bathed in silvery moonlight, the air was cool and invigorating. They set up their telescopes and, at Professor Marchbanks' command, began to fill in the blank cards that had been handed out to them.

Professors Marchbanks and Tofty walked among them, watching as they determined the exact coordinates of the planets and stars seen through the telescope. The silence was occasionally broken only by the rustling of maps, the occasional creak of a telescope being adjusted on a support, and the scratching of numerous pens on the parchment. Half an hour passed, then an hour, and small squares of reflected golden light on the ground below began to disappear one by one - it was the windows in the castle that went out.

However, just as Harry had finished mapping the constellation Orion, the castle's front doors swung open just below the parapet he was standing at, and light flooded the stone staircase and lawn in front of it. Adjusting his telescope, Harry glanced down, and before the doors closed again and the lawn again plunged into darkness, he managed to notice on the brightly lit grass someone's elongated shadows - there were maybe five, maybe six.

Harry clung to the eyepiece again and adjusted it - now he was observing Venus. Looking down, he prepared to plot the planet on the map, but something prevented him; his pen paused over the parchment, he glanced down and saw half a dozen moving figures on the lawn. If they did not move and the moonlight did not silver the tops of their heads, they could not be distinguished against the background of the dark earth. Even at this distance, the gait of the one who led the procession - his figure was the shortest - seemed familiar to Harry.

Harry couldn't understand why Umbridge would want to go for a walk after midnight, and even in the company of five strangers. Just then, behind him, someone coughed, and he remembered that the exam was in full swing. He had already forgotten the coordinates of Venus. Hurriedly pressing his eye to the telescope, he again found it and was about to map it again, when suddenly his hearing, straining in anticipation of unusual sounds, caught a distant knock that echoed through the deserted territory of the school, and immediately after it - the muffled barking of a dog.

He looked up; his heart pounded like a hammer. Lights were on in Hagrid's windows, and silhouetted against them were the silhouettes of people crossing the lawn. The door opened and he clearly saw six well-defined figures step over the threshold of the hut. Then the door closed again and there was silence.

Harry's stomach tingled. He was about to turn around to see if Ron and Hermione had noticed anything, but at that moment Professor Marchbanks came up behind him, and Harry hurriedly bent over the map, glancing furtively in the direction of Hagrid's hut. Now he no longer turned around, afraid that the examiners would think that he was peeping into other people's work. The people who entered the hut flickered from time to time in its windows, blocking the light.

Feeling Professor Marchbanks's gaze bore into the back of his head, Harry pressed his eye to the telescope again and stared at the moon, although he had determined its position at least an hour ago, but as Marchbanks moved on, a roar came from a distant hut, soaring -11111G1 through darkness to the very top of the Astronomical Tower. Several of Harry's neighbors emerged from their telescopes and peered into the darkness in the direction of Hagrid's hut.

Professor Tofty's dry cough was heard.

Please, my friends, concentrate,” he said softly.

Most of the students returned to the telescopes. Harry looked to his left: Hermione's gaze was fixed on Hagrid's hut.

Ahem... twenty minutes left, Professor Tofty reminded him.

Hermione jumped up and immediately doubled over her star map; Harry glanced at his and noticed that he had mistakenly called Venus Mars. He bent down to correct the inscription.

Something boomed loudly from below. Several people jumped in surprise and yelled “ouch!” as their eyes stumbled into their telescopes.

Hagrid's door was flung open, a stream of light poured out of the hut, and they clearly saw the massive figure of the owner on the threshold - he roared with rage and shook his fists, and six people around, judging by the thin red rays that they directed in his direction, tried to strike him down A deafening spell.

Scoundrels! Hermione screamed.

Well, well, dear! said Professor Tofty indignantly. - You're on an exam!

But no one paid the slightest attention to the star maps. Beams of red light were still darting around Hagrid's hut, but somehow they seemed to bounce off him: he was still standing upright, still, as far as Harry could tell, fighting off his attackers. Screams and screams resounded throughout the school grounds, someone shouted: "Be reasonable, Hagrid!"

Damn it, Dawlish! So just you won't take me! roared Hagrid in response.

Harry saw the tiny silhouette of Fang - he tried to protect the owner, rushing to the wizards surrounding him, but soon the spell hit him and he fell dead. With a yell of rage, Hagrid scooped up the culprit and tossed him away; he flew ten feet, crashed to the ground and did not get up again. Hermione gasped, pressing her hands to her mouth; Harry looked back at Ron and saw that he, too, was frightened. So far, none of them had seen Hagrid really angry.

Look! - Parvati squeaked, leaning against the parapet and pointing to the front doors of the castle, which opened again; light shone again on the dark lawn, and another tall black figure rushed towards the forester's hut.

This mess! exclaimed Professor Tofty excitedly. Only sixteen minutes left!

But the guys missed his call past their ears: they watched the new participant in the events, rushing at full speed to the place where the battle broke out.

How dare you! shouted the man as he ran. - HOW DARE YOU!

It's McGonagall! whispered Hermione.

Leave him alone! Immediately! McGonagall's voice rang out in the darkness. "By what right do you attack him?" He did nothing to serve...

Hermione, Parvati, and Lavender squealed in unison as the people at the hut sent at least four Stunning Spells to meet the Head of their House. Halfway between the hut and the castle, the red beams hit her - for a moment McGonagall's figure seemed to be lit from within with an ominous red light, then her legs left the ground, she fell on her back and did not move anymore.

Rip me apart gargoyle! exclaimed Professor Tofty, who, apparently, had also completely forgotten about the exam. - Without any warning! It's outrageous!

Underpants! roared Hagrid. His words were clearly heard at the top of the tower, and after this exclamation, several windows in the castle flared up again. - Pathetic cowards! Get it! Here's to you!

Oh my God! gasped Hermione.

Hagrid treated the two closest to him with powerful blows; judging by the way they fell to the ground, it was a clean knockout. Harry saw Hagrid double over and thought he had finally been defeated by a spell. But no - in the next moment Hagrid straightened up again. Now he had what looked like a black bale on his back, and Harry realized that it was Fang's unconscious body.

Take it, take it! yelled Umbridge, but her last assistant was clearly in no hurry to make acquaintance with Hagrid's fists - on the contrary, he backed away so fast that he tripped over his unconscious comrade and fell. Hagrid turned and ran with Fang on his shoulders. Umbridge sent another Stunning Spell after him, but missed, and Hagrid, rushing at full speed towards the distant gate, disappeared into the darkness.

There was an uneasy silence that lasted perhaps a full minute. The stunned disciples stared down into the darkness. Then came Professor Tofty's faint voice:

Uh... please, you have five more minutes.

Although Harry only completed two-thirds of the card, he couldn't wait for the exam to end. When the allotted five minutes were up, he, Ron, and Hermione tucked the cases around the telescopes at random and rushed down the spiral staircase. None of the students even thought of going to bed - they were all loudly and excitedly discussing at the foot of the stairs the events that they had witnessed.

What meanness! Hermione exclaimed. She was so angry that her tongue did not obey her. - Attack Hagrid in the middle of the night!

Apparently Umbridge wanted to skip the scenes this time - remember Trelawney? said Ernie Macmillan sagely as he pushed his way through the crowd towards them.

And Hagrid, well done! said Ron, though he looked more worried than enthusiastic. "Why did their spells bounce off him?"

The giant blood must have helped," Hermione explained in a trembling voice. - Giants in general are very difficult to stun with a spell, they are like trolls, just impenetrable ... but what about poor McGonagall ... four Stunning spells right in the chest, and she is far from being a girl!

Horror, horror, - Ernie agreed, shaking his head gravely. - Okay, I went to sleep. Bye everyone!

The boys dispersed around them, still animatedly discussing what they had seen.

At least they didn't manage to put Hagrid in Azkaban," said Ron. "He must have gone to Dumbledore, don't you think?"

Yes, I guess," Hermione agreed. She looked like she was about to cry. - Oh, how awful! I was so hoping that Dumbledore would be back soon, but instead we lost Hagrid too!

They wandered back to the Gryffindor common room and found that there was nowhere for the apple to fall. The noise at the forester's hut woke up several people, who raised their friends. Seamus and Dean, slightly ahead of Harry, Ron and Hermione, were already talking about what they had seen and heard from the top of the Astronomy Tower.

But why would she fire Hagrid? asked Angelina Johnson, shaking her head. - This is not Trelawney - this year he taught much better than usual!

Umbridge hates demihumans," Hermione said bitterly as she sat down in her chair. "She's been trying to kick Hagrid out for a long time."

And she also thought that Hagrid was launching nifflers into her office, ”said Katie Bell.

Damn you," Lee Jordan cursed and immediately covered his mouth with his hand. “I was the one who gave them to her. Fred and George left me a few - well, I levitated them through the window.

She would have fired him anyway,” Dean said. "He was too friendly with Dumbledore.

What's true is true," said Harry, sinking into the chair across from Hermione.

I really hope that Professor McGonagall is all right, - Lavender said, almost crying.

They brought her back to the castle, we saw from the bedroom window, - said Colin Creevey. - She didn't look too good.

Madam Pomfrey will get her back on her feet,” Alicia Spinnet said firmly. - She's an excellent healer.

The living room was empty only at four in the morning. Harry had no sleep in either eye; he seemed to have seen Hagrid run away again and again; thinking about Umbridge, he was so angry that he could not think of a decent punishment for her, although Ron's proposal to throw her into a pit full of hungry snottails definitely had a healthy grain.

He fell asleep contemplating terrible revenge, and got out of bed three hours later, not at all feeling rested.

The final examination, in the history of magic, was scheduled for the afternoon. After breakfast, Harry would have loved to go back to bed, but he needed to go over what he had been through, and, clutching his head in his hands and doing his best to stay awake, he sat down by the living room window and began going through a stack of Hermione's notes, a good three feet high. and a half feet.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, the fifth-year students entered the Great Hall and, having taken their places, began to wait for permission to turn over the tickets. Harry felt like he was exhausted. He wanted only one thing - that all this would end as soon as possible and that he could go and sleep; and tomorrow she and Ron will go to the stadium - he was going to try out Ron's new broom - and enjoy precious freedom ...

Please turn over the tickets,” said Professor Marchbanks from behind the staff table. - So, let's start!

Harry stared blankly at the first question. It wasn't until a few seconds later that he realized he didn't understand a word. Somewhere above, at the edge of a high window, a fly was beating against the glass, and its buzzing made it difficult to concentrate. Slowly, painfully, he finally gathered his thoughts and began to write the answer.

It turned out that it was very difficult for him to remember names; in addition, he kept confusing the dates. He forcedly skipped the fourth question ("Do you think the impact of the new wand law on the goblin riots in the eighteenth century was positive or negative?"), deciding that he would return to it later if there was time. He boldly attacked the fifth question (“How was the Statute of Secrecy violated in 1749, and what measures were taken to prevent its further violations?”), but could not help suspecting that he had forgotten several important details; he had a vague feeling that vampires were somehow involved in this story.

He was looking forward to a question that he could answer for sure, and his eye fell on question number ten: "Describe the circumstances that led to the creation of the International Confederation of Magicians, and explain why the sorcerers of Liechtenstein refused to join it" - he read about it just this morning!

He began to write, stopping from time to time to look at the large hourglass that stood beside Professor Marchbanks. He sat right behind Parvati Patil, her long black hair lying on the back of a chair in front of his nose. Two or three times he caught himself staring at the tiny golden glints gliding across them as she turned her head slightly, and he had to give his head a good shake to shake off the obsession.

"The first president of the International Confederation of Magicians was Pierre Bonaccord, but his election was contested by the Liechtenstein wizarding community because..."

All around Harry, feathers creaked industriously, making the sound of hordes of rats scurrying through the Hall. The sun was hot on the back of his head. Why did this Bonaccord so annoy the sorcerers from Liechtenstein? Harry had the impression that there were some trolls there... He stared blankly at Parvati's hair again. Now, if he had mastered Legilimency - what would he need to make a window in her head and peep how exactly the trolls managed to sow discord between Pierre Bonaccord and the Liechtenstein sorcerers!

Harry closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands, so that the crimson glow on the inside of his eyelids faded, replaced by darkness and coolness. Bonaccord wanted to ban troll hunting and give troll rights... but Liechtenstein was vexed by a tribe of particularly vicious mountain trolls... Ah, I remember!

He opened his eyes, and the dazzling whiteness of the parchment filled them with tears. He slowly wrote two lines about trolls, then went over everything he had done before. Perhaps there are not too many facts and details in his work - but Hermione probably turned around and wrote more than one page on the topic of the Confederation ...

He closed his eyes again, trying to imagine those pages, trying to remember... The first convention of the Confederation was held in France - yes, he already wrote about it... The goblins came to the meeting and were expelled... he wrote about that too... And nobody came from Liechtenstein...

"Think," he ordered himself, covering his face with his hands, and around him the feathers were still creaking, scribbling endless answers, and the sand in the clock was falling in a thin stream ...

He again walked along the cool dark corridor to the Department of Mysteries, striding firmly and purposefully, sometimes switching to a run, confident that now he would certainly reach the goal of his journey ... As usual, the black door swung open in front of him, and he found himself in a round room with multiple doors...

Forward along the stone floor to the second door... light reflections dancing on the walls and floor and this strange mechanical ticking, but there is no time to figure it out, he needs to hurry...

He passed the last few steps that separated him from the third door, and it swung open like the previous ones...

And again he found himself in a hall as high as a cathedral, with shelves on which glass balls lay ... his heart was beating very quickly ... now he will finally get to where he needs to ... Having reached aisle number ninety-seven, he turned to the left and hurried on down the narrow aisle between the racks...

But at the very end of the passage, on the floor, there was a figure - this black figure writhing like a wounded animal. Harry's heart clenched in fear and excitement.

Take it and give it to me... come on, take it... I can't touch it... but you can...

The black figure on the floor moved. Harry saw a white hand with long fingers appear before his eyes, clutching a wand - it was his hand ... And again he heard a cold, high voice:

- Crucio!

The man on the floor screamed in pain, tried to get up, but immediately collapsed again, writhing. Harry laughed. He raised his wand, the beam emanating from it also rose, and the man on the floor groaned, but remained motionless.

Lord Voldemort is waiting!

Very slowly, leaning on trembling hands, the man lifted his shoulders and head. His thin face was covered with blood, distorted by suffering, but an expression of defiance froze on it ...

You'll have to kill me, Sirius whispered.

Sooner or later, of course, said a cold voice. - But first you give it to me, Black... Do you think you already know what pain is? Think again... we have long hours ahead of us, and no one will hear you scream...

But as soon as Voldemort lowered his wand again, someone screamed desperately and collapsed sideways from behind the hot table onto the cold stone floor. From the fall, Harry woke up, still screaming - his scar burned unbearably, and all around instead of the Department of Mysteries, the walls of the Great Hall suddenly rose again.