Transfiguration
Final
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 10-03-03 08:23
Hermione slid into her seat in the Transfiguration classroom and quickly glanced at Professor McGonagall, who stood tall at the blackboard. She flipped open her notes, using each available minute before the start of the final to study. Shortly before 8 o'clock, Professor McGonagall asked everyone to put away all material, including personal quills. Like in years past, quills bewitched with an anti-cheating spell were provided just in case anyone had a wandering eye or any other inclination to look at a neighbor's paper.
Hermione sat up straight, eager for the exam to begin. Besides Transfiguration this morning, she also had Herbology and Astronomy finals. Day one of final exams for Hermione would end with Muggle Studies and Defense Against the Dark Arts. She felt quite ready for them all, having prepared herself early and thoroughly on the subject matters.
With the Transfiguration exam in hand, Hermione picked up her quill and set off to reading the first question.
One Down,
Many More to Go
Author: Brady
Date: 10-03-03 13:58
Brady and Phillip left the greenhouses, having just completed their Herbology final. They were on their way to Astronomy next, eager to get their last morning exam of the day out of the way. The afternoon would bring Potions and Charms, and then another restless night of studying would come before tomorrow's finals.
Brady for one, like probably most everyone else at Hogwarts, couldn't wait for tomorrow evening to roll around. They'd be free of classes and exams for an entire summer until next fall. Of course, next school year would be no picnic. Next year, he and his fellow future fifth years would be taking the dreaded OWL exams.
Sliding into his seat, Brady pushed all thoughts of next year from his mind and attempted to focus all of his attention on the task at hand.
MOM Headquarters:
Found Out
Author: Dierna ní Cíaran
Date: 10-04-03 19:44
I had been summoned rather abruptly to Amelia Bones' office for an "important meeting." I wasn't worried about meeting With Amelia. We'd worked together with the Wizengamut quite a bit, and I have a great deal of respect for her. The new head of MLE is honest, hardworking and unfailingly just.
"Now we are all here, we may as well start," Amelia announces. "Dierna, have you broken any laws?"
I give a puzzled look. "Of course not."
"Do you know why such allegations would be brought against you?"
"Perhaps people do not approve of my work ethic?"
"Hem hem."
"Yes, Dolores?" asks Amelia.
"Dierna hired a werewolf. That is illegal."
"Is this true Dierna?" asks Amelia. There's a hint of amusement in her eyes. She knows exactly what I'm about to say.
"Why yes it is, Madam Bones. I'm surprised that Dolores only just found out. I hired Remus Lupin months ago."
"See! She broke the law! She should lose her job."
"But I did not break the law." I add, smugly. "According to the Decree for Reasonable Exceptions, during times of need, when there are no or too few available aurors, I can hire anyone I decide has the aptitude to be "investigational assistants". This decree takes precedence over any other decree including your so-called half-breed act. I was quite within the law to hire Remus Lupin."
"Hem hem . . . I don't remember that decree. When was it passed?"
"April 4th 1995." Amelia states, then pulls out a book, taps it with a wand and glances at the page. "Yes, it's right here if you care to read it."
"I don't remember such a decree." Umbridge isn't simpering anymore, she's whining and looks ready to cry at any moment. It's great!
"Remember it or not, it's a decree and therefore Dierna is in her rights to hire a werewolf if she feels the need."
"Why is there a need?"
She wants to say Voldemort is back, but I know her game and don't play.
"Because the Auror school has not accepted any new witches or wizards in four year. I've hired the last group of Aurors already. The number of Dark magic incidences are increasing, and I don't have enough Aurors to investigate."
"He-Who-Must-Not-Named isn't back."
"I didn't say he is. I said dark magic incidence are on the rise."
"And the question of whether or not You-Know-Who is back is not what we are discussing. The issue at hand is if Dierna was acting within the law when she hired someone she knew to be a werewolf. The answer is yes, according the aforementioned decree. Issue solved. This meeting is adjourned."
"Um well . . . hem." She goes away sulking. Amelia shakes her head. "That woman! Sorry about this Dierna. She wouldn't go away until I agreed to "discuss" this with you."
"No need to apologize, Amelia. I know it's her and not you." I smile and leave to do some work, feeling rather smug at Umbrige's embarrassment.
MOM: Somewhere?
Author: Remus Lupin
Date: 10-04-03 21:09
No Marauders' Map is any good unless it's tested first, and there was no possible way Remus was going to allow Dierna to be the "lab rat." No, he would test it himself.
Getting to the lobby wasn't much of a feat. While there were ministers who loathed any "creature," as they so delicately termed it, they could not entirely shut any wizard out. They could prevent Lupin from working, not from walking inside the doors.
He chose a late hour, just before closing, and marveled at how easy it was to remain hidden in a downstairs closet. Fudge was woefully lax in security, preferring to keep the Aurors and their like for truly "important" tasks, such as feeding the Minister's paranoia about Dumbledore.
As soon as he felt reasonably safe, Remus apparated from floor to floor, using the map as a guide. His generic tagging of "body types," rather than specific names allowed a certain freedom. Yes, a guard on the sixth, an Auror twinkling from a secret lift in the back of the ninth....it was all working very well.
He smiled at the map, and then quickly changed to a frown. What was that area doing? He knew he had drawn it carefully from Dierna's plan, and there simply was no corridor there. He rubbed his eyes and the corridor vanished. So did the twinkling mark of the Auror who had been in the lift.
Hmmmmm..now there's something that needs a Marauder's closer inspection. Won't Padfoot be jealous he missed this one? Remus apparated again, and found himself on the ninth floor. There were several twinkling dots about, and a number of guards. All to be expected, of course, but demanding great caution. He used the shadows as well as the map to work his way to the place where the lift should be....should be, but was not.
He paused, and that was almost his undoing. An Auror rounded the corner and very nearly spotted him. If her attention hadn't been on her own secrecy, she would have seen through his concealment charm at once. As it was, she barely missed stumbling over him as she pointed her wand at the wall, and whispered to make a door appear. Then she entered, and let the wall seal behind her. The whirr of a lift hummed behind the plaster.
Lupin glanced quickly at the map. That mystic corridor had appeared. Almost by instinct, he apparated into it, renewing his concealment charm immediately. He was just in time. The whirring sound ceased, the wall just beyond him on the left slide open, and the Auror appeared, turning right and walking quickly away from him into the torchlit depths.
He had no idea where he was. The corridor has vanished from the map once more, which might well mean he was now no longer in the Ministry at all. After his recent brush with death, it would be in his best interest to find his way back quickly, and inform Dierna, and Sirius if possible, of his findings.
Prudent, yes, but so....un-Marauder! Smiling just a bit to himself, he readied his wand and slid down the hall in the direction of the Auror's fading footsteps.
Snacks!
Author: H Potter
Date: 10-04-03 20:00
Exiting the Muggle Studies classroom, Harry's thoughts leap ahead to tomorrow. Several more tests to go starting with Charms first thing. Hermione's already talking about the schedule she had made out for Ron, Harry, and herself to get in a final review starting as soon as they get back to their common room.
Ron slows his steps and taps Harry's arm for him to do so as well, allowing Hermione to get a little ahead. In a very low whisper, Ron says, "I'm starving. Let's get a snack. We can grab something and be on our way to the common room before Hermione realizes we aren't right behind her."
Harry's stomach rumbles at the thought of food. Without thinking twice about it, Harry nods and the two boys quietly peel away from Hermione.
Cleaning Up
Author: Captain Electron
Date: 10-05-03 08:19
It was about time Electron got out with his wand to clean up some of the mess left on the wall by his duel with Freddie Phelan all that time ago. How long HAD it been? Electron had spent some of the time since moping and sulking, and some working very hard in the Muggle world, and very nearly losing his wand, causing a minor disaster and having the Ministry down on his head recently in a record shop. Fortunately for him, he'd stalled that before it got too bad.
He'd also written to someone he'd been neglecting of late... Hendrix was at this very moment en route to Hogwarts with a little letter to Veronica Dumbledore inviting her to come visit whenever she felt like it, or even just meet him in Hogsmeade for a drink some day. He signed it with his real name for once... Looking up he could see Hendrix disappearing overhead. He shook his head and got down to his task: filling in the little holes and then painting the walls. In fact, while he was at it, he might as well do a full paint job on the house...
Last Day of
Finals
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 10-05-03 11:46
Fritz puts down his quill and stretches his aching fingers for a moment, reading the very last question on his Defense Against the Dark Arts exam as he does so. As an answer formulates in his mind, Fritz picks up the quill once more and sets to writing down his response. It's not too longer afterwards that Professor Dumbledore calls time and collects the papers.
Fritz and Coco rise out of their seats and prepare to walk to the Transfiguration classroom for their next final exam. The only exam they have left after Professor McGonagall's is History of Magic. Then, both young Ravenclaws will have effectively completed their very first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!
A smile on his face, Fritz is pleased with his progress this year, from having been first introduced to the world of magic to receiving the very beginnings of his wizarding education. He can't wait to go home and tell his parents all about what he has learned this year!
The Home Stretch
Author: Kody
Date: 10-06-03 08:07
Having taken final examinations in Herbology at eight, Astronomy at nine, and Muggle Studies at ten, Kody spends much of the two hour break between morning and afternoon exams working the kinks out of his writing hand. As he looks around the Great Hall, a few measly crumbs from lunch left on his plate, Kody sees that the vast majority of students gathered there doing much the same.
As time for the one o'clock exams inches towards them, students begin exiting the hall, first in a trickle, now in a stream. Sighing Kody stands and stretches, asking Drake, "Ready for Potions?"
"Nope, but then I'm never ready for Potions. Can't avoid it though, so let's go."
The only consolation for Potions being next is that it means there's only Transfiguration left for him. Poor Drake though still has Arithmancy at three.
Draco
Author: Devin Alexander
Date: 10-06-03 13:52
Devin tapped Draco on the shoulder. "How are your finals so far?"
He sat down next to him and handed him a wrapped package. "I thought you would like this."
Onward to
Potions
Author: Majandra
Date: 10-06-03 15:35
Majandra passes in her Ancient Runes exam and as soon as the class is given the okay to leave, she quickly exits the classroom. Majandra joins the group of students heading toward the dungeons for the Potions final. It's Majandra's last and the one she considers to be the most important for her. She feels very prepared for this exam and is confident she'll score extremely well. The only real question on Majandra's mind is whether Professor Snape will give them only a written exam or if he'll also have them prepare a potion. She would have asked someone from Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff who had the exam yesterday but Majandra had not had time to ask.
Taking a deep breath as she walks into the Potions classroom, Majandra thinks to herself, "Oh well, I'll know soon enough whether it's strictly a written exam or not."
Dumstrang
Institute: Consultation
Author: Michael Turin
Date: 10-06-03 18:43
"Ah, Merdroit, come in," the Headmaster said lazily when the younger man's shadow filled the door.
"What is it you wanted to ask me, Headmaster?" Merdroit asked cautiously. Since his "slip" earlier with Michael, the headmaster had barely acknowledged Merdroit, let alone asked to speak with him privately.
"I wanted to know if anything strikes you about this letter?" The Headmaster handed the parchment to Merdriot. It was the one Michael had written during the potions exam, about the cheating student.
Merdroit scanned the letter than handed it back. "It's just a letter. Nothing unusual about it."
"Use your eyes, man!" snapped the headmaster. Merdroit looked at it again frowning, then said "Michael!"
"Yes, looks like that cousin of yours had us fooled all this time. I think its time we turned the tables on him."
Merdroit sneered, "Excellent."
-----------------
"Professor Igor Nastivitch" stood up at the desk in front of the classroom. "Time's up! Quills away, pass your exams to the front."
The sixth year shuffled out of the room, starting to comment on the exam. Michael took the papers to his office. A note had appeared on his note pad: "Staff meeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m. Be there."
A Light in
the Dark
Author: Viktor Krum
Date: 10-06-03 21:05
Viktor has lost all sense of time. Viktor simply knows it's been too long because some moments the tiny, cramped closet-like space almost seems comfortable. Rare instances Koyla has Viktor brought out so that Koyla can have some sport using a variety of pain inducing spells and curses, including the Cruciatus Curse but for the most part Viktor has been kept in this cramped space. Viktor has not even been given any sort of clue as to whether others know he's missing or if Koyla has found a way to explain his absence or, even worse, if Koyla has someone impersonating him.
The door opens a fraction of an inch. To Viktor, even that small of a slit allows enough light in that it's like having a beacon turned on. The door opens further and Stefka begins going through the usual routine of sliding in food and water. Rather unexpectedly Stefka shoves something into Viktor's hand, rapidly whispering in their native tongue, "Inside is a watch with a glowing dial. I will be back for you at 4 a.m. It will be difficult on your muscles but be ready to make an escape."
The door slams shut leaving Viktor in the dark once more, both literally and figuratively. Opening the small box, Viktor peers at the lighted watch face and wonders what really is in store at four in the morning.
