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Forest with him； we had no choice； you know how he gets。 Anyway：'
The story was told in five minutes； by the end of which Ron's indignation had been replaced by a look of total incredulity。
'He brought one back and hid it in the Forest？'
'Yep；' said Harry grimly。
'No；' said Ron； as though by saying this he could make it untrue。 'No； he can't have。'
'Well； he has；' said Hermione firmly。 'Grawp's about sixteen feet tall； enjoys ripping up twenty…foot pine trees； and knows me；' she snorted； 'as Hermy。'
Ron gave a nervous laugh。
'And Hagrid wants us to： ？'
Teach him English； yeah；' said Harry。
'He's lost his mind；' said Ron in an almost awed voice。
'Yes；' said Hermione irritably； turning a page of Intermediate Transfiguration and glaring at a series of diagrams showing an owl turning into a pair of opera glasses。 'Yes； I'm starting to think he has。 But； unfortunately； he made Harry and me promise。'
'Well； you're just going to have to break your promise； that's all；' said Ron firmly。 'I mean； e on： we've got exams and we're about that far …' he held up his hand to show thumb and forefinger almost touching '… from being chucked out as it is。 And anyway： remember Norbert？ Remember Aragog？ Have we ever e off better for mixing with any of Hagrid's monster mates？'
'I know； it's just that … we promised；' said Hermione in a small voice。
Ron smoothed his hair flat again； looking preoccupied。
'Well；' he sighed； 'Hagrid hasn't been sacked yet； has he？ He's hung on this long； maybe he'll hang on till the end of term and we won't have to go near Grawp at all。'
* * *
The castle grounds were gleaming in the sunlight as though freshly painted； the cloudless sky smiled at itself in the smoothly sparkling lake； the satin green lawns rippled occasionally in a gentle breeze。 June had arrived； but to the fifth…years this meant only one thing： their OWLs were upon them at last。
Their teachers were no longer setting them homework； lessons were devoted to revising those topics the teachers thought most likely to e up in the exams。 The purposeful； feverish atmosphere drove nearly everything but the OWLs from Harry's mind； though he did wonder occasionally during Potions lessons whether Lupin had ever told Snape that he must continue giving Harry Occlumency tuition。 If he had； then Snape had ignored Lupin as thoroughly as he was now ignoring Harry。 This suited Harry very well； he was quite busy and tense enough without extra classes with Snape； and to his relief Hermione was much too preoccupied these days to badger him about Occlumency； she was spending a lot of time muttering to herself； and had not laid out any elf clothes for days。
She was not the only person acting oddly as the OWLs drew steadily nearer。 Ernie Macmillan had developed an irritating habit of interrogating people about their revision practices。
'How many hours d'you think you're doing a day？' he demanded of Harry and Ron as they queued outside Herbology a manic gleam in his eyes。
'I dunno；' said Ron。 'A few。'
'More or less than eight？'
'Less； I's'pose；' said Ron； looking slightly alarmed。
'I'm doing eight；' said Ernie； puffing out his chest。 'Eight or nine。 I'm getting an hour in before breakfast every day。 Eight's my average。 I can do ten on a good weekend day。 I did nine and a half on Monday。 Not so good on Tuesday … only seven and a quarter。 Then on Wednesday …'
Harry was deeply thankful that Professor Sprout ushered them into greenhouse three at that point； forcing Ernie to abandon his recital。
Meanwhile； Draco Malfoy had found a different way to induce panic。
'Of course； it's not what you know；' he was heard to tell Crabbe and Goyle loudly outside Potions a few days before the exams were to start； 'it's who you know。 Now； Father's been friendly with the head of the Wizarding Examinations Authority for years … old Griselda Marchbanks … we've had her round for dinner and everything：'
'Do you think that's true？' Hermione whispered in alarm to Harry and Ron。
'Nothing we can do about it if it is；' said Ron gloomily。
'I don't think it's true；' said Neville quietly from behind them。 'Because Griselda Marchbanks is a friend of my gran's； and she's never mentioned the Malfoys。'
'What's she like； Neville？' asked Hermione at once。 'Is she strict？'
'Bit like Gran； really；' said Neville in a subdued voice。
'Knowing her won't hurt your chances； though； will it？' Ron told him encouragingly。
'Oh； I don't think it will make any difference；' said Neville； still more miserably。 'Grans always telling Professor Marchbanks I'm not as good as my dad： well： you saw what she's like at St Mungo's
Neville looked fixedly at the floor。 Harry； Ron and Hermione glanced at each other； but didn't know what to say。 It was the first time Neville had acknowledged that they had met at the wizarding hospital。
Meanwhile； a flourishing black…market trade in aids to concentration； mental agility and wakefulness had sprung up among the fifth… and seventh…years。 Harry and Ron were much tempted by the bottle of Baruffio's Brain Elixir offered to them by Ravenclaw sixth…year Eddie Carmichael； who swore it was solely responsible for the nine 'Outstanding' OWLs he had gained the previous summer and was offering a whole pint for a mere twelve Galleons。 Ron assured Harry he would reimburse him for his half the moment he left Hogwarts and got a job； but before they could close the deal； Hermione had confiscated the bottle from Carmichael and poured the contents down a toilet。
'Hermione； we wanted to buy that！' shouted Ron。
'Don't be stupid；' she snarled。 'You might as well take Harold Dingle's powdered dragon claw and have done with it。'
'Dingle's got powdered dragon claw？' said Ron eagerly。
'Not any more；' said Hermione。 'I confiscated that； too。 None of these things actually work； you know。'
'Dragon claw does work！' said Ron。 'It's supposed to be incredible； really gives your brain a boost； you e over all cunning for a few hours … Hermione； let me have a pinch； go on； it can't hurt …'
This stuff can；' said Hermione grimly。 'I've had a look at it； and it's actually dried Doxy droppings。'
This information took the edge off Harry and Rons desire for brain stimulants。
They received their examination timetables and details of the procedure for OWLs during their next Transfiguration lesson。
'As you can see；' Professor McGonagall told the class as they copied down the dates and times of their exams from the blackboard； 'your OWLs are spread over two successive weeks。 You will sit the theory papers in the mornings and the practice in the afternoons。 Your practical Astronomy examination will； of course； take place at night。
'Now； I must warn you that the most stringent anti…cheating charms have been applied to your examination papers。 Auto…Answer Quills are banned from the examination hall； as are Remembralls； Detachable Cribbing Cuffs and Self…Correcting Ink。 Every year； I am afraid to say； seems to harbour at least one student who thinks that he or she can get arou