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?..
.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,.come.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.come.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.come.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.cclumency.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..