.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.come.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.around.the.Wizarding.Examinations.Authority.s.rules..I.can.only.hope.that.it.is.nobody.in.Gryffindor..Our.new.‐
.Headmistress.—..Professor.McGonagall.pronounced.the.word.with.the.same.look.on.her.face.that.Aunt.Petunia.had.whenever.she.was.contemplating.a
particularly.stubborn.bit.of.dirt..‐.has.asked.the.Heads.of.House.to.tell.their.students.that.cheating.will.be.punished.most.severely.‐.because,.of.course,.your.examination.results.will.reflect.upon.the.Headmistress.s.new.regime.at.the.school.‐..
Professor.McGonagall.gave.a.tiny.sigh;.Harry.saw.the.nostrils.of.her.sharp.nose.flare..
.‐.however,.that.is.no.reason.not.to.do.your.very.best..You.have.your.own.futures.to.think.about...
.Please,.Professor,..said.Hermione,.her.hand.in.the.air,..when.will.we.find.out.our.results?..
.An.owl.will.be.sent.to.you.some.time.in.July..said.Professor.McGonagall..
.Excellent,..said.Dean.Thomas.in.an.audible.whisper,..so.we.don.t.have.to.worry.about.it.till.the.holidays...
Harry.imagined.sitting.in.his.bedroom.in.Privet.Drive.in.six.weeks..time,.waiting.for.his.OWL.results..Well,.he.thought.dully,.at.least.he.would.be.sure.of.one.bit.of.post.that.summer..
Their.first.examination,.Theory.of.Charms,.was.scheduled.for.Monday.morning.
.Harry.agreed.to.test.Hermione.after.lunch.on.Sunday,.but.regretted.it.almost.at.once;.she.was.very.agitated.and.kept.snatching.the.book.back.from.him.to.check.that.she.had.got.the.answer.completely.right,.finally.hitting.him.hard.on.the.nose.with.the.sharp.edge.of.Achievements.in.Charming..
.Why.don.t.you.just.do.it.yourself?..he.said.firmly,.handing.the.book.back.to.her,
.his.eyes.watering..