The Order of the Phoenix Re-Read: Chapter 31

[slowfox]

It seems clear from the opening exchanges with Ron that Harry's rapidly recovered from the disappointment of Snape's Penseive memory:

..."And then, when Chambers came at me about five minutes later- What?" Ron asked, having stopped mid-sentence at the look on Harry's face. "Why are you grinning?"

"I'm not," said Harry, quickly, and looked down at his Transfiguration notes, attempting to straighten his face. The truth was that Ron had just reminded Harry forcibly of another Gryffindor Quidditch player who had once sat rumpling his hair under this very tree.

Rumpling, btw? You can rumple hair? I've heard of it being ruffled, of course, but hey...

This line, after Harry and Hermione have explained why they missed the Weasley King's triumph, is pure, pure Ron:

"He's lost his mind," said Ron in an almost awed voice.

We're actually told that it's June as the OWLs start - sometimes it can be hard to pin down exact dates in canon, so it's nice to have confirmation here. The OWLs, as McGonagall explains

"...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."

So that allows a maximum of 10 subjects' assessment, assuming that they don't double-up examinations on any given day. Herbology, Potions, DADA, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Divination Studies, Transfiguration, Muggle Studies, Arithmancy, History of Magic. Right? Oh, and Ancient Runes. Hmmm.

I do wonder what is going through Umbridge's mind during Harry's DADA practical:

As Harry passed Umbridge beside the door, their eyes met. There was a nasty smile playing around her wide, slack mouth, be he did not care. Unless he was very much mistaken (and he was not planning on telling anybody, in case he was), he had just achieved an 'Outstanding' OWL.

I rather like Hermione's self-centred strop when relaying news to Ron and Harry that someone's put another Niffler in Umbridge's office:

"It is not good!" said Hermione hotly. "She thinks it's Hagrid doing it remember? And we do not want Hagrid chucked out!"

Love Ron's take on this, too (once Hermione's safely out of earshot</Gryffindor>):

"Such a lovely, sweet-tempered girl," said Ron, very quietly, prodding his queen forward to beat up one of Harry's knights.

Again we have proof that Hagrid's made of some stern stuff:

Jets of red light were still flying about beside Hagrid's cabin, yet somehow they seemed to be bounching off him; he was still upright and still, as far as Harry could see, fighting.

The fight at Hagrid's cabin lasts fifteen minutes: Professor Tofty announces that there are 20 minutes left just before Hagrid's door bursts open, and announces that five minutes remain after Hagrid disappears, heading towards the gates. That's quite a long tussle, by any measure.

Anyway, the History of Magic OWL is in the afternoon, and it's here that Harry 'sees' Sirius being tortured by Voldemort by shelf ninety-seven.

Comments

[aome]

So that allows a maximum of 10 subjects' assessment, assuming that they don't double-up examinations on any given day

Except that they do - and more than once. I can understand why History of Magic has only a single component (as opposed to both a written AND practical aspect), but how would an Arithmancy written exam differ from the practical part? Why is there only a practical part to Divination? What if someone takes both Divination AND Arithmancy (as Hermione initially did), since those exams were simultaneous? (And why don't they know anyone taking Muggle Studies? :P )

Why why do you see Hermione's "We do NOT want Hagrid chucked out" line as being self-centred?

I have to wonder - well, ok, Trelawney's already been fired, but let's say she hadn't. Wouldn't the fact that 90% of the students failed the OWL reflect badly on the teacher and have some bearing as to their future at the school? Dumbledore seems more concerned here with her (rare) genuine Seeing ability than in what she cooks up the other 90% of the time. On the other hand, Seeing does not seem to be a heavily-depended on or highly-viewed skill even within the Wizarding World, so perhaps he feels she's not really doing much harm, either - teaching something that few people need or want, at least as the crux of their livelihoods.

[slowfox]

Why why do you see Hermione's "We do NOT want Hagrid chucked out" line as being self-centred?


Because she doesn't want to have to go and teach Grawp English! ;-P

I wonder a lot about the teaching quality at Hogwarts; Divination Studies seems the worst, but History of Magic and Defence Against the Dark Arts both have more than a couple of strikes against them, as the years have gone by.

And remember, Hogwarts is the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the country... which really does make me wonder what that might imply for the rest...

[cynthia_black]

Poor Professor McGonagall :-( Good job there were some independent witnesses to see that she was attacked without warning.

On the timetabling front: I think this is down to options again - there may be more than ten subjects to fit into the two weeks, but no student would be taking them all

[slowfox]

Good job there were some independent witnesses to see that she was attacked without warning.

I do wonder if there were any repercussions for that? Although given that almost all of Umbridge's party ended up spreadeagled on the grass outside Hagrid's hut, perhaps people felt that justice had already been served (especially since Umbridge herself evidently loses her (few) marbles after her sojourn with the Centaurs).