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.