O.W.L.s
The O.W.L. Marks:
O: Outstanding
So, the O.W.L.s will be winging their way towards our Hogwarts Fifth Years in July, and we should find out how they did early in book six. Below is some speculation as to how various characters will fare:
Harry~
Well, if I had to guess, I would say Harry WILL get the O.W.L.s he needs to become an Auror. I guess it's possible he won't actually become one, especially because that means three more years of schooling after Hogwarts, and since Rowling plans to stop after seven books, that wouldn't be a very final sort of ending. But I guess we can't expect finality in anyone's life at age seventeen or eighteen anyway, and I at least think Harry will continue in the direction of Auror for the next year or so.
According to McGonagall, to qualify for Auror training Harry needs to continue towards his N.E.W.T.s in at least five subjects and gain nothing less than an E. She recommends Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, and Potions. That leaves one, and Harry has History of Magic, Divination, Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, and Divination to call upon. Also, McGonagall notes that she require at least an E in Transfiguration to take students on to N.E.W.T. level, and Snape requires an O in Potions. We can assume there will be similar requirements with the other teachers, although probably none are more exacting than McGonagall and Snape.
Now, based on Harry's feelings during the test, how is he likely to do? Well, he's a shoo-in for an O in Defense Against the Dark Arts; he even got an extra credit point for his Patronus. In Transfiguration he was probably all right: he forgot the definition of a Switching Spell, but vanished his whole iguana. I'd say he gets an E. Charms shouldn't be too bad, he mixed up his Color-Change and Growth Charms, so maybe an E in there as well. Potions is a tough call, as he needs an O, and this is where he might not make it. But he has shown himself capable of producing good potions when he concentrates, and although he found the written exam difficult, the practical was not too bad, it seems. Plus, he knew all about Polyjuice Potion. So it's a possibility, and just because he needs it to go into Auror training maybe he'll get it. Now for his fifth subject, it seems Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology seem most likely. In Herbology, Harry just got a bite from a fanged geranium, so maybe an E or even an O. And Care of Magical Creatures probably went pretty well too. Astronomy is iffier, because although the written went ok except for a failure to name all Jupiter's moons, the practical was interrupted by the attack on Hagrid and it doesn't sound like Harry quite finished. I'd say he got an A in that, at best. Divination went very badly--in reading tea leaves Harry told Marchbanks she would meet a round, dark, soggy stranger, and in palm reading he mixed her life and head lines and said she should have died the previous Tuesday. I doubt he passed, but that's no real tragedy. History of Magic was probably pretty bad as well, Harry skipped question four and had barely started five before he fell asleep, woke up screaming, and left the test. So I doubt he passed that either, but again, no loss.
To summarize: I'd say an O in Defense Against the Dark Arts, an E in Transfiguration, an E in Charms, an E or maybe an O in Potions, probably an O in Herbology, an O in Care of Magical Creatures, an A in Astronomy, a D in Divination, and a P in History of Magic. Which would be six or seven O.W.L.s , not too shabby.
Hermione~
Well, I can't imagine Hermione failed a single subject. Her worst was probably Astronomy, because of the interruption, but I daresay the smarty still managed an E in there, I'd say Es and Os all around. She took Defense Against the Dark Arts (thanks to Anton for reminding me!), Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, History of Magic, Astronomy, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy. According to her, she mistranslated ehwaz, partnership, as eihwaz, defense in Runes, and Arithmancy was her hardest one, but I wouldn't be surprised if she managed Os in both of those. That's 10 O.W.L.s, not bad at all, but we wouldn't expect less of Hermione. Of course, as Anton also pointed out, Percy got 12. How is this possible? My theory is, unless he used a Time Turner (which is possible), he could perhaps have taken 10 classes but studied for two more on his own, and then taken and passed those tests even if he hadn't taken the class. I wouldn't put it past him, or Hermione, for that matter. But I think she's just a touch less maniacal than he.
Ron~
Ron probably did about the same as Harry. Maybe a bit better in History of Magic, because he finished the whole test, and maybe a bit worse in Charms, where he made a dinner plate mutate into a large mushroom. I'd say, though, overall, he and Harry get about the same number, and maybe Ron'll even get one more.
Neville~
Well, I think Neville will surprise some people with some of his results. I bet he gets at least an E in Potions without Snape breathing down his neck, and probably an O in Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts. He'll probably do ok in Care of Magical Creatures too. I'd say he pulls in a respectable number of O.W.L.s, maybe not as many as his Gran would like, but she'll never be satisfied with him. Maybe he'll go into Healing. That would require at least an E at N.E.W.T. level in Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, which is doable although he might also have a tough time getting the O in Potions for Snape to consider taking him on. Maybe this year will be the time for Snape to leave Hogwarts on a mission for Dumbledore, or finally get the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, allowing people with Es on their Potions O.W.L.s to still try for a N.E.W.T. I guess we'll see.
Draco~
I bet Draco will do pretty well. We'd expect him to excel in Defense Against the Dark Arts, but he hasn't had the training of the D.A. Maybe he'll get an E while they all get Os. He'll probably do pretty well in all his O.W.L.s, although of course not as well as Hermione.
Anyone else you'd like to see up here? Any theories of your own? E-mail me at dragonfyre52@hotmail.com and share!
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E: Exceeds Expectations
A: Acceptable
P: Poor
D: Dreadful
T: Troll
