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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
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On the first Monday in October, Harry finished breakfast and found Madam Marchbanks waiting for him in that little room off of the Great Hall. She thrust a timetable at him.
As he scanned the contents of his next week, she asked "Sure you know what you're doing? Not even Albus Dumbledore took his O.W.L.s his first year."
"He didn't have the same sort of outside motivation that I do." Harry mumbled. "I don't remember agreeing to take Muggle Studies."
"You said everything but Divination, Arthimacy, and Ancient Runes" Madam Marchbanks reminded him. "You need two electives for a complete O.W.L. score."
Harry nodded absently. "It's not a problem. I grew up with muggles. It just isn't something I'd ever consider taking as a class. Not fair to anyone else."
Monday morning he had his Muggle Studies written and the practical in the afternoon. Tuesday was split the same way and dedicated to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Wednesday was Charms, Thursday was Care of Magical Creatures, and Friday was Astronomy. Next Monday was Transfiguration, Tuesday was Herbology, Wednesday was Potions, and History of Magic was on Thursday.
The lineup of exams was different and last time he either had an exam or a practical on any given day instead of having both in a single day but Harry knew he could do it. He had to. Exceptions were being made for him and if he was anything other than stunningly successful, Snape would be a git over the entire situation. That alone was inspiring. The fact that he would be out from under Dumbledore's thumb pushed him from being merely determined into the sort of do or die mentality that allowed him to kill giant snakes, hunt horacruxes, and defeat Dark Lords.
Harry looked up at Madam Marchbanks. "When do we get started?"
The next two weeks were the most grueling of Harry's Hogwarts' career in either timeline. They were not the most miserable weeks Harry had ever survived but they were decidedly unpleasant. The lack of scar pain, legilimency attacks, and battles within the faculty certainly helped Harry.
The Muggle Studies exam was depressingly easy. He finished the written exam with hours to spare and the practical exam involved things like locking and unlocking a door with a key and dressing himself in current muggle fashions and counting out pounds and pence. He got extra points for being able to navigate the London Underground with Madam Marchbanks in tow.
Defense was just as easy for him the second time around and he once again got extra points on his practical for his corporeal patronus.
The Charms practical focused on Summoning and Banishing Charms as well as Color Changing Charms, Warming Charms, and Freezing Charms.
Care of Magical Creatures was tricky since nothing on the exam tried to kill him but he had to care for a much younger Buckbeak, look after a bowtrunkle, pick the proper combination of charms and potions to combat a chizpurfle infestation on a unicorn, and find the dugbog in the bog that had been created specifically for his exam.
Astronomy was uneventful and Harry managed to completely fill out his chart and label all of the planets, moons, stars, and comets that he marked.
Harry had to Vanish a dog and then make it Appear as well as Conjure several chairs, a table, and a tea set. He lost points because his tea set was mostly white with a simple blue line around the edges instead of something more complicated and his squashy chairs were as hard as one of Professor McGonagall's straight-backed wooden chairs.
During the Herbology practical Harry had to work with Devil's Snare and collect bubotuber pus.
Harry nearly chortled with glee when he saw that the Potions exam asked questions about Polyjuice Potion and Felix Felicis and he had to brew the Draught of Peace for his potions practical.
He actually stayed awake during History of Magic this time around and finished all of the questions. Thankfully there were no questions on the last war with Voldemort.
"We're friends, right Harry?" Ron asked one night while he, Harry, Neville and Hermione (much to Ron's open horror) were studying together at one of the tables in the common room. Harry was studying the current sixth year texts that he had bought before the school year started. He insisted on studying with Ron and Hermione, even though those two were not yet friends. He also helped Hermione tutor Neville in non-herbology subjects, especially potions and defense.
"Course we are."
"Oi! Harry!" Fred shouted from across the common room where he was huddled with George and Lee Jordan. "Did you set off the dung bombs on the train?"
"No!" Harry shouted back. It had become an obsession with the three older pranksters to figure out what sort of mischief Harry had gotten up to before the The Incident With Dumbledore's Wand as that first night was now being called – and what mischief he might have been responsible for since then. Apparently it was still unknown that Harry had kept the Elder Wand.
"Then why don't you include me in your pranking?"
Harry blinked at Ron. Truthfully, he had yet to actually prank anyone since that bit with Mrs. Norris.
"Oh – er – I hadn't thought you'd be interested."
"'Course I'm interested!"
"Harry!"
"Aren't we interested, Neville?"
"You could get in serious trouble!"
Neville startled. "Oh, er, um, if Harry wants –"
Neville was interested?
"Or worse! Expelled!"
"We wouldn't get caught! Harry never gets caught!"
Harry grinned. No matter how much changed, things would always be the same. It was sort of comforting. They would not really be friends until the troll… but if no one was in that bathroom when Quirrell released the troll into the castle, how would they bond? The Philosopher's Stone had tied them even tighter together. With no mystery and no stone and no near death experience to draw them together things might change – and not for the better.
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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
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