Percy's Envy

Only a scattered few students were having breakfast in the vast hall. Most, like Fred, George, and Lee Jordan, had either slept in or simply could not be bothered to get up.

Hermione sat quietly beside Albert, absentmindedly spreading Blueberry Jam over a slice of bread as she casually brought up a topic. "Will we still be practising against Boggarts at the next gathering?"

"Mm, Boggarts are a fairly important exam topic."

"Hearing you say that, I can't help feeling Professor Lupin will use a Boggart for the practical part of the final exam."

Hermione took a bite of bread and asked indistinctly, "When's the next gathering?"

"In... a few days."

Albert was eating a fried egg when he happened to spot an acquaintance entering the hall.

"What do you mean, in a few days?" Percy had just sat down beside Albert with a bowl of pumpkin porridge.

"The O.W.L. Defence Against the Dark Arts Tutoring Class." Albert smiled and waved at Isobel.

"Since when did our school have something like that?" Percy asked without looking up as he ate the bacon on his plate. "Don't tell me it's some gathering you organised yourself?"

"More or less." Albert shrugged. "A lot of people are worried they'll mess up the Defence Against the Dark Arts exam."

"Actually, the O.W.L. Defence Against the Dark Arts exam isn't all that difficult. It's all covered in The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection." Recalling the O.W.L. exam, Percy could not help shaking his head. "The practical exam consists of defensive spells and counter-curses. The book only covers those few key points. If they fail, they can only blame themselves for not revising properly."

"If other people heard you say that, they'd probably want to hit you," Albert teased with a smile.

"Don't you think