Ordinary Wizarding Levels Results

"Our results are here," Hermione, who had been watching the window all along, suddenly said. She could clearly see several owls flying toward The Burrow, their shapes growing larger and larger, and Hermione couldn't help clutching the tablecloth.

Each beautiful tawny owl was clutching a large square envelope. They flew in one after another through the open kitchen window, landed on the table, stood in a neat row, and raised their right legs in perfect unison.

At that moment, the young wizards who had taken their O.W.L.s received special attention. Allen was the calmest of all. While everyone else was still nervous, he had already opened his envelope, glanced over it casually, and put the letter away.

"Allen must have got O's in all twelve subjects." Hermione, growing even more nervous, looked envious. She wanted to wait until she could control the trembling of her hands under the table before opening her own envelope. On her right, Harry removed his envelope with stiff fingers, while Ron stood up from his seat and fumbled frantically to untie his exam results.

"Don't worry, Hermione. Bill and I both got twelve O's back then. In Allen's Training Class, there should be quite a few young wizards who can get twelve O's, not to mention you're the best witch in your year." Seeing that Hermione still hadn't opened her envelope, Percy glanced at Allen and comforted her in a conciliatory tone—if not for the series of events that happened later, Percy and Hermione had actually had a pretty good relationship at first. They were both top students, both liked a rule-abiding life, and neither was very popular with others.

But Percy's comfort clearly made Hermione look even more uneasy—the little know-it-all had fallen into an imaginary scenario where everyone around her got twelve O's,