The fifth year at Hogwarts marked a critical time for students, as it was when they took their Ordinary Wizarding Levels (OWLs), the wizarding equivalent of a high school diploma. The higher one's OWL scores, the better job prospects they had after school. Technically, passing grades in the seven core subjects meant a student could leave Hogwarts if they wished, though most stayed on to pursue further studies.
After completing their OWLs, students could drop certain subjects, even major ones like Potions, as long as they continued at least three core subjects into their sixth year. By the seventh year, they would sit for the Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests (NEWTs), which were akin to earning a college certification in a specialized field of magic. A strong performance in the NEWTs could guarantee employment in one's chosen career, and for those with exceptional talent and drive, the possibility of pursuing a Mastery.
Most wizards and witches focused on a single branch of magic for their Mastery, though prodigies like Dumbledore had achieved multiple, excelling in both Transfiguration and Alchemy under Nicholas Flamel's tutelage. Horace Slughorn had a Mastery in Potions, while Minerva McGonagall had earned hers in Transfiguration. Most Hogwarts professors held Mastery certifications in their respective fields, though there were exceptions—Sirius Black, for instance, had been on track for an illustrious career as an Auror before Azkaban derailed his future, and Remus Lupin, despite his formidable intelligence, had never pursued additional qualifications due to personal struggles.
Still, Hogwarts was seeing a surge in academic excellence. Recent years had yielded some of the highest OWL and NEWT scores in Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, and Potions. With the long-standing curse on the DADA position seemingly lifted, and the usual abysmal teaching in Potions and History of Magic being counteracted by motivated students, Hogwarts had begun producing some of the best-qualified witches and wizards in decades. St. Mungo's Hospital, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and the Unspeakables were all experiencing an influx of qualified young recruits, setting the stage for a new golden age in magical academia.
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"Hermione is going to be insufferable," Rachel muttered, flipping through the list of required books for the year.
It was a well-established fact—every year, Hermione went into overdrive, making study schedules, planning library trips, and ensuring everyone had their homework done on time. Now that OWLs were upon them, it was bound to be even worse.
Yue smirked. "You know, Hermione just turned sixteen. That means darling can finally take her to the library, bend her over one of the tables, and…"
Rachel rolled her eyes, though she didn't argue. Despite the teasing, she considered Hermione a good friend. Their shared love of books had forged a strong bond between them, and it was surprising how seamlessly Hermione had fit into their tight-knit group. They were all far more mature than their age, each a genius in their own right.
Unlike in the original timeline, Hermione was no longer the undisputed top of their year. Now, she had competition in the form of Yue, Rachel, and Ryan, all of whom had proven to be academic powerhouses. Their dominance had made Ravenclaw prouder than ever, and Professor Flitwick had jokingly lamented that if Hermione had been sorted into his house, he would have had the entire set of top-performing students.
Even Hermione had started to regret her choice of Gryffindor. Had she known about the vast library hidden in Ravenclaw Tower, or that most of her closest friends would be in that house, she might have let the Sorting Hat place her where it had originally intended. Instead, she had stubbornly chosen Gryffindor, influenced by Dumbledore's legendary reputation and a desire to form friendships.
"I'm more worried about Slughorn," Ryan grumbled, idly twirling his prefect badge between his fingers. "Do you know how many times he's tried to get me to go to one of his stupid parties? Ever since I became the world's youngest Triwizard Champion and 'Dragon Slayer,' he's been relentless. If I didn't know better, I'd think the man has the hots for me."
The girls frowned in agreement. Slughorn had been persistent in his invitations, though some of the Slug Club gatherings had been decent enough. Still, they much preferred their private time with Ryan, especially on holidays. Last Christmas, he had four very tight little presents to unwrap, and they had every intention of continuing the tradition this year.
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Meanwhile, in Rome…
Hermione gazed out over the ancient ruins of the Colosseum, the warm Italian sun kissing her skin. She had always wanted to visit Rome, and her parents had been thrilled to bring her along for a summer trip before her final year at Hogwarts. The city was breathtaking—steeped in history and culture—but at the moment, her thoughts were entirely elsewhere.
She was sixteen now. Sixteen. Old enough to make her own choices. Old enough to stop waiting.
For years, she had danced around her feelings, waiting for the perfect moment. No more. The next time she saw Ryan, she was going to drag him off somewhere and fuck his brains out, or have her brain's fucked out. Whichever came first.
A slow smirk curved her lips. She had waited long enough.
Her crush had started back in first year—strong, smart, mysterious, and talented, Ryan had drawn her in from the very beginning. He had saved her life from a troll, after all. At the time, she had no real friends, and while she eventually grew close to Harry, she never quite liked Ron. He was brash, often rude, and rarely thought before he spoke. But Ryan? He had always been different.
When she first found out he had a girlfriend, it had stung. Then she learned he had more than one, and that had been… a lot to process. She had been envious of them—watching the way Ryan cared for them, doted on them, showered them with affection. She wanted that.
It had taken time to come to terms with sharing, even longer to admit her own feelings, but eventually, she had earned her place as his girlfriend. That should have been the end of it. Except… it wasn't.
Because while Ryan had no problem kissing her or engaging in light affection, he wouldn't touch her like he did the others.
At first, she had worried. Was there something wrong with her? Something she wasn't seeing? But then Luna joined, and the same thing happened to her. And when Fleur joined, it became even worse—because Ryan had no reservations with her. He did everything with Fleur that he wouldn't with them, and Hermione was determined to find out why.
And this year, she was going to get her answer.
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