The team at the Wizarding Examinations Authority worked with remarkable speed.
Just three days after Douglas sent his reply, news of the publication of Seven Years of N.E.W.T.s, Five Years of O.W.L.s had become the new headline in the Daily Prophet, finally replacing the ongoing coverage of Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban.
["Seven Years of N.E.W.T.s, Five Years of O.W.L.s" Released!!!]
Seven Years of N.E.W.T.s, Five Years of O.W.L.s is a book published in July 1993 by the Ministry of Magic's Wizarding Examinations Authority in collaboration with the twelve core subject professors of Hogwarts. The book primarily summarizes the content of O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. exams and analyzes the structure and format of exam questions.
Professor Tofty from the Wizarding Examinations Authority commented,
"This set of practice papers is ingeniously organized, moving from point to surface, from the simple to the complex. It allows students to build knowledge step by step, following clear paths, and truly sparks their enthusiasm for learning, making their efforts twice as effective."
Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, added,
"…A carefully balanced number of practice questions, with fresh and varied content, progressing from easy to difficult. The collection is built around developing students' knowledge structure and critical thinking, with a focus on intellectual training and diverse, lively formats. It guides students in problem-solving strategies and enhances their analytical skills…"
Douglas Holmes, Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, stated,
"Of course, we're not just parroting dead facts. This practice set will be updated annually, always reflecting the latest events and trends in the wizarding world…"
Professor Marchbanks of the Wizarding Examinations Authority offered a more reserved view:
"In my hundred years as an exam proctor, I can't say I fully endorse this approach—though my colleagues seem to think it's a step forward in education. I can't deny that such books are helpful for ordinary witches and wizards, but if a true prodigy becomes lost in this sea of questions, it might stifle their talent…"
…
It is reported that the book covers not only theoretical content, but also includes a wealth of practical exam scenarios to broaden students' knowledge and expose them to more simulated situations.
The Wizarding Examinations Authority also emphasized that this is a supplementary resource, not a replacement for existing textbooks. Both the exam questions and this practice set will be updated annually.
The book is available now at Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley!
The article set off a storm of discussion throughout the wizarding world.
Some believed the Hogwarts curriculum was long overdue for an update, and that this practice set would help accelerate textbook reform. Others argued that such a set would make the N.E.W.T.s and O.W.L.s a joke, incapable of identifying true genius…
But whatever the opinions swirling outside, Douglas kept to his own pace.
As Harry's birthday approached, Douglas personally felt that even third-years could give these practice sets a try.
So, on the afternoon before Harry's birthday, after finishing dinner and heading upstairs, he found a new stack of books on his desk.
The window was tightly shut—no owl could have gotten in.
Approaching cautiously, he saw a note atop the pile:
Happy Birthday! I hope you make new progress in the coming term—respect your teachers, care for your classmates, listen attentively in class, and participate actively. I hope this set of practice papers helps you.
Harry turned the note over and over, but there was no signature.
The handwriting looked familiar, but he couldn't place it at first.
"Practice papers?"
A sudden chill ran down Harry's spine. Besides Professor Holmes, he couldn't imagine anyone else with the peculiar hobby of gifting practice sets.
He quickly checked the stack: the cover read Seven Years of N.E.W.T.s, Five Years of O.W.L.s: Defence Against the Dark Arts Volume. Flipping through, he found Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology—twelve books in total.
Harry suddenly wanted to cry. He'd only just finished his second year!
He called out softly into the room,
"Professor Holmes? Professor, are you still here?"
No one answered.
He rushed to check the homework he'd hidden under his bed. It hadn't been touched. He breathed a huge sigh of relief.
He could barely imagine the disaster if Professor Holmes had seen his untouched Defence Against the Dark Arts homework.
In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to run to Professor Holmes's house, thank him sincerely, and return the gift—explaining that it was simply too much for someone his age to handle.
Who could possibly understand what it felt like to receive a practice set for your birthday?
He carefully hid the twelve books under his bed, not wanting the Dursleys to find them and mock him.
He resolved that, once he got his permission slip signed for Hogsmeade, he'd visit Professor Holmes to thank him in person—and maybe offer a little comfort, too.
He figured the Professor must be terribly upset about not being able to return to Hogwarts, and was using this as a way to encourage Harry to keep studying. The gift spoke volumes about his regret at not being able to teach Harry through graduation. It was all that wretched Voldemort's fault.
Still, Harry was genuinely happy that the Professor had remembered his birthday.
Just after midnight, Harry's heart gave a strange little jump. He was thirteen now.
He leaned against the window. After so long under the covers, the cool night breeze felt wonderful on his face.
His owl, Hedwig, had been gone for two days, but he wasn't worried.
He gazed up at the starry sky, then glanced at the space beneath his bed.
All things considered, Harry felt quite content with his birthday. He even had the urge to stay up and finish his Defence Against the Dark Arts homework—just so he could show his gratitude to Professor Holmes, even if there would be a new professor this term.
Just as he was about to climb into bed, he noticed, out in the golden moonlight, three owls wobbling toward him.
Two were supporting the third, which appeared to be completely unconscious.
With a thump, they landed on Harry's bed. The large grey owl in the middle immediately collapsed, unmoving, a bulky package tied to its leg.
Harry recognized the unconscious owl at once—Errol, the Weasleys' family owl.
He rushed to the bed, untied the string from Errol's leg, removed the package, and gently placed Errol in Hedwig's cage. Errol cracked open a blurry eye, gave a feeble hoot of thanks, and started gulping down water.
The other two owls—one was his own Hedwig, the other a tawny owl he didn't recognize. After Harry removed the package from the newcomer, it immediately flew off.
He carefully arranged the gifts and envelopes on his bed.
From Hermione, still vacationing in France, came a Broomstick Servicing Kit. From Ron, still in Egypt, came clippings from the Daily Prophet and a Pocket Sneakoscope.
(Ron: If there's anyone suspicious around, it lights up and spins. Bill says it's a shoddy tourist trinket, not reliable at all—it was going off nonstop at dinner yesterday. But Bill didn't even notice Fred and George putting beetles in his soup. Poor Bill, after all he's done for them…)
Reading this, Harry had to stifle his laughter.
There was also a box containing The Monster Book of Monsters, a fanged, biting book from Hogwarts' gamekeeper.
Finally, there was one more box. When Harry opened it, he found a birthday cake and a note.
Happy Birthday! Dobby Dobby's Boss
The cake was made by Dobby himself for Harry Potter. Boss taught me lots of new recipes—hope you like it.
"Dobby!"
Harry still remembered the house-elf who'd spent all last year trying to keep him from going back to school. If not for Professor Holmes, who knows how long Dobby would have kept pestering him.
Seeing the cake was from Dobby—well, Harry knew the elf meant no harm, but his methods were… questionable. Especially with that mysterious "boss" of his.
In the end, Harry couldn't bring himself to throw the cake away. It was, after all, the only birthday cake he'd received.
But he didn't dare eat it either. He set it on the desk, letting it brighten the room and add a touch of birthday cheer.
He still remembered that Dobby could appear in his room at any time, and wondered why he hadn't shown up in person, instead sending the cake by owl. Harry would bet Dobby had intercepted the owls again.
Sadly, Harry's happiness lasted only one night.
The next morning, around ten o'clock, the Dursleys were preparing for Aunt Marge's arrival.
Aunt Marge was Uncle Vernon's sister. Though she and Harry were not related by blood—Harry's mother had been Aunt Petunia's sister—Harry had always been forced to call her "Aunt." Aunt Marge lived in the country, in a house with a huge garden, and kept a pack of bulldogs.
She rarely stayed at Privet Drive, unable to bear leaving her beloved dogs. But every visit had left Harry with a new set of traumatic memories.
He remembered all too well nearly having his leg broken, being chased up trees by dogs, being force-fed dog food, and other humiliations.
Uncle Vernon would even threaten him with the guardian signature, forcing Harry to agree to all sorts of unfair terms: be polite, show no "strangeness," and claim he attended St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys.
Harry gritted his teeth. All for Hogsmeade, he told himself.
He never expected that on his birthday, he'd get a "gift" like this. He'd have preferred a pair of Uncle Vernon's smelly socks!
As Aunt Marge moved in and took over the Dursley household, Douglas received a new report from Dobby.
🔥 Want to read the next 20 chapters RIGHT NOW?
💎 Patreon members get instant access!
⚡ Limited-time offer currently running...
👉 [Join on - patreon.com/GoldenLong]