The last day of fifth year arrived with a burst of summer heat that melted the final traces of spring. Students packed their trunks, exchanged addresses, and promised to write. Edmund stood on the platform at Hogsmeade station, waiting for the train that would carry him home. His friends were scattered around him, their faces tired but relieved. The O.W.L.s were behind them. Now they waited for results.
"I can't believe it's over," Arthur said, leaning against the wall of the train. "Five years. One more to go."
"Two more," Cassius corrected. "Sixth and seventh."
"Right. Two more."
Horace was reading a letter from his mother, his round face creased with concern. "She wants to know how I think I did. I told her I don't know. The results don't come until July."
"She'll survive," Cassius said. "Mothers always do."
Astrid stood apart, her rune stones in her pocket, her eyes on the horizon. She did not speak. She did not need to.
The train whistle blew. They climbed aboard, found their usual compartment near the back, and settled in for the journey. The countryside slid past the window—green hills, dark lochs, scattered farms. Edmund watched it all, his mind already turning toward the summer ahead.
---
The Prince manor was waiting when he returned. Mrs. Larch had opened the windows, aired the rooms, left food in the kitchen. The library was as he had left it—books stacked on the desk, notes spread across the table, the fire cold in the hearth.
He spent the first week resting. He walked the grounds, visited the cemetery where his ancestors lay, sat by the stream he had discovered years ago. He did not study. He did not practice. He simply existed.
The letters began to arrive in July.
The first was from Arthur.
*Edmund,*
*Grandmother says the O.W.L. results should come any day now. I'm terrified. I keep going over the exams in my head, second-guessing every answer. What if I failed Defence? What if I have to retake the whole year?*
*I know I'm being dramatic. But I can't help it.*
*Write back when you get your friends' results. I'll let you know mine.*
*—Arthur*
The second was from Cassius.
*Edmund,*
*My father has been pacing the study for three days. He's convinced I failed Transfiguration. I keep telling him I didn't, but he won't listen. He's already writing letters to the Ministry, demanding a review of the grading process. I'm going to kill him.*
*On the bright side, I've been offered a spot on a summer Quidditch league. Practice starts next week. If I don't write for a while, that's why.*
*—Cassius*
The third was from Horace.
*Edmund,*
*I've been brewing potions every day to keep my mind off the results. It doesn't help. I still think about the exams constantly. My mother says I need to relax. My father says I need to prepare for the worst. I don't know who to listen to.*
*I'm enclosing a list of the potions I've brewed this summer. Tell me if you see any mistakes.*
*—Horace*
The fourth was from Astrid.
*Edmund,*
*The results will come when they come. Worrying will not change them.*
*I have been studying runes from the family archives. There is a symbol I do not recognize—a spiral, like the one on your ring. Do you know what it means?*
*—Astrid*
Edmund wrote back to each of them, offering what comfort he could. He did not know what the spiral meant. But he promised to find out.
---
The O.W.L. results arrived on the fifteenth of July.
Edmund was in the library when Perseus dropped a thick envelope on his desk. The seal was from Hogwarts, but the letter inside was addressed to him—not his results, but a summary of his friends' scores, sent at their request. They had asked the school to include him in the distribution.
He unfolded the parchment and read.
**O.W.L. RESULTS – CLASS OF 1904 (FIFTH YEAR)**
**Cassius Warrington**
- Transfiguration: Outstanding
- Charms: Outstanding
- Potions: Exceeds Expectations
- Defence Against the Dark Arts: Outstanding
- Herbology: Exceeds Expectations
- History of Magic: Acceptable
- Astronomy: Exceeds Expectations
**Arthur Merrythought**
- Defence Against the Dark Arts: Outstanding
- Charms: Outstanding
- Transfiguration: Exceeds Expectations
- Potions: Exceeds Expectations
- Herbology: Acceptable
- History of Magic: Acceptable
- Astronomy: Acceptable
**Horace Slughorn**
- Potions: Outstanding
- Herbology: Outstanding
- Charms: Outstanding
- Transfiguration: Exceeds Expectations
- Defence Against the Dark Arts: Exceeds Expectations
- History of Magic: Exceeds Expectations
- Astronomy: Exceeds Expectations
**Astrid Greengrass**
- Ancient Runes: Outstanding
- Arithmancy: Outstanding
- Charms: Outstanding
- Transfiguration: Outstanding
- Potions: Outstanding
- Defence Against the Dark Arts: Outstanding
- Herbology: Outstanding
- History of Magic: Outstanding
- Astronomy: Outstanding
- Muggle Studies: Outstanding
Edmund stared at Astrid's results. Ten Outstandings. She had taken ten O.W.L.s and achieved Outstanding in every one. He had known she was brilliant, but this was something else.
He wrote to each of them immediately.
*Cassius – You passed everything. Your father can stop pacing. And yes, Transfiguration was Outstanding. I told you so.*
*Arthur – You got Outstanding in Defence. Grandmother will be proud. Stop worrying about failing.*
*Horace – Outstanding in Potions and Herbology. Your mother was right. You needed to relax.*
*Astrid – Ten Outstandings. I'm not surprised. The spiral on my ring is old. Older than the Prince family. I'm still researching. I'll let you know what I find.*
He sealed the letters and gave them to Perseus. The barn owl took them one by one, winging out into the summer morning.
---
The rest of the summer was a balance of study and rest.
Edmund continued his N.E.W.T. preparation for the niche subjects—Alchemy, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Muggle Studies, History of Magic, Healing Magic, and Wardcraft. He had made significant progress in all of them, but there was still work to do.
He also reviewed the core subjects—Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Defence, Herbology, and Astronomy—to ensure he was ready to join the sixth-year N.E.W.T. classes in the fall. His friends would be in those classes too, having chosen their N.E.W.T. subjects based on their O.W.L. results.
Cassius was taking Transfiguration, Charms, Defence, and Herbology. Arthur was taking Defence, Charms, and Transfiguration. Horace was taking Potions, Herbology, Charms, and Transfiguration. Astrid was taking Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Defence, Herbology, and History of Magic.
Edmund would be taking all of those, plus the niche subjects he had been studying all year. His schedule would be brutal. But he was ready.
**Progress – End of August**
*N.E.W.T. Preparation (Niche Subjects – Year 5 complete):*
- Alchemy: 68%
- Ancient Runes: 72%
- Arithmancy: 65%
- Care of Magical Creatures: 70%
- Divination: 45%
- Muggle Studies: 75%
- History of Magic: 60%
- Healing Magic: 82%
- Wardcraft: 72%
*Core Subjects (Ready for Year 6 N.E.W.T. classes):*
- Charms: 78%
- Transfiguration: 70%
- Potions: 75%
- Defence Against the Dark Arts: 68%
- Herbology: 65%
- Astronomy: 60%
He was on track. Sixth year would be the hardest—balancing nine niche subjects with six core subjects, all at N.E.W.T. level. But he had prepared for this. He had been preparing for years.
---
On the last day of August, Edmund packed his trunk. His prefect badge was pinned to his robes. His wand was in his pocket. Perseus was on his shoulder.
The carriage would take him to King's Cross in the morning. Sixth year was beginning. He would be in classes with his friends again—Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Defence, Herbology, and Astronomy. They would sit together, study together, complain about homework together.
He would also continue his niche subjects, meeting with professors in small groups or individual tutorials. Those classes would be solitary, but he was used to that.
He was ready.
---
The Hogwarts Express was crowded when Edmund boarded. He found his friends in their usual compartment—Cassius, Arthur, Horace, and Astrid. They looked older, somehow. More settled. The O.W.L.s were behind them. N.E.W.T.s lay ahead.
"You're back," Cassius said, sliding the door open for him. "We were starting to think you'd missed the train."
"I wouldn't miss this."
Arthur grinned. "Sixth year. Can you believe it?"
"Easily," Horace said. "I've been ready since fifth year."
Astrid looked up from her rune stones. "How many classes are you taking this year?"
"Fifteen," Edmund said. "The nine niche subjects I started last year, plus the six core subjects. Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Defence, Herbology, and Astronomy—those are the ones I'll be in with you."
Cassius stared. "Fifteen N.E.W.T. subjects. At the same time."
"Yes."
"You're insane."
"Probably."
They laughed, and the train began to move. Edmund watched London slide away, the buildings thinning, the green of the countryside spreading out beneath a pale September sky. He was a sixth year now. He had two years until his N.E.W.T.s. He had friends who would be in some of his classes, professors who knew him by name, and a future that was beginning to take shape.
The system pulsed softly.
**System Notification: Sixth Year – Initialization**
*N.E.W.T. preparation continues. Fifteen subjects active. Core subjects to be taken with peers. Niche subjects continue via small-group and individual tutorials.*
*Projected N.E.W.T. sitting: End of seventh year.*
*Roadmap status: On track.*
Edmund dismissed the interface and leaned back in his seat. His friends' voices washed over him—Cassius arguing with Arthur about Quidditch, Horace reading aloud from a Potions text, Astrid carving a rune stone in comfortable silence.
He was not alone. He had never been alone.
The sixth year had begun.
---