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The third examiner leaned back slightly, peering over her glasses. "Mr Potter, if you were sitting your NEWTs today, you would likely qualify for Mastery placement in at least four subjects."
Tofty cleared his throat, clearly not ready to let the moment pass. "And what other variation work have you done, Mr Potter?"
Harry looked thoughtful for a second, then gave a quick nod. "Right. Let me show you one that's more utility-based. Less flashy than Patronus Armour, but useful if you've ever tried to deal with magical plumbing."
He flicked his wand to summon a nearby desk, which skidded smoothly across the floor and stopped just in front of him. With another flick, it shifted... legs snapping into new positions, top flattening and folding slightly until it resembled a narrow, sloped pipe held aloft by a crooked stand.
"Standard Water-Making Charm is fine for emergencies," Harry said, glancing at the pipe, "but the output's small. Just enough to wet a cloth, maybe fill a glass."
He raised a hand. "Aguamenti."
A thin stream of water trickled out at the top of the pipe and immediately started pooling there. Before it could run off the sides, he cast again.
"Imprevius."
The pipe shimmered faintly.
"Normally that would repel water, keep things dry. But I've reversed the structure... what I am calling Pervius, for now. Makes objects attract water instead. Keeps flow tight, no waste through absorption or heat loss."
As if on cue, the water ran cleanly through the slanted pipe, gathering at the end and dropping neatly into the summoned bucket below. Not a drop spilled.
The examiners leaned forward. One even murmured, "Merlin's hat…"
"To hold the water," Harry continued, "the bucket's been lightly charmed with magnetic attraction to water. Same principle we use on cauldron bottoms to stabilise boiling ingredients. Just reapplied."
He gave the contraption a small nudge. The pipe held steady. The stream of water stayed contained.
"Useful in field settings," Harry added. "Portable water stations, makeshift funnels, controlled flow for potionwork when you are brewing without a full lab."
Flitwick looked beside himself. "How did you manage the reversal?"
Harry shrugged. "Worked backwards from Imprevius's anchor matrix, then layered a reworked Adhesion Charm structure underneath it. Took a while to stop it clumping like glue."
The examiner with the half-moon glasses was scribbling madly, eyes flicking between Harry and the pipe. "And how long did this development take?"
"Few afternoons," Harry said casually, rubbing his knuckles. "More time went into sealing the leak points. You don't want splashback when you are trying to water your aunt's garden and accidentally turn the hose into a geyser."
The joke earned a faint chuckle from one of the witches. Even Tofty looked vaguely amused, though he quickly disguised it with a stern cough.
They leaned in, voices dropping as they muttered to each other... half words, a few raised brows, a scribbled note from the examiner in the middle. Harry stayed where he was, hands in his pockets, waiting with a soft smile.
After five solid minutes, Tofty looked up, clearly the one nominated to speak.
"We are uncertain how to grade your work, my boy."
Harry blinked, feigning offence. "I wasn't that bad, was I?"
Tofty gave a short chuckle, shaking his head. "Oh, quite the opposite. 'Outstanding' wouldn't do it justice. But... this is unprecedented."
Before the others could chime in, Flitwick piped up from his spot to the side. "The grading standard was meant to allow for some flexibility." He gave a tiny shrug, eyes twinkling. "So, since 'Outstanding' no longer fits... might I suggest we consider a mark higher?"
That earned a few frowns from the examiners. One of them even leaned back in her chair and glanced over the edge of her spectacles. "There isn't a grade higher."
Another examiner glanced down at the report parchment. "We would need to flag it for the board."
"Then flag it," Tofty said without hesitation. "Potter's work today qualifies." Tofty smiled faintly. "You've earned more than that, Mr Potter. Quite frankly, if this were a N.E.W.T. panel, you would be halfway to Master status."
The middle witch pulled out a compact mirror, tapping it a few times, speaking in quick words to whoever was on the other end. The other examiners leaned in, listening as she relayed the details.
The witch nodded once at the mirror and snapped it shut. "Results confirmed."
Tofty stood and cleared his throat, adjusting his robes like he was about to announce exam results at the Wizengamot.
"Mr Potter, your score in Charms has been recorded as Marvelous," he said, with no trace of sarcasm. "A new official rank, above Outstanding, just ratified within Ministry records."
Harry blinked, eyebrows raising. "They are making up new grades now?"
One of the witches nodded. "We had to call the Department for Magical Education. They signed off on it immediately. This... well, this hasn't happened before."
"I will take that as a compliment," Harry said, slipping his wand back into his sleeve.
Flitwick gave a sharp nod from the side, practically glowing with pride. "That concludes your practical exam, Mr Potter. You are dismissed."
Harry gave them a polite nod and turned for the door.
As soon as it clicked shut behind him, his friends were already gathering around.
"How badly did you show off?" Pansy asked.
Harry shot her a look. "Marvelously."
She snorted. "What, no dramatic spellwork? No silver fireworks? No breakdancing egg cups?"
"Bit of waterworks. Bit of charm layering. Might've made a Patronus suit."
Harry led the way down the stone corridor toward the Slytherin common room, "They invented a new grade for me."
Everyone stopped.
Even Astoria, who was skipping ahead, spun on her heel and stared.
"You what?" Tracey blinked.
Daphne narrowed her eyes. "Invented?"
Harry settled onto the couch, as they arrived to the common room, like he hadn't just dropped that casually. "Yeah. Whole thing's official. Approved by the Department. Recorded. Stamped. Sent off. Proper Ministry bureaucracy."
"You said you would try," Susan said, catching up from the side, "but I didn't think..."
"I did," Luna said, dreamy as ever.
"Of course you did," Ginny muttered.
"Wait... you are serious? What did they call it?" Fred nearly fell off the arm of his chair.
George leaned forward. "Please tell me it's something ridiculous like 'Superb' or 'Brilliantly Bonkers'."
"Marvelous."
Fred burst out laughing. "No. Shut up. You are having us on."
Harry held up both hands. "Swear on Merlin's beard. Marvelous. Got it from the Charms panel themselves."
Daphne dropped into the armchair opposite. "Unbelievable."
"Completely believable," Tracey said. "It is Harry."
"It is ridiculous," Susan added, sitting on the floor with her back to the hearth. "You are going to ruin the OWL average."
Harry chuckled, leaning back with a flourish. "No, no. The grade exists so I wouldn't tank the curve for you lot. You pheasants can breathe now."
Every head turned toward him with synchronised glares.
Tracey gave him a look that could've curdled milk. "Pompous little..."
"...miracle he fits through doors anymore," Daphne added, arms folded.
"Hey, I am helping," Harry said, lounging back. "They will grade you on a curve below me. You are welcome."
Susan raised an eyebrow. "That is not how curves work."
"Doesn't matter," Tracey muttered. "He will twist it so it sounds like we owe him chocolate."
"I do accept bribes," Harry said cheerfully. "Slytherin House policy."
Fred stretched his legs over the arm rest, only for Ginny to slap them away. "Right, we've got Marvelous now? What is next? Splendid? Outrageously Talented?"
"Fantabulous," George offered. "Top marks in Being a Git."
Harry gave a lazy grin. "Flitwick looked two seconds from hugging me. I am fairly sure I could've demanded a teaching position."
"Don't tempt fate," Pansy said. "You would be worse than Snape. All 'figure it out yourselves' and surprise exams before breakfast."
"I wouldn't teach," Harry said, wrinkling his nose. "I would supervise. With a chair. And snacks."
"Supervise what?" Ginny asked, shaking her head. "Ministry collapse? Horcrux scavenger hunts?"
Luna tapped a finger against her chin. "He could lead a study on magical anomalies. Or odd socks."
"Same thing," said Astoria, dropping onto the floor with her legs crossed. "Both go missing and no one explains how."
Hannah snorted, flipping open her book. "If Harry leads a department, I want hazard pay."
"I will write it into the budget," Harry said with mock solemnity.
Cho, leaning back against the wall, finally said, "You lot act like this is normal."
Susan glanced over. "You've seen him duel. You think this is not normal?"
Cedric gave a small shake of his head. "Wisdom is knowing Harry is just a cheat. Maturity is realising you've no hope of competing."
That got a laugh out of Tracey, who kicked her legs up on the arm of the couch. "We all gave up back in second year. Only took you till OWLs?"
Cedric shrugged, hands raised in surrender. "Some of us had hope."
Harry waved a hand. "You lot act like I don't earn this."
"You do," Daphne said. "That is the worst bit."
Harry made a lazy gesture. "Not my fault you lot asked."
"No one asked," Susan muttered from the hearth. "You told the whole story three times. With added spell-by-spell commentary."
"I was being thorough."
"Bragging," Hannah corrected.
"Accurate," Luna said looking with stars in her eyes. "He was marvellous. All capital letters."
Fred clapped once. "We are making it a badge."
"Badge?" George blinked. "No, mate. Full set. Robes, badge, and a business card. Marvelous Potter… Destroyer of OWL Curves and Expert in Magical Plumbing.
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