Brianna Cathaline Quinn-Smith’s OWLs
Core Classes
Astronomy: One thing Brianna could never figure out was why Astronomy, of all things, was a Core Class at Hogwarts, rather than an Elective, as math or even Latin would be of more use than this class. While it was an interesting class, the late hours it required were always a bone of contention, especially given she almost always had an early class the morning afterwards, and that it wasn’t to figure into her post-OWL class plan. Still, Brianna was of the mind to do well in the class, so as not to ruin her grade point, and her efforts on the OWL reflect this ~ Exceeds Expectations
Charms: So far as Brianna was concerned if you couldn’t cast Charms you weren’t a watch, as simple and succinct as that. So, she endeavored to be as competent as she possibly could be when it came to this basic sort of spell-casting. A goodly measure of time and energies were committed to her doing well on the OWL. She aced the written portion with ease, and she handled the practical portion with equal facility. Unlike certain other students, she chose to do the whole exam with her wand, thank you ~ Outstanding
Defense Against the Dark Arts: Being the Captain of the Dueling Club, there was absolutely no excuse for Brianna to put up anything other than a top grade in the class, and as a result, she poured a fair amount of her OWL prep into making sure she came out with the grade expected out of her. The written portion, Brianna breezed through with ease, and she tackled the practical portion with only minor difficulties. When her boggart took the form of her parents telling her what a loser she was, it was all she could do not to be crushed by their words, however, she laughed her way into an ~ Outstanding
Herbology: This is one course that Brianna has had a lot of issues with over the years, and for much of her career, she’s had Ron to help her along. Coming into her Fifth Year, she knew she needed to buckle down and make her own way without her big brother holding her hand. One thing she did was to volunteer to mentor the younger students in the Herbology Club, forcing her to be more competent and conversant with the subject matter, she also had copies of Ron’s notes (wherein he basically rewrote the Herbology textbooks to include his observations and the methodology he picked up from other sources). She was able to post high marks on the written exam, and she did well enough on the practical to scrape together a hard-fought-for ~ Exceeds Expectations
History of Magic: One thing which weirded out Brianna was not only was this class taught by one of her mother’s old teachers, but that she had had a crush on him at one point. Beyond this, Brianna excelled at keeping track of names and dates, which ensured she would do well in the class. The Fifth Year studied hard in preparation for the OWL, and she was able to post a high grade on the exam and answer all the extra credit questions as well – Outstanding
Potions: Potions was one of those classes that Ron had to tutor Brianna in as they made their way through the years. Adding to her frustration was how easily it came to her brother, and how it had to look that while their father was a research pharmacologist, she couldn’t hack the work. Again, she had copies of Ron’s comprehensive study notes to work from. She did well on the written portion of the OWL, however, it was the practical where she had her difficulties. As a result of her problems with the practical portion of the exam, she was barely able to hang onto an ~ Exceeds Expectation
Transfiguration: This was a results-oriented and rather logical sort of magic which Brianna had little issue taking to. She was comfortable enough with working it that she was tutoring Csuri in the basics of Transfigurations, when the latter was a First Year, and she has continued to be her tutor whenever her friend admitted she needed it. Brianna also got very good at unraveling her own mistakes, as she didn’t care for the cavalier way animals were used in their lessons. Even she balked at the idea of Vanishing the kitten, especially when it started rubbing her hand and purring loudly, and she made certain the little creature was restored unharmed immediately after the examiner was satisfied with her work. Bubber Hairfoot has a new playmate ~ Outstanding
Elective Classes
Cursebreaking: While this class was intended for those planning to be Cursebreakers, Brianna saw there could be applications which might come in handy in the line of work she was aiming towards, and if anything it meant she might stand out from other applicants. The coursework was an advanced Charms class, and it was challenging, however, Brianna found it interesting enough to keep at it. She put a goodly amount of effort prepping for this OWL, and put up a top score as a result ~ Outstanding
Healing Arts: This was one of those classes that Brianna took at the advice of her mother, citing how useful it was to have that knowledge when she applied at the Ministry for a job. That said, it didn’t help taking the class in Ron’s shadow, and it was known her mother was a Senior Healer at St. Mungo’s, so she was under a bit of pressure to do well in the course, even if she wasn’t planning to be a Healer herself. The written exam went well, and while she handled she mechanics of the practical portion well enough, her people-handling skills were seen to be lacking in warmth. ‘I'm going to set your arm, and it’s going to hurt. Don't scream in my ear, please.’ ~ Exceeds Expectations
Muggle Studies: Brianna has lived in a household where both the magical and the Muggle worlds coexist all of her life. Her father is a Muggle researcher, and so she learned how to handle the modern technology of the 2060s as an everyday part of her life. She was taking this exam as part of the requirements for working as an Obliviator for the Ministry after graduation. As part of her testing, she wrote a detailed essay on the development of modern pharmaceuticals in comparison with how Potions are developed. Needless to say, she did well on this OWL ~ Outstanding
Wandless Magic: This was one of those classes that Brianna saw as being too darned useful not to take, particularly if she planned to be an Obliviator. There was also the thought that if somebody took her wand away, she didn’t want to find herself unable to do anything with her magic. The biggest problem she had was learning how to control her emotions and focusing her mind when casting magic, as she had a temper and could become frustrated quickly if she didn’t do something to her level of satisfaction in a prompt enough fashion. Brianna worked quite hard to master wandless technique sufficiently to earn a solid ~ Outstanding
Wizard Law: This was another class Brianna’s mother advised her to take, as having the skill set would help her get in at the Ministry, and ensure that even if she were unable to be an Obliviator, she could always get job working for her great-grandfather’s friends in the Ministry. She soon discovered she had an aptitude for the coursework, assembling cases and presenting them rather like a scientist putting forth a treatise, a talent she inherited from her father. When it came time for the OWL, her case was well-written and presented, with closing arguments the panel of Ministry examiners found difficult to refute ~ Outstanding
