OotP, Chapter Thirty-One - O,W.L.s
Summary tweaked from Spark Notes
After breaking the news that they missed his spectacular Quidditch performance, Harry and Hermione explain Hagrid’s request to Ron, who is horrified by the prospect of visiting with a Giant but does not want to let Hagrid down.
The students begin taking their O.W.L. exams. As they are filling in their star charts in the Astronomy Tower, Harry spies a team of six people entering Hagrid’s cabin. The team attempts to stun Hagrid, waving their wands all at once, but Hagrid successfully deflects the spells. Professor McGonagall runs across the lawn to help him. Four red beams strike her down. Hagrid disappears past the gates. McGonagall, badly hurt, is taken by Professor Trelawney to the hospital wing. That night, Harry gets almost no sleep.
The following morning, Harry is exhausted for his History of Magic O.W.L., falling asleep in the middle of the test. He has another vision. This time, he reaches the room with the glass spheres and, in Voldemort’s voice, instructs a black shape to lift a sphere down for him. The shape on the floor refuses, saying he would die first. Harry then realizes that the shape is actually Sirius and that Voldemort is torturing him.
After breaking the news that they missed his spectacular Quidditch performance, Harry and Hermione explain Hagrid’s request to Ron, who is horrified by the prospect of visiting with a Giant but does not want to let Hagrid down.
The students begin taking their O.W.L. exams. As they are filling in their star charts in the Astronomy Tower, Harry spies a team of six people entering Hagrid’s cabin. The team attempts to stun Hagrid, waving their wands all at once, but Hagrid successfully deflects the spells. Professor McGonagall runs across the lawn to help him. Four red beams strike her down. Hagrid disappears past the gates. McGonagall, badly hurt, is taken by Professor Trelawney to the hospital wing. That night, Harry gets almost no sleep.
The following morning, Harry is exhausted for his History of Magic O.W.L., falling asleep in the middle of the test. He has another vision. This time, he reaches the room with the glass spheres and, in Voldemort’s voice, instructs a black shape to lift a sphere down for him. The shape on the floor refuses, saying he would die first. Harry then realizes that the shape is actually Sirius and that Voldemort is torturing him.