"Hey, sit down quick—Professor Viktor's probably almost here!"
"What do you think he's going to teach us today?"
"I hope we get to see some magical creatures we've never heard of."
"I just want him to give us one of those wand launchers. That thing looked so cool!"
"Yeah, or maybe some actual duelling tips."
"Those stingy seventh-years wouldn't even let me touch theirs."
"Hey, when we get sucked into the suitcase later, what's the best landing pose?"
"I'm thinking Transfigure a parachute mid-fall. Worth a try."
Same Magical Creature Protection classroom as always.
The fifth-years were buzzing, trading excited theories about what kind of surprise their new professor had in store.
They were practically vibrating with anticipation.
Yesterday the seventh-years had come swaggering back to their common rooms, bragging nonstop about their "simulated wilderness adventure" and showing off the sleek wand launchers Viktor had let them keep.
Add in the fourth-years proudly displaying the Moonlight Velvet amulets they'd woven themselves, and the fifth-years were already green with envy.
A lot of them had shown up to class ridiculously early just to make sure they got good seats.
Right in the middle of their animated chatter—
Viktor appeared in the doorway, suitcase in hand, with a very wilted-looking Tom trailing behind like a deflated balloon.
The fifth-years didn't even notice at first.
Viktor scanned the room full of bright, eager faces and broke into a blindingly sunny smile.
He set the suitcase casually on the lectern, swept his gaze over the sea of expectant little animals, and spoke.
"Good afternoon, everyone! I'm delighted to see you've all brought your textbooks. Unfortunately… we won't be needing them today. So put them away!"
The room exploded into cheers.
"Everyone ready?"
As he spoke, Viktor rested one hand on the suitcase lid.
The students' excitement hit fever pitch.
"Ready!"
The latches clicked open.
And the thrilled expressions on every face froze instantly.
Because instead of the powerful suction that had yanked the older years into an entire pocket world—
A blizzard of parchment sheets erupted from the case, fluttering and spinning through the air like startled doves.
Viktor snapped his fingers.
Every single sheet landed with perfect precision on a desk in front of a stunned fifth-year.
"Since you're all so well prepared… let's warm up with a little test paper, shall we?"
At the same moment, Viktor's voice—now sounding suspiciously like a demon who'd just found fresh souls—rolled through the room.
"Ahhh!"
He watched their faces cycle rapidly: eager anticipation → stunned confusion → outright disbelief.
His smile only grew brighter.
In his previous life he'd survived as a student in one of China's legendary gaokao provinces (Henan, the academic meat grinder).
Now he was the teacher.
How could he possibly keep the sacred tradition of examinations to himself?
This was, after all, the distilled essence of education from a certain mysterious Eastern great power!
"Quiet!"
Viktor braced both hands on the edge of the lectern, leaning forward slightly, savouring the cocktail of terror and bewilderment on their faces.
"What do you mean 'ah'?" His voice suddenly sharpened, carrying iron-clad authority.
"Look at the paper in your hands. This isn't ordinary parchment.
This is your future.
This is the dividing line of your entire life."
He stepped down from the platform. His boots rang out in the sudden, deathly silence.
He strolled to the front row, stopped in front of a frozen student, and rapped his knuckles hard on the blank sheet.
"O.W.L.s. Ordinary Wizarding Levels. Do you even understand what that means?"
His eyes swept the room, sharp enough to peel back skulls.
"It means you've already been at Hogwarts for five years.
It means the rest of your life."
"Think I'm being dramatic?" Viktor gave a cold laugh, moved to the centre of the room, voice rising and falling like a preacher delivering judgment.
"Let me tell you the reality, ladies and gentlemen.
Your N.E.W.T. subject choices—the ones that actually matter—depend entirely on your O.W.L. results!"
"Bad scores? Sorry.
Potions NEWT, Transfiguration NEWT, Defence Against the Dark Arts NEWT—those elite courses that actually let you stand out in the wizarding world? Doors slammed shut."
He paused, enjoying the way some faces were already going pale.
"And then what? Think about your futures.
Want to join the Ministry? Auror Office demands at least five 'Outstanding' O.W.L.s—including Defence, Herbology, Charms, Potions, and Transfiguration. Mandatory."
"St Mungo's healer training? The bar is terrifyingly high.
Even Gringotts curse-breakers won't look at you twice without top marks in Arithmancy and Ancient Runes."
"But the truly brutal part—" Viktor dropped his voice, serious gaze locking onto every pair of suddenly frightened eyes.
"—isn't just jobs.
This is the first time your social stratum in the wizarding world gets locked in.
Good results → elite classes → advanced magic → valuable connections.
Mediocre results → you hit a ceiling. Maybe you open a little shop in Knockturn Alley someday. Or end up pushing meaningless parchment in the Muggle Liaison Office."
"Meanwhile your classmates become Ministers, Head Healers, Wizengamot members… and you might not even get past the front desk of their offices."
He saw several students unconsciously straighten their spines, anxiety blooming in their eyes.
Perfect. The fear was sinking in. Just like that.
"I know what some of you are thinking. 'I still have two years left, no rush.'
Wrong. Dead wrong!" Viktor's volume spiked.
"O.W.L.s test everything you've learned in five years!
If you don't start systematic review and high-intensity practice now, you think you can cram in the last month?
You think you're Merlin reincarnated?"
"Why do you think the seventh-years get to go on 'adventures'?
Because they already cleared this hurdle! That's the reward!
You're still on the wrong side of it!"
He walked back to the lectern, planted both hands on the suitcase, tone shifting to something almost gentle—but heavy with disappointment.
"Do you know why I'm starting the year this way?
To wake you up.
To show you your real level right now.
This mock paper covers core O.W.L. topics and the most common traps.
Being strict with you today means you won't be the ones staring at your results sheet next summer, wishing you could Obliviate yourselves."
"Put away the daydreams about adventures and cool toys, ladies and gentlemen."
Viktor's final words carried an almost merciful cruelty.
"Now take out your quills.
Write your futures—one stroke at a time—on that parchment."
"One and a half hours.
Show me whether you want to be pillars of the future wizarding world…
or just background scenery."