OWLs

[Jim Ferer]

No: HPFGUIDX 131976

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Dave Hardenbrook <DaveH47 at m...>
wrote:
> In the runup to HBP I'm listening to Jim Dale's reading of OOP, and
> I'm on the "OWLs" chapter.  As I listened I was thinking about the
> question people have asked about how Percy could get 12 OWLs when
> there aren't that many classes.
> 
> The passage that struck me was at the end of Harry's practical
> DADA, and it says, "He felt sure he had just achieved an Outstanding
> OWL."  What I'm wondering about is the word "just", as though acing
> the practical exam = 1 OWL.  So is it possible that there are *two*
> possible OWLs awarded per subject, one for the theory
> (written) exam and one for the practical?
> 
> -- 
> Dave

Yes, I think it is possible. Can one of our British listies tell us if
there's bifurcation of results in "O" level exams? OWL's are probably
the same.

The other possibility is there are more subjects than we know of.  I
always believe we get the Reader's Digest version of life in the
wizard world in the books, since JKR can't be writing 1,500 page books
every time out.  Also, Harry could have felt confident enough in his
written DADA OWL that, combined with a runaway practical, he felt he'd
maxed out the exam.  (My experience is that a good practical can
overcome an ordinary written).

Jim Ferer