Discrepancy of skills

[zgirnius]

No: HPFGUIDX 147871


> Becky replies: 
>    
> I think it is absolutely disgraceful that 
> an examiner would seek to give someone top 
> grades just because they believed them to 
> have above average general knowledge - the 
> point is surely how well you perform in the 
> exam, not for examiners to help you cheat. 

zgirnius:
I think you are misunderstanding Miles' point, I do not think he was 
suggesting the examiners would, or ought to, cheat to help Hermione. 
The examiner would give Hermione the chance to get the best grade by 
providing her the opportunity to 'show her stuff', such as possibly 
asking her to perform more advanced spells than would be asaked of 
other students, if she is able. (As in fact we see Harry's examiner 
do, by having him demonstrate the Patronus spell).

This is definitely something that can happen with a one-on-one oral 
sort of exam. It has happened to me before.

But I think it is fine that Hermione got the E in DADA, regardless.  
First, the examiners are not teachers at the school so they actually 
may not knew that Hermione is likely the top overall student at 
Hogwarts in her year. And second, since she does get nervous, I could 
see her blowing an easy opening problem on her practical (Boggart, 
anyone?) and this affecting her performance on the rest of the 
practical enough to bring her doubtless perfect written exam score 
down to an E. She did get Os in everything else, including subjects 
Harry is not even taking.