Hermione's O.W.L.s

[Judy]

Just a few points from the hundreds of posts I've read in the past 24 
hours:

On the topic of why Hermione got only 11 O.W.L.s, Rita said:
> > In any case, I don't understand how Hermione only got 11 OWLs when
> > Bill and Percy got 12. She has been established as an unusually
> > outstanding student that doesn't come along as often as every 4 
> > years.

Amy replied:
> I wondered the same.  Maybe Percy and Bill took a subject that is 
> no longer offered.  Or maybe it's JKR's notorious innumeracy again.

I assumed that Bill and Percy (and Barty Crouch, Jr.) took the 
Divination O.W.L., but Hermione refused to because she had utter 
contempt for the subject.  I'm assuming she could sit an exam even if 
she hadn't taken the class, and that that is how she got her 11th 
O.W.L. -- she took the Muggle Studies test even thought she had 
dropped the course.  In the career advice chapter in OoP, Hermione 
mentions an interest in going into Muggle Relations, which requires 
the Muggle Studies O.W.L.

I find myself wishing the U.S. had a test system, rather than the 
current matriculation system.  Anyone other Americans agree with me?

Catchingup!Judy