Soon it was time for the next Quidditch match: Gryffindor against Slytherin. It was the most exciting yet. Of course I supported Slytherin. But after an intense game, Charlie was able to catch the snitch. Although I was secretly happy for him, this time I didn't come to wish him congratulations afterwards.

Less than a month later I received my next note from the potions master. Now I had made sure that I had read all the books. But the idea that I was ready for his next assignment was completely wrong.
'This time, Miss Brown, you're going to convince me you're thinking of a niffler. But in the meantime, you have to solve a math problem that I'm about to say. Your job, of course, is to make sure I don't know you're thinking about your math problem instead of a niffle .' This was already a lot more difficult. But what Snape didn't know was that I was ahead of the rest of the wizard kids with my math. After all, they sucked at it.
'13 x 21', said Severus. I had to think about this for a while. But that was not allowed, I had to think of a niffler. With a drawing of the animal in my head, I tried to solve the product: 13 times 20 is 260...
'Okay stop!' cried Snape, 'It doesn't mean you can't see the numbers that I can't hear the voice in your head. You're not supposed to really think about a niffler, just let me think you're thinking about that.'
'But how do I do that?'
The potions master rolled his eyes:'Ever thought of magic, Brown?'
'Again: 832 - 497' I felt Snape enter my thoughts. In reply I gave him the fantastic beast. The drawing of the niffler was a kind of shield between the intruder and my real thoughts.
'335', I said out of the blue.
'Correct', Snape replied, a little surprised. I decided that now was the time to officially call myself an Occlumens.

Every two months I was expected in the potions office for similar exercises. Each time I got better and better. But occlumency is not like riding a bicycle, you have to maintain it.

Charlie and I visited Gwyrdan again over the Easter break. This time I really swore I'd buy a range rover during the summer holidays and force my dad to teach me how to drive it. We watched the third Star Wars movie together and went to McDonalds, where Charlie ate his first hamburger. The night before Easter, we hid chocolate eggs with heaps for Ginny, Ron, Fred and George.

After the holidays we already had to start thinking about which extra courses we wanted to take next year. Charlie and I knew one thing for sure: we were both going to choose Care of Magical Creatures. But the other subject was still a mystery. Mr. Weasley wanted his son to do Muggle Studies. That was definitely a no-go for me, because of course I already knew all about it. I was more interested in Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. Although I had no idea what that last one meant. But since my father was always so insistent on numbers, I might give it a try. The remaining subject, which Charlie liked, was Divination. But I could do that well enough for my liking.
In the end, Charlie chose Muggle Studies in addition to Care of Magical Creatures. I also chose Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. The average student only had two extra subjects instead of three, but I was still able to drop one.

The end of the school year was celebrated exuberantly in the Great Hall. Gryffindor won the house cup. We passed our exams with flying colors and were ready for the summer holidays. Although I knew I was going to miss Hogwarts terribly for the next two months. Charlie had made me promise to come back to the Burrow during the holidays.
On platform 9 and 3/4 I said goodbye to my friends.