A Muggle’s Guide to the MuggleNet OWLs

by · June 6, 2014

In the spirit of the swiftly approaching MuggleNet OWLs, or Ordinary Wizarding Levels, I thought I’d put together a list of references and little tidbits of information to help with test prep – a virtual cheat sheet if you will. There are 12 comprehensive exams (one for each of the courses taught at Hogwarts) that will cover things like Astronomy, Charms, Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, and more, which aren’t easy by any means. They’re timed (30 minutes for a 50-question exam and 20 minutes for a 25-er), and the questions will range in difficulty from easy to extremely hard.

Exams will begin June 16 and will be held in MuggleNet’s Great Hall until midnight on June 29. And remember, preparation is key – we’re hoping Calming Draughts aren’t too popular this year for Madam Pomfrey’s sake.

 

Hogwarts students taking OWL exams in the great hall

 

Some Random Facts about OWLs:

  • OWL exams are sat for during a student’s fifth year at Hogwarts and are taken over a period of two successive weeks.
  • Exams are divided into two portions – theory and practical – which occur in the morning and afternoon, respectively (aside from Astronomy, of course, which occurs at night).
  • OWLs are much like the GCSE exams taken by students in the UK today.
  • Passing Grades for OWLs are O (Outstanding), E (Exceeds Expectations), and A (Acceptable).
  • Failing Grades for OWLs are P (Poor), D (Dreadful), and T (Troll).
  • Both Anti-Cheating Quills and Anti-Cheating Spells are used to prevent any dishonesty.
  • It is said that at least one student attempts to cheat every year, and none have been successful since 1896.

 

Some Resources:

 

 

MuggleNet Interactive

MNI is a great place to start, with both the forums and classes being a great place to learn about and review some of the material taught at Hogwarts. You can take refresher courses, chat with others who are prepping for the exams, and even visit Diagon Alley. Make sure to register and check everything out here!

 

A photo of Harry Potter holding his wand out, aiming at the camera. Overlaid is text that reads "Would you pass your Harry Potter Charms OWLs?"

 

Online Quizzes

Buzzfeed recently released a practice article called “Would You Pass Your ‘Harry Potter’ Charms O.W.L.?”, a ten-question pop quiz to test your readiness in the subject of Charms. I have to admit, I actually found this a little challenging and passed with a score I’m much too embarrassed to publicly reveal (oops).

Here are some other practice tests you can take:

 

Some Tips:

 

a word cloud of harry potter spells in yellow and black on a red background

 

Study Up on Spells!

Don’t underestimate the power of knowing spells and what they mean! Knowing what spells to use in a particular situation can help you in other exams aside from your Charms OWL. You can find a full list of spells with a description of what they do here.

 

 

Check out MuggleNet’s “The Little Things”

Click here to take a look at some of the important little details from the entire Potter canon – my initial instinct is to focus on the “Things You May Have Missed” tab, but an entire quick read would be beneficial to anyone sitting for the MN OWLs, I’m sure.

Remember, the MuggleNet OWLs will be covering not only the books but also some of the other outside resources and material like Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages, and more.

Study up, and good luck!