======Ordinary Wizarding Level (O.W.L.)======
=====Object Information=====
  * **Type:** Standardised Examination, Educational Qualification
  * **Owners:** Administered by the [[Wizarding Examinations Authority]] on behalf of the [[Ministry of Magic]].
  * **Maker:** The original creators of the formal wizarding education curriculum. The exact origin is not specified in canon.
=====Description and Appearance=====
The **Ordinary Wizarding Level** examinations, commonly known as **O.W.L.s**, are a standardized set of subject-specific tests taken by fifth-year students at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]]. The process is highly formalized and overseen by external examiners from the [[Wizarding Examinations Authority]].
The examinations take place over a two-week period in June inside the [[Great Hall]], which is magically reconfigured for the occasion. The four house tables are replaced by many small, individual tables, each with a chair, an inkpot, a spare [[quill]], and a roll of blank [[parchment]].
Each O.W.L. subject test consists of two distinct parts:
  * **Written Paper:** A theory-based exam where students must answer questions on parchment. These papers are enchanted with an [[Anti-Cheating Spell]].
  * **Practical Exam:** A performance-based test where students must demonstrate their magical skills in front of an examiner. For instance, the [[Charms]] practical involves performing various spells, while the [[Potions]] practical requires the brewing of a specific potion within a time limit.
O.W.L. results are sent to students via [[owl]] post during the summer holidays. The grading is as follows:
**Pass Grades:**
  * O = Outstanding
  * E = Exceeds Expectations
  * A = Acceptable
**Failing Grades:**
  * P = Poor
  * D = Dreadful
  * T = Troll
=====Magical Properties and Usage=====
The primary purpose of O.W.L.s is to assess a student's magical proficiency after five years of compulsory education. The grades obtained are critical as they determine which subjects a student is qualified to continue studying at the advanced **Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test** ([[N.E.W.T.]]) level in their sixth and seventh years.
Most [[Hogwarts]] professors, such as [[Minerva McGonagall]], require a grade of 'Outstanding' or 'Exceeds Expectations' in a subject's O.W.L. for a student to advance to their [[N.E.W.T.]] class. These qualifications are also essential prerequisites for many wizarding careers. For example, the [[Ministry of Magic]] requires a minimum of five [[N.E.W.T.]]s, with top grades in relevant subjects, for a candidate to be accepted into [[Auror]] training.
The exam papers themselves are imbued with magic, most notably powerful [[Anti-Cheating Spell]]s to prevent students from using enchanted quills or other illicit aids.
=====History=====
O.W.L.s are a long-established part of the wizarding education system. The head of the [[Wizarding Examinations Authority]], [[Griselda Marchbanks]], mentions having personally examined [[Albus Dumbledore]] during his O.W.L.s, indicating the exams have been in place for many decades, if not centuries.
During [[Harry Potter]]'s fifth year, the O.W.L.s were subject to unprecedented interference from the [[Ministry of Magic]] via [[Dolores Umbridge]], the [[Hogwarts High Inquisitor]]. Umbridge observed many of the practical exams, creating an intimidating atmosphere for the students. The period was further marked by significant disruption when Umbridge and several Aurors attempted to sack [[Rubeus Hagrid]] during the [[Astronomy]] practical exam, an event which resulted in [[Professor McGonagall]] being hit by four stunning spells and hospitalized at [[St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries]]. Earlier, [[Fred Weasley]] and [[George Weasley]] staged a spectacular rebellion and departed [[Hogwarts]] in the middle of their Charms written exam.
=====Role in the Story=====
The O.W.L.s serve as a major focus of //Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix//, introducing a significant source of academic stress and realism to the students' lives at [[Hogwarts]]. The preparation and execution of the exams are a central plotline, running parallel to the rising threat of [[Lord Voldemort]].
Key moments during the exams include:
  * **Defence Against the Dark Arts:** [[Harry Potter]] successfully casts a corporeal [[Patronus Charm]] in front of his examiner, [[Professor Tofty]], earning an 'Outstanding'.
  * **History of Magic:** Harry collapses from a vision of [[Sirius Black]] being tortured by [[Voldemort]] in the [[Department of Mysteries]], which precipitates the book's climax.
  * **Divination:** Harry is unsettled when he notices [[Dolores Umbridge]] attempting to eavesdrop on his practical exam with [[Sybill Trelawney]].
The O.W.L. results, received at the beginning of //Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince//, directly shape the academic paths of Harry, [[Ron Weasley]], and [[Hermione Granger]]. Harry's 'Exceeds Expectations' in [[Potions]]—a grade he thought was insufficient—is accepted by the new Potions Master, [[Horace Slughorn]], allowing him to continue the subject and ultimately pursue his ambition of becoming an [[Auror]]. [[Hermione Granger]] earned nine 'O's and one 'E', affirming her status as an exceptional witch.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * J.K. Rowling has confirmed that O.W.L.s are the wizarding world's equivalent of the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary Level, or O-Level, exams that were part of the British education system until being replaced by the GCSE in the late 1980s (J.K. Rowling interview).
  * In the film adaptation of //Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix//, the O.W.L.s are depicted in a montage, emphasizing the sterile, silent environment of the examination hall and the synchronized movements of the students, which is dramatically interrupted by the Weasley twins' firework display (film).