Whenever I see someone thinking Harry's and Ron's grades are average or the guys are a bit dumb, I know it's coming from someone very young and unfamiliar with the British grade system of the 80s. I've just seen people complaining that Hermione received one EE as if it is horrible. Not in this specific universe!
Rowling clearly based Hogwarts' grading system on O-levels and A-levels from the 1980s, when she went to school. At that time, there was no grade inflation yet (nowadays, almost half of the year receives an A, and they have even added an A* to better differentiate).
The number of A grades was restricted to 10% at most. Students even got into universities with BBC grades, and B used to be something to be proud of.
A, B, and C assured you that you could continue with the subject at A-levels reserved for university applicants. I've seen our transfer students freaking out because of a B even though it's exceeding the expected amount of knowledge.
Hermione not receiving one O is just her not outshining everyone else in a single subject. Harry and Ron receiving that many good passes while not even studying half as much as Hermione is a tremendous achievement.
Moreover, let's remember that grades are correlated with high executive functioning skills, not high intelligence or general ability. The grade distribution was not bell-shaped the way the IQ is, even in the 80s. And the canon is pretty clear that magical power, at least at the school level, isn't either. So, the Golden Trio is brilliant; it's not 2024; they are in the UK. Let's mind the context while analyzing old books.
168 notes
·
View notes
https://bethany-749.tengp.icu/gt/xk6Cw7e
https://bethany-749.tengp.icu/gt/xk6Cw7e
123 notes
·
View notes
[https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/197565459]
Long-Eared Owl || Asio otus
Observed in United States
Vulnerable in location of observation
26 notes
·
View notes
I felt like painting something with owls and cats again and suddenly this idea popped up in my head.
13K notes
·
View notes
wanted to paint these owls
39K notes
·
View notes