Ginny rolled her eyes and snorted softly. "In age, yes. In knowledge, no. They've always let you skate by, Ron. You didn't do the work because you thought you didn't have to. Dumbledore always got you passing grades because he needed you in all Harry's classes. But he isn't here any more. Nor do we have access to the Potter vaults anymore to secure our futures. So when you sit those exams you need to be able to pass them with good marks. Right now, you can't do that. And the grades you'd get now will really limit your classes next year should you even try. You know it as well as I do." She didn't mention there was a very good chance neither of them would be here the following year as there was a damn good chance their scholarships wouldn't be renewed if they even existed at all.
"They did the same for me which is why I'm struggling with my classes also. Because when I should have been studying I was too busy strutting around making sure no girls were getting close to my property. Or flirting with some other boy I had no business even looking at. We were the Headmaster's pet students and he didn't want us to fail out. So the teachers let us slide by in their classes. How could he use us if we weren't here to be used? But neither of us know what we need to know for our grade level and you know it as well as I do. That's why I went and asked for those placement exams this afternoon. I'll be taking them beginning tomorrow to find my proper class level and I really think it's a good idea. Dad already gave us permission also. So even if Mum doesn't like it she can say and do nothing to stop it from happening. But you have to request it. The teachers can't just tell you they're moving you down a grade level."
Ron frowned. "But that just means more schooling. I hate school," he groused. Ginny said nothing because she knew he wasn't really refusing. He just really didn't like school or studying. Especially now that he wasn't the popular guy on campus. "You really think I should?" he asked her a few minutes later. She nodded and he sighed. He sat silently twiddling with one of her spare quills for a few more minutes before giving a resigned nod. "Then I will. Come with me to her office?"
Ginny smiled and nodded beginning to pile up their study materials. Ron helped her and a few minutes later they left the Gryffindor common room for Minerva's office. Ron formally requested to take the assessment/placement exams and be moved into appropriate classes for those results. He also requested to delay the taking of his Owls based on the results of his placement exams. "I'm not ready for those Owls and no amount of study between now and the end of the year will get me ready for them," he said solemnly.
Minerva smiled ruefully but proudly as she agreed to his request knowing he wasn't ready for his Owls as the other fifth year students were. Quietly after giving him permission she addressed him. "Congratulations Mr. Weasely. You're finally becoming the Gryffindor I always believed you were. Requesting to take these tests now shows both a level of courage and maturity not often found in people your age. I'm proud of you." Ron's eyes glowed and he couldn't help but smile as he walked back to Gryffindor Tower beside his sister.
The placement exams took place throughout the rest of the week and were graded by the staff as soon as they'd been taken. A new schedule was worked out for both students and Ron found himself taking most of his classes with third years. Except Potions. In Potions he was moved down to the second year class.
Ginny had been moved down to repeat her third year also for all of her core classes. It seemed her detentions with Hagrid had served to catch her up to her year level in Care of Magical Creatures. So she remained a fourth year student in that class. But that was her only fourth year class. And both students requested to drop Divinations and pick up Runes in it's place. Since they were restarting their education, it would be allowed at the beginning of the following year when they would join the third year Runes class.
Divinations had been restructured under the new Headmistress but they had discovered just how much more important the study of runes could be in the life of a young witch or wizard. Professor Trelawney had been put on notice to teach her subject well enough to show it wasn't a useless class for the students or she would lose her position here at the Castle.
Both Ron and Ginny had let their class work slip because both had felt they had no reason to learn the material the Professors were trying to instill in them. Ginny had only lost a year of learning but, Ron who'd been slacking off for far longer and on a more wide spread basis, had lost two. Reality had caught up to them and they had a lot of ground to recover. The good news was that recovery was possible. Both were moved from their previous dorms down to the dorms for their new year assignment which gave both a chance to make new friends. Now that neither was pretending to a higher station than they had a right to claim, new friends was a possibility. Yes, they'd have to work for it but it was possible.
The twins, seeing their egos had shrunken and they genuinely were trying to change, helped them all they could, defending them when others spoke out against them for their past behaviors. Once again, they openly claimed them as siblings and let the school know the pair were under their protection. That earned them a soft smile and a hug from Ginny when she heard them defending her in the common room and a handshake from Ron which they repaid with a back slap and a quick hug. They also made it very clear they wouldn't hesitate to stomp on them if they saw or heard of them backsliding into their previous behaviors. They loved them but they wouldn't tolerate either of them using someone else just because some old man told them it was ok to do so.
As for Harry, he just went on with his daily routine studying for his Owls and asking questions of Severus and Madam Pince whenever he encountered something he didn't quite understand. He still refused to have anything to do with the rest of the staff outside of Mr. Filch as even with the change in command he truly didn't think any of them had his best interest in mind. Or at heart.
Neither of the adults he talked to knew what else he was planning but both were sure he did have something else up his sleeve for their society. After all, all he'd done so far was revolutionize Hogwarts and put his most troublesome persons on the sidelines permanently. There was much more to be done to get this society moving forward in the right direction. Both of them felt he had to have a plan for that as well. Then there was the fact that the Dark Lord was out there and a very big menace to any stability his plans might induce. Not to mention, just removing Albus Dumbledore from Hogwarts didn't mean that man was out of commission either. So both were sure Harry had a plan to firmly neutralize both men as well.
They were wrong as both had already been dealt with and would never trouble this world again. But they didn't know that.