The eighth year is optional, which means everybody in it has nowhere else to be.

The war took your seventh year. The Ministry has decided to give it back to you in one lump.

The east wing has no curfew, no prefects worth obeying, and four banners nobody salutes any more.

Mione still wears the badge. Malfoid still wears flying leathers and has spoken to neither of you since June.

There is one class on the whole timetable and the teacher has not been seen since September.