In Third Year, students were given a wide selection of optional, extracurricular classes to choose from.
With Remus still collecting books on becoming a Pokemagnus, Harry and Nasrin had happily signed up for Professor Trelawney's 'Pokemon Mystical Arts' class in the hopes of learning more about Speaking and Veelas.
"Well, that was a waste of time." Harry muttered as they hurried down the steps from the shortest Hogwarts tower, Robin and Hedwig still sneezing and fussing from the smell.
"Are you okay?" Nasrin worried, cuddling a coughing, hacking Mulan in one arm opposite her Eggs while Hermione stumbled after, pale.
"Sorry…" The bushy-haired girl apologized, pulling out a tissue to cough violently into as Neville steadied her. "But Professor Trelawney-"
"It was like looking into the future, right?"
Ariel turned to glare at Ron, who held his hands up defensively.
"I'm just saying. Bushy hair, big thick nerd glasses, yammers on about things no one understands-"
He cut off obediently when the Brionne whacked him upside the head, hands shoved into pockets.
"I'll just be quiet now."
"Are you sure you're okay, Hermione?" Neville repeated, rubbing at itchy eyes until a quick kiss eased the discomfort.
"Yes, thank you. All that incense and smoke and perfume just gave me a raging headache."
"I know what you mean." The Longbottom agreed, glad when Mulan's discomfort evaporated and the pair of owls on Harry's shoulders settled. "I spend my summers tending to the Longbottom Venusaur, and they release huge clouds of pollen. I built up a tolerance to most flowery things, but all those allergens are nothing compared to Professor Trelawney's classroom."
"I don't know how her Nosepass stand it." The half-Gem agreed, Ariel grumbling. "Mimikyu doesn't even have a nose, and she hates when Lilligant and Bellossom start dripping pollen."
"I wouldn't have minded it if she'd actually taught us something." Harry complained, glad to reach a more open hallway.
"I mean, I don't think she said a single word the entire time we were in there that made sense."
"She didn't talk about any of the lost arts at all. At least Lockhart's stories were interesting."
"All she talked about was opening your inner eye and the 'mysteries of life'. What does that even mean?"
"To open your eyes? To seek out life and it's mysterious…mystery…mysteries?"
Another THWACK, and Ron once more shoved both hands in his pockets.
"Just saying…"
"And what was with her predicting my death?" Harry continued, reigniting Nasrin's ire.
"Who looks at a thirteen-year-old and tells them they're going to die a beautifully tragic death by end of term?"
"I think she said it was going to be tragically beautiful." Hermione corrected. "But you have a point. I think I'll just stick with Ancient Languages."
"Not me!" Ron chirped. "She gave us all A's just for sitting there! That class is going to be a cakewalk!"
"Is that all you care about?" The bushy-haired Third Year asked, scholarly outrage awoken. "That it was an easy class? We're supposed to be here to learn and become better trainers, and prepare for our futures! How can you even begin to do that if all you're focused on is getting the easiest grade you can get?"
"I won't have a future if I don't pull any A's." Ron reasoned. "You know what the likelihood of getting a job out of Hogwarts is if you don't have a single A on your record? Zilch. And I'm not like Crabbe or Goyle, who can rely upon their fathers or their buddy Draco to get them something to pay the bills. I'm going to need to fight with everything I got to make it in this region."
"But isn't that the point? You need to get the best education you can get if you want to compete."
"I won't be able to compete if everyone tosses my resume away! Professor Trelawney's class is my best hope."
"Don't be so dramatic, Ron." Nasrin assured, fingers curling around her Eggs at a happy little wiggle. "One of my grandmas has a custom Poke Ball Crafting business, and she'd love an apprentice to take over."
"Really?" The Weasley replied, wide-eyed.
"Of course."
Admitting defeat, Hermione turned to Harry, knowing his answer would speak for both of them.
"What about you?"
"I'm done. My life is dangerous enough. I don't need some flowery-smelling bint predicting my death on a daily basis!"
"Harry!" She gasped, scandalized, but a quiet look had the bushy-haired girl backing down.
While Nasrin had reconciled her own feelings about what happened with Lockhart and started opening up again, Hermione knew that her relationship with the Potter was still unsure.
"What are you guys talking about?" Ginny asked, Luna looping her arm through Neville's.
"Professor Trelawney's class." The Longbottom answered. "She predicted Harry was going to die."
"Everyone dies." The half-Veela replied. "So, she's going to be right one day."
"Thanks for the pick-me-up, Luna."
"You're welcome!"
"Was it really that bad?" Ginny asked her brother.
"I didn't think so."
"You weren't the one who was being told 'you shall die when the pale moon shines brightest' by someone who smelled like a tavern that had a Bellossom explode inside!"
"Was that what that smell was?" Neville mused.
"Yup." Nasrin assured, popping the 'p' with surety.
"Flowers, whiskey, and shame. Smelled like my Aunt Marge's house."
Both shrugged at their friends' uncomprehending stares.
"Think a female Hagrid who likes to wear really strong perfume."
"And has a bottle of cooking sherry always around, but never cooks."
"And now I have the image of Hagrid in a dress stuck in my mind." Ron groused. "Thanks, mate."
"I have the image of Neville dressed like a cowboy." Luna voiced, smiling. "I don't know why, but I do!"
"Mine is Harry as Percy Jackson." Nasrin admitted, giggling at the boy's curious look. "Trust me, it suits you."
"How was Battle Class?" Hermione asked the Second Years, hoping to redirect the conversation.
"Real fun." Ginny answered, pleased. "Professor Lupin is a much better teacher than Lockhart. He taught us all about type advantage and then, when we had some extra time before the end of class, he showed us his Zorua! It was cool. Mooney can shapeshift into scary things!"
"Yeah, he did the same for us." Ron agreed, trying to gloss over how that first class had ended. "What did he become for you, Gin?"
"Ugh, a zombie!" The youngest Weasley spat out, shuddering. "A really nasty one, too. Guts pouring out of its stomach and covered in blood, half its jaw missing…Ugh! Though that might be replaced by Luna's if we ever do that again."
"What was hers?" The youngest male Weasley wondered, seeing how said half-Veela was avoiding eye contact.
"Some bald guy in a brown trench coat and this weird black mask that looked like a mouth. Who was that, anyway?"
"It doesn't matter who he is, what matters is his plan." Luna stated, eyes glassy. "When Gotham is ashes, then I have his permission to die."
Shaking the memory away, she smiled.
"Why so serious?"
"Why am I not surprised?" Ron voiced after a moment as Nasrin wrapped an arm around the Second Year's shoulders, only saying "Deshi basara" to further lift her spirits. "So, what do we have next?"
"You don't know your own schedule?" Ginny clarified, surprised.
"I have the same classes as these four, so there's no real need to. I just follow Harry and Neville, and I get to my next class."
"That is either the smartest or dumbest thing I've ever heard." Neville admitted.
"That's my brother, the smartest dumb guy around."
With a cheeky grin, Ginny waved as she led Luna away towards their next class.
"See you at dinner!"
"So, what class is next?"
"You mean you weren't kidding?" Hermione retorted, scandalized.
"About what?"
Mulan reached out to gently close the poor girl's mouth, ear-sensors twitching, as Nasrin followed Harry and Neville to the nearest exit.
"Care and Coordinating." The Longbottom answered after a few moments, realizing the question was not rhetorical.
"Oh, okay…And what exactly is Care and Coordinating?"
Nasrin swallowed down a giggle at how hard Hermione was suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, and Ariel fixed the Weasley with an unimpressed stare.
"Coordinators don't work like normal trainers. They focus more on appeal and creativity rather than straight-up battles, mixing moves in new combinations like a show and also battle against other Coordinators in matches of style. My sister Tammy is a Coordinator, and she's always learning something new on the circuit."
"Why do that when you can just attack?" Ron wondered. "Bang, boom! Real simple."
"I don't know, sounds kinda interesting." Harry replied, Hedwig and Robin shuffling closer as they stepped outside. "It's kinda like Gauntlet running. The attacks and moves I teach Eevee aren't ones I might teach him if he were just doing straight battles for Gym Badges."
"Some say that Coordinating is the thinking man's Pokemon training." Hermione noted.
"Well, it'll have to wow me to prove that isn't just a waste of time." Ron huffed as the group approached the open field where Professor Hooch had taught Environmental Survival in First Year.
Unlike then, the spot was clear and covered in various picnic blankets of red and purple, and Harry chose one near the front, safely away from any of the Slytherins.
With so much space, Neville released Flora so the Ivysaur could stretch her legs, Harry and Nasrin following suit with their horde.
Snow curled around the Eggs, ears twitching as Ludwig floated after a giggling, rolling Melody while Rapunzel joined her with Mulan to coo over the young lives within.
Yelping when he was bowled over, Pongo snapped playfully as Eevee tugged on his ears, Togetic giggling as she floated around Dobby with Meeko on her back.
"Well, this is rather nice." Harry stated, smiling as Robin began preening his hair and Hedwig turned her head to watch the class arrive.
"How are we supposed to take notes without any desks?" Hermione fretted, Ariel reaching out to pat her hair. "Oh, maybe we'll get clipboards!"
"Alright then, alright then!"
Heads turned to watch Hagrid stroll up, wearing a massive white lab coat and mismatched-but rather professional-clothes.
"Hagrid, what are you doing here?" Harry asked, Eevee and Pongo pausing in their tussle to stare in surprise.
"Actually, that be Professor Hagrid, Harry. I'm taking old Professor Kettlebeck's position as Hogwarts' Coordinator Professor."
"I didn't know you were a Coordinator." Nasrin voiced, Ariel perking up.
"Course I am! What do you all think I do when school is out of session? Me and Snubbull and Steelbeak have won all sorts of awards and trophies!"
Realizing that he was meant to be starting class, Hagrid stepped back to face the students with a smile.
"Oops, sorry about that. Anyway, I'm Professor Hagrid, and this is Pokemon Care and Coordinating 101. This year, we're gonna learn the basics of the Coordinator Contest! After the end of this year, I'll be having each of you demonstrate a move you might use to dazzle the judges. Now, the first part of a Coordinator Contest has a Pokemon performing moves in such a way as to surprise and entertain the audience."
"Like a clown at a circus." Draco stage-whispered, a sharp glare from Nasrin cutting off his entourage's giggles.
"Not quite." Hagrid answered, not seeing the insult. "Though you can go that route. Trainers can go all sorts of ways when it comes to performing. You can be dramatic or stylish or funny-Here, let me show you!"
Grabbing up his monstrous bag, the giant began to rummage around inside.
"Now, where did I put you, Steelbeak?"
"I don't have time for this." Draco scoffed, standing. "I thought this class was supposed to teach us something, not have us watch some buffoon bumble about! The standards here at Hogwarts have truly slipped, and I think my father will be real interested to hear about just who Professor Dumbledore is having teach Avalon's future Gym Leaders."
The blonde looked down on the Gryffindors with a sneer.
"But if you stupid little Gryffindors want to sit around and get an easy grade rather than better yourselves, feel free-"
In a move that even startled Nasrin, Hermione's foot lashed out and tripped him right over, gasps rising.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK-?"
"Steelbeak, use Iron Feathers and Reflect!"
Razor sharp feathers shot down and embedded themselves in the grass all around the class, Nasrin staring at the two that would have struck Draco, before the entire area lit up like a spotlight of ethereal light.
The display was enough to even quiet the Prince of Slytherin, who seemed to have forgotten his fall and slowly returned to his seat as the light dimmed to reveal a Skarmory next to a smiling Hagrid.
"That there was Steelbeak's Mirror Works Dance. Won us first four years ago at the Avalon Coordinator Contest, it did. If you listen to what I tell you, you and your Pokemon will be able to do the same."
While everyone else was focused on their new professor, no longer doubting his skill, Harry and Nasrin shared a look that shifted to Hermione.
Somehow, she had known that Draco would be hurt and tripped him to avoid it, as if…