Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, not do I claim to. Test Copyright © 2007 by J. K. Rowling; Illustrations by Mary GrandPre copyright © 2007 by Warner Bros. HARRY POTTER & all related characters and elements are TM of and © WBEI. Harry Potter publishing rights: J. K. Rowling. All rights reserved. Published by Arthur Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920. SCHOLASTIC, the LANTERN LOGO, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc. Library of Congress Control Number:
200795449. ISBN-13: 978-0-545-01022-1 Printed in the U.S.A
Now that that ridiculously long disclaimer is finished (copied tediously from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows), on with the story!
Also, there is swearing in this chapter
Chapter Six: Electives
Divination was not at all like Harry had expected. It was not annoying, or pointless. Trelawny was not a little wacko, as he'd expected. It was worse, by far. From the description, the entire course was spent deciding whether or not one had the "inner eye," the lack of which would make the entire course pointless. Trelawny was completely, bat-shit crazy, from her apparent love of stuffy overly-incenced rooms, to her prophecies of Harry's death in multiple ways within the first fifteen minutes of class.
It had started with an introductory tea-cup lesson, when Hermione had found what she believed to be a horse in his cup, which apparently symbolized unity. The other figure she thought she saw was some sort of head... though Harry thought it looked more like a bowler hat. They had been trying to figure out what exactly that meant (Hermione thought it meant that he was going be united in evil, and Harry thought it meant that he was going to have unity with a bunch of people wearing bowler hats) when Trelawny swooped down like a demented bat.
"Here, dear," she rasped, grabbing the cup from Hermione's surprised and indignant hands. "Let me do it." She closed her eyes for effect, apparently concentrating magic, and swished the dregs of the herbal tea around in the cup, all the while muttering something under her breath. Beside Harry, Hermione snorted in a way Harry would never have imagined she would use against a teacher.
Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Ron miming the eccentric professor, rolling his head and eyes around as if in some sort of trance. Harry refrained from chuckling in amusement. He and Ron may not have been on the best of terms at the moment, but even so, Ron had a good sense of humor. Meanwhile, Trelawny was staring narrow-eyed at the clump of tea leaves at the bottom of Harry's light blue and gold teacup. She turned it around a few times, examining it carefully.
"I see... a cup, signifying your near fulfillment, the appearance of a new emotion." She rotated it to the left a bit more, still looking at if as if it held the secrets of the universe. "I see... a skull, meaning a battle or conflict, and finally..." she turned the cup in one last motion, and she froze, looking at the cup's contents as if petrified. She let out a huge, dramatic gasp, dropping the delicate cup to the ground, where it immediately shattered - waking more than three slumbering students across the attic-classroom. "Dear... I never suspected..." she muttered, looking at Harry in a horrified manner.
"What?" This, surprisingly, came from Hermione, who looked more skeptical than worried - unlike most of the class.
"Mr. Potter, I am afraid you have..." she paused, shuddering, "-the Grim."
This statement made effect on only about a third of the classroom. The rest looked highly confused, and almost disappointed at the anti-climatic result of her prediction. However, the ones who did understand what she was talking about were of a completely different frame of mind. A few girls, most of all Parvati, looked faint, holding themselves up with the tables in front of them. Whispers encompassed the room, mostly consisting of people attempting to figure out what "The Grim" was.
However, it was Hermione who asked the question on everyone's minds. "Professor, what exactly is the grim?" She sounded interested, despite her obvious dislike of Divination and of Professor Trelawny in general. Harry found himself a bit surprised that she didn't already know the answer. Trelawny, however, was still holding her dramatics, gasping for breath and holding a hand over her chest.
"Th-the grim," she stuttered, still looking at Harry with wide eyes, "-is a terrible omen. It is the omen..." she paused once again, "-of death." Everyone in the room drew a collective breath as she finished her sentence. More people were now looking at Harry - either apologetically, or sadly. Harry himself was shocked into silence. Despite his skepticism of the merit of Divination as a subject, anyone would be knocked off their feet by the declaration that he was going to die in the near future. However, to Harry's complete shock, it was not Hermione (though she was already opening her mouth with an angry expression on her face), but Ron who jumped to his defense.
"That's bulls**t!" Ron proclaimed loudly, standing up and banging his fist on the table with a rumbling thud. Everyone stopped their whispering purely out of surprise, and were now looking at Ron with a mix of confusion, shock, and (for a few) disdain. Ron, now realizing what he'd just done, colored to nearly unmatchable shades of red - his face competing with his hair. "My uncle saw a grim once, and he died-" Trelawny now looked confused as to why he was protesting, "-but the Department of Magical Examination at the Ministry said it was because he had a heart attack out of the surprise, not because of the Grim."
Everyone was still looking at him in astonishment, none more pronounced than Trelawny, Hermione, and Harry. Harry blinked. Wait, wasn't Ron mad at Hermione and I just a bit ago? Harry wondered, still looking at Ron in a surprised manner. Trelawny must really piss him off to give up on being angry that quickly...
"Ron's right," Hermione said, causing even more astonishment and possible fainters than Trelawny's statement... which both Hermione and Trelawny looked a bit annoyed at. "A death omen? Honestly! Harry has a bigger chance of being killed by an evil bunny rabbit than a heart attack, anyways." Ron, who was looking at Hermione in utter surprise at her backing of his statement, gave a terse nod.
Harry, going along with it, nodded in agreement - mimicing Ron. Then, he stood to match Ron and Hermione's stances. They stood together for a moment, each determined and steadfast. Then, as if it had been planned, they looked at each other, communicating silently.
"Well, I'm leaving!" Hermione huffed, gathering her books into her bag. Ron, with equal fervor, packed his as well. Harry paused a moment, weighing the pros and cons of quitting Divination. Pros; no more Trelawny, no more prophesizing his death, no more drinking disgusting tea... it wasn't a hard decision.
Then, with a stunned-silent classroom behind them, the Golden Trio descended down the ladder in a silent cue.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione managed to get a just far enough away so they wouldn't be heard before they all simultaneously erupted into laughter, literally falling over themselves with the effort to stay upright.
"T-that was br-br-brilliant, Ron!" Harry gasped hysterically as Hermione leaned on him for support as her chest heaved. Ron, though laughing, still managed to look happy with himself at Harry's compliment.
"D-did you see her f-f-face?" Hermione asked in a slightly shrill voice. This sent all three laughing even harder, previous arguments completely forgotten in the glory of the moment. They laughed uncontrollably for for what seemed to them hours (though it was, in reality, only a couple of minutes) simply enjoying each other's company.
Once they had finally calmed down (for the most part), Hermione was the first to turn serious. Or at least as serious as she could get with her eyes still red from crying laughter. Though, weepy eyes aside, she did look a bit daunted by what she had just done.
"We quit a class!" She squeaked, eyes huge. Ron, not at all upset, pumped his fist into the air happily.
"Yeah, we did!"
Hermione scowled, though she didn't look too mad. Harry, though he agreed with Ron in that he was extremely glad they'd quit, also shared Hermione's perspective about the potential problems it would cause for them. He sighed.
"We should go see McGonagall," Harry said rather dejectedly. He had nothing against the strict teacher, but he just knew that she wouldn't take kindly to them quitting a class - during their first lesson, no less. And then there was the issue of what exactly they were going to have in their (now empty) Divination slot...
"I guess," Ron agreed dejectedly, scuffing the tip of his sneaker against the ground in an annoyed fashion. "Let's go."
Now that the hysterics were over, it had become an extremely uncomfortable walk down from the Divination room. No one said anything about either quit class, nor the giant elephant in the room... metaphorically, of course. Said "giant elephant" took the form of Ron, Hermione and Harry's argument, or rather Ron's brief abandonment of them. Harry's face twisted a bit at the reminder.
As they reached the imposing, oak door that lead to Professor McGonagall's classroom, Harry had to admit he was a bit disappointed. He'd rather hoped Ron would apologize on the way there - the most obvious and effective way for them to fully resume their friendship. However, Ron had done no such thing.
Though, Harry considered, that could be just because of Ron's pride... an emotion with more than a little bit of sway in his life.
Hermione was the one to knock on the door, looking uncharacteristically tentative. The professor most likely had a class right now (with seven grades to teach - when didn't she have a class?), and it was strange to just burst into it. There was silence for a second, then the sharp clack of womens' shoes grew closer and closer from the other side of the door. Finally, it opened, revealing a confused and slightly suspiscious looking McGonagall.
Her eyes swept over them with a critical eye, not seeming overly surprised at their appearance. From behind her, Harry saw the peering eyes of what appeared to be her Fifth year class.
"What are you three doing out of class?" She asked pointedly, still looking them up and down as if searching for any injury. Not altogether an unusual reaction from Harry's history.
"Erm-" Harry began, more than a little bit uncomfortable at the obviously eavesdropping class directly behind her. Seeing his hesitance, Professor McGonagall regally stepped out of her classroom and gave her wand a quick flick, closing the door with a resounding slam.
"So?" She prompted again.
"Well, you see..." Harry re-began, barely more comfortably than before. Thankfully, Hermione interrupted before he could embarrass himself even further.
"We quit Divinations class, professor," she said in a tone far more business like than Harry had been prepared for. McGonagall blinked once in a cat-like manner, computing the information. Harry could have sworn her lips twitched in amusement.
"You... quit Divinations? Whyever so?"
"Well, you see," Ron explained, "-Professor Trelawny was prophesizing Harry's death, and the room smelled like a perfume truck crashed into it." Hermione looked horrified at Ron's (more than slightly insulting) explanation. However, the insulting factor didn't seem to faze McGonagall. If anything, she looked even more amused, and (did Harry dare say it?) happy than before.
"... perfume truck..." she muttered, lips definitly twitching. Finally, she gave in and let loose a small, delighted giggle. "Is this true, Mr. Potter?" She asked, turning her attention back to Harry.
"Well... yeah, pretty much," Harry admitted. Hermione looked apt to have a stroke. Again, McGonagall laughed, this time for longer - apparently holding back less. Though it was not a loud sound, somehow the idea of McGonagall laughing seemed... alien, and wrong in a way. It wasn't that she was a mean person, but she'd always been so strict.
"I... see." She said, still giggling mutedly, trying to hide her amusement. Then, she straighened up, donning the expression they were used to. "So? I assume you wish to switch your elective?"
"Yeah," Ron and Harry agreed, though Hermione looked strangely reluctant.
"Professor, could I keep it as a free period? I'm already taking five electives..." Ron and Harry's mouthes dropped open comically.
"Ah yes, Ms. Granger." The teacher looked Hermione up and down appraisingly. "You are a special case. You may use this period as a study period."
"Can we?" Ron asked eagerly, excited at the idea. However, his hopes were dashed as soon as they formed.
"Most certainly not!" McGonagall exclaimed. "Ms. Granger here is the only one I will allow to not take on another class. Both of you absolutely must have at least two electives. It is a graduation requirement." Ron nodded resignedly.
"What electives are open for them to take, professor?" Hermione asked. McGonagall turned back to the door to her classroom.
"I do not know at the moment, actually. Please return after I finish my class at 5:00pm, please. And bring your schedules!" With that, she swung the heavy door back into place, disappearing back into the confines of the Transfiguration classroom as if she'd never been there. Silence held in the hall for a couple of seconds.
"Well. That was unexpected," said Harry, the first one to speak. Ron nodded fervently, still staring at the brass-enforced door as if expecting the professor to jump back out, shouting, "April Fools! You actually have detention cleaning my floor with toothbrushes every night in my office until you graduate!"
Luckily for the sanity of all three students, no such event took place.
"McGonagall isn't unfair, you know," Hermione defended, significantly less surprised at the outcome than her two male companions, though equally (if not more) pleased. "So what electives do you guys want to take, now that you have an open slot?"
"What can I take?" Ron asked. "I don't remember any of the other choices, really..." Harry gave a small, weak smile agreeing with Ron as Hermione looked at them with one eyebrow arched.
"You don't remember any?" She said disbelievingly. "Didn't you even consider your options at all?" Ron and Harry looked identically sheepish.
"Well... not really," Ron admitted. "I mean, I wanted to take Care of Magical Creatures because it sounded easy, and Divination too." Hermione turned her eyes towards Harry, searching them beseechingly; looking for a more noble reason he may have signed up for the two.
"Hey, I just wanted to be in class with you and Ron," he said, putting his hands up into the air defensively. She gave a sigh, but didn't pursue it further.
"Well, from what I remember... there is Arithmancy, Muggle Studies, Ancient Runes, and Beginning Magical Remedies. But I feel like I'm forgetting something else, too..." she finished, trailing off uncertainly. Ron snorted.
"Well, Arithmancy is out for me," he decided. "Isn't that, like, math or something?" Hermione, for at least the third time in the last few minutes, gave a long suffering sigh, though she sounded more good naturedly annoyed than actually.
"It's much more complicated that that, Ronald!" said Hermione. "Arithmancy is the study of divination through numbers... none of that pointless tea leaf stuff. It's much more factual." Ron didn't look convinced.
"So... it's math?" He confirmed. Hermione gave a small noise of irritation, but didn't correct him.
"Harry. What do you want to do?" She asked, turning towards him. Harry was contemplative.
"I don't know..." he said. "I don't want to take Arithmancy-" (Ron looked triumphant) "-and I don't need to take Muggle Studies. So I'm thinking Ancient Runes, or Beginning Magical Remedies." Hermione nodded in affirmation.
"That makes sense... personally, I'm taking Ancient Runes of the two. It's very interesting... it's good if you want to be a Curse Breaker, like Ron's brother Bill, or things like that." Harry shrugged noncommittally.
He most wanted to take Beginning Magical Remedies, by far. As Hermione had brought up, Ancient Runes was good if you wanted to be a Curse Breaker. But what she had left out was that you didn't need it to do much else in life... nothing that he wanted to do. Learning how to magically heal, on the other hand... well. Not only would that be the smartest course for him to take given his history (he'd heard Madame Pomfrey mumbling something about a record) but it actually sounded like something he'd like to learn.
Plus, if he'd known how to magically heal himself, he could have just done it when he'd gotten his arm broken over the summer - problem solved. Not that he'd ever tell Ron or Hermione that.
"I think I'll take Beginning Magical Remedies," Harry said, deciding. Ron looked surprised, and teensy bit scornful.
"Healing?" said Ron doubtfully. "Isn't being a healer, like, a girl profession?" Harry could have sworn he saw a fire being kindled in Hermione's pupils.
"You... you...!" she struggled for words, turning a shade of red he'd never seen her turn purely out of anger. Ron immediately saw the trouble and backtracked at professional speed.
"I'm not being sexist!" He insisted, throwing his hands around wildly to emphasize. "It's just... that time I went to St. Mungo's for when George threw a rock at me when I was seven, all the nurses were girls..." he ended lamely. Hermione, though less angry than before, now just looked disbelieving, though at what Harry didn't know.
"So... you based all you know about healing on one trip to St. Mungos when you were seven?" She repeated. Ahh. That. Ron's face was red, he scratched at his palm nervously.
"Uhh... yeah, pretty much," he admitted, the words sounding insubstantial even to him. Hermione gave a sigh of disbelief, but didn't carry on the argument any longer - to Ron's great relief.
"I hope you realize, Ronald, that that is completely incorrect," she said finally. Ron gave a vague mumble of agreement, looking ashamed.
"Anyways," Harry said before they could continue the argument any further, "-what do you think you're going to take, Ron?"
Ron, looking grateful for the change of subject, turned contemplative. "I don't really know," he said truthfully. "Obviously I'm continuing Care of Magical Creature, so that means I only have Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies, and Magical Remedies left as choices."
"Do you have any idea what you want to do when you grow up?" Hermione asked. Ron thought, leaning his head back and looking at the high ceiling.
"Well, if I can't get good enough at Quidditch to join the Cannons," (Harry personally doubted he would have to get very good for the Chudley Cannons) "-then I was thinking maybe an Auror, or maybe to work with Bill as a Curse Breaker." Hermione looked a tiny bit surprised at his second choice, though very much approving.
"You'll probably want to take Ancient Runes, then," she said. "Especially if you want to go into Curse Breaking." Ron looked a little disappointed that he wouldn't be with Harry, but agreed, nodding. He was about to answer, when Hermione continued thoughtfully. "However, I personally suggest Muggle Studies instead. No offense, Ron, but you need it more than almost any other witch or wizard I've ever met." The last bit was teasing, and Ron reddened slightly.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He cried indignantly, but didn't wait for an answer. "But... I guess you are right." Hermione was notably surprised that he admitted to it.
As it turned out, Hermione had, indeed, remembered all of the electives offered for Hogwarts third-years; a fact she looked unusually embarrassed at. Ten minutes or so after Ron's revelation that he would be taking Muggle Studies class as his elective, McGonagall's doors slammed open - fifth years pouring out. When the stream had abated, and everyone was heading down to the Great Hall for dinner, the three walked in. McGonagall was waiting for them with three slips of businesslike parchment held in her hands.
They took a piece from her each, and filled out the basics: name, grade, etc. Underneath was a list of the classes available to take; revealing that there was only the six Hermione had specified. Having pre-decided, they circled their chosen option without further thought. Harry circling Magical Remedies, Muggle Studies for Ron, and Hermione checking off the "Other" option, and inserting, "Professor-approved free period."
Within eight minutes, the three had exited McGonagall's office (Ron and Harry more hurriedly than their female companion) and started the trek down to the Great Hall with new schedules clutched in their hands.
So immersed were they in talking together that they hardly even noticed when they entered the noisy Great Hall. However, they did notice when, voice by whispering voice, the talking decreased to hisses. Harry looked up with a sinking feeling in his stomach.
Literally every single head in the entire room was directed towards him with a different intent in mind. Gryffindors worried. Hufflepuff's compassionate. Ravenclaw's curious. Slytherins (for the most part) mocking.
Just what I need, was Harry's last, sarcastic thought before he was drowned in the insistent cries of the school. More drama.
A/N: So sorry this took... like, three months to get out! :( I've been so busy with my other main story, Just My Luck (HP world) and school - though it's now ended. Updates will still be few and far between, but I'm trying not to abandon this!
Review extremely appreciated!