I woke up to find Stella sitting at the foot of my bed, shaking me. I rose groggily and checked my watch. I had slept through the wake-up call.
"Angeline! Good, you're awake. Today's important."
"What? Important? Why?" I was much too tired to try and remember the significance of today.
"Today we choose our careers," I sat up.
"Our whats?"
"We all have consultations with Professor Snape today about what NEWTs we'll be taking next year. They define what jobs we can apply for when we get out of Hogwarts. I want to be an auror."
"A what?"
"They're like the wizarding police force. They get to change their appearance whenever they want. I wonder what my hair would look like pink?"
I began to worry. Stella had clearly been thinking about this a long time. She knew what she wanted to bring to the wizarding world when she left Hogwarts, but me? I didn't even know what I would have wanted to do in university, let alone what normal job I wanted to do. How could I possibly choose from an array of jobs I'd never even heard of.
I worried all the way through breakfast and potions. What if I didn't have what it takes to work in the wizarding world at all, save being the lady who pushes the trolley on the Hogwarts express? I worried about it so much, I accidentally added a drop too many of beetle extract just as Snape raised his head to look at me. He glared as he saw my cauldron begin to bubble. Quickly, thinking on my feet, I added an extra clipping of finch feather and the potion went back to normal. I looked up, hoping to find Snape impressed, and only saw him cocking an eyebrow at me. I shook my head and went back to my potion and my worrying.
My appointment came much too quickly as potions ended and Professor Snape announced that he would begin all Slytherin consultations in thirty minutes. My last name beginning with a 'w', I was second to last, just before Blaise, so we both sat awkwardly on a bench outside his office whilst Stella chatted to Professor Snape about her dreams of being an auror. She came out looking disheartened.
"What's wrong?" I asked, passing her into the office.
"I'd have to do potions as a NEWT." she mumbled. I was almost in the doorway when Professor McGonagall appeared behind me.
"Professor Snape, I have finished all of my consultations, so to get this done faster, perhaps I should help you with one of yours?"
"Yes, fine," said Snape dismissively. "Take Miss Wint here and I'll finish up with Mr Zabini."
"Of course," she said graciously, gesturing at me to follow as she began to lead the way to her office.
When we were inside and settled, she began to speak.
"I understand, Miss Wint, that you probably have no idea what you want to do for the wizarding world when you leave here, seeing as you have only been in Hogwarts for a couple of terms."
"No, Professor, I have no idea."
"Well, you're in luck. I do. Professor Snape could not suggest this to you for the sake of his own pride, but perhaps you would consider becoming a muggle attaché. A kind of go-between between the muggle and wizarding worlds."
"Muggles know about wizards?"
"A select few must, Miss Wint. Let's say that one of our convicts escapes into the muggle world with the intent to kill muggles. The Muggle authorities must be informed and must the media whilst still not revealing the true identity of the wizard."
"I suppose," I began to wonder about this job. An attaché. In another life, where wizards didn't exist, I had once considered a career in politics. I never really considered it when I came to Hogwarts, but the more I thought about it, how much more perfect could I be for the job? I knew so much about the muggle world, and I was learning about the wizarding world. I could have no bias.
"You would have to take some specialised NEWTs, and some are only applicable to this job, Miss Wint, so if you don't want it, speak up now." I said nothing. "Ok then, the first is History of Magic, NEWT level is taught by a professor you have yet to meet, as Professor Binns is not really capable of gaining Exceeds Expectations marks from his pupils. The next is Muggle Studies, which I assume you will be fine in. Another is Potions, which is new to the requirements. Sometimes the muggles can't handle it and we need to make a few draughts to get them back to normal. The other new one is Defense Against the Dark Arts. Some wizards are resentful of the close relationship between wizards and muggles. The final NEWT is your choice, but I suggest Transfiguration. Not only because it is mu subject, but you would have no idea how useful it is to have an animagus in the muggle world."
I nodded, trying to take it all in. Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, Potions, Transfiguration, Muggle Studies. Altogether it seemed pretty feasible.
"I think I could do that," I said nervously.
"You'll need a little more dedication then that, Miss Wint," said McGonagall with a wink. And then she dismissed me.
Draco was waiting for me outside.
"So, what are you going to do?" he asked. He obviously only wanted me to ask him.
"I haven't decided yet, what about you?" I asked. Telling him what I had chosen would probably start a fight I didn't want to have.
"Minister of Magic," he said, puffing out his chest importantly.
"Really?" I said, stifling a laugh.
"No," he said, smiling. "If I did I'd have to arrange meetings with the British muggle Prime-Minister. I wouldn't do that no matter how much you paid me. No, I intend to work in the Ministry as something far more important. Head of the Ministry Law Courts." he looked mightily pleased with himself. My Draco, the lawyer.
"Impressive," I said.
Suddenly, something came tricking around our feet. It was a horrible, brown-green kind of mud. It came racing at us as we stood, turning the whole corridor into a marsh. I looked around to see other bewildered students, standing knee-deep in the stuff. For a moment, there was confusion, and then, above the swamp, floated two bright orange heads. As they neared, their bodies appeared, and I saw that they were both standing a levitating platform. Cheering erupted in the corridor as they passed, waving and pulling faces.
"Where are you two going?" asked a young hufflepuff beside me,
"TO UMBRIDGE!" shouted Fred Weasely, punching the air with his fist. This brought on another wave of ecstasy. When finally they were out of sight, the students quietened, realising that they were quite stuck.
"Hey, how do we get out of this?" asked one voice after a while.
"I don't know..."
"We're stuck!"
"It's all over my robes..."
"Well it's in my hair..."
I had an idea.
"EVANESCO" I shouted above the noise, and suddenly the swamp was gone. But the fun wasn't over. In the distance, the two fiery red blobs were bolting back towards us, this time on brooms. The thunderous cheering began again, people cheering 'Weas-ley, Weas-ley!' over and over again.
'If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp, as demonstrated here, come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley - Weasley' Wizarding Wheezes,' Fred said in a loud voice. 'Our new premises!'
'Special discounts to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat,' Said George, whizzing after him. The crowd continued their clamorous applause as Umbridge ran out into the corridor,
"STOP THEM!" she demanded, but nobody listened to her.
"GIVE HER HELL, PEEVES!" yelled George to Peeves behind him. Peeves, who didn't take orders ordinarily, was only too happy to salute the beaming twins and began to batter Umbridge with the many rhymes he had been saving up until this moment. The two boys wheeled around to face the students, and, balancing on the brooms, took deep bows, then whirled back round and shot out into the outstanding sunset, triumphant.
The moment they disappeared, the students scurried back to their classrooms so as not to have to face Umbridge's wrath. What a send off.