Taking Chances and Making Changes - Chapter 2

Author's Note - This story is an AU. It follows canon events up until the end of Prisoner and beginning of Goblet.

Disclaimer - I own nothing except my OC's. Everything else belongs to JK Rowling. Basically, if you recognise it from the books/films then it is not mine.

Hayley POV

For the first few days after I got back from Hogwarts for the summer holidays, I didn't really think much about what Remus had said to me the day before I returned home. In my mind, I wasn't really holding myself back that much in my studies. Because I couldn't stop thinking about it, after I had finished my chores in the evening, I spent the last few days of the first week looking back on all my tests and graded homework assignments for the past three years. I was slightly shocked at just how much I really was holding myself back in my studies.

After finally realising just how much better I could be in my classes, I decided to stop settling for average grades just because it required less effort, and resolved to try harder to get better grades starting from when I arrived for my fourth year at Hogwarts. I also made my mind up that between now and going back in September I would recap all of my previous year's textbooks to make sure that I better understood as much as possible before returning.

For subjects like Charms, Transfiguration, Defence, Potions and Herbology as I wasn't able to practice any practical elements, I decided I would make sure to practice the practical parts once I returned to Hogwarts. For other subjects such as History Of Magic and Astronomy that didn't have very many practical elements involved, I was able to reap the majority of the curriculum for both subjects. I even found that the content for History of Magic was actually quite interested when it wasn't being taught by a ghost in a monotone voice.

The subjects that I found the easiest to understand after reading through them again were surprisingly Potions and Herbology. I now understood the reasons why certain ingredients had to be prepared in a certain way and how, depending on the potion, the smallest mistake could make a huge difference.

"It makes so much sense now as to why Snape is so strict. It's because if we make a mistake, it could be really dangerous." I thought to myself.

I let out a small laugh "I can't wait to see the look on Snape's face next year when I return to class, and I actually have some kind of idea as to what I'm doing."

I decided to leave recaping Divination and Care of Magical Creatures for now, just until I can send a letter to Professor McGonagall asking her if it was at all possible to change at least one of my electives if not both.

At the end of the day, just before I went to bed for the night, I wrote out a letter to Professor McGonagall about changing electives.

"Dear Professor McGonagall I am writing to you to inquire as to whether or not it would be possible to change one or both of my current elective subjects. As to why I have decided that I would like to switch is that I feel that Divination is very much wasted on me, as it is clear that I do not possess the talents of a true seer. And as much as I have enjoyed Care of Magical Creatures, it once again seems to be wasted on me as the subject doesn't prepare me for my chosen career path. If switching is at all possible, I would like to switch to Ancient Runes and Arithmancy.

Thank you

Hayley Potter."

I folded up the letter and addressed it to Professor McGonagall before sending Hedwig off with it. I by happy that the Dursleys had taken the bars off my window and had allowed me to send letters with Hedwig, rather than having to keep her locked up. Of course, they had only agreed to this after I had told them about Sirius. I had told them that he was going to be writing to me and would be worried if I didn't respond to him. They, of course, still thought that he was an escaped murderer.

I left my window open as I went to bed that night so that Hedwig could get back in if she returned before I woke up the next morning. I turned out the small bedside lamp after putting away my things before climbing under the thin bed sheets smiling as I took my glasses off and left them next to my lamp on the table beside me.

Author's Note - Hey guys this chapter is slightly longer than the previous one but still short. The chapters will progressively get longer as we go. Reviews are greatly appreciated. I already have some ideas for future chapters but if you guys have any suggestions, please leave a review with your idea or feel free to send me a PM. I aim to upload at least once a week usually on either Wednesday or Thursday.