4 February 1992

Perhaps asking Adelaide Potter about books was a bit of a cop out, as she read constantly. Professor Sprout imagined that not having any friends left lots of time for a habit. She would read in the library, she would read in secluded corridors, she would read during quiet moments in class. Early on, she had even read in the lunch hall in between mouthfuls of pasta with a tomato and chickpea sauce that only seemed to appear for her. Seemingly, the House Elves had caught on to the fact that she was only choosing the vegetarian options and due to the culture of Hogwarts (meat heavy and plant protein low) she was not getting any protein at all. Perhaps that was the source of the mysterious book request that Madam Pince had found in the request box at the end of the first month. Addie's lunchtime reading had ended rather abruptly after a passerby had 'accidentally' spilled tea all over the copy of The Magical History of Northern Britain, Revised Version that she at that time had been reading. Unfortunately for Addie, it had been a library copy, and Madam Pince had ended up intervening.

The group showed up in their usual formation. Adrian at the front as the marginally more confident member of their number, and the other three following in his wake. They all sat down in their not assigned yet consistently claimed seats, and prepared for the group to begin. When Professor Sprout had laid down the tray of sandwiches and vat of soup in the middle of the table and everyone had acquired the required cutlery, it did so.

"This week," Professor Sprout began, as she usually did, "Adelaide will be speaking about books. This involves any books that she may read for fun or that she has enjoyed reading for school."

Addie straightened up. "Erm, I don't really read many books that people would say that they read for fun. Currently I am reading Goblin Rebellions: A Further Analysis which was recommended to me by Professor Binns..."

Professor Sprout could hardly believe what she was hearing. For the first time - perhaps ever – a student actually liked history of magic. She didn't think this had happened before.

"I was particularly drawn to History of Magic as I find thinking about the future stressful and like to know what is going on. Reading about what has gone on in the past is a good way to do this."

"We are speaking about the same Professor Binns here?" Adrian asked. "I don't think I've ever met someone who actually likes History of Magic. It may be compulsory for owls, but everyone in my year is looking forward to dropping it after."

"Oh, it's wonderful," Adelaide said enthusiastically. "It was taught at primary school and I always tried my best, but there's something about History of Magic that has just…illuminated something for me. I could read and read and read and I don't think I would ever be bored."

Professor Sprout understood now the ferocity with which she appeared to consume books. She was not seen to be reading the same book at more than a couple of sightings of her sitting reading intently. As for the never feeling as though one could run out of reading about history, she still felt the same way about herbology books even decades after she had first discovered its wonders. She had grown up in the city, so there had not been any opportunities for herbology other than tending her mother's basil plant. Hogwarts had been an awakening for her.

"I've also found it interesting connecting all my subjects together through the lens of history," she continued. "Astronomy is more interesting when you understand its early theorists, Herbology seems to be reformed constantly and Quidditch…" she paused for a second here and Professor Sprout could only imagine that she was trying to find a positive. Unlike her brother, she had not taken to the sport and after spending most of her first lesson clinging on to a broom for dear life, Madam Hooch (who always swore that she could teach anyone to fly a broom competently) had given permission for her to sit quietly in the back of Professor McGonagall's class instead of causing them to all have to endure a repeat of that day. Eventually Adelaide seemed to find what she was looking for to say, "is honestly quite interesting to me when I have a chance to read about its history instead of on a broom."

"You too then?" Neville asked curiously. Clearly, he was confused as to the Potter twins not being very similar and attached at the hip.

"I would have thought that being good at Quidditch would be genetic," Adrian, ever the expert, added.

"What do you mean?"

"Surely your relatives have told you about your parents."

"No. They never mention them and p- get upset when I try to ask them."

"Your father played Quidditch." He said matter of factly. From the look on Adelaide's face, which had briefly faltered upon hearing this, she had not been aware of this fact. "His name is on half of the Quidditch items in the awards room. Gryffindor chaser."

"My father was in Gryffindor?"

"Yes. Harry says…" Neville began.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Adelaide interrupted him abruptly. "I am also reading a book about the effects of the Magical Local Government Act 1988, especially Section 28 which mirrors its muggle counterpart and censors certain subjects in schools."

"Ah," Cho said wisely, clearly getting the message that Adelaide did in fact not want to talk about it anymore, "My mum frequently curses the name of 'That Woman'."

"Which woman?" Adrian and Neville said almost in unison.

"We had drastically different childhoods," Adelaide said. "My uncle has always been a Margaret Thatcher and Anita Bryant enthusiast."

"Ew." To Cho, this was clearly even worse.

"I really can't say," Professor Sprout answered Adrian and Neville's question, because she couldn't. "I'm surprised it was even in the library," she added, turning to Addie.

"Oh it wasn't," Adelaide said airily. "I asked...someone and they told me in a roundabout way what to look for and I sent away for it."

Clearly Madam Pince had been successful in discretely 'promoting the homosexual agenda'. Professor Sprout didn't have many chances in Herbology but appreciated the efforts of others.

"Well, there are people in this castle who I wouldn't mention it near. They report to the governors, who in turn are very big fans of book banning. I wouldn't put it past any of them to ban material that 'promotes'..." she made a motion with her hands, "but I for one would not discourage you from reading widely and broadening your understanding of the world."

"Thank you, Professor Sprout," Adelaide said sincerely.

"I still don't understand what you're talking about," Adrian said exasperatedly. "If you're going to talk, say what you mean."

"Yeah," Neville added. "You can't expect us to be mind readers. There haven't been books on it in the library since before my Gran came here."

"Oh," Adrian said after pausing for a second. "Are you talking about mind reading? In that case I completely understand."

"No," Cho said cautiously. "We're talking about the Homosexuals."

"Well they are," Professor Sprout added, "I am instead talking about the art of quilling which teachers are not able to 'promote'. For that matter, I am not promoting The Homosexuals either."

"None of us thought for one moment that you were," Adelaide said sincerely.

Addie had a love/hate relationship with the great subject of Defence Against the Dark Arts. This was in part due to the fact that it had been part of what she and Harry had discussed in the final days before he had decided to shun her. He had clearly found it to be fascinating and had jokingly suggested learning something to try out on Dudley. Addie had tried to emphasise the defence part as Harry could become a very different person when he was angry. He was...less likely to consider reason, and more likely to make cutting remarks. Like Harry, she had engaged in the reading and had contemplated a world in which she would be able to defend herself from Dudley. Of course within the first few pages of the reading, it was outlined that using magic on muggles was a crime carrying a significant penalty, although that seemed to mainly be to uphold the Statute of Secrecy, not the safety of the muggles themselves.

Not all subjects were as unpleasant as Defence Against the Dark Arts. Addie's favourite was History of Magic. Others in her class always said that Professor Binns was quite possibly the most boring person to ever have existed and wondered whether if in life he had been any more interesting. Addie found the formulaic nature of his lessons to be comforting. Every time, he would enter the same way, read out slowly and without fault (he had used the same lesson plan for the entire time he had worked at Hogwarts) without any floweriness or room for interpretation, history she had not heard before. She remembered history from primary school with its focus on the War of the Roses and how boring she had found it back then. She wondered whether it was simply the teaching style that she was benefiting from now, or whether she had not been in the right situation to understand history back in primary school.

In their first lesson, following a seminar on Uric the Oddball, she and the rest of her class had diverged in the corridor. They had gone back to their dormitories to continue their naps which the bell had so rudely interrupted, while Addie had gone to the library to check out A History of Magic. From there, she had spiraled into doing all the recommended reading, grasping onto every tidbit of information that could possibly be useful. Following this, she had checked the assigned reading list again, and had decided to pre read for the following week's lesson. She had figured that maybe if she prepared in advance, then she would be able to ask Professor Binns her questions before she forgot them. She could also maybe ask him about exactly what an Augurey was. She just hoped that he would answer her questions. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon never had.

I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I don't know what anyone else will think of it, but it was fun regardless. I haven't written anything in the last couple of weeks as I am dealing with my old friend (burnout) and am not producing ideas like I was earlier. I hope to be back to speed by the middle of this month. I am so glad I decided to write the entire book in advance.