Yeah, I always wondered what was going to happened after Ollivander died and I always wondered about Wandmaking/wand teachers myself. I always planned for this story to include adding a Wandmaking class to Hogwarts. Having James become Hogwarts first Wandmaking teacher felt like a great fit and it was a nice way keep James in the story as a major character even after he graduates as a student. I always wanted James to be a major character in this story throughout Lily's entire career as a Hogwarts student.
While most Sundays meant alone time, Hogwarts Saturdays were usually very social.
On Saturday, April 24th, 2021, the fourteen members of the Circle of Eighteen currently at Hogwarts, Devon, Hugo, James, Albus, Fred, Gordon, Pamela, Rose, Roxanne, Ainsley, Courtney, Stephanie, Samantha, and Lily all met up on the sloping lawns. They were sitting in the same white lawn chairs they had used when they had shown each other their entries for the Hogwarts Drawing Competition It was a very pleasant seventy seven degrees outside with a sunny and clear blue sky.
They all suddenly head footsteps and saw someone walking towards them carrying a white lawn chair of her own. This someone was Rachel Robins.
"RACHEL!" cried Devon happily, "We're delighted to see you!"
"I've come to visit, " said Rachel warmly, "When I didn't see you all in the Gryffindor Common Room, I figured you'd all come out here. My job as a Potions Maker for The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing doesn't require me to work on any weekends. Since I'm not a teacher, I don't need to make myself accessible to students either. So, I'm pretty much free to leave on weekends if I want to and I thought today seemed like a good day to come visit."
"We're always happy to see you, Rachel, " said Lily delightedly, "But how is you work as a Potions Maker for The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing going. I know we didn't talk about that last time we saw you. We were entirely focused on the Hogwarts Drawing Competition."
"It's going extremely well, " said Rachel in a very joyful voice, "I've found my place in the world as a young adult."
"That's great to hear, " smiled Samantha, "But if we may ask, what potions are you finding yourself having to make the most?"
"A big one is Calming Draught, " replied Rachel right away, "The program at The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing is very rigorous and the profession that the students at The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing are training for is a very serious and high stakes profession. As such, it's not that unusual for a student or students at The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing to become stressed. Calming Draught is invaluable for high stakes stress relief."
"Just so everyone knows, " piped up Ainsley, "I know exactly what I'm getting myself into by transferring to The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing. I know it won't always be smooth. I know there will be bumps in the road. But I know what I want to do with my life, so I know I'm making the right decision in transferring to The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing."
"Another potion I've found myself making a lot of, particularly right about now, is Dreamless Sleep Potion," continued Rachel, "You see, at The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing, all students are REQUIRED to take Dreamless Sleep Potion the night before any exam."
"That's something we should do at Hogwarts," mused Rose, "For some of us, it's always hard to sleep the night before exams."
In the New Era of Hogwarts, there's no reason we can't make changes, " smiled Lily,
"True, " smiled Rachel, "I tell you what: if there is sufficient interest, I can easily make extra vials of Dreamless Sleep Potion and send them to Hogwarts before your exam week this year. You should talk to Jill Kirke to see if she can implement the policy that The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing has about taking Dreamless Sleep Potion the night before exams at Hogwarts for future years. In that way, a supply of Dreamless Sleep Potion will be readily available to students at the appropriate time."
"I can guarantee you that the interest in taking Dreamless Sleep Potion the night before exams will definitely exist at Hogwarts, " responded Roxanne rapidly.
"I'll just make a large supply of Dreamless Supply Potion to send to Hogwarts while I finish my supply for The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing, that'll be easy, " said Rachel kindly, "That'll take care of this year. "
Everyone smiled between Rose and Rachel.
"Someone should've thought of this idea before, " said Albus wryly, "But, better late than never."
"I'll talk to Jill later tonight about implementing the idea of having Hogwarts students take Dreamless Sleep Potion the night before exams for next year, explaining how it's something that's done at The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing and how Rachel will make and send the Dreamless Sleep Potion for us to do it this year, " said Lily confidently, "I'm still going to be a member of the Hogwarts Planning Club next year so I think I'd be the best person in our group to approach Jill about this."
"Good luck, Lily, " smiles Rachel, "I know your meeting with Jill will go well. "
"Thanks, Rachel, " said Lily brightly.
"Another potion that I'm making a lot of is Draught of Peace, " said Rachel matter of factly, "Draught of Peace is a potion for soothing agitation."
"How diverse an array of potions are you making l?" Hugo asked Rachel.
"An exceptionally large variety, " said Rachel proudly, "I've made all the mainstream potions, but it largely depends on the needs of The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing at any given point in time."
"You sound like you're really happy in your new job, Rachel, " smiled Stephanie.
"It's a win win!" said Rachel cheerfully. "I have a new job that I love that pays me well into the bargain and The Ultimate University of Wizarding Healing gets an elite Potion Maker. We benefit from each other and that's the great thing about it."
"You always told us that Potions was your favorite subject when you were a student at Hogwarts, Rachel, " remembered James.
"YES!" replied Rachel excitedly a nanosecond later, "I always loved making potions and from the time I was a first year I was always an O student in Potions. Including achieving Os in Potions in both O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. And speaking of Hogwarts, how are things going here lately? I know that Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup, and that James passed his Wandmaking test to become Hogwarts Wandmaking Teacher for the 2021-2022 school year!"
"Those are the biggies, " said Lily glowingly, "I'm also pleased to say that the fundraising for Worthy Wands has been so successful that McGonagall has informed me that every student currently at Hogwarts who had been using a secondhand wand has had his or her wand replaced by a wand that has actually chosen him or her."
"That's wonderful!" chorused Devon, Hugo, James, Albus, Fred, Gordon, Pamela, Rose, Roxanne, Ainsley, Courtney, Stephanie, Samantha and Rachel.
"Plus!" added Lily happily, "Worthy Wands has enough money left its account to provide firsthand wands to underprivileged students starting at Hogwarts for several decades to come and to replace several broken wands per year for underprivileged students at Hogwarts. McGonagall gave me that update after Hugo's cookie sale fundraiser in March. "
"The other planned fundraisers are still on, though right?" asked Rachel.
"Hell yes, " said Lily instantaneously, "You never know if need will increase over the years, so, let's keep it going. Devon's fundraiser is in progress and we'll have the tally for it after the month of April ends. Stephanie will do her fundraiser in May. and Ainsley will do her fundraiser in June. After that, I'm turning over control of fundraising for Worthy Wands to Susan Bones Jr. of Hufflepuff. She will be a sixth year next year and will take responsibility for creating fundraisers for Worthy Wands for the next two years. She will then decide who to pass the torch to next before her graduation. As our new headmistress, Jill Kirke will take over from McGonagall in terms of keeping track of how much money Worthy Wands has in its account at any given time."
"Why are giving control of creating the fundraisers?" Rachel asked Lily curiously.
"I think giving up the control to a different person from a different house in a different year who has a different circle of friends will allow for more different types of ideas for fundraisers. Susan and her friends will naturally have different ideas for fundraisers than our group will so this will allow new voices and minds to bring new ideas to the fundraising process, " said Lily confidently.
"Smart thinking, Lily, " said Courtney briskly, "You'll forever be the founder of Worthy Wands though."
"My proudest accomplishment, " said Lily in deep and satisfied voice, "There's no greater feeling in the world than knowing that I made a difference of underprivileged students."
