Choose your subjects

The next day was a little dull as students started to wake up. Olivia and Albert were doing their usual prefect work as Amelia and Isabell sat by the library in the corner. 

‘Good morning everyone. First Years, for breakfast you are going to head over to the Great Hall where the food will already be prepared for you,’ Olivia spoke as she walked towards the door, followed by excited First Year students. 

She hadn’t spoken to Albert, Amelia and Isabell during breakfast. 

‘Olivia, why are you like this-’ began Isabell.

Olivia didn’t speak as she continued to eat toasted bread. 

‘Why are you like this?’ Isabell repeated.

No response.

‘WHY ARE-’

‘Enough!’ 

Olivia’s voice was very unsteady. 

‘You’re not the only one who was tortured. Me and Amelia were tortured too,’ Isabell muttered.

Olivia heard her. She got up and sat away from them. 

‘Isabell Bluesky!’ squeaked Professor Flitwick as he approached her. ‘Time to choose your subjects, follow me.’

Isabell waved to Amelia and Albert. Amelia waved back but Albert didn’t even look at her. 

They went to Professor Flitwick’s Charms classroom. 

‘Now, have you decided what subjects you’ll want to study this year?’ he said while sitting on an enormous book so that his head was visible behind the desk. 

Isabell thought for a moment or two. 

‘I’ll study: Potions, Transfiguration, Herbology, Charms, Care of Magical Creatures and Defence Against the Dark Arts.’

‘Marvellous, you want to become a Healer and a Magizoologist, I presume?’ Professor Flitwick said as he wrote some notes on his parchment. 

‘Yeah, I find those jobs quite interesting, to be honest,’ Isabell shrugged.

‘Alright, can you call Amelia Clearwater to come here please?’ 

Isabell nodded as she exited the classroom. She walked to the Great Hall and sat on an empty seat next to Amelia.

‘So, what did you do?’ Amelia asked.

‘Huh? Oh, I just told him the subjects I’d like to take and he recorded them. Professor Flitwick wants you to go to his classroom, by the way.’

‘Alright.’

Amelia stood up and headed towards the classroom. She knocked on the door and a squeaky voice said, ‘Come in!’ 

Professor Flitwick was sitting on his desk and a chair was in front of it. She quickly sat on the chair and waited for her teacher to speak.

‘So, which subjects do you want to take Ms. Clearwater?’

‘I’d like to take Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, Quidditch lessons and Potions.’

‘I see you’d like to be an Auror, more specifically, the Head of the Auror Department, investigating crimes related to the Dark Arts and hunting down and capturing Dark Wizards, you know. Such a job requires a lot of skill and bravery. I think you also want to become a Quidditch player or manager! Well, off you go! And let Albert Foxglove know that he must come here.’

‘Will do, Professor, see you in Charms today!’

Amelia exited the classroom and headed for the Great Hall. She told Albert that Professor Flitwick wanted him. Albert stood up and walked past Olivia, who was reading a Potions book. He walked to the classroom. The door was already open so he walked in. 

‘Good morning, sir.’

‘Good morning Mr. Foxglove. Have a seat, please.’

Professor Flitwick gestured to Albert to sit on the chair in front of the desk. 

‘Do you know what subjects you’d like to study?’

‘Yes, sir. I’ll study Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Transfiguration, and Charms. ’

‘Splendid. You want to be a Hit wizard and a Translator? Skill and knowledge are required for these jobs. For being a Hit wizard, you’ll have to take a lot of risks! Let Ms. Dragonheart come here please. And quickly, before breakfast ends!’

Albert nodded as he exited the classroom. He walked into the Great Hall which was dimly lit and the sun barely shone. He found Olivia, who was still reading her book, and cleared his throat. Olivia didn’t look at him and exited the Great Hall quickly.

‘What is wrong with her?’ Albert said as he joined Amelia and Isabell. 

Both of them shrugged their shoulders and continued eating.

Olivia walked towards Professor Flitwick’s classroom on the second floor and knocked. She opened the door and entered. She sat on the chair that was in front of the desk.

‘Before I ask you what subjects you’d like to take. I need to tell you something.’

Olivia arched her eyebrows, clearly not expecting her Charms teacher to tell her something in secret. 

‘What happened at the Ministry…’

Olivia sighed and looked down.

‘Sir, I don’t like to talk about it,’ she said stiffly. 

‘Alright, but you weren’t the only one who were tortured. And remember this. You don’t need to be so serious in front of your friends. They are aware of what you have faced last year and they are trying to comfort you because they have faced it as well. It’s the negative energy that’s making you act like this Ms. Dragonheart.’

Olivia jerked her head up slowly. There were tears sliding down her cheeks. 

‘Please, try to be like the old and cheerful Olivia. They want you to be like that.’ 

‘B-but, I changed. I can’t be the “cheerful” me. Things that are happening right now are very dark. I don’t know who to trust these days. I even question my trust towards my closest friends. You don’t know how hard it is for me.’ 

Professor Flitwick nodded, agreeing with Olivia.

‘It’s true that I don’t know how hard it is for you. But I know someone who has faced similar things to you, Amelia. She suffered watching her mother dead on the floor. From that day on, she was never the same. She kept stressing and crying. Her father didn’t even care about her. She was what you’d call ‘alone’. Amelia tried her best to control her emotions. I suggest you focus on your emotions towards others, Olivia, because once again, your friends faced exactly what you faced last year. Maybe even worse.’

Olivia considered this and she looked at her Charms teacher. 

‘You’re right. I should.’

‘Lovely. Now, I don’t want to waste any time. What subjects are you willing to study?’

‘I’d like to study Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, Arithmancy, Astronomy and Potions this year, sir.’

‘Alright, off you go then. These subjects are perfect for being an Auror and a Spell Inventor. A lot of skill and knowledge is needed there. You need to lead the First years to their lessons don’t you?’

‘Right, I almost forgot I had to do that,’ Olivia laughed slightly as she stood up. ‘ And… Professor?’

‘Yes?’

‘Thank you.’

‘No worries.’

Olivia felt a little more cheerful as she headed towards the Great Hall. She saw Albert making the First year students stand in their rightful lines. He saw her coming. 

‘Potions is this line. Charms is this line and Herbology is this line,’ Albert said as he pointed at the lines one by one. 

‘Herbology, Potions, this way!’ Olivia yelled as the two lines followed her. 

‘Charms, this way,’ Albert said as he led his line to the second floor. 

First, Olivia went to the dungeons to lead the Potions line to their classroom. Olivia knocked on the door and she entered quietly. 

‘Hello, Professor Slughorn. Here is your class.’

Nervous First years started sitting in front of black or grey cauldrons. Professor Slughorn had a bushy brown moustache with several grey hairs. He had a grand belly and was wearing a green cloak. 

‘Thank you, Olivia! The story about your parents is so interesting and shocking. I’m so sorry you had to go through all that! And nice friends you’ve got there!’ he boomed.

Olivia nodded stiffly and then led the Herbology line to the Green house that was just outside the school. 

‘Thank you Ms. Dragonheart. Now go before you become late for your lesson,’ Mrs. Sprout said as she put on her fluffy earmuffs. 

Albert and Olivia met near the Great Hall.

‘Did they go to the correct class? I mean, let’s just go,’ Olivia said awkwardly as Albert followed her to the fifth floor. Amelia and Isabell were already there, waiting for them. 

Olivia waved quickly as she faced the door to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. Amelia, Albert and Isabell exchanged surprised looks.

‘She never waved at us for about a month!’ Isabell whispered. 

‘A day..’ said Amelia, rolling her eyes

Olivia looked at her. Isabell smiled toothly. Olivia gave back a thin smile as the door opened to reveal Professor Snape, his hair greasier than ever and his skin pale. He had the same dull, black eyes. 

‘Enter the classroom,’ he said as the sixth year students entered the dimly lit classroom. 

The windows were closed and only three candles were lit by the teacher’s desk. In the corner were several desks and there was empty space. 

‘Read page one hundred and sixty three,’ Snape said coldly as students started getting their books. In the page it said:

Nonverball Spells

A nonverbal spell is a spell that is performed without the casting wizard or witch speaking the incantation aloud. Nonverbal spells are very difficult and require a lot of practice. 

Many wands made from Dogwood are rather noisy and sometimes refuse to perform nonverbal spells. Whereas wands from Pine are some of the most sensitive to nonverbal magic. Willow wands possess a well-founded reputation for enabling advanced, nonverbal magic. Alder is known as being the most suited for nonverbal magic. 

Some Spells, such as Levicorpus (see page 65), are easier to perform nonverbally than others. Most spells, however, seem to be less effective than normal when the incantation is not said. 

‘You’ll now divide into pairs. One partner will attempt to jinx the other without speaking. The other will attempt to repel the jinx in equal silence. No violence or murder. Carry on.’ 

Snape partnered them. Amelia was teamed up with Pansy Parkison - who looked like a pug. Albert was teamed up with Harry, Isabell was teamed up with a Hufflepuff boy and Olivia was teamed up with Draco Malfoy. 

‘Begin,’ Snape said as his lips curled. 

Everyone tried to either jinx their partner or repel the jinx. Isabell was doing a good job repelling the jinxes her partner kept shooting at her. She did a repel so strong that her partner collapsed. People applauded her, since Snape had said it is almost impossible to do such a strong repel. Isabell smiled toothily, bowing sarcastically. Snape ignored her, making her a little disappointed.

Amelia was jinxing Pansy, who was doing a bad job at trying to repel her. Meanwhile, Olivia was jinxing Draco, who was repelling all her jinxes. She then went faster. Draco had a hard time trying to repel them all. Olivia went even more fast and aggressively and eventually, a spell hit Draco, making him jump a few feet away and collapse on a desk. He groaned. Olivia smirked then stunned him. She was about to cast another spell-

‘I said no violence,’ Snape said as he used the Reviving spell on Draco, making him able to move again. 

‘Sorry, sir.’

She didn’t seem to control her actions at the time.

Snape ignored her and told them to continue. After an hour or so, they were told to stop.

‘Your homework is a twenty inch essay about non-verball spells. You should also practise them. I will be testing you on them tomorrow.’

After they had finished their lesson, Amelia was the first to say something.

‘Why were you so violent with Draco?’

‘A stun spell is violent?’ Olivia muttered. 

‘I know you did that because you are mad at him! Why are you so mad? He didn’t do anything-’

‘Son is like the father,’ Olivia said simply. ‘Besides, I didn’t know what I was really doing-’

‘I just want you to understand! He didn’t harm anyone!’

‘He said that his “mission” was for good and evil. Well, doesn’t that concern you?’

Amelia opened her mouth and closed it. 

‘I-I never thought of that. B-but still! Please give him a chance!’

‘Fine,’ Olivia said as they headed for Potions. 

‘I agree with Amelia, you should give him a chance,’ Isabell said.

‘I said fine.’

Olivia remembered what Professor Flitwick had told her. 

‘By the way, what did you do in the summer holidays?’

Amelia and Isabell looked at her. 

‘I-uh-was hungry all the time, of course,’ Isabell laughed. 

They laughed as they headed to the classroom.