alt_draco | Order Only - Private Message to Hermione

When you get a moment, can you let me know what NEWT subjects you would take, if you were a Hogwarts student? I tried to take a guess but the only one I could rule out entirely was Divination.

The reason I ask is because I'm going to see if Sally Anne and Justin will agree to send along their lessons and assignments, so that I can keep up as if I were still attending Hogwarts and preparing for NEWTs. I thought you might like to do the same. What do you think?

Maybe it's a daft idea. I don't know.

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From:

alt_hermione

Oh, it's a really good idea!

Let's see. You know, I did think about it a little when you all were picking out your electives before third year.

I'd definitely have taken Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, and of course Astronomy. I think Care of Magical Creatures is important but I don't know if anyone's continuing it into N.E.W.T. level. Charms, obviously, it's really the bread and butter of magic, isn't it. And of course, Defence and I don't know if I'd have taken Dark Arts but it certainly seems like it would be useful. You know, I actually think I would have tried out Divination to see what it was all about but no, I don't think I'd have stayed with it for long. Maybe not even long enough to complete an O.W.L. Herbology's going to be really important if we're travelling at all, I mean, in Sherwood they talk all the time about which plants and herbs are edible and which are medicinal and which are really dangerous, and plus so many potions ingredients are herbals. I don't know if I ever mentioned it but Professor McGonagall gave me a copy of Hogwarts, a History--the original one by Bathilda Bagshot--even though it wasn't exactly a politically acceptable book--and I must have read it six or seven times. It's really a shame that History of Magic is taught so horribly, it would have been really interesting to learn about the whole Wizarding World. Oh, and there's Potions, of course, but Mr Snape says I'm already working at N.E.W.T. level so I don't think I need to worry about the assignments Justin and Sally-Anne are getting, and then there's Transfiguration, which is another essential skill, I think.

From:

alt_draco

So basically, you want everything. Colour me decidedly not surprised.

Creatures is mostly practical lessons so I don't think we could continue in that if we tried, unless we wanted to ask Macnair to round up lethifolds. I don't see him agreeing to that anytime soon.

Daphs is continuing in Divination so you can get those lessons from her, if you're truly curious. I think she may be the only one taking it.

Transfiguration is my least favourite but I really need to throw myself into that one, now.

I reckon we ought to ask Terry, too. We can have study sessions and such. Who else would be interested, do you reckon?

From:

alt_hermione

No, not everything. There's no reason to take Divination or History, and I agree that there's no way to really study Creatures based on whatever people might be able to send you.

I don't need Sally-Anne's Potions notes. It's too bad Professors Sprout and Dumbledore and Sinistra are at Hogwarts or we could simply rely on them for lessons directly, but I suppose what we already know about Herbology and Astronomy will do well enough, plus they're easy enough to learn from books, so it's really Transfiguration that's the important subject of the three.

So, I suppose that means I would need Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Charms, Defence, Dark Arts and Transfiguration.

Only the thing is that I'm not sure I could even start Dark Arts now, not having done it all along, so perhaps only if there's something particularly appropriate.

Five subjects.

Oh, for other people, Maureen's not too far behind, I think. And there's Alec, Lisa.... What about Sarah?

From:

alt_draco

Yeah, I think I'll skip the Potions notes as well. I definitely want Dark Arts - though honestly, Snape's probably around equal to that as Dolohov, but with a different focus.

I'll leave the Astronomy to you. Herbology, too.

Sarah would probably be interested, yes. A few days ago she and I were reminiscing about the big pre-Hogwarts Express shop that always took place around this time of summer. Only she never had enough money for everything she needed, and I, of course, always had more than enough. Don't worry, though, I'm not going to borrow Harry's cloak and go off stealing new school books, quills, and parchment.

From:

alt_hermione

I always hated when everyone went shopping because there were so many things I wished I could have. But really, there's not much I need.

I've been thinking about what we should take with us when we go. If we ever figure out where to look, that is.

From:

alt_draco

Those travelling robes I stole for both of us, for one. New poison rings? Only the old ones didn't quite do the trick, did they?

Speaking of tricks, I've really come along with that glamour spell from the book Daphs gave us. I look just like the love child of Celestina Warbeck and David Bowie. Which is far too memorable a face, now that I think on it, so I'd better tone it done a bit, throw in someone more plain. We should practise some day when you're not at Sherwood.

From:

alt_hermione

Oh, good. And I found a book just yesterday in the library, all about the sorts of puzzles wizards used to put into their vaults and safes and things. We'll need to know loads about how to disarm protections like that, I think.

I've got more than robes, you know. I've been putting together a bag with an undetectable extension charm on it. I've got bedrolls, a travel cookery set, a whole trunk of books, some potions and remedies, a cauldron and set of knives and a brewing kit, two brooms--loads of things.

You know, if there's ever a day you want to make sure I don't go to Sherwood, just say. I'm not--I mean, I go there to pass the time and learn things that I can't learn in books. It's not on any sort of calendar.

From:

alt_draco

Ah, living in the great outdoors. It will be just like YPL, without all the tow-row-rowing. Too bad I gave all those really posh tents away, though Sherwood needs them more than we do.

Sure. If it were really important I'd do just that. I like passing time at Sherwood and Moddey, too. Or studying the Fidelius Charm, or giving flying lessons.

But once we set off to find the Horcruxes I suppose we won't get to go back there as often. Or to 12G. So we'll both have to really make sure that we're ready before we set off.

From:

alt_hermione

Well, if Harry would loan you the cloak again, you could steal another posh tent before we go. Or we could make Sherwood our first stop and ask for the smallest one as we'll only need room for two.

I'm not sure how much we'll be back. Sirius has a point that we might as well stay here in comfort until we have any better clue where to go. I don't think finding one Horcrux would necessarily lead us right to the next one, either. So there's a logic to coming back in between, too, but you're absolutely right that we can't count on it, either way.

Anyway, I've got supplies, too, in case we are out for months at a stretch.

Just think how much Arista Selwyn will miss your visits!

From:

alt_draco

Don't tempt me. I can't imagine that it would go over well with everyone if I used the cloak to have another go at robbery, but I, for one, would enjoy it immensely. Bloody good fun, that.

Comfort is well and good, but if I have an endless stretch of it I fear I'll go soft. Even if I get in a training session with the Longbottoms a few times a week, it isn't the same. It's strange to admit, but before this summer some part of me was entirely accustomed to the possibility that something awful might occur at any time - because it usually did. Maybe that's why I always felt as if all the adults at Moddey and 12G were sitting around twiddling their thumbs....because they weren't facing something awful everyday, they were just watching us face it.

Arista will pine, yes. Many people will, and not just over me.