Career Counseling.
As in previous years, all fifth-year students were required to attend a brief meeting during the final week of the first semester.
During that meeting, they would discuss future career plans with their respective Head of House and receive guidance suited to their individual development.
But this year was different. These meetings were supposed to be handled personally by each Head of House, held in their common rooms or offices. There was no reason to gather everyone together on such a grand scale.
Nor should it have involved all the professors, let alone Dumbledore appearing on stage.
That was why Draco had fallen into thought at Astoria's earlier remark...
At that moment, Professor McGonagall checked the time, exchanged a look with Dumbledore, then turned to Penelope, who was still rolling her eyes at someone.
"Everyone! You'll be receiving detailed materials shortly. I expect you to read them carefully. Don't skip a single word."
Her voice instantly quieted the murmurs among the students below.
Snapping back to attention, Penelope hurried forward and gave her wand an embarrassed flick. It was like a signal. The senior Prefects standing behind her followed suit, raising their wands in unison.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~
Long yellow serpents made of parchment rose from the floor at their feet.
Those who had never seen such a sight gasped in surprise. The ones who recognized what was happening straightened in their seats, waiting for the parchments to drift down in front of them...
"What is this...?"
The first sheet floated down lightly onto Hermione's desk. She barely had time to admire the Prefects' precise control of their magic before the contents caught her eye.
After leaning closer for a look, Draco explained, "Ah, it's an introduction to careers in the wizarding world. It's meant to give us an early understanding of the kinds of jobs we can take after graduation."
As soon as he finished speaking, the conversations around them drifted over, and Hermione gradually grasped what this so-called career counseling was about...
"Hmm... I don't want to be a Healer."
"It says here that as long as you score at least an E in Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, and Defence Against the Dark Arts on the N.W.W.Ts, you can work there."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean... well, their requirements aren't that high, right?"
"..."
Goyle and Crabbe's ears perked up.
Catching those few key words, they quickly grabbed the parchment printed with the emblem of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
The crossed bones and wand insignia seemed to exert a strange pull on them.
Noticing their reaction, Draco paused, then shook his head and looked away.
It was hard to picture those two hulks becoming Healers...
...
Compared to Goyle and Crabbe's little calculations, and to Pansy and Astoria, who showed little interest and already had their futures arranged by their families, Hermione was far more serious.
She had decided on her path long ago. Or rather, in order not to fall too far behind, this was the only way she could think of...
"Having trouble deciding?"
"Hmm... I need to look into it a bit more."
Draco, who knew what Hermione was aiming for, glanced through the parchments she had selected one by one.
It might look a little greedy, but in fact, each of them bore the elegant emblem of the Ministry of Magic.
Yes, the sheets in Hermione's hands were introductions to the various departments within the Ministry, clearly outlining the entry requirements and restrictions.
For example, if you wanted to join any department of the Ministry after graduation, you would need to pass at least five N.E.W.T.s, with no grade lower than an E.
Don't assume getting an E is easy.
Grades are ranked as follows: Outstanding (O), Exceeds Expectations (E), Acceptable (A), Poor (P), Dreadful (D), and Troll (T).
An E sits in second place. That's hardly something you can obtain without effort.
And that's not all. If you want to become an Auror, you must earn Outstanding in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Potions with a focus on poisons and antidotes, Herbology, and Transfiguration.
Compared to the entry requirements for other professions, that alone shows just how difficult it is to become an Auror.
What surprised Draco was that becoming an Auror seemed to be within Hermione's range of consideration...
"If it's Auror, would that work?"
"According to the rules, as long as you're a member of the Ministry, you have a chance to sit in that position."
Draco had fully expected Hermione to ask that question. His answer was crisp and entirely within the rules.
Hermione seemed to catch the implication beneath his words. After a brief pause, she set down the parchments in her hands, her thoughts clearly complicated.
Wizards, after all, had never been particularly good at following rules...
...
At that moment, Umbridge, who had stepped forward past Dumbledore on the stage, suddenly clapped her hands.
Dumbledore merely adjusted the half-moon spectacles on his nose. No one could see the look hidden behind the lenses.
Once she had everyone's attention, the investigator dressed head to toe in pink gave a light cough and began speaking in her sickly sweet, cloying voice.
"First of all, I'm delighted that everyone could attend this highly meaningful career counseling session."
She paused there.
What she received was silence. Even the professors seated behind her tacitly lowered their gazes. Only Dumbledore's smile remained unchanged.
Though no applause came, Umbridge showed no sign of embarrassment and continued, "At the same time, I've brought you some good news."
This time, the students below finally stirred.
Seeing that her words had created at least a ripple, Umbridge's smile brightened further. It looked unsettling to others, but she was clearly pleased with herself.
Excited, Umbridge spread her arms wide.
"That is, our great and righteous Minister of Magic has given me a special directive... granting me the authority to recruit Hit Wizards in advance!"
"..."
"..."
The silence that followed was so absolute that even the faintest sound would have been obvious.
The Hit Wizards Umbridge referred to were not a Quidditch position.
They were a specialized unit within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Some wizards also called them... Auror trainees...