After the tumultuous Valentine's Day had passed and April arrived, Hogwarts gradually returned to a sense of calm.
No one had been attacked recently, and the mandrakes were growing smoothly as well. According to Professor Sprout, it would soon be possible to revive those who had been petrified.
And during the Easter holidays, we second-years were given a new assignment.
"Elective subjects for next year, huh…"
Starting from third year, in addition to the standard subjects, students can choose from five electives: Divination, Muggle Studies, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, and Ancient Runes.
However, Divination, Muggle Studies, and Arithmancy are scheduled at the same time, so it is not possible to take more than one of those three.
The subjects chosen here can affect future career paths, so it feels rather harsh to make children aged twelve to thirteen decide. Still, magical families tend to inherit the family business even more strongly than Muggles do, so relatively few students agonize too much over their elective choices.
That said, since this is still an important milestone, Slytherin House had arranged something like a consultation session led by upperclassmen.
About thirty second-years were gathered in the common room. Leading the way was the solidly built Marcus Flint, followed by upperclassmen such as Terence Higgs, a former Seeker with the look of a fresh, sporty youth. One by one, they filed in.
And the last to appear was the prefect, Gemma Farley.
"Hello."
She wore her black hair in a wolf-cut semi-short style, with sly-looking emerald-green eyes and smooth, clear, finely textured skin. Perhaps because she had once been part of the Quidditch team, her tall, lean figure was tightly toned without any excess, and her supple body line drew the attention of the boys.
"Sorry to make you all gather when it's Easter and all."
As she said this, Farley lightly closed one eye and gave a catlike, slightly ironic smile.
"I'm Gemma Farley, a sixth-year prefect. I showed you to the dormitory at last year's entrance ceremony. Do you remember me? Nice to meet you all today."
Scattered applause broke out, though Zabini alone shouted loudly, "Please take care of us!"
After brief self-introductions from Flint and Higgs, Farley clapped her hands sharply to draw everyone's attention.
"All right, let's make some groups. Just gather with the people near you, and the upperclassmen will rotate around afterward."
I grouped up with Pansy and the others nearby, while Zabini and his group formed another cluster a little farther away.
In the meantime, Farley efficiently directed seating, pulled in students who were about to be left out, and quickly assigned upperclassmen to each group.
Even so, it was clear that groups made up of members from notable families or famous names were paired with upperclassmen of similar standing, making the subtle internal hierarchy of the school very apparent.
＊＊
When it came to our group of six, Daphne, Pansy, Millicent, Draco, Nott, and me, we were approached by a very on-the-nose combination from the top of the school caste: Prefect Farley and Quidditch Captain Flint.
"Sorry, sorry for the wait."
Farley appeared with a light step, giving off the unmistakable aura of a glamorous, sexy older sister everyone admires. Combined with her slightly tall height for a girl, she seemed popular with both boys and girls alike.
Beside her, the large-framed Flint wore his uniform casually, exuding the presence of an athletic ace. Thanks to having his buck teeth corrected over the Christmas holidays, the crude, troll-like foolishness he once had was gone, and he now looked properly impressive.
"All right, let's get started. Don't be too nervous, feel free to ask anything."
As Farley said this, brushing her glossy black hair behind one ear, Daphne immediately raised her hand.
"Yes, yes! Do Farley-senpai and Flint-senpai have partners?"
Faced with such a predictable question, the two upperclassmen exchanged vague looks.
"Come to think of it, Marcus, didn't you get dumped again at the start of the year after your cheating got found out?"
"I'll just find a new one. What about you, are things going well with your boyfriend?"
"Don't ask. I want to break up, but he's so persistent."
Farley's expression turned a little melancholy, while Flint looked exasperated.
"Gemmy, you're smart and all, but you really have terrible luck with men. Possessive types, emotionally abusive guys, even violent ones."
"But don't you find it thrilling when a high-spec guy shows only you his weak side?"
"…So how about me, then? From one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight families, a captain, and only a slight cheating habit."
"Yes, yes. I love you, dear."
Apparently, these two had dated back when Farley was still a Quidditch player, and even now, after breaking up, they remained close enough to call each other by nicknames, maintaining a friendly relationship born of long familiarity.
"All right, that's enough for the icebreaker. Let's get back to the main topic."
Farley said this crisply, and Flint straightened his back as well, switching to a serious mode. The way they could so quickly shift between on and off was impressive, befitting sixth-years.
"That said, it's tough to suddenly tell you to ask about future paths and subject choices."
As we exchanged uncertain glances, Flint thoughtfully stepped in.
"Well then, while you're thinking, why don't we talk about our own experiences?"
At his words, we all leaned forward, not wanting to miss a single thing.
"Honestly, in my case, I didn't worry much since I'm just inheriting the family business."
It turned out that for several generations, the Flint family had produced senior members of the Magical Law Enforcement. Marcus Flint planned to follow the same path.
"So for my electives, I chose Care of Magical Creatures and Muggle Studies. The Magical Law Enforcement often deals with incidents caused by magical creatures, and Muggle-related cases have been increasing lately."
At this, Farley added with an ironic smile.
"Even if you don't aim for Magical Law Enforcement, Muggle Studies is recommended if you want to work at the Ministry of Magic. The most common job there is keeping the existence of wizards hidden from Muggles, so they hire a lot of people every year. Plus, the studies are easier compared to other subjects."
In Slytherin, where pure-bloods are common, Muggle Studies tends to be looked down on. Openly praising Muggle culture is taboo, but if the reason is simply 'because it's necessary for work,' people are surprisingly flexible about it.
"And above all, the Ministry won't go under. Muggle-related jobs aren't that demanding, don't require special qualifications, and for people who value stability and work-life balance, I think it's a great option."
Unexpectedly, Millicent seemed a little interested in that comment.
She was probably drawn to the idea of a job with decent status that didn't seem too demanding. Being from a notable family, she wouldn't want just any job, but she also wanted to enjoy her hobbies, very much in line with modern sensibilities.
"So how did you decide, Farley-senpai?"
When I asked, Farley paused with a thoughtful "Hmm," organizing her thoughts before answering.
"I wanted to leave my hometown and work in London, so I chose my classes with the idea of either the Ministry's career track or Gringotts Bank in mind. For subjects, I took Arithmancy and Ancient Runes."
"I've heard Arithmancy is really difficult, though…"
When Draco asked, Farley replied with a mischievous smile.
"Yeah, it's extremely difficult."
That said, once mastered, it virtually guarantees elite status, with no shortage of opportunities.
"What's a bit different about it is that, unlike ordinary magic, the methodology matters more than the result. In other subjects, even if the process is somewhat wrong, as long as the spell works, it's fine. But in Arithmancy, your logical thinking in reaching the result is what's tested."
If one had to compare it to something in the Muggle world, it would be like applied mathematics or statistics.
Even though it's called 'divination,' it can be applied to quantitative forecasting and analysis, such as predicting the long-term economic ripple effects of public projects or sales projections for products. Its applications are broad even after entering society, and it's said to be essential for those aiming for management or accounting-related positions.
"As for Ancient Runes, it helps develop writing and reading comprehension skills through studying grammar, so it's recommended for office work. For clerical jobs, and especially legal-related fields, performance in this subject seems to be valued."
That leaves Divination, but in Slytherin, where there are surprisingly many realists, it isn't particularly popular.
"Well, I think it's perfect for polishing your speaking skills. Bluffing, reading subtle changes in facial expressions, posture, attitude, tone, clothing, and so on, to understand the other person's psychology."
Farley frowned her thin eyebrows slightly and put on a languid expression.
According to her, it involves saying things that apply to anyone in a convincing way, saying what benefits the other person to gain their trust, or using vague questions to prompt them to reveal information themselves.
And simply put, first and second years worry about studying and friendships, third and fourth years about romance and bodily changes, and from fifth year onward, concerns about careers increase. Taking all that into account and relying on talk skills is the basic approach.
"At this point, there's basically no divination element left at all."
"But I've heard it can actually be useful in customer service or sales talk, so I guess it depends on how you use it."
For now, it seemed more practical to give up on seeing the future through Divination and instead think of it as a class for honing conversational skills, with Professor Trelawney as the practice partner.
"Or you could just treat it as a throwaway subject from the start. Divination is basically guesswork anyway, so the results don't really change much."
According to Flint-senpai, quite a few students simply enroll to meet the numbers and then focus their efforts on the other core subjects. It's the classic idea of 'selection and concentration.'
"Also, there's the question of whether you take two electives or three. If you already know what you want to do, narrow it down to two. If you don't, just take three for now. You can always drop one later."
To sum it up, if you're thinking of working at the Ministry of Magic, Muggle Studies is a good choice. For Gringotts, finance, accounting, or bookkeeping, Arithmancy. For customer service or sales, Divination. For clerical or legal work, Ancient Runes. And for agriculture, forestry, fisheries, or fieldwork-oriented jobs, Care of Magical Creatures.
"Now that you explain it like that, they all sound important…"
"If you're unsure, personally, I'd recommend Arithmancy," Farley-senpai said cheerfully.
"It's a logical discipline, so if you don't study it properly and systematically, you won't really master it. And Hogwarts is the only place where you can do that."
Hmm, I see.
"That said, it really is difficult. So if you absolutely don't want to fail, Muggle Studies is more reliable since it's a memorization-based subject where effort directly reflects in your grades. In the end, it depends on your grades and interests. It's case by case."
In my situation, choosing among Muggle Studies, Arithmancy, and Divination, Arithmancy still seemed like the best option.
With my intellect, failing shouldn't be an issue. And considering my family's strength in finance, it's a safe choice for the future as well. As for Muggle knowledge and conversational skills, I could always make do with self-study if necessary.
＊＊
"Then maybe I'll ask next."
With a grin, Farley-senpai turned her gaze to Pansy.
"How about you, Parkinson-san? Do you have any hopes for your future path?"
"I'll probably just take the safe route with a connections-based job, maybe clerical work at my family's academy back home. I don't really have any particular dreams for the future."
The Parkinson family once produced a Minister for Magic, but afterward withdrew from politics and made a business of providing elementary education to children of noble wizarding families through the 'Parkinson Private Tutoring Academy.'
Although it's a family-run business, they apparently follow a policy of making exceptionally capable employees marry into the founding family and become managers, striking a balance between family management and the advantages of non-family talent acquisition.
Pansy herself didn't seem interested in being a high-powered career woman, so it felt very much like her to seek a steady future. Still, something caught my attention.
"So you're permanently employed by your own family, huh…"
When I said that, Pansy glanced briefly at Draco, who was sitting on a chair a little distance away, and gave a faintly lonely smile.
"In exchange, I'll do whatever I want while I'm still a student."
"I see."
Seeing that slight sadness in her smile, I didn't feel like prying any further.
For most pure-blood noble families, returning home to live with one's parents, inheriting the family business, and settling down through an arranged marriage guarantees a stable and secure life.
Of course, even a life on such a stable track comes with its own pressures and difficulties.
Still, very few people have a clearly defined dream at the age of twelve or thirteen. If there's a family business waiting, taking it over for the time being might be a very realistic choice.
Farley-senpai also gave Pansy, who looked a little shadowed, a gentle smile.
"Then don't think too deeply about the future for now. Take classes you're even a little interested in, or ones you can take together with close friends or your boyfriend. Freedom is a student's privilege, after all."
Saying this teasingly, Farley-senpai winked. Pansy looked momentarily puzzled, then relaxed her cheeks into a small smile.
"Next, Bulstrode-san?"
"I'm thinking of working at the Ministry of Magic for a while, then parachuting back into my family business."
When Millicent answered so bluntly, both Flint-senpai and Farley-senpai exchanged looks of understanding.
"Working in government first, then moving to a major contractor. In a way, that's the classic route."
"Connections matter, after all, and experience with paperwork and procurement know-how is highly valued."
Not just Millicent, but Draco and Nott as well seemed basically set on inheriting their family businesses.
"Then I guess Greengrass-san will be inheriting her family business too?"
Daphne, who had been singled out, stared into space for a moment before answering.
"Well, we do have a family business, but I'm not that interested. And my parents seem to have higher expectations for my younger sister, Astoria."
The Greengrass family runs 'G&P,' a mega-pharma giant in the wizarding world. Daphne's grades are quite good, but apparently her younger sister's are even better.
"So I was thinking of leaving the family business to my family and Astoria, but relying on them forever feels a bit wrong."
Then, as if choosing her words carefully, Daphne continued.
"So if I had to say, maybe becoming a healer? Something where I could help from a little distance."
Her voice sounded awkward, as if there was something she found hard to say.
"Is that not very 'me'?"
I slowly shook my head.
"If I were a patient, I'd want Daphne to treat me over Pansy or Millicent."
"I see…"
As Daphne scratched her nose shyly, Pansy leaned forward with a disgruntled expression.
"Wouldn't it have been fine to just say 'That's not strange at all' or 'That's a wonderful dream'? There was absolutely no need to bring Millicent and me into it."
"Calm down, Pansy. That was just Elaina trying to hide her embarrassment."
Millicent soothed Pansy with a "there, there," then flashed me a grin. She really does pay close attention to people.
Watching us, Farley-senpai smiled gently.
"Hehe, you're all very close. That's nice."
Pansy and I looked at each other and shrugged.
"Lastly, how about you, Celesteria-san?"
"A traveler."
Farley-senpai's emerald eyes widened slightly, as if to say, "Oh?"
"Um, 'traveler' doesn't really sound like a profession…"
"Then a profession that lets me travel."
"Hmmm. In that case, if you work as a reporter in the international section of the Daily Prophet, or join the Ministry's Department of International Magical Cooperation, you'd be able to go to a lot of different places."
According to Farley-senpai, becoming a freelance scholar or novelist would allow even more freedom to travel. Still, having the credentials of having worked at a major organization or the Ministry for a few years is more useful than going freelance right away.
"And if you're going to travel, you'll need to deal with magical creatures, so Care of Magical Creatures is essential. If you also take Ancient Runes to improve your writing skills, it could be useful when traveling as a reporter or writer."
When she put it that way, it did make sense.
(Well, Arithmancy is a given anyway, so I might as well take as many subjects as I can. Just like Flint-senpai said, if I want to drop something later, I can do it then.)
In the end, I chose Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, and Arithmancy.
Pansy and Draco chose Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures. Daphne chose Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures. Nott chose Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. Millicent chose Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures. Zabini chose Muggle Studies and Ancient Runes. Crabbe and Goyle chose Divination and Care of Magical Creatures.
And so, Easter passed peacefully, and my attention shifted toward the end-of-term exams.
(All right, this year I'll finally beat Hermione on the tests… heh heh heh.)
However, my plan to finally take the top spot from Hermione in our year was effortlessly shattered by a certain incident.
Hermione herself was attacked by the 'Heir' and turned to stone.
(End of chapter)
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