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The morning of the first day of school began with exercises and jogging in the thick, wet fog that descended on the outskirts of Hogwarts. The standard procedure, without which I can no longer imagine the beginning of the day, and judging by Hermione running next to me in a different but the same blue tracksuit, I'm not the only one who has brought physical training into my life.
After cleaning up, we sat in the common room, checking homework in all subjects just in case. It was still early, and only a few students were hanging around like disheveled somnambulists, sleepily shuffling their feet and rubbing their sleepy faces.
A dozen minutes later, the common room began coming to life, and first years gathered in the center in perfectly fitting uniforms and robes. A completely happy Lavender hurried to them and began enthusiastically telling them how everything was great and rosy and that she would accompany them for the first two weeks, as it should be. The kids immediately picked up Lavender's cheerful mood and followed her out of the common room. Hermione and I accompanied the procession with the same expressionless glances.
"Isn't it too early?" she asked to nowhere.
"It's fine. We'll come just in time," I shrugged, and we put all our work in bags with an invisible extension and went after the small ones to the Great Hall.
The students who were still far from being fully assembled looked sleepy and tired, but those who were younger were quite cheerful. It seems that many people have decided to throw a party and are now suffering from lack of sleep and possibly from a hangover. While we, as the headmaster said, were eating breakfast with both cheeks, the Heads of the Houses launched with magic sheets with a schedule on the tables, which multiplied as needed.
"Some kind of nightmare…" complained the dejected Ron, who by some miracle had already found himself at the table with Potter, "History, Dual Potions, Divination and Dual Defense ... All in one day! I wish Fred and George would hurry up with their Strike breakfasts …."
Of course, the twins appeared nearby. One squeezed between Ron and Harry, and the other sat next to us on the other side.
"What do I hear? Are my ears deceiving me?" the first one who sat down with Ron and Harry asked. "The prefect of Hogwarts wants to skip classes?"
"Here, look," Ron showed him his schedule, and I glanced at mine. Instead of Divination, there were Ancient Runes. Nothing special.
"I understand you, brother," the first twin nodded. "Well, I can give you a Bloody Candy for a low price."
"Why would it suddenly be cheap?" Ron asked suspiciously.
"I bet," I grinned, "the guys don't have a neutralizer yet."
"You're absolutely right, Max!" said the twins in unison.
"I hope," Hermione looked at the twins with a grin, "You are not selling unfinished stuff?"
"You think we're stupid or something?" the second one replied, but both were affectedly offended. "We don't sell..."
"... and do not throw …."
"... and don't add …."
"… Nothing that has not been tested and for which there is no antidote or counterspell".
"Only for Ronnikins…"
"... purely brotherly".
"Come on," Ron pouted, "I'd better sit in the classroom."
"You won't last long," the first twin put his arm around Ron's shoulders, "You will soon howl from these lessons. You'll beg for it yourself."
"Hmm?" Ron looked doubtfully at his brother and shrugged off his hand, "Why so?"
"In the fifth year, you pass the O.W.L.," explained the second. "You will be so burdened that your backs will crack."
"Yeah..." the first one rolled his eyes dreamily, not at all offended by Ron, who threw off his hand. "Half of ours had problems with nerves before the O.W.L.s. There were tears, tantrums… Patricia Stimpson fainted all the time."
"One way or another," the second picked up the thought, "The fifth year is a nightmare. At least for those who care about exam results. By the way, what are you going to do? Well, after school?"
"I don't know, I guess," Ron said slowly. "Unless ... well …"
We all looked at him with great interest.
"What?" Potter couldn't stand the silence.
"Well, it would be nice to be an Auror," Ron remarked casually.
"That's for sure!" Harry immediately confirmed.
"Oooh …" Hermione drawled a little mockingly, grinning. "Have you even seen the mandatory grades for O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s for admission to the Aurors Academy?"
"No," Ron and Harry shook their heads.
"Outstanding in DADA, Herbology, Potions, Transfiguration, and Charms. A plus will be passed on "E" Care, Runes, or Numerology. Or all together. If there are good results in additional subjects, it is allowed to "E" in one or two main subjects. By the way, not only the N.E.W.T is taken into account, but also the O.W.L."
"Hmm," Ron scratched his head thoughtfully. "It's a problem …."