History of Magic (N.E.W.T.)

It had begun to rain. Binns, as usual, was standing at his podium preparing to give his students the opening lecture... for the umpteenth time.

Sophia had actually arrived a half hour early to class, and she brought her breakfast (An omlet, some fruit, and a glass of pumpkin juice) up to the classroom, and she even brought a little doily and a violet in a little vase. She had her textbook open in front of her, as she was studying while she was eating. Sophia wanted to go on to study history and government later on, and she wanted to get an O in this class and on her NEWT exams.

In the far back sat a very bitter looking Kyle. He blew a piece of hair out of his face as he glared at the back of Sophia's head. He had an open book in front of him, but was ignoring it. His mother, who hardly ever had a word to say about his life, had forbidden him from the home library unless he joined the class. He could have lived without it, or just snuck in the twenty-three hours a day she wasn't home, but the maids were quite the tattle-tales. And why not look at this from a clever side? Hugh and that Sophia girl were taking it. Observation in the game thought was going on came in handy. So Kyle said there, bitterly, awaiting the class to start.

And with the other six students who'd signed up for this hell of a class came Hugh. By habit, the first thing that caught his eye was that Monaseem girl; also by habit, he rerouted himself to sit on the opposite side of the room. His hair was looking especially underside-of-an-oven that day.

Kyle flicked a rolled up piece of parchment at Hugh, attempting to get him to sit with Kyle.

(*Sawyer)

Sophia noticed him, waved estatically at him, and then ran over to the side of the room he was one, and popped a squat.

"Hi Hugh, best buddy! Isn't this going to be great?!" she exclaimed, before noticing Kyle. "Oh, hi Kyle. Nice to see you too, I guess."

Kyle glared at her, and if looks could kill, this one would. "The pleasure is all your's, Sophia."

"Thank you, Kyle!" Sophia said genuinely. "This is going to be a great class! It's sure to be filled with lots of fun times..."

[whoopsie]

Hugh locked his jaw. "Yes. Smashing." He gave Kyle a brief, rather pitiful smile before opening his textbook and flipping past the tables of contents to the introductory chapter.

Sophia already had the introductory chapter open-'An Overview Of The Ministry of Magic.'

"So, why are you taking this class Hugh? Just because?"

"Just because." Hugh wished class would commence and end this accosting.

Lo and behold, for once, Hugh's wish was granted. Professor Binns floated up to the front of class, opened up a government textbook, and began to right out the outline for the course on the blackboard.

Diligent scholar he was, Hugh immediately began to jot down nearly every letter that went onto that blackboard, doing his best to block those two buffoons from his mind and peripheral sight.

Sophia, despite her appearance and personality, was actually a rather studious girl as well. She was busy copying down notes from both the board and the teacher's lecture, occasionally jabbing Hugh in the side with her quill to discuss things.

"Hugh, do you think that the wizarding community should be less government oriented, or do you think more if that's even possible? It seems like EVERYTHING is run by the government and it's annoying..."

"Where do you get 'everything'?" he answered in a low voice, as to not disturb the nearly-deaf supervisor. "The school's not, is it?" Now, Hugh knew well enough that the school, like much else, was following right in the footsteps of the Ministry. Especially since the Millenium Reform. However, Hogwarts would never come directly out and admit it... Furthermore, there was no longer anything to rebel against, at least to the majority.

"Why, haven't you ever noticed it?" Sophia raised her eyebrows as she studied Hugh looking slightly bemused. "I mean think about it. The curriculum of Hogwarts is so government control... haven't you ever noticed that most things that we study in school trace back to the Ministry? I mean, most jobs a wizard or a witch can work for-or well, any job that can PAY well anyway. Think about it, a healer works for St. Mugno's or any other wizarding hospital is run and supported by the Ministry of Magic, the police force, the Aurors is ESPECIALLY ran by the Ministry. I mean, my father is an auror, so I see this kind of thing often. Heck, even the position of a teacher form must have some consent by the ministry. It's a shame really..." Sophia sighed. "I'd enjoy life a lot more if we weren't always be watching and scrutinized by that damn government."

"I have noticed, but..." he trailed off, squinting slightly. The professor's handwriting, wrought to a fine cursive over the centuries he'd 'lived', was, at times, difficult to interpret.

"It's not a very important note-just one about the thirty-fourth minister ever. But anyway, it's pretty awful. We're always be watched. I mean, because of the damn trace we have as younger kids, they send us a stupid note if we put one toe out of line! It's like being trapped in an Orwellian society! Have you read George Orwell?-He's a lovely man, and his stories are so fascinating. But anyway, it's all a scare factor, I think. They're trying to scare us into working for Ministry because we pretty much have no where else to turn. I think it's horrible... personally. It's all a conspiracy!"

"What's so wrong with that? To begin with, they aren't forcing us into anything. Personally, I might enjoy working for the Ministry. It's a relatively secure job in this day-an'-age, pays well, and you know you're actually out there making a difference in the lives of your fellow men -- or, women. If you don't care for it, you can go... serve low-grade food in some deli off in Nottingham or something."

"In a way they are, because everyone decent job is connected to the Ministry!" Sophia exclaimed. Her voice was gaining power with each word she said. "I mean, I'd rather have my freedom then slave away to that mega coperation! That's what the Ministry is! It's a slave factory for hive minds! And I would be a person taking care of myself THEN HAVING BIG BROTHER ALWAYS WATCHING ME!" Sophia screamed.

Professor Binns sighed. There had been only ten minutes of the first NEWT history class of the year, and there were already kids screaming about their beliefs.

"Miss Sawyer... please lower your voice." he droned.

"Fine." and she mumbled something that was thankfully inaudibly.

Inaudible to the professor's ears, perhaps. "Sophia!" chided Hugh. "Watch your mouth, would you!"

"Oh, come on." Sophia sighed. "I don't need my mother at school." As she was taking the notes, they began to get darker and blotchier by the minute, as she was pressing down harder. "Fucking government, and fucking Potter... what the hell does HE know? There placing him there for good publicity. I mean, he's just going to be open to more threats. Someone could easily assassinate him now."

With every off-color bout of language, Hugh shrank further into his seat. "He's led us well, so far..."

"He's a bumbling idiot!" Sophia exclaimed, wildly waving around her arms. Professor Binns looked in her direction, but he gave up trying to get her to pay attention. She would just keep raving anyway.

"Law enforcement are government are very different things! He doesn't know how to make any major decisions, but just carry them out. I mean, he should have been a professor here... he can give great lectures in Defense Against the Dark Arts. He should have stuck with that and kept that little nose of his out of Ministry affairs."

"He's earned it, don't you think? Having saved life as we know it, and all..." It was clear that Hugh was not very firm in whatever stance he'd taken. He would surely lose this argument.