build me up buttercup [s.black]

[20] Alchemy

The sixth years waited as McGonagall bustled around the tables, handing out timetables and confirming which students would be taking what subjects. When she finally reached Aisling and Alice, her thin lips curled upwards into a smile.

"Yes, you two shouldn't have any problem applying for N.E.W.T. classes; very impressive results from both of you." She said.

She produced two more blank timetables and started tapping them with her wand to fill them in, as Alice and Aisling both listed which subjects they would be taking at N.E.W.T. level.

"Professor?" McGonagall peered at Aisling over her square spectacles. "I heard that there's the opportunity to take Alchemy this year?"

"Yes, there is. But I'm afraid you must meet a quota of ten students and so far only three others have displayed an interest." McGonagall returned to her timetabling.

"But if I could reach the quota, then I could take it?" Aisling persisted.

"Well, of course." The professor said briskly. "But are you sure you want to take on extra work, on top of the six subjects you're already doing? I'm afraid your timetable will be rather full."

Aisling looked down at her timetable and saw her subjects listed at the top.

Charms - Professor F. Flitwick

Defence Against the Dark Arts - Professor T. Eswyn

Herbology - Professor P. Sprout

Potions - Professor H. Slughorn

Study of Ancient Runes - Professor B. Babbling

Transfiguration - Professor M. McGonagall

When she looked further down the piece of parchment she saw quite a few blank spaces, which signified free periods. She looked back up at her professor and nodded.

"I'll be able to fit it in."

McGonagall tapped the parchment with her wand again and one more subject appeared at the top of her list.

Alchemy - Professor A. Dumbledore

***

Later, in the Gryffindor common room, Aisling was pleading with her friends.

"Pleeeeeeeeeeease." She whined. "We already have me, Alice and Lily. And there's those Jameson twins from Hufflepuff, Rebecca and Harriet. And Sam Matthews, the Ravenclaw seeker. We only need four more people for it to be ten."

The four boys stared back at her, and then to one another.

"No way McCawley, our timetables are full enough already without learning how to turn water into wine or whatever this is." James pushed his horn rimmed glasses further up his nose and turned to Sirius. "Right Padfoot?"

"Oh I'm totally up for it." Sirius said, with a smirk.

"Traitor!"

"Yeah alright, me too." Remus was also smirking.

"Traitors!"

"And me. But you'll have to give me some help because I heard Alchemy's really hard." Peter's nose was twitching like it always did when he was excited or nervous.

"Traitors! Traitors! We're the marauders! What happened to solidarity people?!" James's already messy hair was now standing on end, as if the shock of his friends betraying him had prompted a physical reaction.

"Didn't you hear her Prongs? Lily's in the class." Remus was smiling even wider now, observing his friend go from panic into serenity almost instantly.