An American at Hogwarts: Book Two

Chapter Eighteen

A/N: In the books, students can't continue on to N.E.W.T. level classes unless they get an O.W.L. in that subject. JKR never really says if students take different versions of those classes or if they drop those classes or what, although I know they at least have the option to drop those classes. For this story, we're going to say that students who don't get O.W.L.s in certain subjects still have the option to attend classes in those subjects to get general information that most adult wizards have, and they are strongly encouraged not to drop any classes. Basically, it's like auditing a class for college. You don't get a grade from the class, you don't get credit for the class, and you don't really have to do the homework or assignments for the class, but if you want to you can sit in on it and learn something. None of Alexa's friends are dropping their classes, since sticking with them will look good for their futures in the wizarding world (Molly MADE the twins), but Alexa doesn't need classes for her future in the wizarding world so she dropped History of Magic and Astronomy like they were hot.

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I woke up the next morning and headed downstairs with Angelina and Alicia to meet the boys at our table. McGonagall was walking around handing out schedules, and I couldn't wait to see where I was headed first this year.

"So, are you two going to enter?" Lee asked me and Angelina as we sat down. We gave him the same answer as Alicia, and he and the twins gave us high-fives as McGonagall came up to us.

"Miss Johsnon, Mr. Lee, Miss Spinnet, Miss Stark, Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Weasley," she said, passing out our schedules one by one before moving onto the next group.

"Charms with Hufflepuff! That's a great start to the day!" I said, looking down at my schedule happily.

"Yeah, you'll get to spend time with Cedric," said Angelina with the most irritating grin I'd ever seen.

"Ooo, are we teasing her about that out loud now?" asked Lee, perking up from where he'd been basically asleep at the table.

"No, we're not. Now all of you shut up."

My friends just cackled, and I looked around for something to distract myself with. The first owl post of the year was coming in, swooping through the hall at breakfast as always. Imagine my surprise when I saw Jimmy Tallon soaring towards us, a bright red letter in his beak.

"Jimmy!" I said happily, watching him make his way to our table. He dropped the letter, and every single one of my friends gasped. "What?"

"Alexa... that's a howler," said Fred. The noise in the Great Hall grew a bit, everyone whispering and a bunch of people turning to look at me.

"What the hell is a howler?" I asked.

"It's a letter that yells at you. Mum's used them a few times," said George with a grimace. "Go on, you'd better open it. It'll just explode if you don't."

"Who would have any reason to send a letter to yell at me?" I asked, reaching for the envelope curiously. The letter was hot, and it got hotter every second I held it in my hand. Everyone in the room was looking now as I cautiously opened the letter.

"ALEXA! YOU ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!"

The letter blasted through the Hall, forming the shape of a mouth, floating in the air and projecting the unmistakable voice of my dad. His tone started serious, but then it turned into a laugh.

"THIS IS AMAZING! ARTHUR WEASLEY TOLD ME HOW THIS WORKS BUT I HONESTLY DIDN'T BELIEVE IT WAS POSSIBLE UNTIL NOW. YOU'LL HAVE TO CALL ME WHEN YOU GET THIS AND TELL ME HOW IT WENT. THIS IS OFFICIALLY THE ONLY WAY I'M CONTACTING YOU, FROM NOW ON."