Thick of it : reboot

After the chaotic flying lesson, the students found themselves trudging into History of Magic, a subject that had the dubious honour of being the only class capable of putting an entire year to sleep within minutes.

Professor Binns, the only ghost teacher in Hogwarts, hovered at the front of the classroom, droning on about the Goblin Wars in his usual monotone. His translucent form barely flickered as he turned the pages of his spectral notes, his voice carrying all the excitement of a dying candle.

James let out a silent sigh, glancing around the classroom. Predictably, most of the students were barely pretending to pay attention. Some were doodling, others were staring blankly ahead, their souls halfway to the afterlife. Even Ron looked as if he were trying to stay awake by sheer willpower alone.

The only exception was Hermione.

There she was, sitting upright, eyes locked on Professor Binns with unwavering determination, quill poised as if she were documenting the most thrilling tale ever told.

James thought to himself, Honestly, putting History of Magic right after flying should be classified as a crime. Whoever designed the timetable clearly has a twisted sense of humour.

Or maybe…

the upper years just wanted the Quidditch pitch to themselves in the afternoon sun. Wouldn't put it past them.

His thoughts were interrupted as the classroom door creaked open.

Harry slipped inside, looking slightly breathless but triumphant.

"Sorry, Professor," he said quickly. "I was called by Professor McGonagall."

Professor Binns barely acknowledged him, waving a transparent hand. "Take your seat."

Harry made his way over and plopped down next to Ron, sitting just behind James and Hermione.

Ron wasted no time, leaning in. "So? What happened, mate?" he whispered, barely keeping his voice down.

Sensing something interesting, James turned around slightly, resting an arm on the back of his chair. Even Hermione ,subtly perked up her ears, her quill pausing mid-air.

Harry grinned. "I'm the new Seeker."

There was a beat of silence before—

"Blimey, mate!" Ron hissed, looking at him as if he'd just declared himself Minister for Magic. "That's brilliant!"

James smirked. "Well, congratulations are in order, Harry. Congratulations." 

Harry grinned. "Thanks."

Hermione, however, looked utterly baffled. She stared at Harry as if he had just admitted to breaking into Gringotts and getting away with it.

She turned to James and nudged him sharply. "Did you hear that?"

James raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"I don't believe it," she said, her voice almost scandalised. "Harry wasn't punished."

James smirked knowingly. "Right? Makes you wonder which rules to follow and which to ignore, doesn't it?"

Hermione looked completely torn. On one hand, she was happy for Harry. On the other, the concept of rules being applied selectively was shaking the very foundation of her moral compass.

"Rules are good, James," she said firmly, frowning. "You have a very weird way of thinking."

James leaned back lazily. 

Hermione huffed, muttering something , while Ron was still grinning at Harry as if he had just won the Quidditch World Cup.

And in the background, Professor Binns continued to drone on, utterly unaware that, once again, absolutely no one was listening.

James sat in the quiet corner of the library, his fingers idly tapping the wooden table as he debated with himself.

Should I go to the Room of Requirement? Or not?

He furrowed his brows, staring at the flickering candlelight. He hadn't learned that much yet. Sure, he had a decent grasp on some spells, but was that enough to warrant a trip to a room that only appears when one has true need?

Right now, I don't exactly need it. Maybe it won't even appear.

With a sigh, he leaned back into his chair. Better to focus on what I actually want to learn first.

He reached for his notebook and flipped to a blank page. 

"Let's make a tier list," he muttered to himself, quill tapping against his chin. "Rank the subjects based on their practical effects and how easy they are to learn."

He quickly scribbled down his rankings:

S-Tier: Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, Ancient Runes.

B-Tier: Herbology, Arithmancy.

F-Tier: History of Magic, Astronomy, Divination, Care of Magical Creatures, Muggle Studies.

He smirked. "There we go. Let's break it down."

S-Tier: Charms, Potions, and Transfiguration are self-explanatory. Charms are the bread and butter of everyday magic. Potions? Absolutely essential. Transfiguration… now that was a bit of a question mark. It was powerful, yes, but he hadn't seen it used frequently in high-level duels. Still, when it hit, it hit.

And then there was Ancient Runes.

James grinned. "Now that's something I really want to master."

A future where he could cast rune-based magic? The sky would be my limit. If he could inscribe spells onto objects, weapons, or even himself… he shuddered with excitement. The possibilities were endless.

B-Tier: Herbology and Arithmancy were more supportive than anything else. Useful, but they existed mostly to aid other disciplines. No doubt some intricate spellwork would need Arithmancy, and potions required rare ingredients, but he wasn't jumping for joy at the thought of studying them.

F-Tier: History of Magic? James scoffed. "Not even stepping into that waste of time." The subject was dull enough to put a ghost to sleep. The only time history was useful was if it contained lost magic, and even then, he'd rather read about it in his own time.

Astronomy and Divination? Pfft. Not his cup of tea.

"Unless I decide to dabble in rituals, I doubt I'll ever bother with Astronomy," he murmured, absentmindedly flipping through his charm book. As for Divination? Prophecies had led far too many people to ruin. He had no intention of getting involved in that mess.

Care of Magical Creatures should be higher, but the actual population of magical creatures had dwindled too much to be a priority. Sure, knowing how to handle a Hippogriff might come in handy once or twice in a lifetime, but beyond that? He wasn't planning on opening a magical zoo anytime soon.

And Muggle Studies? Please. He could teach them more than they'd ever know. What, were they going to explain to him how a toaster worked?

Satisfied with his rankings, James finally turned his attention back to his book, flipping to the section on silencing charms.

Right, time to put my money where my mouth is.

As the warm glow of the library's candles flickered, casting long shadows on the towering bookshelves, James was completely immersed in his studies. 

A sharp ahem snapped him out of his trance.

Madam Pince stood over him, her thin lips pursed and her piercing eyes glaring down at him with the same intensity she reserved for students who dared dog-ear a page.

"Mr. Dawson, it's time to close the library."

James blinked, rubbing his eyes. "Oh, sorry, Madam. Time just… flowed, and I didn't even sense it."

Pince's gaze shifted to the book in front of him—one on Futhark runes start. She raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

"Mr. Dawson, you are only in first year. It would be better if you stuck to your curriculum."

James winced slightly. "Yes, but… I'm really interested in runes."

Pince let out a long-suffering sigh. "Please wait until your third year. Rushing won't guarantee you actually learning it."

"Yes, yes, Madam," James said, standing up and stretching. "Now, I suppose I should be going."

She gave him one final watch yourself glance before bustling off to ensure no one had smuggled a book out. James grinned to himself and made his way back to the Gryffindor dormitory.

When James entered the room, he was greeted by Ron, Harry, and Seamus huddled together, speaking in hushed, excited voices.

"Hello, boys. So, how did the time go?" James asked, strolling over and plopping onto a nearby chair.

Ron's eyes widened as he leaned forward. "Mate, we met a three-headed dog!"

James blinked. "You what?"

Ron puffed up, looking both proud and traumatised. "A three-headed dog! The thing was massive! We barely got out of there alive!"

James raised an eyebrow. "And what spell did you use to fend off this ferocious beast?"

Ron straightened up, grinning. "The tickling charm."

James stared at him, deadpan. "You tickled the three-headed dog?"

Ron nodded solemnly. "It worked."

James took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment, and then nodded. "Of course, of course. Nothing strikes fear into the heart of a deadly beast like a well-placed Tickling Charm."

Harry snorted, and Seamus chuckled.

Seamus then turned to James. "Where were you, anyway?"

James shrugged. "Library."

Ron groaned. "Mate, are you sure you were sorted into the right house? You and Hermione are always studying!"

James smirked. "Oh? Then let me show you something." He extended his hand. "Ron, give me your rat."

Ron immediately clutched Scabbers to his chest. "Oi, don't do anything weird to him."

James just grinned mischievously.

Scabbers, as if sensing impending doom, began squirming violently in Ron's hands.

"Relax," James reassured, drawing his wand.

Ron hesitated before reluctantly handing over the rat.

Scabbers squealed in terror as James pointed his wand at him.

"Flavius Mutatio!"

The rat shimmered for a moment before its fur changed to a bright shade of yellow.

Ron's jaw dropped. "Ohhh!"

Harry's eyes widened in astonishment. "That's brilliant!"

James smirked. "Look familiar? This is what you were trying to do on the train, yeah? Want to learn it properly?"

Harry and Ron nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely!"

Meanwhile, Scabbers was losing his tiny rat mind, screeching and frantically wiggling in Ron's hands as if he had just been sentenced to death.

Seamus burst into laughter. "I think you might've given the poor thing a heart attack!"

James quickly grabbed his wand. "Finite Incantatem!" Scabbers immediately turned back to his dull, brown self—but continued screeching like he'd seen things.

James leaned back, grinning. "See? Studying does have its perks."

Ron shook his head, still laughing. "Alright, alright, maybe some studying is worth it."

James chuckled. "That's the spirit, Weasley."