Hodge returned to the castle, his mind brimming with knowledge about Apparition, his steps light and airy, as if he might vanish at any moment and reappear somewhere else.
Of course, that was impossible—Hogwarts and its grounds were protected by an Anti-Apparition Charm, and attempting to Apparate would result in consequences far worse than Splinching.
Back in the dormitory, Hodge found Terry, Anthony, and Michael huddled together. Terry handed him a slim booklet. "Third-year course selection info," he said. "We've just gone through it."
Curious, Hodge flipped open the booklet, skimming its pages while listening to the trio's discussion.
"I'm definitely taking Care of Magical Creatures," Anthony said earnestly. "I'll pick one or two more, and that'll be enough."
"I'm curious about Divination," Terry mused.
"Nice, I'm thinking about Divination too," Hodge said, looking up. Anthony's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Hodge, you might want to… I mean, I've heard people say Divination's just a fluff class. Total waste of time."
"From the older students?" Hodge glanced thoughtfully at the booklet in his hands. It didn't look like an official Hogwarts publication. Alongside basic course descriptions, it included student reviews. The comments were surprisingly balanced—no crude remarks like "this class is absolute rubbish," though Hodge suspected any such reviews had been edited out.
Even so, the booklet wasn't kind to Divination or Professor Trelawney. Popular courses like Care of Magical Creatures had detailed entries, covering teaching methods, course content, and even potential career paths. Divination, on the other hand… its section was pitifully sparse. It repeatedly emphasized that the course required exceptional talent, even hinting that unless you had a Seer in your family tree, you'd be better off skipping it. Still, some noted the class was an easy pass.
"Herbert brought it over," Terry explained. "Said it's to give us more time to research, maybe check the library for more info. Official course selection isn't until the Easter holidays."
Hodge nodded, getting the gist.
"So, what're you picking, Hodge?" Anthony asked.
"All of them," Hodge replied casually.
Anthony, Terry, and Michael stared at him, stunned.
"All of them? Why?"
Because of the Time-Turner, obviously, Hodge thought to himself. He'd heard from Professor Flitwick earlier that Time-Turner applications had been temporarily suspended by the Ministry this year, but who knew about next term? Better to apply now and figure it out later.
"I'm interested in all the courses," Hodge said aloud, hesitating briefly. He'd had moments—fleeting, disorienting sensations where he felt detached from time and space. Could that be a Seer's gift? He wasn't sure, but it was worth a shot. And if he was picking Divination, why not go all in? "The booklet mentions scheduling conflicts, but nothing says you can't choose everything. Worst case, I just prep for a few extra exams."
His nonchalant attitude was enviable. Anthony briefly considered copying him, but when he glanced at the five elective options—Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, Divination, Arithmancy, and Muggle Studies—he faltered, unable to muster the words "I'll do the same."
Truth be told, ever since Hodge's courtroom heroics made the papers, people's attitudes toward him had shifted. Before, he'd been one of the top students in their year. Now, after the trial, he wasn't just seen as a student anymore. Over the past few months, wizards had written to him—some thanking him for uncovering the truth, others offering encouragement, all optimistic about his future. A few reporters even tried to score in-depth interviews, but Dumbledore had politely turned them down on Hodge's behalf, sparing him the hassle.
Still, rumors swirled around Hogwarts.
Anthony had always secretly competed with Hodge, but as the whispers grew, he had to admit there was no point. Hodge's ambitions had outgrown grades and school. What was Anthony supposed to do? Dig through Azkaban's prisoner list to find an innocent convict to champion?
Over the next few weeks, Hodge settled down, pouring most of his energy into studying new magic. Unfortunately, when he tried using a signed note from the previous Defense Against the Dark Arts professor to gain access to the Restricted Section, Madam Pince fixed him with a sharp glare and barred his entry. She did, however, grudgingly allow him to keep using the small room behind the Restricted Section. There, Hodge always felt a sense of calm, as if the world's noise couldn't reach him.
At the moment, few things truly troubled Hodge: Voldemort's lingering soul, Horcruxes, and the mystery behind the accident that awakened his magic. As for Harry's problems, well, Dumbledore was handling those, and Hodge wasn't eager to take on that burden. Especially since Harry himself didn't even know about the piece of Voldemort's soul inside him. Hodge figured the best approach was to master as much magic as possible. If he had Dumbledore's skill, most problems wouldn't be problems at all.
Still, Hodge didn't lose sight of one crucial matter.
Two weeks before exams, he set aside his magical research to focus on studying. This was about securing approval for all his chosen courses next year—and, more importantly, a Time-Turner. Not just anyone could get one. You needed stellar grades and a school endorsement proving you were a model student who wouldn't misuse the device. The grades? No issue there. Model student? That was trickier. Hodge had publicly admitted to sneaking into the Forbidden Forest, after all.
To maximize his chances, Hodge threw himself into exams, especially the practical ones, aiming for every bonus point he could get. During the Transfiguration exam, he not only turned a rabbit into a tropical sandal as required but went further, transforming the sandal into a squirrel. Professor McGonagall had to cast two spells to restore the rabbit to its original form.
"Advanced Transfiguration," she remarked, circling his exam paper. "Continuing to layer transformations after the initial change." She pursed her lips, then added, "I heard from Filius… you used wandless casting in your Charms exam?"
Hodge nodded.
His performance had stunned the professors. His spellwork wasn't just advanced for his age—it included techniques typically taught in higher-level classes, meaning he'd taught himself much of it.
"Results will be posted in two weeks," Professor McGonagall said, a smile breaking through her stern demeanor. "But you, of course, have earned full marks."
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