Weasleys' Joke Shop

After a moment's thought, Ivan looked around the room, his eyes resting on Malfoy and the Slytherin students.

Their parents were all Death Eaters, and there was a chance they would try to kill them…

However, they were not to be taken lightly, as Dark Wizards could use the Imperius Curse to control anyone.

With that in mind, Ivan glanced at Snape, who must have known more than he was letting on.

Was he hiding it for some reason, or was he just being mysterious?

Ivan rubbed his chin, feeling a little uncomfortable, and Snape kindly reminded himself that he couldn't very well arrest Snape and interrogate him.

The two Potions classes ended quickly, and all the young wizards were relieved to be out of the classroom.

While Harry, Ron, and Hermione discussed the upcoming O.W.L. exam and their career choices, Ivan was still trying to figure out who was trying to murder him.

"Ivan, Ron, Hermione, have you thought about what you're going to do after you graduate?" Harry asked them curiously.

His knowledge of the wizarding world was limited to his years of study, so he could not be certain which subjects would be more important.

"Well, I haven't decided yet," Ron said slowly, "but I think Aurors are pretty cool…"

Unfortunately, the requirements were too high…

Ron silently added that the N.E.W.T. exams were difficult enough, and to hire an Auror required an O (perfect) or E (exceeding expectations) in at least five subjects, something that only a handful of people could do every year.

"Aurors? I thought it would be nice to be a professor at Hogwarts, like Lupin and Moody," said Harry, who did not have a good impression of the Ministry due to Fudge's brain-dead actions.

Hermione, on the other hand, promised to do something more meaningful after graduation.

"Something meaningful? Like freeing house-elves?!" Ron couldn't help but comment.

"It's just one of those things! Ron, I have a lot of other things I'd like to do, like ban wizards from calling non-magical people Muggles, which is a nasty slur…" Hermione added firmly.

In Hermione's opinion, the entire British wizarding community reeked of medieval rot, and its laws were riddled with inequality and loopholes.

It was for this reason that Lucius and the Death Eaters were allowed to go unpunished, and that Lord Voldemort's plot worked again and again.

Ron scratched his head, unable to understand what Hermione was trying to say. What's wrong with calling non-magical people Muggles?

It was what they had always called it.

Hermione's other ideas, whether they were about giving house-elves preferential treatment, banning nicknames, or changing the law, were nothing short of fantasy.

"Who says it's impossible? The Minister for Magic will be able to avoid these things to a great extent if he is willing to enact regulations," Hermione said confidently.

"So you really want to be Minister for Magic?" Harry looked at her strangely, thinking she was joking when she mentioned it once last year.

Ron shook his head. A Muggle-born witch had almost no chance of becoming Minister for Magic.

Hermione ignored Harry and Ron, who threw cold water on her, and continued with her plan.

Although she was far from this goal, she could start this school year by taking all of the O.W.L. exams and getting top marks for all of them.

Excellent results and a good record are the capital for promotion to Minister for Magic…

Harry and Ron were mortified to hear that Hermione was preparing to take all twelve exams this year.

Is this what it means to be a straight-A student? I can't afford to offend him…

"Ivan, are you going to take all your exams this year, like I am?" Hermione asked Ivan, who had been silent.

"Uh-huh… huh?" Ivan, deep in thought, nodded, then realized what Hermione was saying.

"Then we shall compete again!" Hermione exclaimed happily.

Ivan rubbed his nose. 'When did he say yes?'

Ivan did not try to refuse, as the exams were nothing to him, and he would have had no problem taking the N.E.W.T. if he had not been worried about hurting Hermione's confidence.

Hermione then turned to Harry and Ron, asking if they wanted to join in.

Ron shook his head frantically. For a self-aware underachiever like him, passing the O.W.L. in six or seven subjects was a huge blessing.

Harry quickly changed the subject. "By the way, Ivan, you didn't say what you wanted to do with your life."

Ivan hesitated for a moment, then said, "Me? After I graduate, I'll buy a big enough room, build a magical research lab, study magic every day…"

That's it? Harry, Ron, and Hermione gave Ivan strange looks.

A recipient of the Order of Merlin (First Class) and the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen, he is planning to stay at home and study magic.