The Final Straw

History of Magic, ( Dec. 3 rd )...

Contrary to what most of Hogwarts believed, Ravenclaw house found History of Magic to be just as boring as the rest of the school did. The difference was that while the other houses complained about the class or slept through it, the Ravenclaws either read their history book or spent the time working on assignments for other classes.

Currently Professor Binns was rambling on about how Ulrick the Awful instigated the Goblin Rebellion of 1523, but Harry Potter was not paying him even the slightest bit of attention. The reason behind the normally studious boy's distraction was the piece of parchment that sat in front of him. Charmed by Professor Quirrell to ensure that no one but Harry could read it, the parchment's title read, "Hogwarts & Durmstrang," and listed the pluses and minuses of both schools.

It had been over a week since Quirrell had suggested he transfer, and Harry was now very seriously considering it. He would miss his brother terribly if he left, but, as Quirrell had pointed out, he wasn't exactly able to spend a lot of time with Nathan at Hogwarts either, so what did it really matter if he went to Durmstrang.

The most attractive thing about Durmstang was that he would be able to move ahead in year levels, and that the school actually encouraged students of all ages to study rare and powerful magic. Hogwarts would never let him jump ahead to a more challenging class; it just wasn't done. Not even Professor Dumbledore had been allowed to move ahead when he was at Hogwarts, and he was considered one of the most brilliant student Hogwarts had ever seen. Not to mention the fact that any rare magic at Hogwarts was locked away in the Restricted section of the library, and Harry would not only need a note from a Professor, but also a really good reason to get anything out of there. Professor Quirrell had said that Flitwick, McGonagall, Snape, and the other Professors wouldn't even entertain the notion of giving Harry a pass until after his fourth year.

"Hey Potter, what's a good reason to cast a cheering charm besides making someone feel better?" Anthony Goldstein asked.

"I don't know," Harry said, refusing to help the boy with the Charms essay that was due next period. Honestly, Ravenclaws were supposed to be smart. What was smart about ignoring an essay until the last minute?

"Come on, I know you know of some good ones," Goldstein demanded. "I saw you in the common room last night writing it."

"Well you're wrong," Harry said, and, technically, Goldstein was indeed wrong. Harry had finished that essay the day after Flitwick assigned it. Last night he had been working on an essay Professor Snape had given out the day before.

"What's wrong with you?" Goldstein snapped. "If I don't get this done, Professor Flitwick will take points away and that will hurt the entire house."

"Then you shouldn't have waited till the period before it was due to start it."

"Potter, I'm almost done, I just need one more idea," Goldstein pressed.

Harry simply ignored the boy and pretended not to hear Goldstein say, "No wonder you have no friends."

Durmstrang was beginning to look more appealing by the second. This latest episode with Goldstein was the final straw. Harry wasn't about to help his fellow Ravenclaws pass their classes out of some misguided notion of house unity, and he knew he would probably be hated by the others because of it. He could already see Corner muttering next to Goldstein and both boys turned to glare at him. No doubt by the end of the day, his fellow year mates in Ravenclaw would hate him even more. Well, enough was enough. As soon as he was done with his classes, Harry would go talk to professor Quirrell and see what was necessary to put the process of transferring in motion.