Chapter 431: A New Plan
Chapter 431: A New Plan
“I really hope the next meeting comes around quickly. Umbridge’s Defense Against the Dark Arts class is a complete waste of time,” Hannah said as the gathering came to an end. “If I only had her class this year, I’d definitely fail my Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. Exams. I might even get a T if it weren’t for this Study Group helping me catch up.”
This semester, the Study Group has increasingly resembled a Fight Club, as Umbridge has virtually abandoned teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. So, everyone now gathers mainly to make up for the lack of knowledge in this subject.
“The Study Group was formed to help each other,” Liam said to a few people who had gathered around. “I’m sure we’ll all do well on our exams.”
After seeing everyone off, Liam and Hermione were tidying up the grounds. Suddenly, the Weasley Twins sneaked in, peering through the door and calling out, “Liam, we need to talk to you about something.”
“What’s up?” Liam muttered, turning the obstacles back into tables and chairs. After briefing Hermione, he walked into the corridor and asked, “What’s going on? Why did you call me out here at this hour, and specifically away from Hermione?”
“Well, it’s like this,” Fred shrugged. “We feel we’ve grown up and don’t need to continue with full-time education anymore.”
“Initially, we planned to follow Mum’s wishes and pass our N.E.W.T. exams and get our certificates, but we can’t stand the oppressive atmosphere anymore,” George blinked. “Especially since we’ve already opened a shop in Diagon Alley, which gives us a perfect platform to showcase our talents.”
“So—” Fred continued, “as the biggest shareholder in our store, we think it’s important to get your opinion on this matter.”
“Besides, Percy has mentioned several times how you’ve guided him and helped him make the right decisions at crucial moments. Although we’ve never really gotten along with Percy, we have to admit he is, in some ways, the best in the family,” George said with a shrug. “So, now that we’re facing a similar dilemma, we thought we should come to you for advice.”
“If you really need my opinion, I have to say your plan is a bit reckless,” Liam said carefully. “You need to understand that if you do this, you’ll be ending your education.”
“We know,” Fred interjected.
“No, you don’t,” Liam shook his head. “You might think it’s cool and a way to show your rebellious spirit, but have you considered the other professors? It’s not just Umbridge you’re dealing with. And what about your mother’s hopes for you? She supports your shop, but you should also fulfill her wish for you to complete your education. Otherwise, I won’t have the face to visit The Burrow.”
“But the atmosphere here—” George said, sounding dejected. “We just want to change the school.”
“Your childish actions will only change yourselves,” Liam said bluntly. “I believe this castle will change, but not through your behavior. You should focus on passing your N.E.W.T. exams, getting your certificates, and then running your shop.”
Saying this, Liam put his arms on their shoulders. “I know the atmosphere is terrible, but you just need to endure it a little longer. After all, you’ll be leaving at the end of the year, and I have to stay for a few more. I believe things will improve soon, so what are you worried about?”
“Of course!” Seeing the Weasley Twins agree reluctantly, Liam decided to add something to lift their spirits. “After you’ve finished your exams, you can make a big splash. Just make sure you don’t end up in Azkaban.”
After watching the Weasley Twins leave, Hermione pushed the door open and stepped out. "Finally done. What were you talking about just now? I hope it wasn't some prank plan."
"Hermione, you should trust me. I'm not the type to cause trouble", Liam said, but he couldn't help laughing at the skeptical look on Hermione's face. "Alright, at least Umbridge doesn't deserve any of it. I was actually trying to persuade the Weasley Twins not to do anything rash."
"I believe you", Hermione said after staring into Liam's eyes for a few seconds. "By the way, I think the Study Group is doing well. It's time to move to the next step. What do you think we should do next?"
"We could start a magazine", Liam suggested, having already given this some thought. "I've noticed that the biggest issue with Wizards is their complete lack of understanding of the Muggle world. Even Mr. Weasley, who claims to be the biggest Muggle enthusiast, can't distinguish between different Muggle currencies and doesn't know much about common Muggle knowledge. The first step should be to educate them, at least to give Wizards a basic understanding of what Muggles are really like."
"You're right. The first step should indeed be education", Hermione nodded. "But how do we make them understand? Through posters and exhibits, or by setting aside time to teach them?"
"These methods are too conventional and not very effective", Liam pointed out. "From what I've heard, the Muggle Studies class at our school is taught this way. The result is a bunch of Wizards who, when asked to wear Muggle clothing, end up in diving suits and carrying oxygen tanks to a camping site."
Hermione covered her mouth and laughed, remembering the bizarrely dressed Wizards at last year's Quidditch World Cup. Once she stopped laughing, she asked, "So, what do you think we should do?"
"I think we should start with a magazine", Liam said seriously, drawing on his reading experience. To make others accept your views, you first need to make them aware of your views, and that requires publicity. Given the limited ways of spreading information in the Wizarding world, a magazine seemed like a natural choice.
"A magazine? Like Transfiguration Today?" Hermione asked curiously, showing that even the top student couldn't resist learning during her breaks.
"Oh, definitely not. That's a bit too formal", Liam shook his head. "We're aiming for educational outreach, and highly specialized academic journals aren't the best for that. In my vision, the magazine will have some serious academic content, but only a small part. The majority will be humorous anecdotes or comics, such as the guy at the Quidditch World Cup who wore a diving suit and carried an oxygen tank. This would highlight how Wizards misunderstand Muggles."
"It sounds great", Hermione nodded. "As long as the content is accurate, the method of presentation isn't the main focus. After all, this is a popular science magazine, not a textbook. I think a lot of people will buy it because everyone loves interesting content, and let's face it, Wizards don't have many entertainment options."
"Exactly! Plus, we can use the revenue from selling the magazine to sustain it. Magazines like The Quibbler that rely solely on passion can easily be discontinued if the editor changes. But our magazine is for outreach, so it needs a steady income to keep it going. Only then can our magazine achieve its ultimate goal: to have enough influence to make all Wizards understand the truth about Muggles."
"You make a good point. Let's start by creating a sample issue and distributing it in the Study Group. If it goes well, we can move on to the next step", Hermione said as they approached the Common Room. "I hope everything goes smoothly."
(End of Chapter)
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