Chapter 9

*Study Sessions* is the ninth chapter of the first book in the POS-verse, Prince of Slytherin.

## Summary

Harry, Neville and Hermione discuss the laws regarding House Heir-ship and why Death Eaters still exist outside prison.

## Plot

### September 6th, 1991

After Neville's story, the study group continue with the group discussing the homework for several topics. After two hours, the group dismiss, agreeing to meet again every Tuesday and Friday for the foreseeable future.

Staying behind in the Library, Hermione asks Neville and Harry whether they should add anyone to their study group. Harry suggests several other students, including Anthony Goldstein, whose father is a Muggle astronomer, Justin Finch-Fletcher, who can stay awake in Professor Binn's class, and Susan Bones, for networking reasons. When Hermione notices no Slytherins in the suggestions, she asks if its going to cause trouble for Harry to study with them. Harry notes several facts about himself that will prevent any Slytherins from having any major issue with the study group. He then says it is unlikely any other Slytherin from their year level will join them.

When Hermione asks if its because she's a "Mudblood", Harry agrees, suggesting that most of the Slytherins wouldn't want to alienate the older Slytherins, except for Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott. Harry describes Blaise as a "social ninja", which confuses Neville who is unsure what a ninja is, and Theo as a "special case", as any word of Theo hanging around Mudbloods and Blood-Traitors might result in physical consequences from his father. When Hermione is shocked to here this, Neville explains that since Theo has an older brother, Alexander, who is Heir Presumptive of House Nott, Theo doesn't have as much protection as he or Harry have since he's not expected to become the next Lord Nott.

Neville then reveals that his great uncle, Algie, tried to kill him twice in order to get him to provoke accidental magic and that in Wizengamot families, its perfectly legal to endanger a child to prove they're magical, provided there's been no prior sign of it. When Hermione asks if she's entered a culture that endangers children, Neville tells her its only the Wizengamot families who can do it, as children aren't considered Heirs until they are proven to be magical. As such, she has more protection that Theo as she is protected by the Ministry whilst Theo isn't.

When Harry notices Neville is very informed of Theo's home life, Neville reveals that his Grandmother made him study files of all incoming students with Death Eater background. He then lists some of the crimes both Lucius Malfoy and Tiberius Nott were accused of. When Hermione asks why they weren't jailed, Neville reveals it was because of Sirius Black's testimony from his trial. When Harry asks if those accounts can be viewed, Neville points him towards the Daily Prophet.

After they disband, Harry heads to the Library in order to find out about the trial. He discovers that Jim Potter was named "The Boy-Who-Lived" despite no-one actually witnessing the event and that everyone seemed to just accept he was responsibly for the defeat of Voldemort. Harry also discovered there was no reference to his existence in the paper, which he wasn't surprised by. He then found out Sirius Black was arrested three days after the attack at Godric's Hollow and that he was convicted by a "secret trial", which kept the the wizards responsible for passing secret anonymous (to protect them from Death Eater attacks). The only evidence were affidavits by James and Lily, an Unspeakable explaining how to pierce a Fidelius Charm, and a confession from Black himself about his crimes, including placing a number of key Wizengamot figures under the Imperius Curse. Having read up on the events, Harry continued his genealogy research and posted a letter to his solicitors.

The following weekend, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil give Harry a makeover and introduce him to the "Sleekeazy" hair product. Although Jim laughs at the makeover, both Snape and Draco approve.

The next Tuesday, Hermione's study group grows, with Anthony Goldstein, Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchley and Padma Patil joining. The group discuss what early education magical children have, as there are no magical primary schools. Anthony explains that magical children are given "education potions", potions which provide the drinker with almost instant knowledge of certain fields of study. Although the Muggle-raised students are irritated by this, Anthony explained that there is a big gap in the market, as any field outside basic numeracy and literacy potions were expensive. Not only that but there were few potions that were actually up-to-date, with the physics potion being so bad that it was actually counter-productive when studying modern physics. Finally, Anthony explained that the reason Hogwarts still existed was because the potions couldn't teach magical studies, with the theory behind why being "*Merlin did something*"*.*

Neither Harry or Hermione found that explanation acceptable.