Themis grinned when the younger boy chose the correct option. She shook his hand, her opinion raised by his being such a good sport. She measured people quickly and carefully; so far, Mr. Griffith the youngest seemed a most agreeable young man. She met his confusion with a puzzled face of her own. “Why wouldn’t I be certain?” She wondered aloud, her future already clear in her mind. It was a path she chose as a little girl, she wasn’t changing plans now. “I will be sixteen in September. I can’t go changing my plans now.” She chuckled, as if his questions were intended as a joke. “And I hope Uncle Horace hasn’t changed his mind. He still makes me solve equations and label star charts when I’m home.” She grinned at the thought of her curmudgeon of an uncle playing a grand game with her future. “If it was all preparations for finishing school, I will be very upset.” She hoped Mr. Griffith wouldn’t be too offended by her obvious opinion on such a fate, her face screwing up at the idea of finishing school.

His hesitance surprised her. Usually, the quidditch boys were begging her for help on their assignment. She wasn’t used to people not wanting her assistance. She didn’t know what to do with that, but politely acknowledged his thanks. She moved her things slightly, allowing him more room next to her at the table. It would be nice to have a clever desk partner for today’s study hall. She got rather frustrated when she had people staring over her shoulder the entire hour. She considered the wisdom he shared from his head of house, the ancient wizard a tough, but mostly fair instructor. Themis disliked the dungeons, but Valenduris at least kept her attention while she was there. “I wonder how much is magic and how much is science. Even if we gave the recipe and ingredients to a muggle, they wouldn’t be able to make a potion. Why, if the ingredients are the magical part?” Her musing came with a frown and she grabbed her quill, suddenly writing quickly. “There is a theoretical portion to the Potions OWL. You don’t think I have to know the answer to that, do you?”

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