The Popularity of Muggle Studies

Muggle studies have become one of the popular subjects in Hogwarts even though many of the students especially in Slytherin would not admit that they like the class. Space exploration and travel topics were the most popular among the students. The higher years who got Professor Quirrell as their muggle studies professor were angry that this fact was not taught to them. Professor Quirrel was confused about why he is earning glares from the students (he was their former muggle studies teacher after all). Professor Lucero has to even meet with the higher years who are taking muggle studies as electives to get themselves updated.

Professor Lucero even has bookcases in his classroom filled with encyclopedias ("they are the best reading material to get the basics about the muggle world"), yearbooks ("they are the best to know what happened in the muggle world each year during the 20th century"), and because of the popularity of the space race, Professor Lucero added space-related books in the bookcase. Any student can borrow them seeing as the library is severely outdated in terms of muggle-related content. The space exploration and space race topic were the ones that lasted the longest with students as they wind up having a rousing debate over it including which planet is the most beautiful (A/N: Thanks to LightAngel33. This is her idea and I thought it was pretty good so I added it).

"It's Saturn! Saturn has rings!" Pansy exclaimed. "Look at it!" Pansy even showed the picture of Saturn – one that she borrowed from their professor's library.

"Doesn't matter! Neptune has the most beautiful color!" Daphne argued.

"I like Venus. It's the brightest in the sky." Tracy muttered.

"But Venus is very dangerous. Didn't Professor Lucero say that it is so hot you'll literally melt when you hit the atmosphere?" Lilian Moon who has been silent for most of the class and their dorm also joined in the arguments.

"What about Uranus?" Theo asked earning him glares and giggles from the room. "What?"

"Seriously Theo?" Tracy glared. "The color is dull, it's the oddest planet in the solar system not to mention that name! Who thought that was a good name?"

"What about the name?" Theo asked innocently.

That only made them laugh. "Uranus! Uranus! You didn't get it?" Zacharias Smith teased the still-confused Theo. (A/N: When I was eleven it took me months to understand why it was funny).

"If they are this fascinated, I wonder what they'll do when they knew that the muggles also discovered other planets outside our solar system?" Harry who was busy writing his transfiguration essay muttered towards Blaise when the entire first year Slytherins are arguing over the prettiest planets which to the muggle-raised Harry did not think was that interesting.

"Or the debates about whether or not there are people living on those planets," Blaise muttered as he finished his potions essay. The two didn't realize that the group turned quiet they look up only to see their housemates staring at them.

"What's this about other planets?" Daphne asked.

"What's this about people living on other planets?" Pansy asked.

Harry sighed. They were mostly staring at him because everyone in his house knows he knows more about the muggle world in their house than they are. "I'm never going to finish this essay, aren't I?"

While space exploration was the most well talked about in the class, Professor Lucero still managed to introduce them to other things such as martial arts which fascinated the Gryffindors, especially Godric who told the entire class "I took karate lessons and I have a blue belt". Professor Lucero even held a fencing sword in class discussing this modern art of "sword fighting" still done by the muggles. This made Ron very interested in it. "In fact, Mr. Potter, did you know your brother has won many awards and championships in fencing?" Professor Lucero asked the boy who lived.

"What?" That was news to him.

"Your sister also has a blue belt but in Wushu. A fascinating type of martial arts though requires more flexibility and softness over karate and they also work with a sword." He used an example on his projector. This was one of the things that surprises the students as pictures in the muggle world do not move but it is also thanks to the projector that they get to see the things the professor is explaining. He even has a lot of muggle artifacts in the room so students can get more hands-on examples. (Although Professor Lucero is in fact risking this due to the laws about muggle artifacts. Even though he didn't enchant them they were still within a magical estate but he still thinks this is better than the students reading the books about it. Can you imagine a refrigerator on the books or would you be more understanding if is in front of you?).

The Ravenclaws were the most typical group, they are the ones with the most questions and the ones who borrow the books from the bookshelves. The Hufflepuffs found themselves fascinated by muggle books and entertainment especially Gregory Goyle who was as surprised as all the students who started reading those fantasy novels known as "the hobbit" and "lord of the rings" (They didn't really expect the large boy who has a reputation of not being very bright to actually read these books). In fact, there is a waiting list of students who wanted to borrow the book (Professor Lucero enchanted the books with an anti-duplication charm so students can't just copy the book and he made arrangements for book orders for those who are interested. "Support the authors!" he says). There wasn't a lot of muggle literature on the shelves mostly because Professor Lucero isn't sure which book would attract the students since magic is already part of their life, not something muggles fascinate about and J.R.R. Tolkien's work seemed the closest.

But the discussion about trade, banking, business, and the economy was the one thing that attracted the Slytherins, especially in the higher years. Percy Weasley has started to gain interest in international relations. He is planning to enter the Department of international magical cooperation after he graduates. He, Marcus Flint (surprisingly), and Graham Montague were the only two who are taking muggle studies in their year.

"So, the muggles have that much of a system?"

The different financial solutions offered by Muggle banks were interesting. It was completely different from the ones in the magical world. The vaults in Gringotts don't earn interest for storage and they don't exactly offer loans or credit cards either. They are just like an expensive "storage facility" where people store not just their gold but family valuables. In order to earn more money, they have to do the work to increase the money themselves.

If you need a loan you have to ask it somebody and there are also some companies who offer it but the rate is kind of high and there don't seem to be a lot of options. Businesses in the muggle world are also more enterprising since they have more push towards an open market while in Britain's wizarding world, there is a monopoly on some areas like how the Selwyns (another pureblood old family) have the monopoly on the international trading routes.

But the exchange rate between the muggle currency and galleons was very much interesting. "Right now, there is a 5 pounds to the galleon exchange rate." Professor Lucero discussed.

"For example, Ms. Greengrass your family currently has a net worth of 30 million galleons, which would make your family a multimillionaire in the muggle world by having a total of 150 million pounds. Now you have a muggle-born classmate, Justin Finch Fletchley, correct?"

"Yes, he is in our house but he is taking Wizarding Studies," Ernie answered.

"Yes, well Mr. Finch-Fletchley has CEOs as his parents and his grandfather is the Duke of Scotts (A/N: Fiction) one that Mr. Finch-Fletchley will more likely also inherit. It is estimated that in total currently, Mr. Finch-Fletchley's entire family has a net worth of 4 billion pounds. How much do you think that is in galleons today?"

"800 million galleons," Susan who made the calculation is gaping at it.

"800 mill-800?!" both Malfoy and Macmillian were in a coughing fit.

"That would make him the fourth richest wizard in wizarding Britain! And he's only eleven!" Theo exclaimed. The richest are the Peverells who are the first to reach over a billion in galleons, followed by the Black family, and the Selwyns. The Malfoys just got into fourth place this year but with this news, they will be moved to fifth place. A muggle-born outranked the Malfoys! How many surprising things is this professor going to tell them?!

"What?" Professor Lucero shrugged. "Didn't I tell you; that this class will also make you learn more about yourselves?"

Later during dinner, Justin looked around the great hall. "Why is everyone staring at me?"