[HPforGrownups] OOP: The Fifth NEWT (Spoilers)

[Kathryn Cawte]

No: HPFGUIDX 67083


Phyllis said -
 
McGonagall tells Harry that a minimum of five NEWTs are required to 
become an Auror, but then she only tells him about four: Defense 
Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Potions and Transfiguration. Any idea 
what the fifth one is? Presumably it's a subject Harry's currently 
taking, or else McGonagall would have told him he's out of the 
running, so presumably this rules out subjects like Ancient Runes and 
Arithmancy. Which leaves History of Magic, Herbology, Divination or 
Astronomy as potential candidates (any I forgot?).
  
Me -

I think she didn't say what other subject is required is because there isn't
one. I don't know how things work elsewhere in the world but here
universities/training courses etc often specify that they require a certain
number of A-Levels or GCSEs including C or higher grades in .... whatever. I
think the Auror training requires a minimum of five NEWTs including but not
limited to the four you've mentioned. 

I'm wondering if there isn't a way to make up for not having one of the
required subjects. After all you choose your NEWTs at 16 based on
(presumably) the subjects you were good at at OWL level, which is a bt early
to expect a kid to know what they want to do with their life. U*niversities
quite often offer transfer courses for students taking a degree without all
the required A-Levels. So if Harry got 6 or 7 NEWTs paybe there's a Potions
transfer course or a DADA transfer course or whatever if he doesn't get a
NEWT in that? I think the only problem he would be likely to have actually
would be Potions if he doesn't get the grade Snape requires for his NEWT
students. I think the other staff would be willing to help him (or any other
student for that matter) if they had a problem with one of their OWLs but
wanted to take the NEWT.

K