The Wizarding Council's Official Examiners

March 12, 2010 1:25 PM

Critical Assessment of Talents and Skills (5th years) by The Wizarding Council's Official Examiners

The day that every student in Sonora's fifth year had been dreading had arrived: the first day of their examinations. Not just any examinations; the Critical Assessments of Talents and Skills. The results students obtained on these examinations would determine which subjects they would be eligible to study in their sixth and seventh years of school. Therefore they were not to be considered lightly.

Four figures stood waiting at the front of the room, waiting. The only witch amongst them was Nanette Langdon. She was older than two of the others, and looked far sterner than all three other examiners. Her back was ramrod straight and her face stretched and pulled tight by the rigid neat bun that held her iron grey hair. It emphasised her sharp, pointy features and made the sharp, intimidating gaze that greeted the students entering the hall even less comforting. It was rumoured that she could tell if a student was even thinking about cheating, and she had a reputation for ruthlessness that had been validated by generations of students.

Bernard Starsky was the oldest of the examiners. Nearly bald and bent with age, it was hard to believe that in his prime he had been a straight backed, handsome man with a full head of thick, glossy dark hair. His general examining style included his head being slightly cocked to the left - Starsky was quite deaf, but had convinced himself that by effecting this pose his hearing worked better - staring at the students with suspicious beady grey eyes and communicating several decibels louder than necessary. While his tendency to yell might, at least in part, have been explained away by his deafness, the whole package was more than enough to make him a figure to be treated warily.

The most popular of the examiners was David Weatherby. A stocky, middle-aged wizard, with the grey in his hair starting to outnumber the brown and a twinkle that appeared in his intense green eyes when a student did particularly well in their practicals. Weatherby was tough but fair, and it earned him respect.

In contrast, Roland Ashburn might as well have been a joke. He was the youngest of the examiners - in his mid thirties at most - and easily the tallest. He carried his height awkwardly, being oddly gawky for a man of his years, looking like he simply had never grown into his body. He was by nature cheerful, prone to smiling at the students and a complete pushover. Being regarded with respect was just one of those things that remained completely foreign to him.

Quickly the students were encouraged to find their seats where they were handed the latest anti-cheating quills. Examination books and papers were handed out. The hall had been prepared earlier, with spells and hexes to prevent cheating liberally cast. Ashburn, after being on the receiving end of one of Langdon's patented 'are you an idiot?' stares, beamed at the seated students. "Your first examination will start in a few minutes," he told them, checking his watch to be sure. "I just want everyone to do their very best and remember that cheating is not a good idea. Anyone cheating will be caught and will get an instant fail," he managed to look apologetic as he said this, while still smiling at them all. "If you finish early, please just sit quietly and don't disturb your fellows. Er... I think that's about it! Are you all ready? Good luck! You can open your examination booklets..." he paused while the second hand on his watch ticked, ticked, ticked, "now."


OOC: Theoretical exams in the mornings, practical exams in the afternoons. Mandatory classes are covered over the first two days, any electives your character takes (e.g. independent study of ancient runes) are examined on the third day. You may write for your examiner in the practicals. Have fun!
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