The best seats are in the back. on Care of Magical Creatures

Professor Kijewski

September 18, 2007 8:13 PM

Lesson 1 for the Fifth Years by Professor Kijewski

It was now after lunch and Kiva felt refreshed. The Kneazle was now dozing up in Kiva's quarters and the Diricawl was happily back with the other creatures in Kiva's corridor. She even had a chance to change out of her cords and into a pair of shorts and a pair of sandles. She was going to be handling the Fifth years and knew that they were going to be on edge due to the exhausting exams at the end of the year.

Kiva felt guilty over everything that had happened last year and having left the fifth years back then to figure things out on their own. This year, Kiva planned to be available for the students whenever they needed her and she would do her best to review the materials for their exams so that they all did well on them.

Plus, she had a major surprise for them that hopefully they would all enjoy. She knew that most of them probably wouldn't return to her class next year, as sad as that was, but she wanted to make their fifth year with her as enjoyable as possible since the rest of their year was going to be straining and depressing.

The clearing was slightly different for when the Fifth years were to arrive. In the center, instead of the usual table or crate, was a large pool with a small bit of sand on one end of it. Kiva was wearing thick dragonhide gloves and was standing slightly away from the pool. Because the pool was deep, the students wouldn't be able to see what was in it unless that were looking directly into it. Kiva liked to keep her lessons as secretive as possible to give herself an edge and invoke the students' curiosity.

Once the last of the students arrived, Kiva shifted on her feet and grinned. "Good afternoon everyone." Kiva greeted in her usual friendly tone. "As I'm sure you are all aware...and sick of hearing... that this year is an important year for you. The C.A.T.S. examinations are finally upon you, which means lots of studying and a lot of stress." Kiva gave them a look of sympathy. She was once in their shoes. "I'll be available to you during the day incase you need to ask me anything. I may be the Care of Magical Creatures Professor, but I do have knowledge in other subjects. I can also offer my office as a place of study if you require it."

Kiva looked around for a moment. They may not recall what had occurred four years ago with the weather conditions that forced Kiva's lessons into a classroom, but she had the charm and transfiguration skills to turn that classroom into the outdoors. Although, she can't claim to be as good with potions as she was with her wand.

"I wanted to tell you right off the bat that this year we will be taking a trip to a ranch." Kiva informed them. "I'm not going to tell you what sort of ranch, but it'll be for an entire weekend. I wanted to let you all know so that you can prepare yourselves before hand. It won't be until after midterm, but plan on having a study break for the weekend and instead, having some fun." Well, Kiva hoped they would have fun. Some of them might not all be happy at the idea of spending the weekend away, not able to study, or relax. But, Kiva could still hope, right?

"Anyway, let's move on with the lesson. I'm sure you're all eager to get some learning done for today." Kiva mused. She turned so that she was facing the pool and bent down to scoop up whatever was in there. When she reappeared and turned to face the students, it looked as though she were holding nothing more than a mere lobster.

"Now, who can tell me what this is?"

OOC: Okay, you all know the drill. Three paragraphs per post, 3 to 5 sentences to each paragraph. Use as much detail as you can and have lots of fun with the Mackled Malaclaw.

Subthreads:

Visualzing the magical creature doused in butter by Earl Valentine with Nicoletta Dupree, Earl

Just my luck by Jordanna Howard with Chris Dupree, Jordanna

The best seats are in the back. by Anne Wright with Bella Santoro

Green-Gray Lobster? by Connor Pierce with Gwen Carey

0 Professor Kijewski Lesson 1 for the Fifth Years 0 Professor Kijewski 1 5

Earl Valentine

September 19, 2007 12:01 AM

Visualzing the magical creature doused in butter by Earl Valentine

Earl squinted into the sunlight as he made his way out to his Care of Magical Creatures lesson, his bag slung over his shoulder with his robes shove in it and a sketchbook in hand. There were a few reasons why this was his favorite class. It's outside, there were cool creatures to see. And because of those cool creatures, there was something to draw besides the back of his fellow students' heads.

But when he got to where Professor K was standing, he saw nothing but a large, opaque tank, heightening his curiosity. He lay down on the sun-drenched grass and stared at the sky. He should buy some sunglasses.

Professor K began talking, but he knew what she was saying. All the teachers have or will be saying the same thing for the rest of the year. CATS. CATS. CATS. He decided that the clouds were much more interesting than CATS. But mention of a field trip got Earl to sit upright to listen better. A ranch? And she didn't mention what kind. Earl remembered the astronomy field trip last year and how many people ended up roaming off into the darkness in couples, except for him.

Sighing, he turned his attention back to the professor who was now holding what looked like a lobster. Did lobsters have magical properties that he was not aware of? Not knowing what it was, he took out his sketchbook to draw the lobster-thing while he waited for someone else to answer.

0 Earl Valentine Visualzing the magical creature doused in butter 67 Earl Valentine 0 5

Nicoletta Dupree

September 19, 2007 1:45 AM

I prefer Maine Lobster by Nicoletta Dupree

Fairly certain that aside from her friends, she had nothing else, Nicoletta decided to put all her effort into her schoolwork. It wasn’t that she hadn’t done well in the past, because she had, maybe not on the same level as Chris, but always good. The difference though was that she was actually going the extra distance. Last night, she had actually browsed through her textbooks rather than going through her nightly beauty ritual of crèmes and such. Another point was not just being on time for a class, but being early. She wanted a good seat for the lecture.

Her current class was Care of Magical Creatures and as such had opted to dress more accordingly. In years previous, she had always worn something fancy, expensive, just because that’s what her wardrobe consisted of. She still had the clothing and a couple new items from early in the summer, but before she had come back to school, Nicoletta had picked up a couple of simpler outfits, things her parents would have a fit over, but it didn’t matter.

She wanted to begin wearing clothing that other kids at school did, like jeans. She had been fortunate enough to find a couple pairs in addition to some jean shorts in a nearby discount robes store. They had been in a bin in the back and she thought they were rather cute with stars in red and black. She had opted to pair them with a black tank with a red star over a red t-shirt. Her dark hair was pulled back into a simple braid. When she had looked in the mirror, she thought she looked fairly good, if not very different, something she wanted.

Upon arriving to class, this time only a smidge early, as she had stayed after in her last class to ask the professor a question, she looked for an empty spot. She gave a sly smile when she saw one near Earl. Who better to shock than someone who disliked since first year? She took the seat. Placing her robes on the ground to sit on, as they weren’t needed in this class, and took out her parchment and quill. She was surprised that he didn’t seem to notice right away.

When class began, the Professor welcomed them back, and to be honest, she much preferred her to the woman they had last term. The class had been rather crowded with all the years and, even though Nicoletta had never been horrifically interested in the class, she still preferred the individualized attention offered in the smaller class.

After greeting them, before beginning, she mentioned a field trip to a ranch. Nicoletta gave an internal groan. The last field trip had been a disaster and the time when Adam had broken up with her, if one could call it that. She didn’t even want to think of the disasters that could occur on this trip and was glad that Professor K didn’t say much before going into the lesson only to pull out a…she had to be kidding. It was a Mackled Malaclaw, which was believed to cause a person that got bitten by one to have bad luck for a week. It was an omen. It just had to be. Things seemed to be going well, minus Adam, who she hadn’t talked to yet. That must be, an omen that things were going to go horribly wrong when they talked.

When the professor asked what it was, Nicoletta knew the answer, but didn’t bother to answer, as she was more concerned with what it meant. All she knew was there was no way she was going near that thing. Glancing around, trying to avoid paying it to much mind, she glanced over at Earl, who appeared to be sketching something.

“Hey, Earl,” she said to get his attention with a friendly grin. Curious, she asked, “What are you drawing?”

0 Nicoletta Dupree I prefer Maine Lobster 64 Nicoletta Dupree 0 5

Earl

September 19, 2007 2:52 AM

Me too, but you get what you can by Earl

Hey, Earl

Earl jumped at the sound of his name. He wasn't expecting anyone to call her him and he was rather absorbed in his drawing. He turned to the source of the voice and found -- and he had to double check this -- a very different looking Nicoletta Dupree. Earl stared dumbfounded.

"Nicoletta? What the-" he decided not to finish his question. He realized he didn't care. He cleared his throat and showed her the drawing of the Mackled Malaclaw. It wasn't near done, but there was preliminary sketch and a few parts shaded in already. You could tell what it was.

"Just the lobster-thing. Nicoletta, I can't not ask this...what's going on with you? You look...different. And you're...nice." Earl looked Nicoletta up and down. He still didn't like her, but he could appreciate...right?

0 Earl Me too, but you get what you can 0 Earl 0 5

Nicoletta

September 19, 2007 1:52 PM

But what if you don't like what you get at all? by Nicoletta

Nicoletta scooted a little closer to get a better look at the picture. In the process, she accidentally brushed his arm with hers. She wondered if he drew a lot. The picture was a decent depiction of the creature.

At the question, Nicoletta gave a small chuckle, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. But the point of being nice struck a nerve. Lucien wasn’t at all. She didn’t want to be like Lucien and if she had continued on the path she had been heading down that is inevitably how she would have ended up. She had already started last term by being nice to Gwen for the wrong reasons.

She chewed on the side of her cheek. Gwen was actually pretty cool, which gave her another resolution to add to her list. She was going to make amends with everyone that she had been less than pleasant to in the past and that included Gwen and the boy sitting next to her.

“Growing up,” was the only answer she gave. She didn’t go into more detail since it was a long story, but it was a simple enough explanation. Her eyes were still on the drawing, but she glanced up at Earl with a smile, “This is pretty good. Do you draw a lot?”

0 Nicoletta But what if you don't like what you get at all? 0 Nicoletta 0 5

Earl

September 19, 2007 4:59 PM

Make lemonade? by Earl

Earl took a sharp breath when Nicoletta's arm brushed against his. She smelled good. This wasn't happening. This was Nicoletta. She was a mean, uptight, priss with no other purpose in life than to look like a porcelain doll and put people down.

But here she was, sitting next to him in jean shorts and a t-shirt, complimenting him on his artwork and smiling. It reminded him of Asher, though he couldn't think of why. When he had given her that picture he drew of her the last Christmas she was at Sonora, Asher had gotten sad. He had gotten angry. It wasn't good. Nicoletta liked it, even though it was just a Mackled Malaclaw.

"I guess I draw a lot. Been doing it since I was little," Earl grinned and flipped through his sketchbook, showing her the various things he had drawn in it, casually skipping the pages he knew had drawings of Lexi on them.

Nicoletta was right: she was growing up...and so was he.

0 Earl Make lemonade? 0 Earl 0 5

Nicoletta

September 19, 2007 7:05 PM

Do you have any lemons? by Nicoletta

Nicoletta was amazed at what one learned about a person by simply paying attention. Just by sitting next to this person that she had once been a wicked witch to, she had learned that he enjoyed drawing. It was a talent that she didn't possess.

"That's really cool. I tend more towards drawing stick people," she joked.

She was quiet for a moment. The realization that if given the chance first year, she may have been friends with Earl. It was rather disconcerting, but she was thankful for the ones she did have. Jordanna and Catherine might not have been considered the nicest by most, she knew she certainly wasn't, but they were true to her and that's what she needed at the moment.

More never hurt though, as she glanced back at Earl with blue eyes and a grin, curious to know more about her housemate, "So, what other hidden talents do you possess?"

She hadn't meant it to come out in a flirty manner, but it had. Oh, well. It wasn't like she was with anyone anymore. If she was, it would have been another story.

0 Nicoletta Do you have any lemons? 0 Nicoletta 0 5

Earl

September 19, 2007 10:51 PM

Not on me...want some gum? by Earl

Earl smiled at her joke. She was joking with him. Any time before this class, Earl would have though it insane if anyone had told him he would be having a nice conversation with Nicoletta Dupree. But here he was.

"So, what other hidden talents do you possess?"

Earl turned a delicate shade of pink when she asked him. All he could think about was April telling him he was a good kisser. He grinned, but decided to to divulge that information just yet.

"There's not much hidden for me. Drawing was it, unless you wanna count my amazing Quidditch abilities, which aren't all that secret." He was babbling, and he knew.

"I've been told I was a good kisser," he said quickly, not being able to think of anything else. Earl regretted it instantly and began stammering.

"So...uh...you got any hidden talents yourself?" Earl said after letting the huge embarrassment subside slightly.

0 Earl Not on me...want some gum? 0 Earl 0 5

Nicoletta

September 19, 2007 11:38 PM

Sure, what flavor? by Nicoletta

Nicoletta gave an amused smile over Earl's blush. It was nice to see she could make someone do that without really trying. Better was the fact that he was actually talking to her. He really wasn't a bad guy.

She listed as he explained that he was also decent at Quidditch, which she couldn't say he wasn't since she'd never gone to a game. Maybe she would go now. This was also contingent on her being able to make friends with Earl. His next talent though caused her to raise a delicate dark eyebrow at him. Good kisser?

Giving him a mischievous smile, she answered his question in turn, "I'm a good kisser, too." Then, to show she was teasing, she gave him a wink, but she never had any complaints about it. Of course, she had only had two partners - Adam and Lucien. Adam wouldn't have lied about something like that, but Lucien, well, that was completely different.

0 Nicoletta Sure, what flavor? 0 Nicoletta 0 5

Earl

September 20, 2007 12:55 PM

I got peppermint and watermelon by Earl

Oh, Merlin Earl thought as Nicolette flirted with him back. Not only did she not become angry at him, but she went a long with it. The class completely forgotten, he looked at Nicolette straight in the eyes. They were blue. He'd never noticed it before.

He wondered what it would be like to kiss her and had to force himself not to lean towards her. Instead, he gave a shaky grin and replied. "Yeah? Looks like there's actually something we have in common."

Earl's grin became more confident. He never would have thought he an Nicoletta would have anything in common. There were a lot of thing he used to think and doesn't anymore, and wondered if Jordanna, Catherine, and Gwen had changed any too. And then wondered if they were all as attractive in muggle clothes as Nicolette was.

"So, what the famous Nicolette do when not kissing people or preening in front of a mirror?"

0 Earl I got peppermint and watermelon 0 Earl 0 5

Nicoletta

September 20, 2007 3:35 PM

Mmm, watermelon by Nicoletta

"I suppose so," she said in regards to Earl's comment about having something in common.

The next question was a good one. Her index finger rested right below her mouth, as she thought about it. What did she do now? Most of the summer had been spent trying to get over Adam and more involved with Lucien. Then, after everything that had happened, the end of summer had involved a reflection of self and change. So, now when she thought about it, her interests had been rather limited, as it all revolved around becoming a Pureblood princess.

"Well, I wouldn't say famous," she said with a grin. "Just slightly known. But as for what I like to do, well, preening is no longer on the list. Though, I still like fashion, just...different." She glanced down at her outfit. "I also like to read and play games, like chess or cards. Do you like games? If you do, maybe we could play one sometimes."

Did she say that? To Earl? Yes, she did. She gave a wistful smile. Change was certainly taking her in a direction she didn't expect.

0 Nicoletta Mmm, watermelon 0 Nicoletta 0 5

Earl

September 22, 2007 4:25 AM

Then peppermint for me. by Earl

Games? Nicoletta really had changed. Earl smirked. "So, you don't preen and you like to play chess. Who are you and what have you done with Nicoletta?" Earl joked. He ran a hand through his hair and glanced at Nicoletta.

"I like chess and cards, but it depends on who I'm playing against." He paused and then added, "Wizard chess with my sister gets real old, real fast; but I'd play with you any day."

Earl stopped realizing that what he said could be construed as very bad. But the more he talk to her, the more confident he felt around her. Instead of stammering an apology, Earl tried to be a bit...less spastic.

"Games, I mean. Unless somwthing else takes your fancy."

0 Earl Then peppermint for me. 0 Earl 0 5

Nicoletta

September 22, 2007 2:01 PM

Re: Then peppermint for me. by Nicoletta

A bemused expression played on her features. It was a question that she had asked herself many times. What had happened to the girl in first year that had cared nothing more than being seen as proper? If someone had told her that this would have become her, she would have thought them insane, but here she was.

Though, she had always liked chess and cards. She just never admitted to it, especially at school. It ruined the image. At home, she and Chris played all the time. He was better at chess than her, but it was all logic, a trait right up his alley.

A faint pink came to her cheeks and she glanced away when she realized what Earl thought he said, which darkened with the addition of the last sentence. Her gaze focused back on Earl. She gave a grin, "Why don't we start with a game tomorrow and see what happens?"

She knew it was bold, but she knew once she and Adam talked, it would be best to try and move on just like Adam had. And maybe by spending time with Earl, her feelings would fade for Adam. Maybe.

0 Nicoletta Re: Then peppermint for me. 0 Nicoletta 0 5

Earl

September 22, 2007 3:37 PM

What, no more ideas? (WotW) by Earl

Earl smiled. "That sounds good. So, what'll it be? Wizard chess? Exploding snap? Poker?" Earl tried to keep his cool, but he kept on yammering away. He was actually excited to get to play something with Nicoletta. He wasn't lying when he said he was getting bored of playing with his little sister all the time.

When they were little, then it just kind of happened that he found a built-in playmate with Eavan, bu he was fifteen, and she thirteen; he had outgrown the need to be her friend. Even if Earl got nothing more than friendship with Nicoletta, it would be a step up from where he was now in life.

"So, Common room at, say, 4?"

0 Earl What, no more ideas? (WotW) 0 Earl 0 5

Nicoletta

September 22, 2007 8:06 PM

More like forgot to put by Nicoletta

Nicoletta had to think for a moment about what she wanted to play. Card games had always been easier for her, but it had been awhile since she played chess. She wondered if she was any better at it. Deciding, she said, "Wizard chess."

She nodded at the plan. Was Earl as good at Chris in the game? If so, he would be rather hard to defeat, but either way, it would be nice to spend time with someone other than Jordanna or Catherine. She adored her friends, she really did, but there was something to be said for expanding one's social circle.

"Do you have a board?" She asked since she didn't have one. She supposed they could always find one to borrow, if neither owned one. This was going to be great, she couldn't wait.

0 Nicoletta More like forgot to put 0 Nicoletta 0 5

Jordanna Howard

September 23, 2007 12:37 PM

Just my luck by Jordanna Howard

Knowing all too well how dirty COMC could be, Jordanna had come prepared. Choosing a pair of jean shorts, a gray tank top, and a navy hoodie she’d gotten at the mall in the suburban town that was now her home, she knew it wouldn’t be tragic if they were ruined. She’d save her nicer clothes for cleaner classes – after all, she didn’t have the money to replace her wardrobe with the snap of her fingers anymore. She had to be careful.

CATS were this year, and Jordanna had a lot of work to do if she wanted to get a decent grade. So this year, she had made a resolution to be almost as studious as an Aladren. To follow up on this motion, she had made sure to stand in the front of the class, about a foot away from the pool. The blond supposed people would be surprised to see her making so much of an effort, given her track record, but Jordanna didn’t care. If she didn’t want to live in a split-level all her life (and she certainly didn’t) she would have to get good grades.

Folding her arms, she listened as the teacher went on about the CATS. Yes, Jordanna knew they were life-defining, but did the professor really have to harp on that? It just made her even more nervousJordanna actually considered taking the professor up on the offer for help with other classes, but decided to think about it later. Besides, she didn’t want to ask with all these people around. That would be too weird.

Gray eyes filled with horror, Jordanna watch the professor hold the creature. Surprising even herself, she knew exactly what that particular creature was. There were just some things a girl picked up from living with a potions freak like her sister, Jenna. She also knew that the last thing she needed was for the thing to bite her, what with the poor luck she had already.

She took a quick step back, and then realized her black converse shoe (also from the dreaded mall) had stepped on someone else’s foot, hard. Was it possible her luck had decreased from merely looking at the creature? Or was she just being silly?

Stepping off the person’s foot, she turned around, blushing with embarrassment, something she rarely ever did, “Sorry,” she apologized, “I didn’t hurt you, right? It’s just,” she gave the creature a wary look, “I’m not a fan of Mackled Malaclaws.”

0 Jordanna Howard Just my luck 65 Jordanna Howard 0 5

Chris Dupree

September 23, 2007 3:30 PM

What if it was mine? by Chris Dupree

As Chris made his way to Care of Magical Creatures, he was thankful that there would only be fifth years there, which was good given the strained relationship that seemed to be occurring between Kaylie and Lexi, a fact he had learned from his girlfriend. He wasn’t sure what to do about it though. He had broken Kaylie’s heart. He had hoped that she would be able to move on by now, but it was becoming apparent that she hadn’t. He wondered if talking with her would do any good. He had agreed to remain friends with her, but hadn’t really made the effort.

Lost in thought, Chris never sat down once he arrived, but rather stood while the professor lectured. He didn’t even notice that she had pulled out a creature or what it was until someone stepped on his foot. Turning around was Jordanna Howard, princess extraordinaire and friend of his sister. Well, not paying attention to a Mackled Malaclaw would certainly constitute a bit of bad luck, if only for a moment.

Taking her in, though, Jordanna seemed different. She was wearing clothing similar to what Nicoletta had started wearing. It was a strange sight to see, but he thought that she looked better in these clothes, more down to earth. Giving her a grin, Chris said, “It’s okay, nothing broken.” Then, he added, as a second thought, “I’m not much of a fan of them either. I mean, who really wants bad luck?”

0 Chris Dupree What if it was mine? 0 Chris Dupree 0 5

Earl

September 24, 2007 3:08 AM

Someone's getting old... by Earl

"Wizard chess it is, then," Earl said matter-of-factly. Earl hadn't cared either way what game they played, but the more he thought about it, the more he remember how he played: not very well. When he played with Eavan she almost always beat him and she wasn't that good either. He frowned, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He just hoped Nicoletta was worse than him. If he lost horribly to a girl, he'd never hear the end of it.

"Uh, I think my sister has a set. I could borrow it from her." Earl lapsed into awkward silence. During this time he picked up his drawing of the Mackled Malaclaw and began working on it again. He finally looked up from his drawing.

"You any good at chess?"

0 Earl Someone's getting old... 0 Earl 0 5

Nic

September 26, 2007 6:49 PM

Does it show that much? :P by Nic

OOC: Do you want to start the thread in Crot or shall I?

BIC:

Nicoletta nodded when he said he would get one from his sister. Did she know that he had a sister? She couldn’t remember. She might have seen her in the classes that were combined with other years. In the hush that fell, Nicoletta twirled a stray piece of hair around a finger.

Her blue eyes wandered around the class. She would never admit it, but she knew exactly who she was looking for. She gave a heavy sigh. She really shouldn’t be. He was probably around her. She forced her eyes back on the forsaken creature and grabbed the paper to jot down a few notes.

’You any good at chess?’

“I’m not great at it, but I’m okay,” she told him.

0 Nic Does it show that much? :P 0 Nic 0 5

Earl

September 26, 2007 7:40 PM

Naa...I'm just looking too closely. by Earl

OOC: I'll start the thread. You wanna just end this one? We seemed to have run out of things to say...

0 Earl Naa...I'm just looking too closely. 0 Earl 0 5

Jordanna

September 26, 2007 9:12 PM

Then maybe my bad luck is catching by Jordanna

Jordanna fought hard to fight the blush of embarrassment. She never used to blush before, she never had any reason to, and it made her feel even more awkward. The muggle clothes weren’t helping. In her new town, most of the community was of mixed heritage, so it was only natural that the shopping centers carried a mix of wizard and muggle apparel.

Jordanna could admit to herself and herself alone that she actually liked some of the muggle clothing, although some of their styles were positively ridiculous. The clothing was so different and new, two concepts she certainly wasn’t used to. She missed her old clothes, and the confidence they gave her. Jordanna was not afraid to admit that for most of her life, her apparel had defined her. Now that she was wearing this bargain garb, what was she now?

“Good,” Jordanna said once she stopped blushing. She was glad she hadn’t hurt the brother of one of her only friends in school. The blond decided that it was probably best not to tell Chris that in the old days, Jenna used to dissect the Malaclaws for her potions, and had tried to figure out what exactly about the Malaclaw made it a bringer of bad luck. There were just some things not even Jordanna wanted to know.

“No one,” she said, then amending, “At least, nobody sane, anyway. I don’t know how she can even touch it,” she said, nodding with her head at the professor who seemed fearless of bad luck. And Jordanna couldn’t help but envy her because of that.

0 Jordanna Then maybe my bad luck is catching 0 Jordanna 0 5

Anne Wright

September 29, 2007 6:48 PM

The best seats are in the back. by Anne Wright

Though she was one of the first to arrive for her Care of Magical Creatures lesson, Anne still took her usual place near the back of the meeting area. She might have started bolting down her food as if eating was about to go out of style, but she had no plans to start acting eager in this class. It wasn't safe. The creatures, in keeping with the generally increasing difficulty of lessons, were bound to be larger and more dangerous than ever, and while she had never heard of any accidents happening, there was a first time for everything.

In the interests of time - she was increasing the number of practices this year, which left her with virtually no extra hours - she began going over materials for other classes in the time left before class. Keeping up with her work was as important as avoiding Geoff, and they both got her to class quickly. She felt a surge of resentment when Kijewski began class by wishing them all a good afternoon, but put all her notes back up and prepared to take new ones anyway. She was only in this class for the rest of the year, but she had no intention of doing poorly just because of that.

The parts about CATS and Kijewski's office were processed as quickly as possible and shoved aside hastily. She felt quite nervous enough about the tests without the reminder of their importance - the sensation of having a weight at the bottom of her stomach had been sneaking up on her for weeks - and she wasn't likely to take the professor up on her offer. She couldn't get rid of the idea that being in an office meant something bad was happening, and it was a shade too likely that a magical creature would be in that office for her to ever focus on work in there.

The next part of the lecture, however, could not be pushed aside as easily. It took an effort not to let herself look horrified at the thought of a field trip. Quite apart from the visions of mad erumpents floating up in her mind, Anne was sure she wouldn't have time for something like that. A week day might have been acceptable, but she held the long practices on Saturdays, and she was bound to get behind if she took an entire weekend off from studying. She pulled a lock of her hair so hard she made herself wince, trying to think of a way to handle the situation.

The 'no studying' rule could probably be gotten around, if she could find and master the spell to expand interiors of containers without altering the exteriors. If a sack meant for clothes and other necessities became a bit larger, she could pack a book or two and some of her notes. She was no stranger to pulling long nights, and skipping a meal or so wouldn't kill her. Losing the weekend practices was not so easily fixed. If she extended other practices, she thought she might end up with a mutiny, but she couldn't afford to lose the time. Her hands started to itch. There was a good solution, but she wasn't seeing it.

She seriously hoped Kijewski was being sarcastic about the class' eagerness to learn. There had always been something old and cynical about her year, at least in her mind. They could get caught up in dramatics, but not learning about a beast that apparently lived in a pond. A fair few of their number didn't care enough to fake it, if past years were a reliable guide. She tried to force down the sudden wave of additional anxiety; she would need her wits about her, and there was plenty of time to figure out how to fix it, just like there was plenty of time until CATS. She stood on her toes to see what Kijewski was holding up.

The Care of Magical Creatures teacher was braver than Anne had thought if she was holding that thing. Normal lobsters were not magical, which made that one of the creatures she was least eager to meet. "That's a Mackled Malaclaw. 'Mal' is French for 'bad', so it's like 'bad claw'. You get sick and turn green if you eat it, and it gives anyone it bites bad luck for a while." She felt vaguely smart for managing to come up with all that. Anne wasn't entirely sure on the French bit, but it still sounded good.

16 Anne Wright The best seats are in the back. 59 Anne Wright 0 5

Bella Santoro

October 03, 2007 7:43 PM

I'm too short for the back. by Bella Santoro

Bella was running a little behind everyone else due to the fact that her bag ripped and her books fell onto the path. She did a shotty patching job with her wand on her bag, declaring she'd work on it better when she wasn't in so much of a rush and quickly repacked her bag. No matter how quickly she had tried to get herself together again, she was still slightly late to Care of Magical Creatures. She only caught the tail-end of the CATs conversation.

Exasperated with her luck, Bella dropped her bag on the ground and took a seat towards the back. Normally, Bella would be either in the front or in the middle because of her size. But it also might have depended on where Ben was. Sadly, today she wasn't near Ben or even Chris because of her bag. Instead, she was sitting by her one and only roommate, Anne.

Five years of sharing a room with the girl and Bella still knew little about her. Anne was huge on Quidditch and Bella knew she played the violin, and Bella would always tease her about her relationship with Geoff (although, not so much lately since noticing his name wasn't on the Quidditch list and the two of them hadn't been seen together), but that was all just friendly banter.

Bella figured the main reason why the two girls weren't better friends was because they were so different. Bella was loud, honest, could care less for what people thought. Anne seemed reserved, anxious, worried about how others thought of her. It could also be the fact that they very much so hung out with different groups of people. Bella had Ben, Chris, and by default, Lexi (though, at some point, she really ought to talk to the girl), Anne had Geoff...Geoff's sister...and whomever else Bella wasn't aware of.

She returned her attention back to Professor K. when she mentioned a field trip. The perked Bella right up. Already she was sick of studying so much. It was tiring. So many classes to do it for too. And Bella was already worrying about the practical parts of her examinations. She was book smart, but it always took her a bit longer to learn a spell with her wand. A field trip might revive Bella and give her a new look on things.

Possibly.

When the lesson started, Bella pulled out her notes and started taking detailed notes on the Mackled Malaclaw. She noticed around her people shift away from the creatures with disgusted looks on their faces. Bella could understand their discomfort, but it wasn't like it was the creatures fault for it's magical qualities.

Bella's gaze landed on her roommate when Anne answered the professor's question with more information than necessary. Bella supposed that's how all Aladrens were. She smiled over at Anne, "'Mal' means 'bad' in Spanish too." Bella quipped just for facts sack. "Wouldn't you like that for a pet, Anne? Come on, I'm sure it'll love a big squeeze." Bella joked.

0 Bella Santoro I'm too short for the back. 0 Bella Santoro 0 5

Anne

October 04, 2007 6:09 PM

Therein lies the beauty of high heels. by Anne

Anne nodded amiably when Bella told her about the Franco-Spanish cognate. She herself only spoke one language, but that put her in a substantial minority in her family. Her grandmother had talked a lot in French when she had lived at Magnolia Grove, perhaps hoping she'd learn by osmosis, but her cousin Alban had once told her in confidence that Eileen's grammar was horrible. As she couldn't remember a time he had been wrong, she thought it was safe enough to take his word for it. It never ceased to amaze her that a child like that could have the same parents as the twins.

"Oh, totally," she said, glancing again at the creature at the front. "They're vastly misunderstood creatures, Bella. The whole 'fish-of-ill-omen' thing has obscured their real need for loving care." For one crazy moment, Anne felt sad for the ugly thing. She mentally shook herself hard. There was no way in heck that thing realized it was disliked for being a jinx. She was being stupid. "There's an old family story that we're all cursed with bad luck. D'you reckon it might cancel it out if I let the Malaclaw bite me? And the Romance languages are awesome for picking out word parts."

OOC: Sorry for the short post! And it's actually Geoff who plays violin. Anne played piano. It's not a big deal, just me being nitpicky.

16 Anne Therein lies the beauty of high heels. 59 Anne 0 5

Connor Pierce

October 15, 2007 5:59 PM

Green-Gray Lobster? by Connor Pierce

It was after lunch, and Connor felt as though his brain had been wrung out twice. He'd had a hard time, or thought that he had, back in first year, but his morning classes already had him convinced that getting through fifth year was going to be even harder than getting used to the reality of first year. The sight of Professor Kijewski in a typically casual outfit was extremely welcome. Care of Magical Creatures had always been one of his better classes, and there was no way it could be as stressful as the more formal ones.

He picked a spot in the middle of the area he estimated the class would cover, close enough to the professor to see and hear what was going on without being in everyone's way. The mini-pond taking the place of the usual table didn't escape his notice, but he didn't bother speculating about what was in it. There were too many water creatures to make it worth it to guess. Kijewski would tell them what the creature was when she was good and ready to, and the only reasonable way to spend the few free moments before class started was in a non-thinking state.

Though still a little vague about them, Connor was starting to feel nervous whenever he heard someone mention CATs. The exams sounded sort of like SATs, but SATs were, at least in theory, optional. CATs were apparently mandatory and seemed to determine a lot more than which colleges he'd be able to get into. He made a mental note of the offer of assistance, as the year so far made it look like he might end up having to take her up on it. His second note, about the field trip they'd be taking after midterm, was made with a little more enthusiasm. This one wouldn't interfere with classes, but a change in scenery would still be cool.

When the magical creature came out of its pond, Connor did a slight double take. He'd learned a fair few things about the wizarding world since he'd entered it, but one of them had not been that lobsters were magical. He'd eaten at Red Lobster over the summer and failed to detect the slightest trace of magic or magical influence around the place. When Kijewski asked if they knew what it was, he started to get a little worried.

Anne saved him from another class period of confusion when she spoke up from the back, rattling off information about the not-lobster as if it were nothing. That her spiel made him feel stupid didn't matter, as he'd been feeling pretty dumb all morning anyway. Getting out his binder and a pen, he began writing down what she'd said, leaving out nothing but the French part. They'd never, as far as he knew, been required to know where the names of the creatures they had studied derived from before, and he doubted they'd need to know now. Even the CATs people couldn't be that nitpicky.

0 Connor Pierce Green-Gray Lobster? 68 Connor Pierce 0 5

Gwen Carey

October 20, 2007 5:25 PM

Doesn't have much of a ring to it, does it? by Gwen Carey

Gwen drifted into Care of Magical Creatures well after the first arrivals, preferring, for the moment, to avoid being at the front of a group. Lowering her bag to the ground at her side, she crossed her arms loosely in front of her and fixed her eyes on a patch of sky above where heads of even the tallest members of the class would be. She had entered her fifth year planning to try acting more normal, but the shaking up of everything had altered the plan. The feeling of dislocation made normalcy difficult, and it just seemed safer to keep her options as they had been until she had a better idea of how the land lay.

She listened to the CATS speech with mild interest. Taking them didn't sound nearly as alarming as she thought it was supposed to. For one thing, there was still a long time in between the speech and the tests. For another, she wasn't, oddly in light of how easily she let other things wind her up, prone to test anxiety; she just took the thing. For a final thing, her life plan could be boiled down to a single word: 'housewife'. In her world, that meant looking pretty and having babies. She would try to do well, but it was more so she could stay at school than because she ever expected to work for a living.

The creature provoked a little more interest, especially once Anne reeled off its magical properties. Gwen let an amusing vision of Cate and Nicoletta explaining why they couldn't take their CATS entertain her for a moment, and quickly followed it with one of the side effects causing the test administrators to refuse to postpone their exam because of the bites. Pity there was no way in Hades she would be able to steal a pair of Mackled Malaclaws right before the CATS, at least without getting caught.

In looking away from the Mackled Malaclaw, she accidentally looked at her oldest, not to mention last-remaining, friend at Sonora. Something sharp-edged and analytical entered her outlook. Connor was another thing she wasn't as sure of now as she had been. To the best of Gwen's knowledge, there was only one remarkable thing about him - his association with her. People were not, however, made prefects on that basis, even if the relationship was widely known-of, so she had to have missed something important at some point. Learning the nature of it might end up being, to some degree, important.

She drifted, with a conscious effort to be inconspicuous, towards him. One of the nicer things about her set of the moment was the comparatively low level of subtlety needed to interact with them. There were, of course, still a few good days, but there were a lot more where it was hard to play the game. Today fell somewhere roughly in the middle of the spectrum. "Long time no see, Connor dahlin'," Gwen said lightly. "Or d'you prefer Prefect Pierce now?"

0 Gwen Carey Doesn't have much of a ring to it, does it? 63 Gwen Carey 0 5

Connor

October 26, 2007 10:32 PM

Not really. by Connor

Maybe it was just because he was concentrating, or maybe it was that he hadn't seen her in about two months, but Connor processed the words without connecting them to the girl who had said them. He looked up far enough to see her face and, right on cue, froze.

It was Gwen.

He hadn't been avoiding her. He'd just...been planning to put off talking to her until he was sure she was having a good day. If he had tried it on a bad day, she might have spent the interview making barbed comments about the very conspicuous-feeling badge he'd been given or flipping out over some story Morgaine had cooked up specifically so he would get screamed at by her sister. Gwen had just messed the plan up, though, so it was on to Nonexistent Plan B.

"In general," he said. "You can still call me by my name, though."

He had definitely been watching too many movies and reading too many books. People didn't talk like that in real life - at least not in his real life. Maybe they did in hers - all he'd heard about purebloods had him convinced no one could, in a million years, hope to understand them - but Gwen knew he wasn't part of it. She had made that pefectly clear on a variety of occasions.

"Uh - good summer?" he asked automatically, and immediately wanted to kick himself. Even if the inherent lameness of it hadn't been staggering, he still would have remembered half an automatic reaction too late that Gwen and her family had a history of not getting along that went back as long as he had known her. Summer was the only time she spent with only members of it. He was a right idiot. The best he could hope for was to not be called on it.

0 Connor Not really. 68 Connor 0 5