And for Enthusiasm (so I've been told) on Defense Against the Dark Arts

Professor Jera Valson

December 29, 2013 4:18 PM

Beginner's class: E is for Energy by Professor Jera Valson

As could only be expected from a substitute teacher, Professor Valson was considerably more well-versed in some subject matters than in others. As a proud Aladren, she had, naturally, achieved respectable grades in all the classes that had been on offer during her attendance at Sonora (as well as a couple that she had taken on as independent studies), yet even an untarnished Defense Against the Dark Arts record could fade into something far less grand with years of neglect. Luckily, the class she had to cover today was not for the advanced group, but the far less intimidating beginner students. In preparation, Jera had tied back her dark hair into a simple, yet effective ponytail, and her robes were an unobtrusive navy blue. The notes left by Professor Levy were adequate for her temporary replacement to be able to form a coherent lesson plan for the students that ought not to be too disruptive from their expected regime.

Once the class had seated and settled themselves, Jera cleared her throat to gather their attention. “Hello,” she said, “I am Professor Valson, I will be taking this class while Professor Levy is unavailable today.” She had decided that the students did not need to know the reasons for their usual teacher’s absence. “So if you’ll turn to page eighty-three in your textbooks, you’ll find an introduction to harnessing energy for defensive magic.” According to the schedule, the first and second year students ought to have read this chapter for homework, but Jera had no way of knowing for certain whether the assignment had been set, so she decided not to mention it. Inevitably, she assumed that there would be some among the group who had already read ahead, and some who would not have, regardless of having received specific instructions to do so. Therefore she aimed to briefly summarise the main points on the opening couple of pages, just to give some grounding to the practical assignment. “Basically, this chapter explains that, while the majority of spells have a very specific purpose and function, there is a small collection of incantations that merely harness energy to be used as seems most appropriate at the time.” As such, these spells were versatile, yet sometimes unpredictable, and were often easiest to perform non-verbally… although none of the students currently present ought to be consciously capable of that at their age.

“The spell you’ll be trying today is called the Verdimillious charm,” she instructed the class, writing out the name and the incantation of the board by Professor Levy’s desk. “The words alone should be enough to cause some sort of reaction, but the wand movement you choose will determine the direction and form of the spell.” As far as beginner level spells went, Jera thought she’d stumbled into one of the more interesting classes, with such flexibility in the possible outcomes of the wandwork. She was not convinced, however, this would make her life any easier. “For example, you could send up green sparks to alert someone to your location,” (she demonstrated this use by jutting her wand arm upwards) “use the energy to dazzle your opponent,” (she sent a crackle of green energy at an invisible, imaginary foe, who, were they real, would experience and unpleasant tingling sensation as well as distracting lighting effects) “or to reveal magically concealed or altered objects.” The professor waved her wand generally around the room, illuminating a few spots temporarily in a green glow.

Lowering her wand, Professor Valson said, “If you haven’t read the chapter already then I’d advise you familiarise yourself with it before you start, but then you are welcome to experiment with this charm in groups or pairs to discover the various ways in which it can be used. Your homework,” she double-checked Professor Levy’s notes, “is to compile an essay on what you think is the most effective use for this spell, and why. If anyone has any questions you can see me, otherwise feel free to begin.”

(OOC: Please remember to stick to site rules when you post, including those concerning minimum post length, realism, and godmodding. Feel free to tag Jera in your subject heading if you need her, otherwise have fun, be creative, and earn lots of points for your house.)

Subthreads:

And also Emrys and Emery (tag: Emery) by Emrys Lucan with Emery Kijewski-Jareau, Aladren

And for Enthusiasm (so I've been told) by Ariel Thornton, Crotalus

Isn't that stuff dangerous to play with? by Dimitri Porter, Teppenpaw

I wish I could gain some. by Eleanor Vandenberg - Crotalus

0 Professor Jera Valson Beginner's class: E is for Energy 0 Professor Jera Valson 1 5

Emrys Lucan

December 30, 2013 8:55 PM

And also Emrys and Emery (tag: Emery) by Emrys Lucan

After watching Emery and his sister, Chloe eat alone together in Cascade Hall their first night back from the winter holidays, Emrys felt as though he had been a bad roommate. He realized that maybe he had been paying attention more to his needs and wants than that of the boy he shared a room with and he decided that was very unfair. While reading the assigned reading for his next DADA class, Emrys was struck with an idea. When he entered the classroom the next day, he carefully spread out his belongings so as to take up two spaces. He opened his book to that day's lesson so he could go over it one last time and make sure he understood what was going on while keeping an eye on the door.

He hoped that he would be able to wave down Emery before the boy took a seat somewhere else and ask him to be his partner. It wasn't that he enjoyed Charlotte's company because he did, and he still felt as though she were his only true friend here, but he had also decided sometime last semester that he needed to branch out. Having spent a lot of his break with Wesley had made him realize how much he missed having another boy's company.

Emrys bent his head down to carefully read a paragraph he'd had trouble with the night before and underlined the bits that he hoped would be explained better in class, that way he would be able to ask the teacher if he had any additional questions or if the professor didn't go over those bits. He was an oddly diligent student, liking to understand every bit of the lesson, even the parts that didn't matter nearly as much. Last year he had managed mostly E's and a few O's but he hoped to raise that to straight O's for his second year.

Emrys looked up to study the doorway once more and watched as his other classmates filtered in and found seats elsewhere. He waited until he saw the familiar head duck into the room. "Hi, Emery," he waved and gestured to the seat discreetly. He hoped that his roommate would take the seat so that he could apologize and so they could work together. He had enjoyed their first conversation all that time ago during his first Welcoming Feast and hoped to have another like it.

10 Emrys Lucan And also Emrys and Emery (tag: Emery) 260 Emrys Lucan 0 5

Ariel Thornton, Crotalus

January 02, 2014 12:06 AM

And for Enthusiasm (so I've been told) by Ariel Thornton, Crotalus

Ariel had been sitting in the Library working on another homework assignment when she glanced towards the clock for the time. She sighed irritably when she noticed the time and began repacking her book bag. She failed to see the point of learning how to supposedly defend herself magically when she had never heard of anyone ever having to actually do so outside of the movies. To her it just seemed like more confirmation of her trip into Freaksville. Ariel rolled her eyes as she approached the door of the classroom. This should be dreadfully boring she complained to herself as she readied herself to open the door of the “classroom”. She opened the door and silently made her way into the room. She glanced towards the Professor's desk and was slightly surprised to see a new jailer in Professor Levy's place. She vaguely remembered the Headmaster introducing the new lady, but she couldn't remember the new teacher's name. Ariel hurried past the new jailer and found herself a seat towards the back. She practically flopped down into the seat and dropped her book bag on the floor by her feet.

Ariel absently reached into the bag to pull out her notebook and a pencil. Anytime she took notes for a “real” class she had always used a pencil in case she had to make adjustments. She hated having to write things out of proper placing. Using a pen of any kind meant she would have to write out of proper placing and that was something the girl would not tolerate. Resting her elbow on the desk and her chin on her palm, Ariel glanced boringly around the room, tapping her pencil lightly on the paper of her notebook as she waited for the new jailer to begin their ridiculous lesson. Professor Valson introduced herself and Ariel waited as patiently as possible for her to get to the point. Their new jailer instructed everyone to turn to page eighty-three in their textbooks. Ariel lazily flipped through the pages of her book until she got to the appointed page. She hadn't bothered reading any of the material since she was convinced that her being sent to this prison had been nothing more than a terrible mistake. She was certain that any time now the weirdos who ran the “school” would realize their mistake and send her as far away from the freak show as possible. Since that realization hadn't happened yet, Ariel was disappointed that she would be stuck with the other freaks until such time that it did.

Professor Valson began telling them about their assignment for this particular lesson and Ariel found herself staring disbelievingly at the woman. “Spells that harness energy? Really?” she grumbled softly to herself. Why did this remind her of something she had seen in a movie once? Ariel silently took notes and wrote down the name of the spell they would apparently be fooling around with that day, the Verdimillious Charm. Apparently the charm used energy for different purposes depending on the way they pointed their wands. Ariel absently scribbled notes as the jailor spoke on its various uses. Ariel glanced up from her notebook to see Professor Valson demonstrating some of its uses. Ariel's eyebrow lifted in disbelief as she watched the Professor's wand do its impression of a stationary lighthouse or hand held firework. Groovy, I apparently get to be like Jubilee from the x-men she thought sarcastically to herself as she watched the sparks flying out of the end of the jailor's wand. Seeing Professor Valson's wand reminded Ariel that she would apparently need her own for this torturous exercise.

Ariel reached down into her bag and pulled out the other reminder that she was now supposedly one of the freaks. She dropped it onto her desk and glared at the offending piece of wood. Thanks to that piece of offending wood glowing in the wand shop when Ariel had picked it up, it just acted as another reminder to the already surly girl that she was no longer normal and never would be again. “Traitor,” she grumbled angrily at the stick made of oak with the wrapped leather handle. She glared at it before flicking it roughly with her fingers sending it rolling roughly off the end of her desk and clattering to the floor somewhere nearby. Good riddance she thought pleasantly as she glanced briefly towards the floor and couldn't spot it anywhere around. Her pleasant thought vanished however when she felt someone tap her on the arm.

0 Ariel Thornton, Crotalus And for Enthusiasm (so I've been told) 0 Ariel Thornton, Crotalus 0 5

Dimitri Porter, Teppenpaw

January 02, 2014 2:49 PM

Isn't that stuff dangerous to play with? by Dimitri Porter, Teppenpaw

Dimitri left the Teppenpaw Common Room after collecting up his book bag for his DADA class. He had left the bad hanging on the back of the chair near his bed in the dorms. Once it was in his possession he headed down to class. He found DADA to be pretty interesting especially since he'd never known anyone who had ever actually needed to use it. The kinds of spells they learned in that class were by far the strongest he had ever worked with outside of Transfig and he liked being able to learn them. It was nice to be able to know how to defend oneself he supposed. He didn't see himself having to do it anytime in the near future, but it was still nice to know. It kind-of reminded him of the old Muggle saying...he'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Dimitri made it to the DADA classroom and opened the door. He entered the room and made his way towards one of the open seats. He glanced towards Professor Levy's desk and was surprised to see Professor Levy not in her usual seat behind the desk. There was instead a substitute seated in her place. Dimitri vaguely remembered the lady from the return feast which could explain why she looked so familiar to him. He waved pleasantly at her as he passed the desk to his seat. He sat down in the chair and hung his bag off the back of his chair. He pulled out his notebook and a pen and set them down on the top of his desk. He glanced briefly around the room to see if Ava may have arrived to class before him. He didn't readily spot her, but he did spot someone else he knew, his cousin Ariel. She looked about as thrilled as punch to be in class, as usual. Dimitri grinned to himself and turned back to his own desktop. He knew better than to try waving to her. She would either shoot him a dirty look or she would ignore him as she always did. Dimitri shook his head at the thought of his cousin and went back to what he had been doing before he had spotted her.

Professor Valson introduced herself to everyone again and started to tell them about their lesson for the day. Dimitri began taking loose notes on the subject and turned the pages in his textbook to the page she instructed. He briefly read over the material as she explained it to them. Spells that harness energy to work huh? he thought to himself approvingly. Nice! Dimitri continued to take notes as Professor Valson explained the Verdimillious Charm to them from the book in front of him. He felt his eyebrows raise in surprise as she described some of the ways the charm could be used and then demonstrated them for the class. “Awesomeness!” he whispered in awe at her demonstrations. He could not wait to try out the charm for himself! Dimitri watched her wand movements closely and wondered what else besides what she had shown them the spell could do. Dimitri read a little farther into the chapter to get a better idea of the spell's capabilities since they apparently had an essay to write regarding the spell in question. He was okay with essay writing. It wasn't like writing poetry or music, but it was still writing which was something he knew a little bit about. Dimitri was intrigued by some of what he read farther into the chapter and wondered if the book listed everything the spell was capable of.

Dimitri was still reading through the chapter when he thought he heard someone talking to him. “I'm sorry...I wasn't trying to ignore you. I just got really caught up in this chapter,” he offered them an apologetic smile.

0 Dimitri Porter, Teppenpaw Isn't that stuff dangerous to play with? 0 Dimitri Porter, Teppenpaw 0 5

Emery Kijewski-Jareau, Aladren

January 02, 2014 5:08 PM

A lot of things start with E by Emery Kijewski-Jareau, Aladren

Emery, like a good little Aladren, had read ahead in all of his classes and made all the proper notes while doing so. When the Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson regarding the Verdimillious spell finally came around, Emery was really looking forward to it. It seemed like it would be a fun spell to learn, but also really helpful if he was ever in a bind. Not that he ever did anything where he would possibly need to defend himself, but it was always good to know the skills.

When he walked into the classroom, the first thing that he noticed was that the Professor was not Professor Levy, but rather, the new substitute. He didn’t have long to compute this information because his name was being called out and someone was waving him down. He turned to see his roommate calling for his attention. Emery was confused by this action. Emrys never paid him attention, either in class or anywhere else. Except for that one class lesson, but then it became weird and confusing when a third person joined them. So, this moment in Defense really threw him, thus causing him to hesitantly take the seat beside his roommate.

“Everything alright, Emrys?” Emery asked as he pulled out his notebook and class book. He didn’t think he was being rude in asking that, this was an entirely new thing for the both of them and completely out of character for his roommate. He looked around the room for a moment to see if maybe Charlotte was absent that day and so Emrys wanted to partner with someone he was vaguely familiar with, but Emery was pretty certain he spotted her on the other side of the room. Were they having a fight? Emery did not want to get in between a lover’s spat or whatever it was that they were.

Giving Emyrs time to talk, Emery went back to looking at the Substitute. His mother mentioned having hired on a permanent sub and only mentioned that she had once been a student at Sonora. Emery’s mom had once been a student too, so that really wasn’t all that surprising, but it was still a little information on her than he would have otherwise had.

Having assessed the professor, he came to attention when she began the lesson. By the end of it, he was not at all disappointed. He was still rather eager to try the spell, especially after her demonstration. It was only after she let them off to work on it did he remember he was sitting next to his roommate. “Oh, you can partner with one of your friends, if you want.” Emery advised, not wanting Emrys to feel obligated to work with him if he didn’t want to. “It’ll be a fun lesson to do.”

6 Emery Kijewski-Jareau, Aladren A lot of things start with E 0 Emery Kijewski-Jareau, Aladren 0 5

Eleanor Vandenberg - Crotalus

January 06, 2014 3:56 PM

I wish I could gain some. by Eleanor Vandenberg - Crotalus

The holidays had been frightfully dreary for Eleanor and though she wasn't particularly thrilled to be back, she did look forward to not being lectured by her mother. Ever since she had started school her mum was always jabbering about doing this right or that right. Her mum's favorite way of expressing her exasperation was declaring things in the little Chinese she knew. Usually that meant Nellie was in big trouble, but lately she had been hearing it so often she simply ignored it. As a child Eleanor had grown up very spoiled and couldn't understand why living away from home made her mother seem so much crabbier. Wasn't she supposed to miss her only child and show her even more love instead of nagging her every moment of the day?

Of course, Nell hadn't seen her parents very much over the break either. Both worked full-time at the Princeton's Hospital in Surrey and so Nell had spent most of her break at the Princetons' again. She didn't mind, really, and had spent most of her time either following Leo around or reading ahead for her classes.

The reading ahead had proved to be very helpful in keeping her near the top of her classes and seemingly one step ahead of everyone. DADA was beginning to be one of Nellie's favorite classes and she had already read the chapter this new substitute was talking about. Luckily for Nellie, this wouldn't be too difficult. She had read about it, however, and not practiced it, so she hoped she didn't make a fool of herself. Her dark hair was long and loose as she usually wore it and she had lost some of her golden tan from last summer. She didn't mourn the tan, though; Nellie was pretty and she knew it.

The scarf she had received over Christmas break was wrapped around her neck and stayed wrapped around her neck during class. She wasn't cold inside the classroom where she needed it, but her throat had started feeling scratchy that morning. She usually enjoyed talking, but today she didn't want to aggravate her throat any more by talking. She wasn't sick enough yet to use a Pepper Up and so she hoped it would naturally go away. She turned into a big baby when she was sick and here no one would take care of her. She had been lucky enough so far to have stayed relatively healthy, but it almost seemed like her luck was going to be up. At least she still had some energy to attend classes and work on spells. Otherwise she would have been in some trouble.

When the sub dismissed them to work with the essay assignment she'd probably work on later in the evening, she turned to her neighbor and smiled, hoping they had read the chapter ahead of time. The only person she had patience for slow learning was Leo and he was the special exception to every rule. "Would you like to work together?" she asked, her voice already sounding a little scratchy. "I might not talk a lot, but we can try working on the spells together if that's okay." Hopefully her partner wouldn't be too offended by the lack of communication.

0 Eleanor Vandenberg - Crotalus I wish I could gain some. 0 Eleanor Vandenberg - Crotalus 0 5

Emrys Lucan, Aladren

January 15, 2014 3:00 AM

Yes, like eggfruit which, incidentally, I've never had. by Emrys Lucan, Aladren

Emrys smiled when Emery made his way over to the desk he had reserved though frowned a little when Emery asked him if everything was alright. It was kind of his roommate to ask him that though it did show just the sort of relationship they had, one that was polite and distant. Not the sort Emrys had hoped he would have with the boy he lived with. It made him sad to think Emery thought Emrys would only want to talk to him when something was wrong. Couldn't two roommates just hang out together? Though, Emrys supposed, it would be a little odd considering they had not spoken too much other than the encounter during class last semester's and also during the Welcoming Feast.

In reply, Emrys opted to smile (he hoped he didn't look uncomfortable or unsure) and shake his head. "No, er- that is to say yes." He mentally slapped himself for being so awkward but honestly, he didn't know how to talk to the other boy after having accidentally ignored him for so long. "Yes, everything is fine with me. Is everything fine with you?" He tried to end on a positive note though he realized how insensitive his question might have been considering... Well, considering. He was never really known for his tact back home anyway. It was a wonder he had been so presentable and composed with Charlotte. "I just thought it might be nice to have a little chat, you know, roommate to roommate? We haven't really talked since the Welcoming Feast is all, just wanted to check in!" He internally grimaced. Did he have to sound so awkwardly chipper?

During the time that the substitute professor introduced the day's lesson, Emrys took notes like he knew he should, but his head was a little elsewhere. He was wondering if he had been rude or too forward with Emery and was just waiting for her to stop talking so he could apologize. After looking down at his rather crappy (which was unusual for him) notes, he turned to Emery and was surprised when the other boy addressed him first. "Oh, you can partner with one of your friends, if you want. It'll be a fun lesson to do."

"Oh," said Emrys, trying not to keep the disappointment out of his voice. It seemed that Emery didn't actually need him. "Um, if you don't want to work together that's fine, I just thought it might be nice, seeing as we don't really talk but um, I can ask Charlotte to partner up if you'd like to be with someone else." He smiled at the end to show Emery his feelings weren't hurt and that he wasn't mad. In truth, they were a little hurt, but he did understand. Emery had a sister here and if they were as close as they seemed, then it was highly probable that Emery expected to sit with and work with her. If Caelia were his age then he'd probably want to work with her a bit too so Emrys couldn't fault the other boy for wanting to be a good brother nor for being friends with his sister.

10 Emrys Lucan, Aladren Yes, like eggfruit which, incidentally, I've never had. 260 Emrys Lucan, Aladren 0 5

Emery

February 02, 2014 8:54 PM

I haven't either. by Emery

Emery’s confusion over his roommate’s desire to see him only etched further when Emrys tried to answer his pretty general question of his current state of well-being. Emery felt that this was a common trend for him to have with other people. He didn’t feel that it was anyone’s fault really, it was just how it was. Emery had figured out by midterm that he was never going to be one of the popular kids. This school was small and people found the ones that they connect with and that was that. Emery just didn’t have that. He would manage. He didn’t like seeing his sister like that too though. Chloe was a social butterfly. She enjoyed being around people. She thrived in it. Emery felt that their baby sister, Harper, would turn out like her too and he was happy for that. Ayita, Angel, and himself were not social butterflies. He did alright back home with making friends. But that was public school and his class had over 300 students alone. In a school this small, spots for friendship filled up quickly.

“Er… everything is fine with me.” Emery answered, sitting uncertainly beside his roommate. He didn’t mind sitting next to Emrys. There were worse people to be next to; he was sure, like that first year red-headed girl who always had a grumpy look on her face wouldn’t be fun and sometimes the Porter twins were a bit much to handle (the girl even wore clothes that made no sense to the eyes). The issue was that it just generally didn’t happen. So, he felt a bit out of place sitting there by a direct request. “Oh, I see.” Emery commented after Emrys explained his reasonings for calling him over. Emery took that to mean he was being thoughtful, but wasn’t quite sure why it was now that his roommate decided to so. Emery wouldn’t worry about it though; it just showed the character of Emrys.

After initially starting up the conversation again with Emrys after the Professor finished with the lecture portion of the class, Emery wasn’t so sure if it had been a good idea. He thought that by letting Emrys know that Emery understood that he wanted to work with his friends, it was completely okay, but now Emery wasn’t sure what was going on. Emrys did have friends. Friends that he was always around, was it wrong for Emery to assume that they would be the ones that his roommate would want to work on spells with? “No, that’s not what I meant.” Emery commented. “Everyone knows that you are really close to someone. I assumed you would prefer to work with her since you guys are always together and stuff.” Emery shrugged. “I usually just wait until most everyone else has found partners and then ask whoever is left that doesn’t. That way, I’m not intruding on friends. But if you want to work together with me on this lessons that’s fine too.”

6 Emery I haven't either. 0 Emery 0 5

Emrys

February 02, 2014 11:57 PM

At least there's something we have in common. by Emrys

Emrys felt the awkwardness between himself as Emery grow and they prolonged their conversation. He was starting to feel as though he shouldn't have started talking to Emery in the first place but he kept going, fueled by the memory of his first night in Sonora, excited to be getting to know his roommate with visions of having a best friend dancing in his head. He'd thought it was fate at the time, to be sitting next to a boy in his year- his dorm mate no less, who had such a similar name as his. Destined to be mates, he'd thought. Destined like the characters from the myths he had so loved at the time. Myths he had since outgrown a little. Perhaps honesty was the best policy here.

"I like Charlotte, I do," Emrys answered Emery. "Growing up though, I was best friends with my cousin, Wesley. He's a year older than me and moved to Wales though so he goes to Hogwarts now and so I was really disappointed when I didn't go there too to be with him. When I started here I was really hopeful to find a friend like him and it was really cool talking to you that first night. I always wanted to talk to you again after that but then I just sort of became friends with Charlotte by accident and we work well together and I loved having her around but seeing you all the time in our room and not being friends made me feel sad that I stopped attempting anything once I made that first friend. I suppose I was worried that if I tried to make more than one friend I would lose the friend I already had- growing up it was just me and Wesley really and my little sister." Emrys shrugged and looked at his notes, fidgeting with his quill feeling quite awkward about spilling his feelings to his roommate in the middle of class.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I liked talking to you during the Welcoming Feast last year and found it strange that we never really talked after that- having lived together and everything. I thought I had done something wrong a little bit too, scared you off with all the King Arthur talk. Thought maybe you thought I was a nutter. And then I let myself get wrapped up with other things. So it might be a little bit late to make up and become friends, but I'd like to be at least on good terms with you if that's okay."

At the begining of first year there were a few times that Emrys had wanted to ask Emery to partner up but had thought the other boy didn't care for him much. That was, in part, why he had put King Arthur and Camelot behind him. That and the fact that he and Charlotte had bonded over music, another subject he was equally fond of and had seemed to make him more popular. He had felt a little untrue to himself at the beginning, hiding Camelot in favor of music and truth be told he missed the days were he poured over family records looking for the missing link. But now he found he was more functional (socially at least) and so the distance between him and his favorite subject had been a good one. Perhaps once he and Emery patched things up a bit, he and Camelot could too.

10 Emrys At least there's something we have in common. 260 Emrys 0 5