That would be a nice change. on Defense Against the Dark Arts

Professor Jera Valson

January 17, 2014 3:32 PM

Advanced class: Thy Will Be Done by Professor Jera Valson

Taking control of teaching an advanced class was significantly more daunting than monitoring their first and second year counterparts, Jera observed. The substitute professor looked up from Professor Levy’s desk, where she was already seated and reminding herself of the plan for the class, as the advanced students began to file in for their lesson. As seasoned students, they would not doubt be unruffled to notice that another member of the faculty would be presiding over this particular session, even though some of them would no doubt be concerned about the continuation of their curriculum so close to the RATS examinations looming at the end of the year.

When it looked as though everyone was present who ought to be, Professor Valson introduced herself (just in case there were students in the class who had not had occasion to encounter her since the returning feast, and therefore would need a reminder of her name), and took a roll call. Those administrative necessities dealt with, she could then begin the lesson proper. “We’ll be continuing with the broad topic of the Unforgivable Curses today,” she said, having ascertained from Professor Levy’s notes that they had already started this theme, and this class would be a continuation of it. It seemed as though the students were not limited by studying the three specified spells in isolation, but the wider context of their existence. Jera liked this approach, as she felt it helped to ground the Unforgivables within a wider context, and she had personally experienced that greater understanding of the illegal curses had helped to reduce her fear of them. That said, they still creeped her out a little.

“As you know, it’s illegal for me to demonstrate these spells in the classroom,” she wasn’t sure she even could perform them, as she had never tried – prison was not somewhere she ever anticipated residing – “but I assume you are all familiar with the effects of the Imperius curse.” A couple of nodding heads around the room reassured Jera that they were not ignorant, but, just to be thorough, she added, “It enables the witch or wizard casting the spell to have full control over the actions of their victim. However, it is not the only spell that removes a person’s free will,” Professor Valson had now stood from her seat at the desk and was animated in her lecture as she paced gradually at the front of the classroom. “I’m sure you can think of lots of examples, including physical restraints, such as the body bind curse, and emotional restraints, such as cheering charms. However, Imperio is the only curse that affects all aspects of the person simultaneously.”

“Your assignment for today is two-fold,” said the dark-haired professor, “but both aspects of the work centre around the acknowledgement that other will-altering spells do exist, and can even be used alongside each other to have a more pronounced effect.” For example, it had been a favourite prank of one of the girls in Jera’s college class to cast rictumsempra in quick succession after silencio, rendering her target helpless with laughter and unable to make a sound. Jera was certain that more sadistic combinations could be invented by a creative mind, and hoped that the students present wouldn’t be too cruel to each other in the practical part of their assignment. “Seeing as you can’t practise throwing off the Imperius curse, one aspect of today’s class is to try to throw off other will-altering spells, taking it in turns to curse each other and to resist the effects of the spell without using magic. The written portion involves exploring two or three examples of spells used together that might combine to have effects similar to the Imperius curse in a particular scenario. You can work together to collate ideas, but your written assignment must be your own work. I don’t mind in which order you choose to complete the tasks,” Professor Valson clarified, so long as everyone has had a go at throwing off a curse before the end of the class, and your papers are completed and submitted by the end of Friday.”

“If you have any questions you can come and see me at the front of the class,” Jera said, returning to her seat at Professor Levy’s desk, “otherwise you are welcome 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:

deliver us from evil by Brianna Japos, Crotalus

That would be a nice change. by Cepheus Princeton, Crotalus

0 Professor Jera Valson Advanced class: Thy Will Be Done 0 Professor Jera Valson 1 5

Brianna Japos, Crotalus

January 19, 2014 6:36 PM

deliver us from evil by Brianna Japos, Crotalus

Having received a full scholarship to the University of Irvine, California for Criminology, it was obvious that Brianna would have to keep in Defense Against the Dark Arts and do well in the class in order for her acceptance to be cemented. Even if she had decided to go in a different direction, Brianna was certain that she would have continued on with Defense Against the Dark Arts simply because it was the only way she could really protect herself from harm. Simply hexes and jinxes could only help her for so long. There were too many dangers out there and since she could not just run away and find a hiding place, Brianna had no other choice but to be able to defend herself with her wand. Of course, she hoped that now that she was no longer living in New York City, she wouldn’t really need it. But the world in which she was going that dealt with the law was no stranger to dangerous things and she would likely find herself hated amongst the criminal.

Brianna limped into the classroom as she had done several times before and found her seat close to the door. She had long since been able to get herself to class within the allotted time without wearing herself out or causing herself any pain, but she had just become accustomed to sitting close to the door. Every so often she would have a bad day. A very bad, painful, day where she moved slowly in an attempt to soften her back and legs from the pain. Brianna had stopped taking her potions for the pain after her fifth year at Sonora because she didn’t want her life to be dependent on them. Nine times out of ten, she never needed them anyway. Her discomfort had just become secondary to her and nothing her heating pad couldn’t ease away. But on days when she was active or if she slept wrong, her back felt like it was on fire. It was those days that she regretted not having a potion at hand.

Today was not one of those days. Today, Brianna felt fine. Well, as fine as she could be until Professor Valson (who seemed to be appearing more and more as the end of year approached) launched into their lesson for the day. Brianna, like the rest of the normal world, was terrified of the Unforgivable curses. In her life, she was certain she had come across several individuals who would use such curses against innocent without batting an eyelash; Brianna didn’t think she could withstand the torment of the Cruciatus curse any more than she could stop the killing curse or prevent someone from controlling her completely. But she understood the necessity for learning it and despite not wanting to put herself in the hands of someone else who will inevitably find a curse or hex that will take away some form of control from her and possible injury her and set her back, there was little she could do about it. She could use the ‘I’m a cripple with a sensitive back’ card, but Brianna refused to use that card. She would just deal with it.

For now though, until someone wanted to work with her on it (and it wasn’t likely that someone would), Brianna took to her books to figure out what spells would work best together and take away control of themselves…

6 Brianna Japos, Crotalus deliver us from evil 0 Brianna Japos, Crotalus 0 5

Cepheus Princeton, Crotalus

January 22, 2014 9:41 AM

That would be a nice change. by Cepheus Princeton, Crotalus

Besides his inevitable Quidditch losses, Cepheus's sixth was going quite well. He was allowed to take classes he actually enjoyed and didn't have to waste his time on useless subjects like COMC. His RATS exams were next year, but Cepheus wasn't the sort to prep himself an entire year before. He had to get his mind wrapped around the subjects and spells they were learning now and not worry about those exams yet.

DADA was right after Potions so the fumes from his last class was still stuck on his clothes. If Cepheus cared more, he would have been late to DADA everyday in order to wash the smell off or at least splash on a bit of eau de toilette. But he still looked good even if his clothes carried the lingering smell of mixed potion fumes. The sleeves of his uniform had been rolled up, his blond hair tousled in an attractive manner and his pale face had been washed on his way to DADA. Cepheus took care of his appearance when he wasn't on the pitch especially when there was someone to impress in every one of his classes.

Cepheus dropped his book bag down on his desk and sat in his seat a little lazily. Professor Valson introduced herself, mere formalities after having worked here for almost the entire school year now, and Cepheus answered when his name was called. Professor Levy had been Cepheus's favourite professor, after Fawkes, anyway, and he wondered briefly where she had gone. Cepheus raised an eyebrow at the sound of illegal spells and he leant forward in interest. He would never want to be caught performing such a horrifying curse; before going to school he and his mates would hear legends about those awful curses and tell their own horror stories to see who would scare first.

It had been a thrilling fright as a lad, but now that he was older Cepheus could understand the enormous consequences of the Unforgivables a little better.

Being forced under someone's will was a frightening thought even if it wasn't as serious as an Unforgivable Curse. For most of his life he'd been subject to the will of his father and grandfather; once he graduated he would, again, be under their rule and live exactly the way they had as one in line for the Princeton patriarchy. The scare of betrothals had currently passed, thanks to his current relationship with a proper witch, but they were liable to spring a new witch on him at any moment. It was maddening. Throwing off a spell would take loads of effort, but Cepheus was a fighter when it came to finding his own place in the world. He could control magic and that's why he enjoyed using it so much. Cepheus didn't think he would take being forced under someone else's will very well.

Clearing his throat and wondering just how he was supposed to come up with a succession of spells equal to the Imperio Curse, he turned to his partner. "Be kind to a poor lad, won't you?" he said with a little smile and a hand to his heart. "Care to go first?" Normally Cepheus would have jumped to throw the first spell, but as he couldn't think of any to toss at the top of his head, now perhaps would be the better time to act the part of the gentleman. Perhaps then he could gain more votes for Head Boy once the ballot came out at the end of the year.

0 Cepheus Princeton, Crotalus That would be a nice change. 0 Cepheus Princeton, Crotalus 0 5