Professor Lilac Crosby
July 01, 2011 12:37 AM
It... is alive! [Third, fourth, and fifth years!] by Professor Lilac Crosby
It had thus far been a relatively quiet year for Lilac. She wasn’t sure she liked that. This term, she felt almost disconnected with her first year Teppenpaws as she had felt a sudden illness coming on the day of the Opening Feast. Not feeling well, she had consequently asked Pippa Brockert, seventh year prefect, lead them to their common room and deliver the welcoming speech. Even this simple task was very important, and she was glad it was Pippa in whom she invested her trust.So perhaps the first years of her House did not know her as well as some of the older students. Some of that mild quietness was, as she had been the term before, a bit less distraction or whatever it was about her that bothered students. Maybe, however, a little bit of it this year was trying not to embarrass her niece who now attended Sonora. Her antics outside of school never seemed to bother Sally, but it could be different in a formal, professor-student situation.
The class for which Lilac was now preparing was not Sally’s. The third, fourth, and fifth years would soon come piling in for their intermediate Transfiguration lesson. Her straightened hair she pulled back and wrapped into a bun. After her hair was up and formal, she went behind her desk and picked up a few things for the day’s lessons and sat them on the desks of the students. For more surface space, she had pushed two to three desks together.
Not long thereafter, the students began to enter, and the brunette professor tugged at her--very teacher-y--sweater in subtle discomfort, pulling the bottom of it farther down to overlap a good few inches of her pale brown skirt. “As soon as everyone is seated,” said she to those who already were, “we will begin.”
Once all the students found themselves a seat, Lilac stood in the center of the front of the class for the most visibility. “Good day, class,” the twenty-eight year old smiled. “Before you on your desks you see a Muggle form of transportation, a model train. The black oval it sits along is called the track.”
“These trains do not move on their own accord,” continued the professor. “That is where our spell will come in. Allow me to demonstrate.” She stepped over to the train and track on her own desk and aimed her wand. This spell had no accompanying wand movement. As she incanted, the words appeared on the board. “Piertotum locomotor.”
The train began to move in the direction and at the speed her wand circled the track. “This spell brings animation to inanimate objects, allowing the caster to control its movement.” She stopped using her wand as a guide, but the train continued on. “If you have it following your wand precisely, try focusing in your mind on the motion rather than guiding the train itself. If you focus, it will continue to comply.”
Suddenly the train came to a halt. “To end the motion, simply think in your mind about the train sitting still. As we have two or three to a track, please be sure to take turns.” She certainly didn’t want anyone to miss out because their partner was selfish. “Unless there are any questions, you may begin,” concluded Lilac. She would, as usual, be walking around the classroom, in case any questions should arise.
Subthreads: ...I don't think I want sentient toys. by Sara Raines, Pecari with Marcus Williams, Sara
It is? by Ryan O'Malley, Crotalus with Jane Carey, Teppenpaw
It's the middle, the middle of my story by Nic Sawyer, Crotalus with Samantha Hamilton
The important part is, does it hate us? by David Wilkes, Aladren with Autumn Collins, Crotalus
Eeeek! by Kirstenna Melcher,Teppenpaw with Sam Bauer, Crotalus
CLASS CLOSED (nm) by Professor C.
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Professor Lilac Crosby
It... is alive! [Third, fourth, and fifth years!]
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Professor Lilac Crosby
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David Wilkes, Aladren
July 26, 2011 12:53 AM
The important part is, does it hate us? by David Wilkes, Aladren
David doodled aimlessly along the margins of the college ruled paper in his notebook, the home-like stuff he used for things he wasn’t going to hand in. No designs, really, just line segments, throwing in angles when he felt like it and doubling back over things. Just moving the pen against the paper for something to do before class.It hadn’t been a bad week, he guessed. He’d read two interesting books, which was always a perk, especially since he sometimes couldn’t concentrate enough to read anything he didn’t have to (along with quite a few things he did, technically, have to, though he usually managed to scrape by even if he didn’t) for long stretches of time. He’d done well on his Potions work, always a major plus. He’d even managed a civil letter exchange with his least favorite relative after she surprised him by initiating it. The result, though, of all that was that he was now kind of…tired. If he didn’t keep his hands busy, he wouldn’t be able to concentrate at all.
So he slowed the pace at which he was doodling when the lesson began, but didn’t stop except to jot down a few notes on the spell. It figured today would be the day they were doing a spell that seemed to fairly well run on the spellcaster’s willpower and focus. All magic seemed to be that way, at least a little, but some was more than others, and he’d been hoping for one of the days where it was more point-and-click than point-and-kill-it-with-his-brain, and this one even cut the ‘point’ out of the equation on stage two.
He smiled at the train’s other users, though. Not his classmates’ fault. “You want to go first?” he asked, both because he didn’t want to be the controlling type and because he’d kind of like to see someone else try it, to give him an idea how hard he’d be concentrating to accomplish much of anything with the spell.
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David Wilkes, Aladren
The important part is, does it hate us?
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David Wilkes, Aladren
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Autumn Collins, Crotalus
July 30, 2011 9:08 AM
Oh, Merlin, I hope not! by Autumn Collins, Crotalus
There were an awful lot of things bothering Autumn these days. Her CATS next year, the prefect nominations next year, the ball this year. She would be mortified if she didn't get a date, even if she didn't have to worry about what Nina did.Actually, if the Crotalus did get prefect next year-and she just had to, though it wasn't quite as important as getting perfect CATS scores-she would never have to worry about what Nina was worried about because the ball wouldn't come up again during the next three years. She had lucked out that way, never having to worry about that sort of humiliation, and only having to worry about the ball once.
Still, it would be embarassing enough not to get a date as it was. If she didn't get one, the fourth year didn't think she could bear to even show her face at the dance
For now though, Autumn put those thoughts aside, hard as it was to stop worrying about any particular thing, and sat in rapt attention as Professor Crosby spoke. The fourth year had finally gotten used to the professor, which made things easier. As had the fact that the professor had toned down the difficulty of her lessons. Autumn didn't think she was bad at Transfiguration but the less difficult something was, the more likely she was to succeed.
And Autumn had to succeed. Had to have something she could be proud of. Otherwise, she'd be incredibly disappointed in herself and she didn't handle that very well. Autumn was a lot tougher on herself than anyone else was on her.
When Professor Crosby mentioned the second part of the lesson, trying to move the train wandlessly , all the blood drained out of Autumn's face. The first part sounded easy enough, she was certain she could do that but wandless magic? There was no way Autumn could pull that off. She simply was not good enough and now everyone would see that. It would be utterly embarassing. People would laugh at her. Her grades would suffer.
“You want to go first?”
Autumn turned to see the person she was sharing a train with. One of the Aladren third years, she thought. "Um, sure." Autumn didn't want to, she really really didn't. The Crotalus never wanted to be the one to go first. She was far more comfortable with others showing her how it was done before she risked messing up. But it was rude to say she didn't. Especially when she was talking to a younger student who might think she was a coward or something.
The fourth year drew her wand, saying the spell and executing the motion flawlessly. At least Autumn hoped it was flawless. She did not want to be flawed in front of someone she didn't really know. That would make a terrible first impression.
Fortunately, the train-thing began to move. Autumn smiled, glad that she had least accomplished the first part. "Now, you can go." The Crotalus said, smiling pleasantly at her partner. She was in no hurry to go on to the second part of the task.
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Autumn Collins, Crotalus
Oh, Merlin, I hope not!
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Autumn Collins, Crotalus
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David
August 03, 2011 7:05 PM
Me, too. Any ideas for preventing that? by David
The fourth year girl beside him looked pale. David thought he might have should have noticed that before he sprung going first on her, but it was too late to worry too much about that one now. At least she was willing to do it, if not thrilled about the prospect. He would have gone ahead if she had asked, but she hadn’t.When she did, he almost wished she hadn’t, because now he had to live up to that standard, and he had no idea if he was up for it. She had gotten hers running on the first try. She hadn’t yet done it wandlessly on the first try, he would own that, and this seemed very close to a basic locomotive charm, and they had been expected to handle those in second year, but still. There had to be some difference that made it Transfig and thus harder, and he was therefore impressed with her accomplishment and a little unsure about whether or not he could match it.
Still, he smiled back at her. It wasn’t sporting to hold it against someone for being good, especially when he was the one who’d offered to let her go first. “Guess you’re good at this,” he said, then added lightly, “Promise not to hold it against me if I’m not?” He wasn’t being very serious about that, though he did prefer for people not to think he was a total dunce. He blamed part of it on Aladren, the rest on lingering habits from before Sonora. Being at the top of the class wasn’t everything to him the way it had been then, since he had allies other than the teachers and found it increasingly hard to care about his family that much, but he had discovered that being a good student and wanting to be a better one was sort of ingrained into him at this point.
“Piertotum locomotor,” he said, his eyes narrowing slightly in concentration. For a second, he thought nothing was going to happen, but then the train gave an ungainly, sudden lurch and began to move, wobbling a little on its tracks but staying balanced.
When he stopped it, he realized he was grinning, despite consciously thinking it wasn’t that much of an accomplishment…yet. “You want another turn?” he asked, trying to smooth his expression. Wandless would be harder, so self-satisfaction now was dumb.
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David
Me, too. Any ideas for preventing that?
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David
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Autumn
August 10, 2011 4:48 AM
No, not really by Autumn
Autumn blushed.It wasn't good to be arrogant when you did something well and rub it in the faces of others. It was better to accept a compliment modestly. "Thank you." She replied. She did feel really good inside that she'd succeeded. That she wasn't a failure. Autumn hated to fail and would have been mortified if she had."Of course I won't." She assured the boy. The Crotalus never held others' mistakes against them. Autumn wouldn't want them doing that to her, which was something she worried about all the time, but for some reason she never seemed to think less of others who failed. Autumn only worried about her own mistakes. Obsessed over them, in fact.
"Oh, I'm Autumn Collins." The fourth year introduced herself, in case he didn't know her name. She wasn't sure she made that much of an impression on anyone. Which was too bad, but it was better than making a negative one. Autumn would rather blend in than stick out in a negative way at all. Better to get no attention at all than the wrong kind.
She thought for a second before adding, "Of the Pennsylvania Collinses," in case he was the type who cared about such things, if he was from such a family. Autumn wasn't too sure about the third year boys, she knew the one in her house, Ryan, was from that sort of family-and was her distant cousin-even though he seemed even more...withdrawn than Autumn herself was but she didn't know about the rest and she didn't want to make a mistake. She hated making mistakes.
Of course, if he wasn't that sort of pureblood, then he might think Autumn was stiff, formal, uptight and snobby. And she wasn't. Snobby, anyway. The Crotalus really didn't want that when she already had her house working against her in that respect.
She hated that stereotype as much as she hated the actual backstabbing that caused it. Those kinds of things only made Autumn more tense, if that were possible, so she didn't participate in them. The fourth year couldn't handle them and the stereotype made people assume the worst about Crotali as a whole. Just because a few year groups had been that way.
"Good job." Autumn complimented him. She looked back at the train. She really didn't want to go again, didn't feel ready for wandless magic but she had no choice. So she concentrated really hard, but to no avail.
The fourth year felt sick to her stomach. She had just failed , and in front of an underclassmen. Autumn wasn't sure which would be worse, failing in front of someone younger or someone older, but they were both horrid . She felt a bit like crying now but obviously she couldn't do that in front of three years worth of students.
"Um, you can try again." Autumn told the third year boy. She needed to calm down or she would never get it.
And that would be unacceptable to her.
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Autumn
No, not really
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Autumn
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David
August 10, 2011 2:04 PM
Treating it with kindness seems like a good first step. by David
“David Wilkes,” David replied to the very polite and serious-seeming Autumn Collins when she told him her name. The rest of her introduction marked her pureblood, but he didn’t add on any further details to his own name. For one thing, it struck him as kind of stupid to pretend to be something he wasn’t when he got the feeling it was fairly easy to check, and for another, he thought he represented himself more than he did any group of others, from his kin to his House. Though, if asked to pick, he thought he might have identified first with his House. He could believe Annabeth and Selena were his sisters in spite of Annabeth’s dark gold hair and not because of a certain similarity between the shapes of their faces, but he had cousins he had no idea how he could share genes with and would have concluded were the results of his aunts having affairs if his aunts and uncles weren’t just like them. “Good meeting you.”He took her thanks as proof that he really was looking too pleased with himself, but nodded even as he tried to force the smile off again. “Thanks,” he said, before she took her turn.
This time, it didn’t go as easily for her. The train wasn’t moving, and she was starting to look a little upset. “Okay,” he said when she said he should go on. “I’ll give it a go. I don’t expect it to work because this stuff’s hard, but hey, we’ve got the rest of class, right?”
Something told him he would not be winning the Mister Subtlety award or the Mister Comforter of the Year prize, since he felt he’d failed equally on both fronts, but he’d had to say something, and acknowledging that she was having trouble directly was…well, if by some miracle he did get it to work fairly quickly, that would just be…yeah. No, he wasn’t going to do that. Plus, girls were incomprehensible, so for all he knew, she might slap him cross-eyed for saying anything directly. Heck, she might slap him cross-eyed for even saying something indirectly, though she didn’t really seem like that type.
He focused on the train moving. Wheels turning. Long things attached to the wheels, the bits that looked like grasshopper legs to him, going back and forth. Chugging sounds. Moving along. He focused on that, emptying his mind of everything else except the dim background of thought that never went away – like how this reminded him of the way Annabeth’s social studies teacher had talked about meditation when his sister was in seventh grade, and then she’d spent ages walking around the house listening to clocks, trying to pull it off, and how that had kind of just trailed off instead of being interesting. He refused to think about that much. He was focusing on the train.
It fell over.
“It’s a start,” he remarked lightly. “Are you ready for another turn?” he asked her.
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David
Treating it with kindness seems like a good first step.
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David
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Autumn
August 18, 2011 11:29 AM
Kindness is always good by Autumn
Oh, Merlin, now she had made another faux pas !David wasn't a pureblood and now he probably thought Autumn was stuck-up. How utterly mortifying! She didn't care that he wasn't, Samantha wasn't either and she was Autumn's friend. In fact, Lily wasn't a pureblood and she was Autumn's sister. She was far more concerned about what David thought of her .But he said it was good meeting her and the alternative would have been far worse, to introduce herself incorrectly to a pureblood. She'd be a blight on her family then. People might think poorly of the Collinses, and after her father having a child with a muggle, Autumn didn't want to give them more reason to criticize her family. She loved and looked up to Lily, but lots of purebloods probably didn't approve.
This all made Autumn's failure with the train worse. Not because he wasn't a pureblood but because she felt like an idiot already. All over the classroom people were making progress with their trains. From where she was sitting, she could see that Jane had managed to move hers, as had Ryan. Autumn's best friend doing better than her was one thing but a third year?
Make that two third years. David had just gotten the train to fall over but it was more than she had done. She felt awful, even more like crying. Or throwing up. Either of those things would make the situation worse though. The last thing Autumn wanted to be known for was making more of a fool of herself than she already had. If she started crying, then nobody would want to go to the dance with her for sure!
Autumn eyed the train warily when David mentioned her having a go. She had to get this. Could not let herself fail. If the Crotalus couldn't move the train wandlessly, she might not get an O on all her CATS and Autumn just couldn't let that happen. She'd never be able to live with herself if it did. It would haunt her the rest of her life.
She took a deep breath and tried to calm down a little before giving the train another try. Autumn concentrated and this time...
Nothing happened. Autumn now knew that she was going to be up all night trying to get this to work if it killed her.
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Autumn
Kindness is always good
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Autumn
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