A Hard Introduction on Defense Against the Dark Arts

Lawrence Marsh

May 22, 2020 12:26 PM

A Hard Introduction by Lawrence Marsh

(CW - violent deaths and violent animal attack, slight discussion of drug use. Parts of this may be PG -13)

The cuticle on his left thumb had been worn down since Evelyn had asked to be his assistant and yet he was still biting it as he stood outside the closed door. He’d never thought about the fact there might be boggarts in the school. And even though boggarts weren’t dangerous the way some of their relatives were, Lawrence really didn’t want to take a chance. He’d already improved so much, and just last night had sat and looked at the port in his office almost succumbing. No, he’d decided, he would do better to ask the person on campus in charge of dealing with such things. If they were on campus, she’d be the one to house them or at least be in charge of them. He wanted to make sure he never had to deal with a Lethifold here. The mere thought filled his throat with bile.

Even a decade later he could still feel the almost smooth silk-like feeling as it wrapped its wing first around his left arm and then across his back. Not realizing what was happening at first, he had leaned back into it, thinking it was a Jorn coming to wrap him in a waterproof blanket. Lawrence had taken to sitting outside in the night to watch the hatchlings from a distance. The warm summer rain had started only a few minutes earlier, and Jorn was the sort who'd come out and make sure Lawrence was dry only to stumble back into the tent grumbling about sleep. It was only hours later that Lawrence found out that Jorn was probably dead by that point. The top half of his body having been ripped off in a blinding light. Though Jorn was probably dead before that.

Lawrence had leaned into the smoothness wrapping around him when he felt a soft tickle on his left arm. It was so soft and subtle, that if he wasn’t more awake, worried about some monster wizard taking the hatchinglings lives, he’d have thought it was a mosquito or a spider. But his senses had been keyed and this tickle had felt like something bigger. He’d turned to look down at his arm just as the wing of the creature swept up towards his face. Lawrence saw an open hole with teeth around it just miss his face as he looked down.

He’d felt so drowsy then. Like he had wanted to sleep for years. But Lawrence could tell that something was off, that this would be fatal. The animal part of his brain was kicking in. Luckily his right arm was still free as he reached into his cloak. He’d tried to grab it with his left hand and the same time, but it had merely wrapped itself around the arm, holding it back more. He aimed his wand at his left arm and… nothing. The spell happened. Lawrence had seen the power leave his wand, but the stunning spell did nothing.

Lawrence’s mind had raced, trying to think about what this could be and how he could stop it. Nothing was happening as it should. He could feel a blackness coming now around his mind, slowly shutting off the lights. He looked up and saw the hatchlings sleeping nearby, framed by the stars and moon. The smallest one stirred, kicking its back leg out. Lawrence wanted to see them grow up. He wanted to be there with Jorn to help them reclaim the land that was rightfully theirs. He wanted to give Jorn the life Lawrence had promised him when they’d spend the first few years in this valley. He wanted a life. And like that he raised his wand again. His voice was so soft that he could barely hear his own words as he said them. Still they had worked. Blinding silver light surrounded him as he felt the silky smoothness slide off him. Standing before him was a blinding, silver animal. As Lawrence collapsed on the ground in the mud he’d known that a snow leopard was stalking nearby. He’d never used the spell outside of classes, but as he had drifted off he was glad to have learned it.

He’d awoken to a torment. His left arm had a giant gash as if claws or teeth had been inside and ripped out quickly and without any care to the owner of the teeth or his arm. The camp was almost empty. He found Jorn, partially eaten in their tent. It looked as if the animal had been mid meal and left in a hurry. The two elves, Bindi and Kenty, they had with them were gone with the exception of a few limbs. It had taken Lawrence two days to get someone to come out at all. He’d cursed the slowness of owls more than once in those two days. He didn’t want to leave for fear that whatever had eaten him might go after the hatchlings, now alone. Or worse, they’d be blamed or taken because of what had happened. So he sat in the camp, not moving anything. Keeping an eye on both the hatchlings and the campsite.

Once the Aurors had canvassed the scene, and Lawrence had gone over the story a million times, they could only shake their heads at the whole situation. It was rare for them to have someone alive at this point for them to talk to. It was but for the luck of a tickle here and the last parts of his brain remembering an almost forgotten spell that he was alive, and able to ensure the hatchlings weren’t put to death for a crime they had nothing to do with. It was after that he had started catching billywigs and using them to lighten his evenings. This had progressed as was usually the case, to the point where the foundation protecting the hatchlings couldn’t allow him to stay on, and he’d found himself in the cold streets of Perth.

This is how Lawrence had learned about Lethifold. The hard way. With the loss of his dear Jorn and for five years his mind. Then two more years of cleaning his mind and body up while some creepy man tried to prove he wasn’t trying to pick the location of the hatchlings from Lawrence's mind.

Now, two years after that, Lawrence stood outside the door of a woman who may or may not have a bloody bogart in her room. He wanted to yell at her for endangering everyone. Have her banish it forever. But he also knew he needed to make sure the students knew how to banish one, and he wasn’t going to be the professor who would be able to teach that.

He closed his eyes. The littlest hatchling stirring in the moonlight filled his mind and he quickly opened his eyes again. He reached out his hand and knocked on the door.

As it opened, Lawrence gave a polite smile.

“Hello. Sorry to bother you Professor Brooding-Hawthorne, can I talk to you for a bit? I have a few questions and concerns.”

41 Lawrence Marsh A Hard Introduction 1462 Lawrence Marsh 1 5

Tabitha Brooding-Hawthorne

May 22, 2020 3:02 PM

I've had a few of those lately. by Tabitha Brooding-Hawthorne

Tabitha's office was almost silent, except for the scratching of her quill on parchment as she worked on a new lesson plan for her Advanced class. Several books lay open on her desk and occasionally she looked at one, flicked forward and then back through its pages, took a moment to read before returning to her plan. A pretty bone china teacup, decorated with a silver dragon in flight, stood on its matching saucer a little to her right, the steaming tea untouched and forgotten as her work took priority. It was lucky that warming charms existed. There were fewer things worse to Tabitha than cold tea.

Even though it was still early in the year, Tabitha had already fallen a little behind in her work. Her personal life had taken a huge priority, given the sudden adoption of Zeus and the rippling effects of that and, as a result, her professional life hadn't been given as much dedication as it should've been. So, today, Tabitha had resolved to fix that. She didn't want to struggle like she had last year and she wanted her professional life to be without as many problems as possible. So, Tabitha had shut herself in her office and thrown herself into her work but with a promise to Mary that she would dig herself back out by dinnertime. There was going to be no skipping meals this year.

Despite the issue that she had fallen behind, Tabitha quite liked that she had a lot to do and many things to focus on. With so many worrying things going on outside of her job, it was nice to have such a big distraction. It was good to direct her thoughts away from her stress, her worries and her issues and focus them on the importance of creating good lessons required for the educating of her students. It was almost like a sort of break. All she had to think about was her notes, her books and her cup of tea and everything else could fade away.

Well, at least until there was a knock at her door.

A little annoyed that she had been interrupted, Tabitha let out a short sigh as she set down her quill. She hoped that it wasn't a student on the other side of the door because she wasn't entirely sure she had the energy for dealing with any students outside of class today. Such meetings always felt very stressful and awkward, social interactions with students never an easy thing to navigate. She also hoped that it wasn't Selina because she didn't feel that she had any energy for a meeting with the Deputy Head either. Then again, Tabitha was usually summoned to Selina's office so that felt unlikely.

Opening the door, she was surprised to see the Care of Magical Creatures professor on the other side. She didn't know him very well and hadn't been to the office or classroom since Rory Taransay had left. She felt a pang of sadness, missing her friend. Rory had been her best man at her wedding and they'd had a close friendship at Sonora, often sharing one too many drinks in each other's company. It would've been nice to talk to him, had he still been around. Tabitha didn't have very many shoulders to lean on when it came to support and Rory had definitely been one of them.

Still, Professor Marsh seemed nice enough and Tabitha returned his smile. She didn't feel quite so annoyed anymore. "It's quite alright," she answered him before opening the door wide to allow him into her office. "And please, call me Tabitha. Only the students call me 'Professor'."

She returned to her seat behind her desk, clearing away her books and parchment to make some space and summoned a teapot, extra teacup and saucer which matched her own. "Would you like some tea? It's a Nepalese Himalayan black tea. Though, I warn you, it's quite rich."

She reached for her own, cradling the warm cup in her hands as she looked at her colleague. "I'm all ears. What can I help you with?"

20 Tabitha Brooding-Hawthorne I've had a few of those lately. 1417 0 5

Lawrence Marsh

May 25, 2020 10:04 AM

I hope the hard part is now over. by Lawrence Marsh

“Yes, of course, Tabitha, thank you,” he said tilting his head down a bit out of respect before entering her office. Lawrence didn’t put a full amount of faith into the idea that witches and wizards cand come into a house they weren’t invited into. Manners though, did dictate that one should not enter unless invited, and for the professors at Sonora, their offices were as close to a personal home as they may get. Especially, Lawrence noted, with the new additions to Tabitha’s life.

As he entered the room and Lawrence smiled. It felt warm and used and loved. Though she taught a subject that was not necessarily the happiest of subjects, Lawrence felt at ease in this office. Perhaps that was something she’d intentionally cultivated, to make students feel comfortable.

“Oh, I’d love a cup,” Lawrence was excited. Himilayan black was delightful, especially if mixed with a bit of milk and salt. He’d grown up with a father who enjoyed it as a stimulant, and so had acquired a bit of a taste for it himself, but only for special occasions. Perhaps this was one of those. “Do you by any chance have a bit of salt I could add?” he inquired, “If not, I’ll take it plain.”

As he reached out for his cup he opened his mouth to speak and instead took a deep breath, trying to figure out how much to tell Tabitha and how much to keep to himself.

“Well, I was speaking with Ms. Stones about having her be an assistant in the Care of Magical Creatures and she mentioned a few things that I wanted to ask you about. Number one is that she is having lessons with you as well, as a myriad of other activities. I applaud her initiative, but I do know that the general work load of classes can sometimes be a lot, so I didn’t want to over exert her causing an issue for her or you. As you’ve been a professor here longer, what do you think the best way forward would be to ensure she meets your expectations for her private lessons and her regular ones, while also being an Care Assistant? I believe she would be very good at the job, and don’t want to turn her down if there is a good way forward.”

Lawrence took a sip of his tea and smiled. It reminded him of home and happier times. He let the tea run down his throat and spread throughout his chest as he listened to Tabitha’s response.

“And my second question. She mentioned Bogarts being something you may have on campus. I…” Lawrence could feel the words hold in his throat momentarily, like a log jam on a river caused by beavers. He coughed, clearing his throat a bit. “I would like to know more about if that is true, and what other creatures you may have. I am a bit hesitant to have creatures such as bogarts on campus, though I understand the use… I just… have a history.” He let out a cough again and took a sip of his delightful tea. It was good, but it still wasn’t getting the taste of bile out of his mouth.

41 Lawrence Marsh I hope the hard part is now over. 1462 0 5

Tabitha Brooding-Hawthorne

May 25, 2020 1:13 PM

I try to make things as painless as possible. by Tabitha Brooding-Hawthorne

Tabitha couldn't help but feel pleased when Lawrence accepted a cup of the tea. While she loved her wife dearly, Mary didn't share Tabitha's appreciation for good tea and it was nice to meet someone and share a cup with someone who did and especially someone who knew exactly how they liked it. If she ever had an excess of tea (which seemed unlikely given how much Tabitha could consume in a day but one never knew), she now knew who she could share it with.

"I do have some salt, actually..." she murmured, frowning a little as she thought on its location. "I always take it with me on my travels. As I'm sure you'll know, salt is helpful in treating dragons and other reptiles for scale rot. I never leave on a long trip without it, just in case."

As she talked, she remembered that her salt was probably still in her rucksack which she still hadn't emptied from the summer. It was just lucky that her rucksack was currently resting in corner of her office and she quickly rifled through it before producing a brown leather pouch. She placed it on her desk and pushed it over to Lawrence, smiling. "Help yourself."

She took her seat again and listened quietly as he explained his reasons for his visit. She hadn't known that Evelyn had applied to be Lawrence's assistant or had any intentions of doing so. Tabtiha didn't disapprove at all. If anything, she was highly supportive of it. The world could always use more people who cared about the creatures that walked the earth. Lawrence's concern was, however, a valid one. The girl seemed to be taking a lot on and she would be no use to either Lawrence or Tabitha if she turned up to their sessions burnt out.

"As far as I understand my agreement with Miss Stones, I was going to have one session with her a week in my classroom. I also recommended that she join the Dueling Club to further her practice and knowledge. In Defence, she understands the theory very well which makes things easier. If necessary, I could talk to her about perhaps having one lesson a fortnight, rather than once a week. Alternatively, in some cases, perhaps our sessions with her could be combined in to one... There are certainly many areas where Defence and Care of Magical Creatures overlap. In terms of my personal schedule, I can easily shift things around to adapt to your sessions with her. I would like to make this work for her."

She smiled and had a sip of her tea before answering his second and somewhat more serious question. She might've felt insulted by her colleague questioning her judgement on keeping dangerous creatures on campus but looking at Lawrence, it was clear that this was nothing more than a simple case of concern and while she didn't press him on his 'history' as he had phrased it, she was understanding that events of the past did leave scars, whether physical or emotional. She felt sympathetic towards the man sitting on the other side of her desk and wanted to make sure that she alleviated his concerns as best as she could.

"Miss Stones is not wrong. I do have a Boggart on campus as I use it for my lessons for the Intermediate class. However, first things first, I never leave the students unsupervised in that instance or even any instance where there is a very real, potential threat. My primary concern is and always be their safety," she said firmly, wanting to make that clear. It was one thing to go hunting for dangerous creatures in her free time. The only person she was then putting at risk was herself (and perhaps Mary if she tagged along) but that was her decision and she was accepting of the potential consequences. In her classroom, however, she never let her guard down when exposing the students to danger. She did not want to have to sit down with their parents in case something went wrong, for one thing.

"Secondly, when not being used for teaching, the Boggart is locked securely in a heavy wooden chest which is also warded to alert me in case anyone comes close to it. I keep the chest itself in my store room," she pointed to the left hand door of the two behind her, the right one led to her private quarters. "That door is also locked and warded and the two keys are held by myself and the Deputy Headmistress. When I am not in my office, my office door is also locked, warded and Selina and I have the keys to that door too. Even if the Boggart did somehow manage to get out its chest, the most damage it would do would be to my storeroom."

She looked at Lawrence directly, hoping that he could understand how seriously she took her job and the safety of not just her own students but of anybody who was in the school and that included the Professors, that included Lawrence himself. "I caught the Boggart in Labyrinth Gardens and I have had it in that chest ever since. I don't have any other creatures in my storeroom and should I need them for lessons, I have to get approval from the Deputy Headmistress before I can even start searching for whatever creature I need."

She took a deep breath and reached for her cup of tea again. "I take the safety of everybody in this school very seriously, Lawrence... I know that my subject is a dangerous one and I take the utmost care to make it as safe as possible. I hope that answers your question."

20 Tabitha Brooding-Hawthorne I try to make things as painless as possible. 1417 0 5

Lawrence Marsh

May 27, 2020 1:07 PM

You do a good job for someone who isn't in a painless profession by Lawrence Marsh

Lawrence couldn’t help but nod along to Tabitha’s comments about salt. He knew all too well how helpful salt could be for different animals, himself included. He took a pinch of it and dropped it in his tea cup and then swirled it around. The aroma was striking and Lawerence could feel the back of his tongue water with anticipation. The pinch of salt took a bit of the bitterness of the deep black tea away and opened up many of the deeper flavors. Yes, Tabitha had great taste in tea, Lawrence thought as he took his first sip.

A short clip of laughter left Lawrences lips. He had to agree again with Tabitha, the two subjects often intertwined. After all, that’s why he was there right?

“The two do often find themselves together on the same path. I don’t think it will be too much to go with the current schedule you have planned. We can both check on her, and if necessary we can begin to combine some of the work.”

Lawrence nodded a long, as Tabitha explained the safety. She didn’t seem upset, not that he would have thought she should have been, but she did seem thorough. Maybe it was the warm cup in his hands or maybe it was Tabitha’s words, but something that had been in his chest was slowly uncoiling itself. Something like a snake that had been sitting in his chest for a while was beginning to loosen. Until it tightened again.

“I’m sorry. Did I hear you correctly. The boggart was in the Labyrinth?” Even though his pulse was picking up again, and he was acutely aware of the shadows in the room and how the rucksack should move if Tabitha moved her chair back, he kept his voice steady, “Do you know how it got there?”

A million more questions began to flood into his mind, but instead he locked his jaw in place and breathed through his nose. Perhaps he’d misheard. He hoped he misheard, but a part of him realized that it probably wasn’t the case. His mouth suddenly felt dry.

41 Lawrence Marsh You do a good job for someone who isn't in a painless profession 1462 0 5

Tabitha Brooding-Hawthorne

May 29, 2020 4:13 AM

I agree. A lot of the time, it's rather painful. by Tabitha Brooding-Hawthorne

Tabitha had hoped that her explanation would've helped ease the concerns that Lawrence had and it had seemed that that was the case, until she mentioned the location as to where she had found the Boggart in the first place. It was alarming, she supposed, that one had been found on school grounds but it wasn't entirely out of the question. That was how Boggarts behaved. They liked to inhabit shadowy corners or confined spaces, like a disused wardrobe or even the space underneath a bed. It wasn't particularly surprising that the Boggart had been found in the Gardens because the Labyrinth had more than a few shadowy corners. Tabitha would know. She had snogged Mary in a few of them.

She might've grinned at that last thought but restrained herself because this was a serious conversation and it was no place for jokes. Before she answered Lawrence's new questions, she had another drink of her tea before setting the cup back on its saucer.

"Yes, the other Professor Brooding-Hawthorne... Mary, my wife and I found it when walking through the Gardens a few years ago," Tabitha remembered the event clearly. It had been awful at the time because, unlike in lessons, Boggarts were more awful if you encountered one alone. In a lesson with lots of students, the Boggart tries to scare everyone at once but can only take one form. That form could be terrifying to one person but not to another. It sort of had a nullifying effect on the Boggart. Alone, there was only your fears to play on and it wasn't completely unheard of that wizards and witches had been driven to insanity in the past, unable to get past their fears. "Obviously, for the safety of the students, we couldn't have a Boggart on the loose so I captured it and it has been in that chest ever since."

While Tabitha wanted to calm all of Lawrence's concerns, she also had to be honest. "I walk in the Gardens frequently and I haven't, as of the moment, encountered any others. Whether the Boggart in my store room will be the only one ever to be found in the Gardens, I cannot say. They are, unfortunately, rather more common than people think. However, I would also say that you have to wander quite far into the Labyrinth in order to find one. Boggarts like disused spaces, which is why they can cause problems in an old manor houses and the like. Old wardrobes that aren't opened anymore, cupboards under sinks, that sort of thing. If there are lots of people passing through, I'd venture that it's unlikely a Boggart would choose to inhabit there."

20 Tabitha Brooding-Hawthorne I agree. A lot of the time, it's rather painful. 1417 0 5