Professor Skies
May 25, 2013 3:07 PM
First Year Flying Lesson by Professor Skies
Amelia had contracted some kind of vile 'flu bug and needed cover for the first flying class of the year. And thus, before she had met them yet in her proper capacity as their Transfiguration Professor, Selina was heading out to supervise the new first years on the pitch. She'd gone over with Amelia what she usually did; let the capable ones do their own thing, let the prim ones ride side saddle if they had to and don't let anyone die. It seemed straight-forward. On paper. Now as she stood on the pitch, she was starting to feel a little less comfortable. She was a competent flyer, having played Quidditch throughout her school years, and occasionally during her teaching career in staff-student matches, or else at family events. She was also, she hoped, rather more than a competent teacher. She could only hope, therefore, that teaching flying was not a task much more complicated than the sum of its parts, in which case she would be alright. Teaching things, however, usually was harder than doing them but as she was just guiding the students in a hover, she thought it would be manageable.“Good morning,” she called, once everyone seemed to have assembled. She had allowed a few minutes for stragglers, seeing as they were still bound to be finding their way, but started once she felt she had the majority there. “I am Professor Skies, and you will more usually find me in your Transfiguration classes. However, as Coach Pierce is sick today, I have offered to cover this class for her.” The first order of business was to take the register. She made her way from Bennett to Yesir, ticking them off as they answered.
“Right, those of you who are experienced flyers will have the opportunity to move away from the learners in a minute,” she phrased it carefully to prevent any of them haring off before she had finished giving them their instructions. “There is a basket of sports balls, including Quaffles, at the other side of the pitch. You may fly around or play however you wish within reason. Be aware of the beginners and be sensible. Misbehaving is not only discourteous to your colleagues who are trying to learn but, as with many situations you will encounter at a magical school, can be downright dangerous. If anyone misbehaves, they will spend the rest of the session on the bench, and suffer any other sanctions I deem necessary,” she informed them, her face serious. Although she liked to be upbeat and friendly there were certain things it just did not do to joke about, and safety warnings were one of them. “If you wish to spend the lesson in the non-learner group, you may make your way towards the other side of the pitch now.” The balls were placed near enough that she would be able to keep a reasonable eye on the group.
“Ok, beginners,” she said, turning to the remaining first years. “Before we start out, I would like to remind everyone that this is a flying lesson. It is not a Quidditch lesson and thus I cannot foresee it causing any problems,” she said, speaking at least as firmly as she had done when warning the other group not to mess around. “It is a compulsory part of your education and everyone is expected to put in their full effort. Everyone take a school broom. If you wish to have your seat adjusted to fly side-saddle, please raise your hand,” she moved through the crowd, making adjustments where requested.
“Now, place your broom beside you, hold your wand hand out above it and give the command Up!” she intoned, her own broom jumping to her hand as she demonstrated. “You will need to be clear and commanding, and feel a genuine intent to make the broom obey you. Once you have succeeded in this, your broom will stay in a hover and you can mount, either astride or side-saddle.”
OOC
Welcome to your first class! The structure of this will be the same as the feast, i.e. small threads starting out from this one. By posting in class, you will earn points for your house as posts are graded 1-5. The usual site rules of a minimum 200 words apply. However, if you write an average post, you will get an average mark. If you write a good post, you will get a good mark. The marking is based on how well you write, not how well your character does at the lesson. Relevance, believability, length and creativity are the key to a good mark.
If you are unsure what is expected of you please:
- Check the FAQ
- Check the 'dos and don'ts for class threads' post
- Ask on the OOC board
Remember that a teacher is present and would stop any situation before it got out of hand, so end posts at a point that gives me a chance to react if your character is getting into difficulty or misbehaving. If you wish to have your broom adjusted to side-saddle, you may assume that Professor Skies did this. Otherwise, as per usual, there is no writing for other characters.
Subthreads: Soaring through the air! by Chloe Jareau with Viktor Volkov, Crotalus, Chloe
Happy clouds floating by Ji-Eun Park, Pecari with Eleanor Vandenberg - Crotalus, Nellie Vandenberg
Fancy a race? by Leo Princeton, Crotalus with Dimitri Porter, Teppenpaw, Leo Princeton
Can I do something else now? by Emery Kijewski-Jareau
This situation is precarious at best. by Thaddeus Luther Leebridge III with Ava Fletcher, T.L. Leebridge
The moment I've been waiting for. by Tristan Spaulding, Crotalus
Wanna play catch? by Darina Porter
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Professor Skies
First Year Flying Lesson
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Professor Skies
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Chloe Jareau
May 26, 2013 3:38 PM
Soaring through the air! by Chloe Jareau
Chloe was so excited to begin her lessons for the year and thought it was fantastic that the first lesson of the day would be that of flying. Chloe already knew how to fly. Her dad taught her and Emery a long time ago. Nothing special and they were only beginner brooms, but she had learned enough to keep her balance and fly around in circles. She certainly was not an expert at flying, but she knew enough to not have to stay with the beginners. Being raised with just a dad for most of her life, she tended to play sports or with trucks and climb trees. Kiva had been around for the most part, but at that time, she was just a friend of her dad’s and didn’t spend too much time with her one and one at that point.Chloe pulled her long blonde hair into a low pony tail, not really worried about whether or not it was neat. As long as it kept her hair out of her face that was all she cared about. In jean shorts and a boy t-shirt beneath her robes, Chloe stood along with the rest of the first years waiting for the lesson to begin. She fidgeted on her toes while she waited and cheerfully called out ‘here’ when her name was called. Upon being released onto her own, Chloe grabbed a broom and set off for the pre-determined area in which they could go and play ball or just fly. As much as Chloe didn’t mind playing sports with her dad, she had done it more for him than for herself. He had been a single dad with a little girl and had no idea what to do about it. Sports were his way of trying and so, she grew to appreciate the time she had spent with him doing so. But she didn’t plan on making it her thing while at school.
With this in mind, Chloe did not make her way directly to the various balls that were available to them. Instead, she mounted her broom and took off into the air with quick speed. For a moment, she had forgotten on what to do with the broom and had simple just kept going up, but then her brain came back to life and she straightened it out and began to fly in circles. When she finally slowed down and simply hovered, Chloe smiled at the person nearest her. “Nearly forgot what I was doing! That would have made for an embarrassing start!” She exclaimed without really seeming remotely embarrassed at the idea she had just stated.
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Chloe Jareau
Soaring through the air!
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Chloe Jareau
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Viktor Volkov, Crotalus
May 27, 2013 8:28 PM
Hovering in the air. by Viktor Volkov, Crotalus
Viktor stood near to the other first years, surveying the situation. Their female transfiguration professor would be teaching them how to fly. He wasn’t sure what to think about that. Surprisingly, it had nothing to do with the fact that she was female, which seemed to be something of importance in the American culture. At home, women could just as easily be in charge as the men could. No, he was more concerned since he wasn’t the regular professor for the subject. He would much rather have preferred Pierce since now he was worried about those that were learning running into him. Injury by a random flying person was not an option. It would end up being purely embarrassing. He was not about to have his reputation ruined. The only solution he could see was making sure that he was far away from those students.After all the details were given, Viktor wandered off to a slightly isolated area of the field. He hovered a bit, allowing himself to get used to the broom. If he decided to try out for Quidditch, he would certainly need to send for his. This one was clearly old and he doubted it could go terribly fast. After adjusting, he tried a couple tricks just to see how it would hold before he attempted to go any higher. He was just about to go up when a girl came near him. He gave her a once over. She didn’t really look like a girly-girl. Her hair wasn’t perfect and her outfit seemed like something more for a commoner. Of course, she could have been one of those pureblood girls that liked to rebel against the rules. Or she could end up being one of the popular ones. Americans were funny like that.
He would have to wait and see. Until then, he would play nice even though what she said made her sound like an airhead. “What exactly is it that you were trying to do?” He raised a dark eyebrow in question. His lips were pursed slightly. If anything could ever be said about Viktor, it would be that his face was very expressful and sometimes intense. Though, one couldn’t always be quite sure how he would react or what the meaning behind them was. At the moment, it probably just looked questioning of what she was doing, but honestly, he was sizing her up to see if she was worth more conversation. Of course, more could be answered through introductions. “I apologize for not introducing myself first. I am Viktor Volkov of the Moscow Volkovs. Though, currently my father is on extended business in Canada. And you are?”
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Viktor Volkov, Crotalus
Hovering in the air.
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Viktor Volkov, Crotalus
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Chloe Jareau
May 28, 2013 6:49 PM
Almost the same thing. by Chloe Jareau
Chloe looked at the boy with interest. This did this with pretty much everyone she was encountering. They were new and a brand new mystery for her to solve. She had to remind herself that she couldn’t be too brazen with people she did not know because it could come off in the completely wrong way and that would not be good. There was already the stigma of being the Headmistress’ daughter and having a brother her age in Aladren (not to mention, two older siblings who didn’t seem to be all there) that Chloe had to get past, she didn’t want to alienate herself unintentionally.“Oh, I haven’t ridden a broom in quite some time.” Chloe began, looking down at the old school broom as she spoke of it. “I took off too quickly when I had only meant to go a little way up and forgot what I needed to do to get it to settle down.” She explained to the male near her. “But, I figured it out before it became out of control.” Her blue eyes sparkled as she gave a large smile, pleased that she had accomplished this feat.
Her blonde eyebrows went up when he introduced himself. She felt like he had given her quite a bit of information in that sentence. She didn’t understand why she needed to know that his father was currently on business in Canada. That did not have anything to with their conversation at present. Saying he was from Moscow was fine since some people may end up asking him that at some point, but his father… no, not necessary. “I am Chloe Jareau from New Mexico.” She introduced. She felt no need to explain where either of her parents currently were as it was none of his business.
“Is it important to you to tell everyone your father is in Canada and not Moscow?” She asked him. If it was simply that he was from Moscow but due to his father’s current business, was living in Canada, maybe she could understand the introduction a bit better. She wasn’t judging him for necessarily saying it, but she was merely curious as to why it had needed to be said to begin with. She wasn’t used to this sort of thing. Everyone they were in contact with back home were laid back. Some were from families with loads of money while others were middle working class, but they all got along and didn’t need to feel above anyone else. This school would be a major adjustment for Chloe and it would be an easier one if she had an understanding as to why certain things were the way they were.
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Chloe Jareau
Almost the same thing.
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Chloe Jareau
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Viktor
May 29, 2013 2:10 PM
Is it? by Viktor
Being able to remember how to control her broom seemed to make the girl quite happy. Perhaps, he had been raised to a higher standard, because it was expected to always know and expand on what one knew. Thankfully, for him, he didn’t have to try very hard to retain information and for it to pop up in his mind as necessary, so he couldn’t really relate to forgetting such valuable information as how to control a broom. Besides, wasn’t that the old adage, ‘It’s just like riding a broom. You never forget.’ Of course, he could have just been being mean in his head. Instead of saying any of these thoughts, he opted for, “It’s a good thing you figured it out. It would have been highly embarrassing to have met through an accidental collision.”Her introduction was highly disappointing. There was no explanation of who her parents are or were, so how was he to know if he should care or not who she was? Viktor nearly sighed, but bit the side of his mouth instead. He supposed it wasn’t her fault if she hadn’t been taught proper manners. Besides, he wasn’t sure if it was due to not being a proper pureblood or if it was simply a cultural difference. He sincerely hoped not everyone was like this girl though. If so, he would find it quite difficult to partake in anyone’s company.
“I suppose it’s not extraordinarily important,” he responded to her question regarding his father. “Our home is in Moscow, but my father’s business may take awhile, so I may be referring to Canada as where I live outside of school for a bit. However, Moscow will always be home.” A slight tone of wistfulness entered his voice. He really did miss everything about home. “Since you asked me about my father, I feel it’s only fair to ask you about your parents. Why have you not mentioned them? Is this normal for Americans not to mention their parents?” It may have come off as a bit rude to be so blunt, but he really had no other way of obtaining answers to his questions.
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Viktor
Is it?
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Viktor
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Chloe
June 02, 2013 12:01 PM
Yes, I think so. by Chloe
Chloe, not at all perturbed by the facial expressions of the boy in front of her smiled and shrugged. “It would have only been embarrassing for the moment.” She advised him. She was not easily bothered by many things, so if she ever was embarrassed, she didn’t think it lasted for very long. “Besides, it would have been a great story to say, right?” Chloe questioned, “When asked how you meet, we would have been able to say ‘oh, Chloe seemed to have forgotten how to ride a broom properly being as scatterbrained as she is and rammed her broom straight into me.’ You would be seen as the victim and everyone would chuckle at me and go ‘oh, Chloe.’ It’s totally how it would happen.” Chloe told him, looking wistfully for a moment as though that would have been a far better way of meeting someone than having figured out her broom and preventing it from having happened.Chloe still didn’t seem to understand the reason for saying his father’s business. To her, a simple, ‘I’m originally from Moscow, but we’re currently staying in Canada due to business needs’ would have been more than adequate to explain to someone if they so asked. Her parents had advised her that the students here were very different than what they were used to. Her father (who was from a decent Pureblood family) told her that when he was in school, those who were proper and of a large family that were placed in different areas, would generally introduce themselves and state the area in which family branch they came from. He said it was ridiculous and he stopped doing it a long time ago. It probably helped that his family stopped talking to him when they found out he had gotten a woman pregnant without any plans of marriage. But Chloe wasn’t supposed to know things like that.
“I haven’t mentioned them because I don’t feel as though that’s something I need to mention. Most people, from what I’ve gathered, only state the area in which they are from, they do not mention their parents specifically.” Chloe said, although her words may have sounded hostile, her tone was not. She was simply explaining herself. “Besides, my mother is the school’s Headmistress. I didn’t really think I would need to point that out.” She felt that was a true enough statement. Although her mother’s last name was hyphenated, the last part of it was shared with her’s.
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Chloe
Yes, I think so.
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Chloe
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Viktor
June 05, 2013 9:02 PM
I'll have to trust you on that. by Viktor
The girl in front of him was crazy. Certifiably so. There was no doubt in his mind. Who actually seemed to hope that they had met via her running into him with a broom? He had no desire to be humiliated by a girl running into him. Plus, there were other things that could have happened. “What if I had actually been the victim and had gotten hurt? Then, there would have been a much different ending,” he pointed out. Though, he supposed it wasn’t likely that much damage would have been done and if he admitted it, perhaps, some would find the story amusing. He, however, would not have ever found something like that funny.Viktor was ready to smack himself for not making the connection that she was the Headmistress’s daughter. He supposed part of it was due to the fact that he was still getting used to everything and everyone. He was trying to figure out whom he should or shouldn’t hang around. At home, his father simply only allowed those of worthwhile standing to be around him. Now, he had to figure these things out on his own. He knew though that this was part of his training and hopefully, in time, he would be able to do so without making such a fool of himself. Honestly, how hadn’t he made such a significant connection?
Not to mention, this changed everything about the girl. From appearances, and even from the small amount of conversing they had done, Viktor would have written this girl off immediately, but now, he was glad he hadn’t. She was someone of importance even if she were merely a means to an end. If she liked him, then, perhaps, others would view him in a positive manner. And, of course, there were other fringe benefits to such an arrangement, such as maybe getting out of trouble more easily. Yes, this definitely changed the course of his behavior.
“I should have made the connection,” he apologized. “After all, it would seem so obvious with a name, but, perhaps, it was for the best. I have found that most people judge one based on their parents, however, I have gotten to know you a little without such intrusion.” It was a line of nothing, but if she bought it, then he would be in great shape. He offered a lopsided smile, which was actually quite nice. “Now, then, do you want to try riding some more? I could ride next to you and we could talk more.”
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Viktor
I'll have to trust you on that.
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Viktor
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Chloe
June 07, 2013 7:22 PM
Okay! by Chloe
“Naaaah!” Chloe said, dismissing his comment. “I wasn’t going that fast and we aren’t so far up. Besides, I’m sure the Professor would have stopped anything from terribly going too wrong.” Chloe commented and believing it to be true. Even if he did happen to get hurt, it was an easy fix and everyone would feel terrible for him and he’d probably make loads of friends that way. “Anyway, being the victim would just mean that everyone would want to check on you to make sure you’re okay and then you’d make lots of friends. It’s a total winner scenario.” She advised him. Her thought process made complete sense to her, even if someone else didn’t quite understand it. Not that it had ever really mattered to her before. Chloe would always just be Chloe.Chloe shrugged at his apology, her blonde hair bouncing in its sluggish pony-tail by the movement. Her blue eyes watched him out of curiosity. She was finding herself amused by the reactions she and her brother received whenever people found out they were related to the Headmistress. She assumed this had not happened to Ayita or Angel because the adoption process had happened while they were already in school and everyone knew them.
“That’s alright. It doesn’t seem like most people pick up on it.” Chloe commented. “Clara, I met her during the Opening Feast, she caught on about the names, but she seemed to think that I was trying to hide it or something.” Chloe said, looking completely flabbergasted by the thought. She still wasn’t sure what to think of that girl. She was strange and Chloe was pretty sure that she had something wrong with her eyes because she kept winking at her. It was a little off-putting because there hadn’t really seemed to be a need for it.
She wasn’t really sure how to take his comment regarding being judged by ones parents. She thought her parents were fantastic, so if people wanted to judge her based on them, they were more than welcomed to. Her dad was great at his job and they were able to get whatever they want. They were able to bring home Ayita and Angel, who were both so very cool to have! And her mom ran the school was currently attending. Yes, she saw nothing bad about being judged based on her parents. “Judge away. My parents are awesome. My brother tells me that I’m weird, but he also says that it’ll help weed out the people who I wouldn’t want to be around anyway.” Chloe commented happily.
“We could ride around, sure!” Chloe exclaimed. “I have a whole year to get better at this, but I think I’ll do okay.” She stated with a smile. “Are you a Quidditch player? Will you sign up for the your house team? Who is your house team anyway?”
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Chloe
Okay!
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Chloe
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