Brian Rogers (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
subplotkudzu) wrote2008-03-29 02:30 pm
subplotkudzu) wrote2008-03-29 02:30 pm
Entry tags:
...And the Monster of Amristar iv
Chapter 4: In The Houses
After the banquet the students dispersed, with first years led by the prefects to the dorms. Daisy and Hank Wilkenson brought the Ravenclaws to the tower, faced an initial door question that the GM lacked the time to develop (Doh!) and introduced the students to their new home. Inside the common room they found that some older students had transfigured the curtains into butlers to transport all of the new students’ belongings into their rooms. "One doesn't waste energy on physical effort if there's a tool available to make it easier. Our magic and our wands are tools," they were told.
The Grey Lady appeared, still clasping her book, and wished them well. She acknowledged that in this house curfews are hard to enforce, but asks that after 10:00 students please keep it down. She exited to the Ravenclaw tower's library and shelved her book. Jasmyn took a moment to collect the tome: History of the Wizarding Raj.
Hufflepuff's prefects - Mark Jordan & Shana Behne - led their charges into the burrow by the kitchen. The door guard is a portrait of Professor Fogerty - long time house head & Defense Against Dark Arts teacher. His was a severe, elderly scholar with a badger-headed cane. Inside they met their new fellows and were told that they would have to carry their bags to their rooms: "A little honest labor never hurt anyone."
Mark then introduced Krupe, the house elf in charge of Hufflepuff Burrow. He felt it was important the first years know who works for them, and that just because Krupe & crew are straightening up there's no excuse for leaving a mess. When one first year said they never had to thank their house elves at home, Mark replied "Few do, but that's no reason to not adopt a civilized way of treating our fellows and friends." Krupe waved happily, giving them a shy "hello" before popping out.
The next morning as Daisy neared Muggle Studies she saw Prof. Plain talking to Trelawney. The divination prof. expounded on feeling negative vibrations as Daisy approached (Daisy's seen divination done all over the world, and she knows a fraud when she sees one). Once Daisy was inside (but not out of earshot) Trelawney added that she wanted to be the first to congratulate them. Mrs. Plain replied that everyone congratulated her last night, and Sybill cryptically replied "Not for that darling, for well… perhaps you don't know yet."
Inside the classroom Daisy got her first good look at Dr. Plain and discovered that he was quite handsome - much more attractive than his spouse. They are an odd pair, and it became clear that the girls in the class find him dreamy. Daisy is not entirely above this, but she reminded herself that he's twice her age and married.
After her first Charms class, Juliet was delayed a moment by Flitwick; Jasmyn, in her adopted role as Juliet's interlocutor, also stayed. Flitwick was thrilled by Juliet's potential, and pressed her to try out for both the chorus and chamber music club. He admitted that the chamber music club was at present Daisy Fontaine, himself and some enchanted instruments, but this is solely due to some recent graduations. Juliet, naturally shy and already scarred by last night, shrunk away, but agreed to at least give the chorus some thought - there she might be able to hide in the crowd.
The first day ended with a midnight Astronomy class. All the first years (with prefects to get them to and from the tower) take Astronomy at once. The tower seats up to 150; this year's class is less than half that. That gave our heroes considerable leeway in seating and Pollux joined his brother and Ravenclaw friends. The roof's enchantment shows the sky and the room's center is dominated by "Bertha", the school's telescope. Bertha is capable of zooming in on Armstrong's footprint.
Professor Tycho Lippershy - spectacles, tweed jacket, strong chin (Tom & Jim expected a turtleneck & blazer) – spoke. "Good evening. I'm sure many of you are wondering why you're in Astronomy, or how you can use it to tell the future. If it's fortune telling you want, Prof. Trelawny's Divinations class is one tower over.
"Astronomy is not just the study of the bodies in our solar system, but the study of the influence those bodies have on magic, and how we analyze and counter those influences. Those of us with magical experience, myself and those prefects gossiping in the corner, are aware of the strange effects that planetary influences have on our magical abilities, how they make spells unpredictable in potency or effect. If you don't learn to counter that, basic spellcasting will be difficult; advanced, impossible.
"To be blunt, if you cannot master Astronomy, you will not master magic. I'm sure that many of your professors will tell you how theirs is a dangerous, potent or tricky magic, and I don't deny those claims. But astronomy is the basis of organized magic. If you can't grasp this, you may as well pack up and go home.
"I know it sounds like a lot, but I will lay out some clear goals for this term: first, you will learn about the moon - its history, its effect on earth and its physical composition. Second, you will learn the effects that it has on magic and how to counter them - it is our closest companion, and has the greatest impact on human magic. Finally, you'll learn to identify spells by the planetary influences that went into its creation.
"Imagine, if you will, facing a giant spider - will you know if this is an actual Acorantula, a magical creature, or another being - perhaps a friend - transfigured into that shape? Or a summoned creature, another form of transfiguration? Or an animated statue of a spider, yet another form of transfiguration? It clearly matters in how you handle the beast, but only through Astronomy can you find the best course of action.
"You might be wondering where Muggle Astronomy overlaps with this class. How many of you are Muggle born, or grew up among Muggles? Good, now keep your hands up if you've studied Muggle sciences? How about Muggle Astronomy? Good.
All of you now have a leg up in this class. Our studies here on the locations and physical compositions of the planets are exactly the same as theirs. In the case of the planet Neptune, we knew it existed because there was something disrupting our spells; the Muggles knew of it because its gravity was affecting their calculations of planetary motion. They Found It First. So don't denigrate Muggle science.
"Now, open your books to page 7. We'll start with the history of man's travels to the moon, beginning with the Muggle moon landings, working backwards through the Baltimore Gun Club, and ending with Baron Munchausen's travel there. Mind you, we have concrete evidence that he reached the moon but his reports back are, like much of his work, highly suspect!"
During the course of the late night class the first years felt their minds start to wander due to the late hour. Our heroes took the opportunity to practice their Mentat Acutia; that clarity gave them an edge when lining up to view a Muggle landing site through Bertha.
In the back the prefects dozed, studied or gossiped. Daisy was talked at by Peaseblossom Parkerson, Gryffindor prefect, about handsome Dr. Plain. Half muggle herself, she's obviously smitten with Professor Plain's new husband, and openly wonders why he ended up with her? Daisy shrugged, knowing love to be based on more than just appearances.
On their trip back to their dorms, Juliet looked into one open door in the otherwise empty tower and saw a shadow: a six-armed human figure stretching or doing some other undulating motion. Daisy dragged her away before she was able to make out anything more.
The next morning Juliet hit the library, looking for the bulletin board with the club postings so that she might join the choir. What she saw was a copy of the Daily Prophet with this disturbing story: "Lestrange Frees Woden, both still at large! The previous night the wanted Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange freed her captured compatriot, the elderly German Born Death Eater Olaf Woden." Grasping the front page of the paper she ran to tell her mates.
After the banquet the students dispersed, with first years led by the prefects to the dorms. Daisy and Hank Wilkenson brought the Ravenclaws to the tower, faced an initial door question that the GM lacked the time to develop (Doh!) and introduced the students to their new home. Inside the common room they found that some older students had transfigured the curtains into butlers to transport all of the new students’ belongings into their rooms. "One doesn't waste energy on physical effort if there's a tool available to make it easier. Our magic and our wands are tools," they were told.
The Grey Lady appeared, still clasping her book, and wished them well. She acknowledged that in this house curfews are hard to enforce, but asks that after 10:00 students please keep it down. She exited to the Ravenclaw tower's library and shelved her book. Jasmyn took a moment to collect the tome: History of the Wizarding Raj.
Hufflepuff's prefects - Mark Jordan & Shana Behne - led their charges into the burrow by the kitchen. The door guard is a portrait of Professor Fogerty - long time house head & Defense Against Dark Arts teacher. His was a severe, elderly scholar with a badger-headed cane. Inside they met their new fellows and were told that they would have to carry their bags to their rooms: "A little honest labor never hurt anyone."
Mark then introduced Krupe, the house elf in charge of Hufflepuff Burrow. He felt it was important the first years know who works for them, and that just because Krupe & crew are straightening up there's no excuse for leaving a mess. When one first year said they never had to thank their house elves at home, Mark replied "Few do, but that's no reason to not adopt a civilized way of treating our fellows and friends." Krupe waved happily, giving them a shy "hello" before popping out.
The next morning as Daisy neared Muggle Studies she saw Prof. Plain talking to Trelawney. The divination prof. expounded on feeling negative vibrations as Daisy approached (Daisy's seen divination done all over the world, and she knows a fraud when she sees one). Once Daisy was inside (but not out of earshot) Trelawney added that she wanted to be the first to congratulate them. Mrs. Plain replied that everyone congratulated her last night, and Sybill cryptically replied "Not for that darling, for well… perhaps you don't know yet."
Inside the classroom Daisy got her first good look at Dr. Plain and discovered that he was quite handsome - much more attractive than his spouse. They are an odd pair, and it became clear that the girls in the class find him dreamy. Daisy is not entirely above this, but she reminded herself that he's twice her age and married.
After her first Charms class, Juliet was delayed a moment by Flitwick; Jasmyn, in her adopted role as Juliet's interlocutor, also stayed. Flitwick was thrilled by Juliet's potential, and pressed her to try out for both the chorus and chamber music club. He admitted that the chamber music club was at present Daisy Fontaine, himself and some enchanted instruments, but this is solely due to some recent graduations. Juliet, naturally shy and already scarred by last night, shrunk away, but agreed to at least give the chorus some thought - there she might be able to hide in the crowd.
The first day ended with a midnight Astronomy class. All the first years (with prefects to get them to and from the tower) take Astronomy at once. The tower seats up to 150; this year's class is less than half that. That gave our heroes considerable leeway in seating and Pollux joined his brother and Ravenclaw friends. The roof's enchantment shows the sky and the room's center is dominated by "Bertha", the school's telescope. Bertha is capable of zooming in on Armstrong's footprint.
Professor Tycho Lippershy - spectacles, tweed jacket, strong chin (Tom & Jim expected a turtleneck & blazer) – spoke. "Good evening. I'm sure many of you are wondering why you're in Astronomy, or how you can use it to tell the future. If it's fortune telling you want, Prof. Trelawny's Divinations class is one tower over.
"Astronomy is not just the study of the bodies in our solar system, but the study of the influence those bodies have on magic, and how we analyze and counter those influences. Those of us with magical experience, myself and those prefects gossiping in the corner, are aware of the strange effects that planetary influences have on our magical abilities, how they make spells unpredictable in potency or effect. If you don't learn to counter that, basic spellcasting will be difficult; advanced, impossible.
"To be blunt, if you cannot master Astronomy, you will not master magic. I'm sure that many of your professors will tell you how theirs is a dangerous, potent or tricky magic, and I don't deny those claims. But astronomy is the basis of organized magic. If you can't grasp this, you may as well pack up and go home.
"I know it sounds like a lot, but I will lay out some clear goals for this term: first, you will learn about the moon - its history, its effect on earth and its physical composition. Second, you will learn the effects that it has on magic and how to counter them - it is our closest companion, and has the greatest impact on human magic. Finally, you'll learn to identify spells by the planetary influences that went into its creation.
"Imagine, if you will, facing a giant spider - will you know if this is an actual Acorantula, a magical creature, or another being - perhaps a friend - transfigured into that shape? Or a summoned creature, another form of transfiguration? Or an animated statue of a spider, yet another form of transfiguration? It clearly matters in how you handle the beast, but only through Astronomy can you find the best course of action.
"You might be wondering where Muggle Astronomy overlaps with this class. How many of you are Muggle born, or grew up among Muggles? Good, now keep your hands up if you've studied Muggle sciences? How about Muggle Astronomy? Good.
All of you now have a leg up in this class. Our studies here on the locations and physical compositions of the planets are exactly the same as theirs. In the case of the planet Neptune, we knew it existed because there was something disrupting our spells; the Muggles knew of it because its gravity was affecting their calculations of planetary motion. They Found It First. So don't denigrate Muggle science.
"Now, open your books to page 7. We'll start with the history of man's travels to the moon, beginning with the Muggle moon landings, working backwards through the Baltimore Gun Club, and ending with Baron Munchausen's travel there. Mind you, we have concrete evidence that he reached the moon but his reports back are, like much of his work, highly suspect!"
During the course of the late night class the first years felt their minds start to wander due to the late hour. Our heroes took the opportunity to practice their Mentat Acutia; that clarity gave them an edge when lining up to view a Muggle landing site through Bertha.
In the back the prefects dozed, studied or gossiped. Daisy was talked at by Peaseblossom Parkerson, Gryffindor prefect, about handsome Dr. Plain. Half muggle herself, she's obviously smitten with Professor Plain's new husband, and openly wonders why he ended up with her? Daisy shrugged, knowing love to be based on more than just appearances.
On their trip back to their dorms, Juliet looked into one open door in the otherwise empty tower and saw a shadow: a six-armed human figure stretching or doing some other undulating motion. Daisy dragged her away before she was able to make out anything more.
The next morning Juliet hit the library, looking for the bulletin board with the club postings so that she might join the choir. What she saw was a copy of the Daily Prophet with this disturbing story: "Lestrange Frees Woden, both still at large! The previous night the wanted Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange freed her captured compatriot, the elderly German Born Death Eater Olaf Woden." Grasping the front page of the paper she ran to tell her mates.
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