Thank god for me, right? on Care of Magical Creatures

Professor Kijewski

February 20, 2006 7:36 PM

Third Years, Lesson 1 by Professor Kijewski

It was now after lunch and the sun was at it's highest. Kiva had already placed her container of Puffskeins back in their rightful place in her 'classroom' though it was more of a place to keep her creatures than a 'classroom' as she considered the clearing her classroom. Her bundimun box was placed into a seperate container to keep it from escaping where she had left it plenty of dirt to munch off of. Now, she stood with a large cage that contained a large creature that looked like a mix between a frog and a monkey.

Kiva was just finishing up feeding the creature when her third years lesson was set to start. Kiva stood and wiped her hands on her slacks, smiling warmly out at her students, "Afternoon everyone." Kiva greeted, "Like I said last year, this class is informal, so you can get as comfortable as you would like. Feel free to sit on the grass or gather closer to the cage if you want." Kiva told the students, gesturing with her arms as she spoke.

"This here," She indicated the creature, "is a Clabbert. His name happens to be Art. He actually resides here at the school. He likes to play games, so if you ever happen upon him in the paths just keep a close eye on him." Kiva informed them. Art the Clabbert was hairless and smooth. His skin was green in color and his hands and feet were webbed. His arms and legs were long and strong to enable him to swing from branch to branch. His head at a set of horns and a wide set mouth that made him look like he was grinning. Had his mouth been open, the students would have seen a mouth full of razor sharp teeth.

"Clabberts are tree-dwelling creatures originating in the southern states of America. Of course, now they can be found everywhere thanks to exporting. Clabberts feed mainly on small lizards and birds." Kiva informed them. "Now, as you can see, Clabberts look to be a mixture between a monkey and a frog. They have long arms and legs for swinging between branches, but also have webbed hands and toes. Plus, their skin is green. However," Kiva paused here and looked out at her students, "their most distinguished feature isn't their skin color or their teeth or their strange appearance, it's the large pustule in the middle of their heads. See it?" Kiva asked, pointing to the large knob on the creatures forehead. "That pustule actually turns scarlet and flashes when they sense danger." Her voice had become very intense when she spoke of the creatures wonderful defense mechanism. She truly did love to observe and learn about creatures.

"The Magical Community in America used to keep Clabberts around to warn them of any dangers, including approaching Muggles. But, soon it was discovered that that wasn't the best idea. Muggles often asked all sorts of questions and the Magical Community decided to place heavy fines on those who used Clabberts that way." Kiva told them, she held a look of amusement for a moment. "Does anyone have any stories dealing with Clabberts or any questions on the creatures?"

OOC: I know you all know the drill, so have fun posting. Also, there may or may not be a Part 2 of this lesson depending on the questions asked or any information that gathers. Just keep checking in and I'll be sure to let you all know on the OOC board.\n\n

Subthreads:

Back to classes...and no storms *sigh* by Jake Santoro, Teppenpaw

Woo, animals by Tally Adams, Teppenpaw

Thank god for me, right? by Stephen Baxter

Ohhh...cool.... by Kaylie Brockert

Magic animals will never cease to amaze me. by Mia

Couple of questions here too by Zack Dill with Professor K.

0 Professor Kijewski Third Years, Lesson 1 0 Professor Kijewski 1 5

Jake Santoro, Teppenpaw

February 20, 2006 9:44 PM

Back to classes...and no storms sigh by Jake Santoro, Teppenpaw

Jake left lunch with a full stomach. He missed his mom's cooking, but would never ever complain about Sonora's. There was that definite home touch feel to it that Jake was always grateful for. Of course, after every meal there was always a class waiting for him. With that in mind, he had gathered up his bag and left the hall heading out to the Care of Magical Creatures clearing.

He hadn't minded the class being indoors, but he preferred it outdoors like it was today. The smell and breeze were perfect and something not even a charm could really replicate. He walked down the paths with a content smile on his face as he walked among some of his peers. At least this class required limited amount of work. Which is why he always opted to go. No work meant good things in Jake's mind.

Arriving at the clearing, the first thing that Jake noticed was the Professor, happy as usual, and then beside her the cage. It didn't take him long to figure out it was a clabbert. He, himself, didn't live in any areas where Clabberts dwell, but he knew family members who happened to have them or live in areas where they flourished. Strange creatures they were indeed.

Jake sat himself down on a patch of grass and shrugged out of his robes. He had mainly been keeping to himself since the start of term, but for no real reason. He just...was. Now, while Professor K. spoke about Clabberts, Jake casted his dark eyes around the clearing taking mental notes of all the changes that seemed to have sprung for his classmates during the summer. Strange how a few months apart could do to people. He only returned his attention back to the professor when she asked if anyone had any stories. Jake sunk as low as possible in his position. He may know what a Clabbert was, but he certainly didn't have any stories of them.\n\n

6 Jake Santoro, Teppenpaw Back to classes...and no storms *sigh* 42 Jake Santoro, Teppenpaw 0 5

Tally Adams, Teppenpaw

February 23, 2006 1:58 AM

Woo, animals by Tally Adams, Teppenpaw

Tally slowly walked outside the castle with her backpack hanging loose on her thin shoulders. She left her hair down, forgetting that today was a Care of Magical Creatures day and frowned as the wind blew some of it across her face. She really ought to chop all of it off. It would make her life much easier.

Her old dirt covered, worn out sneakers smacked the dirt path as she walked. Her eyes focused on the ground in front of her instead of those around her. It was easier keeping to herself this year than it had been before. If she kept her head down at all times, no one would bother her. Or maybe they would. With her class, it was hard to tell.

Tally stopped at the clearing and gave a look around before spotting a nice patch of grass and settling herself down into it to await the lesson. There was no point in tiring her feet when she could relax in the grass. Tally leaned back on her hands and watched as Professor K. gestured toward the thing in the cage. A Clabbert named Art. How nice. But the more Tally studied the creature, the more she began to like it. She supposed it was because it resembled a frog.

She really wished she had one for a pet.

Tally sighed and leaned forward in her seat. She dropped her head into her hands and sat quietly in her place. She had never seen a clabbert before and therefore, didn't have any stories to tell, but she suppose it would have been fun to have a bunch of them in her house having their pustule things glowing all the time. She could have used one for a nightlight when she had been scared of the dark.\n\n

0 Tally Adams, Teppenpaw Woo, animals 0 Tally Adams, Teppenpaw 0 5

Stephen Baxter

March 05, 2006 7:15 AM

Thank god for me, right? by Stephen Baxter

Stephen, in preparation for Care of Magical Creatures hadn't even bothered to wear his robes. A pair of cargo shorts, and a blue t-shirt was perfectly good clothing for this lesson, and - as with last year, excepting that he checked the horizon first this time - he pulled off his shoes and socks first thing when he arrived, stuffing them into his backpack.

Settling down on his stomache on the grass, his head propped up by a hand under his chin, his feet in the air, and wiggling his toes, he reflected that this was indeed a very cool class. Much less restrictive than others. Not to mention that Couldyouski didn't tend to make certain that they were all taking notes. Definite bonus, that.

"Afternoon Professor K," he chorused with the others of his class who still hadn't escaped the brainwashing of years of elementary schooling.

He listened with interest as she started to explain the frogkey in the cage up the front, giving this 'Art' as best a once over as was possible without bothering to get up. As she got onto describing it's danger warning system - dude, this critter was it's own alarm system. How cool is that?! - his interest overwealmed his laziness and he jumped to his feet, still listening (although a little more absently now) as he made his way to the cage.

He definitely looked smooth, in both senses of the word. And he liked games. Stephen had a sudden mental image of Rover, and frowned, as he pushed it away. Gone, and nothing to be done about it, just got to deal with it. Holding the bars as he stared into the cage, he wondered whether Art would come closer. Just to see if the skin was as smooth as it looked. And - he glanced at the ground, hoping a hapless lizard would take that moment to appear, but was disappointed - he looked speculatively at the pustule that Professor K had pointed out. It wasn't that far away from the bars...

"What happens," he asked, already stretching an arm through them towards Art's pustule, "if you press the knob thing?"\n\n

39 Stephen Baxter Thank god for me, right? 49 Stephen Baxter 0 5

Kaylie Brockert

March 05, 2006 4:37 PM

Ohhh...cool.... by Kaylie Brockert

Kaylie loved Care of Magical Creatures. All the different creatures were so neat and Professor K. was one of the nicest teachers. Even Adam shouldn't be afraid of her. She hadn't even punished Kaylie for killing the bowtruckle last year. Kaylie still felt kind of bad about that. She hadn't meant to hurt it. It was an accident.

She stood in the middle of the class, listening to the teacher for once. This subject was generally interesting. Plus, Kaylie didn't want to take a chance of hurting something else. It was better to listen to the instructions so she wouldn't.

She looked at the creature and was glad to see it was big enough to not be squished under her shoe. Plus, it looked and sounded totally awesome. In fact, Kaylie figured her sis ter, Nina, would love one. She raised her hand and asked "How are they as pets? I mean, if you aren't using them to warn you of danger. Just regular household pets like a cat or a puffskien."

\n\n

11 Kaylie Brockert Ohhh...cool.... 43 Kaylie Brockert 0 5

Mia

March 10, 2006 6:33 PM

Magic animals will never cease to amaze me. by Mia

Mia took a seat on the grass in her Care Of Magical Creatures class. She had carried her school robe under her arm since this was a more laid back class. She put her robe down next to her in an unruly bunch and slung her black scribbled-on bag from over her body. Mia was wearing a beige top with cap sleeves and a pair of jeans. Her well worn in sneakers were perfectly fine for the casual class. Her brown hair was simply put up in a white hair tie.

Mia was just a few feet away from the cage with the...well, she wasn’t quite sure what the creature was, but that was why she was attending this class. Whatever the creature was, it looked like a mad scientist was bored and decided to mix together a frog and a monkey in the oddest of ways. She wondered what that would be called as her mind wandered from the beginning greetings of Professor K’s speech.

‘A Frokey? A Monkog? A—’

“—Clabbert. His name happens to be Art.”

Well Mia’s guesses were way out of the ballpark. She laughed to herself a little at that. She kept her mind focused on Professor K as she continued her speech. Art seemed to have a gigantic pimple on its forehead, but Professor K cleared that up too. Mia was actually really interested by the creature in the cage. Her hazel eyes (thankfully no longer covered by glasses thanks to her much yearned for contact lenses) flew back and forth between the teacher and the Clabbert and her fingers toyed with the silver charm bracelet on her small wrist. Mia was a big animal person...for the most part. There were some she could do without, but many more that she loved or could tolerate. Cats being the very top of the list of animals she loved and dogs being very close to the bottom of those she could tolerate. Dogs could be likable from time to time.

When Professor K asked about any stories or questions, Mia tuned out and stared at Art. He wasn’t that appealing to look at, but it couldn’t be all bad if Professor K brought it to class. The bowtruckles weren’t bad; they were just feisty and hungry. The Crup wasn’t even so bad. Mia just wasn’t a dog person.

An odd connection clicked in Mia’s head. Maybe Antonio was only bad in her eyes because she judged him on first glance. Maybe he really would make her mom happy and wouldn’t mind that she was magic. A small smile spread over Mia’s face as she watched Art in his cage. She saw Stephen, who was simply being Stephen she supposed, get closer to the cage. He stuck his arm in with Art and asked what would happen if he touched the giant pimple-like thing on his head. Mia shook her head, the small smile still there. She shuffled back a bit and pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging them. Well if Clabberts glowed to warn people of trouble, maybe it would have some kind of defense mechanism if it was in trouble. Whatever it was, she’d keep an eye out from afar.\n\n

0 Mia Magic animals will never cease to amaze me. 0 Mia 0 5

Zack Dill

March 22, 2006 3:38 PM

Couple of questions here too by Zack Dill

Zack sat on the grass and pulled out the three ring binder he had bought just so that he'd have something stiff and solid to brace his spiral notebook against in this class. The notebook was kept inside the binder for easy access and he pulled that out as he settled the binder on the ground in front of him. He turned to a blank page and took copious if incomprehensible (to anyone but him, which was the point) notes as Kijewski started the lesson.

He looked up at the animal when her words indicated she was pointing at something and that was really the first notice he took of the creature. As the knob on its head was the attribute being singled out, that was what he first noticed. Only after he decided that a sketch was called for in his notes, so that he could indicate the relative position of the pustule did he give any attention to the Clabbert as a whole.

As art wasn't really one of his greatest skills, the figure that came out on his page looked sort of like a cross between a long-limbed man, a devil with a cheshire-cat grin, a spider infested broom closet, and a unicorn. He annotated the drawing with labels that made up for his rudamentary ability.

The Sindarin translation for "Webbed feet and hands," was at the end of the arrow pointing toward the spider webs. The Kling-on words for "Integrated alarm system, flashing red light" were attached to the unicorn-like protrusion on the forehead. An arrow ending in the middle of the torso clarified, "Green skin," also in Kling-on. Next to the right leg, he wrote "Monkey like arms and legs for tree dwelling," in Sindarin, except he didn't know the word for 'monkey' so he used 'human ancestor' instead like he had earlier in his notes.

When she asked for stories or questions, he made a few adjustments to his drawing and included a few other sidelined comments as observations of the creature occurred to him or became available. After Stephen and one of the girls (he'd been momentarily distracted by a flash of sharp teeth and hadn't noticed which one) asked questions, Zack still didn't have any stories (he came from a mundane family; the closest he'd ever come to encounting one of these things before today was watching police cars speed by with their sirens going), but two questions had occurred to him.

"Are they amphibious?" he called out, because she hadn't said, but the webbed feet seemed to imply it.

The other question he had to word carefully because he'd gotten enough of people looking at him funny whenever he asked questions about aliens. But he did want to know if they could detect imminent invasions by the bad sort. "And did it signal danger last year during the alumni thing?"\n\n

1 Zack Dill Couple of questions here too 40 Zack Dill 0 5

Professor K.

June 11, 2006 1:33 AM

To answer all of your questions by Professor K.

Kiva continued to talk about the clabbert, but her eyes watched the students. Most of them looked interested, but a few looked as though they would rather be anywhere else. Well, she knew she couldn't win them all over and, to some, clabberts just weren't all that interesting. Soon though, she would be able to bring out the big creatures and really have a field day with them.

While speaking, Stephen popped up from the ground as if on a spring. Had Kiva not been talking, she would have surely jumped a foot high in fright. The kid had a way about him that was both endearing and headache worthy. Her eyes remained on him as he approached the cage. At least he seemed interested in what she was teaching. Though her last experience with him an a creature, Kiva nearly lost a good set of contacts when Stephen had kept Rutter to himself. At the same time, his commitment to the crup had been well worth praising. Not many students would have gone to such great lengths for such an animal.

At his question, Kiva moved swiftly and took ahold of his arm to prevent him from reaching in any further. "I'm sure he'd become rather agitated with someone poking a part of his body as I'm certain you would be if I began poking you." Kiva warned Stephen in a friendly, but stern voice. "Or he may just bite you. Let's not find out." Kiva said and released his arm. With her peripheral vision, Kiva say a hand raise in the air and was surprised to find Kaylie asking a question.

"Most people no longer keep Clabberts as pets. However, they are usually docile creatures. The Regulations are rather strict when it comes to owning a clabbert simply because the Ministry worries about how the clabberts would be used for a witch or wizard." Almost as soon as Kiva was finished answering Kaylie's question, little Zack from her very own house began asking her questions.

"Though the clabbert have webbed feet and resemble frogs, they are tree dwellers. Much like tree frogs. Though I'm sure if they were to be forced into water, they'd survive just fine because of how their bodies were created. But I wouldn't try testing that on Art. He likes the land just fine." Kiva said with a grin. At his second question, Kiva paused. The creatures that lived around the school had their own source of survival instincts. During the terrible weather conditions that a creature couldn't survive in, they would leave for a brief period or Kiva would make a suitable home for them. "You know, Zack, Art is a very smart creature, he might have been well aware of what was to come. Whether or not his pustule turned scarlet, we'll never know. Art did what any animal would do on instinct, he went to a safe place to wait it out." Kiva finished and looked around at everyone. "Any more questions?"\n\n

0 Professor K. To answer all of your questions 0 Professor K. 0 5