Things that go Bump on Defense Against the Dark Arts

Sustitute Professor Jera Valson

September 28, 2014 3:12 PM

Things that go Bump by Sustitute Professor Jera Valson

Now it was nearing the end of the term, Jera was beginning to feel exhausted. She wasn’t cut out to be a full-time professor – not at this point in her life, anyway – but the number of classes she had substituted so far this term easily constituted a load as great as the other professors could claim. She had enjoyed it, true enough, but nevertheless she was looking forward to the approaching midterm holiday at least as much as the majority of the students. Professor Valson would also be pleased to move away from the topic of fear that had permeated the lessons of all yeargroups this term. The advanced class today would be preparing for a debate on Dementors, Jera’s least favourite magical being. She was only pleased that it wasn’t the sort of thing one brought into the classroom for a practical demonstration.

“Okay, everyone take a seat, quills and textbooks out,” the substitute professor instructed the advanced class. She hoped she didn’t need to remind the seventh year students that their final exams were only a few months away, and if they wanted any sort of relaxation over the festive period then they certainly could not slack off during class time. “As a culmination of our topic, the final lesson of term will be a group-wide debate. The topic,” she wrote it up onto the chalkboard, “is: If the government were to reclassify dangerous beasts in numerical order of potential threat, which of the Lethifold or Dementor should be considered with greater concern?”

“In other words, which of these two creatures do you consider to be more dangerous, and why? You will need to choose your side, and argue your case with your classmates. You will turn in your notes afterwards, as the grading will be split between your written notes and your contribution in class during the debate. You can chat together today to bounce ideas around, but your notes must be your own work.” Jera resumed her seat behind the professor’s desk, her close-fitted cream-coloured robes crinkling audibly as she sat (she wouldn’t wear this fabric to teach in again, not only was it restrictive but it advertised her every movement, which was frustrating to her, let alone to the students). She surveyed the class with dark eyes to see whether there were any students particularly interested in this assignment or if, like her, they were simply eager to make it to the end of the year.

“You may use your textbooks and the other books in this classroom for now, although you are welcome to draw from further resources in the library for homework. Please make a note of all your references for grading purposes. Now if there are any questions, please ask away, otherwise you may begin.”

(OOC: Okay, folks, you know the drill by now. Keep to site rules and have fun. If you need me, tag Jera in the title. That is all.)

0 Sustitute Professor Jera Valson Things that go Bump 0 Sustitute Professor Jera Valson 1 5

Effie Arbon, Crotalus

October 03, 2014 11:15 PM

Greatest threat or greatest threat to me? by Effie Arbon, Crotalus

For all that she was a substitute, Professor Valson seemed to handle the course well, Effie thought. She had definitely put the fear of Merlin into her a few times, especially with this term's topic, but it was well structured and she usually didn't find herself fearing for her life in class, which was a reflection of the professor having things under control. Nonetheless, she was quite pleased to hear that it would be a theory class. Midterm was beckoning and her focus was wandering. She wasn't sure she felt up to facing something dangerous when her mind was on baubles and gifts. She still had a lot of work to do on her home-made presents for her sisters, which were now considered traditional. This year, she was aiming to inspire her sisters' own sewing efforts, with hand-decorated pin-cushions and needle cases. Mother wanted them all to embroider well, as it was a good, lady-like skill. Whilst her sisters were deft enough with needles, she was the only one who really had a passion for it. The pin cushions bore complex geometric designs, in coral for Araceli and turquoise for Delphine, whilst each needle case had the girl's name spelt out with a little needle at the end, as if it was being sewn on. Although they were quite small projects, the pin cushions were fiddly, and she had had much less opportunity than usual to work on them, what with Araceli being in school now. She tried to strike a balance between not crowding her youngest sister and keeping an eye on her but even when she wasn't with her, she didn't want to bring her projects out in public, lest Araceli run across her and have the surprise ruined. She had therefore confined her sewing to her dorm room, which made it much less pleasurable than it had been before, when she'd been free to take it out to the gardens, or have Amity's company whilst she worked.

She tried to stop mentally stitching, as it wasn't actually going to help, and focus on Professor Valson. Dementors versus Lethifolds... She wasn't particularly keen to have a run in with either. She turned her parchment landscape, drawing a line down the centre. She headed one column with each creature name, then split each column in two, for 'for' and 'against' the idea of each being the most dangerous. It quickly became apparent to her which side she would be taking in the debate, as the Lethifold's column was filling up rapidly. There was the fact that it attacked the victims in their sleep, reducing their chance to defend themselves, that its approach was presumed to be silent and carry very few warning signs – if a Dementor approached one in one's sleep, there was a strong likelihood that the accompanying chills would rouse one. Effie wasn't confident that, in a state of sleep-addled confusion, she would cast a Patronus very competently but it would give her a precious few seconds to do so. Or to scream or disapparate. There was also the fact that the Lethofold's victims disappeared without a trace, presumed dead. Whilst the state following a Dementor's kiss was not exactly desirable, something still remained, and there was the possibility that someone, one day, would find a cure. She had added the parallel reasons in the 'against' column for Dementors and also added to this 'under government control.' For the Dementors being more dangerous, she could only think of the fact that it was possible they would be nearer population centres. Most were employed at Azkaban and other high security facilities, which tended not to be built near big cities for obvious reasons. However, it was theoretically possible that one could escape, or be in town for a trial. If the government lost control of them... The thought made her shudder. Lethifolds only lived in the tropics, so were probably only preying on little tribes of savages that lived in mud huts, and were very unlikely to find their way into the civilised world – she wasn't sure they could tolerate the climate.

She reread the debate question, and it caused her to reconsider. Professor Valson had asked about the government classifying beasts. Presumably that meant their government, so did it mean by threat to them, or by overall damage wreaked by the creature on its victim, whomsoever and wheresoever that was?

“Do you think it should be by threat to us personally or by threat to one of its victims?” she queried of her neighbour “A Lethifold attack sounds much more dangerous but is much less likely to happen to me.”

OOC – As we play as if the HP world is real but the events of the books did not happen, I have assumed that Azkaban would be real in our universe but the Dementors would not have left it and become free agents.

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