The Mural on the Wall ((Open to years 4-7))

[Julie Paige McGreggor]

Julie sighed, preparing herself for the class ahead. Julie's senior class had always been her favorite, for it gave her the opportunity to teach her students in a very relaxed setting. In this class, she was really able to get to know her students for who they were as artists and people, rather than a couple of kids she was getting paid to teach. She slammed the door to her car and grabbed two large heavy paper bags that were filled with brand new paint supplies. Today would be Julie's first class of the summer, and she hadn't seen these students all year, with them being out at Hogwarts all this time. Julie didn't really like to segregate her classes, but she really did have to sometimes. There was Julie's school-year class, which was made up of all muggles that went to the public school down the street. Then there was her summer class, who spent the entire year in Hogwarts and came here twice a week during the summer. Julie couldn't wait to see them. Naturally, Carson was a member of this class, but she had been with him for a few days already.

Already excited about her class today, Julie turned the key on the front door and made sure it was left open so her students could enter when they arrived. Julie then walked up the stairs and stopped at the second door, which was marked as apartment 2B.She dropped the large bag full of paints and art tools and turned the key to open the door. Once inside, Julie was greated with the familiar sight of her art studio. Carson was probably out with his girlfriend getting ready for that tour of his, so Julie had about twenty minutes before anyone would arrive to class. Julie's class started at about four in the afternoon (some arrived earlier, some arrived later) and ended at around five-thirty. Julie busied herself putting the paints in their respective drawers and looked up at the large wall behind the drawers of paints and supplies. Looking at the wall always brought a smile to Julie's face. The mural on the wall was adorned with a bunch of random drawings and paintings that varied from gardens of flowers to hearts and sunsets. As every year ended, each student was allowed to leave their mark somewhere in the room. Whether it be their signature or a simple drawing, they were allowed to write anywhere there was free space.

The mural had become the favorite place for people's drawings and signatures, and was now covered with little "I love this class" and "this year was a blast" notes, not to mention a bunch of really great drawings. The wall became more and more interesting as each class graduated and moved on to another year of classes. Julie sighed happily and continued on with her paints, wondering when people would start to arrive. After everything had been put away, Julie moved on to the chalkboard on the other side of the room and began to draw in big, bubbly letters "Welcome back seniors!" on the board. She used all different kinds of chalk, varying from a simple white to a bright, hot pink. She turned around, wiped the chalk off her hands, and busied herself at her desk, waiting for the first student to arrive.

Moments later, she heard footsteps at the door. She looked up and smiled, looking at herself in the mirror quickly before she faced the person who had just entered. She didn't mind her appearance around her kids too much, but their parents probably wouldn't think the best of Julie's classic art look. Today she figured she was somewhat presentable. Julie had taken to the habit of curling her hair, so today it fell in cascades of soft, dark brown waves. She was wearing her favorite shade of red lipstick and her classic oversized white t-shirt with jeans. She looked up and waved at Carson, who naturally was the first to arrive. "Hey, kid. This'll be pretty much your only class this summer, right? Well, try and finish that painting today so I'm not tempted to finish it for you while you're gone." Julie said with a wink and a smile. Carson nodded a bit and took out a partly completed painting of a pot of flowers. He started to work at a table near Julie's desk as another student entered the room. "My God. It can't be." Julie exclaimed excitedly with her mouth gaping open. It was amazing how much these kids changed over just one school year.

[Oscar Flynn G7]

“Go on honey, go to the class. You never know- you might enjoy it!” The words of Heather Flynn echoed in Oscar’s head, as he thought about his mother’s encouraging words that morning. Trust her to want him to go to the art class- she was a designer, creativity came naturally to her. While Oscar… he hated all that silly Picasso impressionism stuff. He wasn’t good at detail, in life let alone on canvas. So merely the idea of trying to paint a beautiful lake with some lily-shaped things floating dreamily on the surface like that Monet guy once did was something which made Oscar coil away from the whole arty-farty business. He supposed photography was alright. He’d been to a few galleries around London, and he’d even taken a few abstract photos with his dad’s ancient Nikon once or twice. That wasn’t too bad. But the concept of any sort of sketching or drawing method was another thing completely. It held no enjoyment to Oscar. Why would you want to do something so precise and, well, boring ? He couldn’t imagine spending so long adding a stupid shadow to someone’s nose. He just didn’t have the patience for it. And what could he possibly need to wear for this class? He didn’t really know, so he’d settled, after an endless amount of time spent searching through his wardrobe, on a loose fitting shirt and some dark comfy jeans. His feet, merlin help him should his mother see them, were wearing his ancient, scruffy pair of black converse shoes.

So, why are you going to this class? The thought appeared in his mind, and he smiled inwardly at it. True, true. Why was he going? It was something new, he guessed. Although not an artist in the slightest, Oscar did adore new things. He couldn’t say no to a new challenge or activity, and this class was just that. A new challenge. He was going to make an idiot out of himself with paints, he had told his mother that morning. Heather had done a bit of painting in her time, and her job required her to have natural drawing and sketching skills. So her immediate response was- “No honey- you’re going to put all of your feelings and characteristics in one beautiful painting... If a characteristic of yours is being an idiot, then of course that will show on the canvas too.” What lovely, encouraging words. But Oscar was not worried. Not really. If it turned out he was the only one in the class who didn’t know what the complimentary colours were, then so be it. He would flick his brush across whatever it was that needed painting, and say that he’d done it- he’d given it a go. Who knows, maybe he would enjoy it after all. There was that one guy- Jackson Pollock? His mother had shown him a few images of his work on the internet (a muggle invention. Oscar had once tried to explain it to a Ravenclaw friend, and was told that it certainly did not exist, that he was being ridiculous, that the very idea of a ‘computer’ and a ‘website’ was ludicrous). Pollock’s paintings didn’t really seem all that bad… they were abstract, they were a little crazy. Oscar had researched the guy a little more, although he didn’t let his mother know he did so, and his method of creating art seemed crazy enough to be fun.

He knew the art teacher a little bit, and as he headed towards what he knew to be her art studio, he thought that maybe this class could be a laugh after all. Oscar did not live in Wales, but just outside London. His mother had a friend who lived near Julie's art studio, however, and she'd said it was fine for Oscar to use the floo network and walk to the class from there. Oscar didn’t yet know who was coming- had his Hogwarts friends had mobile phones, he would have been able to send them a quick text and see if they would be attending. But, along with the internet, computer, and idea of a website, a mobile phone was ‘impossible’, according to those students who had not taken Muggle Studies as an option.

There were just two people in the studio as Oscar walked through the open door. One, of course, was Julie McGreggor. The other was her brother, Oscar knew, Carson McGreggor. On entering the room, Oscar was greeted by Julie as she gasped her amazement. The Gryffindor was used to this reaction with those he hadn’t seen in a long time; he had grown an amazing amount this past year. Grinning, he greeted her in a friendly manner. She too, had changed. She looked great, though Oscar had expected no less. She had done… something to her hair, to make it sort of curly and wavy. How she had done this, Oscar had no idea. But it looked pretty good anyway. Julie had been around fifteen, and a Hufflepuff, when Oscar had first joined Hogwarts as an ickle firstie. Although they had never talked at the school, Oscar was in the same year as Carson, her brother.
He turned to Carson now and said hello in the same friendly tone as before. Friendly friendly friendly. Why not be friendly? Oscar didn’t have an answer to that, and so more often than not his tone was friendly. He looked then at Carson’s painting, trying not to pry but wanting to see what sort of art they would be creating. A pot of flowers. It was hard to not wince a little.

“Err- Julie? I’m not really much of an artist. Well, actually, I’m a terrible artist. I don’t really know why I’m here and I apologise beforehand if I waste all of your art supplies and time today.” He smiled lightly, brown eyes twinkling. “However I am willing to make myself look like a complete beginner at this creative, err- stuff, so perhaps I could just experiment a little today? There was this guy, James Pollock- no, Jackson Pollock. His stuff seems more like my kinda thing, ‘cause I really don’t think I’m the type of artist to do, well, that sort of fancy stuff.” He indicated Carson’s canvas, hoping that Julie wouldn’t think him a complete idiot and waste of time. After all- he was serious about experimenting. In other words, he was completely ready to make a mess.


((some of pollock's pieces ; one, two, and three.))

[Seth Wright]

Seth clawed his way lazily to reality, surfacing from a very odd dream about Willow and Chace and Lara. Shaking his head and blinking groggily to rid the sleep from his eyes, he jerked his head to stare through closed eyes at the clock on his bedside table. Squinting yet not really seeing anything, Seth crawled closer to the side of his bed, the duvet beginning to crumple off the edge. Seth barely noticed though, as when he read the two hands of the ticking device, he gave a short yelp of "crap, I'm going to be late!" and gracefully tumbled off the bed in an elegant heap of warm duvet, creased pyjamas and mussed curly hair. "AH!" His cried muffled in the mess, Seth struggled to untangle himself when his sister burst into his room, peering at the undignified position her older brother was in, a bundle on the floor.

"Seth," she blew her fringe in exasperation, "what are you doing? I thought you had some sort of art class today."

"I do, I do!" he protested exclamatorily, frantically searching his way out of the maze of his duvet, which only he himself had served to tangle even more. He swore loudly, causing Eva to raise a slender, cynical eyebrow. Moments later, Seth emerged from the mess, looking in every way a mess himself, and scampered to the bathroom. Meanwhile, Eva grabbed his duvet and launched it mercilessly onto the back again, patting it straight and sitting down. Looking around the room she shared with her brother, Eva picked up a familiar card lying on Seth's beside table. Eva's side of the room was identical to Seth's in terms of furniture; one small bed, a bedside table with drawers, and a shared wardrobe in the centre. However, it looked an awful lot different to her brother's. Eva wasn't a meticulous person, but unlike Seth she wasn't disorganised. Her things were strewn around in a neat kind of mess, which Seth had always admired her for. Both had their walls covered in posters, but of different things; Seth's from comic books, Eva's from artists and bands. Turning the card over in her hands, Eva stared at the printed writing, wondering if this 'Julie McGreggor' was related to Carson McGreggor, a boy she had heard of in Hufflepuff in the year above her.

Going into her fifth year, spunky Gryffindor Eva always acted above her age. At sixteen, she was athletically built but thin, similar to her brother, and she was considerably tall at 5'6" and still growing. Eva wasn't your average kind of girl; she had golden blonde hair, but she had chopped it into a boy's short length, with a long side fringe down the left side of her face. Eva looked the part of a rock star, and a rock star she was, sharing Seth's warm brown eyes and a smirk that screamed confidence and one of a kind. She loved music, self-teaching herself how to play the guitar, having saved up for years to buy one, along with an amp to blast so loud she was sure her father and his new wife would hear it. She couldn't play it at night because she'd upset her mum's sleep too, but when her mum was out working in the evenings and she knew the Winters were having a happy family meal, Eva would crack on the electric and wage war on the strings. Yes. Eva enjoyed creating chaos for those she believed deserved it. She was a fighter, a rebellious, stubborn student, completely opposite to Seth. Eva would die for what she believed it, she was passionate and rather crazy, but people admired her for it. A fan group of sorts in the lower years had even formed in her name. Eva was very proud; the more supporters of hers, the more she could fight injustice. She didn't just go against muggle affairs, but wizard ones as well. Freedom fighter; that was the best way to describe Eva Wright.

"EVA!" Seth suddenly hollered from the bathroom. The walls were barely soundproof, and Eva didn't bother hiding a fond smile as Seth continued to scream. "GET ME A TOWEL - AND SOME CLOTHES WHILE YOU'RE AT IT! NOW! QUICK!" Chuckling softly, Eva propped herself up from lying on Seth's bed and moved towards their wardrobe.

"Idiot brother."

An hour later, Seth stood before Julie McGreggor's art studio where her lessons were being held. He'd never been before, and had subsequently gotten lost, even with his terrible ability to apparate. Seth had no sense of direction. Reeling from his adventure, Seth entered dubiously, still breathing raggedly and forming an excuse for his late arrival in his mind. He'd never attended Miss McGreggor's art lessons before. Seth was sure he'd met her once, because she used to go to Hogwarts and was in Hufflepuff. Seth also knew Carson, her brother, who was in the year below and was a Prefect. He was on the Quidditch team too. The only reason Seth signed up for the class this summer was to relieve boredom, and it was the first time he had heard of it. It sounded like fun, so he went along. Seth loved art, but he'd always specialised in drawing comic book pictures. He didn't know what he was in for today as he manouevred his way around to find the studio. Finally, he found the entrance and went in nervously, seeing a typical art studio in all its glory. Hitching an uneasy, embarrassed smile on his face, Seth let his eyes fall on the only three people in the room. Either no one came to these classes or he was earlier than he thought. Probably the latter, seeing the mural on the wall at the back, filled with what he assumed were pupils' writing. Growing more confident, Seth's smile relaxed and he approached whom he guessed was Julie. He had noticed Carson already and had raised a tentative hand in greeting. The other boy Seth didn't recognise, but he guessed he was around his age.

"Um, hi, I'm Seth Wright. I'm new. I'm here for Julie McGreggor's art class? I am in the right place, right? Since Carson's here and all, I guess you're his sister?" Flustered, Seth didn't let Julie get a word in sideways. "I'm really sorry I'm so late, I forgot to set my alarm clock and then I got a bit lost..." Trailing off with a dusting of pink across the bridge of his nose, Seth pushed his glasses further up in agitation. "And um, I don't really know much about art except comic book art, so... I didn't know if I had to prepare anything, I'm sorry. I'm a bit of a mess," he finally admitted glumly.

[Julie Paige McGreggor]

Julie was surprised at the amount of new students that had arrived to her class today. She was of course happy to see all these new arrivals and welcomed them openly, as they managed to find her class every summer since she started teaching. Julie didn’t like to rely on the more practical forms of advertising, though she wasn’t exactly opposed to it. The class seemed to be getting just enough students on its own thanks to Carson spreading the word at school and Julie attempting to spread it everywhere else. Students loved her class, and almost always ended up inviting all their friends to join. She didn’t like to try and get an ad in the paper or at a local television or radio station, but of course wasn’t going to dismiss the option if it was needed; which it almost never was. Julie’s class liked to stress the ideals of creativity and being unique. Going against the grain, was the best way to put it.

Julie was and always had been a rebel of sorts. She opposed all things normal and natural and normally didn’t do well with those in the establishment. Her class definitely reflected that. There really weren’t any real lesson plans or courses that she had prepared for her students, it was simply what style of painting she felt would be best for the students that entered her class. Once they had their style, the only thing left to do was to apply it. Julie’s students had fun in their classes every summer and considered it more as a gathering of artistically talented people rather than a real class.

This year, Julie had only two new entrants to her class. The two boys both understandably looked quite nervous to be there, and very unsure as to whether or not they belonged there. These boys didn’t have their own unique style yet, but it was Julie’s goal to find them one by the end of the class. The first to enter seemed to have a fairly good idea of what he wanted to do, which was great. Plus he was an old family friend that Julie hadn’t seen in ages. The other was going to take some thinking. But Julie could handle it. She always did. Julie also seemed to notice that both of them seemed to be glancing timidly at Carson’s Monet style flower vase. Julie smiled warmly and welcomingly at the boys standing in front of her. She didn’t want these boys to think Carson’s advanced style of painting was the only style of art available to them. “Oh, don’t worry you two.” She said as Carson greeted his two class mates as they entered the studio. “Now, what I want you two to understand is that no two people will be working on the same project here. This can either make things tougher, or easier for you here. Each and every one of you has his or her own unique style of art. It’s fine if Carson’s style doesn’t seem like something you wouldn’t be able to pull off. Now, let’s start with Oscar. I would recommend the Monet style, but judging by the way you’re looking at Carson’s canvas, I don’t think you would like it very much. So you’re going to want to try something just a bit more abstract. What I would suggest for you is simply to take something real and twist it to make it so that it comes out of your imagination. That’s always been a fun way for people to start off. There should be an blank canvas propped up on one of these walls, so you can find one and help yourself to any of our supplies. Call me if you need anything.”

She smiled once again and moved onto the next boy, who looked to be just about sixteen years old. He was a disheveled mess, but she could see a lot of potential in him. Julie couldn’t manage to repress even the smallest chuckle. “It’s perfectly fine hun. Seth, is it? Well, welcome to the class. I think I’ve got the perfect style for you. I’m going to have you do caricatures. Being able to draw a caricature is a very useful skill that you might even need if you’re in need of some extra cash. A caricature is basically just an exaggerated version of someone’s face and body. You can chose any example to use as your first model, but it can’t be yourself. And if you happen to find someone with particularly strange pictures, make them even more strange in your drawings.” Julie stepped back and addressed the small amount of the class that had already gathered together. Now I’ll be hanging around the room so if you need some help just call my name. I’m Julie for those who don’t know. We have some new faces joining us today, so why don’t we all welcome them and introduce ourselves. Who wants to start?”

(note: I will no longer be accepting new art students. If you are going to post, your character will have to have been there for at least two to three years. The longer they’ve been there the better!)

[Aurora Chan]

"I'm off!" Aurora called, sending a small wave to her mum bent across the stove before disappearing with a crack. Seconds later she appeared in a familiar location she'd been going to for years, and with the familiar building in sight, Aurora smiled excitedly and entered. Apparition made life so much easier, she thought as she moved towards the door to the art classroom. Normally she had to floo to Julie's art classes, or if she was lucky her mum would apparate her there. It was less hassle, just apparating yourself, and now that Aurora had passed her exams and had become a fully-fledged witch she had all that freedom. It felt good, to be independent. Aurora had worried about 'walking into the world' a few years ago, but now it was almost liberating. To be able to make up your own mind, to do things you wanted to do, not what other people wanted you to do, it was a big gulp of fresh air, and she was loving every minute of it. She could barely believe her Hogwarts journey was over though. After this summer holiday she would've been at the school for wizards and witches for six years, and would be remaining for one more before she graduated and became a real adult, searching for a job and working in the real world. That was more daunting than anything, but Aurora knew she'd never be ready for it, like everyone always went on about. One day it would happen and she would adapt, but she would never try to prepare for it - she had discovered preparation was usually a waste of time. It never prepared you for what really happens until you experience it for yourself.

But apparition! Yes, Aurora was very proud of having passed her test the first time round. For both her Ari apparating had been as simple as cake. They had mastered it in moments, and Aurora had been apparating with loud cracks from here to there the moment she was allowed to. Obviously at Hogwarts students couldn't do it, but outside it was irresistible almost. Aurora found herself popping from one end of the house to the other. Her mother had scolded her that she would never end up doing any walking and her legs would become useless if she made a habit of it. After all, where's the need for exercise if you could move from one place to another with a click of a finger? But Jenny had also said wisely that everyone who learns to apparate always does it a lot at first, and it was good practise anyway. Those who didn't grow out of it were the ones with problems. Aurora was sure she would be fine though. Apparition had been vital this morning though, because she had woken up a bit late, and after hurriedly fixing her hair with the help of her trusty wand and throwing on some clothes (it wasn't as though Julie required a strict uniform for her students) she had apparated straight here. "Just made it," Aurora thought with a grin. That was how useful apparition was. How muggles got around, Aurora could barely imagine!

Aurora entered the all too familiar classroom and beamed when she saw Julie McGreggor, the teacher of the art classes Aurora had been attending for the last four years. She'd heard about the class through Carson, Julie's younger brother in the year below Aurora. He was a nice kid, and Aurora had been fascinated when she'd first heard about it. She loved art, always would, even though music and then writing were her main priorities in life. Julie looked her usual self, vibrant and bubbly, and Aurora approached her with a happy smile. "Hi, Julie. Long time no see, how're you?" Julie was once a Hufflepuff too, and Aurora looked up to her like a lot of her other art students. Julie was funky and youthful and she emitted the sort of energy Aurora hoped she herself portrayed. After chatting to Julie for a bit, she helped herself to a seat. She greeted Carson and a few other fellow friends before taking a blank canvas. Aurora had finished her last piece the holiday before and she had been planning to start a new one. "Now, what mood do I feel in?" she asked herself, pondering her blank canvas, before picking up a sharpened lead pencil. People; Aurora hadn't done a people sketch in a long time. But who to sketch? She glanced around the room until her eyes fell on two students she was sure were new to the class. They had just entered and Aurora smiled as she recognised one of them. It was Seth! She had no idea Seth was into art. Then again, she didn't know that much about him, but she thought him a lovely boy.

"I'll sketch him," Aurora decided. Seth was an interesting subject matter. She needed to ask him first for permission though, and when Julie asked everyone to introduce themselves Aurora knew that was her chance. Sending a bright smile she piped up first. "I'm Aurora Chan. I'm seventeen years old and I've been here for four years. Julie's classes are great, I'm sure everyone here agrees." She looked around for agreement and grinned. "Most of us are regular students, but it's great to have new people too, so welcome! I've met Seth before, so it's nice to see a familiar face." She regarded the other tall boy for a moment. "And I'm sure I recognise you too. You go to our school, don't you? In the year below? Gryffindor. I don't know your name, sorry." Aurora smiled friendlily and after a pause turned ton Seth again. "Um, Seth, would you mind if I used you as my model whilst you're drawing? I want to do a pencil sketch of someone and you're perfect." She sent the nervous boy a reassuring smile and waved her pencil in the air to emphasise her point.