Defence Against the Dark Arts ((6th-7th years))

[luna]

Luna grinned at Padma as she sat down next to her. She was a year older Ravenclaw actually but Luna still knew her. She very often wore good colours to attract Truoflesnouts. “Did you know that the Transfiguration classroom is infested with the red manchies? They can be very dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing, but they can be easily warded off with jello. I just have to warn Ronald and draw blue wards on his cheeks later on so he wouldn’t get attacked as one of the red manchies. The resemblance of hair color is really remarkable.” Luna stared off into space dreamily while thinking how the hair color of a human could be so similar to the colour of a red manchie. And at the same time Ginny would never be mistaken for a red manchie even while she had the Weasley hair too.

The professor started to speak and Luna silently handed Padma a pink-shaded bowl of purple jelly and winked. Padma would be safe from red manchies at the very least. Swinging her tomahawk happily in front of her Luna listened to professor Foxcrofts words as she stared at him with unblinking eyes. The professor talked about spells and different elements and Luna didn’t understand. There were 4 elements. They never learned different elements in other classes. How could you make a spell using only one element? If you dug something magically you used both earth and air. Air was what cut open earth, air was what shifted to make room for the soil that was relocated somewhere.

Throwing her arm up Luna climbed to sit on the table where she sat down with crossed legs as she kept staring at Foxcroft curiously. “It is not possible to fulfill this assignment, professor. You can’t separate the four elements that make up the earth. Every element is connect to all others and can’t survive with it. You need air to let waves gather strength and rise high, earth creates boundaries for earth and water washes away earth to new locations. You need earth to make air move and you need air to carry around seeds. You need air to keep fire alive and fire clears earth. You need fire to repel water and water extinguishes water but even water and fire can work as one. What else is magma but water that has been lit to burn? You cannot separate the world into 4 pieces and you can’t separate spells into such categories either, professor.” Luna stared quizzically at professor Foxcroft as she turned her head to the side and closed her hands as a bowl before offering the make-shift bowl to the professor. “My palms are filled with water right now. They only have air inside them but there is water in the air. How can you expect us to solve such a task?” Waiting for an answer Luna turned her head the other side as she blinked once as she waited for the professors answer.

[Professor Julius Foxcroft]

Julius looked at the board approvingly pleased with the spells some of the students had come up with, and was just about to award some points when Luna Lovegood raised her hand to ask a question. "Your questions Lovegood are very important; in fact they are the crux of the matter we are discussing today. Magic cannot really be categorised, as you have mentioned, but wizards and witches have tried for centuries ever since the beginning of magic to do just that – and have come to the conclusion that the strongest of spells, the most complex but effective magic, is that which involves the combination of all four forces together. However finding the correct balance and harmony between all four components and is not an easy process, and that is what I'm trying to teach you today. Certain spells fall easily under categories and others combine more than one element, in fact that is where the difficulty lies, in deciding which spell falls under which category and how to make the best use of it. For example, fire magic transforms things, as fire can transform wood to ash, sand to glass, water to steam and ore to iron. Like the effects of fire, the effects of this magic last only a short time, usually about a day or so, and that is one way to tell if a spell is associated with fire. Also, sight is the sense connected to fire and though not always the case fire magic usually works through the concentrated gaze of the witch or wizard. Let me give you some ideas about the other elements," he said, turning to the board. With the same casual flick of his wand words appeared on the board:

• Earth:
  
  Spells falling under this category are mostly related to the fertile energy of soil and the enduring power of stone. Such spells are source of strength and health. Touch is the sense connected to earth, this magic works through physical contact, especially with the hands.
  
  
• Air:
  
  This form of magic uses spoken and written words to affect living things, spirits and magical forces. This form of magic is very versatile, but it is especially useful for binding spirits, sealing portals, warding chambers, compelling lesser creatures to obey, and striking down opponents with power words. Sound is the sense connected to Air.
  
  
• Water:
  
  This form of magic is used often for shielding, meaning it can act as a barrier of neutralise the effects of other potentially harmful spells. It can sense strong auras, such as those of powerful mages or mighty magical artifacts. Water rules intuition and taste and smell are the physical senses ruled by water. This magic sometimes uses magic drinks, smoke, incense or other aids.

"Of course just because you are in a certain house doesn't mean you can perform spells related to a certain element better than other spells. In fact, this what I'm trying to invite you to think about and explore, the fact that only in the unity of the four elements, or of different kinds of magic performed by more than just one witch or wizard, can you push the limits of magic to their utmost extents. And remember that there are always exceptions to the rule. Does that make it a little clearer, Lovegood?" he asked.

[luna]

Luna gazed at professor Foxcroft as he responded with a long and thorough reply. You couldn’t divide magic into such categories yet in a way you could. Maybe it was the smae thing as magic itself was. You didn’t have to nderstand it to cast wonderful spells. You had to feel and sense and instinctively accept it. Magic was a bit like blood. Both flowed through your body not leaving any part untouched yet never staying put. You had no control over it yet you couldn’t live without it either. It was a circle where one thing depended on the other. It was complex but at the same time so very easy too.

„What about the Sorting Hat? You said that the 4 houses represent different natural elements. Does this mean that while we were sorted in our first year the Sorting Hat valued towards which version of magic we most tended to use. Would we protect ourselves or try to attack as offence is soemtimes a good defence?“ Luna uncorled her legs from under her and with a little bit of difficulties climbed down from the table to sit in her seat once again trying not to drop neither hers or Padme’s thing onto the floor as she was climbing.
Finally settling down into her seat comfortable Luna beamed at the professor happily and waved her tomahawk in the air yet again while singing out her next question rather than speaking. „Did you tell us all this so we would work together and have a bigger chance of pushing back the invading red manchies, professor?“

[rosewood]

Julie knew of a spell that was used to disintegrate hard soil, which she supposed was essentially an earth spell. She pointed her wand at the board and the word "Konessium," appeared. This was quite interesting but she wondered whether they would manage to get it to work or not. She looked at the spells on the board and tried to imagine what the different combinations would produce. It was certainly unlike nothing she'd ever done before. Thinking of disintegration gave her another idea - she also knew the spell used to destroy stone or actually to break it into fragments. Another blast issued from her wand and the words "Bombardium Ferrossum," appeared on the board.

[Samantha Driscoll]

It was good to have Kris here with her, good to hear him say that he liked the smell of her hair although Samantha had often used shampoo that was far more expensive and far more better-smelling than that Madam Pomfrey provided her with. She didn’t even pay attention to it much, liking the fact that it had grown so long so that she could hide behind it. She always let it down now and she pushed it behind her shoulders so she could see him properly. She smiled at Kris and then answered his question, though as a rule she never talked in class. "Thank you. I doubt it. Most of the time there's never any truth in the rumours at Hogwarts but if there were was a true rumour I would say it was that that job's jinxed. All these years and nobody's had the job for longer than a year, that's got to be the mark of some powerful Dark Magic," she said thoughtfully. She didn't like thinking about Dark Magic, but to anybody as experienced with it as she was this could be nothing else. It was a good thing class started before she had time to dwell on the topic – she was beginning to comprehend just how harmful and Dark Magic was, not just the Unforgivable Curses. Before she'd only thought about how much power it gave her, but now, she saw that it had taken away the power and everything else with it. She was left with – stop! She needed to concentrate on what Professor Foxcroft was saying.

"Vestimutem Endorsio," she said, more to herself than anyone else, and she didn’t notice that the Professor was quite close to her when she said it. It was one of the most powerful spells she'd ever found in a book and it was used to create waves in water. She looked at all the spells on the board and listened to the Professor answer the questions of a Ravenclaw girl. It seemed as if the time for them to start working with their wands had arrived. It was time for her to leave. "Professor Foxcroft, I'm very sorry, but I have the most terrible headache - actually my head's been hurting ever since class started. May I please be excused?" she asked. Samantha still had all her persuasive skill and charm even if she didn’t know it. She sounded tired and genuinely reluctant to leave the class. Two months in Azkaban hadn’t changed seventeen years of practice, even though they'd changed a lot of other things.

[ernie]

Being on time for class was something one should always strive to achieve. On time meant not early, but not late. On time was what Ernie always was. Today was no exception, he was on time in his seat by the time the bell rang. Defense Against the Dark Arts was a very important class to attend. A dark wizard might attack you at a moment’s notice and what would you do if you hadn’t the smallest idea on how to defend yourself? This was why DADA was probably one of the most important classes.

It was a pity to see that not many Hufflepuffs believed this as much as Ernie did. There were hardly any Hufflepuffs in the classroom aside from himself, Susan Bones, and Payton Moore. Where were the rest? Didn’t they care at all about their house pride? More people should, house pride was something to be proud about…it was disappointing to see so few Hufflepuffs in the classroom. His attention then focused on Professor Foxcroft, who was beginning to teach the class. Foxcroft was a creative professor, and Ernie liked the sound of this lesson. Pulling out his wand, he aimed it at the board and started prattling off spells; “Effodio. Orchideous. Terra Fecund.” Effodio was the spell that caused an object to be dug out from the ground, orchideous created orchids, and terra fecund made land fertile. Really, he was certain he knew more, but he didn’t want to put too much on the board. Honestly, the other Hufflepuffs would answer as well, wouldn’t they?

((Sorry about that, Professor.))

[Professor Julius Foxcroft]

"No, I don’t think so, though nobody really knows how exactly the Hat works though I suppose you might ask Professor Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall for more information. Do you think you tend to use a certain type of magic in your defence? Possibly, but I don’t think it has to do with the elements of nature, but rather the magic you are most able to perform and that has nothing to do with the element your house is associated with. And yes, I would like you to think about the not in just facing the – um – manchies - but any other creature or curse that comes your way." Julius wondered at how Luna never stopped surprising him and also about how she put up with all the teasing from the other students. She had a keen mind and a good head on her shoulders, but really, a tomahawk? Charles' sister mentioned a good spell and Julius told her so before pointing his wand at the board and adding it to the list, thinking she had been wondering whether or not to add it and not realising the real reason why she didn't. "You may leave, Driscoll, but please be sure to do your homework and read Chapters 2 and 3 in your book and then come to my office if anything is unclear," said Julius. The girl certainly looked exhausted, and Julius made a mental note to ask the other teachers how she was doing in her other classes.

"Moving on, those are all excellent spells everyone. Let me describe to you the effect of one combinatory charm. This charm starts first by working on both the effects of wind and water, by creating a whirlpool in the water that increases in speed and then rises out of the water looking something like a water tornado. Both this tornado and another earth spell can be combined to disintegrate large amounts of earth which could not be broken down by only one spell and in destroying large obstacles like mountains. This spell encompasses the effects of three different elements. Now please using the charms your fellows have come up with try combining several spells to produce the strongest defence you can think of with at least three elements," he continued. Julius had a sudden idea. He wanted them to learn how to worl with people from other houses but it might be better to make some them do it so they could see that there was indeed an advantage when the four houses united together. "Graas, Macmillan, Rosewood and Wade. Come to the front please and try and produce the strongest barrier by combining several spells," he said.

((The idea of creating a barrier belongs to Kris))

[kris]

Kris didn’t comment but was a bit worried as Samantha left the classroom. His brows furrowing slightly for a moment Kris tilted his head and tried to figure out why he couldn’t find himself completely believing Sam. Despite being able to control emotions very well, usually you sounded more worn if you had an head-ache. Sam had sounded the way she usually was. Perhaps a bid edgy but Kris couldn’t have guessed that she was having a head-ache and he was usually rather good at reading people, even now as people couldn’t control their voices that completely as they would like to believe. A difference Kris had discovered only after becoming blind. Kris listened absent-mindedly to Foxcroft’s words frowning slightly as Foxcroft called a group to the front to have them improvise with the spell. One from each house. One for each element. Kris frowned slightly and left his walking cane at the table as he stood and removed his cloak to gain some more freedom of movement.

Before Kris managed to take any step away Dana’s hand reached out and grabbed his wrist. “Play nice,” came the quiet warning from Dana and Kris and turned to her with his eye-brows raised high in a mocking epitome of innocence: “And when haven’t I played nice?” “Hogsmeade. Last…,” Dana cleared her throat for a moment as Kris smirked knowingly. They had both been in Hogsmeade the previous evening, even though on that evening Hogsmeade had been out of bounds. At least Dana never said anything that could be used against her as she continued, “Last time we were there. You hexed a perfectly nice fellow to look like a Easter rabbit and then let your dogs chase him all the way down the street?” Kris smirked at the memory as he shook Dana’s fingers off from around his wrist as he shrugged: “I’m your legal guardian and I didn’t like the way he talked to you. Besides you didn't rush to protect him either as I recall.” "If a guy wants to try and catch and tie me down he will have to be able to handle a lot more than a moody Slyth and a couple of dogs. Guess he wasn't up to the task, but that still doens't justify your behavior," Dana replied and Kris knew that a careless shrug of one shoulder accompanied the words. Smirking a little Kris turned and counted to four in his mind before raising his wand behind his back and muttering “Protego”. A dull clink sounded and Kris smirked having judged Dana correctly. “Play nice,” Kris said over his shoulder to Dana throwing her own words back at her with ease hearing a quiet chuckle from Dana.

Kris reached the front of the class and crouched starting to draw a circle about a foot in radius letting everyone else make sure they were standing inside the circle as well. Kris flicked his wand after he was done and knew that the line he had drawn onto the floor turned into a perfect circle and started to glow a little. “Anyone like magma?” Kris asked with a lazy drawl as he turned the cuffs of his black silk-blouse back once and knelt down on one knee as he prepared to cast his spell. Closing his eyes behind the sunglasses Kris concentrated before twirling his wand once before holding it still in an upright position: “Citatio Aqua.” Kris called for water magically, drawing it out from nothing, from air. He wasn’t even sure from where all the water was coming from but he just called upon it concentrating on making the water flow only on the circle he had drawn previously. Once he felt that he had called enough to being Kris quietly recited the next spell: “Claustrum orbis.” Kris maintained both two spells the water all around the circle start to raise in a clear sheen creating an arch over their heads as it enclosed Kris and the other 3 that had been called to the front in a sort of water-cage that Kris held up waiting for others to join in with their spells.

[rosewood]

Julie was a little surprised to be chosen by Foxcroft but excited to be part of this experiment and she rose from her chair and followed the directions of the blind boy, glad he didn’t know her name and so he didn’t recognise her as they'd fought before. At least he seemed to have an idea of what he was doing and she joined in with an idea formed already inside her head. The effect of the two spells Kris had used had produced an extraordinary amount of water and Julie was imagined a huge amount of force could be made of it if she made it swirl all around them. She picked the spell that Slytherin girl who had just left the classroom had chosen slightly modifying it to "Churlpurlo Endorsio," so that it would produce the effect she wanted, repeating the spell several times as the water encircled all four of them, separating them from everyone else in the room. It was simply an extension of Kris' spell but it was essentially an air spell and it covered a larger area.

[ernie]

Hearing his name called by the professor he sat up just a bit taller and immediately started to consider his options. His house being the one of Earth he would have to draw on its stability and strength. He had given a few spells before, but they were not ones that would be considered great spells of protection, and that had been the assigned topic. He watched as Grass stepped up first and pulled forth the powers of water. He was then followed by Rosewood who added air to the mix. Their combination alone was forceful, but after a moment he rose form his seat and stepped forward, drawing his own wand and mumbling the incantation under his breath, large rocks, bigger than one's fist, began to fall down through the water.

[julia]

Emily looked at the board and begin to think hard. Tapping her wand to her against her palm, she muttered, " Fire, flame, fire, flame...."
After a few moments of thought, she pointed her wand at the board. " Flamaro. Incendio." Her train of thought stopped. Knowing that there must be other ways to create flame, Emily decided that there was no really reason to be fancy. Fire was fire, and unless you needed it to be waterproof, it didn't really need a fancy incantation. Yawning, she waited for the rest of the class to finish putting their charms on the board. After that, she broke up into her little with Kris, Julie, and Ernie.

Nervous, Emily waited to while everyone else in her group casted their charms. When it came to performing magic, she was a bit shy around other witches or wizards. She was always afraid that she would mess up, and end up making a total fool out of herself. As Kris' cage of water began to rush around them, Emily was feeling less and less adequate compared to her class mates. She was still in a frenzied panic after Ernie cast his enchantment. How could she even begin to compare to their spells? The gale force winds that had been added by Julie whipped her fiery red hair around her head, as she uttered the incantation she had finally settled on. Red , hot flames shot up right outside of the water cage. The heat was intense, and Emily could feel it through the other barriers.

[dana]

((I hope it's ok for me to say that Kris returned to his seat, as I do need Kris to make Dana speak at this case. ))

Quite impressive. The spell the four managed to pull off. It was quite impressive though Dana personally most certainly wouldn’t have wanted to have to examine the outcome of the four united spells any closer. It looked a bit too wild and almost out of control for that. Not to mention that all that dirt and water would ruin clothes and Dana was rather fond of the blouse she was wearing today. The professor seemed to be quite satisfied with the outcome too as he allowed people to return to their seats. Kris had just about taken a seat when there was a knock on the door and some first year peeked in rather tentatively. “Excuse me for interrupting the class. Professor Flitwick wanted to see Dana Coran,” the first year squeaked out looking around the classroom with rather wide eyes. Quietly wondering what her Head of House would want Dana stood and started gathering her things calmly depositing them in her bag to go and find out.

Pushing her chair a little backwards Dana stood while Kris shifted his chair forward so that Dana could easily walk by. “You don’t sound to be in much of a rush to go and see Flitwick,” Kris mused in a conversational tone while Dana glanced at him while laying her hands on his shoulders for a moment as she replied: “Why should I? Foxie is better-looking than Flitwick anyway.” Dana shrugged lazily while Kris’s eyebrows flew upwards sharply as he smirked.
“First there was Sevvy for Snape and now there’s Foxie for Foxcroft? Really now, should I get a restriction order for male professors for you? Or rather - maybe I should get in contact with all the male professors in school and warn them about you?”Kris drawled out lazily while grabbing hold of Dana’s waist and pulling her backwards a step so Dana was forced to stand next to his chair. Dana smiled letting her fingers glide through Kris’s hair in a sisterly manner as she looked at Kris. He wasn’t really worried but there was still a little bit of tension in his neck as Dana could see only thanks to years of practice on reading Kris. Dana was his little –though only 6 months younger – sister so it was natural that Kris was protective of her at all occasions. Even if they were as illogical as Dana dating a professor.

“What? It’s always easier when someone cute is teaching the class and in his grouchy and gruff way Foxie is quite the eye-candy, so to say. Besides I don’t have pet-names for all male professors!” Dana argued her point, taking some amusement of the friendly bantering as she turned her body a little so that she could see Kris’s face. “Dumbly?”Kris asked and Dana sneered at him as Kris had just over-thrown her argument without even having to work much for it. Dana did have a pet-name for all male professors. “Oh, shut up. Foxie is cute. Sevvy too in his own way,” Dana snapped moodily as she swatted at Kris’s arm around her waist still holding her steady, “Leave me to my own little day-dreams to make a class pass quicker, will you? At least I don’t have lovesick Hufflepuffs following me around.”
Kris pulled a grimace somewhere between a pained wince and a smirk as he let Dana go: “You’re evil to the core.”
“That’s why you love me,” Dana threw back over her shoulder noticing only now that Foxie had been close enough to them to hear the whole conversation as neither Kris nor Dana had bothered to lower their tones much. This might have quite a curious outcome Dana decided after a moment as an amused smirk flashed across her face. “Professor,” Dana stated politely though, swallowing her laughter, before moving out of the classroom a little bit of the end of the calss to go and see what Flitwick wanted of her.

((Sorry, Jordan, but that post is just TOO good to ever be forgotten. *snickers* Anyway, here's the post, Foxie. ))

[Professor Julius Foxcroft]

The outcome was better than Julius could have ever hoped or imagined. Highly impressed by his students performance and their ability to work together without causing him much trouble brought a rare smile to his serious face and he awarded every student 10 points for their respective houses. He hoped that they would think over the deeper meaning of today’s lesson, that maybe, even if he was not going to change any deeply entrenched prejudice he was at least opening their minds and showing them that they had to question their beliefs every now and then.

“That is indeed the best combinatory effect you could hope for. I encourage you to work on such spells outside the classroom, be creative and discover the power of working with more than witch or wizard. Please read chapter two which covers topics similar to the one we have discussed, and chapter nine which we shall we covering next lesson. Till then,” he said. He turned to the board and then noticed there were still a few students left in class. He made his way to the door, stopping to chat with one of them who had a question. He could hear the voices of Dana and Kris and despite himself he found himself listening to what they were saying when he discovered it was he who they were talking about. It didn’t seem to him that they realised he was there right behind them.

Foxy? And cute? He had kept his eyes on his shoes the whole time they had been talking and pretended that he hadn't heard but once the two had left he felt something he hadn’t felt in a long while – young. He hadn’t been called cute in so long, hadn’t felt in any way that someone could view him in that light as he had been so reclusive and withdrawn and he given very little thought to his appearance. And then the prim and dignified Julius giggled like a young boy, half-incredulous and half-amused that anyone should call him that, let alone one of his female students. Foxy. Not even Beth would have come up with that. Oh, to be sixteen going on seventeen again. That had been real happiness. And yet, he told himself as he thought of Beth, he was going to find it again. He found it inside his classroom, in the eyes of the students who respected him and liked him and made him proud, in the step forward he had finally made by taking this position and confronting his own fears of letting people into his world, in remembering Beth without feeling only grief but gratitude that he had once known her and loved and been loved by her.