Muggle Studies ((All years))

[Andrew Thornton G6]

Drew smiled at Professor Hardy as he turned his attention to her. He may have come from a muggle family, but sometimes it was good to pay attention a little at the beginning before deciding to ignore everything else. He smiled brilliantly at the machine that was uncovered. His great grandmother had one of those and it had been passed down to his mum who loved the thing and kept it in top condition. The sad thing was that he could probably work it, since he had seen his mother use it tons of times to patch his jeans after he ripped them for the millionth time. A question brought Drew's thoughts from his mother to electrocution. Technically if you're electrocuted you die. At least that's what the definition was. If you were shocked then you were okay, but electrocution was death by electricity. Drew knew that only because he had shocked himself right good one time and kept going around saying he had been electrocuted until his mother corrected him.

Drew shrugged more to himself than at her question and raised his hand in the air. "Professor Hardy, I'd be happy to volunteer, or course after this wonderful question has been answered," Drew said as he smiled and gestured to the girl that had asked it. He had never met her before, but that didn't mean he had to be rude or such. The girl had asked first and as far as he was concerned she had every right to be first, I mean she is a lady after all.

[Flo Murvac H4]

Flo had been bored lately. Bored bored bored. Bored of classes, bored of being with her friends(which was a first) and bored of drawing. She had hardly done anything for the past few weeks. She would wake up and go to breakfast, then classes, do her homework eat dinner, more homework and go to bed. Even flo was surprised of what she was doing. Flo was always hyper and active. But now it was all different. Flo didn't know why.

Flo sighed and played with her butterfly earrings she got for her birthday. Even those weren't cheering her up and butterflies usually did. Flo sighed and looked around the dorm. Nothing. Emptyness. Flo blinked. What was she doing? It was almost time for muggle studies and Flo was sitting down and doing nothing. She should be getting ready. Flo jumped up. She was actually getting bored of being...well bored. She looked around for her butterfly bag that she took everywhere and stuffed her wand, quill and some new parchments inside. She quickly tied her hair up and rushed out of the girls dorm into the Hufflepuff common room. She looked around quickly as she headed for the door.

She rushed the through the corridors, dodging the odd student here and there. She started running slightly, but slowed down as she passed a protrait that caught her eye. It was one that she had never seen before, or had drifted into another frame. It made her smile, although she didn't quite know what it was. Feeling a bit better, Flo started to run again, hoping she wasn't late.

Finally she reached the door and looked inside. The Professor wasm't talking and not many students were there. Flo walked over to a saet and sat down. She spotted Maryn and waved. Finally the Professor started to talk about electricity. Flo knew some things about electricity. Like not to stick your finger in a socket, or you would have a whole ew hairstyle...or something like that. Thenthe Professor mved onto sewing machines. They sounded complicated. And they sure looked like it. Flo bit her lip as Dana asked a question. It seemed like a pretty good question to ask, but not something that Flo would ask.

[Dresden Amnell R3]

Students slowly entered the class, scattering to sit with ther friends. Dresden tapped on the desk with the end of her quill, quietly humming a song. Dresden smiled as Gen entered the room and came over to her. "Hey Cornwall, how's it going?" Dresdens attention turned to where Gen was looking. The professor was unpacking boxes, but the contents were still out of sight.

A few more students came in before one came over to where Dresden was sitting.She recognized her vaguely, but she had never talked to her before. "Hi. Yeah, I'm Dresden." Dresden smiled at Mel. "This is Cornwall," she said, as she pointed to Genevieve.

The door rang to signal the beginning of class. The professor went over to the door and closed it, and the room went silent. As the professor moved to her desk, she told them they would be studying electricity. Dresden rolled her eyes. She didn't even like learning about electricty from a Muggle point of view. Unless you were planning on being an electrician, why would you need to understand how it worked?

Dresden tuned out her thoughts as the professor was asking for a volunteer. There was no way she would touch that. She couldn't even hand sew properly, let alone use an old fashioned machine.

Dresden wondered why the professor hadn't brought in a newer, more up to date sewing machine. She was just about to ask how the machine would work if they didn't have electricity in the school when a girl asked about the death penalty.Dresden looked at the girl, then back to the teacher, waiting for an answer.

[Professor Amaryllis Hardy]

Amaryllis gave Miss Coran a glance as the Ravenclaw asked a somewhat macabre question. Trust her to be the one. Amaryllis gave her a small, private smile since it did nevertheless amuse her, before saying a little wryly, "I must admit electrocution isn't my area of expertise, Miss Coran." She turned her back on the class as she walked over to her impeccably arranged bookshelf of textbooks and extra reading, talking as she went. "I suspect there are a number of factors which would affect that... the pathway the electric current took through the body, for example. Since the current could interfere with nervous impulses, I expect it would be more likely to be fatal were it to pass through the head or chest." She pulled down a book that looked relevant and flipped it open at the contents page, running her finger down the page until she found what she was looking for and the relevant section of the book.

"Yes, there is no definitive answer since it's rather complicated with the number of factors. All humans are different. About 100-250 volts appears to be the norm, but I don't suggest you test it out." Amaryllis strolled over to Miss Coran's desk and placed the heavy textbook in front of her, still open at the relevant page, before she turned with a smile to her only volunteer. "Yes, Mr. Thornton, if you would like to come to the front then." She quickly conjured a chair for him to sit on which was in keeping with the period of the sewing machine. "It's already threaded," she told him, "and you may use the material on the side if you wish," she added as she indicated the material patterned with beige and red squares. "All you need do to operate the needle is push the treadle back and forth with your feet, although it is a tad stiff. And kindly take care of your fingers. You haven't seen the piles of Ministry forms any mishap would require." The last two sentences she added more quietly; only the Gryffindor and any students that were particularly close would have been able to hear them. That would mean 'Warned student' could go in the 'Precautions taken' box, she supposed. Oh, it was a crazy world. But speaking of being able to hear, being able to see was also important.
"Do gather round so you can see, everybody," she told the class as she nodded to the Gryffindor to indicate he was welcome to start at his leisure.

[Sadie Rivers H6]

Sadie had sat quietly through the beginning of class. She was never one to just openly volunteer, but to sit with her hand raised and wait to be called on. She had always thought this appropriate behavior because that was what the muggle teachers had expected of her.

She looked at the little models being passed around, and the diagram as well. She should have known that she still wasn't ready for reminders of her life at home. The machine in the diagram looked just like one that her mother had sat at many times, hemming her dresses, and fixing tears in Sadie's clothes from where a new tree branch had torn them. Sadie raised her hand to demonstrate, but it was too late, another student had already volunteered. That was fine with Sadie. Although Hufflepuff could use the points just like any of the other houses. Sadie would much rather just answer questions instead of volunteering to do demonstrations.

[Andrew Thornton G6]

Drew nodded with a smile as the professor told him to watch his fingers. He knew better than to stick his hand and fingers in front of the needle. The sewing machine moved way more quickly than to trust putting his hands in front of it. He took a seat on the chair that Professor Hardy had conjured and picked up the material. He turned it inside out or what appeared to be the inside out way and placed the two loose ends together. He was just going to sew the two ends together to make it half of its original size. He placed the material in front of the needle and moved his hands to both sides of the needle before placing his foot on the pedal below.

Now he had to remember how his mother had always started it. He knew she would push her foot down on the pedal and it would start the needle moving, but did he had to do anything other than that to get it to go right. He thought for a few seconds, but figured there wasn't anything else to do. After all, it was already threaded. He put his foot down on the pedal and he watched with fascination as the needle began to move up, now he moved his foot back and brought his heel down to cause the needle to go down. He had to keep his foot moving to keep the needle going up and down. It was a bit annoying to have to constantly move is foot to keep the machine going. What he wouldn't give for his mother's electric one that she used on occasion. He then started to feed the material through under the needle. He moved quickly though not very straight. The thread wound it's way down the fabric like a snake in the sand. When he reached the end of the material he took his foot off the pedal and looked at the string that connected the material to the sewing machine. He frowned. Was that right?

"Ah, Professor, do you have scissors or something to cut the string? I think that's what I'm supposed to do, right?" he asked as he turned to face the professor. He wondered if he had worked the machine adequately enough for her satisfaction. He was happy himself for his effort, after all, he hadn't lost a finger.

[Professor Amaryllis Hardy]

Amaryllis watched as Mr. Thornton operated the sewing machine, quite pleased to see the old thing still working. It had been her grandmother's but was now rightfully hers, passed on through two generations. She didn't bother keeping an electrical one at home; magic could always be used to mend things anyway. And if she wanted to use a more orthodox method but was feeling particularly tired, she could just use magic to keep the treadle going. But since she did occasionally have use for it, it was as well to keep the sewing machine in working order: rust-free and not painfully stiff. Amaryllis nodded her approval as Mr. Thornton turned to her with a request, replying, "By all means," as she handed him the pair of scissors. "Thank you for that, Mr. Thornton," she said once he was finished, her nod this time indicating that he could return to his seat. "15 points to Gryffindor."

She waited until he was settled again, before continuing on talking to the class. "Now, as you may see, machines are very useful for carrying out tasks a lot more quickly than if you were to do them entirely by hand. We would be more likely to use a spell to mend our clothing than to pick up a needle and thread, and while Muggles don't have quite that much of a short-cut, using a sewing machine does speed up the work. But as Mr. Thornton could tell you, manual machines are still slightly strenuous. He had to use the treadle to make the needle move, and supply his own power - electrical sewing machines are powered by electricity and so it's not necessary for the user to do as much work. Again, labour-saving." Amaryllis paused, putting the main points she'd just made in bullet points in the board. "You may wish to write some of that down - the examiners are keen on asking why Muggles do things a certain way. And in the meantime, can anyone give me any other examples of machines powered by electricity?"

((I'm looking for about two or three people to answer this question. )

[Sita Mehadi H7]

As Professor Hardy stood up to begin the lesson, Sita took out a pale pink ring-binder notebook and a sparkly purple quill, making notes where prompted and otherwise just drawing small circles around the page to make a border. She coloured them in alternately, so that half the circles were the violet colour of ink she was using and half only had the violet ink as an outline. She paid fuller attention as Professor Hardy revealed a sewing machine though. That was old. The kind of thing you'd see in museums, maybe. And Muggle Studies classrooms, apparently. Sita watched the Gryffindor boy operating it with quite some interest, and as Professor Hardy asked her next question she raised her hand confidently in the air. If she couldn't answer this, she wasn't her father's daughter.

[dana]

Hardy replied to her question and Dana tilted her head thinking about the information some more. It was an interesting answer, but it did not satisfy Dana. It merely prompted new questions to rise in her head as dana htrew her hand up again. “But professor, if there is not determined amount of electricity that can kill a person, then what stops muggle from dying daily when they are careless and get hit with electricity? Or at the death penalty – what makes sure that the person dies immediately without having to suffer too long?” Dana questioned some more loudly even as she kept her hand up to show Hardy that she was willing to answer her question as well.

[aneen]

Aneen put her head on her arms that were folded on the desk. She tried hard to shut out the conversation around her, but sitting in the middle of the room kept her awareness up far too high.

Why...does she insist on talking about the Death Penalty? It's like...talking about Azkaban and Av..K...around here. Sure, people don't run around shooting electricity at each other and killing them, but it's a controversial, sensitive subject. People live on death row for years and...have their soul sucked in a way. And some get out and have to readjust.... Aneen thought rather angrily.

This class is a joke. Wizards are incapable of understanding non-Wizards but expect us to understand everything about them in a heartbeat. Aneen continued, getting even more upset. She could only hope that the teacher would answer well.

[Sadie Rivers H6]

Sadie raised her hand, she could think of a lot of other machines that used electricity as a power source. There were washing machines, and muggle computers, and even lamps and home lighting. She could think of so many things that they just rattled through her brain.

She decided not to just blurt out an answer, but to wait and see if the professor called on her.

[Professor Amaryllis Hardy]

Amaryllis had to use all her self-control not to sigh as Miss Coran raised her hand again. Must she? "Muggles do die from accidents with electricity, but it's not particularly common because nowadays there are plenty of measures to stop it, to stop them being electrocuted particularly easily. So you do have to be careless for it to happen. And it's not a particularly humane way of executing people, if there is one. There are, I believe, measures taken again here, to make sure that people die quickly, but they don't always work." She pondered the fact sombrely for a moment before smiling at the three students who had volunteered. "Yes, Miss Mehadi, Miss Coran, Miss Rivers - please all give us a couple of examples."

((Sorry for the break everyone - something came up that I didn't expect. Sita, Dana, Sadie - you may answer in whichever order is convenient. )

[dana]

Hardy responded to her question once again and Dana had to quietly agree that electrocution sounded quite morbid. Then again morbid things and entertaining things attracted people. The fight or flight standard. Some people stood still and fought when attacked or in the middle of hardships. Others took flight like Dana herself did. It was the law of life almost. Sometimes you ran quick enough and got away. Sometimes you were caught and overcome. Yet Dana settled calmly and merely nodded when she was called upon. She waited for a moment but as neither of the younger students seemed very anxious to begin first Dana shrugged and opened her mouth once again.

“Can’t say my knowledge of electricity is very wide as the only parts where I have been connected with it are in the entertainment. Muggle cars have some sort of electricity in them and the lights with which the traffic is organized – I’m quite sure that’s done on electricity as well. And I’ve been to a muggle cinema a few times and the movies are displayed on the screen with the help of electricity working camera’s just as the lights the muggles use,” Dana stated the few things she knew. She wasn’t entirely sure whether this was the type of answer Hardy was looking for, but that was what she knew.

[Sadie Rivers H6]

Sadie took a slightly deep breath, she was always nervous that she would forget her answers when giving them in class. She had volunteered for this though, and since she had lived as a muggle for so many years, she knew quite a few things that she could name off. Thinking again of her favorite choices, she decided she was ready to reply.

"Muggles use electricity for their lights in their homes, and things that they call computers are powered by electricity. So are their stoves, and iceboxes." Sadie was pleased with her choices, and made sure not to rattle on about other mechanisms that used electricity.

[haylin]

Hay Lin returned to breathing. As the teacher began the lesson, Hay Lin sighed in relief. She wasn’t really paying attention, except that the teacher was talking about sewing machines and electricity.

((This is not like Hay Lin. I think someone should notice because supposedly Hay Lin was there the whole year. She usually is attentive and, really, a good student.))

[Sita Mehadi H7]

Sita smiled as Professor Hardy called on her, but waited for the two older students to reply first out of courtesy. She was young, bottom of the pile and she felt that was where she ought to remain in all situations - at least until next year. Then, she'd be a second year - and that was a different matter, wasn't it? She listened carefully to what the other two had to say - she didn't want to repeat anything - before making her own contribution.
"Well, they use it to power a whole load of things... all their 'household appliances' like washing machines and dishwashers for washing dirty laundry and dishes. And then it can make heat as well - hairdryers and electric fires run on electricity too." Sita looked at the Professor hopefully, not entirely sure what more she could say. Well, she could think of plenty more examples but she didn't think it was really required too much. And some of the other things that came to mind just extended on ideas that had already been mentioned so she didn't add anything more.

[Professor Amaryllis Hardy]

Amaryllis nodded at each of the students' answers, frowning at a few explanations but in general very proud of them for demonstrating their knowledge. "Well done, all very good examples," she said with a smile when the last small Hufflepuff had finished. "5 points to each of you."

Amaryllis glanced at her watch briefly before looking up at the class once again. "All right, 5 minutes early but you can go. Just attempt not to make a racket outside the classrooms of anyone where retribution is likely to follow. Or, indeed, anyone else's classroom. I've got revision lists at the front of the classroom if you feel you're in need of them, and you're welcome to talk to me now if you have any problems. And Miss Lin, I do suggest you take slightly more in when you're revising. Good luck to all of you in your exams." Amaryllis retired to her seat behind her desk, arranging the revision lists - despicable things, she'd always thought in her own days at school although she supposed they were somewhat useful - and waiting for anyone that might wish to talk to her.

((I started this lesson a while ago, which is why she's talking about exams. Thanks very much to everyone who attended - due to a limited timescale I haven't got an awful lot done but I have some fun activities on the same theme planned for next year. So please come along in such numbers then too. And this class is now finished.))

[haylin]

As Hay Lin got up, she gave the professor a nod. She really felt bad about not paying attention. Somewhere in her head she had been, but barely. She hoped she’d pass the exams, she’d barely scraped by so far. Hay Lin decided then and there she would pay more attention. She headed off the the common room.