Astronomy Class 2

[Gameli Forrestor]

[Only students who signed up for this class may attend. If you desire to attend and you did not sign up, PM me]

Gameli was facing the chalkboard as the students began to file in for his class. Because it was a more basic class, he decided not to have it strictly at night. Homework would require students to go off on their own and do recordings.

On the board was his name and the class the students were attending. Underneath that was a simple question:

'Do the seasons affect which stars can be seen?'

He waited for the students to get settled in, sitting down at his desk. A small pile of star charts were sitting, which he would pass out after the class was over for their homework assignments.

[Tommy Bryce]

As Tommy traipsed up the stairs to the Astronomy class, a small grin was plastered over his face at the thought of there being astronomy classes finally. That was what he had most been looking forward to when arriving at Hogwarts, only to find that there was no teacher. Of course, he had kept up his own reading, expanding on his already large span of knowledge in that area. At one point he had even been caught by one of the Slytherin prefects up in the Astronomy Tower, watching an eclipse long after curfew. He hadn't exactly obeyed her advice to ask someone next time there was an eclipse, but had at least managed to avoid being caught when sneaking out after that incident.

He had in his bag everything that was needed for the class, although his telescope was a little old due to the monetary restraints he had faced while shopping in Diagon Alley. It did work though; he had tested it enough to know that. He had been a little surprised to actually be able to enter the higher class than was designed for his age group, but having gone to ask the professor just on the off chance, it seemed he was allowed. This class had just seemed so much more interesting than the first. He had a huge basis of raw knowledge, but in quite a lot of cases did not know how to apply because he simply had not been taught – the content of the first class, he did know.

Entering the classroom, he settled in a chair and reached into his bag for parchment, quill, ink and the textbook. He didn't get out the telescope just yet, since he assumed that as the class was during the day they would not be studying the skies today. Seeing the question on the board, he quickly scratched it out on the top of a sheet of parchment and began going through his knowledge of that in his head.

[Gameli Forrestor]

When his students were seated, he stood up and began to walk around the room.

"Good day," he began, "I know many of you are surprised to find yourself in this class during the day, but that's because with this class, you will be doing all of your night studies on your own time.

"I'll begin with basic introductions. I'm Professor Gameli Forrestor and I'm sure you all realize that I'm a new face. I've been hired here recently as your Astronmy professor. Professor Forrestor will do when addressing me. I've always held a love for Astronomy and graduated from a Muggle University that I'm sure some of you would not have heard of. I graduated from Hogwarts under the Hufflepuff house, so I know these grounds inside and out. You all will hopefully learn a good deal here, so please ensure you pay attention and take notes."

There was a pause before he looked at Tommy Bryce. The boy was a first year, yet had come into his class with high recommendations from his teachers. He pointed to the Gryffindor boy.

"Mr. Bryce," he began "We'll start with you today. Do you know the answer to the question I've written?"

[Tommy Bryce]

Tommy was feeling a little intimidated by the definite lack of anyone his age – or size – in this class, despite knowing it would be like this from the class. But this class sounded so much more interesting – he would actually learn things rather than being told what he already knew. He listened intently to what the professor was saying, lightening a little at the prospect of doing night studies in his own time. Surely that hinted at being allowed to go up to the astronomy tower at night with permission, but without supervision? That could prove quite advantageous in being able to go up whenever he wanted... however, he was fairly sure there must be a catch, especially after what Keaira had told him about the dangerous creatures in the forest and how he should always ask first.

Not expecting to be called on so soon, Tommy froze slightly when he was pointed at and spoken to, shrinking into his seat a little and not speaking for a few moments. Finally he got his voice back when it occurred to him that not speaking might make the professor angry, but he still spoke quietly, hesitantly. [red]"Um, yes... they do affect it."[/red] He paused for a few moments, then carrying on with the guess that the professor probably wanted to know 'how' as well. [red]"Because of its rotation – some of the stars are above the horizon during the day, and since we can only see them at night..."[/red] He trailed off, not wanting to say any more in case that wasn't what the professor had wanted.