Fifth Defence Lesson

[Alexander Archer]

Making his way down the corridor, his shoes tapping on the marble floor below, Alex carried his briefcase beneath his arm and entered the Defence of the Dark Arts classroom. Setting the case down on one edge of his desk, he looked around the room just to ensure that nothing was out of place and that it was clean. Picking up one piece of crumpled parchment from between two desks in the front row, he tossed it into the trash can beside his own wooden desk and, relatively satisfied, sat down in his seat.

Twisting his arm to view his watch, he saw that yet again he was early. Maybe he had too much time on his hands now; he loved teaching Astronomy and though he considered this class more important in such dire times, that didn’t mean he had fully wanted to give up teaching his old class. With his previously hopeful relationship now in uncertain waters, he found he had a lot more time on his hands and more and more was considering taking up his original class again.

The pros and cons running through his mind, he stood up with about five minutes to go until class was supposed to begin, and turned to the board. A piece of chalk newly in his hand, he traced today’s topic across the top of the board, as centered as he could make it. He was following up from the last class, based on vampires, with yet another human-like creature; the werewolf.

Gryffindors	Hufflepuffs	Ravenclaws	Slytherins
Susan Matthews	Caitlin Collins	D'rorah Philosophy	Keaira O'Connell
Aimee Miller	Cavan Weiss	Dylan Cooper	--
Tommy Bryce	Michael Homewood	Mami Tien	--
Jason Cruz	Tasha Thomas	Aiden Christian	--
Scarlett Cooper	Mike Kelley	Kerridon Paradox	--

[Susan Matthews]

Slightly ahead of time, Susan gathered her things for her Defense class. Her books and notebooks and folders and quills were strewn across the coffee table in the Gryffindor common room. Without specifically saying so, some how she’d unofficially claimed the table as her own for the week. Her supplies for the other classes also lay on top of the poor table. At the beginning of the week, when she’d first started her mess, she’d half expected someone to push her things aside or to even trash them. However, her things were all still in place, although slightly nudged here and there, everything was generally still intact.

In one swift movement, she swept her Defense supplies and other general items into her messenger bag and left her common room, heading for the third floor. She brushed past several people on her way to class. Susan moved with more speed than was necessary, seeing as she had already left several minutes than the others from her house. She didn’t mind though. It was better to leave early than to stick around staring at the mess she’d made all over the common room.

In no time she had jumped the four flights of stairs and was rounding the corner to the assigned Defense class. Stepping into class room, Susan quickly assessed that she was the only person, save for the professor, to be in the room as of yet. “Hello, Professor Archer,” Susan said pleasantly, as she headed for a desk in the center of the room. Glancing quickly at the front board she saw the topic for today would be werewolves. Sighing lightly, she slumped in her seat and left her things packed for now. Waiting for her classmates to arrive, she placed her head in one hand and began to twirl her hair with the other.

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah made her way down the hallway, internally realizing that this would feel like her first class in ages. It was almost as if the things she had done while living without any emotion had never happened. Indeed, those memories were mere whispers in her mind now, feeling completely separate from her real life. As she entered the room, she saw that Susan was already there. Offering a polite nod to the Shadow Warrior of Earth, she took her usual seat in the front row of the classroom. "Good day, Professor Archer," she greeted as she began setting out her materials for class.

Although D'rorah had always been one to work far ahead in her classes, she knew that having effectively missed the past several months would have set her back. It seemed she would spend the next few days catching up and once again reclaiming her lead. One never knew when one of life's unpredictabilities would pull her away from school once again. And, when that time came, she didn't want to have to worry about piles and piles to make-up upon returning.

Besides, she knew it would soon be time for her to study for her N.E.W.T.s... she was certain she would have no particular difficulty in passing them. But being D'rorah, she wanted to have the time to study extensively and excel in them. Even as many classes as she was currently taking, she expected no less than an Outstanding on each of her subjects. If she did well enough, she was hoping to stay on as an assistant teacher for the following year. It would be far easier if she could, considering it would allow her to remain with the other Lightfighters. Perhaps they would manage to defeat the Mage over the coming semester, but she had a feeling that the darkness the Mage could potentially bring into the world hadn't even begun to be seen.u

[Caitlin Collins]

Caitlin walked up the stairs slowly, holding in a yawn as she did so. Last night had been one of those when she had only gotten about an hour of peaceful sleep in total, despite spending the full eight hours in bed, trying to get rid of the exhaustion that was plaguing her. She had managed to catch at least four hours of sleep in total, but most of that was taken up by fitful nightmares that left her more tired than before she went to bed. It usually took its toll during lessons via a lack of concentration and shoddy spellwork, as it was obviously going to today.

Her stomach grumbled and she stopped halfway up the stairs. She’d meant to go to the Great Hall for breakfast, but had got sidetracked by forgetting her Defence textbook. Having gone back for that, she had evidently also forgotten to eat something before heading to class. Still, there was a bottle of water in her bag so hopefully she could just get by on that until after the lesson, when she had a free and could go to the elf kitchens again. They were getting quite used to her down there. Averting her mind from the couple of times she had fainted before from lack of sustenance, she started her feet moving again until she reached the correct floor, entering the classroom and looking about to see who else was there.

D’rorah was in the front row as usual, with Professor Archer standing at the front of the classroom and Susan sitting in the middle of the room. Dropping her bag to the floor besides the Gryffindor and sitting down besides her, she gave a small smile in acknowledgement to the professor and then to Susan, hoping the tiredness wasn’t too obvious on her face. Susan at least knew that she had not been getting all the sleep she needed, although the same could be said in vice versa if you took into account the time at which they had met in the kitchens. “Heya,” she greeted, bending over to reach for her bag and desperately ignoring the dizziness resulting from the sudden movement. Moving a little more slowly, she got out the material that would be needed for the lesson and placed her bag back on the floor, leaning back in the chair and waiting for the lesson to start.

[mike]

The Hufflepuff boys that were in the dormitory had slightly puzzled faces as they walked by the resident rockstar's bed, the 5th year on his knees peering under his bed. How frustrating. His Defense books were missing and the only place he could think of looking was under the bed. It was normal for him to shove things under there and so, at the moment, there he was peering intently under his bed, eyes squinting as he tried to see clearly in the darkness. It wasn't working at all. He shoved his right arm under there, trying to feel around to see if anything was under there. He usually couldn't remember where he put his books, but he almost always found them under his bed a little later on.

His hand fell on something hard and he knocked on it to find out what it was. The sound was hollow causing him to grin. It was his book, he was certain. The Hufflepuff boy brought the book out and was happy to find his notebook in between the first few pages of the book. The boy next to him shook his head, rolling his eyes with a sigh as it wasn't the first time he had witness Mike Kelley trying to find his textbooks or notebooks or anything related to school for that matter. His pencils and erasers, however, were on the bedside table. Mike stuck his tongue out briefly at the boy, grabbed his books and supplies, and ran out of the common room at top speed. As he got out of the common room, he forgot his prized possession and ran back inside, hastily muttering the common room password.

He quickly grabbed his guitar, slung it on his back and ran out into the hallways. Many people waved and greeted him as he was quite popular for being the rockstar of the school after all. He waved at a few as he ran towards his classroom. He stopped at the door and began to pant heavily. When he calmed down a bit, he walked inside casually, nodding at the people that waved at him, not recognizing a few. He sat near the back, took his guitar off his back and slung it on the seat of the desk. He sighed, realizing he was rather early.

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[aidenchristian]

Aiden pulled the last bit of food off his plate and put it in his mouth, the syrupy bite dripping down his nice robes. He dampened a cloth from the table and gently wiped the spot. It just was not his day. He pushed the book that he was reading out of the way of syrupy battlefield. He finished cleaning his robe, then the table, and when the stickiness was thoroughly under control, he grabbed his book and placed it in his bag. He stood up and began to walk to his first class of the day, Defense Against the Dark Arts.

‘I really wish we were allowed to apparate,’ He said as he began his daunting task of climbing the many flights of shifting stairs to the fifth floor. “Saving some for lata’ are we boy?” he heard from a painting of an old man as he ascended the stair case between the first and second floor landing. Aiden pulled out his wand and gave it a gentle flick in the direction of the painting. The painting crooked to one side sending the old man sliding out of the frame. With a smile Aiden continued up the stairs.

Aiden began to catch his breath as his firmly planted both feet on the fifth floor landing. He knew that the winter had left him somewhat out of shape, but he now realized to what extent. He opened the doorway to the corridor and walked to the classroom. He saw, approaching the room, a younger boy enter, a guitar strapped to his back. Aiden smiled at the thought of ‘soothing the savage beast’ and all irony that came with it. He entered the class room lightly and took a seat towards the front for the best quality instruction. He knew there was no actual difference from the front to the back of the class regarding lesson quality, but he always seemed to learn more when in the front. He placed his bag on the ground, pulled out a quill, some ink, and some paper and quietly waited for class to begin

[tasha]

Tasha pranced along the table after just finishing her meal and made her way into the hall. Her usual bright little smile was just as radiant as ever and without the faintest amount of falsity. The little hufflepuff skipped along up the stairs with her parasol on her arm. Her red hair flailing behind her bouncing steps she reached her common room and hopped through. Tasha paused inside the room and looked about for a moment trying to remember where she'd placed her book. It was not too rare for her to loose her school books, though she'd never loose a certain other volume now in the folds of her dress. Tasha's face turned to the lightest look of distress as she walked in a bit less bouncy. Her eyes running from one surface to another as she searched for her book.

" Here ya go Tasha. I found it on the table earlier and picked it up for you."

Tasha turned to her right and saw one of her classmates holding out her book. She smiled wide and her barely dulled mood shot straight back to her usual springy self. The boy seemed to blush seeing her so happy and handed her book over to her. Tasha leaned toward him and pecked him on the check before waltzing off. The little witch opened the portal behind the painting and stepped out but paused with one foot still inside and turned back. She waved back into the common room at the boy who'd handed her the book. He was standing in shock with his hand on his cheek and smiling.

"Thank you!!!"

With that Tasha spun back to the staircase and danced her way to her destination. She popped open her parasol and twirled it around above her as she danced along the halls. The sweet little girl naturally caught the eyes of the people she passed. The silky blue parasol itself would draw attention as it was a bit larger then the girl holding it would possibly need. Her robes rippled and floated about around her and revealed a lovely little blue dress. Tasha sparkled in more ways then one on a normal basis, and the fact that her every outfit shone in her same glow made in obvious. She wore striped black and blue stockings and a blue tiara. Her wrists were wrapped in thick blue ribbon, each with a black rose atop the bow.

The girl finally found herself in front of her class room and walked in with all her restraint focused on not dancing in. She smiled at the teacher and looked about for a place to sit. Closing her parasol as her eyes ran around she slowly lost her goal to mellow out. She saw an interesting looking girl in the front row and pranced over to her side without thinking to hide her interest. It seemed the class hadn't started yet so Tasha wanted to try and be friendly with someone interesting. Tasha flopped down in the seat next to the girl that looked to be a good few years older then her and set her bag down on the floor with her parasol. After a few seconds of rummaging Tasha set her quill and ink on the desk along with her Defense Against the Dark Arts book. Then she turned to the girl and suddenly remembered her from somewhere. It took her a moment, during which she stared curiously to remember exactly where.

"Hey... you're the girl from the wand shop right? It's nice to meet you again. I'm Tasha... Tasha Tessa Thomas. How do you do?"

Tasha reached for the end of her parasol and removed her wand from the compartment she'd created inside the handle. Brandishing the length of magically attuned wood and design Tasha grinned. She had always loved the wand, it was only recently that she'd fully become used to using it. Though, she still had to figure out why she couldn't summon ribbons anymore. Every-time she tried she'd summon a snake, and even sometimes she made them by accident. Tasha looked back to the female she'd yet to know the name of and set her wand on the desk.

"I never got your name though.. you rushed me out too soon."

[Michael-Thomas Homewood]

Early in the morning the sun lit the sleeping room of the 1st year Hufflepuff-guys through the windows. The sunlight hit the eyes of Mike Homewood, still asleep, but just for a few seconds. He blinked, covered his eyes and yawned. At once he realized that Defence against dark Arts would begin soon. Panic flooded him like tropical air, his face became hot and wet.....

"Damn, what time is it now???" he yelled. And then he realized that Mike was the last one in room. "Oh f.......I´m too late. And no breakfast. That´s the very best start in day....."

Quickly he changed his clothes. "What an advantage, when you sort your stuff" he thought while grabbing his Defence book and picking up his wand. Then he rushed down the stairs like a heavy storm. And then he saw Tasha, as beautiful as ever. A light grin painted his face and he thought how to greet Tasha, then he saw that she pecked the cheek of one of Mike´s classmate. He felt a heavy hit in his stomach, and boiling anger flooded his whole body. Lots of red sparks flew out of his wand. He started to run again, when Tasha leaved already. While passing his classmate Mike hit him very hard with his shoulder.

"What´s up with you Mike???" he yelled. ".....jerk!!!" But Mike rushed the whole stairs up to the classroom knowing that this is not the best way to be popular in Hogwarts. "But he deserved it....." he thought while running up the stairs to the 2nd floor. And then Peeves appeared. "Now you....why you all can´t just beat it....." he shouted at Peeves.
"Ohh, a sweeeet, little crybaby. Missing your mom??? Ohhhhh....." was Peeves´answer and threw pieces of chalk at Mike.
"Mind your own business." Mike mumbled, entering the third floor.
Meanwhile Peeves still tried to pick on Mike: "What´s your matter, mummy´s boy? Broken heart? No friends? No talents?"
"Just talking to a mirror, huh, Peeves?? I´d stop slagging yourself off, m´friend...." he mumbled trying to cool down again.
Still throwing chalk pieces on Mike he shouted: "Ohhh, little crybaby become rude. But no one is allowed to talk so naughty to....."
"PEEVES!!!" a third voice shouted.....
"Oh...the bloody baron....my baron. What can I do for you..."

Mike would find this situation funny: Peeves, who called him a crybaby, behaved towards the bloody baron like a little nerd and apple-polisher. But he must hit the road to the Defence classroom. A few seconds later he arrived. He saw Tasha at once, what is not very difficulty. Then he looked at the board. "Werewolves??" he thought. "Even Werewolves exists??". Things what may be normal for wizards surprised muggle-borned like Mike everytime.
"Hi all..." he said a little bit shy to all students.
"Hello, Sir!" he said to Professor Archer.
Then he just stood puzzled between the seats thinking whether he should search a seat next to Tasha or a seat very far away from her...

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah sat at her desk, quietly reading through the sparse notes she had on werewolves before class began. It was a subject she had never really had much particular interest in, so the notes were few indeed. She looked forward to adding to them once Professor Archer started his lecture. She had nearly finished reading when she felt someone take the seat to her left. She rather hoped the other seat would be left open for Dylan, but she supposed time would tell on that front.

As Tasha's words intruded into her stream of thought, she looked up, her left eyebrow arching slightly. "Yes, I recall your transaction, Miss Thomas. You are correct, I am 'the girl from the wand shop'." She watched as Tasha removed her wand from a compartment in the handle of her parasol. It was an interesting hiding place, she had to admit... though she preferred her sleeve pockets, where her wand was quickly accessible. And then, only a moment later, Tasha was asking her name. "D'rorah Philosophy," she replied, leaving off her title of Ravenclaw Prefect. The thought it always sounded very pretentious when people brandished their titles about like cheap costume jewelry. Besides, she assumed the prefects badge she had to wear on her overrobes was indication enough of her station.

Thinking the introductions and conversation over, she returned her attention to her notes and continued reading. It was odd enough to actually have anyone approach her in class, having a sustained conversation would have been pointedly anomalous. "You may wish to secure your seat," she said, directing he words at Tasha, "I believe Professor Archer will be beginning the lesson shortly."

[Kerridon Paradox]

Kerridon made his way up the stone steps to Defence, books all in his bag along with quill, ink, parchment, and anything else he might need today. His wand was in his pocket so he wouldn’t have to use any wandless, although all those who mattered probably knew about it anyway. He entered the classroom, looking about to see if there was anyone he had met previously. Yes, there was. D’rorah was at the front, apparently unharmed despite the time she had been missing. Her hair was streaked with grey strands, but other than that she was normal. Knowing he would have to report this to Dark Phoenix, his stomach dropped a little at the prospect. He had seen her expression when Mordred had called her out, and knew she had previously been tortured by the Mage. It was a shame she insisted on being so stubborn about this Shadow War. Had she even been told by Keaira or Zee of his return to Hogwarts, and the story they had been offered of why he had gone with the known followers of the mage? He still had the scars, and likely always would, to prove the time Gat had tortured him.

Next to her was Tasha. He wondered how her session with Dark Phoenix had gone, but subconsciously hoped she would have enough tact not to come and sit next to him. With his reputation as a normal student hanging by a hair, he didn’t want to tarnish her own from the lightfighters’ point of view. Picking a seat at the back of the room he got out the items needed and jotted down the title of ‘werewolves’, waiting for class to begin.

[Tommy Bryce]

Tommy traipsed his way downstairs from the Gryffindor common room. He had been awake very early today and gone down for breakfast then, so he had had plenty of time to head back up to his dormitory and get what was needed before class. He was doing okay at Hogwarts, he thought, with the small exception of being worried about his brothers. Still, he had not received a single correspondence from then via owl post, despite sending long letters home that asked them to reply so he was sure they were alright.

Entering the classroom with a slightly less chirpy face than when he had left the common room with a wave to the Fat Lady a few minutes ago, he quietly slipped into a seat in the middle of the room, getting out all that should be needed. Apparently the focus of today’s lesson was on a similar vein as the previous, with another dark creature. Jotting down the title he glanced around, not seeing many people he knew and none he was comfortable with relaxing around. Cavan nor Jason was there yet, nor Keaira for that matter, although he doubted he would have dared approach the prefect had she arrived first, so he retreated back inside his shell and waited patiently for the lesson to start. Hopefully it wouldn’t get too crowded in the room, although if his other classes were any judge that wouldn’t be an issue.

[Dylan Cooper]

Hitching his backpack more securely onto his shoulder, he grabbed a couple of books of his side table and double checked mentally that he had everything. Quite sure his bag was fully packed, he made his way out of the dormitory and down the staircase, soon to be seen by the few other stragglers as he left the common room. Books in hand, he made his way down to the next floor and traced his usual path toward Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Entering the classroom to find it bigger than any he had attended recently, he was quite surprised at such a good turn out. It made classes less personal and focused when there were more students present, but it was good to know that a lot of his peers were at least attending this class. Offering a bright hello to Professor Archer, he took a look around the room to see who in particular was here and spotted a few friends around the place. D’rorah was, of course, seated in the front row, and next to her was Tasha, the Hufflepuff he’d met briefly in Myrtle’s bathroom. Susan was near the middle along with Caitlin, and Tommy not far away. Aiden was inbetween both groups and secluded at the back were Kerridon and a Hufflepuff boy with curly hair that he’d never met before.

Choosing, inevitably, the spare seat beside his girlfriend in the front, he flicked her a smile before his bag was swung onto his desk and he promptly unzipped it, retrieving the items he would need for the class. As the satchel landed on the floor next to him, his desk was now adorned with a couple of quills, an inkpot, fresh parchment, and his Defence textbook. Looking up toward the teacher’s desk, he saw that behind it the class topic was werewolves and flicked through to the chapter concerning them and began to casually read through. He already knew a bit about werewolves considering they occasionally aligned with the Mage, but it couldn’t hurt to refresh his memory.

[scarlettcooper]

Scarlett was lost, yet again. Luckily, she'd expected it and allowed herself a large amount of time to make her way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. If she could just remember where the room was...or figure out where she was, for that matter.

She wracked her brain for any details about the class. What was the professor's name? Professor...professor...professor what? Scarlett was growing nervous now. Whatever floor she was on was a very desolate floor. There was no one to ask for directions. Think!

The Great Hall was on the ground floor. Her common room was on the seventh and highest floor. The classroom was somewhere in between, but she'd already know that much. As she came across a window, she got an idea. She looked out and tried to figure out just how high up she was. She must've been on the fifth or sixth floor.

If she hadn't come across the classroom yet, she figured going down would be her best bet. She made her way down two staircases and reasoned she must be on the third or fourth floor by now. As she began to see classrooms, she hoped it meant she must be close. Now what was the professor's name?

What letter did it begin with? Was it...L? No, no, that wasn't right. Could it be... With a sigh, Scarlett decided to just run through the alphabet. A? Suddenly, her eyes lit up. Yes! Yes, I think it's A! Professor...A. Oh, what was it!? Professor...A...Professor...Adams? No. Professor...Andrews? No, it wasn't like that at all. Professor...Arrow? That's close, I think. Professor...professor...oh, darn it!

Scarlett sighed and looked at the doors around her. None of them were her classroom. She hoped there wasn't some corridor behind some door that would lead her to her classroom. Suddenly, she noticed an open door. Through it, she could see desks and students at the desks. Going to the other side of the door, she saw a professor's desk with a professor, and a chalkboard with words. Glancing at the door, she saw it was the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom!

She was thrilled that she managed to find it and that she wasn't late. She just wished she knew what floor she was on. And that she could remember the professor's name. Timidly, she stepped through the door. No one seemed to pay any attention to her arrival, and she was slightly relieved. Glancing at the faces, she didn't seem to recognize any. Suddenly, though, she realized that the clerk from the wand shop - Ollivander's - was there.

Scarlett turned her attention to Professor...Professor what!? Professor...not Arrow. Professor...A...Ar...Ar-Arch? No! I've got it! Professor Archer! Pleased with herself, she strode up to Professor Archer's desk, much more confident than she'd previously been. "Hello, Professor," she greeted. "I'm Scarlett Cooper. I just transferred here from America. I'm a fifth year." She glanced up at the board and saw "Werewolves" written on it. She assumed that must be their topic for the lesson. "Are there lessons you'd like me to make up, sir?" she asked.

Her eyes flicked back to the other students. She wasn't sure where she should sit. Aside from the girl from Ollivander's she didn't know anyone, and that girl hardly counted. She certainly wasn't going to try to sit with her. She reasoned she could attempt to sit with someone who was alone. There weren't any large groups she could attempt to sit on the outskirts of. Holding back a nervous sigh, she quickly turned her full attention back to Professor Archer. At least she hoped it was Archer...

[Alexander Archer]

Smiling and greeting each student in turn as they entered the room, the only one that really paid him any attention more than fleeting was the last to enter. Smiling lightly at her as she greeted him, he returned it before allowing her to continue. “Well, you may want to speak to one of your classmates who’s been here throughout the year, or otherwise see me after class and I’ll let you know.” He checked his watch once more and reacted to the time, standing up from his chair and nodding lightly toward her. “Take your seat, and welcome to Hogwarts, Miss Cooper.”

Smiling in a manner that wasn’t entirely reminiscent of his usual bright self, he addressed the class. “Alright everyone, as you can see, we’ll be following up from vampires with something relatively similar; werewolves,” he said in a voice that he made sure would carry to the two boys at the back. “Everyone, open your textbooks to page one-nineteen and read over the material there. Once you’ve done that, I’d like someone to tell me firstly how we differentiate werewolves from other canines; specifically wolves, and why they’re such a unique creature.”

Taking note of who was present and who was absent in relation to the previous lesson, he turned and quickly wrote a heading for the differences on the board. After a moment or two surveying the students before him, he raised his eyebrows in sync for a moment, indicating that he was ready for answers to be given.

[Michael-Thomas Homewood]

It was very difficult...Mike, still puzzed, can´t decide where to sit down. While Profesor Archer talked to all students, Mike thought that now he should catch a seat quickly. He rushed to a place next to Tommy Bryce, still angry about Tasha, opened his bag and put some sheets of parchment and his wand on the table.
"This guy seems to be familiar. I saw him already..." he thought. "Maybe an 1st-class student, too???"
After introducing himself, Mike´s eyes went to Tasha again, and he made an angry and a bit sad face.
"Don´t distract yourself, Mike..." he thought and looked at Tommy. He whispered to him: "Hi, I´m Michael-Thomas Homewood...Hufflepuff...."