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Post by Alessandro Darko on Nov 9, 2007 12:39:12 GMT -5
Upon hearing D'rorah's protest of learning anything to do with Elemental Magic, he slowly picked up on the fact that his blatant ignorance could connect him to the Lightfighters. What he had failed to realize was overshadowed by what he was trying to do. He was hoping that if someone was serving the Mage, he would notice some bizzare twitch, sudden movement, expression of shock. As he knew it was a somewhat obscure branch of magic, he felt perfectly valid in asking to learn more of it. He hadn't notice anyone shift suddenly as he requested that to be a topic on the class curriculum, but he did feel a familiar sensation in his mind.
It was that same tingling sensation that usually made itself present when Dee or Keaira entered his mind. It almost felt like a small pressure at the back of his mind. He quirked his head to the right trying to see behind him to see if it was D'rorah that was the cause of this sudden mind probe. He quickly put up his fiery barriers that he had practiced with her during Occlumency sessions and began to focus on the intricate details of the flames dancing in his mind.
He pushed back violently causing the flame barrier to flare up with intensity.
GET OUT OF MY HEAD! He thought loudly, trying to push back the silent invader. He felt the pressure and the tingling abate slowly, yet he still maintained the intensity of his firewall.
His expression was neutral as he had been looking down at his book, flipping through the pages casually that were depicting Ancient Greece, Turkey, and Rome.
Just then the teacher began to speak about the origins of magic and what exactly it was. The door burst open, yielding a tardy Ravenclaw. Alessandro smirked to himself as he regarded the third year girl who sat behind him initially in Ancient Runes. She seemed nice enough. He would have to make more of an effort to get to know her as the year went on.
She murmured her apology and sat behind Quin, the local nuisance. Remembering that Professor Faye had mentioned that they had the right to just call out answers, he spoke up.
"Isn't magic an external force in which we "magic folk" have the ability to manipulate by the power of our wills?...Or was it an internal force that we are born with that allows us to manipulate external factors...." He said trailing off as he began to confuse himself.
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Post by kailee on Nov 9, 2007 14:17:11 GMT -5
”Sorry I’m late, I thought I was going to charms.”
Kailee turned her head to the direction of the door where another student, a Slytherin this time, came in and found her seat. “It’s quite all right Quin, just come and sit.” A smile came across her face and she watched Quin’s creature emerge and begin to bother Jason, a student of her own house.
She stood and moved to the front of the room, taking up residence on her desk again. It seemed that perhaps the chair it had come with would prove unnecessary. She looked to Jason who almost seemed as if he wanted to say something but was hoping against hope that she would not direct the class to his attention. “Anyone?” Her eyes flicked through the room and she made contact with each student. One of which she noticed was flipping inconsequently. “There are no wrong answers with discussion, such as this.”
Another Ravenclaw came in the door… ”Sorry, I lost track of time, and…” Kailee smiled again and rolled her eyes a little. “It seems that our clock is just a few minutes ahead of schedule,” she said, her voice light and pleasant. The late arrival of students was the least of her worries, particularly on the first day. She was more concerned with the amount of participation… Perhaps her plan of class discussion would not work the way she wanted it to.
Finally, the looming silence was broken by the student who had been flipping through the text.
"Isn't magic an external force in which we "magic folk" have the ability to manipulate by the power of our wills?...Or was it an internal force that we are born with that allows us to manipulate external factors...."
The words External Force vs. Internal Force appeared on the board and Kailee smiled and stood, leaning against the desk. “How did you know that is precisely the direction?” As she spoke, she brandished her wand, causing the desks unoccupied by students to lift themselves from the ground and walk into the corner, making a perfect pyramid stack. “Because clearly, that was magic,” she said, waving her wand in the direction of the windows that opened and closed themselves several times with a set of loud bangs. “And that is magic as well!” She yelled, her voice trying to overcome the sound of the windows. The windows stopped and the desks remained still in their pile.
“But what do you think causes it? Is the magic an external force which myself, and all of you in this room for that matter, are able to harness – or is it something from inside of us that allows us to harness and manipulate… There are no wrong answers in discussion… There are also no wrong answers for this question, but I would love to hear your thoughts.”
As a student Kailee had a particular disinterest in courses which were primarily lecture, but if that’s what her students wanted, unfortunately that is what she would have to give them. She hoped for the best as she sat back down on her desk, legs dangling.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Nov 10, 2007 2:50:16 GMT -5
D'rorah was paying little attention to the class suddenly, having been quite distracted by the feeling of a rather strange series of mental energies flowing in the room. The first she had hardly noticed, a mere brushing that had skittered across the edges of her awareness and been promptly forgotten. Alessandro's brutal recoil, however, had drawn her immediate attention. His particular flavor of occlumency was unmistakable, fitting an Elemental Master of Fire. Her senses of sight and hearing were alert. She remembered how painful the recoil had been when he had fought against her during their impromptu occlumency lessons and was certain whomever had attempted to peer into his thoughts would have at least some physical reaction.
Was is possible the professor truly had no inkling of the mental war that had seemingly just begun in her own class? Of course, so few were even aware of the frequencies which carried thoughts, not noticing when they were altered or when there were sudden bursts of activity. She was one of the unlucky few, like Keaira, who was born with a sensitivity to these frequencies. It proved both a help and a hindrance, depending on what else was occurring at any giving time.
She raised her voice to weigh in on the discussion, keeping her attention divided between the mental war in the room, trying to decipher exactly what had happened.
"It would make sense that magic is an internal force of members of the magical community. This is why places where large numbers of magical species gather tend to strongly affect technologies and such. Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, and Orizont Alley are all places in which most muggle technologies will not function properly due to the concentration of magical energy present. Though..." she trailed off for a moment. "I have heard of places known as magical voids, in which one cannot use magic. They are very few, and most debate their existence. If those stories are true, it would offer evidence that magic is indeed an external force. And then, perhaps, simply the manipulation of magical energy is what wreaks such havoc on devices of muggle technology," she concluded thoughtfully. She hadn't really given one conclusive answer, merely presented a few theories which happened to fall out of her brain at the moment.
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on Nov 10, 2007 4:22:09 GMT -5
A fiery barrier flared up immediately, making his fists clench together and his face contort for a miniscule second. He was glad he was at the front of the class, where none of his fellow classmates could see anything but his back.
He listened to his classmates replies before speaking up himself.
"I believe that with either theory there is debate as to how it is passed on. If it is a genetic anomaly or mutation that allows us to possess an internal force, then that would explain how it is passed on through wizarding lines. Squibs would be those who do not receive the gene, and muggleborns would be those whose genes mutate for the first time in a family.
However, as for Miss Philosophy's argument of muggle technologies not working in areas of large population, would it not also make sense if "magic folk" were drawn to areas where there was the highest amount of this external force to manipulate? When places such as Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley were first created, there were no muggle technologies around, so we do not know if those technologies topped working as the number of magical people in the areas increased, or whether they never worked there in the first place."
All this time he was poking gently around at the Ravenclaw's shield, trying to find a gap or weak spot. The fiery nature of his shield made him think of something - could this be the Elemental Master of Fire? That was likely too good to be true, but he still held his suspicions.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Nov 11, 2007 3:03:17 GMT -5
Alessandro still kept his mental firewall going strong as he continued to interact in class. D'rorah spoke up about the magical nature of the wizarding world being an inherent trait, and that may be the reason that certain muggle devices wont work in areas of the wizarding world that contain a high traffic of magic folk. He somewhat agreed with her, but he still couldn't make up his mind on whether or not the force was internal or external. Then Kerridon spoke up, the boy of his own house he had yet to meet. It seemed as though he was educated well and worthy of wearing his blue striped tie.
Alessandro listened to what both D'rorah and Kerridon had to say before offering up his own mental workings on the subject. "Well, couldn't the voids cancel out magic even if it was an internal force as well?" He asked turning to face D'rorah as he was actually enjoying the discussion they were having. "I mean, one could theorize that magical voids cancel out any extraneous power, but couldn't it do the same if it were true that we carry the magic within ourselves?" He added. "And, if magic were an external force....Kerridon has a point that there would be more concentrated areas of said force, leading me to believe that if it were in fact an external force, it must be present everywhere outside of these voids, if we are able to do magic anywhere...being able to apparate to a location just by thinking, usage of portkeys et cetera...." He said as his cogs were turning behind his veil of flames.
He was sure that the perpetrator was someone other than D'rorah or Keaira. The tingling sensation was the same, however, it would be quite unlike the two girls he knew to be telepaths, to just poke around in his mind without permission, or making their presence known. His eyes scanned the class behind and around him as he had swiveled around to face Dee.
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Post by Keaira O'Connell on Nov 11, 2007 9:48:30 GMT -5
Keaira knew that she had felt a little weird when she sat next to Alessandro, the problem was that she didn’t focus on trying to discover why that was until after she realized it was too late. What had started as only a slight buzzing sound in the back of her mind suddenly flared red hot. It was by the sheer grace of the class that she wasn’t actually doing anything when she felt the recoil from Alessandro. Her mind simply went through a slight shock as she realized what the boy next to her was capable of. Keaira couldn’t help but be thankful she wasn’t on the primary receiving end of that flare up.
As she listened to the classes responses around her she thought back to her torturing as a child. Professor McGovern had truly been a great teacher. Allowing her the freedom to develop her own theories on magic, and how it works. As she had grown she had found that she more and more agreed with one of the things she had come up with. It was in your DNA. Either you inherited the trait that allowed you to manipulate the magical forces you were gifted with, or you didn’t. Magic is in every one. It’s just that some, like your average muggle, never learn to tap in to it.
Keaira mused on the thought for a little while, wondering if a muggle could actually learn to tap in to the magical current that coursed through their veins with enough hard work and effort. After all, some Squibs do learn how to perform simple magic. If they can tap in to it why couldn’t a muggle. She let her mind focus on that thought, as the class around her progressed.
With her outward thoughts focused on the question at hand she internally worked on some deductive reasoning. Thinking about who it was that might have caused Alessandro to react so violently. Something just nagged at Keaira that simply said there was some one they couldn’t trust in this room. As she mentally swept her memory, she remembered they were four people in the classroom when she first felt the weird buzzing as the mental signal passed around her. Four including the teacher, some one that Keaira didn’t think had caused that. After all if she was in fact the reason, Keaira feared that she would have pushed through Alessandro's mind by now and he would have sent some kind of distress signal to either her or Dee. Even if it was as simple as grabbing Keaira hand, and squeezing it hard enough to convey the message. So in reality there were only really three. All of them students, two Gryffindors and a Ravenclaw.
Her next process went onward to who was here when his mind flared from the intrusion. By that point two more girls had joined the class, and it possibly rose the count to 5, if the first buzzing she had felt was not the intruder. As she thought about the 5 students she let what she knew of each of them filter through her mind. She didn’t even know the one Gryffindors name, nothing about him at all in fact. The other was Jason, a very skittish boy, nervous all the time, or maybe just around girls, but he seemed to know Alessandro. A Ravenclaw was the third person. She didn’t know his name either. He seemed smart. But aren’t all Ravenclaw’s? Keaira knew that there was plenty to analysis; however she intended to do so later. Right now there was something else she could do.
Keaira took a small moment to prepare herself. Mentally setting her own guard in place, ready to protect her mind, and the facts she knew if it came down to it she knew it would be necessary. After her own mind was guard, she then turned her mental guard to Alessandro. His barrier was strong, but she hoped to accomplish something else with her next move. Keaira went to work, setting her own guard around Alessandro’s. Building up a brick wall to keep him twice as safe. She knew their was a risk that the intruder would try and trace her mental signature to her own mind. But that was why she had set her own barriers up. With her mind furiously at work she simply allowed her body to dip her quill in to the blue ink she had set up, and she started making a small chart much like the one the professor had set up. Using blue for the titles, and then red for the categories. After which she moved to the green to copy down some of the theories that were formed about magic. Better look busy, or you might get called on and asked your opinions.
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Post by kailee on Nov 12, 2007 5:05:22 GMT -5
Pleased and thankful that D’rorah had broken the silence though her mind seemed outside the classroom; Kailee smiled as a few words appeared on the board: magical places, magical voids, muggle technology… Before she could respond to D’rorah’s comments however, she noticed a boy in the front row who made some sort of very quick and well squelched violent gesture. He spoke as if nothing had happened and though for the moment, she pretended that it was nothing, Kailee made note of it. The words genetics/genes, mutation appeared on the board. As this student continued to speak, it seemed to Kailee as if something was brewing inside of him, just beneath the surface where she could not see it, or certainly at least not attempt to see it in the classroom setting. It was extremely pleasing to Kailee that she should have such a difficult time getting a word in edgewise and the words apparition, portkeys appeared on the board. The student who had offered up the answer also seemed to have his thoughts elsewhere… The girl who sat next to him even seemed to be affected, though she scratched some notes down with her quill. Now was neither the time nor the place to investigate these disturbances in the only way she could think of.
“All good points, certainly and it gives us so much to think about. Hopefully, you have seen that there is no right answer for the question,” her voice remained calm and cheerful, though through her head, a multitude of explanations for these disturbances in her classroom formed. “Now for that short portion of our class which must be a lecture…”
“To put this in the simplest terms, magic is a natural force that can be used to override the usual laws of nature. This natural force is approached in an entirely scientific way. It is arguable that magic cannot be entirely internal, what about ordinary creatures and objects that can act with magical properties? Post owls… Portraits… And on the other hand, a natural, external force could be seen in our magical creatures. Clearly, the ability to ‘tap into’ these abilities is only available to a very small percentage of human beings, known of course as witches and wizards. The ability is inherited, carried on dominant resilient genes and of course is the norm for the children of magical parents. We know of course that there are exceptions and they are found in muggleborns and squibs. In contrast to the wizarding/muggle community, there are far more muggleborns than squibs, which is yet another argument for the internal force or genetics….”
Kailee was now leaning against the desk again, as keywords from little speech appeared on the board for the students. “Your homework,” she spoke suddenly, breaking the silence that continued to plague the classroom. A large pile of leather-bound notebooks lifted out of a box next to the professor’s desk and each one landed with a plop on student’s desk. “…is to write about your own personal abilities and history of magic as it pertains to you… Particularly whether you feel your abilities have been affected more by the external, natural force of magic or the internal, genetic force of magic.”
It was a daunting task, that she knew and she hoped that perhaps it would not be as difficult for the students as she feared. “Again, no wrong answers as we discuss and document these theories. I certainly do not require a laundry list of every spell and ability that you have acquired, but more a general feeling of your skills and abilities.”
There was a bit of a shuffle as students realized that the assigning of homework meant the end of the course for the day. “Anyone requiring assistance would do well to see me in my office. I’m there more often than not and would be happy to meet with any of you on a one-on-one basis to discuss these theories or perhaps give you a direction on this assignment. Next class, we will do a brief recap of today’s events and start on the world of the magical and mysterious Ancient Egypt. I will be available after class as well, if you have any questions.”
Kailee was unable to shake that feeling of mental disturbance and for whatever reason, flicked her wand, opening a few of the windows and allowing a fresh breeze in, as if it would help. She smiled. The class had gone well… If not for the questionable events…. “Class dismissed,” she said, moving around and taking a seat again on her desk and waiting for the room to clear.
((OOC: Hmm... For homework, I'll create a thread in my office.))
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Kerridon Paradox
Ravenclaw
[blue]6th Year Ravenclaw[/blue]
One loss locked me in the heart of misery... but you had the key to set me free
Posts: 317
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Post by Kerridon Paradox on Nov 12, 2007 14:10:16 GMT -5
Kerridon realised immediately when another person put up a arrier around the boy's mind. So there was definitely something in there worth protecting... He glanced at his watch and saw with much disappointment that there was nowhere near enough time to try and trace the new barrier. Indeed, just as he did so the professor began to wrap up the lesson. He attempted one final push through the double barrier and labelled it a lost cause, at least on this occasion. He'd have to keep an eye on his fellow Ravenclaw, to make sure he didn't miss an opportunity to break into the boy's mind.
He jotted down the homework and began to pack away, finally halting the attempted legilimency altogether. As he turned, he took in the other students in the classroom, particularly the Ravenclaw and those around him. He would remember their faces and find out who was protecting the boy's mind. Of course, there was always the chance that it was D'rorah rather than any other student, but he'd rather not take that chance right now.
He left the classroom with a small nod to both the teacher and D'rorah, already planning.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Nov 12, 2007 14:34:33 GMT -5
D'rorah had noticed someone moving to assist with barriering Alessandro's mind and assumed it would have to be Keaira. Though, it did seem as though he had things well in control as far as a barrier was concerned. She thought she might trace to see where the probe was coming from, but found that plan cut short for time as Professor Faye announced the dismissal of class. The offending mental energy was withdrawn as quickly as it had appeared, and she was left with no answers. Gathering her things, she refrained from casting a glance at Alessandro, knowing that the attacker might have been waiting for just such a display as confirmation of a connection between the two.
It seemed that keeping the identity of the lightfighters secret was going to become more and more difficult as time began to wear on. Shouldering her satchel, she turned and headed from the room without a word from anyone, her mind working furiously to understand what had just happened in that classroom.
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Post by Dylan Cooper on Nov 12, 2007 19:41:05 GMT -5
Feeling as though just about anything would perhaps be significantly more peaceful than the havoc that was his mind, Dylan vaguely distinguished that class had ended. Raising his head from its resting place on the desk before him, he saw that D'rorah had already left. His eyebrows furrowing slightly, the action was soon abated as he realised that it would do no good to feel any negativity about the matter; he could by no means expect her to dote upon him now, especially not when he was quite obviously so unresponsive.
Slumping from his chair, he jolted the light satchel onto his back and proceeded from the classroom, the homework Professor Faye had announced circulating in his mind as well as the many other, more upsetting thoughts. His head and gaze downcast, he departed the room without indicating, or at least acknowledging, anyone or anything.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Nov 21, 2007 3:18:46 GMT -5
Alessandro quickly gathered his things into his bag, casting a wide glance around the room, his eyes passing over Keaira. He knew she had enforced his barrier and was thankful for that, but was now really perplexed as to whom was trying to invade his most personal area that was reserved for no one but himself. His eyes passed over D'rorah as she left, and Dylan as he followed suit. Alessandro stood up and hoisted his bag over his shoulder, looking at the chalk board, mentally burning the homework assignment into his memory.
"Great class, Professor Faye!" He said enthusiastically as he undid th clasp to his robes, exposing his uniform. He turned to Keaira and smiled to her. "See ya later then?" He said in sort of a queried statement before turning and walking out of the classroom.
Something is not quite right.... He though as he sent one last glance over his shoulder at the room before walking out, Kerridon Paradox being the last person he saw before his view obscured and focused on the corridor in front of him.
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