Astronomy Class 4

[Gameli Forrestor]

[If you are late for this class, just drop it for the semester. Do not PM me unless you cannot attend and you had a good reason.]

On the door to the Astronomy Tower is a simple piece of parchment with some hardly legible writing.

Set up your telescopes and have start charts ready. I will be up shortly.

Professor Forrestor

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah made her way up to the Astronomy Tower, materials packed carefully into her satchel. She hoped the weather would be clear. She intended to NEWT in this subject, and a clear night to work on her star chart would be a welcome occurrence.

She saw the piece of parchment tacked to the door and considered it for a moment, deciphering the scrawl that adorned it. Arching her eyebrow slightly, she proceeded through the door and out onto the observation deck to set up her telescope. She was the first to arrive, but that was hardly unusual for her. It took only a few minutes to assemble her telescope and set out her star chart.

Once that was ready, she waited, observing the heavens through the lens of her telescope quietly to pass the time.

[Ethan Lacroix]

Though he had no real ability with Divination, Ethan still enjoyed the way Astronomy occasionally included lessons in astrology. He of course had put little stock in the whole business of signs and portents and the zodiac growing up in the muggle world, but learning that magic was real had opened his mind quite a bit to multiple possibilities. He wasn't exceptionally good at the subject, at least not compared to the others who had been good enough to get into the high level class, but he had gotten an E on his O.W.L and so made the cut.

Reading the note left on the door, he gave a little shrug and proceeded through. It seemed very few were taking this class, or perhaps many were simply running late. Ethan hoped not, given the severe stance Professor Forrestor took with tardiness. He'd hate to see students turned away. So far though it was only him and a tall blonde whom he immediately recognized as one of the Ravenclaw Prefects. Her height and atypical dress made her quite recognizable, yet he had never been quite sure of her name. He knew it more or less, but wasn't certain how to say it.

Beginning to set up his own telescope nearby, he worked in silence for the first few moments before deciding it would be silly for them to ignore each other. Looking over to her as he worked, he sent her a little smile. "Hi, I'm Ethan. You're a Ravenclaw Prefect, yeah? Drawer-? Actually, I'll just let you tell me. I don't wanna butcher your name."

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah was examining a constellation, zooming in on a far off galaxy with her telescope in the dark emptiness of the observation deck. She was interested in the physics of the galaxy, even though she knew that most members of the magical community would frown on anything that smacked of muggle science. Technology and magic just never really seemed to get along, being two opposing methods of bringing about change in the world around them. Whatever wizards and witches had done with magic, muggles had had to compensate for with technology. Astronomy, however, was a grey area where the two worlds could collide somewhat safely.

She heard another student approach and looked up briefly to ascertain who it was. The young man looked about her age, maybe he was a year younger. Either way, it was a relief to finally be in a class without younger students. She hoped that meant the material would be challenging, that perhaps she would have time to discover or learn about something new.

She looked up again as she was addressed by the newcomer. Her eyebrow arched slightly as a half-made attempt at pronouncing her name passed his lips. [blue]"D'rorah Philosophy,"[/blue] she responded. Her head tilted ever so slightly to the side as she regarded him for a moment. [blue]"Mister Lacroix, correct?"[/blue] She made it her business to know names at least of the people at the school. She could remember Ethan Lacroix seeming to go together as a name and was fairly certain she was correct. She assumed he had intended to initiate conversation, but couldn't really think of anything she would talk to him about. [blue]"You are an American as well, are you not?"[/blue] she queried. Languages were her specialty, and accents in particular. She didn't ask the next, most logical question of how he had come to be at Hogwarts... that might lead him to reciprocate with the same question. She'd rather not have to lie if she didn't have to, and certainly she wouldn't tell the truth of that story to someone she didn't even know.

[Ethan Lacroix]

Ethan nodded and quietly repeated the name, leaving out the surname, making sure he could say it right. "D'rorah." Satisfied with that, he immediately showed a bit of surprise that she evidently knew who he was. Most students knew the Prefects, and he'd been at the school for nearly six years so he'd expect most of the Hufflepuffs to know his name, but a Ravenclaw? And one he'd never spoken with at that. He surmised that she must take her Prefect duties very seriously. Nodding again, this time more prominently, he replied with the surprise a bit obvious in his voice. "Yeah, that's me."

D'rorah's next question surprised him less. He'd noted what sounded a bit like a New York dialect, but he wasn't too sure. He was certainly no student of languages and really only had any chance of recognizing the stereotypical accents. New York, Texan, Wisconsin, a few European ones, and perhaps one or two more. Yet again he nodded, keeping his subtle smile and responding with, "I guess? I haven't been in the States since I was, let's see, nine I think? No, eleven. So a number of years of my life has been here. Here and in London I mean. At what point does one become British? Or Scottish?" A shrug went along with his somewhat silly and mostly rhetorical question.

His speech hadn't changed much since he found himself in Europe. Obviously his voice had gotten deeper, and he'd picked up a few words and phrases. He often caught himself saying "mum" rather than "mom," though it wasn't common to hear him speak of mothers at all. He had however even began to think "mum," and he thought about her quite often. Keeping the conversation going in what he hoped was an inoffensive direction, he turned a similar question back on her. "So you too hmm? Did you end up here early or transfer in, D'rorah? Er-" He considered how she had referred to him as "Mister Lacroix," and wondered if she was just confirming his last name or if she kept things a bit formal like that as a rule. "Or, I'm sorry, do you prefer Miss Philosophy?"

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah nodded slightly as Ethan repeated her name, indicating that he had the pronunciation correct. She could hear the surprise in his voice as he confirmed that she had the correct name for him. She supposed it would be a bit odd to know the name of someone she had never really met before, but he didn't question it.

She thought nine was an odd age to have migrated from the States, but didn't make any remark about it. Questions of nationality were always difficult, but it seemed a person could never really escape the circumstances or land of his or her birth. People who were born in America were always "Americans" to anyone who learned that fact about them. D'rorah had always considered herself a citizen of the world, at her father's urging... but as New York had been her birthplace and legal home for the majority of her life, she had always been and likely would always be an American.

She was preparing a mental answer for his next question but found herself slightly thrown off as he questioned a method of proper address. She was so used to everyone around here insisting on "Dee". Very few had ever reciprocated with her formal method of address since she had come to Hogwarts. [blue]"That is the method I became most accustomed to growing up."[/blue] She paused for a beat, [blue]"However, D'rorah is sufficient,"[/blue] she added. She had become aware recently that her preference for last names made others uncomfortable. [blue]"Just please, in the interest of my sanity, do not hack it to pieces."[/blue] She could almost hear the name "Dee" in a hundred different Hogwarts voices as she made the request.

She came back to his original question. [blue]"I arrived shortly before the beginning of this school year. It has been a bit of a change, acclimating to Hogwarts in the last year of my formal education. I had thought that I might perhaps stay on in the coming year as a teaching assistant... possibly with the goal of becoming a professor."[/blue] She paused, thinking that staying at Hogwarts wasn't really what she wanted... it was just necessary for her to remain here with the other Lightfighters. Personally, she'd prefer to disappear into the anonymity of the world and find somewhere to do her research. She could find a method of blending in pretty much anywhere she wished... and work could easily be found anywhere. When her father had been alive, she had considered following in his footsteps and working for the International Ministry. Too many familiar faces would be there, however, and too many of them would recall the odd young girl and the odd circumstances of her orphaning. Questions.

[blue]"And yourself, Mister Lacroix? Are you a stargazer at heart? Or have you other ambitions after finishing your sojourn here at Hogwarts?"[/blue]

[Ethan Lacroix]

Having turned back to his telescope to ensure he was constructing it correctly, Ethan gave a little chuckle as he worked, repeating D'rorah's chosen word, "Sufficient." The feeling he got from her was that she would allow that in the interest of not seeming prissy and particular, but would still prefer the more formal address. He also wasn't sure what she meant by hacking it apart, whether butchering it as he'd started to before, or actually taking it apart and only using pieces. Either way, he had no intention of disappointing her.

Having placed his eye to the telescope to check the alignment, he glanced back at her with a tiny grin. "Hardly anything at heart I think. I'm just Ethan. But I have given it some thought over the years. I'd considered Olympic fencing at one point, but I don't think I have the drive, the desire to be the best. As for careers, I dunno. I'm not even sure if I wanna work in the wizarding world or return to the muggle one, where I still reside on holidays." He finished with a crooked, one-shouldered shrug, looked through the lens once more, then continued as he made some adjustments.

"But you said you just transferred in this year, Miss Philosophy? School year I mean. It's weird. I've heard that attendance lately is way down from what it was a decade or so ago, yet it seems we've had an astounding number of transfers this year. I feel my previous five years almost wasted given how many faces roam the halls that I don't rightly know. It's almost like, I dunno, like people are gathering here." He waved his hand and half-shrugged again as he checked the alignment once more, dismissing his impromptu theory. "Guess I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth though. I'm glad there are more students this year."

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah tilted her head ever so slightly to the side as she regarded Ethan and his tiny grin while he answered her latest question. The mention of fencing caught her attention in particular. His apparent lack of any major drive or direction was shrugged off as he glanced back through the lens of his telescope. At the least, it seemed he preferred precision in some matters. Perhaps that meant his grades were important to him. He continued to talk, so she assumed the telescope wasn't merely a diversion being used to end the conversation.

[blue]"Fencing..."[/blue] she remarked thoughtfully, trailing off. But already Ethan had picked up the conversation once again. She arched an eyebrow slightly as he postulated that people were gathering at Hogwarts. [blue]If only he knew...[/blue] she thought grimly. She hoped she would soon convince Master Xiu of the necessity of making this conflict public. The innocent bystanders would be safer, she thought, and perhaps they would even find new allies more quickly.

It was problematic, of course, but she couldn't see it being avoided forever. "[blue]Hogwarts seems a logical place for people to gather,"[/blue] she remarked, turning her own attention back through the lense of her telescope. "[blue]It is the most prestigious wizarding school in all of Europe, and quite well-known even in other parts of the world. As it is only my first year attending, I have little idea what the typical transfer rate might be."[/blue] She studied the sky for a moment longer before looking up.

She was still intrigued by the idea of fencing. It was a slightly different method of swordplay than she typically used, but she would welcome a competent sparring partner if she could find one. [blue]"How long have you been fencing?"[/blue] she asked casually. [blue]"And what is your preferred instrument? Foil, sabre, or epee?"[/blue] Her own swords would fall under the category of sabres, but most people who spoke of fencing meant foils. She looked up from her lens, waiting to see what his answer would be.

[Ethan Lacroix]

Momentarily distracted from his work by what seemed an odd statement, Ethan looked back to D'rorah quizzically when she claimed Hogwarts as a logical place to gather. She however had in turn gone back to gazing through her own telescope. Was she agreeing with him, affirming that something beyond the norm was happening? He wasn't left wondering for long as she elaborated on her point only moments later. Apparently she had only meant that in the wizarding world, Hogwarts was quite famous and so tended to draw attention. Of course he'd heard tidbits of that before, but didn't really know. With a tiny shrug, he went back to his own precise for a few seconds before pulling out his star charts and looking them over. "I suppose. I had no inkling of the wizarding world before I got my letter, so it's almost the whole of my knowledge of this fantastic reality."

Going back and forth between looking at his charts and confirming the positioning of his telescope, a slow grin formed as D'rorah inquired about his favorite pastime. Mostly satisfied with his setup, he left it alone and turned his full attention to the Ravenclaw. "I got started in it about eight years ago, through unusual happenstance. Of course when I started at Hogwarts my time devoted to fencing dropped considerably. I still practice my forms and footwork on my own but..." He gestured to his telescope and then all around, as if that showed plainly enough how much less time he had. Ethan considered a moment before answering the second question. He of course had his various preferences for various reasons, but had to think how to phrase it without belittling the styles and weapons he didn't prefer.

"Well, they each have their merits and I've used all three. When I first started I kinda had some issues to work out and I always went for the epee or saber since the target area is larger and you can slash with the saber. I dunno though, as time passed and (I like to think) I grew in maturity, I gravitated toward the foil. I like the precision and finesse of the weapon, which seem even greater than the other choices. Mainly though it's all the rules: the smaller target area, the restricted footwork, the right of way and priority. It puts me in mind of classical dueling rather than mere brawling, where you weren't just seeking to defeat you opponent. You had to do so with honor and respect and whatnot." Eyes traveling up to the night sky for a moment, he seemed to hesitate before expressing his final thought. "It just seems less barbaric." The final statement was followed closely by another half-shrug, as if it were a disclaimer that all he'd said was simply his own opinion and other, conflicting viewpoints were just as valid.

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah nodded slightly as Ethan mentioned not having known about the wizarding world before receiving his Hogwarts letter. She assumed that meant he was muggle born, but wasn't inclined to do anything as rude as enquire after his birth. One way or another, it didn't make any difference to her. She knew plenty of competent witches and wizards of many varying lineages and backgrounds. Ability had little to do with bloodline, in her experience.

She listened to Ethan's comments on fencing, understanding all too well how easy it was to get so busy that finding time to practice was hard. As he commented on having gravitated toward the foil with maturity, she thought of her own wish that she would be able to practice her swordsmanship purely as an art form, rather than as a skill necessary for survival. It was still an art form, but peace was certainly her preference.

[blue]"Barbaric?"[/blue] D'rorah's eyebrow arched sharply as he finished speaking about fencing. She pursed her lips slightly, a slight twitch tugging at the corner of her lip before she turned her attention back to her telescope. She'd never before thought of herself as a barbarian. Of course, Ethan hadn't directly said that. She'd made the association on her own... even so, the association had been made.

She didn't offer any futher conversation, gazing intently at nothing through the lens of her telescope. Her adjustments had already been made and her star chart was set out. With nothing further to divert her attention, she became very interested in the small slice of the heavens viewable through the lens.

[Ethan Lacroix]

Ethan had been reluctant to describe his preference that way. It sounded judgmental and belittling, but it had been the word that came to mind, so he'd gone with it. He immediately regretted it. The boy didn't need a strong sense of empathy to know D'rorah had been, at least to some degree, offended. He opened his mouth to utter an apology, leaning towards her with his hands up as if he were going to literally smooth over some ruffled feathers. Nothing came out though.

She seemed content to ignore him, and any attempt to kick-start the conversation again may have had unfortunate results. Arms dropping to his sides, Ethan resolved to let it go for now, and find her later to apologize. It might go over better when she wasn't so freshly insulted. He did wonder though how exactly his words had offended her. Was she also a fencer, who preferred a different weapon? Was someone close to her? He supposed it didn't really matter and he wouldn't inquire. This girl seemed to appreciate her privacy. Turning back to his equipment with a tiny sigh, he once more inspected everything to ensure it was ready for when the professor arrived.

[Gameli Forrestor]

"Good evening." came the calm, deep voice of the Professor. Gameli walked inside, or rather outside, clothed in his wizarding robes. Dark eyes scanned and evaluated his students, his face revealing nothing. Since he was new here, he had ended up having to read up on their charts. D'rorah Philosophy was apparently a prized student for the teachers, being the Ravenclaw Prefect and all. It was interesting since she was so new yet so well recommended. She seemed to have a genuine interest in the class, but he did not want to many any judgments, positive or negative, without personal experience.

The other student had previous experience in the classes and had the grades to back it up. His record was a bit more extensive, so he was looking forward to seeing what the boy knew.

"I'm Professor Gameli Forrestor, although Professor Forrestor will do." he nodded to his two students "This is it for the semester, so I do hope you'll get along. Since it is just two students, I'd like to ensure that things progress on a friendly and academically intimate level. You two will be able to learn much because of the small classroom environment, so I expect you to ask me anything you feel that needs to be asked. With that said, since I am new to Hogwarts, I think it only proper for me to give you a bit about myself and that I learn a bit about you before we begin.

"I'm a graduate of a Muggle University for Astronomy, although I attended Hogwarts during my teenage years. I was in Hufflepuff, so it is good to see a fellow housemate interested in Astronomy." he smiled a bit at Ethan, although his smile didn't seem to make him look less stern "I am in my late twenties and this is my first time giving instructions to students of an official compacity, although I have taught informally before. I have always held an interest in Astronomy, although it was not always my primary vocation." he crossed his arms "Despite this being my official chance at teaching you, I assure you that I'm quite knowledgable in my field and I've truly enjoyed teaching when I was able. I expect nothing but the best from my students and will grade you accordingly, so I hope you're here to take this class seriously. If you are, since this class is optional, I'm sure you'll learn much and, hopefully, enjoy yourselves."

He waved a hand at his two students "That's all that needs to be said about myself, why don't you two introduce yourselves briefly and then we'll get into tonight's lesson."

[D'rorah Philosophy]

D'rorah looked up from her telescope lens as Professor Gameli entered the room with a greeting. He looked serious and sounded intelligent at first meeting. She felt his eyes move first over herself and then over Ethan, apparently taking in the only two upper year students who were taking the class at the moment. She listened quietly, hands folded before her as he introduced himself to them.

Her ears perked up slightly at hearing he had graduated from a muggle university. She wondered if that meant they might learn physics in the class instead of just mapping of stars and magical methods of astronomy. She knew he wouldn't have a problem with her if he expected the best; she had no intention of doing anything other than her best... just as she did in all of her classes. When the invitation was opened to introduce themselves, D'rorah glanced in Ethan's direction briefly before returning her gaze to the professor to begin introducing herself. After all, there was no cause to be uncivil, even if she didn't believe there would be much interaction between them in the coming classes.

((ooc: I'm assuming Ethan, in his usual humble style, would have nodded her ahead to speak first... if that's wrong, let me know and I'll mod )

Her gaze was calm and polite as she began to spoke, though she didn't offer a smile or anything other than a neutral expression. [blue]"My name is D'rorah Philsoophy, Professor. I transferred to Hogwarts at the beginning of the school year from Falstaffs in New York City. I have studied Astronomy throughout my education, and am earning my N.E.W.T. in the subject. I was hoping we might practice some physics over the remainder of the semester."[/blue] It probably wasn't anything he hadn't already read in her file, but she didn't really think there was much call to give a long, drawn-out history to introduce herself to the class. If he wanted anything more specific, she'd wait until it was asked for before giving it. The comment about physics was a last-minute addition, but she figured it would be good to express some expectation about the class at the beginning.

[Ethan Lacroix]

((No problem at all. Ethan's fairly predictable in some circumstances.))

Glad that the Professor entered then, Ethan wasn't sure he could have really handled the tension that he felt had accumulated in the "room." It was rare for him to get off on the wrong foot with somebody who wasn't actively trying to not get along with people, and so he wasn't quite sure how to deal with it. As the professor spoke, he subconsciously sat straighter in his chair, the man's no nonsense attitude giving him the impression that a blatantly casual posture wouldn't be appreciated. He returned the man's smile with a small grin of his own, glad that, while strict, Professor Forrestor wasn't downright unfriendly. It also comforted him that the professor's higher education had been in the realm of muggles. With Ethan's background before Hogwarts, he still felt he knew nearly as much about science as he did about magic.

Thinking of nodding to D'rorah and offering a playful "ladies first," he decided against it given what had already taken place. Instead, he was glad that she looked to him for a moment, and simply gave her a slight nod, his expression neutral. Waiting for her to finish, he found that her evident hopes for the class weren't far from his own. Speaking up once she was done, he pointedly kept his own tone a bit lighter, more nonchalant. "I'm Ethan, Professor Forrestor. I've been at Hogwarts for five and a half years now, and didn't have any knowledge of magic before that. Both my parents were muggles. I'm also hoping for a N.E.W.T. in Astronomy, and mainly took the class because it seems one of those rare subjects of interest to both worlds, magic and muggle. I'm undecided which world I want to pursue a career in, you see. So I'm also looking forward to the science aspect your class may provide."

Smiling once more and finding he was looking forward to the class quite a bit despite (or because of) knowing it would be challenging, Ethan sat and waited to see where Professor Forrestor would take them first.

[Gameli Forrestor]

The Professor nodded, "Well, I certainly have my work cut out for me."

He was impressed that the two students wanted to learn more about Astronomy outside of the basic magical concepts of it.

"Teaching the physics aspect of Astrology isn't really in the scope of what you need to learn," he said honestly "However, it is not as if I cannot teach it to you. Since I only have two students for this class, I don't see why we can't discuss it. Just understand that you won't be tested on this, it will simply be for classroom discussion. Don't get it confused with what you need to learn to properly pass your N.E.W.Ts."

With that, he gave them each a star chart. "I'm sure you're aware of what a Star Chart is and how it's used. Star Charts are focused on when it comes to both exams you must take as a student here in Hogwarts, but for two such as you, I am sure you will find what you have to chart simple tasks. So for now, we'll do the discussion aspect of this class. What sort of Astronomy issues would you like me to discuss first? What has you intrigued so far?"