#2 [COMC] - 5th years

Oscar was very relieved when he reached the edge of the forest and saw that he was on time. On his walk down he had been a little worried that he would still be late somehow and that he would then be banned from taking the class for the year. That would have quickly put a stop to him having a good year.

His worry was for nothing though, as other people were still arriving too. Happy that he was (probably) not going to be kicked straight out, he waved hello to Professor Fairburn and then wandered over to stand by Arthur.

Seeing as class had not started yet, he took the time to look for any clues about what they might be learning.

There was something dripping from the Professor’s jacket. Drool, maybe? Oscar squinted, trying to see better. Or it could have just been water, he supposed.

That was not much to go on. Maybe he would just have to wait for the lesson to start. That was a shame, but not too surprising.

There were so many different creatures out there, he was not sure how he could narrow it down with so few clues.

For all he knew the possible drool might not even have anything to do with their lesson anyway. Professor Fairburn could have just been checking up on other creatures before their class. She must have had a busy morning already if that was the case.

Following her fellow classmates to the edge of the forest, Amber was really excited for COMC. Taking care of magical creatures and being in nature reminded her a little bit of home. Maybe that was also why it was her favorite class.

"Morning, Professor!", Amber greeted Fairburn as she spotted her.

Seeing her reminded her about the beasts fair in summer. Noticing the potentional drool coming of her jacket, Amber thought 'So, I guess no Niffler today? And no Griffin.'

If the drool was any indication about the lesson. Nevertheless, Amber was excited what would follow.

Being a little bit behind Joshua, she couldn't quite see his face as he talked to Professor Fairburn, but it would have been quite thrilling to hear about adventures with dragons from her. If she met some.

Amber joined the little group of Hufflepuffs and heard Joshua mentioning the drool.

"Definitely staff change. No lover of magical creatures can't love drool, right?", she answered with a smirk.

It wasn't lost on Professor Fairburn that she seemed to have a Hufflepuff majority taking this class, of her new 5th year group. But if she had 1 student or 20, it didn't matter. She was happy to see them and continue their magical education on such an important topic.

She smiled and returned greetings, then turned as a Twiggs asked a more thorough question.

'Yet another busy summer for me.' Fairburn nodded at Joshua. 'A few rescues, of course. I saw a wonderfully rare Mooncalf dance. Helped Rochinda run an educative Beasts Fair in Diagon Alley... when I wasn't in Romania, tending to a Swedish Snortsnout. She had a bit of a cold, and only trusted those who'd originally rescued her. She's on the mend now.'

When everyone was there, she tucked away the roll. Fairburn's eagerness shone in her gaze, as she gestured them to follow her towards the forest -- in the direction of the Beast Reserve. They didn't venture that far, but it was assumed that whatever they'd be dealing with today was at least somewhat protected or vulnerable. 

They arrived at a lush field surrounded by trees. It was well-hidden, and no part of Hogwarts could be seen from where they gathered. Unusually, there were no pens or anything. Just a group of large creatures lazing in the grass. They were bear-sized dogs with fluffy manes, huge paws, and dragon-like whiskers. They sat up when the students arrived, sniffing the air curiously and attentively.

'Snarlpogs,' Professor Fairburn said with immense pride and awe. 'They're highly emotional, magical creatures who still aren't fully understood or extensively studied. When staring, their pupils glow -- an act known as reading the soul, which they use to determine if the person is friend or foe,' she explained, pausing to allow them to take notes.

A Snarlpog gave a huge yawn, which was about as cute as a puppy's yawn -- despite the loudness and the animal's sheer size. Another wagged its tail, panting as it eyed the students and clearly wanted to approach. It remained sat there though, observing each of them as if trying to tell students apart or learn more.

There was intelligence in their eyes that was rather amazing and humbling. Even with how little they knew about them so far, the students could tell there was something incredibly unique and magical about a Snarlpog.

'Before we begin, my freshly-minted O.W.L students...' Fairburn looked around her 5th year class. 'Many among us would have heard the name of this creature before. Can you tell me how or why?'

She awaited raised hands, trying to predict who knew the answer.

Joshua felt his chest swell up a little bit with joy when both Amber and Arthur responded amused to his question. Just the reaction he had been aiming for!

Fairburn answered his question about her summer and he gladly listened, the COMC professor always had intruiging stories to tell.

"A Swedish Shortsnout?!", he repeated in awe. So she had seen a dragon!

He tried to exchange an excited glance with Amber. One of these days he would like to see one for himself - from a safe distance. He was in no particular hurry to have his bones reduced to ash in a matter of seconds, like he had heard their fire could do.

He wondered if there was a charm to simulate blue flames that weren't hot and no fire hazard. His head was already filling with new ideas when the class finally moved into the Beast Reserve.

The second he saw those gigantic dogs, he knew for a fact that this lesson would be an interesting one and he listened to Faiburn's explanation, musing over why the world 'Snarlpog' sounded so familiar.
He rummaged through his backpack to fish out some parchment and a quill to take down some key points about the Snarlpog.

But it was difficult to concentrate on note taking when some of those creatures seemed to be so eager to meet them.
He looked around the clearing, hoping to spot any Snarlpog-sized dog toys.

He wasn't too worried about the reading of the soul part, however fascinating it was. After all, he was no one's foe. Only friend.

He smiled at the Snarlpog that was wagging its tail, although tried not to show any teeth in case that might frighten it.

Ah! - He looked at Arthur when he gave an answer to the question. Lucky him, had a cheat code in his own wand!

'That is correct, Hocking; Snarlpog Whiskers are a type of wand core,' Professor Fairburn said, giving him a warm smile. '2 points to Hufflepuff. You will likely have an easier time of this lesson, with such a special wand core already connecting you to these wonderfully magical beasts.'

A few of his classmates eyed Arthur either in awe or enviously.

'As stated, the whiskers are commonly used as wand cores -- though are only effective when willingly given,' Fairburn said. 'It's often a mark of a reputable wandmaker if any of their wands contain this core. When willingly given, the whiskers immediately grow back.'

A Snarlpog yawned widely, making a little squeak of relaxation that startled itself. It looked around, confused, then stretched similar to a cat. Though alert of their surroundings and curious of the students, each were rather content to be there.

As Fairburn continued to educate the students, it became apparent why she'd had them gather at a considerable further distance from the Snarlpogs than might be typical for a Care of Magical Creatures class.

'If a Snarlpog senses emotional unrest, which they cannot differentiate between that or physical injury, it becomes fiercely protective,' she explained. 'Historically, they were known for restraining or subduing aggressive dragons to protect those in harm's way. Yet they remain to be highly empathetic and playful creatures.'

A Snarlpog grunted in surprise, and quickly got up. It shook grass out of its fluffy mane, then wandered closer to the group. Some students gasped and backed away, while others trusted that Fairburn knew what she was doing. Even though there were no outward signs of how she'd called one of the creatures to her, a smile on her face indicated that she had.

'As you can see, there are several ginger-haired Snarlpogs here today,' she said, glancing over her shoulder to see the closer Snarlpog rolling in the grass without a care in the world. 'They have worked out that this scenario is essentially an adult teaching its young, which we did last year as well for our current 6th years.'

She smiled fondly at the creatures. 'Even so, give them no reason to believe you are here to inflict harm to anyone present,' Fairburn cautioned. 'Emotional or physical harm.'

Her features turned stern and authoritative. There was an emotional look as well, as she remembered the Braxorn event from last year -- how those creatures had been so scared and hurt. The nearby Snarlpog sat up straight, fixing the students with a calculative look. Fairburn looked over and quickly composed herself, which relaxed the Snarlpog as well.

'Your task for this lesson is to be read by a Snarlpog,' Fairburn said. 'If they determine you as a friend, interact with them and learn more about them. Take notes on any discoveries you make -- do not slack on this task, especially now that you're O.W.L students and every bit of your education is crucial.'

Realising the class was progressing to the "teaching the young" stage, the Snarlpog hurried to rejoin the others. They sat in a way that showed good manners, and were ready to focus on reading the students and assist in teaching them. To the students, it was just a school class -- but to the Snarlpogs, they assumed this was somehow relevant to the young ones' ability to mature in a way that benefited their survival and well-being.

'However, if the Snarlpog determines you as foe, you must then show genuine empathy and kindness to another student in order to prove your ability to better yourself.' Fairburn smiled at the Snarlpogs, in clear fondness. 'Repeat this cycle until determined as friend.'

Normally, she'd summarise the instructions or list them plainly but this was a special lesson; she needed to be more thorough. These creatures were incredibly magical and strong, far beyond what anyone (let alone a group of teenagers) would typically ever be so fortunate as to encounter in their lifetime.

Naturally, anything that could soul read and wrestle with dragons had to be handled carefully and with immense respect.

'If you're nervous to be read or unsure of yourself, you're welcome to hold hands with someone you have a warm emotional bond with,' Fairburn added, seeing how nervous some were already. 'Snarlpogs determine a family group by emotion -- not variations such as friendships, relatives, or romance. It might be a bit of an awkward situation, but it will increase your chances when being read.'

She nodded to indicate they could approach the Snarlpogs when they were ready to.

Free-RP your approach and how your character interacts with a Snarlpog. The creatures' reactions and the soul reading process are modded.

Snarlpogs watched their students approach, a bit unsure of some greetings or gestures -- language was a bit of a mystery to them, and they weren't particularly telepathic, but they had their own way of sensing the intention behind the words or emotions. But just in case the gestures were human customs to be respected, they attempted to mimic them.

Unsure how to approach, one Gryffindor boy bowed so low he nearly fell over. The Snarlpog watched him with concern, then did the same -- her chin even touching the grass in case lower bows meant higher respect / politeness. The creatures were learning from them, just as much as the students were.

The eyes of Amber's Snarlpog glowed bright. Though she had no way of knowing, her own eyes glowed as well to match. There was nothing physical to the process that they could feel, yet the first thing that came to mind was the experience of when they were being sorted into their house. It was the same glow, same feeling, and same impression for each who made their approach.

Their eyes stopped glowing and the Snarlpog panted happily, tail wagging as it determined Amber Lloyd as friend. She was welcome to approach and interact with him.