An active, character-driven Hogwarts experience set in the early 2000s. Unique items, plots, and features. Non-canon; this isn't Harry Potter's story, it's ours.
This class is intended to be read by 5th years and above only.
Professor Rivera was nowhere to be seen, though the wide-open door was a clear invite for students to enter and take their seats along either side of the room. It provided them time to explore the modified classroom.
There wasn't much else to do than wait for their Professor to enter and begin the lesson, encouraging idle chatter as everyone settled in. The topic of tonight's Quidditch Tryouts came up more than once.
Please refer to the Standard Classroom Layout for full details -- including class expectations, noise level rules, and any changes.
Kwame entered the Charms classroom feeling excited and nervous.
His Divination class earlier had been interesting. But also frustrating. Then, he had joined some students in the kitchens to find a Potions Kit ingredient.
Now it was time for one of his least favorites classes- Charms.
Kwame wished he was better at Charms. But, sometimes he wand wouldn't cooperate with the spell he was trying to cast.
Kwame noticed he was one of the first students to arrive. He chose a seat and pulled out his parchment and quill. He would have to take good notes so he could go back and study later.
He wondered what kind of spell they would learn to cast today as he waited for the Professor and his other classmates to arrive.
Post by Amber Lloyd on Apr 9, 2023 21:03:07 GMT 10
After an eventful morning and a short lunch break, Amber made her way to Charms class. As she came to the classroom, she saw the open door. Peeking inside, Professor Rivera was nowhere to be seen. But she had the feeling, they should take their seats.
Amber entered the room and immediately noticed the changes that happened over summer break. She quite liked the changes, it seemed more open now. Although, it could of course never beat the openness from the COMC ‘classroom’. She missed already the outdoors. Maybe later someone would like to hunt the ingredients for their potion kit together?
She chose a table on the right side near the aisle in the middle of the room but also near the training area. There she felt she could have a good look at everything that would be going on during class.
She unpacked some quill, ink and paper, but then allowed herself to look more around in the room. The wand movements on the ceiling caught her eyes and she automatically started to study them, trying to correlate them with the appropriate spell.
Post by Caine Hawke on Apr 9, 2023 22:15:40 GMT 10
The best of the best! His favorite class! Caine hopped into the door with a hum, legs making too wide of steps, hands stuffed into the arms of his robes as if he were some sort of odd dancer.
To one side he saw people he didn't know well (of course, he knew most of them because, duh, they'd all been here for like five-ever) but on the other...
"Amberrrrr!" He drew out her name in a high pitched, playful greeting, a grin tugging on his features as he leapt toward her, nearly falling out of the seat he'd found beside her. He sprawled out in his chosen space, pretending that there was some evil, no good pirate trying to plunder his seat from him. Not on his watch.
"This seat taken?" A beam of a smile, a flurry of movement as he righted himself, pushing dark hair from his face.
Post by Arthur Hocking on Apr 10, 2023 0:59:46 GMT 10
Arthur arrived in Charms class imagining that whatever Professor Rivera had prepared for them would be difficult. Mostly because it was OWL year. He tried to convince himself that this would just be like any other class and sat down. He didn't see anything that gave them a hint to what they would be working towards.
He sat down and got out his parchment and ink. Being an OWL student was stressful, and Arthur hadn't even had a full day of it yet. He couldn't imagine what he would feel like closer to the actual exams. Thankfully those were far away. He was quiet for a little, but couldn't help but chuckle a little at Caine's antics.
Post by Amber Lloyd on Apr 10, 2023 6:13:49 GMT 10
Her studies of the ceiling were interrupted, as Amber heard her name called out loud through the whole classroom.
Her gaze left the ceiling and fell on the peppy Hufflepuff who came towards her and immediately seized the chair beside her.
She couldn't but grin. Yep, that was typically Caine!
Amber turned on her seat to him and made an apologetic face.
"Yeah, the seat is already taken." She made a pause for drama and then grinned mischievously. "By a dark haired, more than energetic Hufflepuff, it seems."
Amber knew that Caine was usually a bundle of energy, but right now it seemed a little bit more than normally. Hadn't he got enough exercise during break? Or was it something else? "So, you're excited for class? Or are you thinking about Quidditch Tryouts this evening? You're gonna try?" she asked curiously. Amber already knew that Joshu was gonna try, maybe Caine, too?
Post by Lindsey Bryce on Apr 10, 2023 10:57:39 GMT 10
With how the morning had gone, Lindsey walked with a sense of purpose. If someone she had considered her best friend wanted to drop her like she was nothing, well... she wasn't going to let it ruin her. No, she was stronger than that and would hold her head high. She was a Slytherin, after all... They didn't pout...
She entered the classroom with a sense of purpose and looked around. The professor was no where to be seen... But, she didn't linger on that idea and headed towards a Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, sitting on the Right Front, nearest the Professor's desk. She wanted to be able to see what was going on.
What she heard from the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, Amber and Caine, was talk of Quidditch and she chose not to interrupt their conversation. She pulled out her items needed for lesson and placed her wand down at the head of her own table.
Last Edit: Apr 10, 2023 10:58:18 GMT 10 by Lindsey Bryce
Post by Caine Hawke on Apr 10, 2023 12:34:42 GMT 10
He pouted at her. How dare? The seat was taken by an absolutely beautiful Hufflepuff named Caine and she'd accept it. A playful look that was a mockery of woe set over his face.
"I sure hope he's pretty." he teased, hand flying to his chest.
And she asked about why he was energetic! As if she didn't know! He beamed at her.
"Yeah! I didn't get to play last year because of the whole-" he waved his hand dismissively, "Broom breaking incident of year three. But my dad got me a broom this year! You know they need the greatest chaser ever back on the team!"
Was he really the best Chaser? Of course not. But he could have dreams, man. He could have dreams. He knew that his dad had only gotten the broom because his mom had said not to... but hey, if it worked it worked. He'd played on the team in his second year as a back up, then third year he'd been a starter... fourth year... well with a broken broom and his mother unwilling to get him another he'd kind of had no choice but to step back.
But this year? Oh this year he was going and he was going to be on the team again! And he was going to drag Josh to the fields, too. Even if he had to carry him out there over his shoulders like a bag.
He watched another enter and waved frantically at the girl that sat in the front of the room.
"Oh! Lindsey! You going to try for Quidditch too?! What about you, Arthur? Join meeee." The girl looked sour, and he wondered why. But whatever it was that bothered her, quidditch was the correct answer. And his wonderful singing voice would help to entice the lot of them, he was sure.
Last Edit: Apr 10, 2023 13:18:47 GMT 10 by Caine Hawke
Unnoticed at first, Professor Rivera casually entered the classroom via... well, no one actually saw how she entered but it was somewhere over in a corner of the Training Area despite no obvious door being there. Making her way to the front, she pretended not to hear someone swear in surprise at her otherwise abrupt appearance.
'Good afternoon.' She smiled, though there was a firmness about her that gave an authoritative impression. There was a hint of an unfamiliar accent in her tone. 'Now -- on a day of new beginnings, this lesson we'll be focusing on endings. Specifically, ending the effects of a spell or many spells.'
With a wave of her hand, the classroom door swung shut. There was a pause, allowing everyone a chance to get settled and give her their full attention. She took in each of their appearances, as it was bittersweet how much they'd grown over the summer alone. This was the year of growth spurts for many of them, apparently.
Her brightly-blue gaze lingered on the Ravenclaws in turn, and hid a smile as she'd overheard eager talks of Quidditch.
'How is everyone doing today?' Rivera asked, encouraging response. 'I recall how daunting it is, now being O.W.L students and being constantly reminded of such. It is important to never let that stray from your minds, but also remember to pace yourself. So, take a moment -- get settled, focus. Then we'll proceed.'
Post by Reena Ashworth on Apr 10, 2023 16:32:07 GMT 10
The Hufflepuffs being noisy was the first thing Reena noticed upon arriving at class. Or rather, one Hufflepuff being noisy enough to make it seem like there was a whole gaggle of them on the loose.
She cast a smile towards Arthur and then chose a seat on the opposite side from them. She had seen Lindsey next to them, eventhough Reena had tried not to.
It made sense however, as Reena would never choose to sit with Hawke in any classroom, let alone one they might be using magic.
She always saw some potential danger in his antics.
Sitting opposite of Lindsey turned out to be a bad idea however, as it put her right into Reena’s vision and she was suddenly very interested in the empty parchment in front of her.
She was glad when Rivera arrived. And wrote today’s date onto her parchment, wishing class would start already.
Post by Joshua Twiggs on Apr 10, 2023 16:32:59 GMT 10
Lunch had been a god sent, though Joshua may have eaten a little too much and was now feeling slow and lazy, taking longer than usual to get to the Charms classroom upstairs.
When he did, his gaze was immediately drawn towards Caine and Amber, who were in conversation and he slipped into the row right behind them with a grin, hoping to remain unnoticed until he leaned across the desk to blow onto Caine‘s hair from above.
“I heard he‘s pretty full of himself,“, he teased.
“Bet,“ he said in regards tp Caine‘s ability as Chaser. “With both of us on the team, the other houses better watch out!“
Joshua grinned at Caine, then briefly looked at Arthur. He knew that it wasn’t easy to get parental blessings for Tryouts. However, this year might be the year of their dorm taking the skies?
“If you can‘t play, you can come up with wicked chants or songs for our team,“ Joshua grinned and shrugged, glancing from Arthur to Amber as if asking her to do the same.
There was no time to actually ask her however, as Rivera appeared to greet them and start the lesson soon. At the reminder of being OWL students, he cringed inwardly and finally took a seat.
Before Rivera had arrived, he had had plans to jump over the desk and squeeze inbetween Caine and Lindsey but he chose to stay in the second row right behind Amber instead.
He quickly pulled out his parchment, ran the side of his hand over it to straighten out a corner and then placed his ink and quill next to it.
Joshua had planned to take this class more seriously this year, after all, eventhough the chances of being covered in canine drool were minimal and put quite the damper on the whole experience.
Post by Lindsey Bryce on Apr 10, 2023 18:56:58 GMT 10
As Lindsey had finished setting up her things, she noticed another entering and set her jaw tight when she saw Reena before focusing back on her things, taking keen interest in the vial of ink to make sure it was in a good spot to prevent it from spilling. After a few moments, she had been pulled into the conversation of Quidditch and smiled over at the others.
"No. I dealt with Seabrook last year long enough... I'm glad to be cut free from 'er," Lindsey said with a drip of venom in her words. Her dislike of Seabrook had become very clear and she looked up just as the Professor came into view. Wait, where had she come from? Lindsey took the notes needed for class and then bit the inside of her cheek.
How was she doing? Well, to be honest... The first day back had started great, but had soured and she found herself glancing in the direction of Reena but not directly at her. No way would she be able to look at her in the same light for a while. Lindsey did not wish to speak the words, but remained silent while she waited for the professor to continue.
Post by Amber Lloyd on Apr 10, 2023 19:35:28 GMT 10
Amber noticed Lindsey walking by them and made a short wave to her, but the Hufflepuff before her demanded attention. And then there was suddenly a second Hufflepuff behind her, which got her startled for a moment, before she noticed it was Joshua.
She eased up and couldn’t but grin at Joshuas teasing regarding Caine. Couldn’t have said it better!
“Sounds like an exciting Hufflepuff Team. I guess I need to tell the Ravenclaws to focus on you, as you two are clearly the biggest threat out there,” Amber replied, half jokingly, half serious, as this feeling of uncertainty appeared.
Amber had told Joshua on the train that she would stick to cheering. Although, all the talk about Quidditch made her excited about it. She was tempted about trying it, but the feeling, she was not good enough for it, made her refrain from it.
She never had been that great at flying with a broom, or at least it felt for her like that. And in her mind, if you wanted to play Quidditch on a team, you should have at least a decent amount of skill. And she didn’t want to be the reason she hold her team back.
Before she could decide what to answer Joshua, the head of her house arrived rather suddenly. She was again a little bit startled, as the professor had appeared right behind her without noise. And the thoughts about Quidditch vanished for now. Amber turned around to see Rivera better. She smiled at her as she noticed her gaze.
“Great and eager to learn, Professor!” Amber couldn’t help herself but answer her.
The mentioning of OWLs actually didn’t frighten her. She knew, they were important, but that was more a reason to get her fired up. With good preparation you wouldn’t need to be scared about it, right?
But she definitely needed the advice about pacing, as her ambitious side had to sometimes be reminded not to do everything on one day. So, she set up straight and waited for class to commence.
Post by Caine Hawke on Apr 10, 2023 22:44:04 GMT 10
A blow to the hair and a comment. How dare? Caine turned around, a grin on his face. Joshuaaaaa! He was supposed to be here, on the other side but - there was a girl on either side of him instead. The choice was clear! He had to move so he snapped up his bag and shrugged.
They still spoke of Quidditch and cheering and he thought that, honestly, Josh had a good idea. Amber would be a good cheerleader!
”If you’ll excuse me, ladies, there’s a feral boy that requires my attention!” and he was climbing to the seat beside his best friend from under the desks, wiggling his way up from beneath and huffing as the teacher appeared. Oh right on cue - they had been talking.
She’d said to get settled so they could focus. Fair. And settled he was now that he was next to Joshua.
But where had she come from? Caine watched her, listened but, distracted already, he leaned over and drew a sloppy smiley face on the corner of Joshua’s notes. There. He could remember him when he studied.
Final word? Check mate.
The Professor greeted them and he smiled apologetically at the girls before quickly setting up his things and glancing sidelong at his friend. And he’d thought he’d get to sit away? Ha! Not today, Twiggs, not today.
Were they ready to learn? Um… maybe.
Last Edit: Apr 10, 2023 22:44:51 GMT 10 by Caine Hawke
Professor Rivera smiled at Amber's enthusiasm, sensing it was genuine. It also warned her heart to hear it. O.W.L and N.E.W.T years were very stressful, but it was nice to see they didn't always drain one's yearning for knowledge or bettering their skills.
'Now then, if Hawke is quite ready...'
She cast him a stern yet mildly amused look, having seen his unconventional seat-switching.
'The incantation for the counter-spell we're focusing on today is finite incantatem, which we'll be practising in a moment.' Professor Rivera eyed the students, gaze firm as she indicated to their quills. 'This general counter-spell isn't without limitations, as to negate dark magic it would require several casters.'
Rivara paced the middle section of the room, her gaze shifting to an empty area her her desk. She'd cleaned out most of the books stacked there last year, the ones Flitwick hadn't taken with him, though it still remained rather bare. Perhaps she should get a plant?
'Some spells also have a specialised counter-spell, thus this general one may be ineffective,' she continued. 'It's important to know the difference between “finite” and “finite incantatem” is that the former is for one, targeted spell -- whereas the latter is more general-use and can include many spells at once. That's the one we'll be learning today.'
She returned to the front, used to more movement than just standing in front of a class and talking. It was a welcome factor for those who preferred practical lessons; Rivera didn't favor theory unnecessarily.
'Finite Incantatem can be used after duelling to reverse effects, and on jinxed objects to remove the jinx or destroy the object itself if necessary,' she said, bright blue gaze sweeping the room again.
Almost searching, or perhaps reading them?
'Can anyone think of another use?' Rivera posed the question to the class, hoping to get a few replies. 'Don't be shy. As you know, I run an open classroom and discussion -- anyone's welcome to respectfully have their say.'
She'd established that reputation by now, of always involving the students and giving everyone a chance to questions things. It wasn't about knowing the "right" answer, rather that they consider what she's trying to teach them and put it into perspective. A silent classroom wasn't particularly effective for better learning, in her opinion.
It was something Professor Hathmore believed in as well, which was her source of inspiration.
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