OOC: Care of Magical Creatures chat RP post
Most of the class of Gryffindors and Slytherins kept to their own group of friends within their house, although there were a few exceptions.
Garrick Alder slid up to Darius Gray in the mass of people and poked him in the shoulder.
“Yes?” Darius responded in an attempt to maintain his cold Slytherin facade. “Is there something you want, Gryffindor?”
But Garrick only pointed to the other people having their own conversations. “Cut the act, mate, no-one’s paying attention.
“Sorry, man,” Darius said as he looked around to be sure that the rest of the class was paying them no mind. “Don’t want to chance anything. You know how Eris is…”
“Yeah well, we didn’t get a chance to catch up on the train,” Garrick said. “What have you been up to all summer?”
“Just learning some transfiguration and charms,” Darius said.
“Lord, you make boring vacations an artform, you know that?”
In another part of the class, Brodie Troughton stopped to catch as his breath which caused him to fall far behind everyone else. However in his effort to catch up, he nearly collided into Sidney Devlin, his Gryffindor teammate.
“Ugh, sorry, Sid….just err, excited to be back y’know?”
But Sid only guffawed and jabbed Brodie with his wand. Despite the fact that Brodie was both bigger and taller than he was, Sid had no trouble teasing the quidditch player. “Ya know, for someone as good a seeker as you are, you’re still a klutz.”
“Well, usually I’ve got a broom on hand…That usually helps.” Brodie said in response. Brodie brushed his cloak and gradually edged back, only to see there was nowhere else to go, sighing as he walked back towards Sid.
Sid hit him in the back. “It’s okay really. We still love you.”
Meanwhile Violet Vaelos kept to herself and did not join in any of the other conversations. After Professor Hagrid had announced that they were going to the lake, it consumed her thoughts. She pursed her lips slightly, thinking of all the possible things they would encounter Grindylows, selkies, the giant squid...whatever it was, she was going to need to be ready. She gripped her wand, cedar with dragon heartstring, and mulled over some offensive and defensive spells.
“Alrigh’ everyone!” Hagrid commanded the class in his booming voice. Everyone dropped their idle chatter and turned to their professor and listened attentively. It was very important to pay close attention in a Care of Magical Creatures class, lest someone got seriously hurt. “Today, we'll be learnin' abou' the Hippocampus!”
Brodie nodded, but under his breath he said, “anything outside of those damned fire crabs is fine by me...”
Hagrid took out a strange, whistle-like shell from a pouch and blew on one end, creating a sound not unlike a shrill horse's whinny.
Garrick flinched at the sound while Violet furrowed her brow thoughtfully. Darius turned to look at the vast lake was found himself slightly bored that nothing was happening. Sidney felt disappointed that this wouldn’t be a more action packed class.
A few moments later, a shadow appeared under the surface of the lake, followed by the head of a full grown mare surfacing. The horse pulled itself out of the lake onto two hooves, the rest of its body remaining under the water.
Garrick studied the animal quizzically, opening his copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them with his free hand.
“So...that's a hippocampus? Does it, er...do anything?” Darius said.
“And they say Slytherins are supposed to be smart,” said Sid. He rolled his eyes.
“Does it really need to?” said Brodie as he gazed at the creature with intrigue, but no one paid attention to his comment.
“Shows how much a Gryffindor knows,” said Darius harshly. “Cunning doesn’t mean the same thing as knowing what a bloody specific magical creature is.”
The two boys glared at each other in annoyance. Sid longed to hex Darius, but he knew better. Even Hagrid wouldn’t tolerate that kind of nonsense. Brodie sighed at his misfortune of being so close to the arguing and hoped Sidney wouldn’t somehow pull him into this.
Professor Hagrid, who had been teaching for many years now, knew when to pick his battles and this one was one to ignore. They could work that out for themselves. “Well, this 'ere is Sugarcube, 'least tha's what I call her,” he continued with his lesson. “Well, this 'ere is Sugarcube, 'least tha's what I call her. They're sorta like an underwater horse.”
“Creatures from Greek mythology, actually,” Violet said.
“But Hagrid shook his great bushy head. “No mythology here, Miss Vaelos, this mare is the real deal.”
“I can see that, Professor.”
“Sugarcube, why don' you show 'em?” Hagrid said to the creature.
Sugarcube pulled herself more out of the water, pulling her lower half onto the land to reveal an enormous fish's tail covered in brilliant scales. Most of the class sighed in wonder at her magnificence.
“Well, the fish part is kinda pretty,” Darius said to himself.
“Kinda?” Brodie repeated. “That thing's absolutely beautiful!”
“What will we be doing with her today?” Sid asked.
Without warning, Garrick began to elbow Darius who responded by elbowing him back. It was a friendly gesture between two (albeit not exactly public) friends. However Sidney eyed the scene and put his hand around his wand’s handle, wondering if he should intervene, but nothing conspired because Hagrid’s next words commanded the class’s attention.
“Well, I was goin' teh have one o' the merpeople show ye how they, er, they sorta ride them under the water, in a way. But if someone, say, wanted to volunteer, I think I 'ave some Gillyweed...”
Darius edged to the back of the group at the word "volunteer" but Sid jumped the gun before the class could even react.
“I’ll do it,” he said while Hagrid checked the grounds to make sure there were no other teachers.
“Always the risk taker…” Brodie said.
“You know it!”
“Just don’t kill yourself before we get on the pitch, all right?”
Violet muttered somethings akin to 'gryffindors' under her breath.
“Oh, don’t worry,” said Sid dismissively. “What’s the worst that could happen in this class?”
“Well, le's get 'er set up,” Hagrid said cheerfully and Sid stepped forward eagerly.
“A number of things, actually…” said Brodie.
Sid suddenly remembered the hippogriff incident from years back that he heard someone mention. But that was because a Slytherin was too stupid to follow directions. Meanwhile, Hagrid went over to a box he carried with him from the cabin and took a strangely shaped half saddle and a set of reins, and began strapping them to Sugarcube.
“Now don' you worry, Sugarcube here is a perfectly calm ride,” said Hagrid. “Now, does anyone here know how to make a really big shield!?"
“With magic or actual workmanship?” Violet asked.
“Er, with magic, Miss Vaelos,” said Hagird.
Sidney ogled at the question, but kept his tongue this time. I hope she really didn’t expect Hagrid to have them make physical shields or something, he thought to himself.
“Well, can anyone use one o' the bigger shield Charms?” Hagrid continued.
“Ehh...charms were never quite my forte, but I did make a pretty large shield...once,” Brodie said.
“We jus' need one for the class, I think Protego Totalum would be more than enough.”
“Oh come on Brodie! Your Shield Charms are fine! Go for it!” Sid said to his teammate. Sometimes he wished the guy could have a little more confidence in himself.
“Fine, fine...” Brodie resigned. “Though I'm not taking the fall for this one though if something goes wrong...” He took a breath before lifting his wand. “Protego!” He flicked his wand upward, and thankfully, the shield managed to manifest correctly.
Garrick moved over to Brodie. “Er, isn't that a bit small for us to all fit in, mate?”
But Violet took charge of the situation. She rolled her eyes and quickly took out her wand. “Protego Totalum.”
“Oh...err...guess you're right about that...” said Brodie as he eyed Violet’s perfected shield.
“And then you let a Slytherin show you up...tsk tsk,” said Sid, just loud enough to be heard by a few of his classmates.
“Let's you and I help sustain the big one, eh?” Garrick encouraged Brodie.
“Uh, yeah, sure..”
“Alrigh' then, you all get under the shield while I finish with Sid 'ere,” said Hagrid.
Darius opened his bag to get his Transfiguration book, and then put it back almost immediately after seeing the scene.
Garrick stepped under the shield with Brodie. Violet waved her wand while saying an incantatation; it powerfully sparked with light before the group was encased in the large shield.
“Mind if we help out?” asked Garrick. Violet nodded to Garrick while she continued muttering the spell. Garrick raised his wand and motioned for Brodie to do the same. Brodie let out a sigh of embarrassment as he proceeded to do so.
“Protego Totalum.”
“Protego Totalum...” Brodie repeated.
Garrick added his power to the spell and began moving the shield over to the water. Violet continued her concentration, moving with the others towards the lake. Brodie followed the two, tightly gripping his wand as they continued to move the shield
“Don't forget to leave it open on top and not let it submerge all the way, we need air,” Garrick said helpfully. Violet snorted slightly; there was no need to tell her that.
Darius followed into the shield along with the other students who weren’t helping to keep up the shield.
“Now Sid, you and I'll be eatin' this.” Hagrid took two large pieces of Gillyweed from a pouch.
Sid had heard of Gillyweed but had never eaten it before although he heard it tasted horrible. Hagrid handed Sid one of the pieces of Gillyweed, then steps away to eat his own.
Sid took one of the pieces then remembered to take off his shoes before consuming the plant which felt (and looked) disgusting. After a few seconds he saw his hands and feet transform as webbing grew between his fingers and toes. Gills formed on his neck... It would go down as the one of the strangest sensations he’d ever experienced.
“Alrigh', now Sugarcube, you be nice to Sid, aye?” Hagrid said to the hippocampus. He signaled for her to reenter the water, where she floated, waiting for Sid.
“Ye ready?”
Sid nodded, eager to get under the water to breathe. He stepped into the cool water and climbs aboard the creatures back. Sugarcube slid under the water, swimming up to the bubble with Sid. He felt relief as the water rushes over his gills providing much needed oxygen. He marveled at the underwater world as they swam toward his classmates.
Hagrid tapped the bubble. “Can ye all hear me!?” They all nodded affirmatively. Violet gazed at the scene in interest. Garrick and Brodie also watched, but they made sure to keep the majority of their focus on maintaining the magical shield.
“Alrigh', now Sugarcube, why don't ye take Sid for a ride. Hold on tight!”
Sid tightly gripped the reins. He wasn't sure how fast this thing could swim and didn't want to be that person who ruined the class. He'd never live that down.
The hippocampus shook itself slightly, then began swimming, slowly at first, to ensure her charge was holding on, then slowly picking up speed until she was moving nearly as fast as a broomstick through the water, making graceful twists and turns as she does.
“Yet another magical marvel...” Violet sighed..
Darius watched on in a very slight amount of awe. He'd probably find this more fascinating if he wasn't taking this class because he needed to.
“Takes a lot to impress you, doesn't it?” Brodie asked Violet.
“Not really,” she answered. “You just have to find the right thing for me to be impressed by.”
“Fair enough...”
Sid laughed at himself for thinking this wouldn't be a fun class. It was far more comfortable than it looked and Sid was able to marvel at the underwater world one wouldn't have guessed existed under the lake's surface. He saw a grindylow lurking a short distance away but concluded that it wouldn't be a danger to him.
The rest of the class passed, with Hagrid having Sid act as assistant, talking about the various ways to care for a Hippocampus, dangers, and even having a merman bring one of Sugarcube's eggs, which is semi-transparent, allowing the class to see the developing tadfoal inside. Darius was secretly hoping for a mermaid instead.
The Gillyweed began wearing off. Sidney felt like the class went by quickly as he felt himself returning to normal. Hagrid motioned for the class to move back up to the surface. Sid took a deep breath of air once he and the hippocampus had returned to the lake shore. Garrick began moving the shield out of the water, a bit tired from sustaining it for so long, but otherwise none the worse for wear. Violet also directed the shield back to shore with her classmates, and when they are all safe recited ‘Finite Incantatem.’ Brodie and Garrick followed suit. She smiled a little bit at the fact that she got to help. Darius followed the others back up to the surface and was eager to get to his next class.
“I told you not to worry, Brodie!” said Sid. He wished he had remembered the spell to help dry his clothes with now felt heavy.
“Thank heavens for that...that's all I can say...” Brodie replied.
Hagrid got the classes attention again. “Alrigh' class, yer homework is teh look up the five best foods fer a Hippocampus, and write a foot of parchment on why they're good for 'em. I'll see ye all next class, have to go dry off, meself.” He picked up the box with the Hippocampus equipment and waddled back to the cabin in his wet clothing.
Darius sighs heavily before heading back to the castle. Violet also sighs softly, but nonetheless pulls out a notebook and writes down the assignment
“
Eh, a foot of homework isn't bad at all. It'll better than my arithmancy homework,” Sid said as he committed the assignment to memory.
“You know, Sid. You could have cast Impervius on your clothing beforehand,” Violet said.
Sidney felt foolish at the simple suggestion, but wasn't about to admit that after accusing Darius of being a moron. “Right,” he said roughly.
“Do keep it in mind.” She turned on her heel with a smile and returned to the Slytherin group.
Sid glowered. “Typical. An insufferable Slytherin snob...” he said under his breath.
Garrick went up to Brodie. “You did pretty good today, mate, hope we'll see that focus on the Quidditch pitch.”
“Heh...if that's how I look on the pitch, then I can just kiss that snitch goodbye...” Brodie said. “But thanks anyways. You did pretty good yourself.” He grumbled at the rather sharp reminder of last year’s Slytherin game.
Sid turned his attention to Brodie and Garrick before he could do something to the Slytherin that would lose them house points.
“I think I'm going to try and get that homework done before my next class, it's not too much...” Garrick said and began to wander away.
“Hey!” Sidney called to Garrick. “When is the first practice?”
“Saturday!”
“Looking forward to it!” Brodie said excitedly.
All in all, it proved to be a pretty good start to their first day of classes.
