Hᴏɢᴡᴀʀᴛs Sᴄʜᴏᴏʟ ᴏғ Wɪᴛᴄʜᴄʀᴀғᴛ ᴀɴᴅ Wɪᴢᴀʀᴅʀʏ discussion

Professor Lockewood strode confidently into her new classroom, setting the books piled in her arms down on the desk and looking around the empty classroom. She smiled, thinking of when she had been just another child in this classroom, learning charms just like everyone else. She never imagined she would come back to teach this class. She smiled fondly, running her hand across the second desk in the third row, the one that she had been places at as a child, and had spent the majority of her time in this classroom in.

Back at her new desk--the big, important teacher's desk--she took a seat, smiling and waiting for the students to file in. She pulled out the roster and scanned the list of students, smiling as she saw a surname she recognised from her own school days.

Emelie was exited to have her first charms lesson and tried hard not to run into the classroom. The teacher was already inside, but she was the first student.
"Good Morning!", she smiled at the teacher.

((So are we having class?))

((Yeah :) I guess. I was going to do it yesterday, but we were travelling, so I couldn't...))

"Morning," Professor Lockewood smiled, flashing her perfect, white teeth. She was a mix of excitement and nerves about her first class, eager to make a good impression on her students, and hoping that the lesson would progress smoothly. "Welcome to charms," she smiled brightly. "I'm Professor Lockewood. And you are..." She picked her pen, looking over the roster and smiling at her first student.

((Okay. :) ))

Kit stepped into the classroom. Finally, it seemed she wasn't the last one to class! She could finally choose her own seat... She ended up setting down her things at the desk behind the first in the third row; she couldn't really explain why. It had just pulled her there.

The Professor's eyes were drawn to the new arrival, taking a seat in her old chair. She smiled slightly, to herself, welcoming the new student, with a friendly wave and smile. "Professor Lockewood," she introduced herself. She was starting to feel like a broken record. She should really wait until the whole class was here before introductions... She stepped up to the blackboard and scraw;ed her name across the board in her elegant handwriting, before turning back to face the few students who had arrived with a glimmering smile.

"Nice to meet you, Professor," Kit smiled brightly.
Well, the teacher seemed very nice... That was obviously good. She noticed the paper she was holding and added, "I'm Kit. Or Kitri Lotus, I guess, on your roster."

"Thank you," Lockewood smiled. If all of the kids in her class were like this, her job was going to be a breeze. Unfortunately, she knew that some students would be out to give her nothing but trouble. She sighed. She had been one of those, around certain teachers that she didn't like. She smiled to herself in memory of her old potions teacher... He had not had an easy time. But, then again, he hadn't given her one. It was just her little way of getting revenge, swapping some of his supplies for some trick stuff from the joke shop in Diagon Alley. She smriked at the memory of the explosion.

"Emelie Sullivan", she answered and then smiled at the new student, that just walked in. Apart from the name she didn't know the student very well, but was sure she's nice. Emelie sat down and took out her things. She waited for everyone else to arrive.

Bea entered the classroom, fiddling with her hands. She didn't know why she was so nervous, maybe it was because she didn't know this teacher. But then again, she hadn't felt this way with the others, so why here? She walked over close to where the professor was and whispered, "I'm Beatrice Well," Before settling down in a seat towards the front of the class.

Bella strutted into the classroom. She turned to look at Bea's timid expression and smirked, causing Bea to retreat back into her seat. Bell waltzed by the professor and said, "Bella Aidrian," then hurried to a seat in the way back.

James wandered into the classroom, his hands in his back pockets, his front pockets having a couple (just a few) items purchased from Diagon Alley. This was their first charms class... He wondered how it would be.

"Morning, class," Lockewood said, brightly, now that a larger portion of her class had arrived. "Is this...everyone?" She scanned her roster. There were probably at least three more students on the roster than in the classroom, probably more. "Welcome to charms class. I'm professor Lockewood." She flashed another, white toothed smile and continued. "I hope I can teach you a lot this year, as well as give you some fun in class. But charms is not the class to mess around in. Accidents happen. I won't bore you with detail." She smiled again.

Rose walked into class, hopping she wasn't late. She had heard about Charms from other students, and it sounded fun. Rose sat in the front, her face scarlet. "Sorry Professor..." she muttered as she sat.

Coralline and Simon rushed into the class knowing they were seriously late. Coralline slipped into the seat next to Rose. "Hope you don't mind" She said apologetically. Simon sat down in the back of the class. "Sorry for being late, Professor" He said.

Kit smiled at the newcomer. She didn't recognize him from any of her other classes... Maybe not all the first years had the same schedule. Well, she definitely wasn't opposed to meeting new people.

Lockewood smiled at the newcomers, sliding her wrist slightly to check her watch. She decided not to mention their tardiness, although she would if it became a problem in the future. "Welcome. I was just explaining..." She rattled on a little more about the class and rules that the students should abide by, before turning to face the board. "So.
Charms. Any of you know anything about this subject?" She smiled, scanning the crowd. "What are charms?"

Emelie remembered reading something and decided to hold up her hand.
'Why not? What can I loose?', she thought and looked around if anyone else has their hand up in the air.

Lockewood's eyes brightened as she cast them upon the student with her hand raised. She smiled. "Yes miss..." She scanned the roster. "Miss Sullivan."

***

Meanwhile, Lena was attempting to sneak into the back of the classroom, holding her books up to shield her face slightly as she wound her way to the empty desk in the back. She had the feeling that the professor had already noticed her, but she wasn't saying anything, and, for once, Lena didn't want to draw attention to herself. It wasn't her fault she'd been tricked by a starcase and sent to some obscure corner of the castle. She had tried her best to get to class on time. She slumped in her seat, avoiding the stares of some other students.

"Charms are spells that add properties to an object or creature. They are not the same things as transfiguirations. A charm focuses on changing what the object does and not, like transfiguirations, what the object is. An example would be the Levitation Charm, Wingardium Leviosa, which makes the object fly or levitate.", Emelie said, hoping she explained it correctly.

Lockewood was slightly stunned, but she hid her surprise well. After a moment of silence, she laughed and smiled widely. "Bravo, Miss Sullivan. Ten points to Ravenclaw for that perfect answer. Couldn't have explained it better myself. So yes, that is precisely what a charm is. Charms can be used for a variety of different things." She smiled. "They can be used on objects, animals, humans..." She smiled. "But certainly not for a while. We will be starting with some simple charms on the simplest objects. Now...does anyone know anything about the Levitation, or Hover, charm?"

Emelie blushed but smiled, too. She also knew the answer to the next question but decided to give the other students a chance. She also didn't want to be a know-it-all, so she looked at the teacher and waited for someone else to answer.

Coralline raised her hand slowly. She was certain that she knew the answer, positive! Simon knew the answer as well, but Ravenclaw alwready had some points.

"Yes," Lockewood smiled at Coralline. "Go ahead." She leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm and putting her elbows on the desk, looking intrigued to hear the student's answer, but not in a way that was challenging or intimidating. She hoped.

Coralline hesitated before speaking. "Um, Wingardium Leviosa. There are a number of lesser variations of the Levitation Charm, such as the Hover Charm, the Rocket Charm and the Floating Charm, just to name a few, but the Levitation Charm remains the original and best. But Wingardium Leviosa is best for testing magical skills, wand control and above all, patience" She said all of this very fast and looked at her book when she had finished, when she got nervous she rambled on and on, she had just managed to stop herself from going top far over the edge.

Lockewood was, once again pleasantly surprised. "I couldn't have asked for a brighter class, could I? Or for a better answer." She smiled. This first year was going to be a breeze, if it went like her class was going now. She was delighted. "Ten points to...Hufflepuff?" Lockewood hoped she was right about the student's house. "For yet another exemplary answer."

Coralline nodded hesitantly. She liked the class very much, but the way the professor was talking reminded her off her own mother. Corallines face saddened and she opened her notebook and started to write down some notes from the text book.

Simon smiled brightly. This class was boring at first, but it was nice. At least it wasn't Maths.

"Ok, given that today is the first class, it seems a little bit soon to start with all the real charmwork, does it not? However, I have selected one of the simplest charms, as Miss McKenzie has so excellently explained. The hover charm." Lockewood flicked her wand at a feather lying on her desk, saying, firmly, "Wingardium Leviosa." The feather lifted off and hungg in the air, until she let it drop with a flick of her wand and smiled at the class. "Can you imagine what this spell could be used for?"

Kit stuck her hand in the air. She had a vague answer to the question... Probably not Ravenclaw worthy, but she still thought it could be relevant. "Moving things around?" she guessed, "You know without having to lift them?"

"That's a fair point," Lockewood smiled. "Although it Canberra did I not to master the spell to the extent that you can move the object. Most wizards don't go that far. But you're absolutely right. However, this spell is mainly used--productively, that is--simply for lifting heavy objects and so on. Ok, now, to understand this, I think it's time for you all to give it a shot on your own." Lockewood smiled at the students. "Wands out please, and will someone please help me pass out these feathers?"

James reached into his bag, and, after digging through it for a short while, pulled out his wand.

Kit was excited to actually use her wand, for once... She still hadn't done anything with it, yet. Well, besides drumming it against stuff... And that had proven not to be a good idea... It had taken a while to clean up all the things that went flying...
She reached into her bag and pulled it out. They hadn't done anything in charms, yet really, but she already liked it better than a few of her other classes.

As Emelie's feather was already out on the table, she stood up and helped the teacher pass out the feathers.

"Thank you, Miss Sullivan," Lockewood smiled. "Ok, before we begin, I want you to put your wants down on your desks for a moment, but imagine that your holding it. You may feel silly doing this, but trust me, it's better than accidentally injuring one of your fellow classmates. Now wave your hand, like this, and repeat after me. Wingardium Leviosa!"

Emelie sat back down and put her wand to the side.
"Wingardium Leviosa.", she murmured and waved her hand like the teacher showed them.

Kit put her wand on her desk. She tried to say the incantation, but she got pretty tongue-tied. It took her about four more tries to start saying it correctly. Then it took two more to get the hand motion. She got there, eventually, though.

"Ok, doing well, everyone," Lockewood smiled. "When you've done this several times, I'll come over and have a look, before I approve you to try the real thing. You can do this in pairs, if you like, just don't try to levitate your partner. Ok, anyone ready?" Lockewood tucked her wand into the pocket of her robes and stepped out from behind her desk.

James kept trying to say it, but he just couldn't seem to get it right... Why did all these spells have to be so hard to say? Why couldn't they be in English instead of a bunch if random letters smushed together to make an incomprehensible word?

Kit raised her hand. "I think I might be ready..." she told the professor.
She felt pretty confident in her ability to levitate a feather... Hopefully. It would probably be pathetic if she couldn't.

Coralline tried, again and again. "I hate tongue twisters.." she thought and tried to say it again. "Wing- I can not say it!" She mumbled with frustration.
Alex walked in confidently. He didn't really care if he got into trouble or not for being late. Charms, pfft. Why did he need to learn charms?
Simon kept saying the spell in his head and mouthing the word a couple of times before actually saying it under his breath. "Wingardium Leviosa!" He murmured and did the hand movements the Professor had shown them.