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Tazenhani · 11-04-2015, 07:29 AM

Text Cut: Snitch Hunters

SPOILER!!: Davie

Sabel's eyebrows went up at Truebridge's request. He almost laughed. Leaning down, he let his voice drop to a confidential whisper. "You mean if you get permission from the former Headmistress of Hogwarts, who was my boss last year? And if she gives permission to the current Headmaster? That would be a war of wands to see."

So the answer was, likely not, but at the same time he was so curious as to the results that he didn't feel like being a discouragement.

SPOILER!!: Noelle

Sabel watched as Summers left through the door. Hopefully a good chase by the snitches would be the morning wake-up call she needed. That, or she'd never attend a morning DADA class again.

SPOILER!!: Chloe

And why did Newman look like she might start screaming for her life? They were just snitches. Nothing truly terrifying about them. In fact, they were kind of cute in their own, metallic ways.

Once all the first, second and third years were gone through the door, as well as any of the older students that wanted to follow, Sabel closed it behind them. The buzzing of the snitches faded to silence. He turned to the remaining students.

Text Cut: Killing Curse Answers

SPOILER!!: Adi

Sabel's attention turned to Rehman and he nodded slightly. "Correct. The loose meaning of the incantation instructs the 'thing', the life, to be destroyed."

Such a happy topic they were addressing today. Good thing there weren't too many that looked too curious.

SPOILER!!: Yoongi

His attention went to Hyland. Curious, it was the first time he'd heard the boy speak with any sort of trepidation in his voice. It was well warranted. A slow nod. "You do. It can't be half hearted. Suffice to say, it would have to be the most important thing on your mind in that moment."

SPOILER!!: Hady

Then there was Lynch. Sabel gave the young girl the smallest of smiles. "Probably one of the better qualities of the spell. While it is an unforgivable, the death it induces is quick and without pain." He wouldn't say it was a blessing. Death wasn't.

SPOILER!!: Paulina

"Except, in the case of Harry Potter. Correct." Sabel let out a breath. "At least, the only one hit by the curse to survive. There are other ways to survive it's casting." An important difference.

SPOILER!!: Jet

A simple but honest answer. Sabel nodded. "Unforgivable, for it's ease and use of taking life. It's important for each of us to remember that while we have a great deal of power in our hands, in our heads, in our blood, we should never think or believe or decide that we have the power to decide life and justice."

SPOILER!!: Sophie

As for Brown, he was trying not to look at her. Why? Because she had that knowing, 'I'll read your thoughts and empathize with you' look that he did not need. Not right now.

Except, it was hard to not look at a student when they were talking. So, he let his mood darken even a bit more, and her description of the curse helped in that regard. Also made him wonder if she'd ever seen one before. "Quite so. The appearance of the spell is very distinctive. Suffice to say that if you see a green light coming towards you, you'd best be on your toes quick."

Take no chances.

SPOILER!!: Benny

His gaze passed along Atreyu, noting the look on the kid's face. Merlin, no one was going to pass out on him, right?

SPOILER!!: Brooklyn

At least he didn't have to worry about that with Andrews. The girl looked downright determined, almost so much so that it bordered on concerning. She got a momentary eye, before he moved on. No suggestions or offerings were fine, they had nearly covered everything anyways.

SPOILER!!: Dante

Nearly didn't mean quite. Not just yet. Sabel nodded at Barrington. "Skill is important too. You do have to be a good and strong practitioner at magic." Or so the records said, though whether that was to discourage certain people from trying and succeeding, he wasn't sure.

SPOILER!!: Henric (wand wasn't taken, spell was just cancelled ;) )

In the zone. That almost got a smirk from him. "No harm done. Just, pay a bit more heed when you are practicing, for the safety of yourself and others." In the classroom and outside of it.

And then the kid looked like he was going to be sick. Sabel almost made mention that any and all projectile vomits were to be done out the windows or in the bathrooms. Merlin, and they hadn't yet seen anything yet.

SPOILER!!: Zander

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArianaBlack

As if the pensive wasn't enough to bring WAR FLASHBACKS from the time in the forbidden forrest and that horrible detention where he had to relive the moment only days after it had happened, they were actually going to have an entire lesson centered around death too.

GREAT.

This is EXACTLY what Zander wanted to learn about the moment he rolled out of bed this morning. Man, Dakest couldn't have done a better job choosing their class's subject material. It was PERFECT. Zander was absolutely elated to learn about all things death. Sounded like TONS OF FUN. He was SUPER jazzed.

.... And he felt like he was going to throw up too. Just brilliant.

He considered leaving to do the snitch activity. And I mean, REALLY REALLY considered it. But... That'd mean staying with all the first through third years. He'd be the oldest one in there. He was the Head Boy. He'd be a complete joke if he left this room, not that he wasn't already but even MORE of one. He couldn't just get up and leave. Everyone would see him. That and his feet felt like they were superglued to the ground.

So despite wanting to learn about anything but the killing curse, he remained seated. Face as pale as a blank sheet of parchment. Stomach churning. Head uneasy.

Perfect.

So he'd sit here. He'd learn. He'd listen. But he wasn't under any circumstances going to look into that pensive. Watching one person die in real life was enough. He didn't need to see it again. He knew what death looked like. He could imagine what the killing curse did. Especially with all the visuals Sophie gave in response to the questions, Zander felt like he could practically imagine the whole thing spot on.

"It shouldn't be used." That's what he knew about it. Nobody should be allowed to use it. Voldemort was a different case, sure, but they had no reason to use it now. It was unforgivable for a reason. Zander was more sure of this than he was sure of anything else. The killing curse shouldn't even be an option. Death could be prevented. Even if death by Avada Kedavra was quick and painless. It shouldn't be used. And that was that.

The potential for gross smelling bile on his floor was rising by the minute. Sabel let out a noisy breath, his gaze catching on Zander's ghostly face. "Mr. Adair, do remember to breathe. I don't believe you would want me resuscitating you."

Because what could be more terrifying than the killing curse? A professor bringing a student back from passing out.

At least the kid managed to get a few words out. Sabel nodded slightly. "Shouldn't be, as it's against the law. You'll end up in Azkaban quicker than cheese on a cracker if you do, or even attempt it." Not entirely true, as it was often difficult to catch those who did cast the spell, but there was always the benefit of instilling the fear of don't do it into minds at a young age.

SPOILER!!: Dot

Now that she knew what was in the pensive, Wojack-Gusey hardly looked keen on it's contents anymore. Good. Meant she had some brains between her ears.

"Evil is the best descriptor for it." Good moral compass too. Raised right, this one. She got another head nod.

SPOILER!!: Evie

And here was another one, thinking that they could read his mind through calculating, empathetic eyes. Sabel leveled a straight gaze at the young girl. It had to soften a little bit though, at her question. He shrugged his shoulders. "In theory, perhaps. Hard to say if it's been tested or not. Records do state the curse must be aimed at a target, and the aim must be good if it's going to hit. So, it's not out of the realm of possibility."

And wasn't that just a peachy thought?

With that lovely idea of a homing Killing Curse chasing on their tails, it was time to move on. Sabel let out another breath and leveled his tone and his gaze to one of complete neutrality. "Due to the nature of the killing curse, it cannot be blocked. Not by any shield spell at least. As it's effects are....permanent, it's important to know what to do if, and when, this spell is cast."

Heaven forbid it ever happened to any one of them. The thought of that was enough to make him feel queasy. Another breath and he moved on.

"There are really only three ways this spell can be defended." A fourth, but he wasn't about to put the idea of self-sacrifice into student's heads. The idea of the lesson was for each of them to learn how to keep themselves AND others alive.

"First, shared wand cores of the casting and defending wands, can result in a Priori Incantatem, where the spells will essentially cancel out. Secondly, spells can intercept and hit the killing curse, specifically the stunning charm, but to succeed in this you have to be spot on with your aim. If you miss........."

No more needed t be said.

"The third option, is therefore your BEST and most likely to succeed option. Dodging, or blocking the curse with a physical barrier." Should make each of them feel rather uncomfortable.

"These are the ONLY effective ways of ensuring that you stay alive. Be careful if dodging, you never know if you are moving right into the path of something else. Which leaves blocking with physical barriers. This is where the manipulation of your environment becomes so vital. If you have to rip a wall down to stay alive, do it. Damages can be repaired. Lives cannot."

He let that linger in the air for a moment as he moved to the pensive. "Keep in mind though, that whatever inanimate object the curse connects with, it is likely that the curse will cause an explosion or burst of green fire. The more intent the spell, the more damaging this is. You will still be in a very lethal position even when you are defending yourself. So your best option. Get out of dodge. Don't stick around. Don't try to be the winner. Sometimes, there is a time and a place to turn tail and run."

Yup. The greatest defense? Booking it. "Live to fight another day."

Now behind the pensive, Sabel fixed those in the class with an unreadable expression. "Before we move on, for those of you who want to see first hand what a killing curse looks like, you may come up one at a time to the pensive. You won't be able to see details of where the memory occurred, or who was involved; those recollections have been tampered with for your own safety. And don't ask."

A slow breath left him. "For those of you who don't want to see, don't come up. This isn't for everyone, though I would encourage it. Here, you can see first hand something which you would only see at your most dire moment. Here, in a safe and controlled environment. Just...consider that."

That and don't faint on his floor, please.

Text Cut: Pensive Memory

When you sink your head into the pensive, the world swirls about you, drags you down and deposits you in the middle of an asile. An asile already slightly disturbed with broken bits of pottery and plants. It's hard to tell though, the edges of everything are blurred, as if looking through a foggy window, and everything has a dull, grey tinge. The only things in somewhat sharper focus are those things closest to you: your hands, your wand, the floor beneath your feet and some of the closer plant leaves.

You may notice that you stand at the crossroads of asiles and before you stands a shadow of a figure. All identifying features have been clouded out, as if they don't exist. You can tell that the person is talking to you, and that there is someone behind - someone you think perhaps you are protecting. The voice is sickly, turns your blood cold and your hair to stand on end but the words, like the face, have been jumbled as if your head has been stuck under water.

Then, all of a sudden the figure before you is casting silent spells. The first a zap of light, the second the sickly, eerie emerald green burst of the killing curse. The moment seems to hold, your heart stops and adrenaline pumps through you like never before. Then, you are moving and time is speeding forward at an alarming rate. You have but a heartbeat of a second. A shift forward and a flick of your wand and you've upturned a table full of pots and plants to send it into the path of the killing curse. You shove forward, sending a blast of air at the table, trying to push it forward into the path of the spell and away from you as far as possible, as close to the shadowed man as possible. It doesn't get far. It is a second, a fraction of time and a desperate action between you and the killing curse.

The table just barely makes it into the path, and the curse impacts against it. It is explosive and jarring, shaking the ground as whole plants and planks and pots split apart in clumps of eerie, green fire that jets this way and that. You're thrown back by the concussion of it, your lower back impacting against the shelf behind you with such a burst of pain its a wonder if you'll ever walk again.

Then, the vision swims to grays and mixed colors and abruptly you are pushed out of the pensive and returned to your own body, safe in the DADA classroom, with no injury or pain to speak of. Only a memory.

"Once you are done and ready, I'd like you to form up into pairs. One student will use the Homing spell, with a green light cast, to imitate the killing curse. The your partner will defend themselves as if they were defending against that curse. Once you've had a turn, switch. And then switch around. Keep at this until the end of class. And take this seriously. This practice may one day save your life."

And, that was it. This was it. "You can come up, or pair up now."

--------------------
OOC: Sorry for the long post, trying to move us along swiftly.

So, you can look into the pensive - please have your students react ONLY to what the pensive memory says - do not make any additional assumptions; this is all that can be seen and all that is allowed to be seen in the memory. Sabel has been very careful to make sure this is so

For the activity, find a partner, or pairs of three or four (whatever works out best) and have one student start with casting the homing spell and the other student defending - idea is to practice as if defending against the killing curse, so keep in mind the only methods of defense against that (of course, not everyone has to be successful - have fun (?) with this XD)).

Please do at LEAST one post PER pairing. i.e. one post casting the spell at your partner, one post defending against your partner. Of course, feel free to do more

If you have any questions, please ask. Sabel/I will pop in. Class ends Nov 5, and I'll start wrapping us up the morning of, and it will close closer to midnight

.

11-04-2015, 07:29 AM	#93 (permalink)
Tazenhani DMLE & DoM Doxy Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 6,150 Hogwarts RPG Name: Amur Neverwinter Fourth Year	~ Rise and Rise Again, Until Lambs become Lions ~ Text Cut: Snitch Hunters SPOILER!!: Davie Quote: Originally Posted by BanaBatGirl AWWWWwwwww what?! Why couldn't the firsties learn anything about the killing curse?! Davie was deeply, DEEPLY disappointed by this, and trudged up to the professor to tell him so, tugging on his sleeve to get his attention. "If we get permission from our parents, professor, could we maybe watch your lecture in a pensieve later on? Please?" Sabel's eyebrows went up at Truebridge's request. He almost laughed. Leaning down, he let his voice drop to a confidential whisper. "You mean if you get permission from the former Headmistress of Hogwarts, who was my boss last year? And if she gives permission to the current Headmaster? That would be a war of wands to see." So the answer was, likely not, but at the same time he was so curious as to the results that he didn't feel like being a discouragement. SPOILER!!: Noelle Quote: Originally Posted by ChanceCoeur Head snap. Noelles head was off of Phillips shoulder. Off. Okay Professor? She blushed because she wasn't used to be given the look by a professor. She pulled herself up, sitting a little straighter as the professor demonstrates the homing spell. Okay. Homing spell. She or acted the word that was being murmured around the classroom. She did the swift movement that was taught to her until... Oi. Oh hello Sabbies head. Noelle blushed as Dakest told him to take a lap. Yeah sleepy head, get to running. She needed good marks! Oh boy, now the class was being split up. Noelle pulled herself off the floor and dusted her skirt off before heading to the other side of the classroom. She was much more awake now S she FINALLY noticed the snitches. She looked up in awe as they came with her to the other side of the room. Her mouth twitched though, when she was told that they would be attacking. Touché snitches... Touché. Sabel watched as Summers left through the door. Hopefully a good chase by the snitches would be the morning wake-up call she needed. That, or she'd never attend a morning DADA class again. SPOILER!!: Chloe Quote: Originally Posted by fanficfanatict Chloe was on board with everything the professor was saying until he mentioned that they would be attacked. That she was not alright with for a litany of reasons, most of them circling around anxiety. Not that she was going to own up to that because she could do anything anyone else could do. She would just do it teetering on the edge of having a breakdown from being attacked the whole time. Attacking eleven year olds just sounded malicious in her opinion. The blonde followed her classmates into the next room. And why did Newman look like she might start screaming for her life? They were just snitches. Nothing truly terrifying about them. In fact, they were kind of cute in their own, metallic ways. Once all the first, second and third years were gone through the door, as well as any of the older students that wanted to follow, Sabel closed it behind them. The buzzing of the snitches faded to silence. He turned to the remaining students. Text Cut: Killing Curse Answers SPOILER!!: Adi Quote: Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19 Gosh! An activity AND a session about the Killing Curse! No fair, Professor! Adi was torn apart in joining the younger students because hello?! He wouldn't have to be sitting in a class but his fascination with death related things was stronger and the Hufflepuff eventually opted to stay behind. He glanced at Benny, wondering which he would choose, before adjusting himself on a bench and raising his hand. "The incantation is Avada Kedavra.'' Sabel's attention turned to Rehman and he nodded slightly. "Correct. The loose meaning of the incantation instructs the 'thing', the life, to be destroyed." Such a happy topic they were addressing today. Good thing there weren't too many that looked too curious. SPOILER!!: Yoongi Quote: Originally Posted by DuckyLinJi Yoongi chuckled and shook his head when the Professor ordered one of the students to run a lap around the classroom. Didn’t they know that you just did not sleep in class? No matter how boring it is because you could be missing some important information. He watched the kid and wondered if he was going to run or refuse. Should be interesting to see which choice he made. Though if it had been him he would have run in a heartbeat. Call him a coward but he did NOT want to be on the Professor’s bad side. Nope. Anyways, as class continued, Yoongi listened as the class was divided into two sections. And his group would be seeing and discussing the Killing Curse? A frown appeared on his face this time. He was curious though, the kid was always curious, probably would be his death one day but he was also reluctant. It could be handy learning about the Killing Curse WITHOUT actually getting killed you know? As the door opened and the snitches zoomed out, Yoongi bit his lower lip, making a choice right then. Instead of following the snitches, he sat back down on the bench and , almost nervously, raised his hand. “The uh…killing curse …..you can't just shout the incantation..you have to really, really mean it for it to work" which made the curse even worse. His attention went to Hyland. Curious, it was the first time he'd heard the boy speak with any sort of trepidation in his voice. It was well warranted. A slow nod. "You do. It can't be half hearted. Suffice to say, it would have to be the most important thing on your mind in that moment." SPOILER!!: Hady Quote: Originally Posted by SpiritWolfe Malfoy Hady shifted on her spot on the floor. Today's lesson was either cast spells at snitches that were going to attack her or sit and learn about the Killing Curse. This was somewhat new. Getting to decide what she was going to do. The choice wasn't to much of a hard one and she remained exactly where she was. "If struck by the curse death is immediate," She replied raising her hand before giving the answer. Then there was Lynch. Sabel gave the young girl the smallest of smiles. "Probably one of the better qualities of the spell. While it is an unforgivable, the death it induces is quick and without pain." He wouldn't say it was a blessing. Death wasn't. SPOILER!!: Paulina Quote: Originally Posted by Squishy Given the choice between a snitch hunt and learning about the killing curse, Paulina chose the latter. It wasn't that she was morbid...she just felt that it was necessary to understand the evil out there. That, and she was feeling lazy this morning. Sitting straight in her seat as an effort to wake up more, Paulina raised her hand. "Harry Potter is the only person to have survived the killing curse." The fact that everyone knew about it didn't change anything; it WAS something she knew about it. "Except, in the case of Harry Potter. Correct." Sabel let out a breath. *"At least, the only one hit* by the curse to survive. There are other ways to survive it's casting." An important difference. SPOILER!!*: Jet* Quote: Originally Posted by Hey Ju Jet's eyes suddenly looked more awake as she shifted on her seat to take a better look at the professor when he mentioned what the fifth to seventh yeras would be discussing. Talking about the Killing Curse was almost a taboo and she was excited to learn about it, and even witness it happening through a pensieve memory. She raised her hand. "It is one of the Unforgivable Curses." And Jet was looking forward to listening to what professor Dakest had to teach them about it. A simple but honest answer. Sabel nodded. "Unforgivable, for it's ease and use of taking life. It's important for each of us to remember that while we have a great deal of power in our hands, in our heads, in our blood, we should never think or believe or decide that we have the power to decide life and justice." SPOILER!!: Sophie Quote: Originally Posted by feeheeheeny ...Oh. Well. That explained everything. No doubt the pensieve beside him held his memory, then. A memory of what a killing curse looked like. Right? Or it would, once he put the memory in there. That HAD to be why he was so serious today. Not a fun topic, not at all. Though... Sophie did notice how many of the younger students seemed disappointed that they had to leave, and how many of the upperclassmen looked excited by the day's topic. And Soph just gave Dakest a Merlin, are these people nuts? look. Because... Merlin, were these people nuts? Getting excited over learning about the killing curse? Soph was judging them hardcore. All the judgmental looks. Didn't they REALIZE what all this really entailed? Someone died. No, someone was KILLED, and they were going to watch a memory of it happening. Someone going from full of life to lifeless. All the light in their eyes, gone. Into nothingness. Lowering herself down onto one of the benches, Soph clutched her vine wand in her lap tightly. The fun Persequoris stuff was no longer at all on her mind - just the grim topic and task ahead of them. Hesitant at Sabel's question, her hand slowly rose into the air and she responded somberly, "There's a... a flash. Of emerald light, when it's casted. They say it's really bright, almost blinding, and there's supposed to be like... a huge rushing gust of wind with it, too. Like, 'cause it's such a powerful spell. Makes sense that the energies given off'd be so immense since it's... so strong of a spell." Aaand back to fidgeting with her wand. As for Brown, he was trying not to look at her. Why? Because she had that knowing, 'I'll read your thoughts and empathize with you' look that he did not need. Not right now. Except, it was hard to not look at a student when they were talking. So, he let his mood darken even a bit more, and her description of the curse helped in that regard. Also made him wonder if she'd ever seen one before. "Quite so. The appearance of the spell is very distinctive. Suffice to say that if you see a green light coming towards you, you'd best be on your toes quick." Take no chances. SPOILER!!: Benny Quote: Originally Posted by Holmesian Feline The class was to be divided in two. Well that made the presence of the wall in the middle of the classroom a bit more sensible. As usual, the division was between the upper and lower years though as a 7th year it appeared he had a choice. The way to that fact brought him up short however. Say what? The Killing Curse?! Darkest was actually going to teach them about the darkest most unforgivable of the the unforgivable curses? Cue the reason for the professor's serious expression during the course of the class so far. Benny unconsciously swallowed as he thought on the matter, debating staying or going. It wasn't like he really had any strong personal interest in the spell. Catching the look from his boyfriend, he knew Adi was thinking the same thing. Should he stay. Benny personally that is since Adi was far more inquisitive at times. However curiousity got the better of him and he took a seat besides the badger. It couldn't be that horrible...right? His gaze passed along Atreyu, noting the look on the kid's face. Merlin, no one was going to pass out on him, right? SPOILER!!: Brooklyn Quote: Originally Posted by SinisterTiger They were being given a choice as to what they wanted for the rest of the lesson. That was new, but then, as far as Brooklyn was concerned there wasn’t any choice to make at all. She didn’t care about the snitches, and she hardly wanted to be attacked by them. Plus, she’d identified the pensieve in the first place. That explanation shouldn’t have even been needed, but it just went to show that people weren’t bothering to listen to everything Professor Dakest had said. At least, they hadn’t listened when he’d answered her question way back at the beginning of the lesson, verifying that her guess that the bowl was a pensieve was right. It annoyed her, but in any case, she didn’t move an inch. No, she was staying to see what the spell looked like. To actually get to use the pensieve. She’d stayed quiet regarding the question, too. She knew that the incantation was Avada Kedavra, after all. She didn’t know why anyone wouldn’t know that, or the basics regarding the spell. She was way more focused on the pensieve and the light emitting from it. That was the interesting part. At least he didn't have to worry about that with Andrews. The girl looked downright determined, almost so much so that it bordered on concerning. She got a momentary eye, before he moved on. No suggestions or offerings were fine, they had nearly covered everything anyways. SPOILER!!: Dante Quote: Originally Posted by Meizzner Well look at this Dakest was giving him a choice between staying and hearing about unforgivable curse, plus seeing one. Or going and practicing homing spells on snitches. Well the choice was obvious for Dante besides the whole not wanting to get up thing. He was staying up. This was turning out to be an awesome lesson. Oh right question "You need really strong intent and skill to perform it." Dante doubted he could even make someone nose bleed if he tried it. Which he would never since it was against the law. Yeah, against the law Nearly didn't mean quite. Not just yet. Sabel nodded at Barrington. "Skill is important too. You do have to be a good and strong practitioner at magic." Or so the records said, though whether that was to discourage certain people from trying and succeeding, he wasn't sure. SPOILER!!: Henric (wand wasn't taken, spell was just cancelled ;) ) Quote: Originally Posted by Symphora When his wand was was taken out of his hand, he blinked and turned his head towards the professor. Oops..."Sorry about that Professor...I was in the zone...didn't realise I was casting it with my wand..."Henric replied rather sheepishly. Wait...what? They were going to do a practical on the killing curse?! B-but? Why? The unforgivable spell!Gulps Oh dear...this didn't suit well with the fifth year Hufflepuff. Henric didn't like killing things. It made him uncomfortable and truly remorseful the next. They were also told that they were going to watch a memory of someone witnessing the killing curse too in the pensive!? Did he want to see it? Should he stay back...or... go to the other room? He was contemplating his options in his head...but his curiosity won him over. He needed to know what the curse looked like atleast. Henric went to sit on the benches and decided to remain quiet. He only knew a few things about the killing curse and most of his classmates had answered to the best of their knowledge so there was no need to repeat that were already mentioned. In the zone. That almost got a smirk from him. "No harm done. Just, pay a bit more heed when you are practicing, for the safety of yourself and others." In the classroom and outside of it. And then the kid looked like he was going to be sick. Sabel almost made mention that any and all projectile vomits were to be done out the windows or in the bathrooms. Merlin, and they hadn't yet seen anything yet. SPOILER!!: Zander Quote: Originally Posted by ArianaBlack As if the pensive wasn't enough to bring WAR FLASHBACKS from the time in the forbidden forrest and that horrible detention where he had to relive the moment only days after it had happened, they were actually going to have an entire lesson centered around death too. GREAT. This is EXACTLY what Zander wanted to learn about the moment he rolled out of bed this morning. Man, Dakest couldn't have done a better job choosing their class's subject material. It was PERFECT. Zander was absolutely elated to learn about all things death. Sounded like TONS OF FUN. He was SUPER jazzed. .... And he felt like he was going to throw up too. Just brilliant. He considered leaving to do the snitch activity. And I mean, REALLY REALLY considered it. But... That'd mean staying with all the first through third years. He'd be the oldest one in there. He was the Head Boy. He'd be a complete joke if he left this room, not that he wasn't already but even MORE of one. He couldn't just get up and leave. Everyone would see him. That and his feet felt like they were superglued to the ground. So despite wanting to learn about anything but the killing curse, he remained seated. Face as pale as a blank sheet of parchment. Stomach churning. Head uneasy. Perfect. So he'd sit here. He'd learn. He'd listen. But he wasn't under any circumstances going to look into that pensive. Watching one person die in real life was enough. He didn't need to see it again. He knew what death looked like. He could imagine what the killing curse did. Especially with all the visuals Sophie gave in response to the questions, Zander felt like he could practically imagine the whole thing spot on. "It shouldn't be used." That's what he knew about it. Nobody should be allowed to use it. Voldemort was a different case, sure, but they had no reason to use it now. It was unforgivable for a reason. Zander was more sure of this than he was sure of anything else. The killing curse shouldn't even be an option. Death could be prevented. Even if death by Avada Kedavra was quick and painless. It shouldn't be used. And that was that. The potential for gross smelling bile on his floor was rising by the minute. Sabel let out a noisy breath, his gaze catching on Zander's ghostly face. "Mr. Adair, do remember to breathe. I don't believe you would want me resuscitating you." Because what could be more terrifying than the killing curse? A professor bringing a student back from passing out. At least the kid managed to get a few words out. Sabel nodded slightly. *"Shouldn't be, as it's against the law. You'll end up in Azkaban quicker than cheese on a cracker if you do, or even attempt* it."** Not entirely true, as it was often difficult to catch those who did cast the spell, but there was always the benefit of instilling the fear of don't do it into minds at a young age. SPOILER!!: Dot Quote: Originally Posted by decapitatERN Oh, pensieve. That explained the blue stuff, and it also made Dot sort of regret asking. If there was a happy memory, or a potion to make you tap dance until midnight, or something lovely in there, then she was all for it. But a memory in which someone probably... well... died? No, thank you. But the other older students were staying, and even though Dot really wanted to go practice her new charm, she also didn't want to be the lame fifth year who couldn't stomach the truths about life. She folded her hands against her stomach and took a seat. "It's evil. There's nothing fair or sporting in killing someone straight out, and using it will crack your soul irredeemably." Soul cracks. Those were how horcruxes got made. Now that she knew what was in the pensive, Wojack-Gusey hardly looked keen on it's contents anymore. Good. Meant she had some brains between her ears. "Evil is the best descriptor for it." Good moral compass too. Raised right, this one. She got another head nod. SPOILER!!: Evie Quote: Originally Posted by sarahBOO Evie's mind was lingering on the homing spell so much that she nearly missed Dakest moving onto the next part of the lesson. The killing curse? Really? Her eyes stayed on the professor, wondering how hard it was for him to go ahead and teach this part. She wondered if he had used it before, being an auror. Evie knew that he didn't even like recommending students to the MLE, particularly the auror program, so... this was probably hard curriculum for him to teach. Her eyes flickered to the pensieve. She hadn't used one in a while. And the last time she had used one was for something very much less... grim. Dakest wanted to know something about the Killing Curse to see what they knew, but Evie had her own question, so she raised her hand. "Does the homing spell work with the killing curse?" She didn't see why it wouldn't... Killing made easier. Lovely. And here was another one, thinking that they could read his mind through calculating, empathetic eyes. Sabel leveled a straight gaze at the young girl. It had to soften a little bit though, at her question. He shrugged his shoulders. "In theory, perhaps. Hard to say if it's been tested or not. Records do state the curse must be aimed at a target, and the aim must be good if it's going to hit. So, it's not out of the realm of possibility." And wasn't that just a peachy thought? With that lovely idea of a homing Killing Curse chasing on their tails, it was time to move on. Sabel let out another breath and leveled his tone and his gaze to one of complete neutrality. "Due to the nature of the killing curse, it cannot be blocked. Not by any shield spell at least. As it's effects are....permanent, it's important to know what to do if, and when, this spell is cast." Heaven forbid it ever happened to any one of them. The thought of that was enough to make him feel queasy. Another breath and he moved on. "There are really only three ways this spell can be defended." A fourth, but he wasn't about to put the idea of self-sacrifice into student's heads. The idea of the lesson was for each of them to learn how to keep themselves AND others alive. "First, shared wand cores of the casting and defending wands, can result in a Priori Incantatem, where the spells will essentially cancel out. Secondly, spells can intercept and hit the killing curse, specifically the stunning charm, but to succeed in this you have to be spot on with your aim. If you miss........." No more needed t be said. "The third option, is therefore your BEST and most likely to succeed option. Dodging, or blocking the curse with a physical barrier." Should make each of them feel rather uncomfortable. "These are the ONLY effective ways of ensuring that you stay alive. Be careful if dodging, you never know if you are moving right into the path of something else. Which leaves blocking with physical barriers. This is where the manipulation of your environment becomes so vital. If you have to rip a wall down to stay alive, do it. Damages can be repaired. Lives cannot." He let that linger in the air for a moment as he moved to the pensive. "Keep in mind though, that whatever inanimate object the curse connects with, it is likely that the curse will cause an explosion or burst of green fire. The more intent the spell, the more damaging this is. You will still be in a very lethal position even when you are defending yourself. So your best option. Get out of dodge. Don't stick around. Don't try to be the winner. Sometimes, there is a time and a place to turn tail and run." Yup. The greatest defense? Booking it. "Live to fight another day." Now behind the pensive, Sabel fixed those in the class with an unreadable expression. "Before we move on, for those of you who want to see first hand what a killing curse looks like, you may come up one at a time to the pensive. You won't be able to see details of where the memory occurred, or who was involved; those recollections have been tampered with for your own safety. And don't ask." A slow breath left him. "For those of you who don't want to see, don't come up. This isn't for everyone, though I would encourage it. Here, you can see first hand something which you would only see at your most dire moment. Here, in a safe and controlled environment. Just...consider that." That and don't faint on his floor, please. Text Cut: Pensive Memory When you sink your head into the pensive, the world swirls about you, drags you down and deposits you in the middle of an asile. An asile already slightly disturbed with broken bits of pottery and plants. It's hard to tell though, the edges of everything are blurred, as if looking through a foggy window, and everything has a dull, grey tinge. The only things in somewhat sharper focus are those things closest to you: your hands, your wand, the floor beneath your feet and some of the closer plant leaves. You may notice that you stand at the crossroads of asiles and before you stands a shadow of a figure. All identifying features have been clouded out, as if they don't exist. You can tell that the person is talking to you, and that there is someone behind - someone you think perhaps you are protecting. The voice is sickly, turns your blood cold and your hair to stand on end but the words, like the face, have been jumbled as if your head has been stuck under water. Then, all of a sudden the figure before you is casting silent spells. The first a zap of light, the second the sickly, eerie emerald green burst of the killing curse. The moment seems to hold, your heart stops and adrenaline pumps through you like never before. Then, you are moving and time is speeding forward at an alarming rate. You have but a heartbeat of a second. A shift forward and a flick of your wand and you've upturned a table full of pots and plants to send it into the path of the killing curse. You shove forward, sending a blast of air at the table, trying to push it forward into the path of the spell and away from you as far as possible, as close to the shadowed man as possible. It doesn't get far. It is a second, a fraction of time and a desperate action between you and the killing curse. The table just barely makes it into the path, and the curse impacts against it. It is explosive and jarring, shaking the ground as whole plants and planks and pots split apart in clumps of eerie, green fire that jets this way and that. You're thrown back by the concussion of it, your lower back impacting against the shelf behind you with such a burst of pain its a wonder if you'll ever walk again. Then, the vision swims to grays and mixed colors and abruptly you are pushed out of the pensive and returned to your own body, safe in the DADA classroom, with no injury or pain to speak of. Only a memory. "Once you are done and ready, I'd like you to form up into pairs. One student will use the Homing spell, with a green light cast, to imitate the killing curse. The your partner will defend themselves as if they were defending against that curse. Once you've had a turn, switch. And then switch around. Keep at this until the end of class. And take this seriously. This practice may one day save your life." And, that was it. This was it. "You can come up, or pair up now." -------------------- OOC: Sorry for the long post, trying to move us along swiftly. So, you can look into the pensive - please have your students react ONLY to what the pensive memory says - do not make any additional assumptions; this is all that can be seen and all that is allowed to be seen in the memory. Sabel has been very careful to make sure this is so For the activity, find a partner, or pairs of three or four (whatever works out best) and have one student start with casting the homing spell and the other student defending - idea is to practice as if defending against the killing curse, so keep in mind the only methods of defense against that (of course, not everyone has to be successful - have fun (?) with this XD)). Please do at LEAST one post PER pairing. i.e. one post casting the spell at your partner, one post defending against your partner. Of course, feel free to do more If you have any questions, please ask. Sabel/I will pop in. Class ends Nov 5, and I'll start wrapping us up the morning of, and it will close closer to midnight . __________________ I've got a fire for a heart._________________________________________________ I'm not scared of the dark._________________________________________ _______________________________________You've never seen it look so easy. Last edited by Tazenhani; 11-04-2015 at 07:38 AM.