Marie walked back into the class after their short break. She notices the room is set up a little different. Now it appears they may actually get to do some real dueling iunstead of just talking about it.

"Hello Professor" she says as she wlks past him and sits on the edge of the raised dueling platform. She looks over what is on the orb as she waits for everyone else to show up.

There was paperwork in her arms, and her hair had been braided, French style. Magically, of course.

Gold stepped into the class, saw that it had been set up a bit differently, and offered no one in particular a small smile. Walking over to the raised duelling platform, she perched herself down on the edge, and waited for Professor Truebridge to continue the lesson.

Rawrr.

TARGETS! Heck yes! That looked like fun! He loved classes that involved lots of hand on dueling stuff like this. Hehe. And thankfully, this time, it looked like there would be NO Unforgiveables involved at all, so YAY!

"Hello again, Professor," he said with a smile as he took a seat. He hoped all the talking went by fast so he could shoot some targets! WOOO!

Truebridge nodded at Marie, Gold and Jack. He wouldn't continue the lesson until the others returned from the break.

He tugged a wand kit from his pocket and busied himself polishing up Michelle.

Lina made her way into the bleachers and took a seat, still scribbling things down in her notebook. "Hmm..."

Raiden had left the arena for only a few minutes, to get a quick drink. As he made his way towards the bleachers, where Lina was already sitting, he paused, eyes on the professor. For a second, he considered saying something to him, anything, but... hmmm. He didn't know what to say. So instead, with a small smile at the man, the kitty-eared prefect continued to the bleachers and sat down next to Lina.

Cedric strolled over the arena with a broad smile. And then he noticed some people around and their professor himself, "Hello Professor Truebridge," he greeted happily.

Neptune strolled up to Mr. Truebridge with her hands behind her back and her features a little solemn. It was a ruse though, because the moment she got near him those wiggly fingers came out and she TICKLED his side a little bit.

Then GIGGGGGGGLED as if SHE were the one being tickled.


"You look so sad to me, Professor. Was your time in prison SO dreadful? I'm enjoying class, you know, so you should cheer up about that at LEAST." Naturally, dear sweet and kind-hearted Neptune took it upon herself to be Mr. Truebridge's friend. She sat beside him - RIGHT BESIDE him - and gave his arm a reassuring pat.

Biting his lip, Jake got up and perched on the edge of the duelling dias.

"Sssir... wuhh-we won't bbbe using mmmagic, will we?"

Jake had thought it was theory, after all. He still couldn't find his wand. He KNEW he had it at the slumber party.

Fail.

He hadn't started the assignment either, so... man. That really was a fail.

Why couldn't Truebridge have usurped the HoM position? At least Jake was good at that.

Having already placed her parchment and quill back into her bag and gotten a drink of water, Mina made her way over to the raised platform. Taking a sit, she continued thinking about her homework and what was next to come in the lesson.

Sidney walks into the class. She smiles at Professor Truebridge and Neptune. Seems Professor Truebridge has himself a mascot now. Sidney watches him polishing his wand. She is impressed with his kit. "That's an unusual wand, professor. Where did you get it?" Sidney has never seen anything like it. I think Mr. Olivander tried every wand in his shop before he found the right one for me. I don't remember one made out of that type of wood. Sidney takes her wand out of its holster.

Miranda smiled akwardly at the professor, now really feeling bad for being such a brat before.

He understood her impatience? Miranda's brow twitched together at his comment, wondering what he was talking about. She knew he had been...'relieved' of his position as Professor last term, but it seemed there was something else he was refering to...? She had no idea what to say, so she gave him a more sincere smile and wandered off to pack her notes in her bag. Then she walked to stand by the bleachers as he had instructed.

After taking a small break Fred followed to professor Trubridge to the new location where he assumed they were gonna duel soon or atleat thats what he hoped for.

Neptune SNIFFED in Sidney's direction.That girl that was a complete disaster in Herbology and Potions (and possibly more class that Neptune didn't know about). The SNIFF said, RUDE. Interrupting is RUDE. Clearly BUSY here! It was very hard not to raise her hand and SHOO the girl away, or reach over and cover the wand from the girl's sight.

Hmph.

Kay walked into the new room and waited to see what they woud be doing. Looking around the room she saw alot of people she knew be didn't really want to talk to anyone. She wished that Rex had taking the class with her. "Hi Professor." Kay said was she put her stuff down and stood waitting.

Violet walked in the room, and sat by Raiden Lina. "Hey"

"I... no touching." Truebridge gave little Neptune Bott an alarmed look, having to stifle his first reaction which involved something along the lines of... well, finger snapping wasn't a good idea.

"I am... glad you are enjoying class." He managed. What was with these children? There was one every term.

Mostly Ravenclaws in his case.

Odd.

Ethan thought about this for a moment. "Some volunteers will. Generally this is a theory lesson however."

It didn't occur to him to ask why.

"Not so unusual. Its Poisonwood. Many people react to the wood, developing a rash and irritation, which may be why you have not seen it in your... lifetime. It is not usually given to children." He paused. "Mr Ollivander? You mean the Ollivanders' staff I assume, since the great wandmaker himself is certainly no more."

He nodded in greeting as the rest of the class rejoined them.

"I'm sure you have all noticed the targets and the notes in the orb." Ethan began, gesturing to the display orb. "This is still mostly a theory class, but demonstrations will be needed and you will be given the opportunity to do so if you wish. We will begin by discussing Spell knowledge. Obviously this is not simply a matter of knowing an incantation and a wand movement, it is also mastering the intent and practicing the spell until it becomes second nature. So I have questions to pose to you all, there are no wrong answers, I am simply interested in your opinions and hoping that you will each think about your answers."

He looked around the class, some seated on the dais alongside him, some on the bleachers, a few standing around and a few on the floor.

"Do you think it is more important to know a few spells well or have a larger range of spells that you are less skilled in? What do you find to be the easiest way to learn a spell? Do you think simply learning the spells taught to you for your age group is enough? What ways might you learn extra magic? Your thoughts, students, anything you wish to share on the topic of Spell Knowledge and increasing your skills."

Lina raised a little hand. "I personally think knowing a few spells well, casting-wise, is best. However, you should know as many spells as possible in theory so that you can recognize them when they are being cast, and know whether to dodge or counter them and how to counter them if they can be countered. I personally don't just learn spells that we are taught, since there are many spells out there to learn, and I enjoy theory and mechanics, so I'm more interested in how and why the spell works. I think those things are very important to invention, and I want to be a great inventor one day, so learning a lot of extra magic is very important."

"Well professor I think it would be more useful to know a few spells well then to know a number of spells you can't do that well because it is important that every spell you plan to use you know it well that way you can use it successfully well when you need to. As for the seccond question I personally find it's easiest to learn a spell under pressure that way you're concentration is high because you fear something and therefore you're success rate is more likely. As for the 3rd question we really can't just rely on spells learned in school for our age group. It's best I think to try to ge above and beyond and try to reach new herizons you never thought possible in spellwork till you tried. Yes it may be more difficult but I personally would rather put in the work and concentration to be self sufficient if I do come across danger. And as for you're 4th question you can learn from you're peers, experience, or the library, all hold information on spells but my guess is books from the library would be the most accurate unless you go to a corrupt school at which time you can only rely on you're peers and what they can get from uncorrupt areas into the school which is not easy and seems impossible but if there is a will you can find a way", Fred responded.

A frown of concentration was etched on Miranda's features. She wanted to be sure she understood everything and didn't want to miss anything that could be useful in mastering spells.

Mhm. Nodding to what Truebridge was saying. That made sense.
The questions he provided them was indeed ponder-worthy, and Miranda chewed on her bottom lip as she started to think about a possible answer.

"Sir," her hand rose in the air, "I think knowing of alot of spells and understanding how they work is important, but it's maybe more important to be able to cast just a few spells very well. Maybe being an expert on a stunning spell is more crucial than being 'bad' at many other spells that do not have the desired effect when you cast them."

Uh, practice? She wasn't entirely sure about how to answer his second question, so she decided to skip it. Hehe. But she continued, "I did initially think we were being taught the 'right' spells for our age... but now that there are" She hesitated before finding an appropriate word, "...dangers out there that are threatening and hurting us, maybe it would be best to teach us some more advanced spells and uses of magic." Like, if they had, maybe many things would be different now. "But I guess we could all take responsability to teach ourself a little more, though learning from a book is not the same as being instructed by a Professor." Shrug. Her hand finally dropped to her side.

Swinging her feet over the edge of the platform she thought about what Truebridge said while slowly twirling her wand. Raising her hand she turned to face the professor. "I think its more important to know a few spells and be more skilled with them because you will preform them better than knowing a bunch of spells and not being able to preform them well. The easiest way for me to learn a spell is to see it preformed first then do the spell myself as opposed to reading it out of a book." Having said all she wanted to on the subject, she turned and watched her feet swing while listening to the other students.

"Mkay," Jake replied, and he let the subject drop.

Stupid wand.

At the question, Jake remained quiet for a little while, and then spoke up.

"Knuhh-knowing only a ffffew ssspells and buhh-being ggood at them would be bbbetter thuhhh-than having an av-av-average knowledge of alllot..." he spoke, but he didn't really go into why. "Erm... in mmmy opinion."

No touching what? Who? Neptune actually looked around her then whispered, "Are you hearing voices, Sir? Perhaps it was the dementors." GIGGLE. "I hear they are so nasty. You poor, poor dear. If I were my mother, I'd have sent you a basket, you know." And perhaps, Neptune still might!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Con_Stripes

"Do you think it is more important to know a few spells well or have a larger range of spells that you are less skilled in? What do you find to be the easiest way to learn a spell? Do you think simply learning the spells taught to you for your age group is enough? What ways might you learn extra magic? Your thoughts, students, anything you wish to share on the topic of Spell Knowledge and increasing your skills."

Neptune scooted closer to Mr. Truebridge where they sat side by side and tapped his arm when it was her turn to speak. Felt strange to raise her hand really. Then she spoke as if they were BFF and the only two people in the classroom. "I think the question is limiting. It's sort of like saying, will you have cookies or will you have milk? When surely you can't have one without the other. Why would you learn only a few good spells well? Learn as much as you can as BEST you can. Learning things half way is lazy, you know." Clearly. Then she tapped her nose thoughtfully before finishing his long list of questions, "I like to learn by doing. Professor Durskurk was so wonderfully hand's on."

Then, little actress Neptune Bott got up to impersonate him. "Today we'll learn the Unforgivables! You all will fail, but TRY anyway! Don't GIGGLE, children! CRUICIATUS CRUCIATUS SUFFER SPIDER!!!" Then Neptune gave a menacing look that she felt MUST have been a spitting image of the DADA Professor.


"The rest of your questions are very at large. How should I know? You're the teacher and I'm sure you draw a decent enough paycheck to answer those for me. But, IN THEORY, Sir, I suppose I'm learning enough. And I learn from students, or people, that are older than me. You'd NOT BELIEVE the stuff I learn from my sister's journal!"

GIGGLE. Neptune all but bowed when she was done.

Well, surely it was better to know a few spells very well than it was to be mediocre in a few more. Raiden's hand was halfway into the air, to voice his own opinions on the questions, when... well...

It was as if Merlin had said 'Let there be Neptune'.

And there. Neptune. Was.

Mouth slightly agape in obvious shock and horror, Raiden's hand very slowly lowered itself as he stared at her. Whyyyy was she... surely she had lost her mind. This was a class. Why... guh. Hopefully Professor Truebridge wouldn't give her detention or something, for... that. Spectacle thing. Good lord.