Though December had settled over the castle, the section of the grounds reserved for today’s Defence Against the Dark Arts gathering felt touched by summer itself. Warm afternoon sunlight spilled across the Hogwarts grounds in soft golden waves, while a gentle breeze carried the faint scents of fresh grass and earth through the air. Any trace of winter’s chill seemed impossibly far away. Professor Khanna had evidently gone to great lengths to ensure the cold, dim weather would not interfere with the afternoon’s activities. Subtle warming charms lingered throughout the area, wrapping students in comfortable warmth and bathing the grounds in a bright glow.

As you arrive you will notice a few other curious things: an old, weathered wardrobe stood somewhat incongruously against the open landscape, its crooked doors shut tight for now, the wood worn with age. Not far beyond it, a line of enchanted training dummies had been arranged at intervals across the grass. They stood perfectly still at present but their presence suggested that the calm wouldn’t last for long. Further along the course, something darted briefly through the air. It was too quick to catch clearly, but a burst of shrill, mischievous laughter carried on the breeze. Whatever could that be?

At the far end of the field stood the unmistakable marker of the finish line: a pair of tall banners bearing the Hogwarts crest, planted firmly in the ground and fluttering proudly in the afternoon wind. Anyone who managed to reach them would know they had completed the mini obstacle course that had been planned for you.


OOC: Welcome to term 73’s DADA lesson! Just a gentle reminder to read the Rules and Guidelines, paying particular attention to the first rule about labelling your posts with your student's name and House. Please keep character chatter to a minimum.

Class will kick off in about 25 hours! CLASS HAS COMMENCED! ^_^

• Replies to greetings + Instructions
• Check in 1: Professor Khanna; BOGGARTS! {AlwaysSnapesGirl; Kolyander}
• Check in 2: Professor Khanna; BOGGARTS! {Charely Potter; Kolyander}
• Check in 3: Professor Khanna; BOGGARTS! {Kolyander}
• Check in 4: Professor Khanna; The Narrator {Kolyander}
• Check in 5: Professor Khanna; BOGGARTS! {WhittyBitty}
• Check in 6: Professor Khanna; BOGGARTS! {WhittyBitty}
• Check in 7: BOGGARTS! {WhittyBitty}; Professor Khanna

GET HIRED BY THE MINISTRY TODAY!

Are you at least 17 years of age and seeking employment? Why not consider a future with the Ministry of Magic?

It's the holiday season (IC December) in the SnitchSeeker site-wide RPGs, and that means that the Ministry of Magic is going on a brief hiatus and closing its doors (meaning members will no longer have access to the Ministry of Magic RPG forums, although IC the Ministry would still be open for operation and employees still hard at work) until placement comes to an end. This means that from now until June 15th you can have AS MANY adult characters apply for a job at the Ministry of Magic as you'd like simply by filling out this placement questionnaire. Before submitting your questionnaire, make sure you are familiar with the Ministry of Magic RPG rules and general FAQ. And don't worry, the Ministry will be back up and operational once we ring in the New Year IC in the site-wide RPGs!

You can apply for IC (in-character) employee positions in the Ministry of Magic with as many of your characters by filling out the placement questionnaire. Please see this thread for more information on this expansion to the Ministry of Magic RPG.

The questionnaire itself can appear daunting, so here is a very basic guide and example for how to fill it out. The Job Listings thread is also available to you to use as a reference. Remember that, unless otherwise specified, this questionnaire should be filled out entirely in-character (IC)! The more information and detail you provide, the better!

Text Cut: example of a completed application

1. Name
Stanley Ophart

2. Age
27

3. Please list all forms of education, both wizarding and Muggle, that you have completed or are pending completion. This information should include degrees, time, place, and any honors or titles you earned.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; Gryffindor 2080-2087
WU Edinburgh (Cryptozoology/Magizoology and Behavioral Sciences) 2088-2092

4. Please include your OWLs, NEWTs, and any other notable examinations you have sat.
OWLS
Ancient Runes: Class not taken
Arithmancy: Class not taken
Astronomy: A
Care of Magical Creatures: E
Charms: E
DADA: P
Divination: P
Flying: E
Herbology: O
History of Magic: A
Muggle Studies: T
Potions: O
Transfiguration: E

NEWTS
Ancient Runes: Not taken
Arithmancy: Not taken
Astronomy: A
Care of Magical Creatures: E
Charms: E
DADA: Not taken
Divination: Not taken
Flying: E
Herbology: O
History of Magic: A
Muggle Studies: Not taken
Potions: O
Transfiguration: E

OWLs and NEWTs are only one example of the information you can include here. If supplying OWLs and NEWTs scores, remember that it is not necessary to have perfect scores in all subjects to get a job at the Ministry of Magic. As a matter of fact, it helps us better place you if you give us strengths AND weaknesses. Knowing what your character is best at and what he/she isn't so great at helps lead us to the department best suited for your character.

If providing OWL/NEWT scores, please don't provide something like "6 OWLs, 5 NEWTS." We need to know the subjects to help us figure out which department is best for you. Possible test scores are as follows:

Pass Grades
Outstanding (O)
Exceeds Expectations (E)
Acceptable (A)

Fail Grades
Poor (P)
Dreadful (D)
Troll (T)

5. Please list all former places of employment. Include dates of employment and job titles.
Internship at Galloway Rehabilitation Reserve, May 2088 – December 2091
Internship at George Glass’ Greenhouses: February 2091 – December 2092
Freelance nature photographer 2092 - 2096

6. Please list any additional skills or qualifications you feel pertinent to your placement in the Ministry of Magic:
Degrees in Cryptozoology/Magizoology and Behavioral Sciences from WU Edinburgh

"Picture of the Year Award 2094" by National Geographic

7. Please list your strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths: I'm really good at making and achieving goals I set for myself. Once I put my mind to something, I work hard at it until the job gets done. I'm very knowledgeable about anything dealing with the outdoors, and I have a deep care for the wildlife around me. I get along well with others and am comfortable working with a partner, a team, or by myself.

Weaknesses: I don't like to stay in one place for too long; therefore, a desk job wouldn't be right for me. I get bored with paperwork, and if that's all I was assigned to do, I'd lose my ambition really quickly. I like to protect wildlife; however, I tend to shy away from jumping headfirst into dangerous situations involving people.

8. If you are applying for a specific position in the Ministry, please list it here.
I am not.

9. Please list any crimes, wizarding or muggle, including the nature of the offense, the date committed, and sentence served.
petty theft (Scribbulus Writing Instruments); June 7, 2094; paid a fine of 52 galleons

10 - 15. Select the radio button beside the option best fitting to your character

16. OOC: If you are already placed in the Ministry of Magic RPG and are applying for a chance to re-sort, please provide a few details as to why you’d like to change departments.
N/A

17. OOC: Please indicate the name and department of the character you are giving up.
N/A

Ministry Placement is a lengthy process for the Ministry of Magic RPG team as each questionnaire is first reviewed by an SSRPG admin and then by each respective department head, so please be patient after submitting. We're a thorough lot when finding the right job for your character, so it may be UP TO A WEEK before you hear back from us.

Who can take the Ministry Placement Questionnaire?

• Members! All members can apply. You need only to get your ten legitimate posts first. No RPG experience required.
• If you are not currently a Ministry employee and would like to be, then now is the time!
• If you ARE currently a Ministry employee but wish to change departments and characters, retake the questionnaire using your new character.
• If you ARE currently a Ministry employee with only one character at the moment and wish to add more, fill out this questionnaire. Please note that this will be assumed to be the case for any member with only one character currently employed in the Ministry who fills out this questionnaire. If this is not the case, please specify so in the appropriate OOC field.
• If you ARE currently a Ministry employee and wish to change characters within the same department, please contact your department head directly. There is no need to fill out this questionnaire.
• Likewise, if you wish to have your current character considered for another job, a promotion, or another department, please contact your current department head directly or the SSRPG admins (Charely Potter or sweetpinkpixie). Note that promotions will typically come IC from your department head with character longevity and reliability.

What happens after I take the Ministry Placement Questionnaire?

• Your questionnaire will be carefully looked over by an SSRPG admin before being passed on to the appropriate department head.
• Once the department head has your questionnaire, it is their turn to carefully look it over to assign your character an appropriate job within the department.
• Once the department head has given your character a job, they will PM you, welcoming you to their department, and provide you with details on which position your character has earned.
• After a SSRPG admin has received confirmation of this PM being sent by the department head, your Ministry of Magic tag will appear (if you are new to the Ministry). So keep an eye on your inboxes!
• A new profile field has been added to your user pages to list all your Ministry employee characters if you wish to utilize it. These character names and their assigned departments will no longer appear in your postbit, however.

If you have questions, you are free to ask them right here, in this thread. You can also contact any one of the Department Heads or an SSRPG Admin via PM, and we'll be more than happy to help :lion: :yaydance: :loveskip:

Good luck & happy placement! We look forward to hearing from you.

THE ELASTICITY TRIAL COURSE
:scientist:

Located beneath the Potions classroom, the Elasticity Trial Course has been opened for students wishing to further experiment with the Elasticity Elixir brewed during a lesson earlier in the term. Equal parts obstacle course, laboratory, and controlled disaster waiting to happen, the course has been specifically designed to test three key principles behind the potion: flexibility, precision, and control.

At the entrance to the underground chamber stands Professor Cox, who supervises the activity and intervenes whenever a student's enthusiasm begins to outpace their judgment. Beside him, a sturdy display rack holds neatly labeled phials of Elasticity Elixir available for student use. A prominently posted notice reminds participants that consumption is entirely voluntary, though strongly recommended for those intending to attempt the course properly.

A basket overflowing with individually wrapped Peppermint Toads rests nearby as well. Students are encouraged to take one upon completion. The peppermint assists in stabilizing lingering magical elasticity effects while the chocolate is simply good for morale.

:bluepotion:Station One: Flexibility
Can you adapt your shape?

The first section consists of a series of enchanted moving walls inspired by ancient magical training exercises. Openings of varying shapes and sizes periodically slide, rotate, and shift position. Students must stretch, bend, compress, and contort themselves through the correct opening before the wall reaches them.



Failure is not dangerous. The wall simply stops and deposits the participant unceremoniously back at the start.


:bluepotion: Station Two: Precision
Can you control fine movement at full stretch?

Beyond the wall course stands a series of narrow platforms, pegs, hooks, and perches mounted at awkward heights and distances. Students are provided with small fragile objects — glass beads, tiny keys, rune tokens, miniature potion vials, and similarly delicate items— which must be placed onto designated targets while their limbs are stretched to unusual lengths.

Dropping an item merely causes it to float gently back to the starting station.

:bluepotion: Station Three: Control
Can you manage the potion's effects rather than letting them manage you?

At the far end of the chamber hovers a softly glowing orb. Students must stretch themselves far enough to touch it while remaining anchored at their starting position in the circle drawn on the floor.

Upon contact, the true challenge begins.

The Elasticity Elixir naturally encourages a rapid snapback toward one's original shape. Participants must slowly and deliberately return to their starting position while navigating through a field of levitating orbs. Any orb struck will burst dramatically into brightly colored paint. Successfully completing the course without becoming a walking art project is generally considered an impressive achievement.

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OOC: As mentioned at the end of the lesson, this serves as the bonus Potions extra credit opportunity for the Elasticity Elixir unit. Expect stretchy limbs, questionable decisions, paint-related consequences, and Professor Cox silently reconsidering several of his life choices.

• This is open to everyone. Your character does not need to have attended the lesson in order to participate.
• To keep things fair, please use just one character from your postbit lineup for this extra credit opportunity.
  
• Consider this a low-stakes group RP rather than a structured lesson. The goal is to have some fun with the Elasticity Elixir concept, earn a little extra credit, and create opportunities for character interactions and general chaos.
• Feel free to jump in whenever your schedule allows. Characters can arrive, participate in whichever portions of the course interest them, interact with others, and leave at their own pace.
• You're welcome to decide how successful (or unsuccessful) your character is at the various challenges. Just keep things reasonable and fun for everyone involved.

I'll leave the thread open until around June 21st, give or take a few days depending on activity levels and whether the site decides to become haunted again.

Have fun!:chrleadr:

As always, if there are any questions or things that need clarifying OOC, please feel free to reach out to me via VM or PM and I will be happy to help out!