| Dwarf
Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: #8000FF
Posts: 35,306
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Amelia "Mia" Adair
Slytherin Sixth Year
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Leigh Upstead
Hufflepuff Fifth Year  x11
|  Flamsteed House be curious, not judgmental
Text Cut: The Gryffindors <3 Quote:
Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie  All of it.
Of course.
What he got for asking a Ravenclaw.
Chuckling at the Head Girl's lesson suggestion, although not entirely dismissing it either, he merely shook his head while a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. A man who took great pride in his family history, it was more of a game with him to see how long it took the general population of Hogwarts to notice the connection. Nearly a decade now...give or take the inquisitive student here and there. Same reason he did not want the Observatory rolling out the red carpet when he arrive.
Among other reasons. Ahem.
"I'll think on it, Miss Brown," he saluted. If nothing else he could break out of his Spock comfort zone for Halloween? Next year.
...
oh.
Ahem. Anyway?
"Well, although I am sure you have already read this elsewhere, this room is one of the last the surviving interiors by Sir Christopher Wren who the architect of St. Paul's chruch in London. But that is more a significance for modern times, I suppose. Originally, this room was used by astronomers to observe eclipses and comets. And those two clocks over there by the entrance, just to the left of the door were crafted by Thomas Tompion in 1676. However, Flamsteed's widow sold them and they were made into long case clocks, so those are replicas you see now. The one there on the far right indicated sidereal time, which was essential for use of the long telescopes you see by the windows." He paused and gestured towards a pendulum in a case elsewhere in the room. "Although that over there is the pendulum from one of the original clocks. Flamsteed and ompion agreed to use a new type of mechanism in these clocks called the dead-beat escapement which became the standard for precision pendulum clocks, not unlike the one we have in the Clock Tower at Hogwarts."
Although that was a multipurpose clock, as are most things in the wizarding world.
Looking down, the Astronomy professor checked his sundial watch and managed to mask his disappointment.
"Sweet solstice, look at the time," he said, showing the watch to both the Head Boy and Head Girl - who probably could not make heads nor tails of it since the watch never seemed to actually "work." "Almost time to start heading back to our, er, meeting location."
OOC: this thread will be closing today, approximately 5 hours from the time of this post. SO LAST CALL FOR PARTICIPATION POINTS! Quote:
Originally Posted by ArianaBlack Flamsteed's reaction to their presence was a bit strange, kind of like he was pulled out of some sort of daze or something. But the man still remained so serene. It was weird seeing him like that, not jumping around and flailing. Zander wasn't sure if he liked it. But there was a different kind of intensity in the man this time. One that didn't really need flouncing around to make it evident. And though Zander didn't want to admit it, he was quite curious. Not as much as Sophie Brown, clearly, because who the heck had time to hear EVERYTHING? Not Zander. But he sorta did wanna hear stuff.
The Gryffindor still stood a bit further away from Sophie and Professor Flamsteed, but when the man patted the spot indicating for them to join him in sitting... Well Zander waited for Sophie to go first before slowly walking over and sitting beside her. Were they really just gonna sit here and stare at a picture? 'Cause no offense or anything... But he was curious, but not that curious.
They were on a COOL FIELD TRIP and they were gonna SIT here and STARE at a PICTURE?????
Typical.
As for the questioning, he let Sophie Brown take the reigns on this one as well. Instead, he sat quietly... Curiously... Kind of pouting too 'cause really, it was just a portrait was it not? It didn't even move or anything. Was this other Flamsteed guy a wizard too?
But he stayed quiet. A quarter out of respect. A quarter out of curiosity for previously posed questions. A quarter out of not-knowing-what-more-to-add. And another quarter because really he wanted to explore the rest of the observatory and staring at a portrait was kind of a weird thing to be sat doing.
But as Sophie Brown's resident Golden Retriever, he sorta had an obligation to stay. And respect. That too. Right.
Also because now Flamsteed was talking and that tended to go on for a while. So he sat, taking in the information, not knowing whether he'd ever remember it, but deciding it was better to listen than to stare at a portrait for much longer. So he casually nodded his head along, to indicate he was listening or something. Looking over at Soph, because he could tell she was just taking every ounce of this in with full enthusiasm. It was her thing. She did that.
And then before he knew it there was a watch being shoved towards his face and actually uh, Zander couldn't figure out what any of it said, but he pretended to understand that their time was almost up anyways. 'Cause what kind of moron doesn't know how to tell time? Ahem. "Oh, uh, right." The Gryffindor slowly lifted himself from the seat, giving Flamsteed a respectful sort of smile. "Thanks for sharing all that with us, Admiral," giving the man an awkward salute before looking back over at Sophie Brown. Was she ready to start heading towards the meeting spot?/COLOR] He would THINK ON IT! HOW EXCITING. Soph BEAMED at that, giving him a happy nudge and a nod of approval. "Y'should. It'd be the best." She meant it, too.
As STORYTIME BEGAN, Soph settled down beside the professor on the sofa, her hands clasped in her lap and her eyes locked onto the man's face, giving him her FULL attention. Originally used to observe eclipses and comets? Sidereal time for long telescopes? Pendulum clocks? WICKED. Soph grinned and nodded in understanding throughout the whole spiel, her goosebumps returning as she took in just how deep the history WAS in this very room.
"There were loads of astronomical advances that happened here, then? This is like... mega cool, professor. We're sitting where some of the GREATS have studied the heavens, including your family, at that. No wonder y'came here. Is it your favorite place in the whole Royal Observatory?" She bet it was, and frankly, she couldn't blame him. "M'glad you have this place, professor. S'like... s'like coming home in a weird way, I reckon."
How special for him to have a place like this, a place where he could see loads of others appreciating his ancestors, too. Probably choked the guy up to see so many people going in and out each day, showing interest in HIS family's legacy. Ugh. It almost choked HER up a little bit, too.
She was so, so happy for him, and it showed in her eyes and her smile.
Flammy's watch, though? She had no idea how he read that thing, but with a bright smile, Soph rose and shuffled beside Zander, giving him a look of gratefulness for him coming along to share in that moment with Flammy, too, before addressing the astronomer once more. "Yeah, thanks, professor. It's been... m'glad... thanks for all of it." For tolerating them interrupting his zen time, for being willing to share, for... everything. All of the last six and a half years, really.
It'd been a blast.
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