Point loss had little to no effect on the Hufflepuff by this point - not that it truly ever had - and if anything he was perplexed as to why such a harsh reaction to accepting both physical forms of punishment. But there would be no complaints and no sass, he felt disinclined to either and simply continued with his set of push-ups. Reckon that was his choice then between them and the extra lap since he had completed the set.

Straightening up, Derf dusted his hands off just in time to have his suspicions realized - the man now thought that Professor Wayland and Professor Hirsch had provided them with an inadequate education and he felt his heart sink into his stomach. Did this mean that...they, the students, had possibly caused the man's livelihood to fall into question? It did not take much for these people to snap - as the man had just demonstrated on the sixth year himself, docking points for accepting a punishment on grounds of it was not precisely the either or answer he had been seeking - so what did that mean for a creatures professor who had students who...had not been precise in language when it came to Dark creatures?

Derf could feel himself spiraling in the worst possible way. He...didn't know what he would do if Professor Wayland were to get sacked. And, honestly, while it was the last thing he wanted to think about...it was ALL he could think about.

So much so that he had a bit of a delayed reaction to everyone scrambling into line, though he managed to make up for his hesitation with his long strides and sliding into position behind Stasya. So...red caps...that wasn't TOO terrible a thing to be encountering in the Forbidden Forest, comparatively anyway. Hand up, Derf waited dutifully until it was his turn to speak. "Since Red Caps kill by bludgeoning their victims, I reckon casting Expelliarmus to disarm them of their weapon would render them less of a danger to you." Simple spell, but an effective one. As the history books noted, it WAS the spell that ultimately caused the death of Lord Voldemort during the Battle of Hogwarts. Though...there were a few additional bells and whistles that made that all possible.

And also...Derf was internally wincing as some of the spells already mentioned were not technically defensive...and this was a man of precise language. VERY precise.

A grunt was better than other reactions the headmaster had given her classmates, and Vita allowed herself to stand just a bit taller and relax somewhat. If the others continued to disappoint and displease him, she'd have no problem flying under the radar for the remainder of the lesson.

Hurrying to join the line closest to where she was standing, the fifth year considered the spells her classmates had shared, mentally crossing off the ones she agreed with. Once she'd settled on her own choice, she raised her hand and waited to be called on.


"Loricatus, Sir. It'd provide you with armour to defend yourself against an attack long enough to figure out your next course of action."

Red caps? Nettie was not too keen on that. She had been hoping for something interesting but mostly benign - like the thestrals. These sounded...less than pleasant. As they had scattered into their formation, Nettie had taken her position behind Derf, because despite him not being HER prefect she always felt somewhat better protected when he was around. Especially when it came to creatures.

She raised her hand as they walked along the bridge. She had to hold it out to the side a bit too - she hadn't anticipated that she probably wouldn't even be SEEN behind the older boy. "I would probably use Incarcerous and hopefully take them out by wrapping them up," she explained. Was that a good, out of the box answer?

As long as it didn't lose her points...

Probably the most shocking thing to happen at this point was Jessa arriving late and had earned herself not only a detention but also a thirty points loss for their House. Dorian opened his mouth but then closed it and sighed instead, knowing that protesting would be futile and would only result in more points loss because the Headmaster certainly had a warped idea of how a school was supposed to run. Slowly but surely, the Ravenclaw had started to see the flaws in the new education system and he wondered how old the Headmaster thought they were. Because they were treated as Auror's and not children. And although he did not approve of the Head Girl of all people to arrive late, he guessed it must be stressful for the student leaders this year as well so instead of sending her a dissapointed look, the fourth gave a small smile.

Wait ,what? Thirty seconds to do what?! Getting pulled back to reality, Dorian looked around in mild confusion as the other students began to line up in two lines. Missing what was going on, the Ravenclaw figured he would find out what it was for once he stood in line as well. ....They weren't actually going in to the forest right? They had lessons in the forest during CoMC but never went to far inside.... But with the Headmaster, he had a feeling they were going to get deeper in to the forest than normal. And this talk about the viscious Red Caps did nothing to ease his growing unease.

Especially when he said that the creature were an easier match against a competent wizard. But that was the problem. He was not competent in any defensive spells to protect himself. He hadn't RUN to get the treasure for the Inferi last year for NOTHING you know. Running away was something he was excellent in. But he doubted that this answer would do him any good. But what else was there to say? Most of the answers had already been provided and he was too busy trying not to freak out as they were marching towards their doom forbidden forest.

……. She considered him carefully, trying to read his eyes. What were the chances he’d follow through? Detention wasn’t any skin off her back. She had been serving more than a handful of those since her very first year at this school. Some more deserved than others. But expulsion?

Zoryn hadn’t ever been threatened with that before…

She just stared. Eyes narrow. Testing him, almost.

She sure as heck didn’t want to show up for laps in the morning. It had gotten a whole lot easier to sleep through his insistent alarms. But… Expulsion? That wasn’t exactly something she would dare mess with. Not willingly of course.

So she stayed quiet.

And as for the second thing, Zoryn felt QUITE accomplished.

Zoryn: 100 Headmaster: -300.

As far as she was concerned, she had the last word. Even if he had threatened her with expulsion. HA. Take that.

Unlike the rest of her peers, Zoryn (again) chose not to answer the question. Instead, she quietly moved to stand behind Dorian in line.

Hopefully they ran into a Troll in the forrest. And hopefully that Troll was hungry for Ugly Headmaster.

Giving a small nod to acknowledge his mistake, Ewan listened to his professor’s answer, making mental notes so as not to make the mistake again. After all, as a student, he wasn’t supposed to know everything. He was here to learn and with this in mind, he couldn’t help but frown at the Professor’s criticisms of several answers. True, they were not all Dark creatures but most students had still given answers and had made the effort.

Ewan was ready to let this slide until Scrimgeour ordered them to form two lines and march into the forest as if they were 6 years old! This was simply not acceptable! How must some of the older students be feeling? Reluctantly, he shuffled into line behind Zoryn, briefly noting the headmaster’s threat of expulsion. Walking, a slight rhythm to his step, his eyes focused on the trees around him, he couldn’t help but be slightly twitchy at the headmaster’s words. Whether he meant to scare them or not, he couldn’t help but shudder at the thought of coming face to face with a Dementor.

Trying not to let this spook him, he gave his head a little shake and focused on Scrimgeour’s question. The problem was, he really wasn’t sure what spell would be useful in this situation. Racking his mind quickly to think of a spell that may come in use, he quickly came up with the Arresto Momentum charm. Holding his hand up until he was called upon, Ewan quickly explained his theory. “Sir, would it be possible to use a charm? Say, maybe Arresto Momentum to slow down the Red Cap enough for you to escape?” In all honestly, he wasn’t sure if the charm could be used in that way but he hoped the Professor would appreciate the effort nonetheless. Although he very much doubted it.

Lucas bit his lip. Everything the man was saying was making him nervous to the point where his hands were starting to sweat and his heart was beating very fast and the air was gone. Which was weird because they were nearly outside, weren't they?

And speaking of outside, it looked like they were going there sooner than he would've liked. He had no time to say anything even if he wanted to because they only had thirty seconds to get into two lines?! Lucas tried not to squeak - the Headmaster might file a rule against THAT soon enough - as he scrambled to get in line behind a slightly older Ravenclaw (Ewan) whose name he didn't know.

Red Caps. They were facing Red Caps.

He..... felt a little bit better about that. Only a little. Because they were technically smaller than him so.... he could defend himself, right? But, as he looked down at his wand, he couldn't help but feel a little disheartened because he couldn't defend himself. Not properly, at least. Some of these spells were hard and he had a LOT to learn. Namely: six and a half years of magical learning.

Now, a spell. A spell to use against these creatures with their, uh, their tools for bludgeoning. The first answer to come to him was pretty simple and he was sure that the Headmaster would say SOMETHING about it but..... he was going to go for it. So up went his hand and he waited to be called on. "Uh, I'd say Petrificus Totalus. I mean..... it stops them from moving, yeah? Lets you go ahead in peace." That was his logic.

Highly feared... lethal... incredibly harmful... Sounded a bit like old Headmaster was describing himself. Natalie briefly wondered if he had ever killed anyone and decided that she wouldn't put it past him. THAT was why she didn't want to tick him off. Even though it was incredibly easy to. But she seemed to just mildly irritate him, so she thought that was pretty good.

Natalie had made it somewhere near the front of one of the lines heading toward the forest. Red Caps. Little things that bludgeon its victims to death. Natalie supposed the best defense to those was to act confident and to pretend like you're NOT lost, since that was who they typically attacked: lone, lost travelers.

"The Disillusionment Charm," Natalie said, as she raised her hand. "You can hide yourself from them so they can't see you." And that seemed like a good defense to her. Just like ignoring your problems until they went away.

Stella did her best to hide the fact that she was scated they were going into the Forbidden Forest. Was this man off his rocker?! It was was forbidden to go in, they didn't call it the forbidden forest for nothing! Stella swallowed hard and kept herself firm and at attention but you could see the fear in her eyes.

Not wanting to get into trouble for not answering any questions, she raised her hand. " What about Rictusempra the tickling Charm sir? It'll tickle them but it'll be a good distraction to get what you want." she said. She did know what else to think of, all the good answers were taken but she didn't want to get into trouble for not answering. Standing in the line she stood behind Lucas standing firm and not saying a word she waited for further instructions.

Skyler let out a small sigh, a breath she did not know she was holding. Okay. Good answer not great but eh, good enough. She went into one of the lines and listened as the headmaster talked. Okay...red caps...killing...really? An implied insult? Meh.
So when he had asked the question, the first thing that came to mind when the headmaster/professor had asked the question was the imperious curse. Or maybe transforming the red cap into something else less threating such as a farret.
She silently raised her hand and waited to be called on.
"I'd say use the imperious curse, to make it run away from you, or maybe turn the red cap into something less threating like a house cat."

Yeah, Okay Centaurs were not dark creatures. She got that. But Honestly just because they wasn’t dark didn’t mean that they couldn’t harm you. Just saying. It took all that Juniper had to not roll her eyes at professor rude face, what kind of professor talks down to a students answer like that. Honestly the professors tone really hurt her feelings. But she would NOT make those feelings known.

She was soon listening to the others give their answers to the next question. The more the sixth year thought about what her answer could be finally she had an idea. She raised her hand and waited to be called on. ”I’d use labefactum the bludgeoning Hex. Why not fight the same way a red cap would attack you.” Seemed like more of a fair fight when you play the game or fight the same way.

Yeah. No. Abra absolutely did not need thirty seconds to line up; the headmaster did not exactly put him in a frame of mind where he was likely to dawdle or delay in following instructions. He simply did as he was told when he was told it, hurrying to get into one of the two single file lines that were forming.

Or maybe it was one double file line.

Were double file lines a thing? If a single was a thing, then surely a double was too...

Realising his mind was starting to wander at the worst possible moment, Abra shook his head to clear it and did his best to focus on what Scrimgeour was saying as they all started walking, but now all he could really properly fully actually focus on was how cold his fingers, toes, and face were feeling, and how much he wished the end of the lesson would come, so he could get inside and warm up. But he lesson wasn't going to end for a literal age, during which they still had to go... into the forest.

Okay, yeah, no. His shaking was definitely partly from fear now.

At the question, Abra hesitated for a good long while before raising his hand. He was anxious about saying something incorrect, or for accidentally breaking another rule, or doing something wrong that he'd not even considered yet. "Um... if they get hold of you before they start, uhh... bludgeoning... then maybe the Revulsion Jinx could be useful. Because it would force them to let go and give you a chance to get away. Or the spell could make them drop whatever they were going to do the bludgeoning with." A bit like what Derf had said about Expelliarmus actually.

Well he ought to have truly listened to the Professor's question into jumping in and just offering a centaur as an answer. When the Professor asked about dark creatures, the boy wanted to offer that "dark" was a matter of perspective. He was sure that someone must have thought centaurs were evil - perhaps Umbridge or someone like that? Chase was just trying to keep an open mind, ya know?

Ahem.

To the question at hand... which he would SOMEWHAT attempt to answer better than previously.

A spell that could be used against them?

"Impedimenta, Professor. It wouldn't harm the creature but it could slow down their movements to give you more time to either flee or prepare another spell? It temporarily immobilizes the creature."

Okay, but this class was all stick and NO carrot. Chloe had even SAID the answer the professor was looking for, and not only had he sort of sneery-faced at her, but he hadn't given her points. What was the point of trying to do well if they weren't rewarded for it?

She shifted over a few steps to wedge in halfway back in one of the lines and followed behind the person in front of her, eyes on the back of their shoes and attention on the professor as he spoke. Red Caps were dangerous blah blah. She knew that. She'd SAID that, right?

"Maybe Depulso, Professor? Just banish that silly little Red Cap? They're pretty small and I wouldn't want to have to fight one."

She had meant her answer as more of a joke, but the dictator's reply did beg the question: why not? Was it because souls weren't inherently considered creatures? Or was there some other reason? See, for all of his dissing and doubting their education, he wasn't doing a very good job of it himself. That could've been an opportunity to teach them something new. Instead, he had simply furrowed his brow at her as if she were an idiot or something.

And yes, she did notice the breeze from his spell as he removed the phoenix from her back. Huh, she'd expected a bigger response. Weird.

Now, she had to agree that those naming unicorns and the like were, in fact, idiots. It was as simple as that. Archer tried to avoid joining the line that had the most of said students, figuring that line was DOOMED. And what was with the lines, anyway? They weren't in grade school (though some should definitely be sent back there)! Anyway, once she was situated, she started to think of a proper response to the question. "Relashio, it could force the Red Cap to let go of its weapon of choice." No joking this time from the fifth year, nope. Though, the amused tone was still in her voice, this time with a hint of smugness, like she had figured out something that the dictator hadn't yet.

So they were facing Red Caps, those dark dwarf-like creatures who liked living in the ground where blood has been shed. He heard about them of course but had never encountered one before. He drilled down a list of defensive spells he could use against them in his head. Unfortunately, most of his classmates had already answered the best ones. "We can use Immobulus to freeze their movements if there are too many of them at once. Or cast a good Cave Inimicum spell so they wouldn't be able to smell us."

Well fine then, kill her for trying.

Getting into line with the rest of them in the allotted time, Sylvie eyed Tayo and Zoryn both for entirely different reasons. Zoryn because.. well.. wasn't everyone looking at Zoryn anyway all the time? And Tayo because she was worried he'd get detention again. Would appreciate her best friend stay out of school jail please, likes hanging out with him.

Hearing answers from students about the next question, Sylvie sighed. This had been exactly why she'd failed her first DADA OWL exam, and why she'd done so well the second time. Defence and attack? Sylvie was the absolute best. Or at least, she was the best at it in August when she resat the exam.

Now? Uhh........... Let's see. "Protego Munio? If they're coming right at us.. they'd bang into a wall instead," she said with a nod and a shrug, and as the image came to her head she let out a little giggle. IMAGINE. #lol Sylvie 1, Red Caps, ZERO because they'd have BANGED INTO HER WALL HAHA.

Anyways.

Well…. between their ever so charming Headmaster and a nice stroll through the forbidden forest, this lesson was going to be a right old barrel of laughs wasn’t it????

NOT.

Max shuffled around awkwardly as the bloke handed out insults, detentions and Merlin knows what else and when they were instructed to form two single-file lines he made sure to find himself a spot nearer the back where hopefully it was safer. Safer from the Headmaster or safer from Red Caps? Who knew.

“Hit it with a tickling charm and run.” He regretted it the moment he said it because he was pretty sure Scrimgeour was lacking in the sense of humour department. And sure, it wasn’t exactly a defensive spell but he was sure it’d work. And it’d be funny.

Natasha couldn't think of any spells that had not yet been mentioned. She knew of a potion, but given spells had been asked for, she feared she would be punished for mentioning anything but a spell, so she opted to stay quiet

Text Cut: Individual Replies

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverTiger

So far, her opinions on the DADA lessons were mixed, even if Stasya still was planning on giving Professor Hirsch a rather detailed account of things once she was able to. On the one hand, everything about Hogwarts lately had been rather terrifying as of late, or at least frustrating beyond belief, but at least learning useful defense tactics was happening. Or, she was hoping it was going to, as she inwardly cringed every time another student had named thestrals, unicorns, centaurs and the like in response to the question about Dark creatures. She’d established that her own answer hadn’t necessarily been completely Dark, noting the fact it appeared a younger Slytherin had offered the same answer minus the explanation of a fact about them before her as well but not reacting as such. If anything, she’d had her pushups that delayed her answer and she hadn’t initially been silent for a longtime before answering. And another inward cringe had happened when Zoryn had happened, followed by Chloe’s having vocally protested the detail of the creatures being named not having been Dark. Apparently there was no chance of sliding by without irritating the headmaster.

Although, Chloe had hit on the answer being looked for. Sort of. The obvious disdain for both Professor Wayland as well as her beloved Professor Hirsch has smarted a little, and she most definitely did not want to encounter any lethifolds on their walk through the forest, considering her Patronus was still barely more than a faint wisp. Just the fact he expected them to find Red Caps was terrifying enough, and it took everything she had not to freeze, to go back into the scary place in her mind when she didn’t have her trust in the professor to pull her out of it.

Instead, she’d raised her hand. “Impiriano would work as a physical shield against their attack,” she offered simply, after going through her memory for everything she’d learned from duelling club. The extra spells she’d worked on for that, and the headmaster had asked specifically for defensive spells. The distinction seemed to be an important part to navigating through his lessons.

The man considered the female Gryffindor Prefect's words for a moment, nodding his head. He did agree that the circular shield would be beneficial, but... "True, though that would depend on the skill of the caster. If you're not competent at casting a proper shield, then you are in for a harsh beating or worse."

Shield charms served a valuable purpose, though Scrimgeour knew they only lasted for so long based on one’s concentration and could only take so much damage before falling.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOPEendures

Kaitlynn bit her tongue, metaphorically of course, but literally bit down on her lip to keep from pointing out that, yes, while unicorns weren't necessarily dark they did possess magical abilities that dark wizards are drawn to. She wasn't sure if she even wanted to fall into line to march down to the Forbidden Forrest anymore. However, she did because she wanted to learn even if it was from hit. After all that's why they were sent to school. She listened as they marched on and she was tempted to just leave the question be, but she wanted to prove that she wasn't as stupid as she seemed.

Hand in the air, permission to speak given, "A good defensive spell to be used against them would be a stunning spell to stop their attack and give you time to leave the area." See, she wasn't that incompetent.

Hopsisk's words also had some validity to them. But there were faults as well. He was certain one could get by if one or two Red Caps were around, though he couldn’t help but assume the worst. "True, yes. However, what if a hoard of them are attacking? You surely cannot stun them all in time without a few slipping through the cracks. What might be a good precaution to make?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ginevra

Daisy made her descent towards the Forbidden Forest's edge with Headmaster Scrimgeour and the rest of her classmates, she was trying to think of an answer to the Headmaster's question regarding Red Caps without showing signs of nervousness/fear. Within moments, Daisy had raised her hand to answer. "Protego Totalum could aid in ceasing any attacks from Red Caps since very little can break this spell."

Scrimgeour listened to what Swann had to say, taking her mention of yet another shield charm into consideration. While the protective enchantment was used to defend a certain area for an extended period of time, he wasn’t convinced that it would be the best go-to spell.

"The spell is used, more or less, to protect or hide an area. If you were in a clearing that you know didn't have Red Caps roaming about, then it would be a good safety precaution. But what if you were attacked by them unexpectedly?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jessiqua

Well. To be completely honest with you Headman, I've only been here for two whole years, Hanna thought. But Merlin, that didn't seem to matter. Eating textbooks didn't give the brain knowledge. No Sir.

His continued pauses left her feeling almost constantly nervous. A pit opening in her stomach. It wasn't hunger, she'd had supper. It was like butterflies. But also a feeling of... dread. Yes. Although the next thing she knew, she was moving like a robot, finding a place in one of the two lines. That brief moment of moving had distracted her enough to relax, until he started speaking again as they walked towards the forest.

Hanna took everything the Headmaster said into her mind. A small shiver went through her and she felt goosebumps, even through her uniform. So many dark creatures that were potentially in the forest. Which was where they were headed. There was little relief that he didn't believe they would come across any of them, though. But then they were dark creatures, weren't they?

Red caps, though. Well, Hanna had never seen one, and didn't know much about them. Hanna's eyes widened with every fact the Headmaster rattled off. They would be seeing those little beasts!? Merlin. Her palms felt sweaty from fear. His next question got her thinking of all the things she'd have available. All the spells, really. As long as they did damage to them if the Red Caps attacked. But what spell would SHE be capable of? She raised her hand, even through the walking. Did he have eyes enough to see them all? "Immobulus, Professor," she suggested. She could freeze them before they had a chance to get near her.

A nod was given after Newton gave her response. She even received a grunt of approval. "An excellent option if you're trying to prevent one or two of the bloody beasts. Though if multiple Red Caps are attacking you from different angles, you may not be able to immobilise them all in time..."

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaniDiNardo

Jessa gaped at the man, blue eyes widening to the size of saucers while the blood drained from her face. This reaction, of course, had nothing to do with the 30 points Ravenclaw had lost and everything to do with...well...detention. The 17 year old had never gotten detention in her entire life. She wasn't the sort that got dragged down to the dungeons for poor behaviour. Merlin knew what happened down in those dark cells but she didn't want to kno--did he say they would begin tomorrow? Implying more than one?

Detention. Her. Detention? The word kept replaying in her mind, being replaced only when the man implied that Professor Hirsch hadn't educated them well enough.

A dull flame of indignation lit inside her, detention aside, Professor Hirsch was the best. It wasn't his fault most of her classmates didn't pay attention or simply couldn't grasp concepts well enough to come up with answers he wanted. Her answer hadn't been wrong, she knew that much. She'd learned so much from her former Head of House. Now he was gone and she had detention and by now like 60 points lost and the term was going so terribly!

His 30 second warning saw the Head Girl scrambling into position, not wanting to him to tack anything else onto his punishment. When she arrived, some were doing push ups. She...would very much like to pass on that.

Jessa moved along in the line, only half listening to everything the man was saying. Between him insulting her former professor and the fact she now had DETENTION, Jessa's mind could focus on nothing else. His question went right over her head as she considered several scenarios. Would it be locked down in the dungeons? Writing lines? Blood quills like Umbridge used??--To be honest.......she probably wouldn't mind the blood quill....if it was outside--OH MERLIN DON'T LET IT BE RUNNING. No running, no laps, no push ups, no sit ups. That was it, wasn't it? He'd have her do her own S.O.R.E. Oh Merlin oh Merlin oh Merlin. Each idea she thought of was worse than the last and soon, she forgot where they were even headed, just absentmindedly following the person in front of her while her imagination ran wild.

Answering the question? What question?

The gaping and the widening eyes were observed, though the man's face remained neutral. Yes, points and detention. He was not going to take either consequence back, and he even had plans for the Head Girl's detention already sprouting in his mind.

But he was amazed that Cambridge could get into position within the thirty second limit, yet failed to make it to class on time.

No answer came from her, however. He was fine with that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by oh its Erik ok

Ok, maybe he should have hid the laugh better. Or you know not laughed at all but he couldn't help it. He was already way quiet than he normally was, so oops. And now he had to say something.

"Nothing, nothing at all, just was agreeing with Zoryn on it being inconsistent and confusing"

Which guess he made less confusing but Merlin it was easy to forget which professor to stay quiet for and who they could greet. Guess just staying quiet was easier. smart thinking right there. Shivering, Théo quickly got into the back of one of the lines was closest to him. Potentially having a lethifold in the forest was a frightening thought also as frightening has having a nundu in the forest.

"Impediment Jinx, knocks it back and gives you time to think"

Last he remembered it worked in red caps. Tho defensive it can be left up to interpretation

When Montmorency spoke, the headmaster give only a slight nod of his head. No approving grunt was given. He agreed that the jinx could be useful, though it definitely would not have been a top choice, in his opinion, for facing a Red Cap.

"If you think you can get away within ten seconds, then fair enough. Otherwise the spell typically doesn't last long enough in order to keep your head from being smacked in."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Devina Wellheart

Cal was quick to line up behind another student. If there was one thing he'd learned about the man, t was that he was not one to play games or wait for the slow..

He may not have had a chance to think on the first question, but the second was easier and his hand shot up and he waited to be called upon before sharing his answer, " I'd use diffindo and slash it to bits, Professor. Or stupefy.. To knock it back a bit and stun it so I could use diffindo on it.. "

His icy blue eyes may have narrowed slightly when Prichard's hand went up. The man was ready for any sass or negative comment the boy was bound to give. But he was surprised when an actual answer came out of his mouth.

The first spell seemed messy, and the second, well, that one had already been mentioned.

"I would avoid using the Severing Charm. The results will get rather bloody, and Red Caps will be attracted to any kind of blood that is shed. Odds are that would cause more of them to make an unwanted appearance." And Merlin knows what else might show up too...

Scrimgeour didn’t comment about the Stunning Spell. He wasn't going to repeat himself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

Point loss had little to no effect on the Hufflepuff by this point - not that it truly ever had - and if anything he was perplexed as to why such a harsh reaction to accepting both physical forms of punishment. But there would be no complaints and no sass, he felt disinclined to either and simply continued with his set of push-ups. Reckon that was his choice then between them and the extra lap since he had completed the set.

Straightening up, Derf dusted his hands off just in time to have his suspicions realized - the man now thought that Professor Wayland and Professor Hirsch had provided them with an inadequate education and he felt his heart sink into his stomach. Did this mean that...they, the students, had possibly caused the man's livelihood to fall into question? It did not take much for these people to snap - as the man had just demonstrated on the sixth year himself, docking points for accepting a punishment on grounds of it was not precisely the either or answer he had been seeking - so what did that mean for a creatures professor who had students who...had not been precise in language when it came to Dark creatures?

Derf could feel himself spiraling in the worst possible way. He...didn't know what he would do if Professor Wayland were to get sacked. And, honestly, while it was the last thing he wanted to think about...it was ALL he could think about.

So much so that he had a bit of a delayed reaction to everyone scrambling into line, though he managed to make up for his hesitation with his long strides and sliding into position behind Stasya. So...red caps...that wasn't TOO terrible a thing to be encountering in the Forbidden Forest, comparatively anyway. Hand up, Derf waited dutifully until it was his turn to speak. "Since Red Caps kill by bludgeoning their victims, I reckon casting Expelliarmus to disarm them of their weapon would render them less of a danger to you." Simple spell, but an effective one. As the history books noted, it WAS the spell that ultimately caused the death of Lord Voldemort during the Battle of Hogwarts. Though...there were a few additional bells and whistles that made that all possible.

And also...Derf was internally wincing as some of the spells already mentioned were not technically defensive...and this was a man of precise language. VERY precise.

Eyes bore into the male Hufflepuff Prefect. Truth be told, Scrimgeour was half expecting some sort of remark or entitled statement that would force him to dock points again and even go as far as to hand out another detention. But the man was surprised, and relieved, that the boy didn’t feel the need to question him or his authority.

Stay quiet. Do as you are told. It really was that simple.

"Good," he responded to the boy's answer. An often overlooked but effective spell ... if you could disarm all the dwarf-like creatures of their weapon in time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TakemetotheBurrow

A grunt was better than other reactions the headmaster had given her classmates, and Vita allowed herself to stand just a bit taller and relax somewhat. If the others continued to disappoint and displease him, she'd have no problem flying under the radar for the remainder of the lesson.

Hurrying to join the line closest to where she was standing, the fifth year considered the spells her classmates had shared, mentally crossing off the ones she agreed with. Once she'd settled on her own choice, she raised her hand and waited to be called on.


"Loricatus, Sir. It'd provide you with armour to defend yourself against an attack long enough to figure out your next course of action."

The man sent a grunt Mallari's way. An interesting spell to use, great for defence ... if one had the willpower to cast it properly. It wasn't exactly an easy spell to do if one wanted their entire body covered by invisible armour. And even that was temporary.

"It would serve as a temporary means from getting yourself beat up badly," he agreed. "I would recommend using a different option if the spell hasn’t been mastered, however."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lissy Longbottom

Red caps? Nettie was not too keen on that. She had been hoping for something interesting but mostly benign - like the thestrals. These sounded...less than pleasant. As they had scattered into their formation, Nettie had taken her position behind Derf, because despite him not being HER prefect she always felt somewhat better protected when he was around. Especially when it came to creatures.

She raised her hand as they walked along the bridge. She had to hold it out to the side a bit too - she hadn't anticipated that she probably wouldn't even be SEEN behind the older boy. "I would probably use Incarcerous and hopefully take them out by wrapping them up," she explained. Was that a good, out of the box answer?

As long as it didn't lose her points...

Gladin's answer did earn a nod from the headmaster. But, probably to no one’s surprise, the man did have a comment to make about that. "Again, it will be useful if you're facing only a few Red Caps at a time. A large bombardment, though, might require a spell with a wider range than what Incarcerous can provide."

When going against Red Caps, speed and efficiency was important.

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Originally Posted by DuckyLinJi

Probably the most shocking thing to happen at this point was Jessa arriving late and had earned herself not only a detention but also a thirty points loss for their House. Dorian opened his mouth but then closed it and sighed instead, knowing that protesting would be futile and would only result in more points loss because the Headmaster certainly had a warped idea of how a school was supposed to run. Slowly but surely, the Ravenclaw had started to see the flaws in the new education system and he wondered how old the Headmaster thought they were. Because they were treated as Auror's and not children. And although he did not approve of the Head Girl of all people to arrive late, he guessed it must be stressful for the student leaders this year as well so instead of sending her a dissapointed look, the fourth gave a small smile.

Wait ,what? Thirty seconds to do what?! Getting pulled back to reality, Dorian looked around in mild confusion as the other students began to line up in two lines. Missing what was going on, the Ravenclaw figured he would find out what it was for once he stood in line as well. ....They weren't actually going in to the forest right? They had lessons in the forest during CoMC but never went to far inside.... But with the Headmaster, he had a feeling they were going to get deeper in to the forest than normal. And this talk about the viscious Red Caps did nothing to ease his growing unease.

Especially when he said that the creature were an easier match against a competent wizard. But that was the problem. He was not competent in any defensive spells to protect himself. He hadn't RUN to get the treasure for the Inferi last year for NOTHING you know. Running away was something he was excellent in. But he doubted that this answer would do him any good. But what else was there to say? Most of the answers had already been provided and he was too busy trying not to freak out as they were marching towards their doom forbidden forest.

The headmaster paid no attention to Katharos. His hand didn't go up, so the man had no reason to make eye contact or even acknowledge him. The boy was marching, just like the others. He had better be listening too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArianaBlack

……. She considered him carefully, trying to read his eyes. What were the chances he’d follow through? Detention wasn’t any skin off her back. She had been serving more than a handful of those since her very first year at this school. Some more deserved than others. But expulsion?

Zoryn hadn’t ever been threatened with that before…

She just stared. Eyes narrow. Testing him, almost.

She sure as heck didn’t want to show up for laps in the morning. It had gotten a whole lot easier to sleep through his insistent alarms. But… Expulsion? That wasn’t exactly something she would dare mess with. Not willingly of course.

So she stayed quiet.

And as for the second thing, Zoryn felt QUITE accomplished.

Zoryn: 100 Headmaster: -300.

As far as she was concerned, she had the last word. Even if he had threatened her with expulsion. HA. Take that.

Unlike the rest of her peers, Zoryn (again) chose not to answer the question. Instead, she quietly moved to stand behind Dorian in line.

Hopefully they ran into a Troll in the forrest. And hopefully that Troll was hungry for Ugly Headmaster.

The old man stared back at the sixth year Gryffindor. If his gaze meant anything to her, he hoped it came across as that he was not fooling around at all. He had come close to expelling one student already this term. She would be no different.

Eye contact was soon broken. She was staying silent, which really was all the man could ask from a person like Spinnet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GD2204

Giving a small nod to acknowledge his mistake, Ewan listened to his professor’s answer, making mental notes so as not to make the mistake again. After all, as a student, he wasn’t supposed to know everything. He was here to learn and with this in mind, he couldn’t help but frown at the Professor’s criticisms of several answers. True, they were not all Dark creatures but most students had still given answers and had made the effort.

Ewan was ready to let this slide until Scrimgeour ordered them to form two lines and march into the forest as if they were 6 years old! This was simply not acceptable! How must some of the older students be feeling? Reluctantly, he shuffled into line behind Zoryn, briefly noting the headmaster’s threat of expulsion. Walking, a slight rhythm to his step, his eyes focused on the trees around him, he couldn’t help but be slightly twitchy at the headmaster’s words. Whether he meant to scare them or not, he couldn’t help but shudder at the thought of coming face to face with a Dementor.

Trying not to let this spook him, he gave his head a little shake and focused on Scrimgeour’s question. The problem was, he really wasn’t sure what spell would be useful in this situation. Racking his mind quickly to think of a spell that may come in use, he quickly came up with the Arresto Momentum charm. Holding his hand up until he was called upon, Ewan quickly explained his theory. “Sir, would it be possible to use a charm? Say, maybe Arresto Momentum to slow down the Red Cap enough for you to escape?” In all honestly, he wasn’t sure if the charm could be used in that way but he hoped the Professor would appreciate the effort nonetheless. Although he very much doubted it.

Hmm. Arresto Momentum. Scrimgeour gave Jones a grunt. "That charm would be useful. Of course, its effectiveness would vary depending on one's skill and mastering of the spell their are wielding. It may only slow a Red Cap down or prevent one from stopping. More willpower would be needed to take on a large group of them."

Quote:

Originally Posted by hermionesclone

Lucas bit his lip. Everything the man was saying was making him nervous to the point where his hands were starting to sweat and his heart was beating very fast and the air was gone. Which was weird because they were nearly outside, weren't they?

And speaking of outside, it looked like they were going there sooner than he would've liked. He had no time to say anything even if he wanted to because they only had thirty seconds to get into two lines?! Lucas tried not to squeak - the Headmaster might file a rule against THAT soon enough - as he scrambled to get in line behind a slightly older Ravenclaw (Ewan) whose name he didn't know.

Red Caps. They were facing Red Caps.

He..... felt a little bit better about that. Only a little. Because they were technically smaller than him so.... he could defend himself, right? But, as he looked down at his wand, he couldn't help but feel a little disheartened because he couldn't defend himself. Not properly, at least. Some of these spells were hard and he had a LOT to learn. Namely: six and a half years of magical learning.

Now, a spell. A spell to use against these creatures with their, uh, their tools for bludgeoning. The first answer to come to him was pretty simple and he was sure that the Headmaster would say SOMETHING about it but..... he was going to go for it. So up went his hand and he waited to be called on. "Uh, I'd say Petrificus Totalus. I mean..... it stops them from moving, yeah? Lets you go ahead in peace." That was his logic.

Another grunt sounded, this time directed toward Dakest. "Is there perhaps a different spell that could be used with the same effect, but a shorter incantation? Petrificus Totalus can be a bit of a mouthful, especially if multiple Red Caps are attacking you all at once."

Every second mattered when your life was on the line after all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarahlooo

Highly feared... lethal... incredibly harmful... Sounded a bit like old Headmaster was describing himself. Natalie briefly wondered if he had ever killed anyone and decided that she wouldn't put it past him. THAT was why she didn't want to tick him off. Even though it was incredibly easy to. But she seemed to just mildly irritate him, so she thought that was pretty good.

Natalie had made it somewhere near the front of one of the lines heading toward the forest. Red Caps. Little things that bludgeon its victims to death. Natalie supposed the best defense to those was to act confident and to pretend like you're NOT lost, since that was who they typically attacked: lone, lost travelers.

"The Disillusionment Charm," Natalie said, as she raised her hand. "You can hide yourself from them so they can't see you." And that seemed like a good defense to her. Just like ignoring your problems until they went away.

McKinley's answer earned her both a head nod and a grunt. Disillusioning oneself would certainly come in handy against a Red Cap, to an extent at least. "If your aim is to sneak away, then yes. Though it is important to not that Red Caps, like all creatures, seem to be able to sense one's energy even when not visible. So making a quick departure would be necessary."

Scrimgeour was about to call on the next student with their hand raised when he had a quick afterthought that needed to be mentioned. "And, of course, the skill to cast such a spell is needed too. Your disillusion will only work as long as one is competent in the spell."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Granger Danger

Stella did her best to hide the fact that she was scated they were going into the Forbidden Forest. Was this man off his rocker?! It was was forbidden to go in, they didn't call it the forbidden forest for nothing! Stella swallowed hard and kept herself firm and at attention but you could see the fear in her eyes.

Not wanting to get into trouble for not answering any questions, she raised her hand. " What about Rictusempra the tickling Charm sir? It'll tickle them but it'll be a good distraction to get what you want." she said. She did know what else to think of, all the good answers were taken but she didn't want to get into trouble for not answering. Standing in the line she stood behind Lucas standing firm and not saying a word she waited for further instructions.

The man's head tilted to the side when Starson gave her answer. The Tickling Charm? The man in that moment began to wonder if Red Caps were even ticklish. He certainly wasn't going to get close enough to one to find out...

"I would recommend a different approach in the event Red Caps aren't prone to tickling."

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2111jen

Skyler let out a small sigh, a breath she did not know she was holding. Okay. Good answer not great but eh, good enough. She went into one of the lines and listened as the headmaster talked. Okay...red caps...killing...really? An implied insult? Meh.
So when he had asked the question, the first thing that came to mind when the headmaster/professor had asked the question was the imperious curse. Or maybe transforming the red cap into something else less threating such as a farret.
She silently raised her hand and waited to be called on.
"I'd say use the imperious curse, to make it run away from you, or maybe turn the red cap into something less threating like a house cat."

The instant Queen mentioned the Imperius Curse caused Scrimgeour's eyes to widen. It was as if they were going to bulge so much that they popped right out of their sockets. What was the girl thinking?!

"If you want to wind up moving into a cell in Azkaban for using an Unforgivable Curse, then be my guest." His tone was harshly sarcastic. He'd escort her there himself if she thought that using Dark magic was acceptable.

He was so appalled by her mention of the Imperious Curse that her second answer went unacknowledged.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarcasticStrawberry

Yeah, Okay Centaurs were not dark creatures. She got that. But Honestly just because they wasn’t dark didn’t mean that they couldn’t harm you. Just saying. It took all that Juniper had to not roll her eyes at professor rude face, what kind of professor talks down to a students answer like that. Honestly the professors tone really hurt her feelings. But she would NOT make those feelings known.

She was soon listening to the others give their answers to the next question. The more the sixth year thought about what her answer could be finally she had an idea. She raised her hand and waited to be called on. ”I’d use labefactum the bludgeoning Hex. Why not fight the same way a red cap would attack you.” Seemed like more of a fair fight when you play the game or fight the same way.

Primeaux's answer wasn't wrong, though Scrimgeour wasn't a big fan of the idea. "I understand your reasoning, though fighting fire with fire, so to speak, tends to not bode well. It only causes more damage in the end."

Not to mention he wasn't one to stoop so low to fight like a filthy creature would. They all were better than that.

Correction: Most of them were better than that.

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Originally Posted by Felixir

Yeah. No. Abra absolutely did not need thirty seconds to line up; the headmaster did not exactly put him in a frame of mind where he was likely to dawdle or delay in following instructions. He simply did as he was told when he was told it, hurrying to get into one of the two single file lines that were forming.

Or maybe it was one double file line.

Were double file lines a thing? If a single was a thing, then surely a double was too...

Realising his mind was starting to wander at the worst possible moment, Abra shook his head to clear it and did his best to focus on what Scrimgeour was saying as they all started walking, but now all he could really properly fully actually focus on was how cold his fingers, toes, and face were feeling, and how much he wished the end of the lesson would come, so he could get inside and warm up. But he lesson wasn't going to end for a literal age, during which they still had to go... into the forest.

Okay, yeah, no. His shaking was definitely partly from fear now.

At the question, Abra hesitated for a good long while before raising his hand. He was anxious about saying something incorrect, or for accidentally breaking another rule, or doing something wrong that he'd not even considered yet. "Um... if they get hold of you before they start, uhh... bludgeoning... then maybe the Revulsion Jinx could be useful. Because it would force them to let go and give you a chance to get away. Or the spell could make them drop whatever they were going to do the bludgeoning with." A bit like what Derf had said about Expelliarmus actually.

The hesitation from Botros was not something that the headmaster particularly enjoyed. The filler words, the pauses, it was borderline starting to annoy him. Scrimgeour had no room for anxiety. It did no good in the real world to be afraid of every little thing or be a worry wart. That was how people were taken advantage of or put into unfortunate situations.

"Quite accurate," the man did reply. "Though I hope no one is foolish enough to get to the point of a Red Cap getting a hold of you. That would show a severe lack of vigilance." The bludgeoning would likely be well deserved if that were to happen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Watson

Well he ought to have truly listened to the Professor's question into jumping in and just offering a centaur as an answer. When the Professor asked about dark creatures, the boy wanted to offer that "dark" was a matter of perspective. He was sure that someone must have thought centaurs were evil - perhaps Umbridge or someone like that? Chase was just trying to keep an open mind, ya know?

Ahem.

To the question at hand... which he would SOMEWHAT attempt to answer better than previously.

A spell that could be used against them?

"Impedimenta, Professor. It wouldn't harm the creature but it could slow down their movements to give you more time to either flee or prepare another spell? It temporarily immobilizes the creature."

A simple nod was given to Spenley. It was a correct answer, but it was also one that had been said before so the headmaster had nothing more to say on the matter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cassirin

Okay, but this class was all stick and NO carrot. Chloe had even SAID the answer the professor was looking for, and not only had he sort of sneery-faced at her, but he hadn't given her points. What was the point of trying to do well if they weren't rewarded for it?

She shifted over a few steps to wedge in halfway back in one of the lines and followed behind the person in front of her, eyes on the back of their shoes and attention on the professor as he spoke. Red Caps were dangerous blah blah. She knew that. She'd SAID that, right?

"Maybe Depulso, Professor? Just banish that silly little Red Cap? They're pretty small and I wouldn't want to have to fight one."

Kettleburn's response warranted a nod and grunt, which the man gave to her without question. "Good," he stated. "The Ventus Jinx is another alternative to that as well. Any spell that gets more distance between you and any Red Cap is definitely worth casting."

And if a Red Cap was knocked back or blown into something hard like a tree, even better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazykitty

She had meant her answer as more of a joke, but the dictator's reply did beg the question: why not? Was it because souls weren't inherently considered creatures? Or was there some other reason? See, for all of his dissing and doubting their education, he wasn't doing a very good job of it himself. That could've been an opportunity to teach them something new. Instead, he had simply furrowed his brow at her as if she were an idiot or something.

And yes, she did notice the breeze from his spell as he removed the phoenix from her back. Huh, she'd expected a bigger response. Weird.

Now, she had to agree that those naming unicorns and the like were, in fact, idiots. It was as simple as that. Archer tried to avoid joining the line that had the most of said students, figuring that line was DOOMED. And what was with the lines, anyway? They weren't in grade school (though some should definitely be sent back there)! Anyway, once she was situated, she started to think of a proper response to the question. "Relashio, it could force the Red Cap to let go of its weapon of choice." No joking this time from the fifth year, nope. Though, the amused tone was still in her voice, this time with a hint of smugness, like she had figured out something that the dictator hadn't yet.

The old man didn’t like her tone, and she didn't like how Cairissian felt the need to repeat the same spell that Botros had. No head nods were given, not even a low grunt. He just made brief eye contact and then looked away.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Symphora

So they were facing Red Caps, those dark dwarf-like creatures who liked living in the ground where blood has been shed. He heard about them of course but had never encountered one before. He drilled down a list of defensive spells he could use against them in his head. Unfortunately, most of his classmates had already answered the best ones. "We can use Immobulus to freeze their movements if there are too many of them at once. Or cast a good Cave Inimicum spell so they wouldn't be able to smell us."

He was tempted to roll his eyes. How many of them had said Immobulus already? Fortunately for Hale, he mentioned a second spell, one that no one had mentioned yet. It was definitely one that was more advanced, so he seriously doubted many would be able to use it properly.

Regardless, the boy was right. "Very similar to the Disillusionment Charm in a way. This one though does a better job of concealment, in my opinion, if casted properly, since it can even cover up your scent."

But, again, that was a more advanced piece of magic for those that dared try it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daemon

Well fine then, kill her for trying.

Getting into line with the rest of them in the allotted time, Sylvie eyed Tayo and Zoryn both for entirely different reasons. Zoryn because.. well.. wasn't everyone looking at Zoryn anyway all the time? And Tayo because she was worried he'd get detention again. Would appreciate her best friend stay out of school jail please, likes hanging out with him.

Hearing answers from students about the next question, Sylvie sighed. This had been exactly why she'd failed her first DADA OWL exam, and why she'd done so well the second time. Defence and attack? Sylvie was the absolute best. Or at least, she was the best at it in August when she resat the exam.

Now? Uhh........... Let's see. "Protego Munio? If they're coming right at us.. they'd bang into a wall instead," she said with a nod and a shrug, and as the image came to her head she let out a little giggle. IMAGINE. #lol Sylvie 1, Red Caps, ZERO because they'd have BANGED INTO HER WALL HAHA.

Anyways.

"Very good," the man gruffly said in response to Norcott. "Of course, how strong the wall is will depend on your concentration. If there isn't enough concentration in the casting of the spell, a Red Cap will be able to break through pretty easily. Otherwise, it is a good way to defend yourself."

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Originally Posted by Waterloo

Well…. between their ever so charming Headmaster and a nice stroll through the forbidden forest, this lesson was going to be a right old barrel of laughs wasn’t it????

NOT.

Max shuffled around awkwardly as the bloke handed out insults, detentions and Merlin knows what else and when they were instructed to form two single-file lines he made sure to find himself a spot nearer the back where hopefully it was safer. Safer from the Headmaster or safer from Red Caps? Who knew.

“Hit it with a tickling charm and run.” He regretted it the moment he said it because he was pretty sure Scrimgeour was lacking in the sense of humour department. And sure, it wasn’t exactly a defensive spell but he was sure it’d work. And it’d be funny.

The man could do nothing but blink in response to the words that had come out of Carden's mouth. Not only did the boy mention a spell that had already been said (and wound up being one he didn’t recommend using), but he also suggesting running away.

Coward much?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angel of Music

Natasha couldn't think of any spells that had not yet been mentioned. She knew of a potion, but given spells had been asked for, she feared she would be punished for mentioning anything but a spell, so she opted to stay quiet

A glance was given in Destler's direction. Nothing to say? That was fine with him. The man was ready to move on.

If more hands shot up in the air, Scrimgeour dismissed them. While the students were all sharing their answers, they had made their descent down the hill and were now standing at the edge of the forest. Snow was steadily falling, the temperature was declining, and there was even an eerie rustling coming somewhere within the thick of tress. The stone-like headmaster didn't seemed phased by any of that at all.

"As you all, I hope, have learned from the answers that were given," the old man said, his voice rough and low, "there are certain spells that would be quite useful against an aggressive Red Cap. Others, though, might be too advanced, depending on your skill in casting them and your concentration. Then there are certain spells that might just be ineffective or prove to make the situation worse."

Of course, he wasn't going to actually repeat any of those spells. Listening and engraining information into ones memory was needed to be successful in this class. As was following the rules and his instructions, but that should have been a given by now.

"We are now going to enter the Forbidden Forest. Stay in formation, and have your wands at the ready in case any Red Caps make an appearance. Defend yourselves as needed. Be vigilant."

Without another word, the man led the group into the forest. Because of the trees, not as much snow had touched the ground. But there were still plenty of branches, burrows, boulders, and other obstacles along the way. They did not not phase Scrimgeour in the slightest, nor did the snapping of a nearby branch or a strange sound coming from the distance. He just kept on walking deeper and deeper into the forest, seemingly knowing exactly where he was heading.

OOC: Hello, everyone! We have made it to the main activity of this lesson. Currently, everyone is entering the Forbidden Forest. Please have characters follow Scrimgeour. Once some lovely creatures make an appearance, then have them do what needs to be done to defend themselves.

So lost was she in thought that at first, the Head Girl didn't notice that they'd arrived at the edge of the forest. In fact, she didn't realize they were at the forest until they'd begun walking in--still in formation so she kept ahead of the person behind her and behind the person in front. While she missed most of whatever the man had been saying, she did see others drawing their wands and figured it had been an instruction.

Even without all the details, Jessa had a fair idea of what might be happening in the next few minutes and it sent her mind clear of detentions and headlong into all the spells she might need [s]to detain and transport[/d] defend herself against a red cap.

It was like Professor Hirsch always used to say; constant vigilance. He wasn't here anymore but his teachings were solid and she was sticking to them.

While she waited for the worst, Jessa cast a warming charm around herself, not needing all the cold air in her lungs but quickly moved her wand back to a ready position. Something told her that dying in the forest at the hands of something like red caps would only make the man feel validated in his thinking they hadn't been properly educated prior to his arrival.

She would have to survive, relatively unscathed, just to prove him wrong. It was a hassle, but for Professor Hirsch, she would.

Daisy's eyes scoured the Forbidden Forest as she walked in line, her wand at the ready. Last year's Inferi attack had heightened her vigilance and she didn't want to disappoint herself and/or disappoint/anger Headmaster Scrimgeour.

As she ventured further into the forest, Daisy's mind ran through the answers that the students had given and how Headmaster Scrimgeour had reacted so that if or when she faced the Red Caps, she would be (hopefully) prepared.

With a timid smile, Ewan couldn’t help but feel slightly relieved at Scrimgeour’s retort, inwardly happy that it wasn’t extra laps or a detention. He couldn’t help but make a mental note of some of the useful spells that his fellow students offered. He may or may not need them at a later time.

Giving a slight shiver now at the falling snow, his eyes darted around taking in the thin layer of snow that had fought its way through the trees to the frozen ground below. It was not often that Ewan was nervous but somehow, walking into the forest, the crunching of branches under his feet, strange noises coming from dark places, it had an…unnerving effect on him.

Without speaking, without making a noise, he continued to walk in line, his eyes darting around from tree to tree looking for a Red Cap (Or whatever else is in here), his wand clutched tightly in his right hand, ready to be used at a moment’s notice.

Glancing over his shoulder briefly to smile at Nettie, the sixth year focused on keeping his wavering attention span on the Headmaster. No quills, no parchment...there was no way to take notes or otherwise record what he would lecture on....

Derf had earned a simple 'good' in response to his suggestion of the Disarming Charm. So...that was, for lack of another word, good. He also caught on to the addition the Headmaster had to Chloe's answer, the Ventus Jinx, and the general theme of distance between yourself at a red cap. Though, really, that was more common sense than anything else. When something wanted to kill you, you didn't exactly go right on up to it and give it a hug. Unless you were his mum and flesh eating shrubs, apparently.

..........and then no lecture came. No consolidation or highlights of what had been said. Though thankfully there were no snide remarks about some of the spells offered up not technically being defensive in nature. At least they had been spared in that regard.

Wand at the ready, Derf began to walk as the line proceeded forward. Something about marching in a line made him uneasy, like ducks in a row they were almost easier to pick off. An ironic twist to that phrase, certainly. But there was something else...something he had read when it came to animal training and getting them to process in a line. Marching was a form of discipline too.

Trying, and mostly succeeding, to pull his thoughts from these distractions, Derf peered into the darkness of the Forest. Honestly, he was hoping to catch a glimpse of Thereos while they were out here. And, well, you know...maybe get him to relay a message to Hogsmeade on behalf of the student body.

Max waited for Scrimgeour to give them some kind of instruction. Or maybe a demonstration. Something. Anything.

But nope.


It seemed…… this was it.

They were pretty much just left to fend for themselves.

He was confident enough that he could perform a decent shield charm, but what about the younger kids??

Ummmm.

Maybe this was Scrimgeour’s way of getting rid of the weaker kids. You know, survival of the fittest and all that. He wouldn’t put it past the bloke.

One thing he knew for sure, though…. Choosing a spot nearer the back of the queue wasn’t one of his brightest ideas. The Slytherin drew his wand and glanced behind him but really all he could see was darkness. It was kind of creepy.