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FearlessLeader19 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-12-2025, 02:11 AM

One of the wonderful things about magic was that Charms could be used to protect one from the elements, particularly on this January morning. You’re able to make your way towards the Pumpkin Patch without hindrances as the path to it has been cleared. As you approach the Patch, you will feel the temperature rise to one that was comfortable enough for you to enjoy today’s lesson; a measure put in place only for the next few hours.

Professor Khanna awaits you in the temporarily magically extended Patch, giving you a break from being cooped up in the Castle due to the weather. As with their previous lessons held outdoors, there are tree stumps for you to get yourself comfortable on. The whiteboard, upon which a question is written, faces these stumps while a short distance behind the board is a neat pile of freshly grown pumpkins. Yes, they had thrived, magically of course, despite the cold weather.

Your professor greets you before gesturing to the coat rack which was magicked to be suspended in the air and within reach of even first years. Should you no longer need your coat, the rack was just to the side of the gate through which you entered for your use.

Don’t forget to pay attention to the words on the board!

Quote:

“A Lethifold is about to attack. Which spell would you not use?
Please do not voice your answer until you are called upon.”

Have a seat and ponder your answer!

Lesson Progression:

OOC: heyyy, lovelies! Welcome to the OOC lesson of the term! Kindly keep in mind that it would not be the first DADA lesson to be taught IC-wise. This is also a gentle reminder that all rules - lesson and general site apply for the duration of this RP! We'll get started in about 24 hours :3 CLASS HAS COMMENCED!

Charely Potter · 02-12-2025, 03:39 AM

Jan usually walked into one of his favorite lessons with his Slytherin besties. But today, his little brother, Idris's usual partner was absent. So today, Jan fulfilled his big brother duty as they walked outdoors towards the Pumpkin Patches together. The path ahead of him was nice and clear, and the temperature rose up into a nice warm temperature. Guess he won't need his coat today.

"Hello, Professor." Jan's smirk came as he removed his coat to hang on the rack. It gave him extra time to read the board. Not use.. Well, that has a lot of possible answers. He considered them after taking a seat at one of the tree stumps.

sweetpinkpixie · 02-12-2025, 04:26 AM

A blast of crisp January air greeted Iris as she stepped outside, but the warming charms woven into her uniform ensured she hardly noticed the chill. She strode down the cleared path toward the Pumpkin Patch, her boots pressing firm prints into the frost-dusted ground. Tucked beneath her arm was her ever-present notebook, its pages currently filled with notes on a work-in-progress translation of an ancient tome on ritual magic, written in Old Persian. The text was proving to be an absolutely fascinating challenge thus far, one layered with symbolic meanings, archaic phrasing, and a structure vastly different from modern spellwork. Balanced on top of her notebook was perhaps the only thing that could tear her focus away from her translation work: The Clockmakerâ€™s Curse, a gothic horror mystery she had barely been able to put down and might have spent all night reading. A blend of eerie atmosphere, intricate puzzles, and a protagonist trapped in a town where time itself was rebelling against its people, the way the author described the unsettling sensation of gears ticking, the way shadows stretched at unnatural angles...it all sent delightful shivers down her spine. Iris was determined to finish it before the week was out - though she was also determined to finish her translation of Old Persian too and there simply were not enough hours in the day to accomplish both these goals.

...if only timeturners could still be a thing.

The change was subtle but immediate, like stepping from winter into a cozy fireside study when she was, in fact simply, crossing into the magically extended space of the Patch. She offered a bright smile towards Professor Khanna as they stood at the front, framed by the curious sight of a pile of freshly grown pumpkins. No doubt Nyle spent a fair bit of time down here bringing his own potted plants along for some vicarious motivation or whatever he called it these days. Iris quickly scanned the area and shrugged off her coat, neatly folding it over the rack before moving toward the front row of seats. She would have waved as well but her hands were quite full and she would rather not have to go chasing down the loose leaf bits from her notebook. Quite the impressive display of magical horticulture, if she did say so herself. Settling onto a stump, the Ravenclaw adjusted her hold and - once she knew her notebook was properly secured - flipped it open, running a finger along the most recent passage she had been working through.

The section she had been puzzling over last night, between reading her book, seemed to reference a purification rite that required celestial alignment...though the wording was frustratingly vague. Did it require actual starlight? Or was it a metaphor for something else entirely? She tapped her quill against the page, lips pursed and completely oblivious to the board and the question she ought to be pondering. She'd get there eventually - probably.

FearlessLeader19 · Yesterday, 03:00 AM

SPOILER!!: Replies ^_^

SPOILER!!: Jan! <3

It came as no surprise for Dhruv to see Jan accompanying Idris today, though it was strange to see the Gryffindor not in the company of a certain Hufflepuff. “Mr. Grunt,’’ they replied, sending Jan a similar smirk. They were used to that form of greeting from him and Aryan. “Mr. Grunt.” Id got an encouraging smile, though Dhruv was inwardly worried about him. There was one thing that was set in stone, however: Id would be well taken care of with Jan nearby.

SPOILER!!: Iris! <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

A blast of crisp January air greeted Iris as she stepped outside, but the warming charms woven into her uniform ensured she hardly noticed the chill. She strode down the cleared path toward the Pumpkin Patch, her boots pressing firm prints into the frost-dusted ground. Tucked beneath her arm was her ever-present notebook, its pages currently filled with notes on a work-in-progress translation of an ancient tome on ritual magic, written in Old Persian. The text was proving to be an absolutely fascinating challenge thus far, one layered with symbolic meanings, archaic phrasing, and a structure vastly different from modern spellwork. Balanced on top of her notebook was perhaps the only thing that could tear her focus away from her translation work: The Clockmakerâ€™s Curse, a gothic horror mystery she had barely been able to put down and might have spent all night reading. A blend of eerie atmosphere, intricate puzzles, and a protagonist trapped in a town where time itself was rebelling against its people, the way the author described the unsettling sensation of gears ticking, the way shadows stretched at unnatural angles...it all sent delightful shivers down her spine. Iris was determined to finish it before the week was out - though she was also determined to finish her translation of Old Persian too and there simply were not enough hours in the day to accomplish both these goals.

...if only timeturners could still be a thing.

The change was subtle but immediate, like stepping from winter into a cozy fireside study when she was, in fact simply, crossing into the magically extended space of the Patch. She offered a bright smile towards Professor Khanna as they stood at the front, framed by the curious sight of a pile of freshly grown pumpkins. No doubt Nyle spent a fair bit of time down here bringing his own potted plants along for some vicarious motivation or whatever he called it these days. Iris quickly scanned the area and shrugged off her coat, neatly folding it over the rack before moving toward the front row of seats. She would have waved as well but her hands were quite full and she would rather not have to go chasing down the loose leaf bits from her notebook. Quite the impressive display of magical horticulture, if she did say so herself. Settling onto a stump, the Ravenclaw adjusted her hold and - once she knew her notebook was properly secured - flipped it open, running a finger along the most recent passage she had been working through.

The section she had been puzzling over last night, between reading her book, seemed to reference a purification rite that required celestial alignment...though the wording was frustratingly vague. Did it require actual starlight? Or was it a metaphor for something else entirely? She tapped her quill against the page, lips pursed and completely oblivious to the board and the question she ought to be pondering. She'd get there eventually - probably.

Next to arrive was Iris with her faithful books. Her radiant smile was perhaps enough to add warmth to the surroundings, and it certainly earned her one in return from Dhruv. After she settled in, it pleased them to see that she chose to spend her time wisely by dedicating it to whatever task she had delegated herself. They trusted that she would pay full attention to the lesson when it commenced.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

As ten o’clock arrived, the scheduled hour for the lesson to kick off, Professor Khanna scanned the grounds for any stragglers. Seeing none, they shut the gate then began making their way between the tree stumps. “Welcome to another Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson,’’ they began, clasping their hands at their back. Needless to say they immediately felt their mood rise; Dhruv was just that fond of teaching. “I hope you’ve had a chance to take a look at the question on the board.” Their eyes twinkled a tad as a brief glance was cast in Iris’ direction. “If you haven’t, take a few minutes to do so and decide your answers. Even if you’ve thought about your answer already, you’re free to think deeper about other possible spells that you would not use.”

Dhruv fell silent, allowing everyone two minutes. “You may raise your hand if you have arrived at an answer.”

OOC: Class has officially commenced! Please do not announce your character’s arrival unless you’d like to deal with IC consequences

For now, have them raise their hand to answer the question if they choose to do so. You may pretend Dhruv has called upon them. We shall move on in 24 hours

Charely Potter · Yesterday, 04:16 AM

Jan typically felt comfortable in Defense class and this was no different. Professor Dhruv seemed to be happier than usual. He wondered why as the sixteen-year-old glanced at some of his friends nearby before returning his attention to Idris while they waited for the lesson to start.

Eventually, the lesson begun, with the Professor bringing attention to the question on the board. Jan rose his hand, waiting before he was called on to respond, "Maybe... not Lumos. I don't think you'd want to see what's about to kill you before you can actually do something about it."

sweetpinkpixie · Yesterday, 07:42 AM

The strawberry blonde had barely noticed the time slipping by, her quill moving fluidly over her notebook as she deciphered another phrase from the ancient tome. It wasnâ€™t until she heard the soft murmur of her classmates and a brief flicker of attention from Professor Khanna - who, Iris noted, was directing a look her way - that she realized the lesson had begun. The soft rustling of tree stumps and the clearing of throats around her pulled her out of her thoughts. Realizing then just how much she had been distracted, she straightened a little, still holding her translation notes in her lap. She quickly scanned the whiteboard, a slight furrow appearing on her brow as she processed the question about the Lethifold - and yet she still did not find herself focusing on the question right away.

Iris tapped her quill against the corner of her notebook, gaze flickering to the question on the board before trailing back down to the word rolling around in her mind. Lethifold. The name had a certain weight to it - something eerie, something insidious. And seeing as she was fresh from her latest translation work, Iris couldnâ€™t resist the temptation to pick it apart was simply too strong. Words had secrets, after all, and she loved uncovering them. The first half (Lethi-) was almost certainly tied to Letum, Latin for 'death' or 'ruin'. Fitting, considering what a Lethifold left in its wake: not a struggle, not a trace - just absence. A smothering fate in the dead of night. There was also the river, Lethe. One of the five rivers of the Underworld, its waters promised forgetfulness, oblivion, erasure. A perfect parallel to the Lethifoldâ€™s silent and seamless kills. Victims didnâ€™t leave bodies rather they simply ceased to be, as if memory itself had swallowed them whole. The '-fold' part was obvious - a cloak, a sheet, something that draped ... like the funeral shrouds that covered the dead, or the peplos of the Moirai - the Fates who wove and cut the threads of life. A Cloak of Death. A Shroud of Oblivion. What a horrifyingly poetic name, you really had to admire it.

Right. The question. She supposed it would be inappropriate to answer the obvious one: anything but the Patronus Charm. But there had to be more to it than that, didnâ€™t there? After all, there were so many spells one might instinctively reach for in the heat of the moment - spells that would seem effective, but would only make things worse. Or, in her case, anything one might try in desperation, since the actual solution was far beyond her current level of magic. A quick flash of Stupefy might feel satisfying, but it wouldnâ€™t do a thing to a creature like a Lethifold. A shield charm would be another go-to, reflexes from Dueling Club, but it wouldnâ€™t stop it from slipping around the edges. Iris chewed on the end of her quill, her gaze drifting between the board and her notes. Was there a deeper connection between the spells we choose and our understanding of the creatures we face? The question seemed simple at first, but now it felt like there was a layer beneath it all. Something to do with why certain spells fail in the face of dark magic. The more she thought, the more she wondered if the answer wasnâ€™t just about which spells wouldnâ€™t work - but why the Lethifold was immune to them.

"Well, seeing as it is a spell designed to lift objects and the Lethifold isnâ€™t a solid or physical entity that can be manipulated like a book or a broom but more a presence, a creature that slides through the air rather than being something you can pick up, Wingardium Leviosa certainly wouldn't work against them."

*Kolyander* · Today, 12:38 AM

Bryony had arrived at the pumpkin patch in the highest of spirits, swinging Ary's hand in her own as she bounced along. Sorry not sorry. The holidays had been simply marvelous and she hadn't quite fully settled back into the swing of being back at Hogwarts yet. No, that didn't mean she was disruptive at all. What it did mean, was that everything she did was done with a great amount of energy and happiness.

For example her greeting had been wiggle fingers, the brightest of smiles and a chirpy 'Hello Professor!'. This has been done while skipping over to hang up her coat, it was so warm here! Good work, Professor! An empty tree stump beside the boyfriend was than found, where she may have managed to sit down but her toes silent did a tip-tap dance. Somehow Bry did take notice of the board and the question upon it. Interesting. Were they going to be focusing on Lethifolds today?!

Not much thought could be given to the question though before the lesson had begun. She did give it a minute or two of thought when told to do so. Her hand raising into the air to be called on. "Impedimenta wouldn't be of any help. Trying to slow one down or knock it out of the way doesn't work." As far as she could recall there was only one thing that did work and she couldn't cast that spell yet. So.. she would be doomed to utter failure against a Lethifold right now.

FearlessLeader19 · Today, 03:00 AM

SPOILER!!: Responses!

SPOILER!!: Jan! <3

Dhruv wouldn’t know what you’re ‘speaking’ of, Jan; they were always this happy. They lightly chuckled at the response. “Very wise,’’ they agreed. “Light can work as both an advantage and a disadvantage for you. The advantage being you are able to see your attacker. However, if you strategically use auditory perception, or your sense of hearing for example, you can also have the upperhand without the need for seeing.” Dhruv’s gaze focused briefly on Idris who hadn’t raised his hand. This was unusual but understandable given the situation that had befallen him.

SPOILER!!: Iris! <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

The strawberry blonde had barely noticed the time slipping by, her quill moving fluidly over her notebook as she deciphered another phrase from the ancient tome. It wasnâ€™t until she heard the soft murmur of her classmates and a brief flicker of attention from Professor Khanna - who, Iris noted, was directing a look her way - that she realized the lesson had begun. The soft rustling of tree stumps and the clearing of throats around her pulled her out of her thoughts. Realizing then just how much she had been distracted, she straightened a little, still holding her translation notes in her lap. She quickly scanned the whiteboard, a slight furrow appearing on her brow as she processed the question about the Lethifold - and yet she still did not find herself focusing on the question right away.

Iris tapped her quill against the corner of her notebook, gaze flickering to the question on the board before trailing back down to the word rolling around in her mind. Lethifold. The name had a certain weight to it - something eerie, something insidious. And seeing as she was fresh from her latest translation work, Iris couldnâ€™t resist the temptation to pick it apart was simply too strong. Words had secrets, after all, and she loved uncovering them. The first half (Lethi-) was almost certainly tied to Letum, Latin for 'death' or 'ruin'. Fitting, considering what a Lethifold left in its wake: not a struggle, not a trace - just absence. A smothering fate in the dead of night. There was also the river, Lethe. One of the five rivers of the Underworld, its waters promised forgetfulness, oblivion, erasure. A perfect parallel to the Lethifoldâ€™s silent and seamless kills. Victims didnâ€™t leave bodies rather they simply ceased to be, as if memory itself had swallowed them whole. The '-fold' part was obvious - a cloak, a sheet, something that draped ... like the funeral shrouds that covered the dead, or the peplos of the Moirai - the Fates who wove and cut the threads of life. A Cloak of Death. A Shroud of Oblivion. What a horrifyingly poetic name, you really had to admire it.

Right. The question. She supposed it would be inappropriate to answer the obvious one: anything but the Patronus Charm. But there had to be more to it than that, didnâ€™t there? After all, there were so many spells one might instinctively reach for in the heat of the moment - spells that would seem effective, but would only make things worse. Or, in her case, anything one might try in desperation, since the actual solution was far beyond her current level of magic. A quick flash of Stupefy might feel satisfying, but it wouldnâ€™t do a thing to a creature like a Lethifold. A shield charm would be another go-to, reflexes from Dueling Club, but it wouldnâ€™t stop it from slipping around the edges. Iris chewed on the end of her quill, her gaze drifting between the board and her notes. Was there a deeper connection between the spells we choose and our understanding of the creatures we face? The question seemed simple at first, but now it felt like there was a layer beneath it all. Something to do with why certain spells fail in the face of dark magic. The more she thought, the more she wondered if the answer wasnâ€™t just about which spells wouldnâ€™t work - but why the Lethifold was immune to them.

"Well, seeing as it is a spell designed to lift objects and the Lethifold isnâ€™t a solid or physical entity that can be manipulated like a book or a broom but more a presence, a creature that slides through the air rather than being something you can pick up, Wingardium Leviosa certainly wouldn't work against them."

Distractions happened, which was exactly the reason Dhruv had made sure to allot a few minutes to the task. Iris was in no trouble at all especially since she clearly was putting a lot of thought into her answer. When the time had lapsed, she was among the first that they called upon.

Dhruv nodded, fully in agreement with Iris’ well thought out explanation. “That’s quite correct. For beasts or beings with a non-physical corporeal form, Wingardium Leviosa, and a few other spells - which will be covered later in the term -, would unfortunately be useless.’’ Therefore, Dhruv would hope that everyone present remember this important fact should the need ever arise.

SPOILER!!: Bry! <3

Bryony and Aryan arriving together was nothing new, though Dhruv would keep a close eye on the pair to ensure they did not continue holding hands during the course of the lesson. They greeted them both warmly then wondered how it was that Bryony always found that energy to be extremely bouncy. To be that young! Not that Dhruv was old. Ahem.

There it was! The topic of the day! Dhruv offered the Slytherin a nod of approval but said no more. For now.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Since there were no more hands in the air, Dhruv came to a halt beside the white board. As if that were the cue, the black marker uncapped itself and rose into the air. It poised at the top of the board in preparation to make important points that the students would need. “Today’s focus will be the Impediment Jinx, which was mentioned by Ms. Paton.” The marker took off doing its thing though professor Khanna was doing nothing obvious to control its actions.

“We’ll be touching on further information on the jinx shortly but in the meanwhile, we’ll be focusing on the spell-casting aspect for now. The incantation is Impedimenta, broken up into five syllables and pronounced ‘im-PED-i-MEN-ta’.” Their words were just about captured on the board but they were already moving on. Not to worry, everyone! The marker would catch up plus there would be ample time for note making. Dhruv unholstered their wand for the demonstration for the accompanying movement; it was a simple one. “Simply direct your wand in the direction of the target then trace out a short horizontal line.” This was done, with them tracing out roughly five inches of an invisible line. “If done right, your wand will emit a flash of turquoise light.”

They now gestured to the board. “Take a couple of minutes to make your notes. Once completed, you can move onto your practice. Remember, incantation and wand movements are to be done separately for now. Sixth and seventh years, feel free to work on the spell nonverbally. I will be available to assist if needed, simply raise your hand to get my attention.”

Quote:

THE IMPEDIMENT JINX

Incantation: Impedimenta {im-PED-i-MEN-ta}

Wand Movement: A short diagonal line {roughly five inches}

Light: Torquoise

OOC: thank you for your posts

We’ve reached the mini activity aspect of the lesson and this shall run for 48 hours. I will be checking in at times so if your character needs help, Dhruv will be there :3

Charely Potter · Today, 03:53 AM

Jan would have some things to discuss after class ended with the more he observed today. He nodded, considering his answer had some benefits even though it wouldn't be the best spell overall. Oh, the Impediment Jinx! Jan knew about that jinx, he thought it was one of the cooler sounding spells.

Jan offered his little brother a smile to his seat, since everything was going to be okay with things. Jotting down the information off the whiteboard into his notes. Impedimenta.. Impedimenta... He whispered until it sounded right.

Afterward, Jan drew his wand out to draw a short diagonal line. Mentally visualizing five inches took him a moment as he measured it on his notes before repeating the instructions.

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