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FearlessLeader19 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-02-2024, 02:15 AM

Spring was here, and this meant that the cold weather was starting to take a turn by bringing in warmth. Today happened to be one of those warm days which was great since Dhruv required the students to be outdoors for this particular lesson. The reason students were notified to meet them 'in the vicinity of the Groundskeeper Hut' - the Hut they had opted to forsake for their office on the third floor - was quite evident at the moment of stepping out onto the Grounds.

It had been transformed into a fortress which no doubt awakened your curiosity. All will be revealed in time, though if you're familiar with the eerie rendition emitting from within the building it should be enough for you to surmise what will be the lesson's focus:

Quote:

"Into darkness taking flight, whispers on the wings of night,
follow us, our lovely tune, as above the smiling moon,
Diddle-dee-dee, diddle-dee-doe, not far now, not far to go,
Into twilight, into gloom, sing the sound of dawdling doom,
follow us, our lovely song, know that we can do no wrong,
Diddle-dee-dee, diddle-dee-doe..."

And what's that? Is that an outline of something in one of the upper windows? Hmm...

Your professor awaits you at the foot of the fortress, a white board beside them. Dhruv has a warm smile in place and of course, their sunglasses are in place hiding their eyes. Take a seat on one of the tree stumps; class will begin shortly.

Lesson Progression:

OOC: Hi, guys! Welcome to this term's DADA lesson! Of course it will not be the first IC one so do remember to RP accordingly

Please have a look at the class rules before posting! ~~The lesson will commence in about 24 hours!~~ THE LESSON HAS STARTED!

Charely Potter · 11-02-2024, 03:00 AM

Jan was in a good mood. Though it was a tad bit warm as he needed to wipe his hands of sweat on his own robes every now and then. But he had read a nice letter from his parents with great news in the summer to look forward to. But there was plenty of time left until then. So off to class he went.

"Wow.." Jan uttered as he stared at the fortress. That was impressive charm work as he fought the urge to smirk. "Hello, Professor." He said waving before taking in the sight while he waited on the lesson to begin.

*Zoe* · 11-02-2024, 02:46 PM

Beauden felt his heart leap with excitement as he approached the fortress-like Groundskeeper's Hut, curiosity bubbling up inside him. It wasn't every day that a familiar structure on the grounds was transformed into something so mysterious. He walked a bit faster, the eerily lilting tune echoing in his ears, piquing his interest further. That song – diddle-dee-dee, diddle-dee-doe – sent a chill up his spine, but it nonetheless felt like an invitation he, for some reason, couldn't ignore.

As he approached, he took a moment to size up the professor, who was waiting at the foot of the fortress, radiating that usual calm, cool energy. Beauden couldn't help but flash a grin at the professor's sunglasses and relaxed stance. He figured there must be some reason behind this fortress setup, and the song only deepened the intrigue.

"Good morning, Professor. Love what you did with the place."

The sixth year made his way over to one of the tree stumps, dropping onto it with a thud. Unable to resist the urge, he continued to glance back at the fortress every few seconds. Was it just him, or was there something up there? Beauden leaned forward, arms resting on his knees, his gaze remaining at the window. The eerie lyrics of the song swirled in his mind. Into twilight, into gloom, sing the sound of dawdling doom, follow us...

*Kolyander* · 11-02-2024, 07:02 PM

Who loved outdoor lessons? This girly! Or... Maybe it wasn't an outdoor lessons at all?! There was a fortress where Professor Khanna's but normally stood! It was so cool looking! Upon seeing it, not that it could be missed, Bryony easily quickened her pace wanting to get there more sooner so she could have a better look.

Not only did she get that better look as she reached Professor Khanna and the other students, hiya everyone!.. but.. what was that? That tune. She was sure she had heard it before. Blue eyes gave the Professor a very curious look along with her usual wiggle fingers. "Hello Professor, some creepy music you have playing today.. is it a hint?" Cause if it was she needed to think harder.

The fourth year found an empty tree stump and sat down near Jansher and Beauden. Her gaze was still fixed on the fortress and the possibilities of what could be inside.

FearlessLeader19 · 11-03-2024, 02:40 AM

SPOILER!!: Arrivals! <3

SPOILER!!: Jan! <3

Yes, indeed that letter contained great news. But it didn’t end there as there was still one more surprise left to let Jansher and Idris in on. All in due time, of course. “Mr. Grunt.” The warm smile was in place still. “You’ll be allowed to enter shortly.” It was just the theoretical part of the lesson needed to be dealt with first.

SPOILER!!: Beauden! <3

It became obvious to Dhruv almost immediately of Beauden’s arrival just how curious the Gryffindor was about the fortress. It was true that the Hut wasn’t usually transformed for lessons but they liked to switch things up at times; it helped to keep the students interested in the lessons. Beauden’s curiosity and reaction to the song was exactly the sort of reaction Dhruv had been going for. “Good morning, Mr. Wild. Why, thank you. You’ll be able to do some exploration of the fortress soon enough.”

SPOILER!!: Bry! <3

And there was the inseparable pair of Bryony and Aryan. Dhruv greeted them both by wiggling their fingers back at the two. “It most certainly is a hint. Maybe you’ll figure it out soon.” They grinned and watched the Slytherins take seats, Ary taking on beside Jan with Bry on his other side.

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

“Welcome to another DADA lesson, everyone! Based on observations, I see many of you are rather curious about what the fortress holds. Not to worry, all will be revealed shortly.” Dhruv stepped away from the board, moving closer to the seated students instead. They stuck their hands in their trouser pockets, maintaining that calm and composed persona the students should be used to by now. “The song, as Ms. Paton mentioned earlier, is a clue to what today’s topic is, a clue to which creature awaits you in the fortress.” Not to worry though! There was no real danger from said creatures as Dhruv had seen to that with meticulous care.

“Has anyone deduced which creature the song alludes to? If not, you may take your best educated guess.”

OOC: Hi, lovelies! Thank you for joining the lesson! <3 Instructions are quite straight forward but if you have anything you need clarification with, go ahead and give me a nudge! The next question will be posted in about 24 hours!
PS: since the lesson has officially started, there should be no posts of a character’s arrival, unless you want to face IC consequences

*Zoe* · 11-03-2024, 04:18 PM

Beauden perked up, a gleam of eagerness in his eyes as he shifted on his tree stump. The fortress, that haunting melody, and now the promise of a creature awaiting them inside—it was a blend of mystery and thrill that suited him perfectly. His mind raced with possibilities, and he shot a quick, knowing grin at Bryony, who had already picked up on the clue within the song.

"Professor, is it... well, I can definitely tell you what it isn't," he said, raising his hand as his eyes flicked between the fortress and the professor. "Certainly no banshee in there, as they aren't exactly known for carrying a tune like that. They're more known for their fatal screams than anything that sounds... well, inviting." He leaned forward a little as he continued. "And I've gotta say, the fortress is definitely giving off vampire vibes. Though I don't think vampires commonly lure folks in through song unless they're a Blodwyn Bludd type—and that's more of a rare case, isn't it?"

Though he wasn't entirely certain what creature lurked within, Beauden's thoughts continued to buzz. Though he was done sharing his guesses aloud, he couldn't resist going over the possible creatures, each one more thrilling than the last, in his mind.

His eyes drifted back to the upper windows of the fortress. It felt as though something was lurking just behind those dark panes, watching them, waiting. That ominous, almost hypnotic tune warned of "dawdling doom," yet somehow it was making him want to abandon caution and explore.

FearlessLeader19 · 11-04-2024, 02:40 AM

SPOILER!!: Replies!

SPOILER!!: Beauden! <3

Dhruv thought they saw the metaphoric wheels turning in the older Lion’s brain. Even if Beauden may not know the correct answer, he was successful in eliminating two creatures that were most certainly not lurking in the fortress. “Excellent deductions, Mr. Wild. Banshees are known more for their wailing. With regard to vampires, songs are not typically included in the method of operation - unless of course, as you mentioned, Blodwyn Bludd should he choose to use his musical talent.” Dhruv resisted the urge to turn around and a look at the fortress. No doubt an outline or two could be seen as they moved close to the windows.

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

After ensuring there were no more hands in the air, they continued. “Today’s topic - Erklings.” When Dhruv spoke the word, it magically appeared on the board in black, bold letters though it appeared as though the professor had not done a single thing to initiate this. “These creatures are quite dangerous, especially to humans of a particular age range. But how can one identify an Erkling? What spells are most effective against them? You may share anything you know about them but only one piece of information is necessary so that your classmates have an opportunity to share as well.”

Dhruv paused in the middle of the student gathering, their hidden eyes searching for raised hands.

OOC: Heeey, guys! This is the last round of questions before we move onto the mini activity! That post shall come in 24 hours <3 Just a reminder that ketchup {catch up} is allowed!

*Kolyander* · 11-04-2024, 06:39 PM

Of course she was curious, Professor! Anyone that knew her would know very well that if a place seemed shady, she would want to check it out. The appeal of mystery was clearly there. Now, what was important here though, was that she had been right about the song being a hint. This was good.

Bryony caught the grin from Beauden, her own smile widening all the more now and she bounced excitedly where she sat. A small giggle slipping past her lips when he said it couldn't be vampires. She sure hoped not! Vampires didn't sing anyhow, did they? The blonde glanced at Ary. "Do vampires sing?" He would know for sure, yes?

Did she know the answer though... Ummm... She thought so but by the time she was ready to answer they were moving on. No biggy. The answer was revealed! Erklings! That was it! They sang that song so they could lure in children! Right away her hand went up.

"They're small. Even smaller than I am!" she exclaimed through a giggle. "Only about three or so feet tall." As that was said, Bry held out her hand to show how tall that might be. Definitely shorter than she was.

Charely Potter · Yesterday, 12:35 AM

Perhaps Jan was a little too distracted by the sight of the fortress or the song that his attention was delayed. At the first question, he thought about a Sphinx with their natural ability to speak in riddles and the song was in a similar form. But rather than vocalize this, he awaited on the correct answer. At least that's what he would've said when shoulder bumped by his buddy to pay attention.

Erklings. They were quite creepy looking from the pictures Jan saw of them in the book. He smiled at Bry's response before he chimed in for a suggestion. "Since they like to cackle for children's attention, could Langlock work against them?" Jan thought it would make it all the more difficult to lure without being able to utter a word or noise.

*Zoe* · Yesterday, 12:59 AM

Beauden's eyes widened in excitement as he heard the topic of the lesson: Erklings. He straightened up, clearly thrilled at the prospect of learning more about these dangerous creatures. He'd heard stories about Erklings, of course—vaguely, and mostly as cautionary taless meant to keep them from wandering too far into the woods, especially at night.

But in those stories, the creatures felt like distant, shadowy figures. Today, though, the idea of encountering one face-to-face was thrillingly real.

The Gryffindor's hand shot up, and he leaned forward eagerly. "Professor, I remember reading about an Erkling attack in Fantastic Beasts"—one of the few books he had ever willingly opened and read—"and, apparently, some little kid managed to stop one with just a whack to the head using a collapsible cauldron." His eyes sparkled with both humour and admiration for the kid's quick thinking. "So... anything involving blunt force might work."

He grinned, imagining the chaotic scene. The image was equal parts nerve-wracking and absurd. Keeping that in mind, he mulled over the types of spells that would have a similar effect without the need to get that close. "For spells," he continued, "Expulso could blast them backward into a wall. And Stupefy could stun it, right?"

*PhoenixRising* · Yesterday, 01:39 AM

Emma had very nearly missed the announcement that today's lesson was to be outside by the Groundskeeper's hut. The eery song from the fortress had the fifteen year old distracted enough that she also missed the question as to what creature it could possibly pertain to. Beauden's guess about vampires was a good one though.... since vampires did like the night and darkness. But there were other creatures too, maybe a lethifold? When Professor Khanna revealed Erklings, it was a doh moment for Emma because of course she recalled reading about them. Well not reading per-say, but more was her brothers teasing her when trying to give her nightmares and make her cry. Which needless to say often worked.

She giggled when Bry made the exclamation about them being smaller than she was. And Beauden mentioning the blunt force could work or Jan talking about langlock since they liked to cackle at children.

"I read once that protecting these fortresses with certain runestones is thought to help fight against Erklings." Having picked up ancient runes as an elective thanks to her father's suggestion maybe wasn't a bad idea after all.

FearlessLeader19 · Yesterday, 02:55 AM

SPOILER!!: Replies!

SPOILER!!: Bry! <3

“Indeed a few of them do,’’ Dhruv replied. “One of the most popular singing vampire is, as Mr. Wild said, is Blodwyn Bludd. He hails from Wales and is known as the Vampire from the Valleys.” However, since this wasn’t a lesson on Blodwyn and vampires in general so they moved it along.

Soon enough, Dhruv was calling on Bry once more. “Correct,’’ the replied, grinning as she compared her height to Erklings. “Three feet is the height of an average adult Erkling, meaning they’re larger than gnomes.” Though he wouldn’t say Bryony was that small.

SPOILER!!: Jan! <3

There was no answer from Jan on the first question which made Dhruv wonder if he had zoned out. That didn’t seem to be the case since the Snake spoke up for the next one. “An excellent question. Yes, Langlock is quite a useful spell in an encounter with an Erkling. Since their tongue would be glued against the roof of its mouth, their cackle would be muffled and not be as effective.”

SPOILER!!: Beauden! <3

“A mundane method such as strongly hitting an Erkling over the head certainly would do the trick. If not done in that manner, a moderate amount of force would still be enough to disorient the Erkling, allowing one to make their escape.” It was at this point Dhruv was beginning to wonder if Erklings happened to be one of Beauden’s favourite topics. “A combination of spells such as that of the Expulso Curse and the Stunning Spell can prove useful. Wonderful suggestion, Mr. Wilde.” They always appreciated a little extra thought into answers.

SPOILER!!: Emma! <3

The professor had been waiting to see if anyone would bring fortresses and runestones up; this was, naturally, the inspiration for today’s main activity. “Correct. This was a method initially done by members of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force during the 2010’s. A protection runestone is one of the most important ones used.”

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

As each student had spoken and Dhruv confirmed or corrected their answers, the points about Erklings appeared on the board. Once there were no more volunteers with answers, the professor added some other important points. “In addition to their height,’’ they said, once again moving between the columns of tree stumps. “Erklings can be recognised by their pointed faces. They favour victims in the form of children., and used to their advantage their high pitch cackles, as Mr. Grunt said. These cackles were enticing to children and because of this, the children are easily lured away from their parents or guardians.” They paused, allowing the students to digest this information. “Some Erklings also enjoy shooting darts at unsuspecting victims. However, these dart-shooting creatures originated from the Black Forest in Germany, and the difference between these and common Erklings is that they can speak human language.” Yes, that was… unsettling. “Attacks by the Black Forest Erklings were drastically reduced due to the stringent control methods the German Ministry of Magic adopted.

“There is another kind also originating from Germany called the Bavarian Erklings. wood, leaves and thorns. They possessed intimidating faces, complete with enormous yellow eyes, sharp teeth and long, pointy noses. They sang in human language while attacking, which meant it wasn’t necessarily English they sang in.” Given that these Erklings were from German, that is.

There was another pause while Dhruv gave the students time to make any notes they needed to. “Other spells that can be effective against Erklings include the Seize & Pull Charm, Pumpkin Head Jinx and Target to Chickens Jinx… the three of which will be today’s focus.” More words appeared on the board, this time detailing the spells Dhruv had just mentioned:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Originally posted by Whiteboard

Spell: Seize & Pull Charm
Incantation: Carpe Retractum {KAR-pay ruh-TRACK-tum}
Wand Movement: V-shape
Light: Orange or Purple

Spell: Pumpkin Head Jinx
Incantation: Carpe Retractum {KAR-pay ruh-TRACK-tum}
Wand Movement: V-shape
Light: Orange or Purple

Spell: Target to Chickens
Incantation: Pullus {PULL-us}
Wand Movement: Point
Light: Pink

“You have fifteen minutes to practise these three spells, after which we will proceed to the fortress for the remainder of the lesson. In the meanwhile, I will be around to assist but older students, please assist younger ones should they request your help.” There was only one of Dhruv so any assistance offered by older students was welcomed.

OOC: Hiya, my peeps! Thanks much for your posts! <3 We’re now {obvs} at the mini activity which will last for three days. So while the main activity will not start until Thursday 7th November around 11 PM EST, Dhruv and I will be around for interaction during the next few days.

*Kolyander* · Yesterday, 04:10 PM

So vampires did sing! Or some of them did anyhow. These were some interesting facts, ones Bry made sure that she wrote down in her notes. That made vampires even more tricker, unless they were terrible singers? Nod nod. She was listening!

She saw that grin, Sir! Bry thought it was quite clever of herself to compare the Erkling to her own height, even if she wasn't nearly that short. She listened closely as her fellow peers gave their own answers, mostly about different spells that could be used against an Erkling. All of which she took notes on. If she was going to come face to face with one of these soon... She needed to be well prepared.

Blink. Blink. Of course this made sense that there were different types of Erkling. Most creatures had different varieties of them but.. singing and laughing and being able to speak.. this was very uncommon for creatures. So much information to take down and keep straight. Like spells. Three different ones today! Errrmmm...

Yep, her gaze went right to Ary. She might need him to double check her incantations and wandwork today. This was a lot. For starters the first spell. Seize and Pull, 'Carpe Retractum'. Say what now? At least the wand movement was easy. That was just a simple V shape.

"KAR-pe re-TRACK-tum," Bry recited a few times, her nose crinkling and shaking her head. That wasn't it at all. It sounded completely wrong not only to her ears but as she spoke it out loud. Try, try again until she was able to say it right.

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