Still slouching, Salander blurted out something loud enough to shake himself out of his own daze "Hit 'em first, hit 'em hard, hit 'em where it hurts the most so they cant fight back."

Lina glanced over at Neptune. Wow, big words for a little girl. No! Lina, stop it! You haven't seen her for a while, and she might have changed. "Sun Tzu might agree with you. Not only are you able to prepare yourself when on the defensive, perhaps with a trap laying in wait. And you are able to provoke the first attack. Then you have seen what they can do, and when you retaliate it can be greater, leading to victory."

Danika couldn't argue with that. Headmaster Tate sounded so smart and wise.

And she liked to think. He made her think.

So far, she'll be attending his lessons for sure.

The best defense is a good offense. Whatever the odd reason, she'd heard that, but the time for sharing was over. However, there was one response that she thought was rather amusing. YOU get THEM before THEY get YOU.

Simply amusing.

Sweet Merlin, people liked to use big words! Destiny was trying her hardest to take notes, but how was she supposed to write, when she didn't know how to spell half the stuff people were saying? Meh. She tried her hardest, and it wasn't like she was going to let anyone else borrow her notes.

As long as she knew what she wrote down.

Ehhh, yeah. She had never heard that quotey thing before. Best not to tell Headmaster Professor Tate that, though. Just because she never heard that before, didn't mean she couldn't answer the question. She raised her hand hiiiigh, "I think it means that if you DESTROY your enemy first, there would be no need to defend yourself. Like, if I karate chop Evelyn in the throat first, basically I win."

'Cause she wouldn't be able to do anything back, when she couldn't breath.

Hmm, I think I know that Em thought. She raised her hand. "Isn't it like a sports term? If you control the ball, the other team can't score. It means you want to be the one in control of the situation, that way, the opponent dosen't have the chance to attack."

He had already taken plenty of notes, and they were just getting started. Setting his quill down, Tyler looked thoughtful at the quote given by the Headmaster. He was on the verge of answering when another boy spoke up, referencing...to Tyler's surprise, hockey. Huh. He glanced curiously at the boy, mentally noting that he would have to talk to him if the occasion arose.

He raised his hand slowly. "I think it means that...if you are constantly attacking your opponent, then your opponent will have to be concerned about defending the attacks rather than mounting their own attack against you. Thus, you are effectively defending yourself by preventing him from attacking you."

Hehe, having glanced at the foreign students in the class, and then spotting JOSH in the class too, Evelyn was just about to flick a piece of paper his way...

....

What!?

Raising a brow and eyes wide, the Slytherin turned to look at her friend, staring at her before giving her a glare. Pffft yea right. She'd just like to see her try to karate chop her throat. That was just for the sake of an example right?

Glaaare.

Oi, really?

He was too loud. And why was he all hyped up? Yeah, Treyen would've laughed if perhaps someone like Kellen would've said something like that, but since he didn't share a likeness for Fletch boy, then he just frowned and shook his head.

His hand was raised, "That the best way to attack is by the means of being great in defending, because then you wouldn't have to attack, would you? After the attacker loses all hope?" he said, almost asking. He wasn't the one into attacks. He was not a fighter.

Hippie boy.

Destiny you kill me!
 

Patroclus nodded as he was acknowledged by the Headmaster, and was about to answer the next question, when he heard possibly the funniest sentence in existance.

Bursting into laughter, Patroclus tried to muffle the sound by placing his hands over his mouth, Destiny was possible the funniest kid ever, he decided.

As his laughter subsided, the boy ventured an answer, "It means, that you are able to win the situtation, by undermining the attacker's actions, acting first in an attempt to succeed before your oppenent, it could be simplified to be a constant state of readiness, instead of reacting, just.....welll acting."

Patroclus was struggling with his words today.

Miles looked around as everyone spoke up stopping himself from doodling on his parchment. Hearing Tate's question he listened as everyone spoke up, Yeah what they said. "It means to be able to defend yourself well you should be able to attack well. You should know the spells and be able to use them." Of course wasn't there another saying that the best offense was a good defense?

"Um....kinda?" Was there a such thing a kinda dark? She was slightly puzzled and caught off guard by the question. Arya had always thought them dark, but now that she thought about it....

"Not in the true meaning of a dark creature I guess...just extremely dangerous..." They did eat humans. At least that's what the stories said.

Arya continued to jot down a few more notes, legs swinging as Tate moved back to the front of class and moved the discussion forward. Her hand went up again, eyes following soon after as she formed an answer. "I've never heard the phrase, but I think I know what it means. It means that you can't win in a duel by just defending yourself with only defensive spells. You have to counter attack. Offensive spells can be used defensively as well, just like defensive spells can be used offensively." Yup. She had so paid attention in the lessons last term.

Lyra raised her hand, and smiled a bit at the professor, "It means that if you strike your opponent down before they have a chace to bring the fight to you, it sets up a better defense for yourself than just your regular defense. It also lets you pick the place of battle, and gives you the opportunity to attack a persons "base" directly, or to at least keep the battle away from your own "base". I do not like this war strategy because your opponent could be planning to do the same thing and execute it before you, and catch you unawares and unable to defend yourself because you assumed to be attacking first. In this instance, this strategy ultimately leaves yourself open to attack, and makes it easier for your opponent to win. Also, what if your opponent turned out to be stronger than you had expected? You are caught away from your own "base", unable to get supplies quickly, and have probably just given your opponent the best chance to attack your "base" because a large majority of your fighters have gone from your "base", thus leaving it less protected. The same applies to if you had planned on attacking first, and they had avoided conflict with you and then gone around behind you to attack your base. I feel that unless you truly know the power and the typical strategy of your opponent, then this strategy is not the best choice." Lyra had gotten all of this from playing wizard's chess. War and chess really weren't all that different if you played seriously. A lot of the same strategies applied to chess, and being familiar with them helped your game.

Rearranging order of posts. Last of the night. NO CHATTING.
 

Friends WITH you in detention? What sort of exotic resort did he think detention was? Perhaps there were umbrella drinks down there. Maybe they had group hugs and played board games. "I can assure you that detention isn't as fun as reported, and you come out all pasty and under-sunned on the other side. Not recommended."

But then the boy was shouting about vigilance. Surprise of the century... Fluffy!Puff had something to contribute. Perhaps he wasn't holding an oxygen supply under his well-coiffed hair.

"It sounds like we generally agree on how to interpret this quote, although there are some of you with some REALLY disturbing and violent tendencies." Like Destiny karate chopping people and Lina drawing up battle plans. He'd be watching those two.

For recruitment, of course.

"We all generally agree that being proactive, making plans, being vigilant, as GlitterPuff says, all of this is important aspects of defensive thinking. In order to be defensive... we have to be prepared. We have to be thinking about what is coming at us, expecting the worst."

"Hold that thought," Tate smiled slightly at Kellen's response. You couldn't win a duel with Protego alone, but it was an important spell, especially for the youngest students in this class.

"Now, let's continue in this train of thought for a moment. How can we 'be prepared' as the Muggle Scouts say? As the GlitterPuff says... how can we be vigilant?"



We're putting Mama Ern to bed... and Tate too. Please remember that answering the question is GOOD. WE LIKE THAT. But please no chatting. We shall resume at about 5/6 pm EST tomorrow.

They were talking about violence!

Mia didn't like it. At all. The best defense was to run away. Far, far away from the big meanie heads that were trying to attack you. But she kinda figured that's not what the Professor was looking for.

So she raised her hand. "If you have a great defense then your enemy will have the inability to attack you. They will be unable to penetrate your defenses leaving you open for a counter attack. For example a hand that blocks a punch is also able to strike a punch."

Eh all this talking about punching and attacking was making her slightly uncomfortable. They weren't going to attack each other, were they?

Enya raised her hand. "Professor Tate, isn't that why we're here, I mean to learn how to Be vigilant. I think the biggest thing is to use our eyes. Like when we enter a room we need to make sure we see everything."

Miles thought about the question for a moment as he doodled on his parchment instead of taking notes. How could we be prepared.... "Well we could practice." Because practice made perfect after all. "With spells I think it's important that we practice or else we don't fully understand how they work so that we're not taken by surprise when we need them most." Well that made sense to him anyway.

Ah! Tsk. Tsk.

Treyen had an answer for that already. The boy raised his hand, his sister had always said the same thing about Quidditch, "Practice makes perfect" yeah, that was sooooo true, or he thought it was anyway.

"Plus, a little research goes a long way" because one needed to know a bunch of stuff in order to be able to protect one self, no? I mean, how do you plan on succeed if you don't know much about what you're trying to succeed at?

Yes, that makes total sense.

And he didn't have to yell.

Strand of dark hair wrapped around her finger, she listened to the Headmaster respond to the students. He seemed wise. Much more than just a pretty face. She might learn something in this class after all, though not so much in this lesson.

This lesson was more like a review of all she had learned at Durmstrang. She would be attending the others though.

Her eyes settling on each student as they gave a response, she let them wonder over to the boy who tapped Danika's shoulder. Oh. The hottie from the feast.

Sandra didn't flirt in class, especially not in defense. But she did like this one. A small smirk formed and she nodded her head in agreement. She would meet him later.

Letting her eyes linger on him a bit longer, she turned her full attention back to the lesson. Amusing these answers were.

GLITTER PUFF?! I am a MAN, GOOD SIR! Well. Fletcher is.
 

"I suppose it depends on your situation," Lina responded, going back to her more thoughtful commentary. "In general, it's making sure you have what you'll need, or think you'll need. If you're going camping, you're looking at a knife, tin, rations... that sort of thing, perhaps. For general defense, that means knowing spells that can be helpful, knowing how to use them properly, being able to be innovative with spells, and knowing what to do should you lose your wand. If you know you will be going up against a particular opponent, then try to take your time to know their weaknesses and their strengths. Going back to the war analogy, you scout and prepare, or you prepare at 'home,' using the home advantage by using your terrain and knowledge of your surroundings against the opposing force. Like laying traps or setting up an ambush."

Muggle Scouts. That just reminded him of Brownies selling cookies. And then there was the 'Be Prepared' line that in the simplest sense brought a wide smile to his face. Picturing hyenas trotting along in lines with the ever villainous Scar singing above them was not exactly the response that he figured Tate would appreciate in his class.

There was a time and place for everything...A time and place..."Time and place?" It took his thoughts off the video reel in his head momentarily at least. "Being prepared, while practicing also means knowing when it is the right time to strike, defend, claim victory or admit defeat, and place ranges from where you stand in relation to your enemy as well as knowing the environment you are in. Knowing your surroundings can give you the advantage if you have the skills and understanding to use the environment to your advantage."

Ugh and they were still on this whole vigilant thing. Mia tended to be oblivious to everything. That Marie girl had yelled 'BOO' in her face and she had not even seen it coming, even though the girl was standing right in front of her.

But again she raised her hand, "To be aware of your surroundings. Probably good to use all your senses not just your eyes. Sound, smell and touch are all handy devices to use. For example a dementor can be detected before you actually see it. The rattling sound of their breathing. The cold they bring with them. Their putrid breath. If you can detect their presence early enough it could give you enough time to get away. Also if you can't make a direct attack at your opponent then perhaps you can use something nearby as a distraction or as a weapon maybe?"