A new classroom. Cool! Now she could actually concentrate on the meditation since the classroom is not crowded... Yet.

Standing at an empty space... Wait a minute! The classroom is empty anyways. Putting up her hands, Aiden stretches as how far her body could. Then, she begins to loosen her neck, shoulders, elbows, waist, knees and ankle joints before trying to touch her toes. Having long hands has it's advantage after all.

Drawing out her wand from her robe, Aiden points towards a dusty spot on the floor where she would like to meditate. "Tergeo!" she speaks the incantation in a calm, but demanding voice. The dust fades away, leaving a clean spot for her to sit.

A proper role model... A proper role model... Who should she choose? Lord Voldemort Albus Dumbledore? Severus Snape? Yes! Severus Snape it is then.

Setting down on the clean spot with her legs crossed and eyes shut, Aiden tries to relax her body. Drawing out full concentration, she thinks about Severus Snape, one of the very few people in history Aiden actually looks up to.

Wait! What is it the the Minister wrote about meditating about our role model again? Never mind. She will just think of his virtues.

Alright, Zara finally had time to catch up on everybody. But, where exactly is everyone? Simon, the Gryffindor captain should be here, as well as the others who would be practicing.

Maybe they were done? Oh well, Zara went to a corner and sat down, waiting for the others to come.

Macy skipped into the room, glad to be away from the two hooligans. Whew. Okay.

Pulling the list of weekly activities out of her pocket, she tried to decide on what to do next. Ugh. She had a lot to do. Running, Meditating, Singing, Ballroom dancing, she hadn't even talked to herself in the mirror yet! She also still needed to swim the lake, which was one of the things she tended to skip out on quite frequently. Hmm.

OHH!


This would all be loads easier with a partner! Now to find one. Careful not to interupt the girl meditating, Macy tip-toed over to the only other girl in the room. "Hi," she said, introducing herself. "I'm Macy. I actually still have a lot left to do this week. You, erm... wanna be my partner?" the girl asked with a sheepish smile. True, the girl did look younger than her, but Macy seemed to have an abundance of friends that were younger than her.

So it was all good.

Wanting to get a look at the room Headmaster Tate had set aside for defense lessons, Simon headed into the empty classroom that was no unlocked. The seventh year was surprised to see others already there though only one he reconized as being interested in help. The others were both Slytherin, one seemingly in the middle of meditation and another looking as if she was about to do Borr's assignments and the Gryffindor captain couldn't help but sigh.

Just opened and already being used for things other then what it was assigned for.

Clearing his throat to get attention from the three in the room before speaking in clear almost authoritative voice. "This room has been set aside for those interested in added defense lessons. Anyone wishing to do the assignments given out by Lord Borr should be doing them either in the defense training room or elsewhere around the school," he said pausing and giving them a moment or two to understand what he was saying. The upperclassman hoping he wasn't being to commanding but Tate had given him some responsibility.

Oakey walked in through the door leading to the extra classroom. It didn't look like an extra classroom, more like an abandoned one. It would do though, Finally after 3 months of not learning defensive spells Oakey would be able to properly defend himself from Crazy Ravenclaws anything.

He closed his eyes and imagined himself casting a spell that made Jacob go stiff and fall to the floor. Then he imagined again that his next spell set the back of Jacob's robe on fire while the Ravenclaw ran around in circles trying to put it out, and again with Jacob now a frog.

Oakey was so busy with his imagination that he hadn't seen Gryffindor Captain in front of him and walked into his back. Oof!

"Erm, sure. But, I don't really think now is a good time because we're having some DADA lessons taught by older students. If you want, you can join in then we could be partners later?" Zara offered with a smile to the girl. "I'm Zara by the way."

Zara extended a hand over to Macy for a handshake. And the Gryffindor captain appeared.

Oh heyy. The Gryffindor captain was here now. Wait, what was his name again? Simon? Right, Simon. Zara smiled as she immediately stood up and removed the dust on her robes which she gained from sitting down on the floor.

She nodded in acknowledgement to Simon and looked at the two others in the room. "Erm, maybe you could join us if you want. Or, just continue those stuff you're doing elsewhere. Sorry." Zara said softly.

And Oakey came in..who looked like he was not his usual self. Before Zara could even have her first suspicion of what the boy was up to he bumped—more like walked over—the Gryffindor captain. Oohh. Zara winced a bit and regained her normal expression and bit her lip. "Hey, Oakey."

Presley stepped into the room. "I heard that some students were going to help others with their Defense because Lord Borr doesn't do anything. Is this where I can get help with that?" She hoped so. DADA was for learning to defend yourself, not just being in top physical condition. Presley hadn't learned a single defensive spell since coming to this school, and she was ecxited to finally start.

OH!

Wow. She looked stupid now. She hadn't even seen the older student walk in. EEP! Well this would be fun anyways. Macy gave a nod to Zara and shook her outstretched hand. "Right," she agreed.

She'd just stick around anyways. No point in wasting the energy it took to walk over here.

From the corridor Salander spotted a new room that he hasnt seen before. Poking his head in he spotted Simon and a few other students he didnt remember being with the training sesh at the DADA room. New recruits? Well, he's just around to improve on his spell casting.

"'Zup Simon!" the Slytherin lad greeted the Gryffindor Captain. Now, where's Jimmyboi?

As he watched to see if they would leave or stay, Simon suddenly found him jostled from behind by another body. Turning his head he spotted a young Hufflepuff raising a slight eyebrow. "Might want to be a bit more observant next time," he said to the boy before adding for the room's benefit as he turned to them. "Sensing others is as important in defense as your spell casting. Whether it is your opponents or your friends."

Looking towards the door as a Ravenclaw entered questioning if this was the right place for the lessons, Simon nodded at the girl. "Uh huh...you're in the right place," he assured her motioning for her to come further into the room. He then spotted Salander follow soon after and gave a one armed shrug. "At the moment the ceiling though I was about to start talking to the group," he said quietly gathering up his confidence to lead whatever he was to do.

"For those who don't know me, I'm Simon Bennett, Gryffindor quidditch captain, but for these lessons I'm just Simon." The seventh year figuring to introduce himself was the best way to start. "I'm just one of the students that has offered to help so you'll see any number of us at any time in this room throughout the year. Seeing as we're all of different years and different defense levels, let me start out by asking if there was anything in particular you were interested in talking and/or learning about?"Simon stood quietly when he stopped speaking to listen for any answers, his gaze absently moving across the room.

Aurora arrived at the classroom and peered around the door. "Hello." she said, making her way into the room and standing with Zara. She was so happy that this was actually happening and that she had actually played a part in organising it! She made a mental note to tell her mother in her next letter.

Simon confirmed Presley's suspicion, and she stepped fully into the room. "I'm Presley," she introduced herself. "I think I'd like to start with the basics if that's okay. Like, a shield charm maybe." Presley knew the theory of a lot of the defense stuff. Her brother was really into defense, but she hadn't actually performed any defensive magic ever.

Salander took out his wand and was about to practice that antler spell Jimmy mentioned when he heard Simon ask a question for everybody "Uhm yeah...." the Slytherin started "... is there a pushing or blasting spell other than Confringo?" he asked curiously.

Wow. There were already a lot of kids there. Jim wandered into the room and looked around, eyebrows up behind his sunglasses. He banished them back to his dorm and went inside properly.

"Word spread quick, huh?" Jim commented as he reached Simon and Salander.

"So, maybe we can split into offensive and defensive to start with." He suggested, after hearing a few of the requests.

Nika had heard about this meeting from Kimalia and she wanted to join in. So she poked her head into the classroom and looked around. "Erm Hiya. I heard about this practicing group and I was just erm-- wondering if I could join in?" Hopefully they wouldn't turn her away. She saw Zara in there and smiled at her. Maybe Zara could convince them to let her stay.

Simon listened to both the questions that arose, about to provide an answer or at least try when Jimmy joined them as well. "Yep it certainly did," he replied in agreement nodding and he had no doubt more would probably soon follow. "How about seeing as it was what you were helping with across the hall you take offensive spells while I take defensive?" he suggested quietly to the Ravenclaw before his attention was drawn to another new arrival.

"Sure you can," he assured the young Gryffindor. "You can have a seat or stand for now. We were just discussing some of what each of us wanted to learn."

Nika beamed and walked into the classroom and walked towards Zara. She was excited for learning some new DADA stuff. Last term they didn't really get around in doing much in the class and this term that Lordy Borr-guy didn't even show up to the school once!

Kurumi sprinted through the castle with her book bag slung over her shoulders and a look of nothing but excitement on her face. FINALLY a proper lesson and not some ridiculous assignment disguised as something that it wasn't Kurumi could only meditate so much before she felt like she were about to burst - or fall asleep.

After bursting through the door, she saw that Simon was already present and quickly ran up to him, bowing over and over as she did. "I'msosorrythatIamlate!" she squeaked setting her bag down and bowing once more to him. "I-I-I can make it up though!" She then reached into her bag for a rather large box of, you guessed it, cookies. Since this was going to be DEFENSIVE training, Kurumi thought the shape of a shield was more appropriate.

She then looked around sheepishly at everyone else, bowing repeatedly as she did before rushing to an open area where she stood and began tugging on her hair.

"I-I've actually always wanted to learn how to produce a Patronus," she said timidly raising her hand. However, she knew that that was asking the impossible out of the group's younger members. Even as a third year that task would be difficult. The only third year she had read about being able to produce a Patronus was the legendary Harry Potter, the Chosen One. She was pretty sure that there were no more Chosen Ones among them.

When she had entered, she thought that she had heard one of the first years ask about learning Protego. "A basic shielding charm would be good and those of us who are older could perhaps learn Protego Horribilis or Salvio Hexia?"

Zara smiled to her, as she turned her attention back to the Gryffindor captain. But seeing as he may still be thinking and all that, Zara leaned back on the wall and closed her eyes.

And another person came in the room and Zara sat up straight once again. Patrocluuss. Ahhh. *drools in her mind*

Ohh, Simon was announcing, better keep quiet. "Er, any kind of defense spells would be fine with me. As long as I learn them, that's all I need to know." Zara said softly as she raised her hand, but realizing she didn't need to do that since she wasn't in a class. Slowly, she put her hand down.

Ohh heyy, Aurora arrived already. And Zara had stood up, leaning on the wall, as Aurora had stood beside her. "Why hello." Zara had said softly to her friend.

Zara listened as the three older students were somehow planning..talking. Maybe they were in charge of it all. Or maybe there were more.

"Heyy, Nika," she smiled, hoping that just for now Nika would stop about the Patroclus issue. GAHH, why is she thinking so much about him? Gee Zara, the guy's got Destiny. And you know, he just spoke to you that day at the feast because you asked a question. Never know, he might've been just felt obligated to reply to you.

Aaaand, Nika went beside her. "Hey Nika," she greeted happily. Well, as happy as she could manage. Zara couldn't help but be all sulky because of the fact that she still hadn't seen HIM around at all. Maybe he was busy or something, or that their schedules just didn't meet.

And ohh, Kurumi. Zara smiled at her. And she heard the word Patroclus. Wait, Kurumi did say Patroclus right? Or was Zara imagining things? "Hey Kurumi, I couldn't help but hear what you've said before. What about Patroclus?" she asked, completely unaware that Patroclus had gone. Gone away, never coming back.

OH HEYY, COOKIES. "Do you mind if I have one? I really love your cookies."

Kurumi felt a sting in Kurumi's chest when Zara mentioned her Papa Lion. It hadn't been but twenty-four hours since she had seen him vanish right before her eyes. His words to her still echoed loud and clear in her memory. Never stop being as wonderful as you are, I know the pride of Gryffindor will forever be safe with you... Kurumi had to bite her lower lip and turn her head away for a moment to make sure that she didn't show the younger lioness what she was feeling.

"I-I-I didn't," she said swallowing hard and turning her full attention back to Zara. "I mentioned the Patronus Charm...the one which conjures an incarnation of the caster's innermost positive feelings, such as joy, hope, or the desire to survive..."

Good old dictionary answers to distract from the pain behind her eyes.

"Well yeah." Jim heard the kid and nodded. "Anyone can join in if they're actually serious about it." He grinned as Simon said pretty much the same thing.

"That works." Jimmy agreed. He hadn't expected people to show up before they had figured stuff out. Oh well. "I guess you take that half of the room and I'll go over there." He gestured with his chin. "And people can just choose whether they wanna do defensive spells or offensive spells and switch between us when they want as well."

He drew his wand and summoned a few dummies and targets from the defense room. Yep that'd do it.




"No reason you can't start working on it now, Kurumi, even if you're in... third year?" Yeah that was right, right?

"'sides, the theory of that one will help a lot with the execution of other spells you know. Magic's all about what you've got going on inside and how you can control it."

Kurumi nodded as she listened to Simon and Jimmy speak about how to organize the session. Kurumi had already decided prior to the divide that she wanted to focus a bit more on defensive spells. Defense was the best offense, right? She had applied that to her kendo training at least, using defensive stances and techniques while battling her brothers to observe their movements, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

Same principle applied here, right?
Kurumi then looked up at the older boy and smiled nervously. He did have a point. "You're right," she chirped with an enthusiastic nod. "Even if I can manage to produce a puff of silver smoke I should consider it an accomplishment."

Just as long as she didn't blow something up. No, wait, her spellwork usually ended in something melting.

As soon as Hugo heard about this, he ran over to the defense rooms. He wanted to learn. When he peeked in the room, he saw Kurumi already there. "C-can I join?" he asked nervously. Maybe he could learn non-verbal spells with Kurumi. That would be awesome. Hold on, where they talking about patronusses? Hugo was even more eager to do this now!

Ohh, right. Patronus Charm. Zara nodded, embarrassed for her mistake, then looked away. Her thoughts turned to Patroclus. Really, where is he? And blah blah blah *insert a whole novel of words about Zara thinking of Patroclus*.

Cookies. Zara's eyes were on them and she finally remembered she wanted one. Was she allowed to have one? Kurumi hadn't said so right? Maybe she should ask again. "Is it okay if I have one?" asked Zara, eying the cookies.

AAAAANND, dummies and targets suddenly appeared.