WUT. Millie had to explain what a timelord was to a TEACHER?! Shouldn't he know about such things, even if they are only real in a sci-fi tv show that had been running since before she was born?

Either way Millie really had only a small moment of hesitation before explaining her somewhat huffie-fied theory. "Well timelords age reeeeeeaaaallllyyy slowly, they can live up to 900 years in the same body, they look like humans" but timelords came first so humans look timelord "and since Lady Rosamund also ages kinda slowly maybe she's not part human but part timelord" she explained deciding to leave out the fact that timelords were aliens from a muggle tv show, that they have two hearts and they travel through time and space in the TARDIS. Also known as "Time And Relative Dimensions In Space". Yeah better leave that out.



Well she had been kinda right. Millie had said that they had a slow aging process which was half right. But I won't deny the seventh year was a little disappointed at the lack of timelordiness.

BUT LORDY ME DID SHE HAVE QUESTIONS. She was a hufflepuff, of course she had questions. Like "Do you need eat? and if so what do you eat?" Well she couldn't help it. She liked food. Then relalising that ALL her questions had to do with food or something that the slowly-becoming-more-friendly-looking beast would find a waste of time. Though it would probably have to endure questions Millie held back for the rest of it's life.


BUT WAIT. Millie did have a question, because YAH KNOW SHE'S JUST COOL. And it wasn't about food. She raised her hand and asked "do you ever get bored?" well they must. Two hundred years was a really long time. "and if so, what do you do for fun? "

Again, Zara nodded. Then wrote down some more notes. 'Yes, a lot actually.' She thought in her mind, but decided not to blurt it out. Instead of asking another question she wanted to, Zara looked around, searching for any other students who had questions.

Deciding that she didn't want to ask anymore, she slumped back in her seat, and waited.

So actually what was this class? Everyone is just asking questions... on and on! thought Sarah as she wrote down everything in a parchment. She looked at the other students in the class, they all seemed interested. Hm, maybe I too should be. she thought and sat down in her seat, waiting for the class to proceed.

Gazing at Rosamund, Ella kept darting her eyes back down writing down each word that she had said about the Two Hundred Year Mark.

Placing her quill beside her parchment, Ella leant back in her chair.

Tayla listened in awe and kept her eyes at Rosamund. Raising her hand, she asked, "Are all sphinxes beautiful? And I know that sphinxes are Egyptian but...well, you're here Lady Rosamund, in England. Are there sphinxes in other parts of the world, and do they look different, like how people from around the world - though all humans - look different? And if all sphinxes are in Egypt...how long can you survive outside of Egypt? Or outside the desert? And...can you and other sphinxes speak more than one language?" Tayla smiled, her cheeks rosy from interest, curiosity, and holding her breath the entire time she spoke.

"In Greek Mythology, a sphinx asks riddles. For the unlucky ones who can't answer his/her riddles, well, unlucky for them. They'll get scratched and clawed and , uhm, bad things will happen to them. Yeah." Janice felt uneasy at the last 2 sentences she spoke.

Even though she does not look like it, Aiden is almost completely blur. It is not her normal self to be so. She could not think of any interesting questions. "I was wondering what do sphinxes eat?"

From where she was seated, Sierra bit down on her lip to keep from laughing out loud over the whole Ravenclaw comment. Her efforts were useless, though. She covered her mouth as a light laugh escaped it. Rosie also ate ferrets and doves, though. Hmm...not so interesting. Although, if she was accepting additional questions, there was one in particular that came to Sierra's mind.

"Oh, Rosie," she wished she could say, "I was wondering if you might consider feasting on some members of the others houses, as well? You know, take out a few Puffers and maybe a certain third year Gryffindor girl, hmm? Hmmm?"

Rosemary took a breath before asking her question, "Lady Rosamund, if you find this question intrusive then you don't have to answer it.... But do you come up with riddles or are they passed down?" She asked keenly yet with a respectful tone.

Wow, Lady Rosamund is only 3, thats really something. But now was the time to ask a question to a being of infinite knowledge, awesome. Chloe raised her hand asked, "Lady Rosamund, what is your favorite thing to do?". She was sure it was not the sphynxes fault people always use them to protect treasure, she was sure the have a mind of there own and therefore have likes and dislikes like anyone else.

Rose raised her hand and said 'Lady Rosamund, is the only stages in your llife child then adult or do you have elderly after like 150 years?' Rose wondered because she had only heard Lady Rosamund say about adult stages.

Charlie blushed slightly as she lost two points for Ravenclaw. It shouldn't really matter but it was Charlie's pride that had been taken away. Determined to gain more confidence with the Sphinx, Charlie raised her hand and asked her, "Em...Lady .. Rosamund, What would you..do..to someone who fails to answer the riddle correct?" She looked into the sphinx's eyes but didn't approach her. She wasn't that confident yet.

A sphinx. A real life sphinx was sitting in the classroom, being grumpy. Real grumpy. And just a little scary. She fidgited in her chair, listening to the others talking.

..............

OOOOH. Time Lord. Someone was talking Doctor Who, and it was the professor. This lesson was just getting better and better, if there was one thing that she could rabbit on, it was Doctor Who

Your honor.

The boy's comment said he was being respectful, but the little smile he bore contradicted this. Was this was they referred to as sarcasm? Was the boy being sarcastic?

Rosamund moved on to the next student, though not before narrowing her eyes and making a small 'Hrrmph' sound.

Lady Rosamund blinked several times at the Ravenclaw boy, and wondered a for a moment if he'd not caught up with her small 'joke.' Served her right, too, if he hadn't, for trying to do such a mundane as 'joking.'

Soon enough, however, she realized she did not care enough to think about this for too long. "You are welcome." To what, though? Ask more questions? Certainly not!

When Rosamund answered, her tone was very nearly tart. A clear sign that yet again, she felt offended. "We are not used to guard treasures, child. We are asked to do it, and politely so, I should add." There was a difference! "More often than not, we agree."

Truth was, while Rosamund busied herself with answering questions about those of her kind, Lachlan had grown mildly distracted. It wasn't until a Hufflepuff directed herself to him that the professor blinked sharply and was brought back to reality. "Time lords. I see." He, in fact, did not. Lachlan MacFusty was actually certain there was no such thing as a Time Lord, but he decided against pointing it out. "Sounds like an extremely lonely life," Was all he said after a brief pause.

Time Lords, Lords of Time, whatever it was that the girl was saying, Rosamund was not interested. Impatiently, she answered, "Well, I am bored right now."

"That is more than one question," Rosamund pointed out, but smiled a small smile all the same. Mentally, she began to list them one after the other before readying herself to answer them. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," The Sphinx enthused simply. But of course, in Rosamund's mind, all Sphinxes were beautiful. Not many as beautiful as herself, Lady Rosmund VII, but beautiful all the same.

Was that conceited of her? Rosamund liked to think of it as The Plain Truth. "Not unlike dragons," And at this part, her button nose wrinkled; Rosie did not like it when sphinxes were compared to other creatures, but sometimes it was necessary, "There are sphinx reservations all over the globe. Though, not nearly as common, of course." Of course. "The amount of dragons left double up the amount of sphinxes." That much was true. Pity for humans, really, as dragons tended to be awfully rude. "As for the languages..." She shrugged a little--or as much as a sphinx could shrug in any case, "We don't see languages the same way your species do. You can say we speak all the, ah, languages out there, or that we don't speak at all." Once more, she did her version of shrugging. "I suppose you can say that if you were to speak to me in French or Spanish, I'd be able to answer you. But I prefer Turk."

As for Egypt... "Egypt is the Home Land." And that was all there was to it.

She had already answered this question. Someone was clearly not paying attention. "It depends on the sphinx, but we prefer meat," Rosamund said, a little dryly. "I prefer doves and ferrets."

Rosamund bristled. She supposed the girl hadn't meant to sound quite as offensive, but all the same, she had.

The sphinx took a small breath. "Once a riddle is told, it mustn't be repeated."

Rosamund's only answer was a broad, mysterious smile.

Elderly. Such a human term. All the same, Rosamund answered, "You can say we reached that Elderly stage around ten years before the Two Hundred Mark."

"That depends on what exactly we are protecting, and what exactly the humans have adviced us to do." Advice, yes. Never order. Casually, she continued, "But your stories say that we attack and even sometimes kill." Humans could be so dramatic when it came to their mortality.

It was not Rosamund who answered, though she did look at Kurumi, but Professor MacFusty. "And this, I believe, is the next and last person of the lesson." He waited a couple of moments, to see if there were any other questions for Rosamund--not that, judging by the sphinx's eager stance, Rosamund would be kind enough to answer any. "Lady Rosamund has been kind enough to provide us a few riddles of her own." Actually, Rosamund had demanded this, but it was not necessary for any of the students to know that. "Now, there are three things you should know, that several of you must be thinking right now; if you do not answer correctly, you will not be attacked." Even if Rosamund wanted to, she would not be able to. "Second, think your answer through; when you have it, provide an explanation that can support it. And third," He gave them all a very serious look. "If you don't have an answer at all, then remain silent."

Sure that by now they'd all written down what was on the blackboard, Lachlan tapped his wand against it and the words, "And raise your hand before answering," appeared on it. "Whenever you are ready, Rosamund."

Rosamund, who had begun to pace as soon as Lachlan began to talk, shot him an eager grin upon hearing his last words. As if on cue, she sat upon her hind legs and acquired a very serious, and detached expression. A small smile danced upon her rosy lips.

“I am a long and strong, powerful impaler,
I bring the greatest to their knees, when in the hand of man.
Broad, flat, thin, thick. Think, my greatness?
Compared to a certain Death Stick.”

HEH? Well. Amy was c o n f u s e d. Reeeaalllly confused, as in, she was regretting turning up to class today, not only was there a scary sphinx, she was also jibbering..jiberrish.

Right, so she wasn't going to be attacked, that made her a little more comfortable. A little. She took out her notebook and began to scribble down a few notes

Rosemary blushed slightly, "Thank you and I apologise if I offended you Lady Rosamund...." She commented softly before she wrote down more facts.


"Wand... Elder Wand.... Sword..... Staff?" Rosemary mused as she thought the riddle through her head."

Helena just stared blankly as Rosamund told them a riddle. She wrote it down on a piece of parchment, trying to analyze every word, but... nothing. A certain Death Stick? What was that? And... when in the hand of a man. So the... thing, could be held by women too? But bring the greatest to their knees when it is held by a man?

This was SO confusing, so Helena decided to remain silent, even though professor MacFusty assured them that Rosamund will not attack anyone.

Riddles. Reeeeeeeeeeaaally?

Jamie had never figured out a riddle before, but he wanted to give it a go. Especially since this Sphinx wasn't going to kill anyone who got it wrong. That was always a good sign. Long, strong and powerful... It did spark something in his little brain.

His first thought was a snake. But at the words 'Death Stick', his thinking process changed a bit. That wand, maybe? The strong one that beat any other wand. It could be any of many things! And wanting to avoid any kind of embarrassment, Jamie decided to keep his head low and not say anything. Instead, he wrote all his thoughts down onto his notebook.

The boy scratched his head. This lesson made him feel uncomfortable and confused.

Rosamund smiled openly at the young Gryffindor girl, but instead of saying anything to her, she directed herself to the professor. "I believe this is the moment when you give the girl... what is it called....?"

Lachlan nodded along to Rosie's words, and addressed Rosemary. "A sword indeed, Miss McGonagall. But would mind expanding on how you came to this conclusion?" While he waited for her to answer, MacFusty fished out his wand again and flicked it. Moments later, two small boxes came flying from the back of his hut and placed themselves at his feet.

"Give them another one, Rosamund." Because that one had been unexpectedly easy. Then again, it was Rosamund's first time ever doing this, so he'd cut her some slack.

The same expression she'd first acquired was on Rosamund's face again, as she thought of a new riddle for the Little Humans to think about. When a new one came to her, Rosamund smiled openly and began reciting:


At the end of a road, there is a tree
Near the tree, there is a school
In the school, there is a desk
Next to a door, there is a bell
Next to the door, there is a girl
Now, tell me, what is the is her name?

Simon listened as they moved on to trying to answer the riddles presented to them by Rosamunde the Sphinx. The first one brought several images to mind and he hadn't been able to chose before another student provided an example that was accepted by the professor. When the next one was give, the seventh tried to think of an answer, finally raising his hand.

"Is her name Isabel?"

Amy tilted her head to the side. A bell. And a school. And a girl...well. a receptionist called..Belle? And Belle was short for? She mumbled. She paused and thought for another second.

She put up her hand, professor, Isobelle? She asked hesitatantly

Aha!

Good job Jamie kept his ears wide open for that riddle. Raising his hand frantically, he said, "Her name is BELL. Or Isabelle, maybe." That one was much easier. Now, how was he going to explain this without sounding all mumbo-jumboish? "If Rosamund had said 'Next to the bell, there is a girl', then it wouldn't have been so obvious." He began, then scratched his head.

"So basically, the 'bell' and the 'girl' are the same thing..." He concluded, suddenly feeling wary about his answer. He constantly felt wary in this lesson.

Rosemary blinked in confusion, "Well a sword can be a range of lengths, widths of blades and has mostly been described as a Death Stick to the less educated mind, and swords have been one of the later forms of defence.... At least where Muggles are concerned.... And also there have been a few well known swords: The Sword in the Stone and Excalibur just to name a couple..." She explained.

Rosemary sighed, "The answer... Is Isabelle but Amy got it before I did...." She answered with a smile to her. 'Nice one!

Nika listened to the sphinx as carefully as possible. She heard some other students give some weird answers about the girl being named 'Belle'. But really she didn't think it was right. Instead she raised her hand and waved it around to answer with something different. "Is the girl's name 'Teacher?' Because you know teachers stand next to doors."

"Thank you, Rosemary." Holding one of the boxes he'd summoned, Lachlan walked toward the Gryffindor girl. "Have a chocolate frog." Unless she preferred a cauldron cake?"


Well.

They'd all answered correctly, but Simon and Amy hadn't explained their answers whereas Jamie HAD, so he supposed they'd all --for lack of a better word-- won? Shrugging this off, MacFusty gave all the three students a chocolate frog before returning to his stool.

"Another one, Rosie?"

Rosamund was mildly put off that everyone had figured that one out so quickly, and because of this, she straightened and lost the smile that had been flirting on her mouth.

"I go round and round in circles
But always straight ahead
And never complain
Regardless of where I am led."

OOC: Just to let you guys know that getting the answer wrong is part of the fun, and let's face it--realistic, too, as not everyone is going to be right. What I'm trying to say here is NO EDITING, please. Yes, I can tell when you do it. *watches*