SnitchSeeker.com - CoMC Lesson 2: Through the Portholes

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- Term 52: May - August 2019 (https://www.snitchseeker.com/term-52-may-august-2019/)

- - CoMC Lesson 2: Through the Portholes (https://www.snitchseeker.com/term-52-may-august-2019/comc-lesson-2-through-the-portholes-112760/)

Lucas found himself tuning back in to the lesson in time to hear Cornish talk about systems and writing to his parents (?) and then...... protests? His eyebrows went straight up while the man ranted. Yeaaaaaah, he was adding this to the list of things he wasn't arguing with the man about.

Getting up, he wandered over to the box and grabbed a long piece of twine and a handful of shell beads before heading back to his seat again. Making jewellery sounded simple enough - and if he had some extra, he miiiiiiight just make a bracelet for Emma just because - but discussions? TALKING?! With the entire class?? No, thank you. Nuh-uh. He wasn't taking part. Count him OUT.

Even so, it was hard not to listen to whatever it was everyone else was talking about. Someone mentioned how no one in the Ministry was doing anything, someone else mentioned that they're all old or purebloods and don't want to make change, and then someone else started talking about prejudices, which....... caused the third year to squirm.

And apparently, Cornish was going to run for Minister, or Department Head.

(this was a very weird lesson)

Lucas, being Lucas, decided not to say anything. Nope. He was just making jewellery over here.

Kamryn didn’t really have much to say on the topic of magical beings and creature classifications. If she was honest she thought that perhaps the creatures could put themselves in classifications like the Merpeople did. But of course that was out of protest.

Cause humans were dumb most of the time.

She felt bad as she stood up and moved to get some beads and some twine, she was planning on making a few bracelets with them and she moved back to her seat and started to thread some beads onto the twine.

She made a knot between each bead and held it up.. that wasn’t bad looking at all.

Vita liked keeping busy, and having something to do with her hands was the perfect way to get her ready for whatever they'd be doing next. Selecting a few eye catching beads, the seventh year got enough twine for a bracelet and took her finds to an empty chair. She had her own opinions on the class system, of course, but she decided active listening was the best course of action for now. As for songs, she figured something old would suffice. A classic. Something they might recognize the melody of, at the very least.

Eiji had been nothing but content in ignoring this conversation about classifications. How could one reasonably apply such status to sentient beings that did not share the same set of moral conduct as humans anyway? It was stupid and so was this conversation they were having. What were they going to do, sign a petition and send it off to the ----

What?

WHAT?

W H A T?

Eiji set his pathetic attempt at jewelry down - it sparkled and that was what counted, or whatever - and STARED at the Hufflepuff prefect. Grandpa Charles may be up there in years but the implications of pureblood status and just wanting to stay in power was BEYOND offensive. But he didn't want to give that Hufflepuff the time of day - she always seemed to crave chaos and debate and he, frankly, did not have the energy.

"I am certain, professor, that if you request an audience with the Minister he will hear your concerns," he said as calmly as one could when the hairs were standing on the back of one's neck. "Private debate," ...complaining really... "...without proactive actions won't change anything."

Not that he thought things needed to change, he just hated the implications that his uncle was some stuffy old hat.

Now...back to adding something else that sparkled to this...necklace? Keychain? He wasn't sure what he was making anymore.

After Cornish's response Eni began to focus on her work. She was older than that nine year old girl making her mum a pretty necklace and she wanted to be able to see the Merpeople, or at least one. She began to hum a song her mother had sung when she was growing up. Man, the nostalgia was hitting her hard today.

Nina carried forward beading together the necklace, which she would most certainly be keeping whether or not her Professor had the intention to let them keep them. She was also entirely tuned out to the discussion, only picking her head up to linger when she heard Eiji speak up. He hardly ever voiced his thoughts in class, and when he did he only ever offered up sarcastic singular remarks. And so this was quite peculiar. Something must have rubbed him the wrong way, Nina was somewhat regretful that she hadn't been paying more attention to pick up on what exactly that was.

She'd ask him about it later maybe. But for now, her attention was back on the necklace that she didn't really care to be beading in the middle of the lesson. This felt pointless. She would have much rather learned from the textbook.

Continuing to thread her bracelet, Analiese thought of suitable songs for the particular purpose. She was genuinely struggling to think of some. The only song in her head was God Rest Ye, Merry Hippogriffs. It was playing in repeat in her head. She began humming it quietly as she finished beading. She stopped humming after a minute and raised her hand. " In my opinion, acromantulas, centaurs and merpeople deserve to be classified as beings more than humans. Some humans even deserve to be classified as beasts!" The young Ravenclaw paused for a second to take a breath. "And I think that the people in the Ministry are just too scared that they will lose their position in the hierarchy pyramid of society if they try to speak up about it. What we need at the Ministry is a good Minister for Magic, good department heads and good employees. I'm not saying that Charles Hollingberry and any of the department heads is in anyway bad, but they need to do something about the classification system. However, if the acromantulas, centaurs and merpeople do not want to be classified as beings, and instead want to be classified as beasts there is nothing wrong. I know that merpeople and centaurs were given the chance to be classified as beasts but they did not want to be the same classification as hags and vampires, but has anyone tried to change the classification of acromatulas? No. Why? Because they have a taste for human flesh. However, the quality which centaurs, merpeople and humans have in common is present in acromantulas too. Also, nobody has tried to make vampires beasts because they are of human intelligence. However, they also have a taste for human flesh, just like acromantulas. Acromantulas have human intelligence, in my opinion, and should be classified as beings."

Was that too much? Probably.

SPOILER!!: Frens

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazinga (Post 12417929)

Oh yes she did kind of know this, but before she answered others were talking and he went on to explain it. That was okay though, she knew she had read about it and the fact they were going to do things that the merpeople might like. She went to grab some pretty purple and green beads when one of the students said their opinion on things, "Maybe some are, but I don't feel all are like that. Some are really wanting to make a difference, like the minister we have now. " She had read things, even if she did live in Germany, she tried to keep up on both ministries.

"What if the problem isn't really on the classification, but the prejudice we place with the classification, I mean what makes being a beast lower then a being? If you think about it aren't we, humans, just beasts as well? Maybe the classification system doesn't really work and things should be moved away from it instead. There are too many gray areas to look at, not everything is black and white like these categories try to make."

As for the singing, she wasn't even sure what the merpeople liked, "Do merpeople have a type of music they like over others?"

That wasn't a bad line of thinking, and Cornish gave McCarthy a polite nod of agreement. "Sure, the system doesn't matter if we don't make it a hierarchy. I don't disagree with that. I guess we're just not very good at that. Maybe we need people like you to help us remember that different doesnt' mean one is better than another."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fireheart (Post 12417949)

Avalon breathed a sigh of relief at the professor's response. At least he didn't think she was totally stupid and disrespectful. As for the latter part of his question back to her, she thought for a moment. Sure, merpeople had language and music. But were they really as complex as human beings? She supposed that if they had enough wits to create their own culture, they probably were. "I definitely think they are as smart as humans. Maybe even smarter. I just wanted to hear your opinion on it," she said truthfully. Avalon liked hearing Cornish's thoughts about magical creatures. He always had some wisdom to impart. She always felt like she left his classes a bit more informed than she was at the beginning.

As for his opinion on the classification of magical creatures, the first year certainly understood his reasoning. While she usually enjoyed categorizing things -- organizing was a hobby of hers -- it seemed stifling to put all creatures into a category. However, she also saw the other side of the argument, too. The classification system helped preserve safety and understanding of creatures. To be perfectly honest, she was torn.

But at least they were going to meet the merrows! Avalon had never encountered a merperson before. Making her way over to the box, she grabbed a few bright aqua, silver, and gold beads, along with a string. Now, should she make a bracelet, necklace, or something entirely different?

She still wanted to please him, but it wasn't worth arguing with someone when they were on the same side as you. Cornish gave her a small smile. Yes, the man knew how to smile. Sort of.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverTiger (Post 12417958)

Mostly, the talk of merpeople, merrows and the like had caused Stasya to wonder if they were going to get to practice their Mermish. Although being inside the common room and therefore having the glass of the porthole window might restrict that activity, but it was entirely possible the professor had plans that would make that less of a problem. Not that she hadn’t seen the merpeople of the lake before anyhow, since she’d seen them from a distance during the field trip terms ago that had led to the inferi attack.

The debate was something entirely different, though. She’d gotten up to collect some cord and shell beads before she chose to speak, but speak she did. “Both the merpeople and the centaurs chose to forgo being status for those reasons, and honestly, I think they have every right to be annoyed by the way they’re seen,” she pointed out, thinking of the Divination professor among others. “I think it’s a little crazy that people think they’re better, too. Some witches and wizards are way less deserving of the qualification than some merpeople and centaurs, and it works the other way too. Just like how merpeople and centaurs probably have differences among their own species, like in personality and choices, so do we. But we think we’re better?”

Okay, maybe she didn’t think she was better, and she’d become resigned to the fact people thought she was odd for her ideas about creatures. But she’d been asked, and it sort of seemed like she agreed with the professor which she really didn’t mind. Creature people stick together, and she’d lapsed into silence again as she applied herself to the supplies she’d gathered, slowly letting a necklace come into existence.

"Let's not put too noble a point on it. Centaurs and merpeople refused to be considered beings because they didn't like the company of hags and vampires, not because they thought other beasts should be beings too," Cornish didn't blame them, per se, although violence wasn't an indicator in the classification system. It was in the X - XXXXX system, which was at least more reasonable. "But I agree with you that we shouldn't put ourselves above them. The differences make our lives so much richer, don't you think?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie (Post 12418016)

Rasting woke up. Interesting. "I'm also certain that public discussion foments consensus and action. One man's opinion is just that. Many men... that's a revolution. Not that I'm trying to revolt or anything, but I'm keen to let you lot know that there are things worth caring about. What we call things, how we reference things... it matters. It changes us. So. I'm not telling you to care about this, but I"m telling you why we talk about it. Make your pretty jewelry."

Quote:

Originally Posted by SneakySeverusSnape (Post 12418067)

"Well said, kid The right to choose is an important right too," Cornish agreed with the girl. AND she already knew about the dirty history of merpeople, hags, and vampires.

"Okay, enough discussion, and I want you to wrap up your jewelry making now. We're missing our party guests here, and you can't have a party with no guests." Cornish set the bracelet he'd made on the sill of the porthole and touched the runes again. "Professor Beryl helped me with these. They allow us to be heard and to hear through the glass, and there's some fancy automatic translation going on. The merrow speak English, but I think it's polite to speak to them in their own language. They're much more eloquent and we're much less likely to offend them."

The water beyond the porthole was dark and murky, seemingly too dark and murky to see more than a few feet out into the lake right now. If there were merrow close by, they weren't visible. Really, nothing was. Cornish hummed softly and peered out into the dark water. "If you have a gift to offer, I suggest you place it on a sill and present a song. I can't promise anything will happen, but if we don't try, nothing will."

So step up to a porthole, offer your jewelry, and sing a song. Let's see what happens. You can join a group if you don't want to sing alone.

Analiese stood up and walked over to a porthole. She placed her bracelet on the sill and thought of a song. Merlin, she was really struggling to think of a song, even with her singing skills. Oh no. Now her head was filling with Celestina Warbeck. When was she from? The 1960s? Either way, it was a long time ago. A Cauldron of Hot, Strong, Love was the song in her head, to be exact. She began humming it and eventually began singing it.

"I've got a cauldron full of hot, strong love
And it's bubbling for you!
Say Incendio, but that spell's not hot
As my special witch's brew!

Don't you be afraid, come and take a sip
Of this steamy, tasty treat!
What's in my cauldron full of hot, strong love
Will make your life complete!

I've got a cauldron full of hot, strong love
That's about to be unfurled
Got a flavour that beats anything
You'll find in the Muggle world!

Mix a pinch of spice with a dash of charm
And a sprinkling of romance
They're why my cauldron full of hot, strong love
Is worth it, take the chance!"

What a beautiful bit of magic. Eniola thought as she approached the runes. She couldn't help but run her hand over them. Absolutely beautiful.

Eni placed the simple earrings and began to sing an old French lullaby her mother had sang to her and her brother.

"Dodo, l’enfant do,
L’enfant dormira bien vite
Dodo, l’enfant do
L’enfant dormira bientôt.

Une poule blanche
Est là dans la grange.
Qui va faire un petit coco*
Pour l’enfant qui va fair’ dodo.

Dodo, l’enfant do,
L’enfant dormira bien vite
Dodo, l’enfant do
L’enfant dormira bientôt.

Tout le monde est sage
Dans le voisinage
Il est l’heure d’aller dormir
Le sommeil va bientôt venir."

She truly hoped she'd get the chance to see and speak to one of the Merpeople today. It would be something she would never forget.

They had to what now?

Sing a song?

Kamryn hurriedly finished up her bracelet and stood up. She brushed off her robes and stuck her bracelet with the shiny blue beads on the windowsill. But.. what should she sing? She bit her lip as she peered out into the murky water. She couldn’t think of anything that the Merrow would like.. and that wouldn’t hurt the ears of her fellow students of course.

Singing was not her forte. She could bake a great cake and draw a pillar, but sing?

Did they like muggle songs? Wizarding ones?

Gah!

SPOILER!!: SneakySeverusSnape

The song was rousing, and offering of pretties on the ledge alluring, and as the song drifted through the runes into the water, a young female merrow drifted up to the window and pressed a webbed hand against the cold glass.

That. That bracelet. Was that for her? *bubble bubble bubble*

SPOILER!!: gritandgrace

The moment the lilting song stopped, a broad and grinning face slammed against the glass, streaming hair and seaweed caught between the runes and the pointed yellow teeth of that terrifying smile. The merrow already had plenty of earrings jammed along the cartilage of his green ears, but he still was all eyes for this particular offering. LOVELY. HIS.

SPOILER!!: MunchyBubbles

No song? Maybe share a porthole with someone brave enough to sing or hope one of the merrow will spot your offering on their way to another song.

It would completely wrong to suggest that Archer wasn't somewhat proud of herself. It would also be completely wrong to think she had something against the current minister because she didn't. But..."Of course, I would!"

Purebloods though, she did have a problem with. She truly meant what she'd said about them, or most of them, not being able to see beyond their own noses. I mean, how many of them even knew how to operate a phone or anything else remotely muggle... (you know aside from those who attended Muggle Studies here)? Which is why she returned the little first years look with one that just oozed a challenge: go ahead and prove me wrong. Seriously, little one. Eiji's look was returned with the same, as she obviously had no clue that his granddad was the current minister. Not that that would've stopped her. So, of course, she thought that look was about the whole pureblood thing.

Uh...no one really wanted to hear her singing voice. No seriously, it was bad.

The young Claw rolled her eyes when the older Hufflepuff returned her look with a nastier look. She honestly did have a point though. She looked back to the porthole she was standing in front of. Analiese slightly jumped when the merrow appeared. "Hello. How are you today?" She was in no interest to speak any Mermish. Thank Merlin the runes were there. She spotted the merrow eyeing the bracelet. "It's for you." How were they exactly supposed to give the bracelet to the merpeople? Were they even supposed to? The 12-year-old looked at Professor Cornish in questioning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SneakySeverusSnape (Post 12418230)

It delighted the merrow to hear words spoken in her own language, and she bared her teeth in a mermish version of a smile. Mostly just pointy teeth, but hopefully the intent was there.

"It's very dark today," the merrow's voice sounded a little hollow through the water, glass, and runes, but her words were in English. "It's been dark for many days. The sun doesn't shine on us." She touched the glass by the bracelet, but of course, it was out of her reach.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SneakySeverusSnape (Post 12418230)

Cornish spotted the girl looking for him, and he stepped up to stand next to her. Oh, she had a merrow visitor already. "I'll give them your jewelry in person once we can go outside again. They'll get your offering. I promise."

They were supposed to sing to the merrows now? It seemed a bit strange - standing by a porthole and singing aimlessly. How were the merpeople even going to hear them through the window?

Her question was immediately answered as she spotted a merrow approach her friend Analiese. So they could hear through the windows. Avalon wasn't complaining...she liked to sing, and she felt like she didn't get to do it often enough. The young Ravenclaw had a pretty voice, too, thanks to the school choir she was forced to participate in back in the second grade. Nothing professional by any means, but it was at least on key and pleasant to listen to. The only question now was what song to sing.

As Avalon finished up her necklace, which was sparkling with metallic and aqua blue beads, she considered a few different melodies to sing. The first song that came into her mind was Frère Jacques, which her mother used to sing to her. But it seemed odd to sing a song about sleeping when she wanted to merrows to come to her. So, she decided on a fun, albeit silly song that she remembered from kindergarten. Approaching the porthole, she took a deep breath and began to sing.

Down by the bay
Where the watermelons grow
Back to my home
I dare not go
For if I do
My mother will say

She paused for a brief moment, trying to think of a quick rhyme involving the merpeople for the next line.

Have you ever seen a merrow
Emerging from its burrow?
Down by the bay

She couldn't help but laugh at herself. The lyrics sounded absolutely ridiculous! But hopefully her voice was enough to draw the merrows near.

Nina did not want to sing and she certainly did not want to give away her necklace. Sorry. So instead of offering a song, she stood behind the crowd. In hopes to blend in. She didn’t particularly love the idea of befriending a mermaid, and was quite happy being far from the porthole. Honestly. If there was one thing she loved about this common room, it was how little the creatures swam up to the windows.

Truly, it was a blessing.

And so, instead of going up to take her turn, she stood back and watched as her classmates went up one by one and embarrassed themselves with silly performances. This was a classroom, not an after school musical. Nina intended to keep it that way for herself. Mhm.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MERPEOPLE! (Post 12418162)

Eni was a tad startled when the Merrow's head slammed against the glass with the [strikeout]creepy[/strikeout] smile. It wasn't exactly appealing. No wonder they've been known as sirens previously. Beautiful voices, but terrifying and deadly when they so choose.

Eni plucked up her courage and gave a gentle smile, "Hello. My name is Eniola. Do you like the earrings?" she lifted them up towards the glass so he could have a better view. "They're for you. You already have some lovely ones though, don't you?"

She couldn't help the big smile with the professor's words, but now her focus was on the activity at hand. The fight for more equal rights could be another time, right now THEY WERE GOING TO MEET MERPEOPLE!!

This was so exciting and she jumped up with her bracelet, but she didn't know what to sing. Listening to everyone else's she realized everyone was doing something different. Would that hurt their chances of getting to see them? Maybe they should all be working together to sing one song. All their voices together with the same song could be very pretty and attract better, but since everyone was doing their own Chloe tried to think and started singing the first song that came to her mind.

"So oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
You need to calm down, you're being too loud
And I'm just like oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh (oh)
You need to just stop
Like can you just not step on my gown?
You need to calm down."

SPOILER!!: Fireheart

This one was special... a song about the merrow themselves! The song and the giggling drew a young merrow boy to the porthole. Seaweed floated around his bright, interested face as he tapped on the glass curiously. Tap. Tap. Hello-tap.

"What is this... burrow? Like flounders in the mud?"

SPOILER!!: gritandgrace

The merrow touched his ear at the mention of his earrings before turning his head so she could see how gorrrrrrgeous his collection was. Truly, he was fashion. "Eniola. I am Aniaitis." Very polite one, yes. Eniola, was that a typical wizarding name?

"Do you have more? Earrings?"

SPOILER!!: Bazinga

They had been promised gifts, and it seemed that the wizard-man Cornish was going to keep his promise. The lady merrow drifted up from the dark water, yellow teeth bared in a smile and webbed fingers tracing the shape of her gift through the glass.

"Taaaaaaaaaay-lor Swift." Even the merrow knew this one.

OH-MY-MERLIN!!

adlkfjkdl;fjklafjla;dsjkl;ajfal

There she was, there they were, there were Merpeople! Chloe could have peed herself she was so excited. She sang a little longer before stopping and smiling back at the merperson. What was she to do, could she just talk to them or did she need to sing more. Her eyes moved around to see if she could see anyone else doing anything, but no, she wanted to see her new friend.

Yes, they would be friends now!

"Hello, you know Taylor Swift?" That was super cool, she knew it was an old song that she had found, but she loved the old ones. Seeing that she was tracing the gift Chloe felt she did a good job or she at least opened she did, "Do you like it?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazinga (Post 12418360)

"Everyone knows this witch Taaaaay-lor," the merrow agreed, bobbing gently in the water as she tried to get a better look at her bracelet gift. Very lovely, yes. "But we prefer the music of our own kind." It was much more visceral than the music of wizards. You felt it in your bones.

"Yes, thank you. Perhaps we should give you a gift as well."

CLASS IS ENDING IN 24 HOURS

Quote:

Originally Posted by MERPEOPLE! (Post 12418358)

Avalon nearly gasped in excitement as a young merrow made his way to the porthole. She had done it! She was communicating with a real, living merperson. This was wicked cool. The Ravenclaw waved back with a smile as the merrow tapped on the window a few times. And he had a question! Even more exciting! "Yes! Exactly like that. It's like a tunnel! Or a really cool hiding place." What a neat lesson. She would definitely have to thank Cornish for this awesome experience later on. Just wait until her grandfather heard that she got to talk to a merrow! Mr. Sinclair would be so proud.

It was a shame that only a few of the merrow had made an appearance, but it was still probably the only proper introduction these students had. The first conversation with a beast, except for those lucky enough to chat with Thereos during his classes or in the Great Hall.

"Please say goodbye to the merrows, gather your things, and get back to your own common rooms. Don't hang out in here or I'll give the Slytherins leave to hex your noses from your faces." He began to gather the jewelry offerings, which would eventually make their way to the merrows outside.