Oh good, he could swim. That was one less issue to fret over once the main activity started a little later.

"Don't forget it's a shapeshifter, Ryan. It could truly take on any form, even one you can't see until it's too late. They simply prefer being horses and certainly don't need you on their back to do some harm. It might not look anything like a kelpie, it could be something subtle and unassuming." Running, though, that might work out.

"So long as you see it before it sees you." And that was what he'd say about that.



He hadn't specified beyond them running into it. What they chose to do with a kelpie once they found one was their business. The man simply wanted to know their course of action.

"You can do whatever you'd like. If you'd be trying to get away, do remember they aren't always in the shape of a horse, it's simply their preferred shape. They could be anything. They could be there without you knowing. A shield charm wouldn't stop them. Most charms won't."

Which brought him to. "How would you know it's a kelpie? If it took unassuming form, it could slide right by you until it's ready." It wasn't always as easy as look, there's a horse, I'll just go the other way.

Hence the placement charm and the bridle. "When that does happen, however, they must be subdued appropriately." She could ignore, but would it ignore her? Would she see it coming?



.....

He'd do what?

"And what will you do when it inevitably doesn't ignore you and drags you down into the murky depths?" Stand still? Do nothing? That was a recipe for getting eaten, surely the Gryffindor could see that much.

"It's not a lion, it's a water demon."



"Much as I see where you're trying to go with this one, Jones, I'm afraid it wouldn't work. It resides in water and has no issues getting in and out of it." Nothing to stop it from simply walking out of the water bubble and continuing on its assault.

"Containment is particularly difficult because of the nature of this creature." It being a demon and all. "Hence the need for the bridle. That is how you achieve the containment I think you mean. Not other spells to trap it."



The Headmaster gaped at her initial response. That was...honest. "Let's...not make plans to die, if we can help it."

Yes, please, that would be great.

"A distraction may work for a time but it depends on the distraction. Whatever it is would need to be more attractive than you, otherwise you're still on the menu. Perhaps you could elaborate." He'd have preferred to hear the type of distraction she was considering, so he could definitively know how likely she was to die.




....

......

What?

"And how do you plan to untransfigure yourself after? Not a human, you can't say the incantation, you can't make wand movements, you've doomed yourself to remain wherever you are for however long it lasts. No idea when it will ear off. If it does and the kelpie simply comes back, will you spend the rest of your life as an inanimate object?"

She...may want to rethink that.



Nothing?

Was the boy still lost in thought about the boathouse ordeal?

He'd want to start paying attention before they moved on. It would be in his best interest.



Ah and a bit of deeper conversation for the class. It wasn't something he'd planned to go into this lesson, but that didn't mean he couldn't give a more simplified answer. They'd be covering this very theory on Tuesday. No need to overload now.

"As I very briefly touched on with Jones just now, it has a lot to do with the nature of these creatures. You're right, they are demons and wouldn't feel pain, but that also makes them incredibly difficult to destroy. They're a manifestation of dark energy. That, coupled with their origins makes it an exercise in futility. You see, a demon is a sort of spirit, one born from malicious energy left behind, usually after a traumatic event but not always. Can't exactly put an end to that, which makes us incapable of putting a stop to them."

They'd just keep spawning. But more on that in the next class.



"Observant, Gunter. The kelpie does tend to use the method of luring rather than actively pursuing its meals. Keep in mind, as a shapeshifter, it could be anything, maybe something you need, something you like. It's particularly good at luring in children and the elderly. As you can imagine, that then becomes a problem for everyone else."

When a water demon started picking off the kids, it was time to get it out of there.



"Depending on the form it takes, you may not know it's a kelpie until it's already got you in its clutches." That was the unfortunate part about many encounters with these water demons. Sometimes they were harder to spot than other times. "If trapping is your answer, you'd already have to be prepared." Not many people travelled with a bridle on hand. A mistake when going through wetlands.



...

.....

"You're right. That is what I just said. Now I'd like to know what you would do. How do you plan to get it into a position that would guarantee success?" If Upstead thought it was as simple as casting, well...the activity would straighten that right out.

"Try again." He was not amused and did not buy the act for a second. Sometimes, students forgot that when you taught them long enough, you picked on on their little tells. How oblivious they thought their professors must be.



This one...this one should've known better.

Malachi scowled over at the Hufflepuff. "I've just finished explaining the placement charm and bridle to the class. That wasn't the question I asked you, Yoon."

Was he not paying any form of attention? That simply wouldn't do. "You'll pay attention now or later in detention. Your choice. Try again."



This one...was also on her way to being killed. He would graciously choose to ignore her mutterings on the giant squid with nothing more than a warning look. She remembered their arrangement, yes? Need he say more?

But what he couldn't ignore (even if he wanted to) was the admission she was the sort of nut who'd jump on a random horse's back. He facepalmed then, unable to really control the urge.

"It's not going to sit there and let you bridle it all willy nilly, Grantham and if you hop on its back, it will simply take you down into the water." Was she not paying attention? The back was the place you didn't want to be, even after you'd bridled it.



"You're not wrong there. Casting unnecessary spells won't get you any further away, they may just buy time for the kelpie to get closer." Not the outcome he supposed anyone would want. "The shield charm isn't as effective as you would think against this type of creature either. You'd have a better chance conjuring a bridle and putting it to use if you can swing it."

Again, it wouldn't stand still and wait to be bridled.



"Sweet Merlin there's hope." He hadn't meant to utter the words, but with a few of the last few answers so unnerving, it was all Trent could do to not break into applause.

"Preparedness is always to be lauded. When entering any situation, constant vigilance is a must. Good. It's not much of a chaser so the extra precautions aren't necessary but I like how prepared you are to stay alive."

In comparison to others who would HOP ON ITS BACK. Circe.



O___O

Aaaaand they were back to the students that had a death wish. Was it mere coincidence they'd all been Gryffindors?

"You'll do no such thing if you want to remain alive." Holy kneazle. He really was starting to worry about his students. "There have been cases, just touching it then being unable to pull away and subsequently being drawn beneath the water." Aka not where she wanted to be. Where were they getting these answers????



And another that wanted to resort to physical violence. Another that was a Gryffindor.

He...he'd need to have a talk with them.

"Nothing wrong with fear. Fear is a perfectly rational response to a dangerous situation. However, as I just finished explaining, you really don't want to be touching these things. Just one touch is all it takes for you to be stuck and dragged down to a watery grave."

Arms, legs, elbows, they should all be kept to oneself when facing a kelpie.



"While I'll commend you on the effort to not run and thereby draw attention to yourself, I would caution against hiding behind a shield charm. Those haven't been known for stopping these creatures in their tracks. At worst, it will take away from the time you could've used to employ another strategy." And that was definitely not something she wanted.



Answers like these were one of the reasons he gave hypothetical questions. It gave him a chance to see where his students' heads were and correct them if they had an idea that might be less than helpful in a real life situation.

"Getting away is certainly a good course of action, however, most spells have no effect on these water demons. They must be properly subdued before you can have any hope of slowing or containing them." And that came with the bridle.

Now she knew what not to do."[/b]



"Well, yes, I would hope at some point you would, but how would you ensure that it worked?" Bellchant was another who would find out in a moment that "use a placement charm and bridle on a kelpie" wasn't as easy as they were making it seem. That was why he asked about strategies.

It was proper work.

"The luring isn't out of your control, no. There isn't some subliminal mind control. Some people are simply more easily led. Keep in mind, also, that it isn't always a horse. It can be just about anything. To an unsuspecting traveller, a perfectly inconspicuous form can be disarming." That was part of the danger.



...Fly....?

What?

"I'll need you to elaborate on that." Before he decided what category to lump him in. So far, the major ones were well represented.



He...was also trying to figure where to put this one.

Ultimately, when the boy finished up his answer, it was clear he was a runner....

"Screaming...might invite his friends to join him for dinner..." Just, y'know, as an aside. Don't do that. Internal was okay. They couldn't hear internal screams. "Leaving the water is a good option, getting far away with your hands to yourself."

No more punching Gryffindors.



"That was vague." The Headmaster commented, not sure the answer gave him much of a...well....an answer. "What defensive spell would you use? Most won't work against it. How will you calm it down enough to get the bridle on? It wants to eat you, not be your friend."

Strategy, he was still waiting to hear one.



And just like that he could see Precious Bean #3 being dragged to the bottom of a lake and eaten. It was an unsettling feeling to say the least. By this point in the class, he'd seen nearly all the Gryffindors eaten and didn't know how to feel about that.

"While you're there soothing, it's there making a move. It's a demon, Summers. And I wouldn't recommend petting either. Just takes one touch for you to be stuck and it to drag you off for dinner."

Kelpies were not friends. They were not pretend friends. Merlin.



He was quickly becoming unimpressed with the vague responses to his request for a strategy. Malachi looked the girl over, "How would you 'tame it like the others'?" What was the plan to get it docile?

"And if it's not in the form of a horse, how will you recognize it as a kelpie? Being shapeshifters, they could be anything. You might not even know you're in the presence of one until it's too late." He'd let her think it over again.



...

"...okay." He said, not sure what calling all those people had to do with her personally dealing with the kelpie. He'd...just go ahead and scribble her down in the "run" category for now.

"You're not wrong in alerting the DMC, especially if there's a kelpie spotting where itdefinitely shouldn't be." In a case like that, it was definitely better to have the proper authorities remove it.

So, in the end, not such a bad answer.



"I'm a bit confused by the answer, if I'm being honest." Evident enough in the way his brows creased. But he'd mark this one down as "dead" too. Merlin, this list was getting longer.

"Casting a bubblehead charm implies you intend to be under water. You...do know once down there...it begins feasting...yes? You wouldn't have the opportunity to physically place a bridle and depending on how vicious it is, I don't see you getting off a placement charm, either." Best to do all this long before pulling pulled under.



...

.....

And...he'd mark his son down as "dead" as well. Welp. That was particularly worrying and Malachi stared at his son for a silent moment, trying to figure out how serious he was being.

"You wanna die? Because that's how you die. Kelpies aren't looking for friends. You've given it dinner and a show, no more, no less. Try again." PLEASE.



What was with these students and wanting to end up on the kelpie's back? Hadn't he already made it clear that that was the one place they needed to not be?

Merlin's beard.

"Shield charms aren't effective, nor is trying to destroy its form. It's a demon, a spirit. You'd do well to use your magic on more effective measures." And while he was at it.

"I don't recommend getting on its back. That's all it needs to pull you down." The very situation they were trying to avoid.



No. No she wasn't going to be allowed near the kelpies, not after THAT.

Malachi stared, and stared....and....STARED.

"Tell me you're joking--lie if you must. Help an old man sleep better tonight." Of all the responses, James had been the MOST worrying. He'd have to create a new category on his list. Super dead. That was her category. That was a problem.



"Well, you could disillusion yourself, if it made you feel better, but how would you know you've run into a kelpie to begin with? They aren't always horses." As he'd explained a few times before and would gladly do again. "They could be anything. Something as innocuous as a butterfly. All it takes is one touch and you can be dragged away."

Hiding was good and fine but what if they didn't get the chance because they'd been caught unawares? What then?



Another on the vague wagon. Trent liked details, and after listening to some of the previous responses, he would really prefer to know what the students were thinking before they got any further.

Just in case.

"How will you slow it down? Most spells don't work on it. Similarly, I'd like to know how you would distract it. What do you think kelpie's would go for?" It was important. Better to cover it now in class than to try on the fly out in the real world and it turn out to be ineffective.



"Actually, that's a solid plan. So long as you aren't already in it's clutches, there's a good chance apparition will take care of it."

She was a runner then. Yes, he'd just put her down in that column. Yes.

"All the best with that, when it rolls around." Apparating was an important skill best learned early.

He....may.....need a different plan. Half these replies gave the Headmaster the impression that these students would get themselves killed just as quickly as they were to get themselves out of the sticky situation. The man was honestly horrified and it showed in the expression he now wore. Consider him concerned.



"I can assure you it would be different." That was for sure. "To start, the spell wouldn't work and you'd still be under attack and in need of a new strategy."

Best start thinking on that from now. He'd need it later. Ahem.