Okay but...the girl from the food trolley (Olive? Was that her name? He hadn't exactly eaten enough earlier so there was a bit of food on the brain so it was hard to be sure) kept looking at him. He half caught her eye with his own every now and then as he attempted to pay attention, but it was a little distracting. The way her quill was moving made him think that she was not taking notes though, unless she was writing some letters really REALLY big.

Something else that was really big but in a subtle way? So really...not big at all but still something the sixth year picked up on because he sorely identified with the sort of ticks the professor was exhibiting, subtle. But there was a very clear undertone of their professor being a little squirmy about some of the more...to the point descriptors of trolls, particularly the word dumb, and it had this Gryffindor a bit curious...

...though that curiosity was muted when Professor Williamson threw BACK a follow up question to the seeker's answer. He hadn't signed up for this and now Josh was thinking entirely on the fly.

"Uuuuuuuh..." The Gryffindor's mouth hung open for a bit as his brain attempted to both turn on and catch up with itself simultaneously. "I uh...I don't know if the definition was changed because of trolls or if it was like that before, but beings are said to be only those creatures who have the smarts to BOTH understand the laws of the magical community and help shape those laws too...and I assume that negotiating with a troll and a troll colony didn't go so well? Because they are aggressive and violent...but then I don't get why they are beasts and giants are beings when they are high key similar. I don't know, professor. Sort of just seems arbitrary."

Which was an answer but not really an answer and oh well.

But oooooooooooooooh they were going to take a dip in the memory soup. Josh had to admit that this was pretty neat and the sort of Care of Magical Creatures lesson that he could handle - because there was no real creature handling to be done. So off he was to wait in the queue until it was his turn to hop in and, honestly, this was weird. Of course being a wizard meant that unusual things were a dime a dozen...but that didn't mean that it wasn't WEIRD doing things for the first time.

So, er, tumbling into the pensieve he went and into a whispy looking forest he landed. This had been MUCH better than traveling by floo or portkey which tended to make him feel a little nauseous. Looking around a bit more had him happening upon a younger Professor Williamson and...this was weird. This was so so so weird. But hey! He knew the tune the professor was whistling sooooooooo he joined and harmonized a bit.


Still weird. Still so so so weird.

After giving her answer, it slowly dawned on Claudine that there was an actual human who liked to point and grunt too. And he was standing right before her. How many times hadn’t she seen him do exactly those two things? Too many times. Maybe he had picked up the habit by working with Trolls. Claudien decided she would ask Williamson about this later. Anyway… had anyone else realised how awkward it was to stand and write notes off of those smoke words? The thought vaguely crossed her mind about using Heath...his back more precisely… so she could rest her book on it to write. She was so sure that he wouldn’t refuse but no, she could take advantage of him like that.

Oh?

How interesting.

Actually viewing a Troll society using Williamson’s memory was brilliant. Why couldn’t more professors plan fun lessons like this? Eagerly, Claudine waited for her turn and when it came, stepped forward and dived into the swirling memories. It was the first time she used a Pensieve but knew from talk from her family that it didn’t hurt when one actually ‘fell’ into the memory.

Hang on.

Wasn’t that a much younger Williamson? Wow. Claudine hadn’t known that the man had been absolutely hot during his prime.

"Oh, no, Professor! I'd never!" Emmerson denied emphatically. "Auntie Jessa has enough experiments and she says we don't kill them, we take them after they go." And a nod to assure him she was being perfectly serious. The little girl was many things but she would never intentionally cause harm to a creature, if she could help it. People....people were different and less cuddly.

Were they meant to be making notes? Now that Professor Williamson was going through all this information, it seemed like a LOT to remember. She'd rather get to the--

OH OH OH THEY WERE GOING INSIDE!!

Remembering what the man had said earlier, Emm took firm hold of Kizzy's hand. She was her travel buddy. He said it was important to not go alone. Nevermind the whole class was going together, she was good at following instructions most times. When it involved getting to have a fun class with her bestfriend, she was the most obedient.

"Come on!" She said to her friend, tugging her along and into the pensieve enthusiastically. Leap of faith.

"WWOoooOooooOOOOooooo!!!" She screamed on the way down.

This was a lot of trees. On the ground, Emm straightened and began looking around. Trees. Trees. More Tre--"Professor look! It's you. Boy. You really let yourself go, huh?" Was young Professor Williamson now in charge?

Oh. Kinsay considered the point thoughtfully. Some people didn’t like to be touched, that was true. ”Maybe,” she replied honestly. She probably (read: absolutely) wouldn’t like to be hugged by a stranger, but maybe she wouldn’t mind hugging a grumpy old man who smelled like dung. Sometimes her grandpa used to smell like dung. He’s a magizoologist. Either way, it sounded like a challenge to Kinsay, who would now make it her life mission to hug Professor Williamson. He did it to himself, really.

And he just kept digging the grave, it seemed. Because the warning about eating first years didn’t phase Kinsay too much either. She obviously reacted with surprise, for the drama. It was a little scary too, for the record, but also fascinating. ”That’s so cool!” Maybe she’d try to get eaten by one, just to see what it’s like. It’s not like she’d die, her momma would save her. She’s an auror.

Anyway! Kiz didn’t need to take notes because she’d just remember everything. She was good at remembering! That’s why she wouldn’t ever need to use a pensieve. BUT!!!! She was excited to use one now because it would be the first time. And they’d get to see trolls… Kind of.

So she easily let Emm take hold of her hand and didn’t protest at all as she was tugged towards the pensieve! ”WOOoooOOOooooOOO!” She (quietly) echoed Emm as they JUMPED down to the… Huh?

Though she was a little disoriented, Kinz looked around to see who Emm was talking about and accidentally revealed all the shock on her face. ”Wow.” Her thoughts being exactly what Emmerson said out loud. Though she usually wouldn’t point such a thing out, Emm made it feel okay to. ”Yeah, have you ever considered shaving again?” With her free hand, she motioned to her chin and made a telling face. The facial hair. He looked lots better without it, in Kinsay’s professional opinion.

Oi, Joshy's answer to the question about beasts and beings was a good one. See? The kid had smarts. "It is arbitrary. And trolls and giants and even yeti are all similar, so..." He'd leave it at that. Let them debate this one in Gabi's class.

Professor Williamson? "Yes?" Williamson heard the call as he popped into the memory too, joining them all in this strange past. Was it weird or normal that he couldn't stop staring at his handsome younger self? If only he'd known the things he knew now... like, that if he taught at Hogwarts for a second tour, kids would ask him if he’d let himself go… Emmerson received a glare for that one, plus her little friend Kinsay who told him to shave!?!? But how would he hide his frowny face if he shaved his beard off...????! The nerve of these kids...

Couldn’t dwell on that now. He had to give directions as this thing continued. "As you watch the memory, make note of any mistakes you notice. And your observations, please feel free to call out your observations. We want to see how they stack up to what we discussed earlier." Right. He led the way in following his younger self, walking side by side in what must have been a strange sight for the students.
__________________

The young man, still whistling loudly, and now apparently in harmony with someone from the future (though of course he didn't know this) approached a narrow stone footbridge and without caution or even looking around, immediately began to cross it.

A large, hairy, and purpleish beast with short, thick horns jumped out from under the bridge, blocking the path the man had just stepped off of. Another purple brute wearing some kind of decorative necklace appeared at the opposite end, and a third and fourth smaller one (one of which had something like a tutu on its bottom) swung up from beneath the bridge.

The scent of the trolls, a stench like a week's worth of athletic socks drenched in sweat and chunky milk and left to dry in the sun, rolled off the four of them. Even the people viewing this memory could taste the scent in the air. The one at the far end of the bridge began grunting and pointing, banging a pole with one pointy end and one flat end into the ground, as he apparently gave orders to the other three.

The two in the middle of the bridge, closest to young Williamson, started flinging a rope back and forth between them, diligently getting to work with binding the arms of the tall man to his sides. They moved quickly and efficiently, with minimal grunts of communication, as the odor of their bodies made Williamson's eyes water. Anyone standing nearby would experience the same eye weepeing impact of their smell.

What was past Williamson doing during all of this? Squeaking. "Uh, excuse me, uhhhhhh, can you guys NOT do that? HEY. HEY! I'm a wizard! I have gold! You can let me go and I'll reward you HANDSOMELY!"

A sound like the laughter of a bullfrog echoed from the first river troll, the one blocking him from leaving. The troll in the tutu snatched the ballcap off his head and began grunting (as though doing an impression of him) and it attempted to try the hat on, an action which elicited a fit of jealous rage from the other troll that had helped in the binding.

Immediately the two closest to Williamson (the two who had roped him) began tussling for the cap, knocking into him and each other, bumping heads, elbows, feet and knees, until the tutu troll knocked the ballcap-wearing troll backwards, off the bridge and into the water.

Now Williamson was left alone in the center of the bridge, his arms bound by thick ropes but his legs certainly free. The troll at the far end let out a menacing growl and brandished the pointy end of its pole at him. The troll behind him again made that bullfrog-like sound.

What should he do next?

"Uh, well, you weren't look where you were going, and you had no wand, and I guess you made them mad or curious or something, and then you got tied up. Trolls don't seem very dumb to me, but they could definitely use some teamwork skills. And you were kinda like squeaking the whole time." She watched the memory professor get tied up. "Trolls live under bridges a lot, and they smell kinda bad, and they fight a lot, and they aren't great at working together, but they can talk and they have strategy. Sorta. But then the plan is kinda messing up. Maybe you should try and draw the other trolls into the fight. Then you could escape. Ooo. Too late. Maybe try and start another fight. Or jump off the bridge and hope you survive. You have your wand right? Because you could cushion your fall with magic..."

Heath’s answer to the last question was mostly just guessing based on the information he already knew about trolls. He thought it would be way off the mark, so he was surprised when it earned praise from the professor. Something else that surprised him? The fact that both Claudine and Avalon added on to his answer. He was beginning to feel like Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back… you know, others piggybacking off him! He listened intently to his classmates’ answers, some of which sounded more intelligent than others. One person’s (Nem) in particular had Heath unsure whether to chuckle or roll his eyes. Now who else does that description sound like? He thought to himself.

Heath had just finished copying down the words that appeared from Professor Williamson’s wand when the man started speaking again. Oh, so he was correct about the penseive’s purpose in the lesson! He couldn’t help but feel more than a little pleased with himself for that, but there wasn’t time to gloat. They were headed into the pensieve, and Heath wasn’t sure how to feel about that. He was intrigued by the idea of entering someone else’s memory and the general concept of pensieves themselves, more so that he was about trolls, to be honest. Still, he was a bit nervous about falling into someone’s memory when he didn’t know what exactly he was falling into, but he trusted Professor Williamson.

Taking a deep breath, Heath jumped into the pensieve, landing safely on the ground along with the others. The fall felt a bit weird, but it wasn’t as bad as he thought it might be! As he adjusted to his new surroundings, the first things he noticed were trees and a bridge. So they were dealing with either forest trolls or river trolls, then? Heath’s dark head whipped around at the sound of whistling, and he saw a much younger version of the professor.

No sooner had Heath spotted the memory Williamson that the present-day one spoke. Making a mental note of the instructions, he continued watching the scene unfold. It looked like the troll at the far side of the bridge was in charge, giving the way he (or she?) was grunting, pointing, and banging… whatever that pointy-ended thing was. He also noticed that these trolls had a unique sense of fashion, which led him to believe he was correct about their differing standards of attractiveness.

But they were supposed to be looking for memory Williamson’s mistakes. Someone else (Ashley) already pointed out the most obvious answer of not looking where one was going, so Heath would have to think harder. He observed the man’s behavior carefully until an idea came to him. “You probably drew unnecessary attention to yourself by whistling,” he said, “and if it’s true that trolls have different values than ours, it’s possible that they see whistling as offensive or threatening.” Okay, that was probably a huge stretch, but it was the only think he could think of at the moment!

He thought her answer was brilliant? That elicited another small smile from Avalon. She was very satisfied wth the progress of today's lesson so far. And it was about to get even better, because they were going to dive into Professor Williamson's memories. She had never been into a pensieve before, but the magical dishes always fascinated her. Plus, there was no danger of getting ripped apart by an actual troll. An all around favorable situation if you asked her.

After she finished copying down her notes, the Ravenclaw hopped in line. She took a deep breath before tilting her head into the pensieve, wondering if it would feel anything like jumping into a pool. Not really. Her stomach seemed to leap up to meet her throat as she tumbled through the tendrils, finally landing in some sort of forest. A young man came into view, and it took Avalon a few seconds to realize that it was Professor Williamson. Whoa....he was actually kind of....handsome.

Avalon didn't have much time to ponder that realization, though, as she was drawn to the hideous looking troll that had just appeared. "Uh, well, first of all.....no offense, Professor," she started, feeling a little weird about pointing out her teacher's mistakes. "But you probably should have been more careful when crossing the bridge. River trolls are infamous for living under them." Didn't all wizards know that? It was one of the first things she learned as a kid - never cross an unknown bridge without having Dad check it out for trolls first.

Before she could add to her observations, she nearly gagged as a putrid odor filled the air. Ughhhh. So the pensieve didn't help to reduce the stench.

This was seriously cool and Cecelia couldn’t help but hope her memories would be just as exciting as Professor W’s when she was his advanced age. She followed the younger version of WWW eagerly, noting how carefree he seemed. She got like that sometimes when she was wandering too, lost in her thoughts and taking in her surroundings and maybe just maybe not paying enough attention to potential dangers. It just....happened. ‘Least it hadn’t happened to her around a family of smelly trolls yet. Bright side!


Wrinkling her nose as the smell invaded her nostrils, burning and causing her blue-green eyes to water, Cecelia shook her head at his attempts to bribe the trolls. ”Would’ve been a good idea to have some spells at the ready when the head troll started gesturing to the others.” Maybe something to distract long enough that he could get away!

In response to Josh, Aboli shrugged. "I've no idea...it's weird, seeing someone look at the memories while you're right in front of them. I don't think I'd like looking at them - " she said as Williamson continued on, and other people gave their answers. She was quite pleased with the response hers elicited from Professor W, and she shot Avalon a thumbs up for hers, too. It was nice when she didn't feel stupid. Or rather, when a professor didn't make her feel stupid.

MHMP.

"Oh Josh - looks like that's why it's there - " and she followed behind him into the memory! It was so WEIRD at first, too! And Williamson definitely looked younger, but Aboli had to admit that age suited him. Some people just looked better older.

She was so involved in the scene unfolding she almost forgot Williamson survived it and yelped - "PROFESSOR WILLIAMSON!" as he was suddenly bound up! She squeaked and covered her mouth, embarrassed, and decided to NOT say anything just yet. She was so glad nothing bad happened to Professor W, though. He was a good professor!

People had already mentioned the whistling...and then...hmm. "Professor, mentioning your gold might have been pretty dumb, too...they're stupid but...money speaks all languages, right?" she quirked an eyebrow.

This would be easy. Kinsay loved to point out mistakes and to make observations. It’s like it was meant to be. She gave Emm’s hand a delighted squeeze! Kinsay’s first observation was that young Professor Williamson was really good at whistling. She had learned two summers ago, but wasn’t nearly up to par with his level. Maybe she could ask him to teach her later. This was something she’d have to remember.

”That wasn’t very observant of you, Mr. Williamson.” She shook her head at the old Professor W in reaction to the young Professor W who just walked around forests without looking! Momma would have been so disappointed. That wasn't very constant vigilance of him.

Also. Ew! It smelled SO bad (Henry would've felt right at home). Kinsay had to plug her nose to save herself from the stench.

She shot her other hand up into the air. Kinsay had something to say (in a vry nasal voice).”I thought trolls don’t speak english, how come you were trying to talk to them in our language? They probably think YOU’RE dumb.” She, ironically, probably sounded dumb speaking with her nose plugged.

Oh, yeah.

It was indeed strange to watch the two Williamsons walking beside each other. Claudine still couldn’t get over the fact that her professor had been that good looking. Now? He wasn’t bad looking but in her opinion, he didn’t age that well, especially in his personality. At present, he was a grumpy, old bum but back then, he had been chipper, hip and probably cool.

Claudien followed over the bridge, keeping to herself as usual but keeping her eyes focused on both Williamsons and at times, her surroundings. Still, the sudden appearances of the trolls startled her and she automatically and instinctively reached for her wand. It was a second later that it occurred to her that it wouldn’t be of help. Still clutching it, her nose turned up. Eww. Troll stink.

Claudine’s heart hammered in her chest as she watched the creatures threateningly approach young Williamson. She wanted to scream at him to run but what good would that do? Was he… squeaking? The girl was judging the man. You bet she was. This man was her idol {not that he knew that} and he was squeaking at the trolls? And trying to bribe them?

Eyes watering and hardly daring to breathe, the fourth year decided that she couldn’t blame that particular troll for mocking the man. At least… it sounded like laughter. Or was it communicating with the others? Who knew.

“Well, if they really are attracted to foul odors, you should have used a better cologne, Sir, Or use some if you weren't already.’’ Claudine volunteered innocently.

Being inside someone else's memory was NOT normal. Now there were two of her professor somehow? Mamie did not understand how they were here.

But oh boy, could she smell those trolls.

Mamie quickly pinched her nose, trying to keep the scent out of her nostrils as much as possible. Young professor offered the trolls gold and...they laughed at him?

"Professor, they clearly don't want your gold," she commented in a somewhat higher-pitched, nasal voice. "Why don't you offer something they do find val-valuable?" What did trolls find valuable? Poo? Food? Maybe magic or shoes or something?

Charlie seriously hated coming to this class. She always left—smelly. Gross. Yet, here she was, in her new stylish glittery red rain boots that would ensure she didn’t get ruined shoes anymore. Professor Williamson was the reason she kept taking this ridiculous course. He was so dreamy.... way too old for her but a girl could dream right? She shook her head making her curls bounce and took a spot near Kennedi in hopes that if she needed a friend she would be it.

Just when she thought the lesson couldn’t get any worse he mentioned that they would be talking about trolls. Ew. Nope. Could she just return to the castle? Oh facts she could do that she was decent at reading. Answering questions also meant that she would get to have Professor Williamson’s attention on her, and she’d do anything for a special moment. “Trolls do stink like everyone else said.” She really didn’t want to get in the other particulars because they couldn’t help it if they weren’t too smart.

Just as she thought the lesson couldn’t get any stranger they were diving into the Pensive. But why? Shrugging her shoulders and leaning in she felt her stomach rise to her throat and back down like she had just driven over a hill really fast in a muggle car. Phew that was a... oh boy he’s going to provoke the trolls. Whooop there it was. Williamson, the young, extra attractive version was tangled with trolls. “Where is your wand?” she muttered trying not to sound off too loudly.

Pretty smart, eh? "Thanks for noticing," Nem replied drily. Weasley was so astute. "'Spose we'll see." He had jokes though, so that was something.

Whether or not Nem had enough interest in trolls to want to learn their language was another matter. Their level of interest in the lesson itself was quickly falling into a nosedive. Trolls were very similar to humans. Too similar. Similar enough that Nem did not really count them as creatures at all, no matter what the ministry had them categorised as. They were well versed in that whole classification debacle.

Point was, trolls were close enough to people that they didn't have the appeal of creatures, yet lacked all the aspects of humans that gave them decent entertainment value. What did trolls have? Brute strength. The ability to scare muggle- and potentially wizardkind witless if you caught them unawares. A little magic. Nothing Nem didn't already have, or couldn't conjure up on their own, or find in a better creature. No unique selling proposition, as far as they were concerned.

Nemesis was not the type to reserve judgement. Surprise.

... Hesitant to enter a pensieve? Nem glanced around, wondering who Dubya might be referring to, before stepping forward to dive into it themselves. They'd never done this before, didn't even know what to expect, and were met with the strangest sensation of falling through nothing, and then suddenly standing - as opposed to landing - at the destination.

Huh.

"Woah. Land before time." Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth - though if anyone asked, they were referring to the forest setting - and there was the dino himself now. Wild Wild West. Whistling. Worst. Same went for that bloody Gryffindor, too. On the list.

Nem looked to the present day fossil, then back to his memory self, and watched. Upon the appearance of the trolls, they promptly pulled the top of their robes up and over their nose and mouth. Not breathing that in, thanks.

Maybe all this would be more entertaining if Nem didn't know that the troll's victim somehow got out of it in the end. It wasn't supposed to be entertaining, this being a lesson and all, but since when had that made a difference? When Nem spoke, it was in that same undemonstrative tone, and slightly muffled by their robes. "Doesn't take much for them to fight between themselves, does it? Even though they clearly communicate well." Case in point, they had him all tied up in no time. "Wouldn't be so hard to use that to your advantage." One had already been knocked into the water by another. Speaking of which, Nem eyed the tutu-adorned assailant. "That one of the trolls that met Barnabas the Barmy?" Ha.

Giving away your age there, Walter White.

She couldn't help but giggle at his reaction to her answer. She tried to play it cool, but she was giggling. She knew what trolls were, but she also had one of those weird looking muggle dolls with the gem in it's belly somewhere. Had she brought it? Maybe she could have fun with it later. Her thoughts distracted on what she could do with this toy made her go silent, but just for a moment. As soon as she heard what they were doing she was up and rushing to the front.

"This is going to be so cool, because Trolls just want to have fun." She grinned and almost dove into his memory. Feeling the falling sensation she landed next to everyone else and boooooy were they being super kind about Williamson and his looks.
She glanced at him to see if he was getting mad or thought they were as funny as she thought.

"Man these trolls aren't very cute." Her eyes widened as she watched them and took everything in that was going on. Watching the trolls around her she really wanted to go put her hand through one, but was that memories you could do that or was that just ghosts? She wasn't remembering at the moment, but she might try it anyway.

Oh yeaaaaaaah. Josh had sort of forgotten about yeti being a thing too. Forgotten but not forgotten, you know? But Professor Williamson's response really only begged more questions. Questions that he felt might just take them around and around and around soooooo just leaving things at arbitrary seemed like the safest bet. Honestly, it sort of just sounded like a pride issue and bruised ego's slotted trolls into the beast category. Seemed on brand.

Quietly glancing to Aboli as she spoke, Josh sort of shrugged his shoulders. "I mean...it doesn't read much different to me than getting lost in a daydream. Most of mine are rooted in memories anyway. Just now there is this...physical representation right there with the bowl of memory soup instead of glazed over eyes looking at nothing." Even if he had at first thought the professor was looking at his own reflection in a bowl of water, Professor Narcissus. Sticking beside the Slytherin for now, and honestly for the rest of the class because he enjoyed Aboli's company, resulted in some MINOR regrets for that decision when she was suddenly SHOUTING right beside him. "Sheesh, Aboli," he teased, giving her a gently elbow to the side. "Remind me never to watch scary movies with you."

His eardrums wouldn't survive all the jump scares.

But what was the man doing WRONG? Well, Josh for one was not going to fault him for much that he had done prior to the trolls popping up. How was anyone supposed to know that that there were trolls living under a bridge? They weren't under ALL bridges and Josh enjoyed whistling as well - it had also been nice but SURREAL to have been whistling along with the memory!Professor Williamson.

"...you didn't get the heck out of there while they were all distracted by your cap and the other stuff." Josh probably would have done the same though, too stunned to move and a little too curious. "So...distraction seems to work...like Nem said...so pulling a Gandalf would work to your favor. The simple things in life, right? They'd probably love a shoe or two and fight over that while you get outta there."

He paused again, because the STENCH was...well it WAS. Could memories actually smell? How did this even work? Or was the smell because this memory was such dragon dung for Professor Williamson that it just...fermented in real time too?

Nasty.

Torin almost stopped in his tracks at the sight. Logically he knew Trolls were supposed to be larger beasts, but they were huge in person. "Water trolls, clearly in a pack or group of some kind." He observed, not really talking to anyone. He tried not to gag at the smell as he got closer, instinctively ducking even though he was no where near the line of fire of the ropes that the trolls were using to entangle the Professor.

"He didn't have his wand in hand or he could've apparated away at the very least. He shouldn't have talked about having gold or identified himself as a wizard, he's giving up all his chips without being able to gain any ground." It felt weird for him to be criticizing the Professor even if it's his past self.

"You can tell that jealousy or anger is a big thing amongst them. What if he tried to pit the trolls against each other? Undermine the authority of the one to have them attack each other instead?" He suggested. Could end up with him in more danger though, getting them angry.

Valentina still felt a little disoriented from that fall. It was a strange sensation, to say the least. She didn’t particularly enjoy the feeling but was immediately distracted by what was happening, her eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. But as she got closer to the trolls and the ( less ancient looking ) professor, the stink immediately made her gag. Ugh ugh UGH. THIS WAS SO DISGUSTING. Her grey eyes had already started to water. She immediately squeezed her nostrils with her fingers, watching the trolls tie the professor up. OH NO. Poor Professor Williamson.

“Professor, you should have had some powerful spells ready!!” Also, massive eye roll at someone saying that they didn’t find the trolls /CUTE/. UM. Of course not. Why would anyone find them cute? Boys were cute, trolls were NOT.

Naya was looking at the list of troll information that the professor had created based on their answers. The smoke list was actually pretty cool. However, now it was time for the activity. They got to go inside the pensieve and view WWW’s memory. This was going to be interesting.

Naya lined up among her classmates, waited until it was her turn and then entered the pensieve. She didn’t particularly enjoy the falling sensation and was glad when she landed in a forest. Looking around, Naya noticed a very young looking Professor Williamson. Clearly this was a pretty old memory.

Naya reminded herself that she had to pay attention and look for what the professor may have done right or wrong during his encounter with trolls. She walked along with the professors past and present and the rest of the class. And oh, right off the bat he made a big mistake. He wasn’t really paying attention to his surroundings. Maybe constant vigilance wasn’t a thing back then. That was too bad because he walked right into a troll trap. The smell alone should have been enough of a warning. Naya was afraid that she was going to hurl from the horrible stench.

The Gryffindor was wondering just how fast trolls could move. They didn’t seem very fast to her, but they were so big that they could move pretty far just by taking troll sized steps. Sure they surprised Williamson, but could he have outmaneuvered them and gotten off of the bridge? Why didn’t he think to use his wand? He could have disapparated or stunned them or something.....anything. How could he just stand there and let himself get tied up. Then the professor offered them gold. Really? What good would that do? This was just all kinds of bad. Shaking her head, Naya continued to watch the scene unfold.

What could the professor do to get out of this mess? That was a good question. He was trapped, bound and being looked at as dinner for four. The longer this encounter went on, the fewer option the professor had. Naya thought and then she began to speak. “Ok. You clearly can’t move your arms, but can you move your hands? Is there any way you can get to your wand? If so, maybe you can disapparate. If not......well, you can still walk or run. You just have to find a way to distract or fool the remaining trolls, and quickly before the other two get back. Get them to focus on each other and not you, so you can get away.” Yeah, that was easier said than done and not very specific. Not good.

Don't ask her why the professor was glaring, she'd only tell you he probably saw something on the ground or behind her. Nothing could tell her it was because she'd rightly pointed out he looked only a little like he used to. Kizzy was right, it was the beard. He should listen to her bestfriend, she knew tons of things.

Emm turned back to younger professor, waiting to point out whatever mistakes he may have made--probably a lot. You didn't get to look like he did without making a lot of mistakes. Skincare was probably among the top ones but she doubted he'd be walking across a bridge with anti-aging soothing aloe lotion in his pocket--THAT WAS THE MISTAKE, WASN'T IT??? Emmerson was quite pleased at thinking she'd gotten it until....Merlin's beard what was that smell??

The little girl watched in a mixture of horror (who honestly walked around smelling like that?) and glee as the trolls appeared. "Kizzy! Kizzy loook!" She loud whispered, giving her friend's hand a squeeze of her own.

T R O L L S~

Wait, was that one wearing a ....

Mistake found. "Shame on you professor. You let it go out like that. You didn't even try to tell him...or her...or I dunno that it's too small and doesn't go with its complexion at all. You didn't try at all. Its friends were probably laughing the whole time til you showed up and distracted them like you did and even then you didn't convince him to take it off. Least you couldn't done is offered to change the colour." Sheesh.

Adam had been quiet as they all settled into the memory, trying to wrap his brain around the fact that he was INSIDE. A. MEMORY at the moment. But then he followed the group and settled in to watch the scene unfold with a very young Williamson, who was also, apparently, very stupid. Adam could see like TEN things wrong with this scenario! Had he never read any books about creatures before this? And they were letting this man TEACH?

Adam raised his hand. "Well first things first - you didn't even check the bridge for trolls. That bridge is like...the DEFINITION of a creepy troll bridge!" he pointed out. Adam had read more than enough nursery rhymes in his day to know you never crossed a bridge like that before looking underneath it...

Kale was riveted by the memory unfolding in front of him. Sometimes, when he happened until midday Muggle Soaps, they played with the whole 'looking back at the past' trope, but Williamson was really doing it expertly. There was drama. Intrigue. Real stakes.

Frankly, the fourth year was impressed. He was gasping when the audience was meant to gasp. Rolling his eyes was a perilous mistake was made. Giggling when things tickled him. Excellent entertainment, Professor. 10/10.

In fact, the blonde was so in it that he wasn't really paying attention to class anymore. There were prompts, for sure, but did Kale hear them? Nah.

THE SHOW WAS HAPPENING. And he didn't wanna miss it.

When past!Williamson was stuck between a rock and a hard place, Kale whispered to himself, like the riveted viewer he had become, "Jump, Williamson. Have a lil faith."

Merlin's beard, don't everyone jump to point out WWW's mistakes all at once now! Williamson {the present} began to turn a bit red as the kids started to pipe up, and suddenly he felt full of regret for this adventurous, ambitious lesson plan. The first kid's answer in particular made him blush because, well, she didn't hold back at all.

"Save some answers for the rest of the class, why don'tcha," he muttered in reply to Ashley the first year. "I DID have my wand with me, thanks for asking."

Did he use it though? Well stay tuned, kids. Who was next?

Heath, yep. "I don't whistle when I go on walks anymore for a reason," he replied mildly, rubbing the back of his still-red-with-embarrassment neck. He also didn't wear stupid hats BACKWARDS like that, nor loafers on trips through the forest. Had anyone noticed his loafers? No? Good.

"No kidding, Avalon," he shook his head not at her but at his younger self, who was currently struggling against the ropes in an effort to loosen his left hand, aka, his wand hand. "I didn't make the same mistake again, don't worry." No, instead he just fell into the water the next time he had to cross a bridge by being over-diligent in checking for river trolls beneath it.

At least Cece was kind in her feedback. "It sure woulda been a good idea to do that. Listen, kids, this is a clear case of do as I say, not as I... did. Learn from my mess-ups, okay?" He was probably going to have to repeat this point like 100 more times this school year, wasn't he.

Aboli, though, she was a bit dramatic. He sighed deeply at her squeal, particularly since his present self was standing almost right next to her and Josh. "I would say that's a dumb move, but only because it appears," he gestured toward the scene in front of them, "that trolls do not care about wizard money. At least, these trolls did not." They weren't security trolls, after all, who were employed by... banks? And paid with...???? ?? He didn't even know.

Here was another little savage brutally honest child. Kinsay James. "Uh, you're probably right," the present-day Williamson admitted, with more of a blush creeping on his whiskered cheeks. He'd been dumb enough to walk right into their trap, that was for certain. You know who sounded dumb right now, though? The kids plugging their noses because they couldn't stomach the troll smell. Psh. WWW himself had smelled worse than this on occasion.

He threw a look to Claudine for her answer, 1) because it almost made him chuckle, and 2) because that was what she was focusing on right now?! "Are you saying they caught me because I STINK??" Really, kid?! Just for that, he was going to feed the hippogriffs some extra fatty, greasy meat for dinner, so they'd be flatulent and gassy tomorrow when she went to work with them. He made a mental note to write this idea down the minute this memory ended.

Here was a better answer about gold, from the Hufflepuff. Turov, was it? "Yes, indeed, I should have done that. Unfortunately, the only thing I think these trolls were interested in was, uh, eating my flesh and bones." Big cringe from him. He hated the word 'flesh.'

"My wand's in its wrist holster, there, on my left hand," he answered Charlie lightly. He pointed to it. "See, there? Can't you see it? I know the ropes are in the way, but watch, I'll jimmy them a bit," and he illustrated in time with his past self the way he thought he'd be able to just flick it into his hand.

It didn't work. This many years later and he was STILL not the best at doing wandwork, or even handing his wand to himself.

They did communicate better than most had probably expected, Nem. The Slytherin got a point for that observation. Hang on, "Barnabus the Barmy?!" WWW gaped and glared at Upstead. This dino DNA was high-key offended. "Oi, I'm not that old. The troll ain't either. That was a juvenile, likely trying to find its identity through... fashion, or something." He pointed toward it in the hopes that PERHAPS SOME IN THE CLASS could relate. Wasn't there a girl in here who had tried to bedazzle her uniform for the feast? Same concept, William Walter White Williamson thought.

Trolls just wanna have fun? "I don't think that's how that song goes, Gemma," WWW chided gently. Yeah no, he wouldn't describe any of them as cute, not even the one in the tutu. "What's pulling a gandalf mean?" he turned toward Josh at that suggestion, his arms now crossed as he studied the scene and grew grumpier and grumpier at the student answers. Oh, throw a shoe, should he? Had Joshua noticed his stupid loafers then?

"River trolls," he corrected Torin, squeezing the words out from his clenched jaw. Yeah, uhhhhhh, why was the boy narrating this as though HE weren't right here watching it with them?! "Yeah, those would have been fine plans." Right. Woulda coulda shoulda.

Again with the spell suggestion, from a bloody first year who didn't even know any spells. "I.... definitely should have or could have done that, Valentina." THOUGH ALSO, "Remember, it's best to try to work WITH the creatures, and not just resort to firing off magic at them?" Remember, anyone, their earlier conversation???

Finally, someone thought of disapparation! "You know, Naya, that did occur to me," he tried to sound upbeat in his reply, but was certain it was just coming off as bitter, "but, you're not far off from what I DID do." He just... didn't do it that WELL.

Hang on, were they back on the topic of troll fashion? Williamson was gaping again at a student, this time in wonder. Was Cambridge thick? "You do know that I, at no point in my lifetime, have been responsible for parenting a troll?" Least of all THIS ONE, back when he'd been like 18 or 19 years old. He almost laughed, the more he thought about his answer. It was LAUGHABLE, Emmerson. LAUGHABLE.

It, yes, Adam, was textbook. "Wow, noted," he replied to the first year, perhaps with more sarcasm than was warranted. The kids all bloody thought they could do SO MUCH BETTER than he had, didn't they? WELL THEY'D SEE. FOR THEMSELVES. THEY WOULD.

Oh, right, and then there was Kale's answer, just in the nick of time. "Well wouldja look at that," Williamson gestured to himself, er, his past self, that was...
__________________

Caught between a rock and hard place indeed. Or, in this instance, Williamson was caught between the leader of the trolls on one end of the bridge, who was still pointing the spear at him, and the thick, bulbous, bullfrog-like troll on the end he'd just left. He was still trying to wiggle his fingers (and thus his wand) free, but the trolls who had tied him up had certainly made sure the rope was tight tight tight. They'd put their brute strength to work, hadn't they? He could hardly breathe, and he'd been a skinny, lanky lad back then.

Nonetheless, William W. Williamson was not one who easily gave up on the pursuits of life and liberty and even happiness, and so he began a slow attempt to moonwalk backwards towards the bullfrog troll, hoping that the trolls' poor eyesight would not allow them to easily see his movements. This was a poor calculation, however, as the one with the necklace and the spear appeared to be waiting for a chance to escale the situation, and immediately raised his spear above his head, letting out the most HORRENDOUS call for... reinforcements?

The call was answered very quickly, with dozens more trolls popping up, some from the river, some from the forest on the other side of the bridge. There was still only one near the bridge end Williamson had just left, though, and that gave him hope that he could still flee. The new recruits didn't seem to need instructions, either, as they started to swarm the bridge. A look of terror marring his handsome young face, Williamson picked up the pace and began to runnnnnnn down the bridge toward the "safe" side with only one singular troll on it.

Unfortunately, his poor life choices were once again to blame, as the young man's loafers slipped off his feet, one after the other, and made him trip and fall over his own gangly legs. BOOM! Down he went, falling first to one knee and then the other, and then losing his balance entirely. He fell backward, the poor idiot, and then sideways, and then began to roll, like a barrel of firewhiskey.

Arms still pinned to his sides, he began rapidly rolling down the bridge now, rolling down the unfortunate side of the bridge, and straight into the thicket of stinky river trolls. He cut a nice path through them like a bowling ball knocking out all ten pins, and came careening to a rough stop against a pine tree.

"Ow ow ow ow ow," young Williamson cried muttered, his whimpers echoing lightly out over the river and the bridge.

Some of the trolls were dumbfounded at the luck that had been delivered right to them, but the others were being barked at (read: grunted at?) by the leader with the spear. It was hard to see what was happening from where the class stood on the far side of the bridge (behind that one bullfrog of a troll), but after a few grunt-filled (and scream-filled) moments, it became obvious.

Williamson was now tied to the leader's spear, dangling like a pig about to be spit-roasted at a fire. Two trolls picked up either end of the long spear and began marching off with it, carrying him with them and leading the entire pack on a pathway through the forest. After a few hearty troll-chuckles from the bullfrog bridge guardian, even he began across the bridge to follow the noisy, cheering, jeering, and grunt-singing trollpack to dinner.

Emm was right, but Mr. Williamson didn’t even TRY to see the genius in her best friend’s answer. Before she were to say anything about it to Emm, her attention was once again drawn back to the scene before them. Young Mr. Williamson was looking a little purple. It was all very dramatic and aside from the stench, Kiz was really enjoying herself! It was like story time with her dad, but in REAL life. She obviously knew that Mr. Williamson survived, but that didn’t stop her from getting caught up in the scene.

He just kept making mistakes! Kinsay knew she didn’t even have to SAY anything to him about them because it was pretty obvious, wasn’t it? Instead she gave him a disappointed look and shook her head. That wasn’t very smart of him to do.

Also not smart of him to do? Those SHOES!

She winced a little as Young Mr. W fell down, down, down. ”Oooff, that’s gotta hurt,” she whispered to Emm. She didn’t look away for too long though because missing the action was the LAST thing she wanted to do.

And not to say I told you so but…. ”Maybe if you hugged them, they’d know you were friendly and wouldn’t try to roast you alive.” That’s what it looked like they were going to do. He could've made new friends, but instead he was going to be troll-food. It was tragic, really.