Claudine was always grateful that the professors did their best to keep those annoying vines out of the way. She had even worked on a sketch of this a few days ago, using the Muggle Studies classroom as inspiration. It was just another way to remember the adventures at the School during her final year.

“Hi, professor,’’ the seventh year said with a small smile. She eyed the vines some more before heading for a seat at the back of the classroom. Now her attention was around the class in general. Hmm. THere didn’t seem to be any indication as yet about what today’s topic will be.

Kinsay was tired of lessons. Couldn't they just call it a year and start the summer holiday early? Professors could spend time with their families and they wouldn't have to grade any more exams and then it'd be a win-win for everyone. See? So smart.

She did try to at least look ... somewhat energetic though. But only because Professor Applewood was her dormmate's MUM. That was totally weird. She imagined that it was probably weirder for Sera.

In any case, she offered Sera's mum a subdued sort of smile as she made her way into the classroom. "Hi professor, it's a good day for a nap." Hint-hint. Muggles napped too, so it even fit into the curricula. See? Double smart.

Valentina entered the classroom with her usual cheerful smile.. which faded just a bit when she noticed the vines. Meh. She only hoped they would be gone by the end of the term. "Hello, professor." She greeted before heading to a seat somewhere near the front, giving Claudine and Kinsay a little wave as well.

The weather being comfortable made him feel lazier. Or perhaps that was just coming with closeness of end of term, as Evan would have much preferred to sit in his dorm and work on his gifts for fellow fourth years over attending classes. Though Muggle Studies did always hold a special place in his heart, which made the walk towards the classroom slightly more bearable.

Entering the room, he gave a small smile and nod towards Professor Applewood with a quick, "Hello, Professor. Hope you're well." before moving further in to try to locate a spot for himself. He considered one of the open seats near Val, who did get a small wave in hello, before zoning in on Kinsay and remembering how little he'd been able to see her and the concern at her more subdued nature in classes. Making his way to an empty spot beside her, he sat and started to pull out his supplies for the lesson. "Hey Kins, how are you?"

Every birthday meant she was now done with the current schooling year. Remy was THIRTEEEN now, so was only thinking about third year prospects, as well as future colleges and careers because she had to think about adult stuff now. The blonde still arrived at todays muggle studies class with her usual keen spirit to learn, as she found herself a seat near the front of the room.

The vines seemed to be kept at bay which Remy appreciated… although she was too used to seeing them by this point so it was no biggy. “Hi, Professor Applewood.” She greeted as she set her things down.

Spring meant that summer was soon, and summer meant no school and honestly, Florrie couldn't wait. But she was aware that Misa wouldn't be coming back next term, and so there was a part of her that didn't want this one to end. Even if they hadn't been on the greatest of terms recently, Hogwarts without Misa wasn't something Florrie wanted to experience.

Her mind wasn't really on the lesson, but she tried to pull herself back to the present as she entered the classroom, offering the Professor a small smile and, "Hello, Professor," in greeting before finding a seat. She wanted to sit beside the window, to look out over the spring sunlight-lit grounds, but the vines on the wall were off putting and had her instead choosing a seat in the middle.

Violet was really glad spring was here. Normally she enjoyed the cold weather, but it had really gotten into her bones this past year. She had hoped it might have an inhibiting influence on the vines, but no such luck.

"Hello, Professor Applewood," she greeted her professor, smiling. Violet missed Professor Schmoe a great deal--he had been one of the few professors she felt she could talk to when she had a problem and she had yet to find another confidante. So she had been prepared to dislike his replacement on principle, but the new professor was really quite nice, so Violet had wound up liking her despite herself.

Looking around the classroom, Violet found herself a seat and waited for class to begin.

Once it was time for the lesson to begin and the last student had arrived, Rosalie walked over and closed the door. Not locked, since they would be moving to another location soon, but it would certainly be noticed if anyone tried to sneak in late.

Returning to her place in front of the class, she smiled.

"Alright, let's get started then, shall we? We won't be spending the entire lesson in the classroom today, but we do have a little bit of a discussion to get through before we get to that.

"So my first question for you all is: What are some ways - non-magical ways - that people can express their creativity?"

OOC: Welcome, everyone! The lesson has begun! As always, you're welcome to join in any time during the lesson, just pretend your character has been here the whole time We'll move on in approximately another 24 hours.

No classroom? Valentina's eyes widened a bit. Did that mean they were going outside?? Which would be nice because the weather was warm and perfect. She immediately raised her hand at the professor's question.

"Dancing! It's creative and expressive - it can be whatever you want it to be." It's the one thing she'll always be passionate about. Alwaaays.

Expressions of creativity? There were so many to choose from. Considering the question while some of his peers answered, he raised his hand after decided on one to share. Waiting until his name had been called, Evan offered "Clothing can be an expression of creativity. Some people prefer to mix patterns and create looks that are entirely their own." Not his forte, but incredibly admirable.

Yes, she would miss Applewood too. The woman was such a great fill for filling Schmoe’s figurative shoes. Claudine happened to have been minding her own business but the movement of Valentina’s hand caught her attention and she waved back with a smile.

Okay.

So discussion first. “Art,” the seventh year volunteered, giving her favourite way of expressing herself. Indeed art had helped her express herself when she could barely find words to say how she felt. “My favourite bit would be sketching though.” Since there were other forms of art, Claudine figured she had better be specific.

Daniel wondered if Ashley had ever gone up to Professor Appelwood to ask how the computers worked in the technology(?) room. Just wondering, not curious enough for him to ask.

The Hufflepuff had been seated somewhere in the middle of the classroom, looking at the vines creeping along the walls and only turned his gaze back to the front when the Professor started the lesson.

They weren't going to stay in the classroom? He sat more upright now when he heard this. Where were they going? Outside? The tech room? She wouldn't use an environment spell to change the room right? Since this was muggle studies?

"Writing is a form of expressing creativity" he answered after he had raised his hand.

Violet smiled as she saw which direction the lesson was going in today--creativity! Far more interesting to her than that troublesome Muggle technology. And she had an answer ready--her favorite creative activity. "Writing!" she exclaimed excitedly.

The first thing Heath had noticed upon entering the muggle studies classroom was how ordinary it looked. Aside from the vines, of course, but even those had lost their novelty. He wasn’t fooled by the setup, though. If there was one thing he’d learned in his time at Hogwarts, it was that a normal classroom setup didn’t guarantee a normal lesson. He’d greeted Professor Applewood on his arrival and taken a seat at the back with Claudine. He had just enough time to greet her with a quiet “Hi” before the lesson began.

He turned his attention to the front as Professor Applewood spoke. Oh, so they weren’t staying in the classroom? See? He knew this wasn’t going to be a normal lesson! He vaguely wondered what they would be doing outside, but before he had much time to think about it, the professor asked the easiest question he’d ever heard in a lesson. Usually Heath would take time to carefully consider the question before answering, but this time he knew exactly what to say. His hand shot up, and he said, “Acting, Professor.” That answer in and of itself seemed insufficient, so he elaborated, “While your character and lines are usually established, the creative expression comes into play in the way you say the lines and in the backstory you give your character.”

"There's painting." Or at least Dia had thought she'd heard of people doing that without magic. She personally didn't see the thrill, apparently, it took a long time, there was no way to fix tiny mistakes which meant you had to start all over if you made one and it was messy. No thank you!

Kinsay laid her head down on her desk while she waited for class to being, only lifting it slightly to greet Val and Evan with finger wiggles. Don't worry professor, she was going to try her very hardest not to nap before or during class. Emphasis on the after. Even though she wanted to nap now. "I'm okay, how are-" she paused midway through her question, only having just realized class was beginning. She gave Evan an apologetic sort of look before returning her gaze to the front of the room.

Though Kins wasn't really looking forward to class, knowing that they wouldn't be spending the entire time in the classroom today was pretty promising. Hopefully they could spend the rest outside? Sunshine would be awesome.

Also kind of awesome? The current discussion. She didn't want to look too eager though, so she tried her best not to look terribly interested as the conversation shifted to the topic of creativity. All of her favorite creative outlets were non-magical. Mostly because her spellwork was still mega-unreliable, but also because she couldn't use magic outside of school anyway. Trace and all.

She silently counted to three before raising her hand. Her answer? Fashion. But when Evan basically said the same thing... Kins decided to go another route. Art! But then Claudine said that too. So maybe she needed to get more specific. Painting! And then that answer was said too. So instead of leaving her hand up for any longer, Kinsay just ... casually lowered it and slunk down a little bit in her chair too, as if that might help make this less embarrassing. Hopefully Professor Applewood didn't notice.

There were numerous ways to answer that question, and the students certainly didn't disappoint with their selection of answers.

"Excellent answers, everyone." Rosalie smiled and moved around the classroom as she continued, not one to simply stand still at the front. "Creativity is an important part of humanity, and has been for thousands of years. It's something we all share, and the mediums through which it can be expressed are as diverse as we are.

"And the one that we'll be focusing on today is the culinary arts. More specifically, cake decorating." And, perhaps, that gave them an idea of where they would soon be moving the lesson.

"It hasn't been around as long as many other art forms, but once the technology for better temperature-controlled ovens was developed, and once baking powder was first produced in the 1840s, cakes became easier to make. And over time, decorating them also became more common and more elaborate.

"I'm sure most, if not all of you, have seen just how creative and artistic people can get with the design of a cake, whether at a birthday party or a wedding or another event. So what's one of the techniques or designs that you've seen? Is there a particular style or type that you really like? Or even one you didn't like?"

OOC: Sorry for the delay, everyone! Class will continue in approximately another 24 hours.

Cake decorating? Oh, if only Chin-hae were here for this one. Or if only Evan had ever paid attention to when Chin-hae talked about work or showed any of the designs they'd made at the bakery he worked at. The male Nam had to think really hard to try to recall anything, but then it came to mind the elaborate fan cake that he'd had once for a birthday.

The cake part tasted good but... The frosting. Remembering that gave him an idea, so he raised his hand and waited to be called on. "A lot of bakers use fondant for frosting on a cake because it's sturdier than like a buttercream and can be used for molding. I personally don't think it tastes very good though." So no, he did not like fondant though it seemed the most popular.

Ah.

Culinary arts. Cake decorating. Claudine was not sure how she felt about this topic. See, she was used to having her meals prepared for her. Here at Hogwarts, while she lives with the Jones’, when she lived at the Blaze mansion. But cakes… who didn’t like cake? And some of them were decorated so prettily that often Claudien found herself reluctant to even eat them.

Not really having an answer for this question, the seventh year opted to sit out on answering. She’d just be listening this time around.

Upon hearing the words 'cake decorating' Daniel's head snapped up and he began to search for Lisa as he wondered if maybe she had told Professor Applewood about him never having made a cake before. He was convinced that they were moving to the kitchens later seeing as she had mentioned that they wouldn't be inside of the classroom for long.

"Our chef makes cakes from time to time" when they had a birthday party or any party really. "I never cared about the techniques or designs though, I just want to eat them" which is as far as his cake decorating skills went. "But he uses this weird tube (cake icing nozzles) to make flower shapes" at least he guessed they were supposed to look like flowers?

Non magical ways that people express creativity?? Welp, that ruled out quidditch and exercise. His eyes wandered over to the vines on the walls as he considered plants and horticulture a possible way people express creativity. But it seemed they were going to be talking about culinary arts creativity instead??

He grinned over that one Hufflepuff boy, Daniel's answer, cause honestly he had the correct answer and the only answer that mattered to the third year. "I'm with him. If the cake doesn't taste good, then what difference does the design make." Also, it was going to be destroyed via cutting within minutes, so it seemed like an awful lot of wasted energy on designs and techniques?

Kinsay wasn't planning on answering any questions, but she was still paying attention... even though she was actively trying not to. It was difficult not to pay attention when the topic of class was actually interesting. Why did Professor Applewood choose FUN lesson topics?! It was so unfortunate.

Still, Kins was doing a pretty decent job at NOT answering things. Or asking things, for that matter. But when Apollo offered his answer, Kins frowned. It made all the difference! People always judged books by their covers. Or people by the way they dressed. Or cakes by their designs. Or or or. She understood the point Apollo was trying to make, but it was silly.

"No one wants to eat an ugly cake."

..... Did she say that out loud?

Cake decorating!! Which meant that they would get to eat cake, hopefully. Valentina tried not to bounce on her seat with excitement, super glad Professor Applewood was going to be teaching them something fun today.

"I like any cake that has a lot of frosting on top." Val liked any and all kinds of cake, honestly. Who didn't? She did like ice cream a little more but yeah.

Violet was taken aback. She'd never really seen anyone decorate a cake, except for house-elves, and they'd done it all with elf-magic. She didn't really remember noticing any cake that much, except for how it tasted when she ate it. Then she remembered a cake she'd seen several years ago in the window of a New York deli. "I saw this cake once. It was rather a tall cake, with chocolate frosting, rather plain on the outside, but the really unique part was the inside. The cake had had a piece cut out of it and laid to one side on a small plate, so that the onlookers could clearly see the cake's inside. It had been made of many, many thin layers--16 of them.' (Violet had stood there and counted them). "The layers were chocolate and white, alternated one after the other and with custard or red filling in between each one. It looked splendid!"