alt_rabastan | Friday's Defence Practical

Friday's sixth year class will be the application of everything we talked about today.

Please think about appropriate memories. It would be good to have several at hand to have the happiest you can conjure. Just thinking about the right memory should make you physically feel good. I find that thinking about mine makes me feel warm, as if I were sitting in front of a cracking fire.

There will be a real Dementor in the building on Friday. We are using the stadium seating classroom off the northern fifth floor corridor, so that those who are unprepared for it need not be near. If the stair leading up to the corridor is pointing the wrong direction, whang the rail and it'll swing around. All appropriate security measures will be in place.

Anyone attempting to come in and gape will be forcibly ejected. However, all NEWT level Defence students are invited, for those who might feel the need for additional practice. If you can't make the class for scheduling reasons talk to me and we should be able to arrange something before or after.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

alt_sally_anne

Brilliant.

I was in much too good a mood today. A Dementor should fix that right up.

From:

alt_pansy

Joy.

Rapture.

I'll bring the chocs.

From:

alt_susan

Ugh.

From:

alt_justin

Sally-Anne,

I say, what's got you in a bad mood (apart from this)? (If you don't mind my asking, what.)

I'm not surprised he'd bring a real Dementor, though, after all that talk today about needing to test oneself in 'field conditions' and so on.

Surely we can all think of powerful enough memories?

-Justin

From:

alt_sally_anne

Dean Thomas used Imperius to make me tell him a shameful secret.

It wasn't anything dangerous. To the Order, I mean. Just --

Well, that's what's got me in a foul mood.

From:

alt_justin

Oh, how atrocious. Why should he target you like that--well, I say, nor anyone else, of course, but--I can't think why he'd decide you're the appropriate one to choose, what. He's got to know that you've got loads of mates who'll come to your defence.

Whatever it was, I'm sure none of us would judge you, you know.

Unless it's that you've secretly yearned for the comfort and amiability of Hufflepuff, all these years. In which case I shall reserve the right.

-Justin

From:

alt_sally_anne

He thought I wouldn't tell them, because then I'd have to tell people the secret.

I told Ron and Pansy, because Ron was the one I most didn't want to find out, and I thought if I went ahead and got it over with, Thomas wouldn't be able to use it against me, right?

Over winter hols I sneaked out of the house one night to see Ron and when I came back in, my father woke up and beat me. Ron and I had a signal I was supposed to give if my father -- well anyway I didn't use it, and I didn't fight back, I just

well

so that was the secret, that it happened again and I let it happen, despite everything.

I think the Hat would've put me in Hufflepuff, if I'd asked. It put me in Slytherin, after all. Sometimes I feel like a pretty atrocious Slytherin. I'm good at making friends with powerful people who'd be willing to protect me, and utter pants at actually taking any sort of advantage.

From:

alt_justin

Well, I seem to recall wanting to address a similar situation in my own way and feeling bally well embarrassed to have to call for help, what. So I can well understand wishing to keep that sort of thing to oneself.

I say...Is that why you were so adamant about bringing me into the ISS? Because of...because of your experiences with your father?

-Justin

From:

alt_sally_anne

I don't remember thinking about it that way at the time.

I just remember thinking that you needed people you could call on who you could trust, and that was extra important given all your secrets, because that makes it so much harder to know who you can ACTUALLY count on. And you ended up really seriously hurt, because none of the people who knew you were in trouble could be arsed to help you (and they didn't even know your secrets)

So

Yeah

I guess it may have been related.

From:

alt_sally_anne

It's really a shame we don't call up Patronuses with our worst memories, I've been revisiting ALL of mine this afternoon. I expect they'll still be perfectly vivid come Friday.

From:

alt_justin

You realise you've but to say and we'll remind Thomas of his own humble roots, what.

And as for your father, well. Obviously, it must be well complicated but you'll never have to put up with that sort of abuse from him, ever again.

-Justin

From:

alt_sally_anne

I already told Ron he wasn't allowed to kill him.

From:

alt_justin

I didn't say anything about killing him.

Just because Professor Dolohov is bally well convinced I've got the makings of an assassin doesn't mean I think violence is always the answer. In fact, I rather think it rarely is, what.

-Justin

From:

alt_sally_anne

So what would you do to Thomas?

Or my father, for that matter. Ron and Pansy are trying to convince me I don't ever have to go back and no one will care. I don't know if they're right, or not, I mean neither one of them has ever been a half-blood or in fostering, they don't know how absurd some of the rules are.

From:

alt_justin

For Thomas, I'd talk to him, for a start. Find out what on earth he's thinking, what. I'm sure he never expected to learn something so dire but still, he ought to be more considerate.

As for your father.... I say, have the Strettons told you anything about Easter holidays? The Jugsons have already assured me I can stay, what, but when I came of age Mr Jugson discussed my options with me. If you're still in fostering, you could tell Mrs Stretton that you're having trouble imagining life away from them, and that you'll miss them all so terribly that you hope you'll be allowed to come back one last time, that sort of thing. Then perhaps they shan't make you stay with him at all.

And if they do--well, first off, now that you've told him, I'm sure Ron shan't let you out of his sight, if you follow me, and second, if your father raises his hand again, you send up a signal and any one of us would come to take you away. They bally well can't make you go back if we took you to St Mungo's for evaluation or called MLE to arrest him for assault, what.

-Justin

From:

alt_sally_anne

I had a signal. And I didn't use it.

And honestly I think I'd rather risk another beating than kiss the Strettons' arses. Which suggests I should just hang up my green and silver and go move into Gryffindor but I prefer my roommates where I am. I'll have to think about it. I have a few more months, at least.

From:

alt_justin

Yes, well, now you know that next time, you ought to do.

Perhaps you could tell them we're all taking you on a tour of England to celebrate your coming of age, and ask for permission not to come back to either of them at all? They might allow it if you make them think you'd be letting the side down, otherwise.

-Justin

From:

alt_sally_anne

I knew LAST time I OUGHT to do and it didn't help. ~~MERLIN, you are such a~~

Maybe I'll get lucky and the Strettons will demand I come stay with them to babysit. They're still down a nanny, after all, unless they hired someone.

From:

alt_narcissa

Razzer, dear, never would I dream of questioning your methods but isn't there a way to teach the Patronus (it is the Patronus, I'm assuming?) without a live Dementor?

From:

alt_rabastan

You can practice. You can even succeed during practice, but then fail in the face of the real thing. There'll be one at the NEWTs.

I'm taking all appropriate precautions. Two of MLE's wranglers will be in attendance. Above and beyond that, I've asked a couple of the other teachers to wander in and check on things periodically. There'll only be one of the beasts, unlike the other year.

I ordered a ridiculously massive amount of chocolate. There'll be a nice warm fire in the next room. I'll be personally overseeing every last detail.

From:

alt_narcissa

Yes, I'm sure you've thought of every contingency, dear. And I appreciate the value of practising where the conditions are controlled, yet just dangerous enough to provide a taste of what it's like.

I still don't like it. Not, of course, that my opinion matters, I know.

From:

alt_hydra

Do you suppose you'd allow me to observe? I know I'm not NEWT-level, but I am one of the chosen candidates, so it might be useful to me?

I understand if you don't want it to seem as if you're giving me special treatment because I'm your niece, though.

From,
Hydra

From:

alt_rabastan

I will be talking to all the fifth year classes. If there's enough interest I'll set up one of the fifth year classes on Friday to have everyone that wants, come and give it a try.

From:

alt_cedric

Would it be alright if I swung by either during class or at the end of the day? It's been two years since I was able to try it for real and I know I'll need it at the end of the year.

From:

alt_rabastan

We can work something out. Check with me later in the week. Select fifth years may be trying their hand as well, which could make scheduling tight.

End of the day will probably be best.

From:

alt_sinistra

Gather you sorted out the details then, love?

What I said last night still goes: if you want me handy next room over in case anyone needs Poppy, I'm glad to. If you'd rather I were elsewhere, I'll do that. Trust you entirely to know what's best. (Though if there is time at the end to have a try myself, I'd not mind. Quite agree with you there's some things there's no better way to practice.)

What was Narcissa writing about?

From:

alt_rabastan

I thought so, now everyone's asking to have a go at the real thing, so the schedule's looking more chaotic than I intended. Which means if something, Merlin forbid, goes wrong the dominoes start to fall.

Love, you can, of course, jump to the head of the queue of staff asking to have a go. Having more handy wands around who can cast the necessary spells would be welcome. Just in case.

Our darling Narcissa was concerned about my ability to do my job and not endanger her delicate flowers entrusted to our care.

From:

alt_sinistra

Tidy I'll be done with class for the day, then, really. Of course I'll come be handy. And have a try, time allowing.

And here is where I should smile fondly and tell you that of course I'll be thinking of you, and all the happy memories we have. (And yet, because I am honest, I must admit it probably won't be you at all. You were some two dozen years later arriving in my life than the memory I generally rely on.)

Narcissa is at least somewhat predictable in her concerns, I suppose. (Is it so much to assume you know what you're doing? Never mind. Old complaint of mine. Needn't repeat it.)

From:

alt_padma

Professor,

Will there be any time set aside to practise the charm without the Dementor nearby? Before Friday, or else for part of the lesson?

From:

alt_rabastan

You are welcome to practice anywhere you would normally be allowed to practice relatively safe spells. There's little that can go wrong other than failing to cast it.

And, as always, my door is open during office hours if you wish to discuss this further with me.

From:

alt_antonin

I was preparing to make my apologies that I would not be useful for anything more than patting shoulders and dispensing chocolate, since you know I've never been able to manage the Patronus before, but I tried just now out of whim and instinct, and I appear to have finally found something emotional enough.

What a supremely odd feeling.

I've classes until late on Friday, but if things start getting busy, send word; I hardly think the little darlings would mind an early dismissal.

From:

alt_harry

Might do an extra defence revision session this week to review, if that's okay. When's it getting here? Practising in the room would be good if we could use it. Especially if I could make it really cold in there.