Originally Posted by fanficfanatict

Originally Posted by Tegz

Rather than repeat the given answers already West just listened. He didn't jot down any notes because as usual he kept all that in his head unless some professor forced him to write it down, in which case it wouldn't actually be used at all once he left a classroom.

.... he missed Alice, but it was surprisingly easier to focus on things without her around.

Originally Posted by TakemetotheBurrow

Originally Posted by Daydreamer11

Jasmine knew that December 21 was the winter solstice and June 21 was the summer solstice. Unfortunately, so did everyone else in the class and they had pretty much said so before she could raise her hand. Having nothing enlightening to add, she decided to remain silent, for now. Holding her quill, Jasmine was ready to take notes just in case a new tidbit was revealed.

Originally Posted by Sararara

The professor listed fact after fact, and Norah's head spun with all the new information she was trying to get onto the page. Her handwriting had begun to slope down the page, and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't figure out how to spell axis. She could swear there was a 'k' in their somewhere, but it just didn't look right. The professor asked another question that left Norah slumped in her seat with her brow furrowed. The 21's seemed to be the only thing in common if you asked her, and she had no idea what these solstice things were that everyone was talking about. December 19th was Oatmeal Muffin Day, she knew that. Boy, could Norah use an oatmeal muffin.
She held her quill aloft to write more notes, but she hadn't the faintest idea how to spell solstice so she just let her quill hang there dripping ink on the parchment. Fabulous. Now her notes were smudged. SIGH. Why was everyone else so much smarter than her? Could he sing again or something?

Originally Posted by GlassXRose

Originally Posted by DaniDiNardo

This was the part of the class where Lex wanted so badly to rest her head on her desk and wait for the activity to start but the Professor had pretty much taken care of that with the rickety desks. It just wasn't a chance she was willing to take. It could topple over and explanations might need to be given. No thanks.

How did one even sit proper on this thing in such a way that said you were paying minimal attention without being too obnoxious about it or getting your neck broken on a fall?

She shuffled around abit in the seat, trying to find the right equilibrium but gave up when the Professor went back to asking questions. The Gryffindor Looked over at him...then everyone else and all the right answers. Did the Professor still want her to answer? Lex glanced at him before turning her gaze to the wide window.

This was the time of evening when things got pretty outside.

Originally Posted by Deezerz

Wobbling in her chair a bit, while attempting to capture everything in parchment that the professor was saying wasn't exactly a walk in the park. Her handwriting looked a mess, though not as bad, but bad enough for the fourth year. It was probably a good thing she was only writing down what she felt she'd need to remember. The rest she'd look in the text book.

Briefly glancing up to listen to the next question, Beverly decided to sit this one out. She was taking serious notes, and looking at each student as they participated an answer, which was obvious, yeah? No need to repeat it.

Originally Posted by Grrr...Meow

Oh Bay had no clue what those dates meant… but apparently the other students did, grabbing his parchment he scribbled down some notes.

They were all talking about like some sort of Solstice? what ever that meant. Putting down his Quill he waited for Professor Flamsteed to give more information on the subject, it seemed interesting.

Originally Posted by Saiai

Originally Posted by Harry174

Angel couldn't help but giggle when her sister meowed at the Professor and she wasn't surprised with his reaction, she quickly put her hand over her mouth to try and stop the giggling but was struggling. Though after a few minute she managed it. "Professor the 21st of June is the longest day, the sun doesn't go down until way late, like after my bedtime so you go to bed when it light, but on the 21st of December it's the shortest day and sometimes you are at school and it's already dark." Angel thought that it was awesome that but normally on the 21st of December they were off school by them but sometimes it was later.

Originally Posted by hermionesclone

Originally Posted by Squishy

Originally Posted by nicole black

Justine watched in amusement as the boy took the newly repaired quill with a look of the most perfect delight and amazement she had ever seen. Ahh, to be younger and innocent, "Vell, I do my best," Justine replied, in a playfully arrogant tone, smiling at the young boy.

What was Professor Flamsteed talking about? Oh, tilted axis, right the reason they have seasons. Justine made a quick note of this, not wanting to miss out too much after all (she might have been feeling lazy, but not lazy enough to jeopardize her academic career). Her attention was brought back to the blond boy as he spoke again, answering her previous question. Hmm. She hadn't expected that answer, well, perhaps that was more her fault than his. "Zen I must be zee one to blame, I only just transferred 'ere last term," Justine said, with a short, soft laugh.

What was Flamsteed saying? Justine really needed to pay attention, especially if she wanted to be as good at this stuff as Louis, and she very much did. Was it rude if she answered Flamsteed's question in the middle of her conversation with the blond boy? Probably, but then so was talking in class. Shrug.



"Zhey are zee days of the summer and winter solstice, zee summer solstice is zee longest day of the year and zee winter solstice is zee longest night," Justine said, automatically raising her hand as she spoke (it was a force of habit that she couldn't quite ever break out of).

Justine was guessing this had more to do with the whole tilt-axis-season thing the top-hatted Professor was talking about. "Like zee Equinoxes, zee Solstices are connected with zee seasons... " Justine said, her voice trailing off slightly as she tried to think of something else to add, but nothing else that the other students hadn't said, came to mind.

Originally Posted by Anna Banana

Ohh, tilted toward the Sun. Not facing the Sun. Right. Difference noted.

Sophie listened along as the professor answered everybody else, too. Then there was another question, and OH--Sophie knew this one, too! Or, she thought she did. Then again, there was that terminology aspect.

Raising her hand, she said, "June 21 is the Summer Solstice, and December 21 is the Winter Solstice. I think I read somewhere where we have twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of nighttime on those days, too," she said. "Also, we switch seasons on those dates. June 21 starts the summer, and December 21 starts the winter."

Originally Posted by Presley Black

Gwen was surprised by how many kids got it right. Maybe they'd talked about it in wizard schools too? Come to think of it, did wizard kids go to elementary school? Or primary school, she thought it was called here. Did their parents just teach them how to read and write and stuff? Where did they go before Hogwarts?

She shook the thought away. She'd ask Hope or someone when she had a chance. "Those are the solstices," she answered, raising her hand. "June 21 is the day where there's the most sunshine, and December 21 is the shortest daylight." It was worth mentioning that "in March and September there are equinoxes. That's when daylight and nighttime are exactly equal." Though she wasn't sure of the exact dates on that. Maybe it was 21st for both of them as well?

Originally Posted by Expecto-Penguin

Kace was glad he got the answer right. He jotted down ALL the notes when the professor was explaining the answer. It did seem fascinating and he was learning a lot in this lesson. He liked learning about the seasons and why they change. As he was just about done copying the notes, he noticed that the professor was asking a question. He looked up and he wondered what December 21st and June 21st have in common? Kace thought long and hard and then had an answer!

Kace raised his hand and said, "Well they are the Winter and Summer solstice. It is in December when we have the shortest daylight and it is around my birthday which is kind of cool. The summer has the longest daylight of the year." he grinned and knowing a little something about something of the seasons.

Originally Posted by FireboltAvis88

Cris wasn't surprised to see that many of his classmates knew the relevance of both dates Professor Flamsteed had given. However, not wanting to be considered one of those who didn't, Cris raised his hand and gave his somewhat similar answer.

"Professor like the others have mentioned. June 21st for those in the Northern Hemisphere is when Summer Solstice occurs. June 21st is also known as the Northern Solstice because it occurs when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere. During this day, daylight is the longest, hence it is considered the longest day of the year.

December 21st on the other hand is Winter Solstice. On this day, the sun's elevation with respect to the North Pole is at its most negative value. Basically that means, we get less sunlight, hence making this day, the shortest day in the year, " Cris paused when he realized another significance of those dates.

"However, having said that, for those in the Southern Hemisphere, the situation is entirely the opposite. For them, June 21st will be their shortest day, hence it is Winter Solstice and December 21st would be the longest day, hence Summer Solstice.

I guess for those on the equator, those dates have no relevance, since it's just another ordinary day for them. There's no significant difference at all between the amount of daylight."

Was he right? Cris waited to see.

Originally Posted by Awarlesta Black

Originally Posted by Lauralicious

Vinnie listened to the professor carefully, but the harder she tried to come up with an answer, the emptier seemed her head. Why did they have weather? Obviously they all associated winter with cold because of the snow and summer with hot cause of the sun but that surely wasnt the answer...How was she supposed to know the answer to that question?! Oh well, one round the girl wouldnt raise her hand. She would survive that.

The Slytherin eyed her classmates fascinated as their hands shot up to answer. Wow that was a lot of people... She scribbled down some notes, so she could remember later on. This was getting interesting...

.....

Next question. Oh. So 21st of June and 21st of December...what did they have in common?! Think Vinnie, think.

"Professor those are solstice dates", she raised her hand, " also 21st June is the longest day in india." That last part probably didnt belong to the question but she felt like she had to mention it.

Originally Posted by Fira

Originally Posted by Felixir

Toby SAW THAT. He was WELL aware of a certain BEST FRIEND totally LAUGHING at him. Not that it bothered him at all, because was there really much that Sophie could do that would bother him? No. No there was not.

He still shot a mock glare at her when she asked if he was okay. Glaaaaaaaaaaaare.

It didn't last for very long before Toby smiled and gave a little nod. He was fine. Robust. Always bounced back.

But he would be getting his revenge on Soph for laughing at him.



"I'm fine, sir," Tobias assured the professor. "The floor broke my fall."

He grinned, to show that yup, all okay here. Didn't even injure his pride. Toby was, of course, very grateful when Airey fixed the chairs and desks, because now he could fidget some more if he needed to, and that always helped him focus.

...

When Airey asked the question about June 21 and December 21, Toby had actually started to put his hand up to say about the number 21, before hurriedly lowering it again at that added comment.

Moments later, however, it was back in the air.

"They're both days of extremes. Longest and shortest day, though which one is which depends on whether you're above the equator or below it. And they're right around the two times of year where the Earth is tilted at a specific angle in relation to the sun. Like, one for each hemisphere I think." There was more to it, of course, with the whole hemisphere thing, but the Hufflepuff stopped there, even though he really wanted to carry on. It was something Toby had found really quite interesting, if sorta difficult to totally comprehend. This was a good opportunity to understand more.

Originally Posted by aaetha

Originally Posted by Gabben

*Again he was so thankful for his books during summer reading. Pffft and Jacen said summer was when you did fun things outside. Raising his hand again Rom added his answer into the mix.*
"It has great magical need in potions and history. But June 21st is the longest day of the year, and December 21st is the shortest. This is when the sun is at it's lowest and highest peaks."

Originally Posted by Chiara

Lucy raised her wand and she said:"The Sun reaches its maximum value of positive declination in the month of June during the summer solstice of the northern hemisphere, while it reaches a maximum value of negative declination in December, during the northern winter solstice, corresponding to summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
My grandmother told me that during the summer solstice the Sun reaches its maximum power and transmits this power to the ground and people .. for example the plants collected during this period have a magical power: an elder tree that was cut on the eve of June 21 bleeds ... while during the winter solstice the darkness win the light .. this is the time when the dark magic becomes more powerful ...