It was nice to settle in. What was not nice was being disturbed by an owl that actually appeared to be smirking at her from the window sill. She tried to ignore it but the smirk, and occasional quiet hoot, was insistent so she went over to it and took the note that was attached to its leg.

The owl SMIRKED again and didn't wait around for a reply, it just launched itself from the window sill and back out into the cool air.

............

Her nostrils flared a bit as she read over the note. Twice. Well there was no fire IN her fireplace right now so she WOULDN'T burn it. SO THERE.

Huffing slightly, Althea read it a third time and tried not to focus on the irritating bits that he'd crossed out but CLEARLY left readable so that she'd SEE it.

Well she'd just have to tell him off about that at 9pm on friday, wouldn't she? Thea folded the note up and marched over to her desk, where she shoved it into the top drawer.

Best not to think about it or she'd end up lighting a fire JUST to burn the thing. Even if it was almost nice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazinga

After receiving Professor Schirmer's reply to her message Minerva went to the professors office and knocked.

Althea opened the door. "Miss Wheatborn. Come on in."

She smiled encouragingly, if a little distractedly, and stepped back to allow the Hufflepuff to enter the office.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazinga

Minerva walked into the office and smiled "Hello Professor. I received your message from my note I left you. I would love to help in anyway that I can."

"Excellent. Come with me then, Miss Wheatborn." She smiled and led the way to a ladder which led up to a balcony of sorts, circling the entire room. Up there were the shelves, lining the walls and full of books.

Althea climbed the ladder.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazinga

Minerva walked over to where the professor was climbing the ladder and waited for more instructions. "You have so many books. I love books." she smiled gazing around at all of them.

"Well you had best climb up here too if you're planning to help me out." Althea called down to the girl from up on the mezzanine.

"The books have collected a lot of dust over the summer break." And well, it was a big job to get rid of it all without damaging the books. Especially the ones that had enchantments on books themselves.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazinga

Minerva tried to hurry up the ladder she was so into looking at the books that she forgot to climb the ladder. "I'm sorry I guess I was in a daze looking at all the books. I'm up here now, what is the next step."

"Alright. Do you know anything about cleaning books, Miss Wheatborn? Its important to dust thoroughly at least once a year and for some reason dust likes to accumulate faster in the castle, so I like to do it twice annually." Althea took the first book off the shelf and held it in her hand, closed.

"Each book needs to be dusted carefully, closed first. You'll use the first charm to blow the dust from the top and the sides, so that the dust is loosened. Then use the second charm to siphon the dust up." Was she following so far?

"The first charm is mitisaura, its a gentle breeze charm, and will channel cool air in a steady, gentle stream, much like those gas air cannisters muggles use." Assuming she knew what Althea meant. The wand movement is a twirl and point. Tergeo, the siphoning charm, is a simple point." Althea demonstrated with the first book and then looked up at Minerva to see if she was following.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davvy_Wavvy

Tyler was clearly not grasping this charms business the lady was teaching. He found he had started to doodle and by the time class was out he was almost as clueless as when he went in. His mummy had owled and asked him about classes and he had absolutely nothing to tell her, so he needed to do damage control. He needed to sign himself up for remedial classes and make nice with the charms professor...even if he hadn't ever really seen her smile.

He wasn't nervous though, if he could tame dragon lady Cameron and have her love him, he could handle their charms professor.

He knocked on the door and waited....he even started measuring himself up against the doorm noticing that he hadn't really grown much over the summer. He was only a head taller than the door knob!

A knock????

Hmmm that was strange, she had no appointments.

"Come in!" Althea called down from the mezzanine level.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazinga

Minerva listened to the Professor. "Oh yes I understand. I cleaned my books at home all the time." she smiled. As Professor Schirmer talked about the spells she shook her head in acknowledgement that she was following. "Yes a vacuum, I live in the muggle world when not at school." Minerva followed the professors hand movements even though her wand was still in it's holster. Once Professor Schirmer was finished Minerva smiled "Ok I think I got it. Don't worry Professor I love books I will be very careful and do a good job."

"Alright." Althea put the clean book back and took down the next dusty one, and passed it to Minerva. "Try Mitisaura first, and then Tergeo to siphon up the dust that you loosen with the gentle breeze charm." The professor preferred this actually. This quiet, one-on-one learning.

It was certainly less stressful. She waited for the Hufflepuff to give the charms a try.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazinga

Minerva took the book from her, she felt a bit nervous being one on one with her professor, but at the same time loved learning new spells and being able to do it in such a nice environment. Minerva held the book with one hand and twirled then tapped with her wand "Mitisaura" as she loosed the dust and then she pointed "Tergeo" Minerva watched the dust leave the book. She smiled "Is that right professor?"

"Yes that's right, its more efficient with just a point, you don't need to tap." Even though technically if you were tapping something you were pointing with contact.

"You missed a bit of dust though, look." Althea pointed out some that was still stuck in a corner. "Just be sure to use the mitisaura charm long enough to get in all the edges, you can aim it simply with your wand and it will continue as long as you're focusing on it." It was a nice easy one really. "And good work with the Tergeo."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazinga

Minerva saw her mistake and frowned a bit. "Oh Ok, I will make sure to point and I will take my time to make sure I really do a great job. Promise!" Minerva took the next book "Mitisaura" making sure to point this time and really stay focused until all the dust was loose. She even double checked her work once finished to make sure. The she pointed "Tergeo" watching the dust vacuum was so interesting to her knowing how much she hated to vacuum at home. This put a new twist on the chore. Once the dust was gone she triple checked the book and placed it back in it's rightful spot. The next book she picked up looked very interesting. She wondered if any of the books could be found in the library. Well back to work. Minerva twirled and pointed "Mitisaura" again the dust loosened taking her wand all around the book she then pointed again "Tergeo" once the dust was completely gone from the book she glanced at the title and then put it back. Book after book Minerva cleaned and tried to remember some titles that looked really interesting. She couldn't believe how much fun she was having cleaning the books.

"That's better. Now you've got the hang of it. There are quite a few books here..." It would take her well into the evening to do them all, "So just do as many as you can, and you can come back and do some more tomorrow if you like. If you need anything, just ask, I won't be far away." Althea smiled at the Hufflepuff and then left her to it.

ooc: If you want Minerva to earn points for this, it'll cost you ten posts . The list of books that are there are in the first post of this thread if you want to reference any of them in particular. Don't feel like you have to rush, and I guess you know already not to double post. Have fun.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davvy_Wavvy

At the sound of the professor's voice, Tyler pushed the door open and walked in. She paused when he saw the mini library and shook his head solemnly. It was sad, truly sad.

What was worse that that he was setting himself up to come back in here. He twiddled his thumbs as he looked up at her.

"hello professor...I..I need to talk to you about class but...I don't want to come up there." And by up there he meant by the books. Too many of them made him queasy, thats why he didn't go to the library.

Althea climbed down the sturdy iron ladder and then gestured to the comfortable and colourful seating area away from her desk.

"Do sit down. What about classes do you need help with?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anna Banana

With the letter from Schirmer clutched in her hand, Sierra made her way back to the woman's office. She paused just outside the door, reread the letter, and the raised her hand to knock. Once she'd knocked, she retreated to the side wall, lounged against it, and waited in true Sierra style. Quiet and off to the side so as to be out of everyone's way. Socializing wasn't really her thing.

And another knock. There was only a handful of students that it could be. Or rather, students it should be, since there were only a few to whom she'd made clear that a visit would be acceptable.

She opened the door personally.

"Oh, Miss Greingoth, come on in." She was sure that the Hufflepuff boy wouldn't take too long, if it was simply about classes, so Sierra could wait until he was done.

"Take a seat."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazinga

Minerva smiled happy that she was doing a good job. "Yes there are so many great books here. Professor I was wondering are some of these in the Library that I would be able to check out?" She had seen a few titles already in the short amount she had done that looked interesting."Ok I will Professor thank you." Minerva turned back to the books and pulled out an interesting looking book "Charm your own cheese." Minerva giggled at the title and twirled then pointed her wand "Mitisaura" the dust began to loosen. Minerva made sure to hit the entire book so that no dust was still settled. Then she pointed her wand "Tergeo" she didn't know why but the dust vacuuming from this spell made her smiled. After making sure she had the dust all cleaned with this book she found herself opening it and scanning it. "Why would you want to charm your own cheese?" she wondered. Shaking her head she put the book back and found the very next book.

Overhearing the question that she assumed wasn't actually directed at her, Althea called up anyway. "Charm your own cheese, to make particular kinds of cheese, to make it less stinky, to manipulate its texture and flavour... cheesemaking is a hobby for muggles too, its just that the magical way is a little more.... flexible."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anna Banana

Sierra was starting to think that she'd come at a bad time, that maybe the professor wasn't even in her office after all. She peered down at the note again, rereading it but noticing it had no date or time. So it could be anytime, like now. Only, no one was coming to the door, and Sierra was certainly no one who'd sit around all day.

Besides, if she backed out now, she likely never decide to come back.

The thought had just left her mind when the door opened, and Professor Schirmer appeared. "Hello, Professor," she said, stepping in the office and edging past the woman. She nodded then took a seat, noticing right away that the whole reason she'd been asked to sit down was that she was meant to...

wait on a PUFFER?!

"Shouldn't be long, Miss Greingoth." Really, unless the girl wanted to talk with the Hufflepuffs there too? Well.

That would be up to her of course.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazinga

Minerva took the next book off the shelf. She twirled and pointed her wand "Mitisaura" the dust loosened and as it loosened some flew up into Minerva's face. She brushed it off, but it had put a tickle in her nose. She began to sneeze almost dropping the book. Minerva gripped the book harder and got control over her sneezing. "Sorry" she called down to the others in the office. She turned back to the book in her hand and pointed her wand "Tergeo" she watched the dust vacuum up. She put that book away and took out another one and then another one. "Mitisaura", "Tergeo". Finally she began to yawn. How long had she been working. Minerva climbed down and looked around. "Professor I think I'm going to stop for today and go get something to eat. I will be back tomorrow after my classes if that's ok." Minerva said her good byes and headed out of the office to the Great Hall.

"No problem, Minerva. I'll see you tomorrow."

... and another knock? Althea eyed the door and then opened it, going over there and looking out into the corridor.

"Oh. Miss Carter. Come in."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davvy_Wavvy

Tyler certainly didn't need telling twice. He made his way over to the comfortable looking chairs and climbed up into one. This was nice, his feet were almost touching the ground even though he was sitting all the way up in the chair.

He was growing!

"Well I'm lost in Charms...really lost and I cant be because I promised mummy I'd do well." The thing was, he had been pretty much distracted with the whole getting resorted thing.

... sigh.

What was it with first years expecting to learn everything in a week?

"I can assign you a tutor if you like, but its really too soon to worry, after all its only your first year," And the school year had just started, "And you'll pick it up eventually, you just have to be patient. I can assign you some extra reading too if you like, its up to you, depending if you'd rather work with someone else or work alone. Other than that, you simply need to attend your lessons and do your homework and you won't have any problems."