SnitchSeeker.com - View Single Post - DADA Lesson 1

DaniDiNardo · 05-12-2019, 04:01 AM

SPOILER!!: replies

SPOILER!!: Dooley

Someone had acutely gotten the idea behind the exercise they'd just done. "Precisely. It's much harder to defend against things you don't know." Dodgeball, he hoped, would have made this perfectly clear to at least the majority of the students who'd participated in the small activity. You gained advantage in silence and when not the silent one you lost some.

SPOILER!!: Swann

"That's a fair point, Swann, though it should be noted it isn't the spell that becomes weaker as a result of its non-verbal nature. It's the caster's intent, power and ability that determines that." So someone using "dark magic" could very well still be powerful as ever and he needed the students to not underestimate that. "It does require greater focus and power than a verbal spell and not every wizard can manage that. That is what can make the spell less effective." The wizard truly made the spell.

SPOILER!!: Longstaff

Did he notice that this one sat through the entire activity? Yes he did. Was he pleased about it? You could make your own assumptions on that as the man's expression didn't falter in the slightest. He didn't have time to make a large fuss about it.

"Correct. As Dooley also mentioned earlier, it becomes more difficult for the simple fact it makes it harder for you opponent to know what you're about to do." Surprises could be life savers in duels.

SPOILER!!: Walsh

"You've brought up a few very good points, Walsh." Ones he hoped the others had been listening to.

"You'll have to become hyperaware of your surroundings if you want to have any chance of holding your own. This can come in the form of visual clues. Really know your spells and the wand movement can usually be a give away. Of course, several spells have similar wand movements with the most minute of differences which could still make visual clues difficult. Similarly, in a case where you have no visual cues, you may be fresh out of luck and go all out on defense."

SPOILER!!: McCarthy

"Another good point. Well done, McCarthy." Again, he hoped the others were listening. "Non-verbals are known for their difficulty. They require a great deal of focus and power, a greater connection with your wand, greater intent--which feeds into that connection with your wand. Having no verbal cues, you'll need to ensure without a doubt you and your wand are on the same page." Very good point that would be coming up in a minute.

SPOILER!!: Tamesis

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stormdancer

WHO WAS SHE TO SAY NO????

There was no way that she was going to say no. Grinning like she hadn’t heard anything else as exciting today, she put her bag down beside Avery and the others, and then jumped over to the side so that she wouldn’t knock anyone else over. Hmm. It was bouncy… Slightly. More-So than her mats, not as much as the board or a trampoline… but she could make do. Checking over her shoulder that the class was still filing into the room, she jumped to gain height and momentum then did a few somersaults before landing and bouncing on the padding with joyful glee. Oh, that was amazing.

With a wide grin on her face she moved back over to the main body of the class. ”Professor?” she called out. ”Can I practice gymnastics in here over lunch before you turn it for your next class?” It was far too good and fun an opportunity to miss out on. Pleaseeeeeeee.

She’d get an answer later, right now it was time to have FUN. She could feel it. It was going to be a great lesson. Ohhhh soundproof. Nice! She could yell and yell and whoop in joy and no-one would be annoyed or interrupted!

Her hand was in the air before he’d finished his statement and question… which made her face flounder slightly. ”Oh, I was going to say you need to soundproof studios so that amazing Wrockbands can record… but then you added ‘keep us safe’ and that… doesn’t really fit that description.” Whoops. Nothing to see here.

Instead, she listened to what everyone else offered and nodded along as she tried not to blush at how badly she’d answered. She really should have waited, had patience. For someone who liked all the facts, she certainly hadn’t had them all this time.

Ball pit!!!! She knew this lesson was going to be amaz--- ……… Did he just say non-verbal spells…

Holly didn’t know it was possible to feel sheet ice spread through her veins, but she was feeling it. Right now. She was only a third year, she hardly had a good base knowledge for dueling, never mind doing them non-verbally? Nibbling on her bottom lip, fingers wringing the material of her jumper just to give herself something to do, she tried to breathe. It would be okay, the Professor wouldn’t let anything happen to them. She trusted that much.

Just as she was getting her panicking under control, she got passed a ball and she murmured a thanks under her breath. She wasn’t sure if having a ball was good or not, so she just… waited. Okay. She could do this. It was two throws and two dodge-attempts with the ball. She looked around and found Jorgie, letting Alis be pulled away by one of the guys. She trusted Jorgie to throw a ball at her and know how important her face was. It was very important. Best friends understood this.

Standing on one side of the line ball in hand, she waited for Jorgie to put on the blindfold before she looked at her bestie. ”Your right hip, Jorgie.” She counted down softly from 3 to 1, and then pressed the ball away from her, letting it sail directly towards Jorgie’s right hip. It landed slightly further towards her belly button, but her friends hands were still well placed to catch it. She grinned, proud of her friend and her own aim. ”Throw it back, J. I’ll catch it.” She could see - which meant she could move around to catch it.

Taking a single step to the side, let Holly catch the ball easily - it showed that Jorgie grew up around sports… Sometimes she wished that she liked other sports more, was sure that her Dad would have loved that… but nope. Gymnastics or Quidditch…. Nothing else really held her interest.

Looking back over at Jorgie she smiled. ”Okay, can’t tell you where I’m throwing it - but I’m throwing it in the next 5 seconds.” She wasn’t sure if that was cheating, but on the count of 4 she threw the ball in Jorgie’s direction - aiming for left shoulder and Jorgie almost caught it, but it bounced off her hand. ”Oh man, that was so close Jorgie!” she laughed. Her bestie was amazing.

Next up, she got the blindfold and it was her turn. She watched as her world went black, and she heard everyone’s voices get sharper, louder - more… pitchy? Huh. They were more annoying when you couldn’t see anything. Interesting. She stood, light on her feet while she waited for Jorgie’s word - for the signal. When she spoke, she nodded her understanding of where the ball would be heading and she was prepared for it. Catching the ball and blocking the first pass, even if she had fumbled the ball and almost dropped it. She hadn’t… that was the important thing.

She threw it back to Jorgie, heard the thunck of her catching it and couldn’t help the soft grin that spread over her lips when she realised her hearing was much better without her vision. That was kind of cool. Staying focused, and bending slightly into a more defensive position she hovered and waited for Jorgie’s second throw. Listened. She heard the ball releasing… but it was too quick for her to react too. Her hands moved, hoping she was going in the right direction only for her hands to move too far, ball bouncing off of her forearm instead of being caught snuggly in her hands.

She frowned. She really hated losing.

… But she wanted to try being blindfolded again. She wondered if it would help her as a Keeper… Surely it would, having better hearing. Interesting.

Giggling from the thoughts of being a Keeper while wearing a blindfold, Holly shook her head and hand in hand with Jorgie moved back over to the Professor. She was bouncy, felt light. Even if she hadn’t managed to catch the second ball.

Biting her lip, Holly looked around the class at the older students. Non-Verbals felt like it should be on them. ”They sound really difficult... ” She offered, finally. ”Like, climbing Mt Everest type difficult... in that you need to train really really hard, and it is a marathon not a sprint.” She added.

Okay, fine. She was scared and terrified of this challenge. How on earth did it work? How did your wand manage to hear you? How did magic work if you didn’t say it out loud? And if you didn’t need to say it out loud, why were they not simply always taught magic non-verbally??

She wanted to do what where now?

Malachi was taken aback by the question. It was such a departure from the topic of the lesson that it made the words just a little harder for him to understand. "Er.....sure.....I'll give you half an hour but then you've got to head to lunch. I don't want you late for lunch or your lessons following lunch." He would take it as a personal favour to him if she took the favour he was willing to offer her and handled it responsibly.

And she was another that truly understood the complexity of non-verbals. Good. If anything, it would make the activity have more meaning and make more sense to the lot of them.

"I like the way you put it. A marathon, not a sprint. Not everyone gets that. It won't happen overnight and does take a great bit of time and dedication. Not exactly a hobby you pick up over the weekend."

SPOILER!!: Abara

"Also correct." It was quite advanced magic, the sort that took time, concentration, dedication, among other things. It wasn't just a side hobby to be picked up then placed down.

"Although I do reckon you've got more than just a second's advantage when using them in a duel, particularly under the right conditions."

SPOILER!!: Gladin

"Yes, that too." It was as he'd just explained. Good to know they were paying attention and actually internalizing rather than daydreaming.

"One might argue that knowing wand movements could negate the advantage of non-verbals but we may not always be able to depend on visuals and some are remarkably similar. There aren't nearly as many defenses immediately following a non-verbal spell."

SPOILER!!: Sinclair

"Right you are." And he was glad someone touched on this. "Intent and power aside, wand wood also plays a role in how easily or with how much difficulty one can achieve non-verbal magic. Just as some woods are better at defensive spells and some are better for healing ones, some are infinitely better at casting non-verbals than others."

Nice one.

"Excellent answers everyone." They could understand the fundamental benefits of non-verbals. This wasn't by any means an indication they would be able to immediately jump into casting them but that was fine as it wasn't what the lesson entailed. "As I mentioned earlier, we won't be getting into the actual practice until later this week, this being more an introductory lesson and all but it doesn't make learning this all any less pertinent."

There were actually a few things they needed to cover before moving on, not too many but things that needed saying all the same. "Given the difficult nature of non-verbals, it goes without saying that some spells will be more difficult to produce non-verbally than others. Simple spells, ones learned typically in your first year of formal wizarding education will naturally be more easily mastered than ones taught at the OWL or NEWT level." But surely that went without saying.

"Tamesis put it right when she said it was a marathon, not a sprint. The reasoning behind that is something McCarthy mentioned; it's very difficult. You won't sit for an afternoon and suddenly become an expert at non-verbals but that's not meant to discourage you. Rather, think of it as encouragement. Imagine the level of accomplishment when you finally do get them!" All that effort, focus and time finally paying off."[/b] With a flick of his wand, certain disillisionment charms fell away to reveal creatures chained to the corners of the room. They were skinny in frame with large teeth they gnashed and equally large. They kept pulling on the chains that bound them, trying to make for the man who'd been speaking the entire time. Red, menacing eyes locked on the students.

"Now that you understand the importance of silence, we've got one more activity." Two baskets appeared on the other end of the room and the opening in the wall reopened to reveal the ball pit again. "You'll have to get these balls across the room into those baskets. You'll be split into two teams. Let me stress, you'll have to do this silently. The creatures currently chained are hypersensitive to noise. They react to it. They attack anything they hear." Evidently. They yanked harder at the chains every time the man spoke. "This can be accomplished in a few ways. The one that may come to mind is by non-verbal magic. No talking. Easy peasy. Sure. However, this isn't an option for most of you. In that case, as a team, you'll need to find another way around it. If you do choose to attempt non-verbals, I suggest the levitation spell. It's a simple spell which should make it just a bit easier. Fair warning, screw it up, have that ball drop and it's charmed to be louder than a siren. You'll have creatures swarming in no time." Not how they wanted things to be. Was Dakest ready to scream now? Because the time for that had passed. "Get into teams. I'll release the creatures. Remember, not a SOUND." They could choose teams silently. They could plan silently if they knew what they were doing and could think far enough outside the box. The room was padded for this very reason. It would make at least movement a bit easier. They just had to work this out.

Malachi waited a silent moment for the creatures to settle then he vanished the chains.

Not. A. Sound.

OOC: The main activity is officially under way! Catch up is still allowed for anyone who wants to get the mini done (just title your post as such). You'll have until May 15th @ 11:59 pm EST. To complete this activity, the students will have to get the balls into the basket of their respective team. Keep in mind that this is very advanced magic. Students below fifth year who are still learning the basics of magic and spellwork are not likely to be able to do this. The levitation charm is easy verbally and has likely been mastered by 5th-7th years. This doesn't necessarily mean they'll be able to get it just like that especially if they haven't had any prior practice with non-verbals. The likelihood of success will go up with the year as well as how much personal work the character has been putting into this. Just keep things realistic to your characters ability and most important, have fun!

05-12-2019, 04:01 AM	#139 (permalink)
DaniDiNardo MO & DMLE Crup Join Date: May 2012 Location: Over here! (GMT -5) Posts: 17,236 Hogwarts RPG Name: Emmerson N. J. Cambridge Gryffindor Sixth Year Ministry RPG Name: Alexa Christina Cambridge Law Enforcement Ministry RPG Name: Kodee Chosen Minister's Office x12 x12	Yeah I broke that mirror, so what? ll NOT backward ll Official Gryfferin ll Lemon's favourite SPOILER!!: replies SPOILER!!: Dooley Quote: Originally Posted by siriusblackliveson Patrick nodded, “Sounds great. Thanks Daisy.” He readied himself to toss. He was good at this so he wasn’t so sure why he was nervous. He did this all the time over the summer before he broke his ankle. Sheesh now he just needed to breath deep. ”Ready?” He waited to hear her say she was. He would hate to throw it while she was hyping up for him to throw it. “Alright, I’m going to throw it about waist level front and center.” He was ready to throw but was so afraid it would hurt her. Before letting go he let out, “incoming.” ready to let her catch it. He waited to see if she caught it. Just as his eyes would have seen the result he heard the question about verbal cues. “Well the fact that you don’t know what the person is using makes them effective because the person on the other end will not know what is coming to prepare a defense.” Well at least thats what he assumed since he had never dueled before. Someone had acutely gotten the idea behind the exercise they'd just done. "Precisely. It's much harder to defend against things you don't know." Dodgeball, he hoped, would have made this perfectly clear to at least the majority of the students who'd participated in the small activity. You gained advantage in silence and when not the silent one you lost some. SPOILER!!: Swann Quote: Originally Posted by Ginevra "Ready!" Daisy called out in the direction of Patrick's voice. When the Slytherin prefect mentioned where he was going to throw the ball, Daisy nodded as she placed her hands at the location on her body. Much to her relief and surprise, she managed to just catch the ball in her fingertips. "Brilliant directions, Patrick!" Daisy replied as she undid her blindfold and headed back over to where Headmaster Trent was. At the question about non-verbal spells, Daisy tried a different tact and raised her hand. "Sometimes non-verbal spells don't work as they should. A non-verbal dark curse might not be as effective due to the reduced power of the spell." "That's a fair point, Swann, though it should be noted it isn't the spell that becomes weaker as a result of its non-verbal nature. It's the caster's intent, power and ability that determines that." So someone using "dark magic" could very well still be powerful as ever and he needed the students to not underestimate that. "It does require greater focus and power than a verbal spell and not every wizard can manage that. That is what can make the spell less effective." The wizard truly made the spell. SPOILER!!: Longstaff Quote: Originally Posted by Weasley174 Thomas had been sitting quietly for most of the lesson, as he was in total awe at how big this place was and how much information that he needs to process. He though decided to have a go at answering the last question. Putting his hand up he smiled. "Your opponent won't be able to hear which spell you are casting?" Did he notice that this one sat through the entire activity? Yes he did. Was he pleased about it? You could make your own assumptions on that as the man's expression didn't falter in the slightest. He didn't have time to make a large fuss about it. "Correct. As Dooley also mentioned earlier, it becomes more difficult for the simple fact it makes it harder for you opponent to know what you're about to do." Surprises could be life savers in duels. SPOILER!!: Walsh Quote: Originally Posted by PhoenixRising Enough talk about non-verbals though; Maeve wanted to learn them already!!! And even though he had eluded that they wouldn't be learning until later this week, the Gryffindor was hoping that by later this week he mis-spoke. MAYBE?? What makes them effective? Patrick pretty much summed that one up, but alsoooo, "You have to pay attention and watch for visual cues which may or may not prepare the person. And if you're without visual cues," she tugged lightly on the blindfold that was covering her eyes still waiting for Missa, "you'd have to listen and use your other senses to hopefully figure it out." "You've brought up a few very good points, Walsh." Ones he hoped the others had been listening to. "You'll have to become hyperaware of your surroundings if you want to have any chance of holding your own. This can come in the form of visual clues. Really know your spells and the wand movement can usually be a give away. Of course, several spells have similar wand movements with the most minute of differences which could still make visual clues difficult. Similarly, in a case where you have no visual cues, you may be fresh out of luck and go all out on defense." SPOILER!!: McCarthy Quote: Originally Posted by emjay Alright, so Chloe wanted to be blindfolded first. It really didn't matter that much to Gunnar, though he was a little surprised for reasons. He nodded then went to his side of the line while she went to her spot. "No, I wasn't going to," Gunnar assured his sister when she asked him not to aim for her face. He wouldn't try to hit her in the face after her recent head injury. In fact, he was thinking pretty much as far away as he could. "Okay, I'm going to throw the ball at your legs.... on your left." His right, her left. "Ready...? Now!" He wanted to let her know the exact moment, and he tossed the ball, aiming right where he said. And soon enough, he heard the professor's voice. Nonverbals, right. Gunnar had been practicing them for some time with little luck. Listening to some of his peers, he raised his hand as well. "They're difficult to learn and take some advanced knowledge of spellwork. They also take a lot of concentration and focus to work properly." "Another good point. Well done, McCarthy." Again, he hoped the others were listening. "Non-verbals are known for their difficulty. They require a great deal of focus and power, a greater connection with your wand, greater intent--which feeds into that connection with your wand. Having no verbal cues, you'll need to ensure without a doubt you and your wand are on the same page." Very good point that would be coming up in a minute. SPOILER!!: Tamesis Quote: Originally Posted by Stormdancer WHO WAS SHE TO SAY NO???? There was no way that she was going to say no. Grinning like she hadn’t heard anything else as exciting today, she put her bag down beside Avery and the others, and then jumped over to the side so that she wouldn’t knock anyone else over. Hmm. It was bouncy… Slightly. More-So than her mats, not as much as the board or a trampoline… but she could make do. Checking over her shoulder that the class was still filing into the room, she jumped to gain height and momentum then did a few somersaults before landing and bouncing on the padding with joyful glee. Oh, that was amazing. With a wide grin on her face she moved back over to the main body of the class. ”Professor?” she called out. ”Can I practice gymnastics in here over lunch before you turn it for your next class?” It was far too good and fun an opportunity to miss out on. Pleaseeeeeeee. She’d get an answer later, right now it was time to have FUN. She could feel it. It was going to be a great lesson. Ohhhh soundproof. Nice! She could yell and yell and whoop in joy and no-one would be annoyed or interrupted! Her hand was in the air before he’d finished his statement and question… which made her face flounder slightly. ”Oh, I was going to say you need to soundproof studios so that amazing Wrockbands can record… but then you added ‘keep us safe’ and that… doesn’t really fit that description.” Whoops. Nothing to see here. Instead, she listened to what everyone else offered and nodded along as she tried not to blush at how badly she’d answered. She really should have waited, had patience. For someone who liked all the facts, she certainly hadn’t had them all this time. Ball pit!!!! She knew this lesson was going to be amaz--- ……… Did he just say non-verbal spells… Holly didn’t know it was possible to feel sheet ice spread through her veins, but she was feeling it. Right now. She was only a third year, she hardly had a good base knowledge for dueling, never mind doing them non-verbally? Nibbling on her bottom lip, fingers wringing the material of her jumper just to give herself something to do, she tried to breathe. It would be okay, the Professor wouldn’t let anything happen to them. She trusted that much. Just as she was getting her panicking under control, she got passed a ball and she murmured a thanks under her breath. She wasn’t sure if having a ball was good or not, so she just… waited. Okay. She could do this. It was two throws and two dodge-attempts with the ball. She looked around and found Jorgie, letting Alis be pulled away by one of the guys. She trusted Jorgie to throw a ball at her and know how important her face was. It was very important. Best friends understood this. Standing on one side of the line ball in hand, she waited for Jorgie to put on the blindfold before she looked at her bestie. ”Your right hip, Jorgie.” She counted down softly from 3 to 1, and then pressed the ball away from her, letting it sail directly towards Jorgie’s right hip. It landed slightly further towards her belly button, but her friends hands were still well placed to catch it. She grinned, proud of her friend and her own aim. ”Throw it back, J. I’ll catch it.” She could see - which meant she could move around to catch it. Taking a single step to the side, let Holly catch the ball easily - it showed that Jorgie grew up around sports… Sometimes she wished that she liked other sports more, was sure that her Dad would have loved that… but nope. Gymnastics or Quidditch…. Nothing else really held her interest. Looking back over at Jorgie she smiled. ”Okay, can’t tell you where I’m throwing it - but I’m throwing it in the next 5 seconds.” She wasn’t sure if that was cheating, but on the count of 4 she threw the ball in Jorgie’s direction - aiming for left shoulder and Jorgie almost caught it, but it bounced off her hand. ”Oh man, that was so close Jorgie!” she laughed. Her bestie was amazing. Next up, she got the blindfold and it was her turn. She watched as her world went black, and she heard everyone’s voices get sharper, louder - more… pitchy? Huh. They were more annoying when you couldn’t see anything. Interesting. She stood, light on her feet while she waited for Jorgie’s word - for the signal. When she spoke, she nodded her understanding of where the ball would be heading and she was prepared for it. Catching the ball and blocking the first pass, even if she had fumbled the ball and almost dropped it. She hadn’t… that was the important thing. She threw it back to Jorgie, heard the thunck of her catching it and couldn’t help the soft grin that spread over her lips when she realised her hearing was much better without her vision. That was kind of cool. Staying focused, and bending slightly into a more defensive position she hovered and waited for Jorgie’s second throw. Listened. She heard the ball releasing… but it was too quick for her to react too. Her hands moved, hoping she was going in the right direction only for her hands to move too far, ball bouncing off of her forearm instead of being caught snuggly in her hands. She frowned. She really hated losing. … But she wanted to try being blindfolded again. She wondered if it would help her as a Keeper… Surely it would, having better hearing. Interesting. Giggling from the thoughts of being a Keeper while wearing a blindfold, Holly shook her head and hand in hand with Jorgie moved back over to the Professor. She was bouncy, felt light. Even if she hadn’t managed to catch the second ball. Biting her lip, Holly looked around the class at the older students. Non-Verbals felt like it should be on them. ”They sound really difficult... ” She offered, finally. ”Like, climbing Mt Everest type difficult... in that you need to train really really hard, and it is a marathon not a sprint.” She added. Okay, fine. She was scared and terrified of this challenge. How on earth did it work? How did your wand manage to hear you? How did magic work if you didn’t say it out loud? And if you didn’t need to say it out loud, why were they not simply always taught magic non-verbally?? She wanted to do what where now? Malachi was taken aback by the question. It was such a departure from the topic of the lesson that it made the words just a little harder for him to understand. "Er.....sure.....I'll give you half an hour but then you've got to head to lunch. I don't want you late for lunch or your lessons following lunch." He would take it as a personal favour to him if she took the favour he was willing to offer her and handled it responsibly. And she was another that truly understood the complexity of non-verbals. Good. If anything, it would make the activity have more meaning and make more sense to the lot of them. "I like the way you put it. A marathon, not a sprint. Not everyone gets that. It won't happen overnight and does take a great bit of time and dedication. Not exactly a hobby you pick up over the weekend." SPOILER!!: Abara Quote: Originally Posted by gritandgrace Eniola looked up when the Headmaster began speaking again. Looking around the classroom she saw by large that most people did okay and it didn't seem as if anyone was injured. That's good. She thought. Non-verbals? Excellent. Eni had been looking forward to this class for awhile. She'd practiced at home over the past two summers, but with no luck. The theory she understood. Well, she thought she did. But sticking the landing? Hasn't worked out yet. "You really only have a split second advantage with a non-verbal spell, but that can help quite a lot in a duel. It's also quite helpful when trying to stay stealthy as an Auror." She stated. "Concentration, mental discipline and practice is really what it boils down to, in theory. It's quite difficult magic from what I understand sir." "Also correct." It was quite advanced magic, the sort that took time, concentration, dedication, among other things. It wasn't just a side hobby to be picked up then placed down. "Although I do reckon you've got more than just a second's advantage when using them in a duel, particularly under the right conditions." SPOILER!!: Gladin Quote: Originally Posted by Lissy Longbottom Nettie frowned a little as her ball...totally connected exactly where she said it would on Ellie's arm. At least the younger girl admitted it was because she'd gotten her directions mixed up. Honestly there was no way that, if she DID get hit, it was on Nettie. Ellie was the one responsible for not getting hit! She decided to try and go easy on her, aiming for left side again. In fact, she was aiming right where she'd said she was aiming the first time - and hopefully Ellie would be smart enough to pick up on that. Unfortunately, she didn't have the chance to see if the ball connected, because her attention was drawn back to Trent as he called for them to all gather around. By the time she looked back, the ball had already landed on the floor. Had it hit Ellie or had she dodged it? She'd have to ask her later. Heading back to the rest of the class, she wandered up just as Trent was asking about non-verbal spells. She raised her hand. "Well, the obvious advantage with non-verbal spells is that your opponent probably won't know what you're sending their way. Unless they know you really well, in which case, they may be able to guess what you're going to cast," she added. "Yes, that too." It was as he'd just explained. Good to know they were paying attention and actually internalizing rather than daydreaming. "One might argue that knowing wand movements could negate the advantage of non-verbals but we may not always be able to depend on visuals and some are remarkably similar. There aren't nearly as many defenses immediately following a non-verbal spell." SPOILER!!: Sinclair Quote: Originally Posted by Fireheart "To the right. Got it!" Avalon said replied, flexing her right wrist and ankle in preparation. She waited for a few seconds before dodging her whole body to the left, attempting to avoid the throw. She didn't feel anything hit her, which was a good sign. But she also didn't hear the approach of the ball. She figured it should have made some sort of whizzing noise as it came closer. Maybe Analiese hadn't thrown it yet? Avalon pushed her blindfold up on her forehead as Headmaster Trent asked the next question. To be honest, she didn't know a whole lot that hadn't already been said about nonverbal spells. She just remembered a tidbit of information that her father had told her when discussing Ministry business. Avalon raised her hand. "I've heard that wand woods play a big role in nonverbal spells. Some woods are a lot easier to cast nonverbals with than others. I'm fairly certain that alder is the best wand wood for them." "Right you are." And he was glad someone touched on this. "Intent and power aside, wand wood also plays a role in how easily or with how much difficulty one can achieve non-verbal magic. Just as some woods are better at defensive spells and some are better for healing ones, some are infinitely better at casting non-verbals than others." Nice one. "Excellent answers everyone." They could understand the fundamental benefits of non-verbals. This wasn't by any means an indication they would be able to immediately jump into casting them but that was fine as it wasn't what the lesson entailed. "As I mentioned earlier, we won't be getting into the actual practice until later this week, this being more an introductory lesson and all but it doesn't make learning this all any less pertinent." There were actually a few things they needed to cover before moving on, not too many but things that needed saying all the same. "Given the difficult nature of non-verbals, it goes without saying that some spells will be more difficult to produce non-verbally than others. Simple spells, ones learned typically in your first year of formal wizarding education will naturally be more easily mastered than ones taught at the OWL or NEWT level." But surely that went without saying. "Tamesis put it right when she said it was a marathon, not a sprint. The reasoning behind that is something McCarthy mentioned; it's very difficult. You won't sit for an afternoon and suddenly become an expert at non-verbals but that's not meant to discourage you. Rather, think of it as encouragement. Imagine the level of accomplishment when you finally do get them!" All that effort, focus and time finally paying off."[/b] With a flick of his wand, certain disillisionment charms fell away to reveal creatures chained to the corners of the room. They were skinny in frame with large teeth they gnashed and equally large. They kept pulling on the chains that bound them, trying to make for the man who'd been speaking the entire time. Red, menacing eyes locked on the students. "Now that you understand the importance of silence, we've got one more activity." Two baskets appeared on the other end of the room and the opening in the wall reopened to reveal the ball pit again. "You'll have to get these balls across the room into those baskets. You'll be split into two teams. Let me stress, you'll have to do this silently. The creatures currently chained are hypersensitive to noise. They react to it. They attack anything they hear." Evidently. They yanked harder at the chains every time the man spoke. "This can be accomplished in a few ways. The one that may come to mind is by non-verbal magic. No talking. Easy peasy. Sure. However, this isn't an option for most of you. In that case, as a team, you'll need to find another way around it. If you do choose to attempt non-verbals, I suggest the levitation spell. It's a simple spell which should make it just a bit easier. Fair warning, screw it up, have that ball drop and it's charmed to be louder than a siren. You'll have creatures swarming in no time." Not how they wanted things to be. Was Dakest ready to scream now? Because the time for that had passed. "Get into teams. I'll release the creatures. Remember, not a SOUND." They could choose teams silently. They could plan silently if they knew what they were doing and could think far enough outside the box. The room was padded for this very reason. It would make at least movement a bit easier. They just had to work this out. Malachi waited a silent moment for the creatures to settle then he vanished the chains. Not. A. Sound. OOC: The main activity is officially under way! Catch up is still allowed for anyone who wants to get the mini done (just title your post as such). You'll have until May 15th @ 11:59 pm EST. To complete this activity, the students will have to get the balls into the basket of their respective team. Keep in mind that this is very advanced magic. Students below fifth year who are still learning the basics of magic and spellwork are not likely to be able to do this. The levitation charm is easy verbally and has likely been mastered by 5th-7th years. This doesn't necessarily mean they'll be able to get it just like that especially if they haven't had any prior practice with non-verbals. The likelihood of success will go up with the year as well as how much personal work the character has been putting into this. Just keep things realistic to your characters ability and most important, have fun! __________________ Imma say all the words inside my head____________________________________ ______________________________I'm fired up and tired of the way that things are said.