Was she…perfectly all right?

Jericho did not allow his gaze to linger too long on her, in case she was the shy sort that simply did not like speaking in class or in front of others, but did do so long enough that their eyes did in fact lock and he could offer a warm, encouraging, smile.One that did enough to scrunch his nose a bit and make his freckles seem to dance under the light dripping in through the window and on to his face.

Perhaps…one to keep an eye on. Especially if she were truly feeling unwell.

His attention shifting to the strapping young man, Jericho switched back from his wrists to rolling his shoulders and really making sure to get the stretch all the way to his shoulder blades. His pleasant smile still in place, the duellist nodded his head as the boy spoke. “Thank you, Darius, and an excellent example and the spell one does most intimately associated with defensive magic,” he praised while casting a snap towards the blackboard which then promptly spun to reveal the otherside that was void of any writing. For now, at least. With another snap of his fingers, the chalk levitated and began to write as he dictated. It was not exactly impressive wandless magic, or really wandless magic at all. Each piece had been enchanted to behave in accordance with certain sound cues of Jericho’s. “So you would consider yourself to be more of a cautious duellist then, Darius? More the sort to let your opponent reveal their cards to you than seek to reveal them yourself?”

It was not a judgemental question, that was not why Jericho was here today, but one rooted in genuine curiosity.

“Bella, thank you,” he likewise responded to the young woman as he continued with a couple more shoulder rolls while walking along the red line that divided the class. “Both spells are other excellent examples for each umbrella of spellcasting, though I would like to touch a bit more upon the Patronus Charm in a bit.” Assuming he remembered to circle back to it. Though, he hoped, that in informing the girl he would very much like that she would give him a nudge should he forget. As was with Darius, Bella began her explanation about why she had picked the side she had using the word ‘you’ rather than ‘I’. Which was very curious indeed. “What do you feel your choice says about yourself as a duellist?” he implored as an extension, just as he had done with the boy before her.

The gray haze that surrounded this youth was as curious as it was unsettling, as translucent as it was impenetrable. A quiet lad with deep eyes that truly must have seen things, Jericho was left bewildered for now and simply nodded at the certainty of the response that followed. He seemed to have been waiting for his friend, as he assumed given the hand holding and leading that came next. He could not say that he was surprised, given his first impression and initial read of the youth, of the side he led his friend to. It did beg the question, however, of whether or not his friend truly felt the same or was perhaps simply acting as a shadow.

Ah. Yes. There it was. We. Though the words the flowed so effortlessly from the boy next did not give off the implications of being a shadow to his friend. Quite the opposite, truly, and his heart warmed as he pivoted around to smile just a little wider to the boy. “Outstanding, Hawk.” He beamed, none the wiser to the fact that that was not truly the youth’s name. To Jericho, it simply gave off the implications that he was the son of magizoologists who specialized in ornithology. Or, perhaps, were simply bird enthusiasts. “Thank you for being vulnerable with us.”

Part two of the boy’s response elicited a chuckle and soon Jericho’s hands were clasped behind his back for a bit more of a stretch, particularly in his chest which also cause his shirt to shift a bit and the bear tattoo across one of his pectorals peeked out ever so slightly. “A curious way to put it, but using your examples it is a befitting response. Particularly when your opponent has a short temper and simply cannot stand being struck by any spell.” He was trying to give the boy a bit of the benefit of the doubt. “The Summoning Charm could be used defensively to create a wall as you mentioned, yes.”

It could also be used offensively, but they would touch on all those mechanics soon enough.

Jericho internally frowned, perplexed and concerned at her response and a fire, anger, that felt unwarranted in the moment. The flakes around her even darkened a bit, and he maintained his steady and serene disposition despite the protective hostility she seemed to be presenting. Whatever it was eliciting such a response from her, he was certain (or fairly certain) had little to do with himself and everything to do with each step she had taken before standing before him. “It is in the context of this exercise,” he pointed out gently.

And if he needed any first confirmation of his initial readings, her response certainly solidified matters.

“Thank you, Ash,” he nodded while coming to a stop along the red line to begin working his ankles a bit. Rolling one clockwise for a bit and then counterclockwise. “Would you then say that, for yourself, you see yourself as more the sort to not attack first then? Wait out your opponent?” He did appreciate the implications of no excessive force, though he kept that to himself for now. Another discussion for another time and another place, perhaps, when duellish etiquette was the topic for discussion. “An excellent echo to the words of your peer, Darius,” he nodded with a small gesture towards the older boy. “Incendio is another fine example of the sort of spell typically associated with offensive magic.” And another snap towards the board to enable the chalk to continue.

She, truly, had little to fret about and the only foot she was starting off on was her own and that was all that he could ask. That was to say, of course, were he to be privy to her thoughts (which he was not) but there was a certain unrefined and feathered appearance to her glow that did signal to him some discomfort or disappointment on her part. Something he hoped would even out and disappear as things progressed.

“Thank you, Violet,” he nodded while unclasping his hands and swaying them a bit in front of himself to loosen up his joints a bit. “[b]Do you trust your own ability to defend in that case?” As with all his follow ups, none were meant to belittle or otherwise make these Hogwarts students doubt their responses. At least not doubt them in the capacity that they were ‘wrong’. As he had told Hawk and his friend, there was no wrong answer as to which side of the line you stood on.

If only this young mind would voice such sentiments! Jericho, judging by the response and general disposition of those gathered here, was beginning to think (realize) that he had done the question a disservice and had not properly conveyed the intention to the class.Though, as it turned out for this young man too, it seemed as though the concern with being ‘right’ had outweighed the desire for self reflection. Something he would need to address in a bit, it would seem.

Unaware that this boy too had the desire to be right (and make everyone else look wrong), he simply chuckled and shook his head. “I will reveal my nature at the conclusion of today’s seminar, I promise,” he spoke with a quick wink. “And, may I have your name?”

It may disappoint her to learn that he knew not what Disney was. Alas.

Nodding gingerly to her response, he, just as he had done with the others, proposed a certain set of follow up queries. “Thank you, Desiree. Would that then mean that you have more confidence in your defensive abilities than your offensive ones? Or is it more that you find settling into a defensive stance more comfortable than being on the offense?”

Simple food for thought and gently pressing for students to understand themselves and their inner nature.

“Impedimenta is usually classified as a defensive spell,” he nodded in agreement before his lips curled into a playful sort of Chesire Cat-like smile. “A point…I would like you to hold on to for just a bit longer, if you please. I would like to circle back to that,” he added with a wink before resuming his slow pacing along the red ribbon upon the woven mats.

The Chesire Cat-like smile from Desiree’s answer only widened further, moving away from a little playful smirk to a full toothy smile to show off his pearly white teeth. Which, for the record, were less natural than his luxurious locks. At first, he simply tapped his nose - right on the top of it - and also gave her a little wink.

Words of affirmation were necessary, but first he would like some information.

“Perfect. And, may I have your name, please?”

“Thank you, Valentina,” he nodded while coming to another pause along the red ribbon and performing a bit of a lunge stretch. “Would you then conclude, Valentina, that you feel yourself to be more of a strategist?”

Thus far, only Hawk had shared the most honest and reflective answer to that query. At least in Jericho’s eyes and in how he had intended the question to be taken. Something he had not conveyed well to the students, he felt.

Ah, here was perhaps where he realized the folly of his outline. In selecting a quote that had the term ‘winning’ in it, it created this subconscious fight or flight instinct within the impressionable minds surrounding him. Winning was right, losing was wrong. It was a truly rookie mistake and a bit uncharastic for someone in his professional field, life coaching that is. He had clearly been more nervous than he had initially thought when preparing for this seminar. Something for him to meditate upon later seeing as public speaking was not something he every shied away from.

And then her answer turned tragic and it was almost as if a dark mist overtook the space. It certainly explained a few of the hazes that surrounded the older students. The ones who had been old enough to attend Hogwarts during the war - there was a certain visual divide between the two groups, after all.

“Dawn, thank you for sharing,” he smile. That was particularly pointed towards the vulnerability displayed for reflecting back on the war itself. A difficult time for all of them to process and move on from. “Would you then say that you feel yourself to be an aggressive person?” That was only somewhat rhetorical. “And an excellent distinction regarding offensive magic. Something I would like for us to discuss a bit later in conjunction with some other points raised by your peers.”


No need to be ashamed, nor was he alone in absence of a greeting. Jericho simply desired to make sure the boy’s attendance had been noticed and was appreciated.

“Ah, yes. Intent,” he reiterated with a little flourish of his right hand, swirling it at the wrist. “An excellent echo and elaboration, Evan. As may of your peers have already touched upon, there is overlap between the two categories of spells. In fact, to the creative and unorthodox mind, any spell could be defensive and any spell could be offensive. It is true that, traditionally, there are those spells with which we do associate with being more offensive and others more defensive…but this is precisely the concept I wish to have you all practice today. Something we will get to in just a moment.”

And…here things went again. It was a good, healthy thing for young minds to question and be curious. Though he did feel a certain discomfort in this vibe that some students seemed to be under the impression that he may be trying to trick them in some capacity. Not wishing to repeat the exact same words he had already said to her peers earlier regarding this, why one or the other and not both, Jericho simply smiled and decided he ought to just address this directly and with a great sadness weighing upon his chest - these poor students!.

“The importance of both defense and offense is not something up for debate, I promise,” he assured her, as well as all her peers who still seemed on the fence and looking at their half empty glasses, with a laugh and both palms raised up as a passive gesture. “I believe we all can agree that in order to succeed you need both. No duellist has ever won a professional duel otherwise. It is much easier for us standing here now to take our time to think through options. We have the luxury of time and space, but in the heat of the moment…when we must act immediately and on instinct, this luxury is gone. You must make a choice in that moment, one…or the other…and that is all I was hoping to illustrate and practice in a safe environment. To invite you each to reflect upon your own nature, instincts, and to understand how these instincts would manifest themselves when you must make a quick decision during a duel. To become a good dueller and spellcaster, it is important to understand your motivations and are intimately acquainted with your instincts. The inner nature of your spellcaster, if you will.”

His response was directed towards everyone, as indicated by his wandering warm gaze upon each student. This was also why he had made it clear none had to share their reasons for choosing the side they had. Instincts were intimate.

“So, why not both?” he mused, that tenderness still prominent in his voice as he shifted his gaze back to the blonde. “Both is simply not an option in this particular exercise. I do apologize to you all for not making that more transparent.” He paused a moment so he could retrieve a hair band from his pocket to begin to put his hair up in a messy half bun. "And may I have your name, please?"

Originally Posted by the otherside of the board

Defensive Magic
Defensive magic is magic that helps deflect spells that are cast your way
Accio
Expecto Patronum
Impedimenta
Shield Charms, such as Protego

Offensive Magic
Offensive magic doesn't necessarily need to hurt the other person, just make them unable to attack you
Stupefy
Incendio
Incarcerous