SnitchSeeker.com - View Single Post - Lesson: History of Magic: The Chamber of Secrets

AlwaysSnapesGirl · 07-08-2026, 04:22 AM

Text Cut: Replies

Quote:

Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19

Idris knew that it was his emotions that were leading his choice of words. When he thought about the Muggle-Borns that had been harmed, his heart went out to them. In turn, that made him express those feelings in words. In any case, that was the extent of what he wanted to say about Tom Riddle. Despite his true feelings about him being evil, Id really could not find any more adjectives to describe the man that had once lived. Instead, he focused on updating his notes, scribbling as quickly - and legibly - as he possibly could.

Only now was his mind somewhat free to focus on what they were all moving on to. How brilliant was Hermione Granger to figure out using a mirror to spot the basilisk? And it also made sense due to the mention of the first name but Id was not missing his friend, Hermione Laramore. The thought of writing to her later cheered him up so he shed his desiccated feelings to focus on the new task.

Mirror in hand, the seventh year peered at what was supposed to be the glass. It was too dirty to recognise much. Sad… he would have liked to check on his hair. “Vee-truh-MOH-nee-uh, Vee-truh-MOH-nee-uh. Vitrumonia.” Having much wand waving practise under his belt prior, the Lion proceeded to try the spell on the mirror. “Vitrumonia,’’ he thought, waving his wand in the manner Amstern had done earlier. Naturally, that entailed a lot of concentration and focus too!

On his first try, the dirt and grime vanished. This left a delightful Idris to study his reflection - which included his hair. “I’m going to have to try using that spell with wandless magic at some point,’’ he told his reflection. “Don’t you think?” His reflection simply gave an enthusiastic nod.

Taking a turn about the room to observe the students as they practiced the spell, Mr. Grunt's successful efforts were among the first to catch her attention. "That would be an excellent goal to strive for," Vashti said with a smile. "Great work, Mister Grunt." Wandless magic was a difficult skill to learn, but she was certain that with the enthusiasm and drive that he possessed, he could accomplish anything he set his mind to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

While Iris was trying — rather desperately — to remain focused on the spellwork before her, her thoughts had an unfortunate habit of wandering.

Not not lost in them. Just wandering.

Magic may have been the most tangible source of power in their world, but it was the written word—and, more importantly, access to it—that truly shaped history. After all, the existence of magical folk had been concealed from the majority of the world for centuries, sustained not merely by enchantments, but by carefully curated records, omissions, and narratives rewritten just enough to maintain the mirage.

Which only reinforced how vital the study of history — proper history — really was.

She appreciated Professor Amstern's willingness to let them linger in those uncomfortable questions of why rather than simply what: to consider motive alongside consequence, and to remember that history was made by people, with all their flaws, fears, and convictions. It was a empathetic approach to the subject, one that had the sixth year absently twirling the end of her strawberry blonde braid around her finger while a small, thoughtful smile tugged at her lips as she found herself understanding why Nyle spoke of his Head of House with such genuine admiration.

She managed to refocus when Vitrumonia appeared on the board. Well then, if there was one charm she could probably manage in her sleep, it was this one.

Between perpetually smudge-prone spectacles, evenings spent insisting every pane of glass surrounding her telescope be immaculate before stargazing, two healer parents who considered cleanliness not only a virtue but a professional obligation, and an uncle whose standards bordered on obsession, she had accumulated years of practice with the Glass Cleaning Charm.

Wand in hand, Iris gave it a subtle wave with no incantation spoken aloud. Magic rippled across the mirror's surface, the cloudy film dissolving at once until the glass shone with such crystalline clarity that a fool might have mistaken the reflection of the classroom ceiling for a portal to another corner of the castle.

Iris tipped it slightly, inspecting it out of habit for the sort of faint streaks most people would never notice. Satisfied that none remained, her attention caught on her own reflection instead and she scrunched up her nose. Somehow the mirror's newfound perfection had made constellation of freckles across her face more prominent in its pristineness.

Another student's efforts caught her attention next, and that was Ms. Harden's. "Excellent nonverbal spellwork, Miss Harden." Vashti smiled. The ease with which the Ravenclaw had cast it led Vashti to believe it wasn't her first time, but it was no less impressive. Nonverbal spells could be difficult to master, even for the simpler spells.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhoenixRising

Did Kara attempt to look in the mirror that was placed on her desk even though by fifth year she absolutely knew better than to touch things before told? Absolutely. Distracted though by how dirty the glass was, she was half focused throughout the initial lecture. It wasn't Professor Amstern's fault; she liked the woman well enough. But History itself was pretty dry.

Why had Salazar not released the basilisk himself? Probably because he needed the basilisk to grow first. Either that or because he was very busy and important. She smiled to herself, thinking that answer probably applied to Tom Riddle as well. Or at least Tom Riddle liked to think of himself as important.

Time to practice a charm?? Well this was definitely a fun twist to the normal history lessons, but Kara supposed she shouldn't be surprised. Professor Amstern did try to make things more interesting.

"Veeeetruumoooneea" She muttered, thinking how this would actually be useful. Raising her hand thoughtfully for the first time that class, "Professor, does this charm only work on glass? Or could it be used to clean on other substances? As long as they're shiny?"

No spell-casting yet from Ms. Walsh, but there was no rush, since they still had a little time for practice. It was good to be careful with practicing pronunciation first; incantations could be tricky sometimes.

"This one is exclusive to parts made of glass," Vashti replied. "I suppose one could attempt it on other objects, but it would be much less effective on them than using a more general one like the Scouring Charm."

Ten minutes flew by quite rapidly, it seemed, and now it was time to continue on to the final part of the lesson.

"Great work, everyone," Vashti said, taking her place at the front of the room once more. "We must move on to our next activity." With a wave of her wand, a previously-concealed, round door appeared on the wall at the front of the room. Snakes were engraved on the door. "Today, you will encounter a modified version of the events that Harry Potter experienced during his time in the Chamber of Secrets.

"Once you enter the door and slide down the pipe, you'll find yourself in the tunnels leading to the chamber." An illusioned version of it, but it would feel as real as the classroom was. "Your goal is to navigate your way through the twisting, winding tunnels to find the main chamber area. You may use any spells you feel will help you find your way through. But be careful - there's a basilisk on the loose."

A brief pause here, just for a little dramatic effect. Professors could have fun too, yes? "It's not a real one, to be clear - only an animated statue. But this is where your mirrors will come in handy. Use them to check around corners and bends in the tunnels, or even for anything behind you. If you make eye contact with the basilisk, whether directly or indirectly through the mirror, you will find your feet frozen in place for about five seconds. The basilisk will then vanish and reappear elsewhere in the tunnels, so once you are unfrozen, you have time to continue without it immediately freezing you again." It would be unfair and un-fun, after all, for the basilisk to just hang around in one spot and keep freezing them over and over, preventing any hope of progress.

“You may work alone or with a partner,” she continued. “If you have any questions, please let me know. Otherwise, you may queue up when you’re ready, and go on through the door.”

Once each student approached, the door would open with a hiss. A pipe opening, large enough for an adult human to easily slide through, would lead them right into the opening tunnel, which expanded into multiple different paths. Which one would they choose?

---

OOC: Activity time! Whether your student chooses to go in alone or with a partner, don't worry about having them wait for their turn in the queue - feel free to assume it's their turn and head on through the door to the "Chamber of Secrets" tunnels. The Narrator will pop in to provide clues and hints to help guide your character to the end of the tunnels. And please do not roleplay for the basilisk.

Also, catch up posts are allowed at any time!

We'll begin wrapping up the lesson some time around 8:00 PM EDT (GMT-4) on July 11th.

07-08-2026, 04:22 AM	#17 (permalink)
AlwaysSnapesGirl Charing Cross Rd. Mod St. Mungo's Mod Niffler Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Narnia Posts: 20,124 Hogwarts RPG Name: Vashti Amstern Graduated Hogwarts RPG Name: Edmund Edgecombe Graduated Hogwarts RPG Name: Zephyr Amstern Ravenclaw Sixth Year Hogwarts RPG Name: Nathaniel Hensley Slytherin Seventh Year Hogwarts RPG Name: Felicity Aurorae Gryffindor Seventh Year x7 x1	Baguette \| there is no D in my name \| TRAITORclaw \| Queenie of Narnia Text Cut: Replies Quote: Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19 Idris knew that it was his emotions that were leading his choice of words. When he thought about the Muggle-Borns that had been harmed, his heart went out to them. In turn, that made him express those feelings in words. In any case, that was the extent of what he wanted to say about Tom Riddle. Despite his true feelings about him being evil, Id really could not find any more adjectives to describe the man that had once lived. Instead, he focused on updating his notes, scribbling as quickly - and legibly - as he possibly could. Only now was his mind somewhat free to focus on what they were all moving on to. How brilliant was Hermione Granger to figure out using a mirror to spot the basilisk? And it also made sense due to the mention of the first name but Id was not missing his friend, Hermione Laramore. The thought of writing to her later cheered him up so he shed his desiccated feelings to focus on the new task. Mirror in hand, the seventh year peered at what was supposed to be the glass. It was too dirty to recognise much. Sad… he would have liked to check on his hair. “Vee-truh-MOH-nee-uh, Vee-truh-MOH-nee-uh. Vitrumonia.” Having much wand waving practise under his belt prior, the Lion proceeded to try the spell on the mirror. “Vitrumonia,’’ he thought, waving his wand in the manner Amstern had done earlier. Naturally, that entailed a lot of concentration and focus too! On his first try, the dirt and grime vanished. This left a delightful Idris to study his reflection - which included his hair. “I’m going to have to try using that spell with wandless magic at some point,’’ he told his reflection. “Don’t you think?” His reflection simply gave an enthusiastic nod. Taking a turn about the room to observe the students as they practiced the spell, Mr. Grunt's successful efforts were among the first to catch her attention. "That would be an excellent goal to strive for," Vashti said with a smile. "Great work, Mister Grunt." Wandless magic was a difficult skill to learn, but she was certain that with the enthusiasm and drive that he possessed, he could accomplish anything he set his mind to. Quote: Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie While Iris was trying — rather desperately — to remain focused on the spellwork before her, her thoughts had an unfortunate habit of wandering. Not not lost in them. Just wandering. Magic may have been the most tangible source of power in their world, but it was the written word—and, more importantly, access to it—that truly shaped history. After all, the existence of magical folk had been concealed from the majority of the world for centuries, sustained not merely by enchantments, but by carefully curated records, omissions, and narratives rewritten just enough to maintain the mirage. Which only reinforced how vital the study of history — proper history — really was. She appreciated Professor Amstern's willingness to let them linger in those uncomfortable questions of why rather than simply what: to consider motive alongside consequence, and to remember that history was made by people, with all their flaws, fears, and convictions. It was a empathetic approach to the subject, one that had the sixth year absently twirling the end of her strawberry blonde braid around her finger while a small, thoughtful smile tugged at her lips as she found herself understanding why Nyle spoke of his Head of House with such genuine admiration. She managed to refocus when Vitrumonia appeared on the board. Well then, if there was one charm she could probably manage in her sleep, it was this one. Between perpetually smudge-prone spectacles, evenings spent insisting every pane of glass surrounding her telescope be immaculate before stargazing, two healer parents who considered cleanliness not only a virtue but a professional obligation, and an uncle whose standards bordered on obsession, she had accumulated years of practice with the Glass Cleaning Charm. Wand in hand, Iris gave it a subtle wave with no incantation spoken aloud. Magic rippled across the mirror's surface, the cloudy film dissolving at once until the glass shone with such crystalline clarity that a fool might have mistaken the reflection of the classroom ceiling for a portal to another corner of the castle. Iris tipped it slightly, inspecting it out of habit for the sort of faint streaks most people would never notice. Satisfied that none remained, her attention caught on her own reflection instead and she scrunched up her nose. Somehow the mirror's newfound perfection had made constellation of freckles across her face more prominent in its pristineness. Another student's efforts caught her attention next, and that was Ms. Harden's. "Excellent nonverbal spellwork, Miss Harden." Vashti smiled. The ease with which the Ravenclaw had cast it led Vashti to believe it wasn't her first time, but it was no less impressive. Nonverbal spells could be difficult to master, even for the simpler spells. Quote: Originally Posted by PhoenixRising Did Kara attempt to look in the mirror that was placed on her desk even though by fifth year she absolutely knew better than to touch things before told? Absolutely. Distracted though by how dirty the glass was, she was half focused throughout the initial lecture. It wasn't Professor Amstern's fault; she liked the woman well enough. But History itself was pretty dry. Why had Salazar not released the basilisk himself? Probably because he needed the basilisk to grow first. Either that or because he was very busy and important. She smiled to herself, thinking that answer probably applied to Tom Riddle as well. Or at least Tom Riddle liked to think of himself as important. Time to practice a charm?? Well this was definitely a fun twist to the normal history lessons, but Kara supposed she shouldn't be surprised. Professor Amstern did try to make things more interesting. "Veeeetruumoooneea" She muttered, thinking how this would actually be useful. Raising her hand thoughtfully for the first time that class, "Professor, does this charm only work on glass? Or could it be used to clean on other substances? As long as they're shiny?" No spell-casting yet from Ms. Walsh, but there was no rush, since they still had a little time for practice. It was good to be careful with practicing pronunciation first; incantations could be tricky sometimes. "This one is exclusive to parts made of glass," Vashti replied. "I suppose one could attempt it on other objects, but it would be much less effective on them than using a more general one like the Scouring Charm." Ten minutes flew by quite rapidly, it seemed, and now it was time to continue on to the final part of the lesson. "Great work, everyone," Vashti said, taking her place at the front of the room once more. "We must move on to our next activity." With a wave of her wand, a previously-concealed, round door appeared on the wall at the front of the room. Snakes were engraved on the door. "Today, you will encounter a modified version of the events that Harry Potter experienced during his time in the Chamber of Secrets. "Once you enter the door and slide down the pipe, you'll find yourself in the tunnels leading to the chamber." An illusioned version of it, but it would feel as real as the classroom was. "Your goal is to navigate your way through the twisting, winding tunnels to find the main chamber area. You may use any spells you feel will help you find your way through. But be careful - there's a basilisk on the loose." A brief pause here, just for a little dramatic effect. Professors could have fun too, yes? "It's not a real one, to be clear - only an animated statue. But this is where your mirrors will come in handy. Use them to check around corners and bends in the tunnels, or even for anything behind you. If you make eye contact with the basilisk, whether directly or indirectly through the mirror, you will find your feet frozen in place for about five seconds. The basilisk will then vanish and reappear elsewhere in the tunnels, so once you are unfrozen, you have time to continue without it immediately freezing you again." It would be unfair and un-fun, after all, for the basilisk to just hang around in one spot and keep freezing them over and over, preventing any hope of progress. “You may work alone or with a partner,” she continued. “If you have any questions, please let me know. Otherwise, you may queue up when you’re ready, and go on through the door.” Once each student approached, the door would open with a hiss. A pipe opening, large enough for an adult human to easily slide through, would lead them right into the opening tunnel, which expanded into multiple different paths. Which one would they choose? --- OOC: Activity time! Whether your student chooses to go in alone or with a partner, don't worry about having them wait for their turn in the queue - feel free to assume it's their turn and head on through the door to the "Chamber of Secrets" tunnels. The Narrator will pop in to provide clues and hints to help guide your character to the end of the tunnels. And please do not roleplay for the basilisk. Also, catch up posts are allowed at any time! We'll begin wrapping up the lesson some time around 8:00 PM EDT (GMT-4) on July 11th. __________________ if we fall, we will fall together; and when we rise, we will rise together__________________♥♥♥♥ together we are dangerous; together with our differences; together we are bolder, braver, stronger