|
Charms: Ascendio & Descendo It was a cold November morning outside, but inside the Charms classroom it was...not warm, per se, but certainly not as chill as the late autumn temperatures outside. Too much warmth would not be conducive to the lesson he had planned for today. |
Asena Kaplan - Hufflepuff Asena was relieved, to say the least, when she stepped into the charms classroom. It was too often that these Hogwarts professors liked to opt for the unconventional classroom arrangement. And quite frankly, the theatrics often lead much to be desired, especially when it came to teaching. Her teachers at the Academy kept things simple. It was more effective. Less distractions for those who lacked attentive discipline. This is a school, after all. Not a showroom. Someone ought to remind them of that every now and then. Asena is looking at you, Headmaster Winterbottom. With this in mind, she wasn't feeling that same, incoming pressure headache when she passed by their professor's desk today. "Hello, Professor Edgecombe," she offered a polite nod before moving towards a seat in the middlemost section of the arrangement. Naturally, she planned to excel among her peers, but there wasn't any need to showboat by taking a seat at the front. |
Harvey Forsfelle :: Ravenclaw The light rustle of his cloak filled Harvey’s ears as he made his way to Charms. He was peering out of windows as he did so, noting that it was that time of year when the weather was making its way into that super chilly sort in preparation for Christmas. Speaking of! A grin spread across his face. “So, Neb,’’ he began casually. “Whose muscles do I need to get for you this Christmas?” He reached out with an attempt to poke his friend in the arm quite playfully. “I suppose Papa Curious and Grandmama Sterope would be super interested to hear this.” That smile turned into a mischievous one, the thought of Neb’s grandmother having a fit over such quite amusing. The first thing the Ravenclaw noted when he stepped into the classroom was that it wasn’t filled with the usual warmth as others. How peculiar. “Hi, Professor.” Along with that greeting, Harv tossed in a two fingered wave before following his friend to take a seat. On his way there, he sent Asena a nod. |
Aurora Barrington, 4th year Ravenclaw The weather was getting colder, and it also was making Aurora excited for the holidays. The temperature itself wasn't bothering her too much, as between wearing a jumper and using a few heating charms, she could stay relatively comfortable in the castle. Not to mention, a lot of the classrooms seemed to have their own heating charms applied, although it didn't seem the Charms professor had taken it into consideration, as she entered the classroom, finishing up a loose plait in her auburn hair. "Good morning Professor Edgecombe", she said as she headed for her usual desk near the window, giving him a bright smile. Following it with nods toward Asena and Harvey as she settled in to wait for the lesson to officially begin. And/or for more students to arrive. Not to mention finding out what the lesson was going to be about. It was curious how there wasn't any hints present. Maybe there was a cloaking charm present or something, or maybe the professor just was choosing not to give any hints until the lesson properly started. |
Nebula Curious, Ravenclaw Nebula arrived for Charms class, and she had her cute Ravenclaw eagle jumper on for the cold, but was hoping it'd be warmer in the class. She caught up with Harvey right before they walked through the classroom door, "Shush up, Harv." Laughing before playfully shoving him. Thoughts about muscles in the morning did nothing for her academics. That's right, papa, she does take her academics seriously... in between all the fun. "But I could use your help with a project after class." She had plans but needed some help organizing everything. As soon as Nebula entered the classroom, she saw Professor Edgecombe and smiled at him. "Hello, Professor." Before going over to take her usual seat and gave Asena and Aurora friendly waves . Nebula did Professor Feirgrund's presence, but her grades haven't changed, thankfully, since the term started. |
Text Cut: Greetings Time to begin. A casual flick of his wand closed the classroom door. Anyone who tried to sneak in late would not go unnoticed. "So," Edmund said, ready to get right into the topic at-hand, "today our focus will be on the Ascension and Lowering Charms." With another wand flick, words appeared on the board. Quote:
Quote:
Now, these charms are easy to understand, but they require great consideration and intention before you use either one. What aspects of your target do you need to consider before you cast?" --- |
Harvey Forsfelle :: Ravenclaw Harv was not about to shush up. At least not yet. Didn’t Neb know how much he enjoyed teasing her? Her obsession with muscles amused him. He staggered sideways for a few paces as the shove but he was laughing, especially since there was no harm done. A project after class? “Count me in.” Because… anything for a friend, right? Plus the thought of a mysterious project had piqued his interest, almost as though the entire thing had a pomaceous scent to it and was luring him in. Now that Harv was seated, he unpacked his books, quill and ink. He also occasionally watched his classmates file in. Which was how he saw Aurora’s nod. She got a grin in return. And now they were getting into the lesson. The Ravenclaw flipped open his book, ready to take notes on the two interesting charms they were about to work on today. As he wrote the details, the question was thought of silently. Only until he was ready with an answer did his hand go up. It was true, those spells seemed as if they would require a lot of consideration and intent, given that things could go wrong fast if used or cast incorrectly. “Weight, perhaps? If the target is heavy you might want to use less intent or force. If the target is on the lighter side you might have to use more.” |
Asena Kaplan, Hufflepuff Asena offered polite nods to the others who stepped into the classroom, though she was relieved that no one tried to make small talk as she set her things out onto her desk. It wouldn't be long before class began and she wanted to start it off right. Fortunately, she did not have to wait much longer. Asena was pleased that Professor Edgecombe didn't spend time on lengthy anecdotes before getting into the crux of the lesson. Being straight to the point was a lost art these days. And while she didn't raise her hand right away, she considered the question carefully before offering an answer of her own. "If you plan to cast either spell underwater, you have to account for buoyancy." She hadn't ever seen a need to use it in the water herself, but perhaps it would make sense given the right circumstance. "In air, you're fighting against gravity, but underwater, buoyancy might assist an Ascension Charm, but may make the Lowering Charm more difficult." Then there was obviously the issue with using it on people underwater, buoyancy that changes with depth. That brought on a whole other slew of limitations, though she didn't care for a mid-lesson tangent and thus, kept the secondary thought to herself. Harvey had kept his answer short, she'd do the same (albeit, better). |
Nebula Curious, Ravenclaw Nebula considered the question, and everyone else seems to have gotten the point across. How big the object and its inner mass was. It was very much like learning about the planets and calculating its position and where it aligns among the stars. Not to get into a tangent on her thoughts, since she was in academic mode. "Well... it helps to know where you want to raise and lower the object at. So the positioning is important. Especially if it's a fragile item like a vase, you don't want to just drop it from up high without control." |
Iris Forsfelle l Slytherin Iris sat drawing flowers on a piece a of parchment while she waited for more peers to arrive. She was sitting in a desk in the row behind her brother Harvey and his friend Nebula. Iris was oddly the only snake to so far have greeted Professor Edgecome with a smile upon entering. The lesson started, but Iris as a 4th year didn't rush to answer the question. She gave it some thought, and let some other students talk first before she raised her hand to awnser thoughtfully. "The weight of the object you intend to move is very important. A lighter object like a feather doesn't require as much force or concentration to move as a heavy one like a big wooden table. Also another important aspect to consider is where you intend to put the object your moving. If you put a heavy object like a case of books on a more fragile object or surface then it might cause damage." Iris didn't say anything about moving things underwater but, it mattered if the object could float did it not? |
Text Cut: Replies As each answer was given, an equivalent question was added to the board. When it seemed there were no more hands being raised, Edmund continued. "Well thought out answers, all of you." They all seemed well-prepared for the lesson so far, which was always a good sign. "Weight, environment, location, speed control - every possible aspect of your target that you can think of is important to bear in mind when trying to cast either of these charms. Failing to do so can result in damage, whether it's the shattering of an object or causing an injury to yourself." Quote:
--- |
Harvey Forsfelle :: Ravenclaw With each point that was added to the board, Harvey made sure to note them all. Overall, the class had provided some pretty great answers. He particularly liked how Neb and Iris phrased theirs. Such brilliant women in his life - this was a fact that he seriously appreciated. After making his notes, he set about mulling over the next question. Idly, the third year tapped his quill against the desk in the process. He suddenly found himself picturing two equally muscular arms and it was his job to do exactly as Edgecombe was describing. A He raised his hand half heartedly. “I think both actions would require an equal level of skill, especially if you’re looking to avoid an accident of any sort.” Yeah, because what a shame if anything were to happen to big, beefy arms. |
Text Cut: Replies Once he noted that there were no more hands raised, it was time to continue on to the next part of the lesson. "Good thoughts, everyone. There was no right or wrong answer to that one since it is purely opinion-based. And, one might argue, skill-based, considering any individual person could struggle more with one charm or the other." One person might think the Ascension Charm was more difficult, while another might find casting a successful Lowering Charm a greater struggle, and both would be right. "But, ultimately, you don't want to be careless or reckless with either of them. "But that's enough of the discussion portion for now," Edmund continued. "Let's move on to more practical exercises." With a wand-flick, more information was added to the Ascension and Lowering Charms sections on the board. Quote:
"Once you feel comfortable with pronouncing them and with your wand movements, I have something for you to practice on." Edmund walked toward the back of the room, and with a wave of his wand, the back of the classroom expanded outward, effectively doubling the size of the classroom length-wise. There was plenty of open space, and a number of wide, round pillars rose up. They stood about 1.2 meters (4 ft) high, and the top of them was perfectly flat and wide enough for a person to stand comfortable on them. "When you're ready, you'll select one of the pillars, and cast the Ascension Charm on yourself and lift yourself onto the pillar. Then you'll cast the Lowering Charm on yourself to land back onto the floor. Like so." He stopped a little bit away from one of the pillars and raised his wand upward. "Ascendio." He rose easily into the air, lifting just enough for his feet to land lightly on top of the pillar. Then, guiding his wand into the elongated C-shape, he cast, "Descendo." And he glided easily back down to the floor. Not too bad, yes? "You'll have about 15 minutes to get some practice in before we move on to our next exercise. You may practice as many times as you want, just be sure to queue up and take turns as needed. "If you have any questions or require assistance, raise your hand and let me know at any time. "You may begin." --- |
Harvey Forsfelle :: Ravenclaw Harv suspected that had been one of those sorts of questions - the answer being one that could not be considered wrong or right. He preferred these types since he really liked hearing what others had to say. Intelligent conversations, after all, are very very stimulating to his mind. His gaze returned to his notes as he scribbled his notes, making careful note of the details of each Charm Edgecombe had gotten up on the board for the class. The Ravenclaw was already hoping that he’d be successful today with at least one of them. The Professor, as usual, made everything look so easy - the incantations, the wand movements… he hoped to channel that easy confidence. Especially since now he was feeling so inexplicably grumpy. The activity that came after the practise though! The floor was protected with a Cushioning Charm, right? Just in case someone had an accidental stumble. He was no katydid that could perch on a single leaf without having to worry about losing its balance. But he would cross that bridge when he got there! For now? All focus was on said practise. “Ah-SEN-dee-oh. Ah-SEN-dee-oh. Ascendio.” With ease, the third year pointed his wand upward a few times. “Deh-SEHN-doh. Deh-SEHN-doh. Descendo!” Harv now did his best to mirror that Elongated C shape that Edgecombe had made earlier. It took him more than a few tries to perfect that but… yes. He eventually felt satisfied with his work. It should be, hopefully, enough to help him get through the next portion of the lesson. |
Angel Escalante - Slytherin As usual, Angel paid close attention to the lesson. His quill moved across the parchment—intently jotting down the names of the charms and wand movements. He liked that the spells sounded like words in Spanish, which made it easy to remember and pronounce. His lips parted in awe as the professor demonstrated their next task. A thrill always went through him at the sight of magic. He’s seen his dad and family do magic, but it was the normal daily stuff. Not the summoning pillars from the ground kind. This was awesome. He wanted to fly. After practicing the wand movements (especially the Lowering Charm’s movement) and their respective pronunciation, he approached one of the pillars. The first set of instructions was easy. Again, his Spanish helped him with pronunciation, but the casting is where he felt insecure. Taking in a centering breath, Angel pointed his wand upward. His face felt warm as nothing happened. He tried again and as it failed the second time, he felt his small confidence grow smaller. Face shining bright red, he went to the back of the queue. This was so embarrassing. His dad’s a Charm Master and here he was, failing at a simple spell. |
Harvey Forsfelle :: Ravenclaw Harvey, now done with practise, approached one of the pillars. Said practise actually boosted his confidence level though a little self doubt poked at him jaggedly with its many sharp corners. Closer examination of the pillars showed that he could actually sit there on one quite comfortably. Okay, so maybe he did not have to worry about failing that much. Well… here went nothing! Harv took a deep breath, his intent clear as he pictured himself on that pillar. “Ascendio.” Chill. Calm. Cool. Collected. Somewhat focused. He felt his feet separate from the ground for about three seconds after he pointed his wand upwards. He landed with a soft thump! “Ascendio.” A little higher this time, but overall, it took four tries to make himself ascend onto that pillar smoothly and in one go. He stood atop it, looking over his classmates, a tiny grin the only thing showcasing how triumphant he felt. Getting himself down would prove tricker though. “Descendo.” Maybe his spellwork was just off but the elongated C shape wand movement did not help. “Descendo.” With some more intent, Harv tried again, and much to his surprise, he found himself floating to the ground. His landing was not the best though. The third year landed heavily which made him stagger in an attempt not to fall over. What was important was that he was successful with the activity. |
Text Cut: Replies Hm, yes, a glance at his watch reminded him it was time for the next part of the lesson. "You may continue your practice in a bit," Edmund said, standing in the center of the room and pausing for a moment to ensure the students were turning their attention to him, "but first I want to introduce the activity you are practicing for." With a wave of his wand, the room expanded once more, not just in terms of floor space but in the height of the ceiling. The ceiling rose high above, and pillars suddenly sprouted not just from the floor but the ceiling as well. The pillars seemed paired together, one from the floor and one from the ceiling, a large, roomy gap in between them. Each set of pillars was followed by a number of similar sets, though of differing heights, creating a sort of obstacle course. The final pair of pillars were in constant, though extremely slow, motion, their length adjusting to their changing height. "Once you're ready, I want you to use both charms to navigate through the course to the end. Land on each pillar as you go. Rest assured that there are Cushioning Charms everywhere, on the ground and ceiling and pillars. You won't be hurt if you fall or bump against the pillars." After all, he had no desire to send a bunch of students to see the Healer after class. "If you do land on the ground instead of the next pillar, simply try again to reach that pillar. You don't need to start over at the beginning of the course." Unless they wanted to for the extra challenge, he supposed, but he wasn't going to require it. "If you have any questions, let me know. Otherwise, you may begin the course when you're ready." --- |
catching up! Iris Forsfelle l Slytherin Before she knew it the class moved on to the next question. What requires more effort, lifting up an object or bringing the same object down? Thinking Iris silently hummed to herself before raising her hand to answer. "I think both actions requires an equal amount of effort. However lifting something down might require more effort if you get surprised by the weight of it, and have to struggle to put it down without yourself getting damaged by it." A practice portion followed and Iris dutifully practiced along with her other peers the incantations for the two charms and their movements. "Ah-seen-dee-oh, Ah-seen-dee-oh, Ascendio!" Iris recited to herself in a hushed tone to not distract anyone near her like her brother. "Deh-SEHN-doh, Deh-SEHN-doh, Descendo!" She contined to practice both incantations before moving on to the wand movements taking extra time with the elongated C shape since it felt prudent somehow. The mini activity was next introduced and it got big eyes and jaw dropping from Iris as she stared up at the pillars with panic. Professor Edgecome wanted her to lift herself up on a pillar, and then down? What if she did it all wrong and fell down, was the floor cushioned? Iris watched intently how Professor Edgecombe lifted himself up and then lowered himself down like it was nothing. Stay calm she ordered herself. She was good at charms...She could do this. Taking a steadying breath Iris moved away from her brother and Nebula to not accidentally hit anyone if she fell. Closing her eyes she drew her wand as she envisoned herself being lifted up just like she did with scoring a quaffle goal. Opening her eyes she casted firmly "Ascendio!" as she performed the upward motion aiming for the closest pillar. Her first attempt just lifted her up a few inches above ground before falling back down. Her next few attemps weren't much better. On her fourth attempt Iris was fuming with frustration and anger as she cried out "Ascendio!" and felt herself being lifted up with force up onto the pillar. Scrambling up on her feet she looked down over the pillars edge, immediatley wishing she hadn't..Stopping the panic that was creeping up she reminded herself that this is just like when you sit on your broom, your in control. Breathing in and out she steadied her pulse, and refocused casting firmly "Descendo!" Slowly she descended toward the ground, landing softly she sagged down in a heap on the floor. Now could this class be over? Unfortunatley for Iris her professor had other ideas. Watching as an obstacle pillar course unfolded itself in the room the snakette just shook her head. Guess they weren't done yet....Picking herself up from off the floor Iris made her way to the starting point, armed with her wand. Let's get this over with, she muttered to herself as she casted "Ascendio!" and began making her way through the course. |
Harvey Forsfelle :: Ravenclaw Thank goodness he hadn’t actually fallen over, because he would have landed directly at Edgecombe’s feet. Or maybe he would have even crashed into the man. As it was, crisis was averted and his harvest? The man praising his attempts. Harv grinned. “Thanks, professor! That was a nice way to lead into the bigger activity, by the way.” Even professors deserved nice words for their lesson planning when it was due. Since he was finished with his practise, this left the Ravenclaw free to give his undivided attention to the new activity. He watched with interest as the classroom changed once more. Not much was needed to explain the new pillars’ presence. The set up made it quite obvious what the goal was. Seeing them, a new sense of determination rose within Harv, the sort he felt during those Gobstones matches where one of his shots depended heavily on the outcome of the match. It was a very welcome feeling, distracting him temporarily from his grumpiness. With the reassurance of the Cushioning Charm’s presence, the third year got started, just after Iris - who was already doing well, he noted. “Ascendio.” His wand was pointed upwards, and to his surprise, he began moving in that direction immediately. And so he had conquered his first pillar, one on the ceiling. “Descendo.” The elongated C shape wand movement was traced out. It was a repeat of that attempt that saw him descending onto the pillar below the first. Excellent! He was getting the hang of this. Harv continued the task, which was not always smooth sailing. There were some occasions when the spell had to be repeated numerous times so that he could proceed; there were a few times when he bumped himself - his head, a hand, a leg - on the pillars. But with each pillar, he was closer to the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ - the end of the challenge. “Descendo.” With another cast of the Descending Charm, he descended onto the last floor pillar. He had made it to the end! Sure, it had taken a little longer than he would have liked but he’d take the win! |
| All times are GMT. The time now is 03:06 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2026, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
LinkBacks Enabled by vBSEO 3.3.2 © 2009, Crawlability, Inc.
Site designed by Richard Harris Design