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The Muggle Studies classroom was fine, though you might have wondered why the class was moved down to the Laundry Room. Instead of the large tubs typically found in such spaces, there were now was looked like huge black and white cubes equipped with dials and knobs. Next to them was a long table filled with baskets and various bottles. A sign on the board read, "You can look, but do not touch these yet." If students touched the devices prematurely, they would receive a lovely static shock until it was time to engage with them.
Where was Professor Leroy? He stood at attention, arms folded. If you happened to deduce what today entailed from the notice board, and brought an old something related to it. Good. "Settle down... we will have a lot to get through today."
ooc: Welcome to Muggle Studies. Professor Leroy has been teaching at Hogwarts for the last few years, so please play accordingly. If you need to, refresh yourself with the site and RP rules before posting. And please remember to title all your posts with your character's name & house. Thank you.
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Lessons not being held in classrooms were always a welcome change. This was why Krittika did not mind heading for the laundry room; naturally she already suspected the lesson would be focusing on… well, laundry. The moment she banked the door, her face drew an expression of surprise. Washing machines! How lovely!
Then again, the additions came as no surprise given the fact that there were Muggle appliances scattered throughout the Castle this term.
“Hi, professor,’’ the Ravenclaw cheerily greeted the way-too-serious man. Oooh, what are those bottles about? Detergents? She moved closer for further observation. Today’s lesson was going to be quite a good one, she could already feel it!
A class held somewhere outside a classroom then JT was there. The snake boy headed down to the laundry room in a fairly good mood. Coming into the laundry he greeted his professor first with a cheerful "Hello, Professor Leroy!" and a wave before taking a moment to read the notice up on the board. Right, no touching the muggle washing machines or the other bottles, and devices. JT folded his hands behind his back while he went around to look at all the stuff while he waited for the lesson to begin.
♥s her SS family l Wifey is MINE | Naughty Niffler l Whittysaur l #awkwardturtle<#
Aurora was always down for lessons that took place outside of the classroom. And as soon as she saw that they’d be in the laundry room, she knew today’s lesson would be about how muggles did laundry. Having both wizarding and muggle ancestry, Rory was familiar with a lot of stuff from the muggle world. She liked this class because it connected her to that part of her heritage while she was at school.
”Hello, Professor Leroy” she said cheerfully as she walked in the room. She sent Krittika and JT friendly waves in greeting then she glanced at what was written on the board. Okay, no touching the washing machines. She could do that. Rory waited patiently for others to arrive.
Baguette | there is no D in my name | TRAITORclaw | Queenie of Narnia
Florence had considered dropping this subject after her OWLs were completed. It was not a subject that interested her as much as other ones, and she doubted she would need it for her studies and career later on. However, given that she was unsatisfied with the results of her exams, it felt a little too much like admitting defeat if she dropped it now. She was certain she was capable of obtaining perfect O's in every subject, and that was a belief she refused to give up on, no matter what her OWL marks were. She would simply do better with her NEWTs.
And so, here she was, joining the rest of her classmates for this lesson in the laundry room. She was not impressed with this idea, but it wasn't up to her where these lessons took place.
"Hello, Professor," she said politely. The others who had already arrived also received a polite nod if they happened to look her way, but otherwise she found a spot to stand quietly. No temptation to touch the laundry machines here.
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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
Xerxes entered the Laundry Room, not the usual setting for a Muggle Studies class, but he was very excited regardless. Xerxes enjoyed change, as well as the unexpected. So today was bound to be a fun lesson.
"Good Morning, Professor Leroy." Xerxes said to his teacher, as way of a morning greeting. "I hope today finds you well."
Xerxes then walked over and stood with the other students around some......what were they? Robots? Computers? Something electronic and mechanical, anyway.
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Hufflepuff - Trained Ministry Hit Wizard
not throwing away my shot | Slytherpuff | roll for initiative | woof you ❤
Were they going to be doing laundry in class today? That was the best explanation Elena could think of as to why they were having class in the laundry room. It was certainly the simplest explanation, which often meant that it was the right one. But it was not the most exciting explanation. Though that made sense, because she didn't often associate a laundry room with exciting. Still, she was curious.
"Hello professor," Elena greeted with a friendly smile when she entered the room. She did of course notice the large machines in the room. They were pretty hard to miss. And Elena being Elena was of course tempted to touch them right away. But she saw the sign, and refrained from doing so for now. But she hoped that they would get to use them soon.
Lessons not being held in classrooms were always a welcome change. This was why Krittika did not mind heading for the laundry room; naturally she already suspected the lesson would be focusing on… well, laundry. The moment she banked the door, her face drew an expression of surprise. Washing machines! How lovely!
Then again, the additions came as no surprise given the fact that there were Muggle appliances scattered throughout the Castle this term.
“Hi, professor,’’ the Ravenclaw cheerily greeted the way-too-serious man. Oooh, what are those bottles about? Detergents? She moved closer for further observation. Today’s lesson was going to be quite a good one, she could already feel it!
Jeorge arched a brow as the Ravenclaw entered, her delight already radiating off her like heat from a tumble dryer on its final cycle.
“Ah, Miss Joshi,” he greeted, voice dry but not unkind. “You seem suspiciously pleased to be here. Either you have a secret passion for textile maintenance or you’ve finally cracked the timetables and know what’s coming.”
He watched as her gaze drifted toward the bottles. Predictable.
“You are welcome to observe those from a respectful distance,” he added, following her eyes to the detergents, “lest you fancy smelling like industrial lavender until next week.”
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nordic Witch
A class held somewhere outside a classroom then JT was there. The snake boy headed down to the laundry room in a fairly good mood. Coming into the laundry he greeted his professor first with a cheerful "Hello, Professor Leroy!" and a wave before taking a moment to read the notice up on the board. Right, no touching the muggle washing machines or the other bottles, and devices. JT folded his hands behind his back while he went around to look at all the stuff while he waited for the lesson to begin.
“Mr. Forsfelle,” Jeorge replied with a slow nod, his tone as dry as the lint trap he cleaned that morning. “Riding high on the novelty of non-classroom learning, I see.” He watched JT circle the machines with the casual air of someone who might follow the rules—until he didn’t. He gestured vaguely toward a squat, boxy washer with a dent in its side. “That one nearly added a pair of trousers to the sock void during testing before I administered the proper repairs. So yes—look, don’t poke. Or I’ll have to hand you a caution sign and make you part of the demonstration.”
Quote:
Originally Posted by WhittyBitty
Aurora was always down for lessons that took place outside of the classroom. And as soon as she saw that they’d be in the laundry room, she knew today’s lesson would be about how muggles did laundry. Having both wizarding and muggle ancestry, Rory was familiar with a lot of stuff from the muggle world. She liked this class because it connected her to that part of her heritage while she was at school.
”Hello, Professor Leroy” she said cheerfully as she walked in the room. She sent Krittika and JT friendly waves in greeting then she glanced at what was written on the board. Okay, no touching the washing machines. She could do that. Rory waited patiently for others to arrive.
“Miss Bay,” Jeorge greeted with a slight incline of his head, arms still folded like a watchful gargoyle stationed beside a large brass gate. “Look at that,” he said under his breath, as if speaking to the machines. “A well-behaved group. I must be in the wrong dimension.”
He stepped slightly to the side to make room as more students filtered in. “Go on, take it all in. This is laundry, not theatre. Though I make no promises it won’t end in drama if someone doesn’t pay proper attention with sorting clothing for the wash. Turned all my best white shirts a truly heinous shade of pale pink from a pair of red…well…pair of red something that ought not to have been in that particular load.”
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlwaysSnapesGirl
Florence had considered dropping this subject after her OWLs were completed. It was not a subject that interested her as much as other ones, and she doubted she would need it for her studies and career later on. However, given that she was unsatisfied with the results of her exams, it felt a little too much like admitting defeat if she dropped it now. She was certain she was capable of obtaining perfect O's in every subject, and that was a belief she refused to give up on, no matter what her OWL marks were. She would simply do better with her NEWTs.
And so, here she was, joining the rest of her classmates for this lesson in the laundry room. She was not impressed with this idea, but it wasn't up to her where these lessons took place.
"Hello, Professor," she said politely. The others who had already arrived also received a polite nod if they happened to look her way, but otherwise she found a spot to stand quietly. No temptation to touch the laundry machines here.
“Miss Schultz,” Jeorge said with a clipped nod in return, his tone as polished as her posture. “Punctual as ever. A habit I do hope rubs off on the stragglers in particular.”
He noted the precision with which she avoided the machines and the classmates alike, and his eyes narrowed slightly in what might have been appreciation—or amusement.
“No need to look so thrilled. You’ll be pleased to know there will be no pop quizzes on spin speeds or stain types—unless, of course, you ask for one in which case I will gladly supply.”
Quote:
Originally Posted by badger_boy_93
Xerxes entered the Laundry Room, not the usual setting for a Muggle Studies class, but he was very excited regardless. Xerxes enjoyed change, as well as the unexpected. So today was bound to be a fun lesson.
"Good Morning, Professor Leroy." Xerxes said to his teacher, as way of a morning greeting. "I hope today finds you well."
Xerxes then walked over and stood with the other students around some......what were they? Robots? Computers? Something electronic and mechanical, anyway.
“Mr. Cadwallader,” Jeorge returned, gaze sweeping down from the machines to the boy’s cheerful face. He shifted just slightly, one brow arching as Xerxes moved toward the machines. “I assure you, they won’t bite and certainly are not sell-aware like the suits of armour or occasional candlestick. At least… not until one of you hits the wrong button and we discover sentience via fabric softener.” He let that hang in the air for a beat too long before adding, almost as an afterthought, “I’m well enough, thank you. Let’s aim to keep it that way.”
Quote:
Originally Posted by littledhampir
Were they going to be doing laundry in class today? That was the best explanation Elena could think of as to why they were having class in the laundry room. It was certainly the simplest explanation, which often meant that it was the right one. But it was not the most exciting explanation. Though that made sense, because she didn't often associate a laundry room with exciting. Still, she was curious.
"Hello professor," Elena greeted with a friendly smile when she entered the room. She did of course notice the large machines in the room. They were pretty hard to miss. And Elena being Elena was of course tempted to touch them right away. But she saw the sign, and refrained from doing so for now. But she hoped that they would get to use them soon.
“Miss Petrova,” Jeorge greeted, catching her smile with a raised brow. “You’ve already exceeded expectations by reading the sign. Remarkable restraint.” He watched her eye the nearest washer like a Kneazle eyeing a fluttering curtain and his voice dropped in tone significantly.
“Fascinating, aren’t they? Large, mysterious… buttons begging to be pushed.” He folded his arms across his front. “But do remember that admiration does not require physical contact.”
Once the last student had shuffled in and the door clicked shut behind them, Professor Leroy uncrossed his arms, stepped forward with the solemnity of someone about to deliver very bad news, and said—
“Yes, we are, in fact, doing laundry today.” A brief pause. “Try to contain your excitement.” He let that statement hang in the air, stone-faced, just long enough to elicit either despair or confusion or enthusiasm for the rare individual among them —all of which he found equally motivating. “I know,” he continued, tone arid as desert sand, “the glamour of magical education. Truly, nothing rivals the thrill of separating delicates and sorting garment based on hue.” He gestured toward the rows of humming machines with the grace of a game show host who deeply regretted his career. “Simple? Perhaps. Mundane? Certainly. But it’s worth noting this entire process of loading clothing into the machines, selecting the correct cleaning solutions, selecting the appropriate cycle—which is an entire gamble if you’re new to the game—changed the shape of Muggle life. But before anyone bursts into tears or spontaneous applause—let’s begin with this thought, how do laundry machines in the Muggle world compare to the way witches and wizards might rely on house-elves or magic to handle laundry?”
A pause, eyes sweeping the room with mild expectation.
“Feel free to answer out loud, hand raised. Telepathic responses don’t work unless I’ve had at least four cups of coffee and I most certainly haven’t.”
ooc: Lesson has now started. You are welcome to join in whenever just remember that latecomers will be penalized IC for their tardiness. You have about 24 hours to answer the first question.
Xerxes raised his hand, "Well, Professor, its a matter of convenience. Laundry is, in most cultures both magical and muggle alike, considered an........unappealing task; shall we say. Wizards have delegated this unsavory chore to house elves or else found spells to make the clothes wash and dry themselves of their own accord. Muggles, it appears, have built some sort of robot to do it for them. What they lack in magic, they certainly make up for in ingenuity."
__________________
Hufflepuff - Trained Ministry Hit Wizard
JT opened his mouth to defend his actions in response to Professor Leroy's comment to show that he was actually keeping his hands to himself, but then thought better of it. He didn't want to risk losing house points so he kept silent. JT just chose a good place to stand that was well away from all the pokeable machines and things.
When the lesson began JT pondered his answer before respectfully raising his hand and saying, remembering what his parents had told him about muggles. "Laundry machines in the muggle world run on electricity, and muggles have to put in their sorted clothes in the laundry machine by hand, and then choose a cleaning programme that they click in on the machine before the clothes can by cleaned, and after they have to dry the clothes and then iron them.."
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Last edited by Nordic Witch; 06-03-2025 at 04:02 PM.
Reason: forgot my post label...
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Kritti giggled softly. “Are you saying I’m not usually this excited for your lessons, Professor? Let’s just say that the Muggle way of doing laundry is quite fascinating.” She nodded now, moving a step closer to the detergents. “I’ll be careful not to get too close.” And so she observed though her gaze did wander as her classmates trickled in. Rory and Florence got dimpled smiles in acknowledgement to their respective greetings.
The Ravenclaw wasn’t sure about who got excited for laundry but it hardly mattered; Leroy was probably just being sarcastic. As the man continued speaking, she used the back of a hand to rub her nose. It was an attempt to hide her grin because despite dry nature of Leroy’s tone, in her opinion, his words had always been somewhat humorous. Especially when he said to hold the applause and tears.
She cleared her throat before lifting that same hand. “Washing machines can be effective in removing stubborn stains due to them using various levels of water pressure and spin cycles. This also works for Muggles as it ties in what Xerxes said about convenience; they wouldn’t have to spend a lot of time and energy trying to remove those stains."
With a low grunt and the scrape of broom bristles dragging across stone, Algamus made his arrival known even without the loud POP of his elfsie apparition. His expression was carved in permanent disapproval, his long ears twitching with restrained disdain as he guided a pair of heavy baskets of unwashed student robes and linens.
"Elfsies be cartin’ their stink up and down the castle like traveling dung beetles,” he muttered, halting the baskets with a sharp jab of his broom. "Professor Leroy wants laundry? Then laundry he shall havsies. Smells like a troll’s armpit in July, it does."
He eyed the laundry room with suspicion, then raised his voice slightly—enough to make sure any nearby students could hear it him better. "Studenties in elfsies territory doing elfsies jobsies...if even one studentsie says a sock goes missing, it is not elfsies faults!"
Without another word, Algamus planted the broom like a battle standard beside the baskets and waited for the others to catch up.
Appearing out of sight and behind one of the machines, the soft pat-pat-pat of bare feet and the metallic clink of a spatula announced Quirly’s arrival at full sprint. Her arms were overloaded with layers of quidditch robes, a basket of dirty socks balanced atop her head, and her eyes were wide with a dangerous mix of pride and panic.
"Delivery incoming! Don’t let them slip, don’t let them spill—nooo don’t—aha!" she gasped, sliding into place beside Algamus with barely-controlled momentum. "Quirly has brought extra uniforms and socksies! Just in case!"
She reached down, adjusted her spatula at her hip, and then bowed to the professorsies...the whole basket of socks toppling off her head and into a pile of stink at her feet.
"Oh nooosies! Spill!"
Quirly let out a small shriek and immediately dropped to her knees, trying to scoop the socks back into the basket with wild urgency and whacking herself in the face at least twice in the process.
"Not on purpose! Not Quirly’s fault! The socks are slippery and rebellious today! Please, Algamus sir, don’t broom-whack Quirly! Quirly meant well!"
Xerxes raised his hand, "Well, Professor, its a matter of convenience. Laundry is, in most cultures both magical and muggle alike, considered an........unappealing task; shall we say. Wizards have delegated this unsavory chore to house elves or else found spells to make the clothes wash and dry themselves of their own accord. Muggles, it appears, have built some sort of robot to do it for them. What they lack in magic, they certainly make up for in ingenuity."
"Convenience, that's the key word." Jeorge said. "And yes, elves are expected to follow their orders, no questions asked like a muggle machine." He liked when answers brought the main point home.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nordic Witch
When the lesson began JT pondered his answer before respectfully raising his hand and saying, remembering what his parents had told him about muggles. "Laundry machines in the muggle world run on electricity, and muggles have to put in their sorted clothes in the laundry machine by hand, and then choose a cleaning programme that they click in on the machine before the clothes can by cleaned, and after they have to dry the clothes and then iron them.."
"Correct, Mr. Forsfelle." Jeorge said. "That is how they run. The machines have since advanced enough for muggles to even use a remote-like device without having to physically touch the machine." A bit over the top, in his opinion, but that was the neat thing considering how muggle brains worked.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19
She cleared her throat before lifting that same hand. “Washing machines can be effective in removing stubborn stains due to them using various levels of water pressure and spin cycles. This also works for Muggles as it ties in what Xerxes said about convenience; they wouldn’t have to spend a lot of time and energy trying to remove those stains."
"Indeed, convenience is important." Jeorge said. "It's just like our wands, we don't have to to rely on physical labor with them at hand." Literally.
Good answers. Some were quiet, but that was fine, he was just going to assume they had the same thoughts or were dreaming of the perfect sandwich to make later. That was what he would think about. But now it was time to move on. “Whilst witches and wizards rely on wandwork and Scouring Charm to clean and give our clothes a fresh scent, our alternate method matches Muggles' ancient and industrial methods of physically scrubbing clothes clean and setting out to dry. Imagine, if you will for a moment, taking your robes out to the lake and beating them against rocks while using soap made from lard and ash. That’s how Muggles did it centuries ago. Since Muggles are without magical ability, they rely on technology and build machines to do the work in a timely fashion.” Leroy tapped the board showcasing images of the washing machine’s evolution.
SPOILER!!: blackboard
Pre-Industrial Era:
Clothes were washed by hand using washboards, stones, or simply beating garments against rocks in rivers.
Washing was labor-intensive and often communal.
Early Machines (18th–19th centuries):
First washing devices were hand-cranked drums and wooden barrels with paddles inside.
James King patented one of the earliest drum-based machines in the mid-1800s.
These machines required manual power and were used primarily by the wealthy.
Electric Era Begins (Early 1900s):
The first electric washing machines appeared around 1908.
Machines used motors to rotate drums, but safety was minimal (exposed belts, wringers).
Women still had to manually wring out clothes with hand-cranked rollers.
Mid-20th Century Advancements:
Fully automatic machines emerged in the 1940s–50s.
Included integrated spin-dry cycles, timers, and thermostats.
Washing machines became more affordable and widespread in middle-class homes.
Impact on Society:
Saved hours of manual labor, freeing up time—especially for women, who primarily handled household chores.
Viewed as a symbol of modernity and domestic liberation.
Influenced urban development (laundromats) and changing gender roles.
Modern Innovations:
Eco-friendly and energy-efficient models.
Smart machines with Wi-Fi connectivity, app integration, and advanced sensors.
Front-loaders vs. top-loaders remain a consumer preference debate.
“They are brilliant examples of innovation, but also can be quite noisyーespecially when dancing while containing quite the heavy load... The machines have adapted over time, with the earliest forms during the 18th and 19th centuries looking like barrels with internal paddles that were hand cranked. I bet some of you Quidditch players would appreciate the workout.” Giving a pause for some to chuckle or react with some of their classmates.
“By the early 1900s, electric motors completely revolutionized washing, removing entirely the element of manual labor and allowing Muggles to simply plug these machines into walls to make the internal chamber where clothing is put for washing to spin.” Leroy tapped the board again, “Fast forward some 50 years, and the machine known today as the modern ‘automatic’ washer emerged that could wash, rinse, and spin dry without any manual labor required. A crude way to think, but some would compare the results to having a house-elf in a box. Today, Muggles have washers with touch screens, sensors, and even remote controls from those little square machines you’ll see them carrying around rather incessantlyーsmartphones."
"The advancement of washing machine technology had a significant societal impact. Muggle women, who had traditionally been confined to home and domestic duties, gained more time for other activities due to the efficiency of modern machines. This shift played a crucial role in reshaping gender roles in Muggle society. Some scholars even say that the Muggle washing machine did for laundry what Floo Powder did for wizarding travel. I’ll let you all mull over that thought on your own. So, from devices that required physical exertion to modern washing machines, where all the muggles have to do is wait for the machine to finish and then come back to retrieve their clothes, the innovation Muggles display in their washing technological advancements is truly a marvel!” Please, hold the applause. Leroy couldn't get enough of the excited look on the students, if there were any.
SPOILER!!: elves reaction
Quote:
Originally Posted by Algamus
*POP*
With a low grunt and the scrape of broom bristles dragging across stone, Algamus made his arrival known even without the loud POP of his elfsie apparition. His expression was carved in permanent disapproval, his long ears twitching with restrained disdain as he guided a pair of heavy baskets of unwashed student robes and linens.
"Elfsies be cartin’ their stink up and down the castle like traveling dung beetles,” he muttered, halting the baskets with a sharp jab of his broom. "Professor Leroy wants laundry? Then laundry he shall havsies. Smells like a troll’s armpit in July, it does."
He eyed the laundry room with suspicion, then raised his voice slightly—enough to make sure any nearby students could hear it him better. "Studenties in elfsies territory doing elfsies jobsies...if even one studentsie says a sock goes missing, it is not elfsies faults!"
Without another word, Algamus planted the broom like a battle standard beside the baskets and waited for the others to catch up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quirly
Appearing out of sight and behind one of the machines, the soft pat-pat-pat of bare feet and the metallic clink of a spatula announced Quirly’s arrival at full sprint. Her arms were overloaded with layers of quidditch robes, a basket of dirty socks balanced atop her head, and her eyes were wide with a dangerous mix of pride and panic.
"Delivery incoming! Don’t let them slip, don’t let them spill—nooo don’t—aha!" she gasped, sliding into place beside Algamus with barely-controlled momentum. "Quirly has brought extra uniforms and socksies! Just in case!"
She reached down, adjusted her spatula at her hip, and then bowed to the professorsies...the whole basket of socks toppling off her head and into a pile of stink at her feet.
"Oh nooosies! Spill!"
Quirly let out a small shriek and immediately dropped to her knees, trying to scoop the socks back into the basket with wild urgency and whacking herself in the face at least twice in the process.
"Not on purpose! Not Quirly’s fault! The socks are slippery and rebellious today! Please, Algamus sir, don’t broom-whack Quirly! Quirly meant well!"
Was Professor Leroy amused? Yes... mostly yes. The bickering grated him, but he hid this feeling nicely with the blank expression. "Appreciate it, Algamus and Quirly.. don't be too hard on yourself, Quirly. We'll take good care of this." Was that a twinkle in his eyes? You just imagined it, if you asked. "Mind sticking around? Got something in store for you after." And no, it wasn't going to break the Gringotts vault.
"Alright, you lot. That's it for the lecture. Let's give a round of applause to the house elves who were kind enough to let us sort through the laundry today." He gave golf-like clap for them before he adjusted the baskets. Hey, some of these clothes look like yours, don't they? Better get to claiming. "Come on up and take one of the baskets, you might find some of your own stuff in here. First thing, take turns sorting them by colour, fabric-type, and the kind of stain. Dark and light colours are to be separate.. and within the light colored, keep any red and white colors separate. Unless you love the colour pink. There may be food and gunk on some of these," Cue some disgusted moans. "Just use one of the other clothes to hold it if you're squeamish. And on the tables are multiple bottles labeled appropriate, so you're safe go up and take what you need. While a washing machine is great at cleaning, it's important to prep before loading them in the machine so your clothes get to looking like new again." Leroy then tapped his wand lazily as a flow of new words appeared on the board.
SPOILER!!: Old Wive's Tales
Lemon Juice & Sunlight (Ink or Wine Stains)
Apply lemon juice, lay the fabric in sunlight—"to bleach the sin from the fabric," as Muggles say.
Milk Soak (Berry Stains)
Soak stained fabric in cold milk overnight. Bonus folklore: “Milk draws the wickedness out!”
Baking Soda Paste (Grease or Sweat Marks)
Make a thick paste with water and scrub. Students could chant, “Bubble, bubble, stain in trouble…”
White Vinegar Dab (Grass or Tea Stains)
Said to “break the green curse.” Strong smell might cause giggles.
Raw Potato Rub (Mud or Blood Stains)
Slice and rub directly onto the stain. Why a potato? No one knows. Muggles are mysterious.
Salt Pile (Red Wine Stains)
Pour salt over fresh spills immediately. The salt is said to "suck up the shame."
Bread Crumb Blot (Lipstick or Makeup Stains)
Old tale claims white bread can blot out “glamour gone wrong.”
Egg Yolk & Rubbing Alcohol (Coffee Stains)
Whisked together and rubbed in—perfect for chaos-prone students to test on Professor Thistleway’s napkin.
Club Soda Splash (General Stain Neutralizer)
Poured on immediately—"sparkle water makes the stain dizzy."
Mayonnaise on Crayon Stains
Rub it on, let it sit, then wipe. Students may revolt at the idea of using sandwich spread on laundry.
"On the board are some old wives' tales, used by non-magical folk to remove those harder stains. Let's put them to good use, shall we?"
ooc: Good. Now let's get to sorting those clothes of yours and try to remove the hard stains. You are welcome to join in whenever, just remember that latecomers will be penalized IC for their tardiness, so act like you been here all along. You have about 48-72 hours to work on the first part of activity.
Xerxes listened to both his Professor and the house elves that had Apparated into the Laundry Room. Before getting started sorting the dirty clothes, Xerxes raised his hand. "Uh, Professor. What, pray tell, is a 'wive's tale'?" he asked. He had never heard such a term before. Maybe it was a story that only a wife would know; like one of those "secrets of marriage" his parents had mentioned whenever they gave each other a salaciously knowing look.
While waiting for an answer to his query, Xerxes grabbed one of the laundry baskets and got to work sorting clothes. He had heard the Professor say something about separating the lights and darks. But really, what was a "light" color. He supposed that dark purple and navy blue would qualify as "dark", but what about more neutral colors? Like green, for instance, could be either light or dark. Blue, true blue, was kind of right in the middle; neither light, nor truly dark.
The color thing was confusing him. So Xerxes decided to sort the clothes into more useful categories; specifically: formal-wear and informal-wear. He grabbed a few articles of clothing and began to separate them. A blazer was formal. But the pair of shorts was casual. The neck tie was formal; while the bikini was casual. Xerxes continued in this manner until he had a sizable mountain of sorted clothes in front of him.
__________________
Hufflepuff - Trained Ministry Hit Wizard
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Kritti was only mildly startled when the loud POP pierced the air. Her gaze darted to the direction of the sound and was met with the sight of a grumpy looking elf. It was no surprise to her that he was complaining about the students doing the jobs elves usually did; House Elves were so hardworking they wouldn’t necessarily see having less chores to do as a good thing. Then there was another elf making an appearance - one who was clearly in a better mood.
Oh, no! With the socks tumbling from the basket, Kritti was quick to dive into action. Gingerly, she helped the elf. “It’s okay. Accidents happen,” she murmured, stepping closer to Quirly and tossing some stinky socks back into the basket. Or at least, she hoped so given how the second self seemed scared of upsetting the first.
After a moment of assisting, the Ravenclaw stepped back just in time as the lesson moved on. There was quite a bit of information to be processed and she did her best to do so as much as possible. One thing was for certain, however, this young lady loved the innovativeness of Muggles. The manualness of the previous inventions must have been something…maybe even difficult? Then again, Muggles back may have had more free time since there weren’t many things demanding their attention. Like smartphones.
‘Love the colour pink’? Krittika’s ears perked up like a kneazle. She ADORED pink! But she had sense and knew that it would be right to keep the articles of clothing separated as directed by Leroy. Making a disgusted face she moved forward to begin sorting the clothing. Some of her fellow Hogwartians were highly messy. Dark and light colours, that’s what she got started with. When there was a satisfactory pile of each of the two, she then divvied the whites and reds.
Xerxes listened to both his Professor and the house elves that had Apparated into the Laundry Room. Before getting started sorting the dirty clothes, Xerxes raised his hand. "Uh, Professor. What, pray tell, is a 'wive's tale'?" he asked. He had never heard such a term before. Maybe it was a story that only a wife would know; like one of those "secrets of marriage" his parents had mentioned whenever they gave each other a salaciously knowing look.
While waiting for an answer to his query, Xerxes grabbed one of the laundry baskets and got to work sorting clothes. He had heard the Professor say something about separating the lights and darks. But really, what was a "light" color. He supposed that dark purple and navy blue would qualify as "dark", but what about more neutral colors? Like green, for instance, could be either light or dark. Blue, true blue, was kind of right in the middle; neither light, nor truly dark.
The color thing was confusing him. So Xerxes decided to sort the clothes into more useful categories; specifically: formal-wear and informal-wear. He grabbed a few articles of clothing and began to separate them. A blazer was formal. But the pair of shorts was casual. The neck tie was formal; while the bikini was casual. Xerxes continued in this manner until he had a sizable mountain of sorted clothes in front of him.
A question, huh? "Old wives' tales are sayings that people believe are true, even if they’re not. It's not always the result that’s wrong—but the reason behind it." His wand gestured lazily at the board. "Most old wives' tales are about health, luck, or how the world works, but they aren’t backed by experts. The ones on the board here show how Muggles in the old days used to share these remedies. These beliefs started before modern science was trusted, but now we rely on science from a non-magical point of view to understand what actually works and why." He hoped that made sense. "Of course, we have our own too. An apple a day, keeps a Healer away. An apple isn't the cure to everything, but it sure is a healthy snack with benefits that any Healer would agree on."
Professor Leroy then took a walk around. Miss Joshi was working, and look at that, she helped to the elf beforehand. Being of a certain age, his eyes squinted then from a distance, was that a blazer? Bikini? Mr. Cadwallader must be sorting through a Professor's load. Though why the elves brought some of his colleague's stuff is a mystery. "Remember everyone, you got other lessons and activities after this class, so don't overwork yourself. The pile doesn't need to be high, unless you're sorting through your own backlog of clothes." Which is understandable.
Baguette | there is no D in my name | TRAITORclaw | Queenie of Narnia
Florence opted for listening to the first question and the answers other students provided, instead of offering her own. The others covered it just fine, to her at least, so she saw no reason to try to scrounge up an answer of her own.
She did note the arrival of two house elves with laundry baskets, and her nose wrinkled a little at a glimpse of some of the used garments in there. Merlin, how messy could some people be? She was not looking forward to the rest of this lesson.
A lecture came first though, and this, actually, held some interest for her. Florence enjoyed the inclusion of the history of this particular invention. It made her appreciate and understand it far more. Not that it was difficult to understand without the history leading up to it, but it felt more personal to imagine how people without magic used to wash their clothes and how they created something that made it easier and more efficient, and how it gave women more freedom too. She respected that.
But now...the part she wasn't looking forward to.
Florence eyed the list of old wives tales and decided she was hoping for something with an ink stain on it. That seemed less disgusting than mud, sweat, or blood stains. But that would depend on what clothing items she found and sorted.
She avoided getting anywhere near the socks, opting instead for a pile of robes and shirts. With a sigh, she began sorting the light and dark colors.
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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
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
With the sorting done, the young woman eyed the stains. Once again, she was grossed out. She didn’t remember ever dirtying her own clothing like that, not even when she was a little girl running around chasing her twin. But Krittika was as resilient as ever and pushed on. She first examined the stain she noticed on a couple of white shirts. The green stood stark against the white fabric and she suspected it might be a grass stain. She suddenly had a vision of first year students rolling about in the grass on the Grounds.
A quick check on the board told her that white vinegar would help. With the bottles clearly labelled, she selected the appropriate one from the lineup. Some of the contents were poured on a rag she unearthed from the corner of the room, and some of the vinegar poured on it. Next, each of the stains was rubbed with that rag, making sure the entire thing was covered. Hopefully that was sufficient!
YesJess! | Captain Goggles | Mama Badger | Eva's Soul Sister | An OG™ | It's all in the Numbers
Emma had opted to listen to the question answers from her peers, having grown up relatively privileged and never having had to do her own laundry. She took one of the baskets from where the elves had dropped them off, perusing for a basket of clothes she recognized. She found one with familiar quidditch uniforms and sighed at the grass and mud stains.
Raw potato rub and white vinegar. Selecting the two items from the lineup, she returned to her seat to get to work on removing those stains.
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___________________You should take your littlefinger and just point it in the mirror. ________________________________________Baby, maybe you're the problem✯
Algamus gave Professor Leroy a single, stiff nod in acknowledgment, broom tucked neatly beneath one arm He said nothing at first, merely squinting at the man’s expression as if he didn’t trust it for a moment but ultimately relented. The old elf grunted, gaze flicking sideways to where Quirly was still clutching her sock basket like it might sprout wings and flee and her bottom lip trembled like a frightened pudding.
"Hurumph," he muttered, and gave the smallest possible tilt of his head toward Quirly. Not quite a gesture of forgiveness... but the best that would be offered at this time. If she didn't get hit with the broom, she'd been forgiven enough.
Turning his attention to the classroom, Algamus watched as the students got to work and his eye twitched in particular at the young Hufflepuff and his sorting methods. The old elf nearly offered praise to the one Slytherin student for her diligence and sock avoidance, but then he saw the potato. He clutched at his broom like it was the only thing keeping him from falling over in disbelief. If ever there was a time for a firm TWACK to a young person’s head, this was it. Algamus’ brows lifted skyward in a rare display of disbelief. "Raw potatosies for or grass stainsies, bread crumbsies for lipsticksies, mayonnaisesies for crayonsies. Better luck chantin’ at the stainsies with sparkle water!"
Unable to keep watching such nonsense, Algamus turned sharply and began sweeping the floor with slow forceful strokes. The sound of bristles dragging across stone masked the rest of his mutterings, though a few key phrases escaped the broom’s rhythm, "Mugglesies and their sandwich spreadsies... disgrace to laundriesies everywhere…"
He swept around the baskets and students like a grumpy sentinel, waiting for whatever ridiculous 'after' Professor Leroy had promised but determined to keep some dignity intact while doing it.
♥s her SS family l Wifey is MINE | Naughty Niffler l Whittysaur l #awkwardturtle<#
As the lesson continued, Aurora listened intently. She didn't bother answering the question because her classmates had said everything perfectly enough and she didn't really have anything to add on.
There was quite a lot of information to process, and she did her best to remember it all. Fortunately for her, she did have a rather good memory. And there were the house elves with laundry for them to use as their activity. She did know more or less how laundry worked in the muggle world, and figured that she should do well at this. Or at least she hoped she would.
Rory grabbed a basket of laundry and began the process of sorting the clothes by colour and fabric type. Whenever she came across something with a stain she set it aside so that she could work on removing them trying the methods on the board.
There were a few items that had grass stains on them and Rory decided that she would start with them. Using the white vinegar she dabbed on each item in turn until she thought that it would do the trick.
Xerxes had finished sorting the clothes into two large piles. He wasn't sure this sorting system was the one approved by and used by most Muggles. but it made sense to him.
He then turned his attention to the next part of the task and decided to try one of these old Muggle "wive's tales" to get out the stubborn stains. After re-reading the dubious Muggle solutions on the blackboard, he decided that the most relevant remedy would be the "Baking Soda Paste". He picked up an undershirt with a red-ish brown stain on the front. Xerxes then walked over to the table of cleaning supplies and searched out the "Baking Soda". Expecting a bubbly liquid (like soda is), Xerxes exhausted every other option before picking up the correct box. This baking soda was a powder?......not what he had expected at all.
Xerxes then began to mix the Baking Soda with water to create a paste. He then surmised that he was supposed to spread this paste over the stain. After doing so, he sat there and waited for something to happen.
"Am I supposed to scrub or agitate this in some fashion? Because as of right now, nothing is really happening." Xerxes asked, raising his hand, trying to get either his Professor's attention or the house elves'.
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Hufflepuff - Trained Ministry Hit Wizard
Quirly peeked up over the rim of her sock basket, lip still wobbling as her big batty eyes darted between the professor’s not-quite-a-smile and Algamus’… well… not-quite-a-death glare. “Quirly is not bein’ hard on hersies,” she squeaked out quickly, straightening up like she hadn’t just dropped fifty stinkies onto the floor. “Quirly just wants everythingsies to be perfect!” Her ears twitched and her lashes fluttered. “But she will stay, oh yes yes, and be most helpingsies after, if Professorsies Leroy wants her to!”
At Algamus’s hurumph and that almost-tilt of his head, her face lit up like a sunrise and she scooped the remaining socks up at record speed, blinking back happy tears. He didn’t hit her with the broom!
The lesson pressed on, and Quirly stayed tucked near one of the big muggle boxes to keep out of the way. Her eyes followed their hands—what they grabbed, what they poked at, what they didn’t sort properly—and she did not gasp when that one boy started organizing robes by occasion. “Is not a dressing room, it’s laundriesies!” she whispered to herself, clutching her spatula like it might need to intervene.
And then came the Muggle tales. A potato, bless its lumpy little self, used to battle stainsies? How charming. How whimsicalsies. She loved it. She did! But—oh, no no nooooooooooooo—she glanced quickly to Algamus, who was already broom-sweeping and muttering about mayonnaisesies and disgrasies. Quirly snapped her mouth shut, nearly swallowed a grin, and nodded along seriously like these Muggle rituals were clearly nothing to be impressed by. Not at allsies.
She darted forward when the one student—Krittikasies, the pink-loving one!—began sorting with lovely logic and soft fingers. “Yes, yes! Good jobbies! Redsies with whitesies make pinksies, unless you wants them to!” she chirped, ears twitching in appreciated for both the sorting and earlier kindness.
The one with sunrise hair was sorting exactly like Professor Leroy said—colour, then fabric, then stainsies. Methodical, careful, respectful of the order of things. Order! Quirly’s little heart did a cartwheel. Then her eyes landed on another student and she shuffled her feet over to the young Mister.
“Yes, yes, Professorsies Leroy's boardsie says scrub scrub—bubble bubble, stain in troublesies!” she sang under her breath, mimicking the chant from the board. “Gives it a little rubby-rub, yes? Mugglesies say the paste works better when you singsies to it!” And just in case Algamus was still watching, she added in a lower tone, “Not that Quirly believes in such sillieses, of course...Quirly is bein’ very seriouses now, yes yes.”
♥s her SS family l Wifey is MINE | Naughty Niffler l Whittysaur l #awkwardturtle<#
Once Aurora was satisfied with her treatment of the first garments, she moved on. Now it was time for the ones that had mud on them. Looking at the board so she could find the treatment option, she blinked. A… raw potato. That was odd. Raw potatoes were absorbent, but that was more for things like water and salt while cooking. She had never heard about them being used to treat blood or mud, and was rather skeptical of the whole thing. Oh well. All she could do was shrug and give it a go.
When her potato was ready, she started rubbing it on the clothes. It felt a little silly, but she was just rolling with it.
Muggle Studies: Take a Load Off 
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Krittika Joshi :: Ravenclaw 
