Five points? Hannah liked points and she knew the way to that was laying it on thick. Ok yeah it was pretty cool that he played professional Quidditch and she couldn't blame him for being proud...it was pretty awesome and all.

"Professor you played for the Heidelberg Harriers and was the best beater anyone has ever seen." Too much? Possibly, but she really did admire him. The man is good at what he does. Anyone could see that!

Oichi had liked quiddich since the moment she first saw her fitrst game at Hogwarts. Thus she had looked up all she could find on the sport and was suprised that in her search she learned about all the alcolades of her flying professor. Tus she knew gow to answer this question and smiled she raised hr hand d responded, "You played beater for the Heidelberg Harriers for 22 years and helped lead you're team to 5 Quiddich World Cups. I must say that is quite atounding, you are one incredible individual.".

Sorry for the delay . . . modem died. New one arrived today.
 

Vindictus nodded at those who answered correctly. "Five World Cup appearances for England," he noted rather proudly. "But there's one thing that professional Quidditch players have and the media fails to report on it. Any guesses?"

He leaned on one elbow and looked at the students in the shed.

"Is it that the media does not mention that you and all other professional quidditch players past and present are part of the international association of quidditch. If thats not it then I really don't know cause thats the only thing I have heard of that is in common with all profesdional quidditch players.", Oichi responded with her hand raised high.

Professional Quidditch players.


Nope. Kurumi didn't have a clue about what they had that the media failed to report on - besides maybe their private lives or something. The dull aspects of their life that media would not be interested in hearing about. "Anything that would not make the tabloids and gossip columns?" Kurumi asked after raising her hand. "The aspects of their lives that make them seem...normal?"

Meh, it was a guess...and something that the media in the nonmagical world didn't really report on.

"Real lives? Families? Children?" Max raised a lazy hand and offered with a hint of sarcasm. He nor his brother had ever been mentioned in the tabloids, but he couldn't really complain about that, could he? The media only seemed to care about the complete lives of a select few star Quidditch players in the league. "Or... the inner drive, stamina, strength, and true love of the game required to play at that kind of level? 'Cause it's not all as easy as it looks with, y'know, the fame and glamour and all that stuff..."

Max didn't really think it was that glamourous at all.

Laura looked at the Professor and raised her hand. "Well Professor I would say they wouldn't talk about the reason they got into the game in the first place." Laura was sure they wouldn't bother about that, they would want all the juicy gossip.

Oh no. A question that she couldn't find in the textbook.

Just how did he expect her to know the answer then?? Hmm? She'd have to think--not something she liked doing unless she was forced to do. Ahem. Time to get the brain flowing; something that would have been much easier if she was actually on a broom flying but you know...

"Uhhh...a secret stash of chocolate frogs that they don't like sharing..?" Now wouldn't that be quite the scandal!

Vindictus thought about two of the answers and nodded. "Well, Max and Kurumi are on to something," he replied after a few minutes of awkward silence. "A couple of points to both of them."

He now stood up and leaned against the fireplace as he gazed at the class. "Charisma. Presence. Indomitability. Resourcefulness. I could go on and on," Vindictus said as he flashed his trademark smile and winked.

"However, I know that all of you have much to do but before I dismiss the class and post the homework, there is something that I need your opinion on."

He pulled out his wand and blue sparks appeared as he gave it a few flicks in the air. As the blue sparks faded, four distinct images appeared.

Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
Photo 4

"Which of these images should I tell my publisher to use on the back cover of my upcoming autobiography?"

He was serious.

rotfl!
 

He wasnt quite sure where his Head of House was leading with this.. other than the fact that he was quite sure everything covered by the pernicious media, so this Ravenclaw stayed quiet and continued to scribble notes on his parchment. This has been a strange class that was for sure...

And now the Professor was asking their opinion on which photo he should use for his book? Taking a survey was he? Well heck if this was gonna be published and sitting on shelves and coffee tables throughout the Wizarding world it has to be one's best right? "Uhm... I'd go with the last one Professor."

O___________O

She knew there was something wrong with the Professor and this just proved her point even more. Seriously, of all the questions to ask...what did this one have to do with flying or Quidditch on a whole...? Still, he asked for an opinion and she was good on giving those sooooo...

"I like the 2nd one the best...the 4th one makes you look old so don't use that one at all even if you don't pick the one I like." Shrug. "I suppose the 1st one's okay too but again I say #2." Nod.

Yeah...could they go now....?

Kurumi shot Max a quick glance followed with a smile before turning her attention back to Professor Vindictus who...was showing them pictures of himself? Oh, right, this man did have a self centered streak that could rival that of a Professor Lockhart if the textbooks were correct in describing his personality.

Trying not to look too amused, Kurumi leaned forward and tapped her lower lip with her index finger while she looked at each photo - her yearbook editor eye sort of going into overdrive at the moment. "Well, professor, my eye gets drawn to the first one where you are in all white and against a white background because it draws attention to your features and nothing else so you become the focus of the picture," she began while she continued to tap away at her lip. "The second, the one where you are seated, is nice...but it is a pose that is rather common for portraits and you probably want to stand out. The third I like because you are playing more with the angles of your face and not making eye contact which gives it a feeling of candidness and also create a little intrigue and interest as what you are looking at and what is making you look so pensive. The fourth is nice, but nothing particularly catches my attention about it."

Oh, right, he wanted them to say which one was their favorite. "Um...so if I had to pick...I would choose between the first and the third, but lean more towards the first if your book has a dark cover."

Laura looked at the photo's the Professor had asked them to look at, she was trying to keep a straight face, Professor Dinosaur was so old, and who would want to read his autobiography, hers would be a lot better. "Professor I would go for the second one, it make you look smart."

Oichi took note of the pressures of the media knowing all too well how they twist everything you say to get a decent story. It was one of the things she hated about being a great young gymnist as well as not getting to live her life as she pleased. But then the topic shifted in a rather interesting way.
Really? The professor is trusting students to pick the picture for his autobiography, cool! "Well, I like the 2nd one with you sitting and relaxing. It makes you look more approachable cause you look like an everday guy rather than a celebrity in a pose in my opinion.".

*blinked*

The lioness was all paying close attention in class when all of a sudden the professor pulled out four photos and now he was asking them to choose the best one for his biography picture? Smirking a bit, she moved her glance towards them and scanned through them one by one, looking as closely as possible, to make sure that she was not going to make a wrong choice after all.

"Professor I'd probably go for the third one,"she beamed and put her thumbs up. "I like the way you sit and the way that you don't look exactly into the camera."She has always liked pictures with this kind of style. She just thought that it was cool when people didn't really look straightly into the camera but actually all of them were not bad. Seriously.

Oh, my Merlin. REALLY?!

What was Vindictus publishing an autobiography for? Surely that wouldn't be a required textbook next year, right? It wouldn't, would it? Sierra looked at all four pictures. She didn't really have a favorite, but...did it matter? This picture was meant to go on the back cover anyway. "Go with number two," she randomly said. "That one looks the most like you."

Well, they were all him, but...the second picture just looked more like him. Did that make sense?

Ready for the next question, Ethan looked curiously at his Head of House and then at the images floating in front of him. Oh.. he was writing an autobiography? Well, that was pretty interesting.. he was sure his mum would like to read that.

Contemplating each one, Ethan offered his opinion. "I like the second one best, Professor," he said. "I think it shows off your physique more," he continued with a nod. "I think it's a good idea to show your fans that you're still really athletic even if you don't play professionally any more." And even he would admit that Vindictus looked really good for his age.. because if Ethan looked that good at 60 or 70 or whatever age this guy was, you'd better believe he was going to show it off.

Errrmm... choose an image of Vindictus? Well... this was awkward. Since when did Professor V think of his physical appearance. But well, maybe she should judge. The prob was... they're all the same in a way. It's cause Vindictus just has the same expression, but in a different angle... Mhmm.

"I'd choose number 2, Professor," the blonde finally chose. With a lot of deliberation, that is. "You look awesome in it." 'Tis a compliment, thank you.

Ella tried really hard not to giggle when Professor Vindictus pulled out his glamour shots and asked for the classes opinion. One thing that couldn't be denied, the man might be ancient but he still had a lovely face. Blush. Not bad hair either, actually. Ella approved.

Looking at each photograph while stroking her imaginary beard, the third year debated in her head. She was torn really, between the first and third pictures, but she had a thing for black and white. "Professor? I'd go with number one. It screams 'Hello World' and besides, your hair looks lovely in that one." And she sat back and gave the man a small smile. Her job was done here, yeah?

Class Dismissed!
 

"Five points to each of you who gave their honest opinion on the photographs," replied Vindictus. "Now off with all of you! There is no homework for this lesson, but the final will consist of two exciting parts - one written, the other practical hands-on flying. Keep your eyes posted on the bulletin boards for the announcement."