Grayson had a POINT and Maddie tried very hard not to nod along with what the older boy was saying even though she agreed with it, at least partly. People didn't like extremes and bodies weren't meant to endure extreme temperatures either way. But Romanos hadn't SAID you'd be LIT on fire, right? She merely asked if you could survive with one and get rid of the other.

"You couldn't survive the cold without fire or some heat source. Merlin, we HAD fire and we were all pretty frosty last term." JUST saying. She remembered THAT feeling well and she was NOT a fan. "And wizards would definitely have an advantage either way seeing as they have spells and their wands at their disposal. Gives them more of a fighting chance if you take away one or the other."

So far the lesson had been pretty focused on the basic elements and hadn’t delved too deep into the magic that it was all about. This had meant that Layla had actually been able to stick her hand up and answer questions that had been asked. Sitting there as a fifteen-year-old answerless either made her appear stupid or ignorant and she was neither. She wanted to get involved for her own sanity. But there was still the risk of looking like a fool should she answer completely falsely.

Although her last answer had been very basic due to the fact she was late to respond in comparison to her over-eager classmates the Professor had still praised her and for that she was glad that she had bothered to make a response. At least it was encouraging.

She seemed to get even deeper into the elements discussion and Layla was glad that she was able to offer a little more insight even though she was once again late to the game. Her hand tentatively raised before she answered. “I don’t think its possible to live without any of the elements, ain’t they the basics for life on Earth?” Although ice could effectively be replaced by water. “Some people are goin’ on ‘bout ice not bein’ as important but there’s lots of potential for climate change to occur. Ice is a reflective surface that refracts the sun’s rays. No ice means no refraction and the planet will heat up. We can’t live on a boilin’ hot planet where very little grows.” And this was where all those geography lessons at Muggle school came in very handy. She could potentially think outside of the box here.

Because you know, everyone else was offering similar answers and she wanted to stand out.

Yep it was a mind blowing fact. And before Dante could even thing about the next question. It was answered. Well that was somehow what he was going to say. Just sounding a lot more smarter than he could ever say it.

So time to just day quiet and people observe.

It was a useful skill to learn.

Silas had admittedly not been paying much attention to the other answers being given... So when he raised his hand he bit his lip first...

"Professor, you mentioned whether we thought the survival rate between Muggle and Wizard kind would differ... Well it might not be as great a difference as some might think. Some Muggles know how to start fires if need be... and not ALL Wizards can conjure it. And perhaps the same could be said with ice, or cooling anyway. Lesser privileged countries would lack the skills/tools to cool themselves... Right?" HE HATED SPEAKING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE SOMETIMES. Ugh.

Also was the ICE thing open for interpretation like he had assumed? Was he being an idiot? Was there somewhere he could vomit? Nerves. He had them!

Caleb kept side eyeing Lex, watching her and her meltdown with interest. He wasn't sure if she was faking it anymore...from the past three years of observing her in class, Lex usually knew when enough was enough. But she wasn't dropping this act...and it was kind of creepy, honestly.

Yeah, Caleb was just gonna...avoid the Head Girl if possible for a while. Yeah. That sounded like a plan.

Now, back to the question at hand...he raised his hand into the air and tuned back into Romanos' lesson. "Well, if we didn't have ice, the whole world would kind of crumble apart, wouldn't it? Because water turns into ice and steam - it's an essential part of the water cycle. And as for the fire, fire not only destroys but also brings about a sort of rebirth. Like when plants are dead and dying...the fire burns out the death and makes the soil fresh for new plants," he explained. Or something like that. His grasp on how nature worked wasn't THE strongest.

Well. That was........odd. She'd expected the professor to acknowledge the fact that the head girl was being weird and check her for anything dark. I mean, this was the Defense professor, right? So it made sense to expect that......right?

This fact had distracted Heather enough that she had missed the first question. And the second question, well, that had already been answered. And answered. And answered. There was really nothing new she could add at this point, so she just sat silently and listened.

Oh he knew quite a few! Not that she would have doubted the boy's knowledge, though healing practices seem to be the least common knowledge. "It's called cupping therapy." she nodded. "What your fisherman friend was describing. A practice that's been around for quite a long time."


*************

She could ask, of course, though whether or not she'd receive an answer was the real question.

.....

....

Silent treatment.

Moving into regular cross criss apple sauce position, she was intrigued with all the answers given so far, and Kace's response was no different. Though a little reminder poked her in the back of her mind.

"Mmhmm..." she slowly nodded her head before continuing, "However, it would depend on what you are referring to when you mention the appearance of food here in the wizarding world, compared to the muggle world. Something to keep in mind, actually this is a good reminder for everyone to keep in mind: Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. We simply are unable to conjure food from out of thin air... BUT, we may duplicate, summon, and enlarge already existing sustenance." Unfortunately. Oh the loopholes of the wizarding world.

"I would advise to try and not rely on this fact too much if the situation arises though, and plan ahead wisely and accordingly. Going through resources quickly can become quite the troubling factor that can lead to life and death situations." If there ever came a time when they needed to ration food that is.

Did she ever mention how nice it was to hear someone answering a topic from what they learned in an entirely different class? Because it was, and the pleased smile upon her face felt as if it'd stick for a good few minutes. No matter what. "Everything, Mister Rogers?" she questioned lightly. He wasn't wrong, though she wasn't saying he was right either.

It was an open theoretical discussion after all.

"Don't get me wrong, I do understand your viewpoint." She bowed her head somewhat to the first year. "Though, for just a moment, since we're on the topic of lack of essential needs, how do you imagine the world if potions were non-existent now since, theoretically, fire no longer exists?"

Would the magical race dwindle? Would the muggles have the upper hand? Would nothing change? Would the magical world and muggle world collide and work together?

Big questions for a youngster.

Medea smiled, shutting her eyes momentarily as she nodded. "Quite right. And I'm not saying theoretically either since there have been cases supporting your assumption." As well as other scientific theories, but tying theories into a theoretical discussion got messy and long. "We as humans have gotten used to our environment as it is, and with a sudden climate change as loosing heat or cold, we would be thrown into a shock both physically and mentally."

The world after climate change though? Probably not a very pretty place.

This...yes.

She may or may not have clapped silently. More than likely.

"The same could be thought of with ice as well though," she started, nodding towards the Ravenclaw. "Not being able to live on an ice cold planet where very little grows I mean, however... I myself agree that ice is just as important as fire. Especially with it's uses in liquid form."

Although, in her own theory if it came down to it, they'd probably have a better chance in an ice age than a world without heat. Depending on if the sun still existed that is. Otherwise, end of the world doom.

Fun thoughts!

Oooh?

Attention focused upon the Gryffindor, her eyebrows furrowed slightly in thought. Of course, not in disagreement, though it was an unusual response compared to the third year's classmates. "When it comes to the creation of heat... there is always a way to find it, but... ice and coolness are another story entirely and you're probably correct in your assumption that some places in the world will be lacking in that department. Especially if the knowledge of cooling and ice spells in the wizarding community are insufficient, or if the places in question sit near or upon the equator."

If one wanted to experience heat, start trekking down south.

Taking a moment's time for a breath, she smiled and continued softly, "Perhaps in these theoretical times of crisis, it would move the muggle and wizarding worlds to unite to find a solution." But that was a conversation for another time!



"Naturally, this is just theoretical views for now, but, perhaps we'll add a question or two on this in our homework from today's lesson." Maybe. Juuuust maybe. Though she was rather pleased with everyone's response!

Checking her watch, she slipped it back into her vest pocket before standing up. "Alright, I'd like each of you to take out your quill and parchment, and write down in large letters... the incantation of one cooling or ice spell you know. It doesn't have to be one that you can actually perform, but just one that you've heard of. When you're done, I'd like you to raise it into the air for us to see. If you can't think of any, please take out your quill and parchment anyhow if you haven't already so you may take notes."

And if they weren't taking notes already...

Oh my. Best make some friends who did.

Everybody had different opinions when it came to having to have fire and ice to survive. Which was fine, but of course what AJ said was correct. Whether or not the professor confirmed that was irrelevant.

Cooling and ice spells. Um, AJ didn't know about any of those. So instead of writing down an incantation, the lion had her quill ready to take notes. See, she was totally paying attention.

Ian listened as the professor gave a name to the practice he had described. He'd have to ask his dad more about it. Quite interesting stuff, this discussion of fire and ice. He listened as she responded to other students (one notable exception being crazy head girl). He pondered some things about whether juggles and wizards could work together for the common good. He thought, based upon the experience with his own family, that they would be able to.

He followed the instructions and reaching into the satchel he had brought with him took out his parchment and quill. He thought a moment about a spell for fire. Carefully he scribed the word Incendio and having finished he lifted the parchment in the air as she stated.

Jasmine found the fire and ice discussion fascinating. So many different opinions on the topic. Now it was time to move on. Following instructions, she took out her parchment and quill. Thinking of the cooling and ice spells that she knew, Jasmine decided on the one that she would write down.

Picking up her quill, she began to write the incantation down in large letters.
When she finished writing, Jasmine raised her parchment into the air and looked around to read those of her classmates.

Silas blushed slightly as the Professor focused on him. So he hadn't been a total blundering fool? Awesome. But her attention maybe him dry heave a bit. INTERNAL FLAILING.

A small smile soread his lips, though as he nodded and took an extra piece of parchment out to write the incantation upon.

...and really he was only a third year... so he of course onky knew the most basic freezing spell. The one with ice from the wand. Everybody knew it, right?

And with a shaky arm he held his parchment high for everyone to see. Ugh. EVERYONE.

GOOD she had liked the s'mores answer. Eden's stomach RUMBLEDDD because s'mores sounded so yummy right now, though. Maybe she'd have to make some later.

Back to the topic at hand. Fire and Ice.

Could humans survive without either or? The mean head girl had said something interesting--without both, they could live neutrally? Maybe. Eden raised her hand a bit and bit her lip nervously...this was a very THOUGHT provoking class, indeed. "Well, I do think we could survive without either, but it would make existence very hard. Fire and ice had come to be of great convenience for us humans." YEAH. Way to sound SMART, Ed! She wanted to high five herself, but that would just be clapping, now wouldn't it?

NOW. They had to take some parchment out--already had some out, yay. But Eden wasn't sure she knew any icey spells? Was Glacius the freezing spell? Eden didn't know. She wasn't sure. She almost felt like she had made up that spell.

But she wrote it down anyways, in biiiig letters:

"Glacius.."

There. Freezin'.

Toby was absolutely already taking notes, so he was ready for this activity just as Romanos mentioned it. The Hufflepuff rooted through his parchment, trying to find a clean sheaf, and noted down a spell he remembered learning in charms, wayyyyyyyyyyy back in first year. During the.............. regrettable ice cream thing. It was meant for keeping cold things cold, like ice, so technically it sort of counted if you used it on something cold enough... though Toby was pretty sure it probably wasn't what Romanos was lookibg for.

That done, he held it up in the air with everyone else. If anything, it was a little different; variety is the spice of life, right?

Thornton tensed when the professor began to say pull out your... figuring she would end with wand and the he would, once again, prove himself unworthy of his house and his family name.

But when she said parchment and quill, he relaxed, visibly. What was it he had been reading about in the text? He squinted his eyes in though, tip of his tongue licking his upper lip.

Putting ink to paper, he smiled.

UGH. Caleb didn't WANT to talk about ice anymore. He'd had enough of that last term! Yet apparently it was VITAL to keep talking about it, so he sighed and started to tap his finger against his chin. What was a cooling charm he knew of? He was thinking of putting down Aguamenti, because technically, if the item was hot, the water WOULD cool it down. But he was pretty sure that wasn't what Romanos wanted.

So he wrote down in big letters "Glacius," and looked around, waiting for the rest of the class to continue as he held his answer up.

Benny was listening and paying attention, even if he wasn't readily answering. He did as the professor directed and took up a spare bit of parchment, his quill already in hand as he had been absently jotting down things being said into his notes. As for the spell to put down, the Gryffindor paused in thought to try and come up with one in particular to give.

There was the obvious freezing spell but he was digging. Surely there could be something else as the professor's tone made it seem that way. Finally he scribbled down the spell they had done just last term in transfiguration.

It did have to do with ice.

Quote:

Orchideous Stiriacus

With it written, he raised the parchment up in the air.

As Kace was hearing the explanation to his question from the Professor, it seemed logical. He forgot about the Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. But it did make sense though. Wizards could not get food out of thin air. It is just not possible. He copied some of what she said into his notebook and some of the other student's answers. Some students had great points. Then as he was just done taking notes, he noticed the professor moved on. He heard her question and wondered what ice charm he knew. He thought wayyy back to like his first year.

He wrote it down on his piece of parchment and wrote in big letters

CONGLACIO


There that seemed big enough to read right? He raised up in the air for the class to read. He even realized Toby had the same answer. I guess two great minds think alike.

All those answers to the previous questions were rather fascinating. Adi found most of them to be interesting and there were a few students that thought along the same lines as he did.

Anyway. Moving on. Why did they have to write the spell down? Never the less, Adi followed the instructions. He grabbed his quill, dipped it into his bottle of ink and wrote in large letters: Glacius.

It was the only one he could think of right now. That done, Adi raised the parchment up. Have a look, everyone.

The Gryffindor looked around the room with an eyebrow raised. How come they always talked about Cold things in this class? Could not just be coincidentally. AHEM. Poke, poke. Nudge, nudge. That's right Romanos, a yearbook superlative is a pretty big deal around here. The people never lie. Except when they gave Zander that superlative too. That was a lie. But the rest isn't. It's all true. Except for his. His were lies.

Ahem. Right anyways, Zander took a look around the room at everyone's signs and Merlin, everyone seemed to put the same thing. OH OH OH he could just do the one with the flowers that the did the last-- Oh. Benny already put that one down. Hm okay no fear, he still had a chance. Okay. Think Zander think.

Quote:

Mucus ad Nauseam

Well... It gave you a cold? A head-cold? But that still had to do with cold. Technically, anyways. At least he went outside the box, right? And people with colds shivered a lot? He'd know. Hogwarts was basically one giant head-cold last year.

So yup. Technically, he was right too.

So...they WERE going to work with ice spells? Hopefully, because Beverly knew her magic with those. That and it'd be quite a show to see her classmates slip and fall, well, those that didn't know how to ice skate.

Smoothing her hand over the edges of her parchment she wrote in big, neat letters: GLACIUS. Up in the air it went.

Her favorite type of defense. ^___^

.......a cooling spell? AHEM last year it had been FREEZING, its not like she had learned to make things even more cold. Duh. Wait. Hadn't they made something to do with ice in Transfiguration last year? THAT had been even more cold. Ew. Norah racked her brain in an attempt to remember the spell. Uhhh. Iceflowers, iceflowers, iceflowers...WHAT was that spell? OOOH! She grinned and wrote with a flourish on her piece of parchment. ICE FLOWERS, that counted as ice right?

No. Oh no no no no no. Marigold paused in her note-taking to STARE HELPLESSLY at Romanos. They mentioned the COLD word A LOT. TOO MUCH. She was starting to get anxiety. Ohhhh, Merlin. She shakily wrote down the same spell loads of people were probably writing, "Glacius," and then prayed that they wouldn't have to turn the classroom cold. If they did, she would fake a stomachache and skip the rest of class, no joke. She DESPISED the cold.

Why was everything so cold? Why couldn't they have a day where they learned heating spells and learned about the beach? All though, she supposed, they had done something like that last year. In Muggle Studies or something. That had been a fun class.

But back to the lesson at hand. A cooling or ice spell... She remembered one spell they learned last year, but she saw someone else put it up in the air. She took out her quill and parchment again and took notes instead. There were so many notes in this class.

He was far less concerned with listening to Romanos than with trying to count the freckles on Kyroh's visible skin. Dima thought he was up to a gazillion billion and one when the professor said something about wrITING an... wait, he had to DO something now? But the thinking bit usually didn't happen until later. Like activity time. Aww.

To top off the bad news, Dima didn't know a single cooling spell.

Embarrassed, the kid shrank into his robes and glanced around at the parchment slips in the air, scribbling furious notes- quite a change from his previously inattentive behavior.

Dec blinked a few times. It was way too early to go into intellectual conversations about fire and ice. WAY TOO EARLY. But, he is very capable of writing something down. Messy, but it's worth something.

Quote:

GLACIUSSSSS TRIAAA

Because TRIA was way better than regular glacius or duo. Hmmph. Float little spell, float.