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Goblinfrog · #1 (**permalink**) 10-28-2018, 11:58 PM

Alice's office looked much the same as it usually did, but with one glaring addition. On the floor in front of the professor's desk is a large plastic rock with a plastic sword sticking out of it. Normally there would be two chairs where this rock was, but not today.

The fruit bowl on her desk remains the same, however. Half of it is covered in apple slices and the other half is covered in pears. The History of Magic professor is sitting behind the desk with her eyes closed. She appears to be meditating.

The door to her office is open. No need to knock. Just come right in and begin your detention.

Hey Ju · 11-03-2018, 07:18 PM

As Anna stepped into the classroom, the very first thing she noticed was the plastic rock with the sword sticking out of it. A half smirk made its way to her lips as she moved in, her eyes now landing on the professor, who seemed to be meditating or something.

The Gryffindor couldn't help but think how cool it'd be if her detention was simply to be like King Arthur and just yank that sword out of the rock. She wondered if she'd be able to do it, though. Although it looked like plastic, Anna wouldn't be surprised if professor O'Hara had put some sort of spell on the thing to make it nearly impossible to be unstuck.

She had to admit she was curious about this detention now, though. Good job, professor O'Hara, you definitely had her attention.

Anna was happy to quietly stand there until she was noticed, swinging back and forth from the balls of her feet to her heels, her hands clasped behind her back as she watched the woman with an amused smile on her face.

Goblinfrog · 11-06-2018, 01:00 AM

After a few moments of silence, Alice opened her eyes and regarded the Gryffindor girl standing there. She hadn't heard her come in. That was okay. It wasn't that long that she'd been meditating. "Good evening, Ms. Meriwether," she said, giving a small smile to the student - who looked rather amused, though for why, Alice couldn't be sure. She picked up the plate of apple and pear slices and offered it to her "Would you care for fruit?" It was perfectly healthy.

"You're probably wondering about the sword," she said, gesturing towards it. "I decided a sword challenge was appropriate since you are Gryffindor. I want you to try to dislodge that sword from the stone. While you are attempting this feat, you shall also answer my questions. You will not get in trouble for any of your answers, I promise. Is that okay with you? You may begin now." Yes was the answer she was looking for.

"My first question revolves around your opinions on my methods. Namely, I am curious to know whether you think I am doing a bad job as History of Magic teacher." Her tone was neutral as she asked this, almost cheerful, even. Her chin dropped into her hands.

The sword was not bound by magic, yet it would require physical strength to yank it free. If it did yank free, it would be a broken sword - a half-sword. For this was a toy that was never meant to be broken.

Hey Ju · 11-09-2018, 12:20 AM

"Good evening, professor." Anna replied with a head nod and a small smile of her own, hands still behind her back. The girl shook her head politely to refuse the fruit. "No, thanks. I had food before I came." Just in case someone tried to poison her or something. One could never be too safe in... certain situations.

The fourth year listened as she had been indeed wondering about the sword. She couldn't help but let her amused smile widen a little at the mention of the correlation between the object and the fact she was a Gryffindor. Anna stepped forward and towards the rock and sword as soon as the woman told her she would be trying to dislodge it. Not a problem! Anna was strong enough by now and she was definitely up for having a go. The thought the object might be charmed not to budge didn't leave her mind, however.

Her green eyes shot up at professor O'Hara when the woman continued, saying Anna would have to answer some of her questions, and she gave the older witch a somewhat suspicious look. She promised Anna wouldn't get in trouble for any of her answers?

The girl gave the woman a long look while her hand rested on the sword's hilt. Anna didn't move a muscle as she considered all the things that had just been said to her.

She had eaten before she came to detention for a reason, see.

As Ms Meditation asked the first question, Anna had to control herself to not look like she wanted to laugh out loud. It amused her that the woman seemed concerned about that when Anna had been expecting much, much worse questions. She gave professor O'Hara a half-amused, half-friendly smile as she wiggled the sword a little. "Of course I don't, professor. I have nothing against you and your methods." The Captain gently tugged at the sword a couple of times. "I just really hate History of Magic, that's all."

Goblinfrog · 11-13-2018, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hey Ju

"Good evening, professor." Anna replied with a head nod and a small smile of her own, hands still behind her back. The girl shook her head politely to refuse the fruit. "No, thanks. I had food before I came." Just in case someone tried to poison her or something. One could never be too safe in... certain situations.

The fourth year listened as she had been indeed wondering about the sword. She couldn't help but let her amused smile widen a little at the mention of the correlation between the object and the fact she was a Gryffindor. Anna stepped forward and towards the rock and sword as soon as the woman told her she would be trying to dislodge it. Not a problem! Anna was strong enough by now and she was definitely up for having a go. The thought the object might be charmed not to budge didn't leave her mind, however.

Her green eyes shot up at professor O'Hara when the woman continued, saying Anna would have to answer some of her questions, and she gave the older witch a somewhat suspicious look. She promised Anna wouldn't get in trouble for any of her answers?

The girl gave the woman a long look while her hand rested on the sword's hilt. Anna didn't move a muscle as she considered all the things that had just been said to her.

She had eaten before she came to detention for a reason, see.

As Ms Meditation asked the first question, Anna had to control herself to not look like she wanted to laugh out loud. It amused her that the woman seemed concerned about that when Anna had been expecting much, much worse questions. She gave professor O'Hara a half-amused, half-friendly smile as she wiggled the sword a little. "Of course I don't, professor. I have nothing against you and your methods." The Captain gently tugged at the sword a couple of times. "I just really hate History of Magic, that's all."

Inwardly, Alice softened at hearing the answer to her first question. "Thank you, Ms. Meriwether," she said, offering a small half-smile back in return. "I thought perhaps your behavior in the classroom may have been a reflection of your dislike for me...I am glad to hear that was not the case." At that moment, she was glad that none of her minion "friends" of Julian could hear her. They would have expected her to be much harsher. But it seemed nothing Alice did could ever please them, and she hated trying to please a bunch of incompetent adult babies. "May I ask why you hate History of Magic?" The answer was probably that it was boring, but Alice wanted to be sure.

All it would take to snap the sword out of the stone was three strong tugs.

"When I was at Hogwarts...I so badly wanted to be a Gryffindor," she said, glancing down at the plastic sword. "I am one fourth goblin, and goblins made your famous Sword. Many goblins have desired throughout history to reclaim the Sword, but it always defied them. As a child, it was my greatest wish to be able to boast that the Sword of Gryffindor had willingly allowed itself to be wielded by someone of goblin ancestry. I would be so brave that the Sword would have no choice but to come to me. But the Hat different ideas. I was bitter about that for the longest time, envious of your house throughout my entire school years." She smiled thinly. "But I don't suppose the Sword comes to many Gryffindor's either, right?" That wasn't really a question Anna had to answer, though she could if she wanted to.

Hey Ju · 11-14-2018, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goblinfrog

Inwardly, Alice softened at hearing the answer to her first question. "Thank you, Ms. Meriwether," she said, offering a small half-smile back in return. "I thought perhaps your behavior in the classroom may have been a reflection of your dislike for me...I am glad to hear that was not the case." At that moment, she was glad that none of her minion "friends" of Julian could hear her. They would have expected her to be much harsher. But it seemed nothing Alice did could ever please them, and she hated trying to please a bunch of incompetent adult babies. "May I ask why you hate History of Magic?" The answer was probably that it was boring, but Alice wanted to be sure.

All it would take to snap the sword out of the stone was three strong tugs.

"When I was at Hogwarts...I so badly wanted to be a Gryffindor," she said, glancing down at the plastic sword. "I am one fourth goblin, and goblins made your famous Sword. Many goblins have desired throughout history to reclaim the Sword, but it always defied them. As a child, it was my greatest wish to be able to boast that the Sword of Gryffindor had willingly allowed itself to be wielded by someone of goblin ancestry. I would be so brave that the Sword would have no choice but to come to me. But the Hat different ideas. I was bitter about that for the longest time, envious of your house throughout my entire school years." She smiled thinly. "But I don't suppose the Sword comes to many Gryffindor's either, right?" That wasn't really a question Anna had to answer, though she could if she wanted to.

"Nah, not at all!" Anna said with a friendly smile. She genuinely had nothing against the History of Magic professor... except for the fact she taught the most boring subject in... history. Ironic.

That thought made Anna chuckle to herself. Amused, she was.

The Gryffindor gave the sword another small tug before the next question was asked. To be honest, she was waiting for that one and didn't think saying 'boring' would suffice. "Well... it's just that..." Anna started, measuring her words a little. "I'm not that interested in what people did back in the day, you know? I'm more interested in the now and what we can do in the future!" More in the now than anything, she wasn't going to lie. "That past is gone, it doesn't matter anymore." And it was also boring, so yes, there was that as well.

The fourth year was getting ready to properly try and yank that plastic sword out of the stone and be like KING ARTHUR and have her moment of glory ~~never mind it was during detention~~ when the professor decided to share some of her backstory. At first Anna listened to be polite, but her eyebrows shot up as soon as the woman mentioned she was one fourth goblin. WUT! Anna didn't know that was possible!

Her hand once again rested on the hilt of the sword not doing much more as she stared at professor O'Hara as she continued. Wwwhhhhaaaaattttttt. Anna's mind was blown. And... she actually felt bad and a bit sorry for the older witch.

Looking down at the half-sword, she wondered whether to keep trying to pull it out of the stone or not. Was the professor stating something by that set-up? Probably. Very likely, actually. Was she going to give a big moral lesson when - if? - Anna managed to get it out of the stone? Was the plastic object even charmed in the first place!?

Anna's mind was now working much faster than her expression showed, and she kept her eyes on her hand which was still holding the hilt of the stuck sword.

'But I don't suppose the Sword comes to many Gryffindor's either, right?'

The girl blinked, still looking at what she was holding. "I'm... not sure." Because... well, she wasn't particularly a fan of history, see. She couldn't say whether there was a pattern because she had never read about it. Or heard it during lessons, for that matter.

Anna couldn't help herself but think of that last question as a confrontation. A challenge, even. Of course, that plastic sword wasn't the Sword of Gryffindor - even Anna knew that - but the woman was probably implying Anna couldn't pull THAT sword out of the plastic stone just like the Sword of Gryffindor would probably never come to her aid. At least that was what it sort of sounded to Anna.

HOWEVER, there was another other side to the question too. That had been quite a sobering story professor O'Hara had shared with her, and the woman's tone made Anna feel bad more than confronted, to be honest.

Anna then wondered if the whole purpose of this detention was to make her feel ashamed. If it was... it was kind of working. Or... well, actually, was that really shame she was feeling? She wasn't sure. It... actually didn't feel like shame shame. She wasn't ashamed of being a Gryffindor. Not at all; much on the contrary. The Captain realised she was just feeling bad for the professor. Not pity, she just... felt sorry for the poor woman. "What house were you placed in then, professor?" She asked softly, finally looking up from the sword's hilt to face professor O'Hara again.

Goblinfrog · 11-16-2018, 03:51 AM

It was actually kind of nice to hear history of magic critiqued with words that did not include 'boring.' Yet the idea that her subject was irrelevant since it was about the past was a very alien way of thinking to her, though perhaps she should have expected it from a teenager. Many teenagers seemed to think the same way. Many adults did, too, sadly. "I see," she said, keeping her tone entirely non-judgmental. "Anna, have you ever heard of the Butterfly Effect?" She had promised that Anna would not get in trouble for any of her answers, and she meant it. She would not go into greater comment on that for now. Later she would come back to it.

She watched for the girl's reaction to her story. It seemed to have momentarily distracted from the task of pulling the sword from the stone and it also seemed to have provoked...pity? Or was it sympathy? Whatever it was, knowing that her story had an effect made her feel a sense of satisfaction. Only a handful of people knew Alice's backstory. She never told it randomly, there was always a reason - a higher purpose which changed depending on who she was telling it to and the circumstances of the telling. Alice could tell from Anna's reaction that she had not wasted it on her.

"I was put into Ravenclaw," she answered, looking back at Anna with a vague expression on her face, as if she were remembering those years. "But I could never do magic very well, and yet I was a good student. I could memorize almost anything. That is probably why history of magic became my best subject. It rarely requires brandishing a wand and it involves lots of memorization. Being part goblin, I was also intrigued by the goblin wars. But I always hated the Hat for placing me in Ravenclaw instead of Gryffindor. I felt robbed of the chance to ever touch the Sword which I had fallen so much in love with through reading about. On my worst days I felt envy towards all Gryffindor's, for in my mind, the Sword belonged to me just as much as it did to you. Surely the Hat had placed me in Ravenclaw as part of a plot in order to make sure no person with goblin blood ever touched the Sword again, or so I thought back then." Thinking back on it was almost painful, but Alice went on. She had started and she wasn't about to stop mid-story. "I remember in my third year I tried to prove the hat wrong. I visited the headmistress office and begged him to change his mind...but he refused. Later that day I tried to sneak into the Forbidden Forest to prove my bravery. The caretaker caught me before aiI had even started and I was given detention. It was my only detention. Looking back on it now, I have to admit that the real reason I could never be Gryffindor is because I never was that brave. Even on that day in the Forbidden Forest, I was secretly glad that I was prevented from entering. But it was not until I was twenty that I realized it was unlikely that the Sorting Hat plotted against me. And yet, all this time, there is a part of me that still wants to hold the Sword."

The misty look in her eyes vanished as she snapped back to the present., her gaze focusing back on Anna. "My history is part of what made me who I am, just like your history made you who you are. It is the same thing with everyone. Just because it's in the past doesn't mean it should be forgotten...but that's not why I told you that story." She wasn't so shallow as to use such a personal story towards proving a point about history of magic in an argument. No, her reasons ran deeper than that.

She slowly stood from her seat and went to stand next to Anna. "This plastic sword has been in my possession for almost ten years," she said, bending down on one knee and placing her hand on the stone. "I could have pulled the sword out at any moment...but it's not meant to be pulled out. It would break and I've told you how poor I am with magic. I have kept it as a symbol of the other Sword which I could never touch, just as I can never pull this one without breaking it. But you're a Gryffindor. You can do it...if you want to have it. But you don't have to. If you decide you do not want to pull it out, perhaps we could talk a bit more." She gave the Gryffindor a small, friendly smile as she moved to stand.

Hey Ju · 11-27-2018, 06:07 PM

Anna thought for a few seconds after the professor asked her the Butterfly Effect question. "Isn't that a Muggle film?" A very old one at that, too. "I've never watched it, though, so I don't know what it's about..." Woops? "It's about history, is it?"

When professor O'Hara told her she was placed in Ravenclaw, Anna's first reaction was to nod as she took the information in. That wasn't a bad house; Anna's own mother had been a Ravenclaw. She also had good friends that belonged to that house.

The captain kept listening as the older woman told her she wasn't good at magic but that she could memorise almost anything. Anna raised her eyebrows at that comment since it was quite impressive someone could do that.

Truth be told, if all History of Magic lessons were this meaningful, Anna would probably make an effort to listen and learn something. The Gryffindor was finding professor O'Hara's own history to be fascinating, and she hung onto each word the woman was saying. She even felt like reading more about those Goblin wars.

.......Okay, she didn't, really. But the rest of it was very fascinating indeed.

The part in which young O'Hara begged the hat to change its mind and then decided to venture into the Forbidden Forest just to prove it wrong made Anna tilt her head as she listened closely. The fourth year considered the professor's remark about someone's history making them who they were, and she couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Anna's hand was still softly holding onto the sword's hilt when professor O'Hara got up and approached her, and she looked from the woman down at the object once again, finally letting it go as the reason behind its possession was revealed to her.

Meeerliiin, if Anna was having a weak moment that ending would've made her tear up a little.

'But you're a Gryffindor. You can do it...if you want to have it.'

Anna held her gaze on the sword for a few seconds longer as the woman finished her sentence. When silence feel upon them, the Gryffindor slowly shook her head. "No, I... I'm not doing it, professor. It's your sword." Anna finally said. Even though it was only plastic and, honestly, a toy, it still belonged to professor O'Hara and it clearly had a deep meaning to her. Anna would never break it for the sake of proving she could do it or because she was a Gryffindor.

"I'm sorry if I offended you in class." The girl finished, looking back up at the woman. She'd say it hadn't been her intention but she wasn't exactly sure that was true, so she chose to omit that part. Besides, she wasn't apologising because of how emotional the story was or because it had mellowed her down a little for the time being. Professor O'Hara's story was a sad one - to Anna, at least - and the Gryffindor didn't want to add to the woman's list of things to deal with anymore, if she could help it.

Goblinfrog · 12-01-2018, 12:17 AM

That Anna knew about The Butterfly Effect movie was actually kind of impressive. That was an old Muggle movie that even Alice barely knew of. "Well yes, it is a Muggle movie. I never saw it but I remember reading a plot summary of it a long time ago. But the Butterfly Effect that I was referring to is a term used to describe the fact that everything we do is partly the result of everything that has already happened, and that every little thing matters in some way or another - even if we don't realize how at the time. Within the butterfly effect are stronger butterfly pivot points, which are important, character defining times in your life that define who you are as a person." Such as her being placed in Ravenclaw instead of Gryffindor. But this detention wasn't just about her, and she was going to try to refrain from using herself as an example for now. "That doesn't mean that we don't have free will, but it does mean that things we did in the past will have a very large effect on what we do in the present and the future, and often this will happen without us even remembering what it was that first caused us to think a certain way or act a certain way. It's not just with individual people, the butterfly effect works the same way with nations and cultures. History of Magic is how we can study the events that led us to where we are today." It was her hope that telling all this would help Anna gain a level of respect for History of Magic, even if it wasn't her favorite subject.

She watched as Anna slowly let go of the sword. She was refusing to pull the sword...out of consideration for Alice. "Why Anna," began Alice, visibly moved by Anna's words. "That is very...considerate of you." Deep down she had hoped for exactly this outcome, had even hinted that it was what hoped the Gryffindor would do. Yet somehow, this affected her more than she had been expecting. "I actually hoped you wouldn't want to pull it after hearing how I got it. You're a very kind person and a noble Gryffindor."

"I appreciate your apology. I apologize if I was too harsh in class today." She was sorry about that, even though she couldn't say what she would differently if she could redo it. Maybe she wouldn't have taken away so many points from Gryffindor. But this detention had been a very meaningful experience, and she was not sorry for having given it.

The History of Magic teacher glanced down at her watch. It was 9:34. "Well, I think we've accomplished a lot today. You may return to your common room. Thank you for listening to my story." She give the Gryffindor a brief hug - or more like putting her hands briefly on her shoulders, but it still sort of resembled a hug. Unprofessional maybe, but she felt oddly protective of Anna at that moment. "Enjoy the rest of your afternoon. Feel free to come visit anytime." She then released her and took several steps back until she was standing by her desk.

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