T2: Expecto Patronum [ENDED]

[Prof. Jonathan Starsmore]

As two late arrivals skittered into the hall Jonathan began to pace forward slowly, looking each of them in the eye, lingering on the Slytherin and male Hufflepuff longest. They were all looking at him with a sort of tense wonderment, and he could not help but let a small smirk creep across his face as he finally stopped in the midst of them, his hands tucked lazily in his pockets. 'This it?' He asked with a wry grin. 'Well, can't deny that I'm feeling a bit rejected... but fantastic! Bit disappointed about the lack of height but I expect you'll make up for it in skill...' He took hold of the late Ravenclaw girl's undone tie and yanked it roughly (tardy uniforms had always been one of his pet peeves). 'I'm Professor Starsmore for those of you who haven't met me yet - and for those of you who have...' He raised an eyebrow at Grace and Girty. 'Keep your mouths shut. We're not friends yet.'

Jonathan slipped his wand from his robes now, the doors suddenly groaning shut with an echoing bang. Several of the candles floating above their heads were snuffed out by the caused draft. 'Right then. Shall we get started? I've never been one for slow introductions, so you,' he reached out and jabbed the Ravenclaw he knew to be called Helia hard in the shoulder. 'Tell the class what a Patronus is.' He stared her with intense, somewhat eccentric eyes. 'And bear in mind, I don't like know-it-alls...'

(( Sorry if my writing and character speech are a bit... uneven. I forgot about Jon and now I've completely lost his character. If I recall right he's meant to be a bit random...))

[Emily Leets]

Emily shrugged as the Slytherin told her to watch out the next time. Adjusting her wristwatch, she looked at the professor expectantly as he began to walk towards them. Lack of height? she thought lazily. She was quite tall for her age. He walked by her and pulled her tie. ((OOC; I'm assuming the late Ravenclaw was Emily)) She was a bit surprised at this, and did up her tie. He didn't seem mean but he didn't seem nice; she didn't know what category he fell under.

[boofhead]

amy4 said:

(( Sorry if my writing and character speech are a bit... uneven. I forgot about Jon and now I've completely lost his character. If I recall right he's meant to be a bit random

((Ooc: Kind of like the new Doctor Who?)

[Helia Ollivander]

She tried to keep from chuckling at the Profesors... unorthodox methods of... non-introductions, and... less than immedeatly pleasant attitude. She smiled none the less and answered as simply as she could to keep from sounding like a, so eloquently put, "know-it-all".

"A patronus is a spell that looks like a silvery white mist. If it's cast properly it takes on the form of an actual creature that more or less has some representation of the caster," it was short, consiese, that's about as much as you could ask from someone who could go on for ages about the spell were she given the chance.

[Prof. Jonathan Starsmore]

(( Yeah I meant you Emily, and yeah he's meant to be a bit like the new doctor, although I'm no where near a good enough writer to portray his personality. Oh, and I've changed my other post so that Jon doesn't think Striker is a girl anymore. Sorry bout that.))

As Helia spoke Jonathan raised one eyebrow slowly, scrutinzing what she said. After a moment he nodded sharply and retracted the wand from her shoulder, moving on quickly. 'Nice one. Ten points to Ravenclaw.' He placed his hands behind his back, observing the enchanted ceiling with narrowed eyes.

'Usually used as a defensive spell and always a good party trick, the patronus's more common form, as Helia states, is an indistinctive mist. Of course, cast correctly by the right kind of wizard and you get what is called a corporeal Patronus.'

Placing his hands on hips hips, Jonathan stopped and once again gazed into each student's eyes individually. 'Has anyone here ever managed to cast a corporeal patronus?' He asked slowly, a sudden tension stirring in the air.

[Helia Ollivander]

Helia felt slightly nervous at that question, she wasn't sure why, but she had the idea that if she told him she had indeed cast a patronus he either wouldn't believe her, or he would expect her to recall the tale; neither of these scenarios appealed to her particularly. Despite herself, she raised her hand ever so slightly, deciding that if she was called upon, such was life, and if she wasn't noticed, all the better.

She looked around the circle to see if anyone else was raising their hands as well, or if she was the only one who had attempted it.

[Prof. Jonathan Starsmore]

The gathering was very still and quiet, the students eyeing one another with discreet curiosity, perhaps some seeking approvoal to speak up. The awkwardness was broken however when Helia raised one hand ever so slightly, her eyes darting anxiously to inspect anyone who might have already spotted her. For a long moment Jonathan simply watched the Ravenclaw, his eyebrows slightly raised as he stroked his chin. He had not really expected anyone to speak out and he was now suddenly very focused on Helia. Slowly he stepped up to the her.

'Describe it.' He said bluntly. 'Recall what it took to achieve your patronus. What happened inside you?' He spoke quietly. He knew he was being vague, but her answer would confirm if she were telling the truth or not.

[Helia Ollivander]

Second scenario. Greeeat. She swallowed, hoping the the floor would open up and swallow her. She took a deep breath and began her story, "Heh, remember last semester when the storm of leviathans flooded the campus? Well, I was out by the lake, trying to find my wand when they attacked. By the time i did find my wand there was already so much chaos I could barely think. I finally remembered that the Patronus spell wards them off. I tried to tell some of the older students there, but none of them wanted to try it. So finally I decided to try it myself... I was so scared I thought I wouldn't be able to think of any happy memories to be able to cast the spell, but then..." she smiled slightly, then tension in ehr shoulders relaxing, "Then I remembered the first wand a made, and the look on my friend Kim's face when she got it. I don't know that anything is more rewarding then being able to help a friend... Anyways, when I said the spell it felt like there were butterflies in my stomach, but then that feeling moved up and through my arms, and left out the end of my wand... Granted, I fainted, but I defy you to blame me for that."

[Emily Leets]

Emily had never cast the spell before, and therefore had never had any results. She stuck her hands in her robe pockets and listened intently to Helia. She seemed a bit nervous or something, but she wasn't sure why. Once she finished her story, Emily thought about it. It certainly seemed true enough, so she didn't seem why she would be reluctant to relay the incident.

[Prof. Jonathan Starsmore]

A small smile appeared on Jonathan's face and he gave a short nod of approval. The girl's cheeks were blushed a subtle red, and he understood that the portrayal of casting one's patronus was quite a strange thing to do. He placed a hand on Helia's shoulder and bought her forward to face the rest of the class. 'I hope you all heard what Helia here just described, as it is exactly what I want each of you to achieve today...' He gave Helia a mischievous glance. 'And Miss Ollivander here will be assisting you.'

He swept away suddenly, his wand pointed toward the ceiling. A cool flurry of air past over their heads suddenly - each of the candles blown out one by one until only the oil-filled plates hung sparingly along the walls of the hall were left burning.

In the gloom the white circle was seemingly more clear than it had been before, and the sound of the door behind the staff table creaking open caused everyone's attention to be drawn to the darkness at the other end of the hall. Jonathan stepped forward and stretched out his arms. After a moment something loomed slowly out of the shadows, levitating steadily toward the professor. A large black safe settled down into his grasp, and he placed it on the stone floor about fifteen feet away from the circle.

'Now...' He turned to them with a sly grin. 'Who wants to go first?'

[boofhead]

Striker stepped forward, adamant on being the first. HIs eyes focused on the looming shape as he felt slightly nervous.

'I will, Professor.' Striker said, hands clenched tightly as his nerves got the better of him.

[Helia Ollivander]

"Whoa- wait, what?" asked Helia in a flurry as the Professor volunteered her to help with the class, but before she could ask exactly what she was helping with, the lights had gone out and the Hufflepuff boy from her Charms class had offered to try the spell.

She could tell he was feeling nervous, the tight grip on his wand was proof of that. 'Well, I suppose this would be one of those times I'm suppsed to help?' she asked herself unassuredly. She took a stepp towards the boy and said in a soft voice, "Just remember to keep breathing, whatever you do." She stepped back and waited to hear what their Professors had in store.

[Prof. Jonathan Starsmore]

Upon Alluran stepping forward, Jonathan grabbed hold of his robes and positioned him into the white circle without saying a word. It was probably best not to warn the lad that he would be imprisoned within the circle as it was activated, nor that the conditions inside of it would be less than pleasurable once he started casting his patronus charm. Leaving Striker standing alone, Jonathan strode toward the safe, which had seemingly shifted position on the floor while his back had been turned. As he passed Helia he muttered, 'If something goes wrong, do what you can. Hope you don't still dislike lethifolds...' He gave her a humourless smile.

Standing behind the safe, Jonathan turned on his heel to face the class, his head held high and his arms crossed. They were all still huddled together, looking from Alluran to the professor with concern. 'I'd advice you all to stand a good couple of feet away from Mr Striker at this point, boys and girls,' He said with a serious face. 'Miss Ollivander, would you please magic open the safe? I'd rather not touch it myself...'

[Helia Ollivander]

Her eyes narrowed at the Professor, a part of her wanting to hex him, the other part knowing that Ravenclaw still had a chance at the hosue cup, and not wanting to risk that...
She took a deep breathe, wary of whatever was in the vault that even their Professor wouldn't want to be near it, then said "Alohomora." A blue light leapt from her wand and encased the black vault, then the door swung open with a metal-against-metal screech.

She she stepped a good few feet away from the white circle where Alluran was standing, keeping her wand at the ready should anything truly nasty occur. She kept moving her eyes between the vault, the professor, and hufflepuff boy in the center of the room, still wondering what was to happen next.

[boofhead]

((Am I to write what happens next? I'm not sure, I'll just write Strikers reaction to being dragged away.))

Striker had an uneasy feeling as he was suddenly dragged into the glowing circle of white light on the floor, the only light in the it seemed. Prof Starsmore threw him into the circle, not uttering a word to him as he felt somewhat nervous.

Striker looked about the room and the faint echo of an old rusty lock opening, the rusty gears grinding together loudly creating a sound that reverberated around the hall. Strikers attention fell upon the chest, his eyes showing his fear. He had the sudden urge run, but the weakness he felt in his knees kept him in place. His hand sloppily reached into his robes, pulling out his wand as he readied himself for whatever it was.