[Astronomy] TIII L1: Star Charting

[Loren Hayes]

Loren leaned round the telescope, seeing that Professor Owen had placed her hand on the northern sky, just over the Andromeda Galaxy. The Ravenclaw smiled, having done a five foot essay on the woman for her Astronomy coursework in her fifth year, and still holding onto the telescope she walked around it to join Professor Owen, squinting in the low light to have a better look at it while she spoke.

'Andromeda was the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia.' She began. 'Cassiopeia evoked the wrath of Poseidon when she claimed she was more beautiful than the Nereids, and so he unleashed a sea-monster upon the land - the oracle of Ammon told that there would be no end to the death it caused until Cepheus exposed Andromeda to the beast, and he chained her naked to a rock on the shore of their kingdom. She lived, of course,' Loren smiled pleasantly. 'She was saved by Perseus whom she married.'

Loren placed her cheek on the telescope, gazing out of the glass ceiling at the twinkling dots that studded the darkness in impossible numbers. She let out a dreamy sigh. 'It's so romantic...'

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia nodded and smiled, "indeed it is! Ten points for Ravenclaw!" She was always willing to give away house points to any who deserved but giving away house points willy-nilly was such fun. She quickly took her hand off the chart and closed her hand, making a fist, as though it had burnt her. "Can you see it, Loren?" she asked, keeping her eyes on the chart, "can you see Andromeda?"

[Prof Grace Marks]

Grace ran for a text book as Loren jumped for the telescope. She picked it up excitedly and went to the table behind Loren's telescope. She placed the textbook on her lap and looked over the star chart, and thought, so many little dots!

As Dia fingered a certain lot of stars and mentioned 'Andromeda', Grace flipped to the index. Loren told the story and Grace listened with half an ear. She too wanted house points so she was deturnined to get something to add. Sighing slightly when all she found was what Loren had said, Grace turned to the chart. Just below where Prof Owen had had her hand Grace thought she recognised something, "is that Piscies, Professor?"

[Loren Hayes]

Loren felt warm as Professor Owen's face lit up. She could not help but let the small bubble of pride that was forever in her chest swell when she pleased a teacher, and with a smile on her face Loren put her eye to the telescope, gasping as the already bright little stars grew and became luminous before her. Even a few she had not been able to see a moment ago were visible, and as she panned a few degrees to the left she saw Andromeda sitting peacefully, watching Loren with equal fascination it seemed.

'She's beautiful. But beauty killed the beast I suppose,' Loren chimed, referring to the mythological tale. Wish she'd have a go at the giant squid while she's at it, Loren thought with a smirk.

Grace began talking down, and following with the telescope to where she was pointing, Loren saw Piscies sitting crystal clear. 'Yes, there it is!' Loren confirmed, gesturing with her arm for Grace to put it on the unmade chart. Pulling the lens back up, Loren panned to the right of Andromeda, stopping as three more came into view. 'Pagasus, Lacerta, Cygnus... all still there.' she giggled.

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

As Grace and Loren began to work together, Dia smiled warmly and began bounce on her toes. Team work was Dia's favourite thing especially when there was no going for each other's throat. She clapped her hands together and nodded proudly, happily.

"Yes," she said cheerfully, "very good! Very Good! Seven points to each of you. Now, Grace, you fill those in on the chart, with Loren's guidance and find a few more and we'll be well on our way to having a full chart." Looking around at the others she added, "and the rest of you, groups of two and get cracking. Each chart is different so don't cheat. I'll know."

[Prof Grace Marks]

Grace picked up a pencil that was on the desk, turned through the pages of the text book on her lap and found Pisces. She held the chart with one hand and began to fill in the lines for form Pisces. "There we go!" Grace said proudly, sitting up straight and admiring her handy work.

The Professor awarded them each seven points and Grace smiled at Loren, their teamwork paid off. Then Loren mentioned others as well but Grace didn't catch all of them. "Who! Who! Slow down," she said, looking up at Loren from her desk seat. "What was that first one you said?" She had turned to the index of the text book and was ready to search for the constellation as soon as Loren gave the word.

[Alexis Heart]

Points to Ravenclaw, Alexis couldn't believe her ears. They were so in need of points and so far she hadn't managed to secure any but it didn't matter where they came from as long as they came. The cup had eluded them for so long and she wanted to be in a house that was at least in the running for a change. Smiling at her fellow Claw, she was happier now and less tired than she had been when she entered the room. Eyes back on her telescope she smiled star gazing seemed a lot more enjoyable now.

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia noticed another Ravenclaw by a telescope. Dia walked to her and looked at the chart on the table behind her. Identifying a constellation, Ms Owen said, "Miss Heart, can you see the Big Dipper?" It was the shape of a dipper so even if the girl had little knowledge of the skies she should have been able to see it.

"And do you see how that fits in with Ursa Major?" Ursa Major was a truly large constellation and Dia admired the astronomer who created it but the Big Dipper fitted into Ursa Major perfectly so the girl should be able to see both just fine. Dia took out her wand and flicked it to the pile of text books. One floated up and landed on the table behind the girl and fell open on the page showing both constellations she had been asked to find.

[Alexis Heart]

Her nightmare had just come true. She would have been happy to blend in and not be noticed but for some reason it seemed that teachers had radar for that type of thing they always seemed to know the students that were hiding from them. When she asked about the big dipper Alexis actually squeaked out a 'yes professor' and then felt completely mortified. She sounded like a little baby right then. She was a Ravenclaw for pity's sake she should be proud to shout out her answers but she was just so shy sometimes. When she heard the book open behind her she actually jumped a little too. But still she turned her head slowly and looked at what the teacher had been referring to. 'Oh-oh yes I um see what you mean' she muttered hoping that this questioning would be over soon.

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

As soon as Dia had walked over to the Ravenclaw, she had noticed how tort and reserved she had become. Dia took a step back to give her a little room but bumped into the table behind her. She jumped slightly and smiled at the Ravenclaw, embarrassed. She stepped forward again and glared at the troublesome table behind her.

She went to Ms Heart's table and stood next to it, gazing down at the incomplete chart. She picked up the book and moved it out of the way. "Ms Heart," she said, looking back to the student, "you got five point for finding Ursa major. Now, fill it in on the chart and you can count on another ten points." Dia was always liberal with her point-giving and thought it was the perfect remedy for shyness.

[Alexis Heart]

When the professor gave her five points Alexis squeaked again. These were the first points she had ever earned for Ravenclaw and she now felt so proud she actually swelled with pride. Turning to look at the professor she smiled broadly, 'Th-thank you so much.' Then she went to work on her chart another ten points for her house that would make her term. Quill scratching on parchment the chart was coming together nicely she didn't even realize that she knew half of what she was writing. One would be surprised about how much information they stored in their brains without even realizing it. Taking another moment or two it was done. She looked over at the professor feeling more confident than before.

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia grinned obligingly at the Ravenclaw before her. She continued to watch her as she filled in the constellation on the chart. "Very good," she began, but frowned when Ms Heart began to fill in others. Dia let out a light laugh and clapped her hands together. "Oh, yes indeed, very very good." Dia grinned at her. "I'll give you fifteen for that display. I wasn't aware you were so apt with Astronomy?" She smiled kindly to the girl.

She patted her lightly on the shoulder as she turned and addressed the class at large. "Right, then," she said, smiling at all the faces looking up at her. "I want to commend all of you on a superb job this evening. Very productive, I am very impressed. I am sure you'd much rather continue late into the night but I do not want to deprive your teachers tomorrow of your cheery smiles. So this is where we say good night. Class dismissed. You can just leave the charts on the desk you found it on."

[Alexis Heart]

Fifteen points she got another fifteen points for her house. This was too good to be true, after the professor walked away she actually pinched herself to see if she was still awake. Stifling an ouch she knew that she wasn't asleep grinning she decided that she really liked astronomy now and she was sad that class was over. Placing her chart on the desk she placed her papers and quill in her rucksack and she said ''Night Professor'' and left the room. She couldn't wait to tell one of her friends about what had just happened.

[Prof Grace Marks]

Between the two of them, Grace and Loren had filled a great deal of the chart. She had taken a bit longer to find Pagasus but after finding Cygnus and Lacerta, Pagasus wasn't so hard. The Professor dismissed them and Grace nodded at her. She smiled at her handy work and put the pencil down on the table where she had found it.

Grace held up the chart and showed it to Loren. "We did good," she said and smiled up at Loren. She put the large parchment down and picked up her bag as she stood up. "Come on, Girt," Grace said as everyone headed for the hatch in the floor. She grinned one last time at the Professor as she disappeared down the staircase.