[Astronomy] TIV: Readings

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia waited patiently for her midnight class to make their way to the Astronomy Tower. She hoped her turn out would be better then previous years but seeing that it was not a very popular subject because of the late hours, she rather thought not. Taking a few deep, steadying breaths, Dia waited, perched in on of the many windows of the Tower, watching the stars.

Her mind was elsewhere, on a certain someone, when she heard footsteps on the ladder to the class but she did not turn to see who it was. She was too busy day- all be it the middle of the night- dreaming. Her hands were cupped together in her lap, her long blond hair hung loosely on her shoulders and down her back, her midnight blue robes sparkled as it reflected the bright starlight. She had chosen a good night for this lesson as the frequent clouds had not come a-knocking and she was certain it would hold for the hour she needed.

Points:

Hufflepuff: 10
Gryffindor: 15
Ravenclaw: 5
Slytherin: 25

[Girty Hubbles]

The fields were green with a light breeze running over the long grass. The scattering of purple flowers were wavering around, their petals standing out in the beautiful sunlight, and then she hears his voice. With a broad smile Girty turns around and sees Thom standing in front of her with a warm smile on his face calling her name. Slowly she steps towards him getting closer and closer and then…..

Girty’s head slipped off her hand and she went flying forwards off the chair in the common room. Quickly looking around she sees that the room is empty and the fire had almost burnt out. With weary eyes she glanced down at her watch and saw that it was almost mid-night which meant it was time for lesson. Rubbing her eyes she stumbled out of the portrait Girty tired to gain her bearings and walked towards the Astronomy tower.
Girty was under immense pressure to go to this lesson, Dan had reminded her every day and even packed her bag for her that evening cutting short their jelly bean war.

Slowly making her way up the ladder, Girty pocked her tired head threw the door and saw nobody else in the room. ’Well this is not going to be uncomfortable' She thought sarcastically as her eyes fell on her professor as she continued to stare out the window. Quietly she decided not to draw any attention to herself and made her way straight to the back of the classroom.

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia had ignored whoever had come in long enough, she decided when she heard the almost reluctant sigh of whoever had come in. Dia smiled, knowing that teachers could sometimes be intimidating, and turned to see the one and only face she was glad to see in her class, Girty Hubbles. Dia smiled at her more warmly then before and turned her body slightly so it didn't seem like she was giving Girty the cold shoulder.

"Girty," she said cheerfully, less dreamy now and clear minded she could have a conversation with a student. "I'm so glad you've come. For a moment I thought it was just going to be me and the stars tonight." Dia laughed lazily and gazed back out the window wondering how on earth she had gotten into a position where she was stuck in one place. Dia was built for travelling and this fixed position thing just wasn't her cup of tea.

[Sarie Thimble]

Sarie ran up the stairs. She was really late. "Sorry I'm late. Wow... the sky is really pretty." Sarie looked around. She saw a Hufflepuff she knew. "Hey Girty how are you? Eveing Professor. Again Sorry I fell sleep."

[Girty Hubbles]

Slumping back into her chair Girty closed her eyes and rested her head in her hands. IT was so tempting just to fall to sleep, no one would know. But just as she was getting comfortable and a light sleep already passing over she heard her name being called although this time in was not in her dreams but Professor Owen. Opening her heavy eyelids Girty looked towards the professor and gave a small laugh at the mention of it being an empty class.

“Maybe that would have been better then a class full of grumpy teenagers. At least the stars will not moan about being awake at this time of night.”

Girty gave Dia a small smile as she saw Sarie climb up the ladder seemingly flustered yet surprisingly awake. Maybe she had been on the caffeine, something that Girty was convinced she should have done. An extra cup of tea might have done the trick.

“Evening Sarie. I am ok thank you…how about you?”

Girty would have loved to add that she was thankful she had turned up. In her eyes professor Owen was a lovely person and a great teacher but with her being connected to her brother it made things very difficult. Dan had told her a lot of things, half she was unsure and hoped were untrue as he did adore to tease her greatly but sometimes she saw a glint in his eye that made her think differently. Shrugging this feeling off and a yawn that was threatening to escape Girty turned her attention back to the Gryffindor.

[Sarie Thimble]

"Alright thanks other than I need some caffeine. I dozed off." She yawed "The sky is really pretty isn't it." She looked at them with a tried smiled. "I love the stars."

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia smiled at Girty and laughed. "Heavens know why I took a job where moaning students are my main target," she laughed. It was her own quirky way of trying to be friendly with Girty. She knew how close she and Dan were and it only now occurred to her that being with Dan, no matter how much either of them liked it, involved Girty too. Dia gazed mistily at the sleepy Hufflepuff and thought it best to leave it there for now.

A calm fell over the class again as all noise drowned away. The silence was broken by a small Gryffindor girl leaping through the hatch of the Tower. Dia jumped at the sudden entrance and for a moment thought it was Jac Biggerstall playing another of her tricks but soon realised that it was not. It was little Sarie Thimble. Dia nodded at the girl's greeting and said slowly, "good evening it is." The second year approached the seventh and Dia smiled. It was nice to see that the different years were not as strictly divided as they had once been.

[Alexis Heart]

Alexis had been in her room since after dinner. Snowball lying next to her purring up a storm as she scratched him behind the ear while trying to catch up on some reading. The book her favorite kind of muggle trashy romance novel. She was so immersed that it wasn't until Snowball meowed rather loudly that she looked up and seeing the clock on her bedside realized she was going to be late for astronomy if she didn't hurry. Giving the cat one last stroke, she jumped off her bed grabbing her bag and running like a bat out of well... Throwing open the common room door she flew into the hall. Her legs taking her as far as she could go she reached the staircase for the towers in no time.

Climbing as fast as she could she reached the top and walked into the tower. Seeing that there were only two others there ahead of her she tried to breath a sigh of relief but hardly could since she was still trying to catch her breath. Smiling to the professor and Girty and Sarie she found a seat and started to get ready for the lesson.

[Char Hadley]

The door clicked open quietly and Char entered the tower joining the small group. His eyes were wide with ill-suppressed excitement and he clutched the Astronomy book held under his arm with an anxious grip.

His image was one of unorganized disarray and amazement - hair out of place from his quick run up the stairs and eyes wide with marvel as they swept over the devices in the room. His fingers unclenched slowly, trying to inch toward a complicated mess of bronze beside him, before the voices next to him caught his attention.

Turning his head only slightly to catch them in his vision, he smiled and finally let his fingers land on the metallic object. The sky, Char felt, was a kind of magic beyond what he could preform and his interest in the class had led him to look like the student most awake. Smiling at the fact, he turned to face them fully and nodded in acknowledgement.

[Girty Hubbles]

Girty laughed with Sarie about falling asleep before this lesson. It was so easy to do, after a hard days work it was so simple to drift off into a doze and miss the first part of the lesson. Her suggestion of coffee was a good idea but Girty always feared of spilling it all over her charts and it would be a waste of time when she could have been sleeping. Her laughing only continued as Professor Owen resorted back with a small joke, although his time the laugh was slightly more nervous. This would be a tense lesson.

To Girty’s relief more people began to enter. First came a Ravenclaw and then another Gryffindor. Alexis seemed to be a hurry and when she smiled towards Girty she did the only civil thing and grinned back. The Gryffindor seemed to be in total awe of the whole thing, almost as if he had never seen the night sky before, but then in the depths of his eyes was the glint of recollection and familiarity. With an amused smile Girty watched the boy closely as he looked at them all and made his way through he classroom.

It looked like it was going to be a small class. Just how she liked it.

[littlebean]

Ash sprinted up the tower stairs. He had to pause three times t catch his breath before her made it up the stairs. Ashlynd was an athletic boy, but even with all the running in the world, he wouldn't have made it up those steep stairs in one shot.His blonde hair was slightly matted with sweat, the color around his brow slightly darker. The night wasn't cold , but it wasn't sweltering hot. Perfect in Ashlynd's point of view.

The first year swung the door open, still heaving from his climb. "I'm here." he said, swallowing hard. "I made it." He walked over to the nearest seat and slumped down, wiping his brow. He was over tired now. Not only was the class extremely late, especially for a first year, but the climb had taken all his energy and thrown it off the tower.

The stars were out with a vengeance tonight. Ashlynd had a great respect for the stars, something he loved dearly. It was a weakness, if it could be called that. Some are suckers for puppy and roses, Ash for stars.

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia smiled warmly, glad that Girty could laugh. She had feared that things would be tense but this showed her that even though she had a relationship with her brother, Girty could still laugh and have a good time around her which was a good sign. So Dia smiled at Girty.

Her attention was, however, shifted to the trap door as another Gryffindor ascended through it. "Good evening, Mr Hadley," she smiled at the young Gryffindor. The small group of students assembled seemed determined to hid at the back of the Tower room. "Move forward, everyone," she said kindly, standing up and waving her arms for everyone to move closer.

Yet another Gryffindor joined them and at quite a pace too. "You most certainly did, well done!" Dia smiled at the young boy and noted a resemblance between him and a young Hufflepuff Dia thought had great potential. "Are you related to Miss Olivia Belmont, by any chance?" she quizzed him with a soft smile. Her mind wondered to the Ravenclaw common room where all were asleep and none were attending her class. With a small sigh, Dia turned her full attention to the small Gryffindor who had just entered.

[littlebean]

"Well, Uh." Ashlynd smiled at the Professor. It seemed to be that every class he attended he was asked the same question. It seemed as though his sister was rather well liked by all the teacher, something Ashlynd himself would soon strive to do. He didn't mind being linked to his sister, but it did get boring after a while. It was hard not to see the Belmont resemblance, the siblings faces had very much the same features.

"Only by blood." He answer with a big smile, wiping the long blond hair from his eyes with a tanned hand. That was the only difference between he and his sister. She was pale and dark haired, while he was tan and light haired.

As he smiled at Professor Owen, he could tell that he would already like her. She had been very light hearted at his arrival and had made the first year feel very welcome up on that high tower. Moving closer to her, he smiled, ready for the lesson. Looking up once again at the amazing show of stars, he smiled. He wished that if anyone else was to join them they would hurry. Stars like these should not be wasted.

[Professor Dia Hubbles]

Dia smiled and nodded at the young Gryffindor. She presumed, from his answer, that he had gotten that self same question from most of the other teachers. Olivia was an amiable young lady that was diligent and respectful; Dia always enjoyed having Olivia in her classes. She was excited to see what this young Belmont could do.

Turning to the rest of her class, small as usual, Dia smiled and clapped her hands together. "Welcome, everyone," she said, smiling at each and every face present. It's a joy to have so many here tonight were the words she wanted to say but knew she wouldn't be able to say it with a straight face. Tonight we will be concentrating on three constellations that are only visible at this time of the morning and only at this time of the year." Dia looked at all the faces and saw she had their attention, so she continued.

"Now, what time of the morning is it? Early morning, very early. And what time of year is it? Late Autumn, early Winter. So would anyone like to hazard a guess as to which constellations we will be discussing?" As she spoke she moved between the desks, watching everyone and when she saw a hand move for a text book, Dia quickly put her hand on the cover and pushed it close, and added, "without looking at your books."

[Sarie Thimble]

"Orion will be coming out soon. Also we can see the big ans little dipper who are also known as the bears. There are the 7 sisters..." Sarie's brain stop mid thought. She knew it would happen she wasn't quite awake yet. Since she had only woken up 20 minutes ago.