[CoMC] T5: Lesson 1: Kelpie

[Prof Brianna O'Donnell]

Bree laughed and clapped her hand on her leg. "Correct, Tassarosso," she chuckled, "a basilisk." More information came to her about the legendary beast but the bit she wanted came from the older Conway. "Reed, Conway, wonderful stuff. They are incredibly dangerous and you best pray you never come across one, with or without a mirror but the Miss Conway's point about the M.O.M. was the most important."

Shifting in the thick sludge she was standing in, Bree looked back to the beautiful and sleek creature, its dull eyes staring at nothingness somewhere in the far reaches of the water. "M.O.M. stands for Ministry of Magic, for all those who didn't catch that," Bree continued looking back to the class gathered on the shore line, though she was certain farther then before. "The Ministry has seen fit to classify creatures according to handling capabilities of wizards. Now this little fella here," Bree said stepping back and tugging lightly on the strap in her hand, "earned itself a four rating as it is dangerous but with the right knowledge and a skilled handler, such as myself, you'll be fine."

This little speech was the reassure the class that there was nothing to fear. But from the look on Ellie Rook's face Brianna didn't think that would be enough. Lifting the strap into the air so that the bridle lifted too a little, Bree posed the question loudly, "why would you say do I have this bridle on? Can anyone hazard a guess?"

[Angelique Juliette]

M.O.M. stands for ministry of magic, for all those who didn't catch that, the professor said, and it took all of Angel's powers not to roll her eyes because if someone didn't know what those initials stood for they were truly idiotic and deserved to be slapped. All she could do was shake her head but not so obvious that anyone would notice. As she stood next to Erys Angel was simply looking around. It wasn't everyday she got outisde, the school her prison. It felt good even though it was due to a class. Too bad she couldn't just walk off and go on her own way, perhaps into the village for a well deserved drink. That sounded like a lot more fun than this.

As she looked around she again noticed her favorite Hufflepuff the one that brough her so much entertainment. She seemed a bit frightenend of the creature they were studying. How did the girl function in everday societ being so scared. She had no idea but it was fun for her to watch. Poor poor Ellie.[/b]

[Ellie Rook]

"So it doesn't get away?" Ellie said, which was an obvious answer. Why else do you put a leash on a dog, or a bird in a cage. The bridle was the same idea. Truthfully, even if the bridle was not for that purpose, Ellie was glad it was there and would keep the Kelpie from getting away from Professor O'Donnell, and away from Ellie.

Ellie saw a Slytherin who was in her Dark Arts class looking at her, smiling at Ellie's uncomfortable position. She sneered at the girl. Ellie had been having a hard time forgetting that lesson. It had been drilled into her mind. Thankfully, a lesson that bad hadn't happened in CoMC, but it was still early in the year. Ellie could be decapitated yet. Maybe it would be fun to be a ghost. She could torment that Slytherin girl.

[Amara Conway]

Mara smiled at Bradyn and nodded but didn't have time to reply as the professor began speaking again. It was an interesting class, Amara thought, so she would pay attention thought she knew a fair bit about this creature already. Amara sneered at her pip squeak brother and winked when the professor said it was her comment that was most important. Mar had hardly known that it would be but the bragging rights that went along with it were too good to pass up. the young Claw was glad the professor was so far out so she couldn't see her taunting her brother.

Listening, as she had decided to do, Mar watched the creature carefully and noticed it's glazed eyes. Knowing why, it was only a matter of time before the question that would earn her more bragging rights would come. When it did, Amara's hand shot up into the air. Before she could say anything the Hufflepuff standing with the Claws spoke and Mara laughed. "Of course that, silly," Mara chuckled, "but a bridle put on a kelpie correctly with a Placement Charm renders a kelpie docile and unthreatening."

Amara was 87% certain that she had read the insert about the kelpie in Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them not two nights ago. The other 13% of her said that she had read it the week before and that she wasn't giving herself enough credit but that was laughable. Looking to Ellie, Mar smiled and pointed to the creature, "see its eyes? They're all glazed over and unfocused. I doubt it even knows we're here." She sniggered and looked to the professor, awaiting more.

[Prof Brianna O'Donnell]

Bree waited patiently for an answer. Surely someone had an idea? When the young, nervous Miss Rook Bree smiled. "That also, Miss Rook," Bree said smiling, "Four points for your imput." Bree knew of the girl's dislike for the class. Perhaps it was because of some traumatic experience during her childhood, who was to know but her?

"Anyone else like to hazard a guess?" Bree put forth just before the eager Ravenclaw spoke. Nodding her head, Bree chuckled. "Correct Miss Conway," she chuckled, "six points to Ravenclaw. The simplest and really only way to defend yourself against the charms of a kelpie is to use the Placement Charm and put a bridle onto it's face. Just as Miss Conway said."

Bree tugged the kelpie and it followed her listlessly. "It's is completely under my control," she said, as she and the kelpie trudged through the water in a wide circle. "It has no clue where it is or what it is doing all it knows is that it wants to do what the bridle and lead are prompting it to." Walking back to the long poll that stuck out of the surface of the water, Bree reattatched the leather strap she was using as a lead and began walking back towards the shore.

"Now, I trust you all know the spell for placing an object," she said, pulling out her wand. She gave it a wave and a thick stick about two feet long appeared planted into the soft ground of the shore. On the top was an imitation of a kelpie head, dazed looking. A bow appeared to Bree's other side. "In the box is a bridle for each," she said, smiling at the students present. "I want each of you to have a go at using the placement charm to put a bridle on the head of Scratchy here."

Bree waved her wand again at the box and the bridles floated up before flying to each student. "Form a neat row please and have a go," she said, "then you may leave. No homework today."

"An example is called for I think." A bridle remained in the box and Bree leant down and picked it up. She stood about five feet away from the head and held the bridle in her other hand. She gave her wand a good shake and said the incantation. It rose up into the air and floated towards the head. It slipped itself neatly onto the kelpie head. "Right then," she said, turning around. "I hope you all saw that. Once you're done, simply remove your bridle and put it back into the box."

[Ellie Rook]

Ellie's face looked horrified as she saw the bridles, but breathed easier after finding that they wouldn't actually have to approach the Kelpie. Still, she shifted uneasily. She reached out and grabbed the bridle, holding it loosely in her hands. She watched the demonstration, still worried. Ellie smiled as the fake Kelpie head stuck itself into the ground. Relieve she sighed. She was stupid, worrying so much.

She looked back to see her classmates lined up behind her. "What..I?" Ellie groaned, her face worried. "Fine!" She said, and stepped forward, making the same space as the Professor had between herself and the Kelpie. The dazed look was very comical. Ellie smiled, taking out her wand. She made the same motions as the professor, the bridle floating to the head. It took a few moments to wiggle its way on, but Ellie brighten as she saw the finished assignment. Smiling she strode over to the fake head and unlatched the bridle.

"Great lesson Professor." She said happily. "No animal contact!" She smiled, standing to the side, waiting for Bray and Fay to finish.

[Erys Grace]

Having nodded off a bit in to the lesson - standing, unnoticed at that - Erys woke up a little ways after the question about the bridle was popped. So she managed to catch the part about why it was neccessary, and how to get it on, in time to have her bridle fly at her. Catching it smoothly, fully awake now, the Slytherin gazed at it a while, fiddling with it in her graceful fingers. So they had to get this on that beautiful creature? Lovely, the possible aspect of screwing up and Hufflepuffs getting hurt. Only half listening to the rest of the instructions, managing to hear the part about 'getting in line' she slunk towards the line, slipping in beside some 'Claw, realising a moment or two afterwards that it was Bray.

Withdrawing her wand out of her sleeve, Erys pointed it at the bridle, imitating the professor's moves exactly. It then hovered there a few seconds before she eased it towards the fake animal, slipping it over its head. The spells completed, and the final product a complete and utter success, Erys approached it to remove the bridle before stepping back. "Hm." She muttered as she nodded her approval, knowing O'Donnell had seen at least a bit of the application before she unlatched the bridle.[/color]

[Amara Conway]

It suddenly became all too clear to the young Ravencalw that she read far too much and did not do enough socialising. After all, Mrs Conway always said that school was not where children learnt about life after school but where they learnt about life and how to be with people. Amara was not a particularly quiet person but she was an intense one. This may have counted against her.

But as she fell into line, Amara knew that for all her book wormish tendencies she would do well in this next part. The practial side of a class always came more easily to Mar then the knowledge. She did not know hot that worked but it seemed to and she didn't question it. The tall Slytherin went before her and as she did Mara pracited the incantation, imitating the hand gesture with her own.

The Slytherin went to the dummy and took off her bridle, while Amara took out her wand and held her own out in front of her. Saying the incantation once softly, Amara coughed and said it more loudly, firmly. The bridle floated up and then towards the dummy head. She had a little difficulty getting the strap over the ears but eventually she got it.

A proud smile came to her face as she strode to the head and took off the bridle. Amara put it in the box next to the professor and smiled at her. 'Thanks Professor,' she said, merrily, 'see you tomorrow.' With that, Amara went to where she had put her book bag, picked it up and headed back to the castle.

[Alexis Heart]

For some reason she was actually loosing focus. That was a shame and completely out of character for her. She yawned a bit too loudly looking around she hoped that no one especially the professor heard that because people expected a lot from her and this wasn't her usual behavior. She had to shake her head and take a deep breath while watching the professor walk over and place the birdie over its head. Now they students were told that they had to do the same.

Alexis watched others do it not really caring about when it would be her turn but after Amara took hers the young Ravenclaw walked up and tried hard to remember exaclty what the professor had done. Taking her wand she attempted the same movements and such watching as the birdie drifted over to the dummies head before being placed on it. She had done it and that's all that mattered to her.