[Animagus] T2: Lesson 1: Evolution

[Girty Hubbles]

Girty smiled but it soon vanished when the professor talked and asked the next question. She tapped her fingers on her forehead trying to get her brain to work. Something her brother had said was floating in her head.
"Noakes....somthing Noakes" Girty found herself talking aloud and looked around the room before putting her full attention on her drink.

[Faye Vedette]

Faye nodded, and with a sharp tap of her wand on the mirror, a figure appeared from the shadow. 'Yes, Graham Noakes. Order of Merlin First Class, 400, BC. Ten points to Hufflepuff.'

The figure was rather severe looking, with great broad shoulders, a large stomach and a disapproving expression. Faye had always found his eyes quite frightening - they were set back in his head, as if hiding in caves, with dark shadows around edges. His mouth made him look like a depressed frog.

'Can you go into depth about his notions - I mean theories - Girty?' Faye said hurriedly.Personally Faye had always taken just the sight of Graham Noakes as an insult. He had been strongly biased to those who had first revealed the world of the Animagus.

[Girty Hubbles]

Girty blinked slowly at the professor and sighed deeply. She rolled her eyes and looked around the room for any help. when she noticed she would not be getting any she let out a huge sigh and looked at the picture.
"Well he looks like a proud mardy person." she smile and thought back at what the professor had said and how she had acted.
"Did he believe believed animguses were a disgrace to the human kind?"

[Faye Vedette]

Faye looked from the foeglass to Girty. 'Yes, you're on the right lines, Girty. He had a huge prejudice towards those who could transform. Carry on - can you tell me his reasons and what he did to them in his crusade?' Faye dearly hoped Girty could answer. She had obviously done her homework about Animagus history.

[Girty Hubbles]

Girtys eyes grew wide and she winced almost in pain as Faye told her to continue. She had only done a bit of reading during the holidays. She took another deep breath and thought back on what the professor had said.
'huge prejudice.... his crusade'

She ran these words and tried to make connections. then the date came to her head. '400, BC That was long ago, primitive ideas, primitive theories.' she thought long and hard then some facts she learned at a muggle primary school popped into her head. She thought it would be no harm in guessing.

"Throughout history there has been sent to the gallows for all sorts. People with different religions and the main one of people being accused of being a witch as they turned people into Newts." Girty broke off and thought some more.
'Crusade, that links to massacres, death for what people think right what they believe. What they want'

"Did he kill those who were Animagus as he did not believe them to be correct they needed to be destroyed."

[Faye Vedette]

Faye nodded gently as she listened to Girty. 'You're absolutely correct. Noakes saw the recently emerging Animagus as some sort of deformity - an abomination to the human species, especially wizards. He was one of the many who saw wizards as a stage higher than muggles, and he believed Animagi were a threat to this supposed superiority wizards had earned.'

Faye waved her wand, the Noakes slunk back into the shadows to join the other figures that Faye was not fond of. 'He ordered trials. Killings. Hundreds of them. In muggle myth, witches were hung for their crimes - but the truth is that it was only those uncovered as Animagi. It was quite a dark time...' she said solemnly. 'Ten points to Hufflepuff.'

[Girty Hubbles]

Girty sat back thinking of everything the professor had said. She found it hard to believe that anyone one be able to do something like that and kill other people simple as they were not like them, but hat had happened through the whole of history.
Girty picked up her drink and sat back. She had done to much thinking for the day and she thought about shutting down for a bit and let the class go on around her.

[Prof Grace Marks]

Grace had been to excited to answer any of the questions asked. Thankfully Girty was there; she was the real brains. Grace sipped her tea and smiled at Girty as she sat down. "Nice going!" she said.

[Faye Vedette]

Faye smiled affectionately as Grace and Girty conversed with smiles. She prided herself on the fact that her lesson seemed to be the only one where fights and tantrums did not break out among the students. Even Jerred had been obediently silent so far. 'Girty has explained to us the overall concept of Devolution, and revealed to us Graham Noakes, the founder of the idea and the history that ensured.'

She tapped her wand against the foeglass once more, and this time several black shadows stepped forward slowly. 'Although it has been scientifically proven the the act of becoming an Animagi is not a step back in evolution - nor is it a step forward. For a time, as recently as the thirteen hundreds, Animagi were classed as half-breeds among wizard, and continued to experience much degradation and taking away of rights.' She looked at the foeglass. 'Now - this should be easy, as they are quite famous. What was the name of the group of witches and wizards who tirelessly campaigned to have Animagus's rights bought to that of equal status with regular magicfolk? And for an extra five points - who was their leader?'

[Girty Hubbles]

Girty looked over toward Grace and smiled.
Your turn she thought and slid backward so that the professor could get a good view of Grace.

[Prof Grace Marks]

Grace thought for a moment. "Well if I remember correctly Animagus Aliance was the name of the group and Tel ... Talcott Parsons's the leader. Is that right?" she looked up from her cup and gazed from Girty to the professor.

[Faye Vedette]

Faye smiled as she nodded. 'Excellent Grace! You two are stars...' she winked at Grace and Girty as she turned back to the foeglass, tapping it once again.

Five wizards sprung from the shadows, the one in the center standing out of the most. An elderly grey man with big slanting eyes looked out over them with a musing expression, his wispy black beard long and thick, covering the lower half of his face completely. 'This is Doctor Talcott Parsons, yes. The brains behind the Animagus Alliance, the man who lead a society of educated Animagus to become renounded for their work on rights. These surrounding him -' she pointed to the three other wizards and a pretty witch. 'Were his top crusaders. Hanzel Marvell on the right here is why I am allowed to teach in a school today. He was the Director of Education within the Animagus Alliance. And here -' she pointed her wand at the witch. 'Is Lady Georgette Nottingham. For a time woman Animagus were still not given the same rights as men. She is also why I am allowed to teach.'

With relluctance Faye magicked away the five figures. 'Ten points to Hufflepuff.' she smiled proudly.

[Jerred Boneman]

Jerred had sat still for the entire time the professor droned on. He had his eyes closed, his arms folded, trying not to fall asleep. He heard everything and wanted to actually learn about becoming an animal and actually doing it. He was about to open his mouth to speak, when he closed it, his vains in his temples showing his uncomfortableness.

[Girty Hubbles]

Girty noticed Jerred's uncomfortableness and smiled at him. She wanted to prolong his agony.
"Professor? What did Graham Noakes think about the other ways of people turning into animals? The evil ways such as being bitten by a wearwolf."
To Girty this question was personal, it always dragged on her mind if would she be able to change due to her bite.

[Faye Vedette]

Faye smiled. 'Ah, Noakes considered himself above such sordid matters as half-breeds and in-humans, as they had already been around since the dawn of time and already thoroughly discriminated against. Although Noakes was considered one of the greatest thinkers of his time, he was very much a war monger. Animagus was still a very delicate matter as he was coming into power. It was his only interest to manipulate it.'

Faye walked away from the mirror now, watching her students as she walked. Her eyes lingered on Jerred the longest. 'Even today there are those who agree with Noakes - people as young as your parents even.' she stopped pacing. 'What are your views?'