Term 13 - Lesson 2 - 1st/3rd Years

As usual, Peter leaned on his desk waiting for the students. He had stopped by Inés' office earlier to steal one of the rubber balls she was using for one of the lessons and was now bouncing it against the floor. He had set the chairs to the side and covered areas of the floor with cushions. Next to his desk was a cart full of desserts and hot beverages for the students, because winter was Peter's favorite season.

Brage was superexcited by DaDA, so he had decided to be early out. This was the equivalent to dark arts at Durmstrang, his brother had told him, even though Durmstrang focused more on the practice of the dark arts, not just to defend against it. Brage had to think to himself that, though Durmstrang seemed like a more hardcore school, Hogwarts seemed like the more reasonable of the two. He'd never tell his brother this, though, considering how extremely proud he already was that he'd been in the last year of graduates at Durmstrang. Brage guessed the school would re-open again, but until then, his brother would continue being proud.

The first year stepped into the classroom, amused by the cushions thrown around, and he was instantly sure the class was going to be hilarious, though perhaps a bit painful. He looked up and saw the professor. Brage grinned. "Hello professor," he said in his usual broken accent. Of course, he'd actually lived in England long enough to pick up on most of the ways they said things, but if one listened for it, his accent was undeniable. Brage looked to the blackboard and frowned a bit. Knockback jinx? He didn't think he'd read about it before. Though the name said more than he needed to know of how the spell worked. It also said 'pick a partner'. Well, seeing as Brage was the first in the room, he'd simply have to wait for the next person to arrive. So he sat down on one of the soft cushions and waited patiently.

While he made his way down to towards the DADA class, Humphrey began to wonder what the professor would have in store. Though he tried to keep up there was always something he hadn't anticipated, which was probably how the professor wanted it. It also made learning new things exciting, and that thought had him smiling a little before he saw the classroom ahead of him. He headed straight for it, as his heart began to pound a little faster.

A boy who looked a little younger was already there, as well as the Professor waiting at the front. "Hello, professor." Humphrey's eyes did a quick glance to each side before refocusing on the front, taking in the pillows in the process. For some reason the professor was bouncing a rubber ball, and a small part of him found that the professor doing that instead of a student was slightly amusing. That thought he squashed though, not wanting to be rude. On the board was written Knockback jinx, and below it 'Please pick a partner'. With only one person there now the choice was rather clear. His eyes focused on the younger boy, and he took a step closer to him. "Would you like to work together? I'm Humphrey."

Defense Against the Dark Arts was always better than Sinead expected. Making her way to the classroom, Sinead thought her upcoming birthday. She wasn't exactly having a party because the only people she wanted to spend it with were only three. Three as in quantity, not age. She had sent out invitations to Serafina (even though the Gryffindor seemed to still be avoiding her), Danny and of course, Humphrey. Her birthday fell on a Friday, this upcoming Friday to be exact, which meant Sinead could sneak Danny and Serafina into the Ravenclaw Common Room for a night.

They wouldn't be doing much, just playing board games and eating junk food. It wasn't a real party after all. Of course, she had also made Humphrey help her, but it seemed he was thinking of a way to get her to agree on holding said event away from the Common Room so they wouldn't get in trouble. Sinead would be okay with that, if he found a better place. So far, it seemed he hadn't. With her books in hand, Sinead walked into the DADA classroom to find Humphrey already there. Grinning, she ran up next to him. "Humphrey!" But there was a younger boy next to him, as well. A Gryffindor.

Smiling at him as well, Sinead extended her hand. "I'm Sinead O'Donnell. You are?" She didn't really read the board until she turned to face the professor, and when she did, she immediately glanced at Humphrey. But then she stopped herself. Humphrey needed more guy friends. Still smiling, Sinead said, "If Dakota shows up, I'll make an effort to be nice to her. For your sake, Humphrey." She patted the Ravenclaw boy in the back, as if she truly was granting him his greatest wish.