26 Dec 2018, 02:58
Project Management
Tempus neminem manet.
The three-word mantra, time waits for no one, pounded through Cel's head with each step that she took down the staircase. Once again, she'd stayed in the Common Room reading. Once again, she'd stayed for too long. And once again, she had somewhere to get to, and she needed to get there preferably before noon, possibly during. The young girl had no idea where Luna was—likely there already, she'd been too absorbed in reading to actually pay attention—but it was eight flights of stairs, the first of them longer than the others, from the West Tower down to the First Floor of the Hogwarts Castle.
When she'd first gotten to Hogwarts, it had confused her, the floor plan—Cel was more accustomed to seeing the First Floor being the Ground Floor, and there were no towers to increase the length of those spiraling stairs. At first, the hike to breakfast along had exhausted her. She'd gotten mostly used to it, the constant running up and down stairs, but eight flights was still quite the distance to cover in such little time. Certainly, this time, promptness wasn't quite as important as, say, classes, but she still shouldn't have stayed behind to finish that one last sentence... then the one, singular last page... then the final chapter... fine, she finished the book. It was a good book.
A couple of days prior, she'd received an Owl during breakfast, the bird itself taking no more than the time to drop the message before swooping back into the air again. This, quite clearly, was not a letter from Parker, or from her new family. It was signed with a professor's name, one of the truly good professors in the school—not that any were bad professors, of course—the professor of History of Magic. Her interest in the field had greatly increased ever since she'd begun teaching, and apparently, her interest had been recognized, for the letter invited Cel to her office on Saturday at noon, along with Cel's dormmate and friend, she supposed, Luna.
Frankly, Cel was thrilled. It had been a while since something new had happened, something new and not screwed up, and, well, history was interesting, even if she rarely expressed her interest in it openly. Well. She rarely expressed her interest in anything openly, even if it could be apparent at times. Of course, the Ravenclaw girl wound up entranced in Marie Lu's Prodigy, a book that she'd read before... and now she was going to be late. Again. As always.
Time waits for no one had become somewhat of an annoying reminder of her regret whenever she was late, and at this point, she probably already heard it thrice a week. Well, it wasn't her fault that authors were good at—surprise—great at writing, and that she couldn't put books down even when there was an event. As the young girl finally skidded to a stop at the foot of the First Floor stairs, she began to walk, allowing her breathing to slow back down and the panic to fade from her mind.
History of Magic was on the same floor as Defense Against Dark Arts, making the First Floor one of the more frequented floors in the castle, compared to, say, the Seventh Floor. Cel was a Ravenclaw, although she knew that was where the Gryffindor Common Room was located, and Divination was an elective, taken only in the Third Year. This floor, she knew, was home to the Hufflepuff Common Room, but she'd only ever paid attention to her own house Common Room's exact location.
Cel paused before the History of Magic classroom, not certain whether or not to knock. For a moment she debated the matter; then, she raised a loosely fisted hand to rap softly against the door. The sound seemed hollow across the empty hallway—right now, it was empty, for there were no classes in session, and... oh, there was one Hufflepuff girl, likely older, paying absolutely no attention to her. But that was all, and she hesitated for a second longer before lightly pushing open the door.
30 Dec 2018, 03:39
Project Management
Godmod permission granted by Professor Risa
Life had been so much easier since Luna had stepped down from Prefect duties. Relief from the stresses of trying to study while enforcing the myriad rules of the school was gone, allowing her to be as much of a child that was possible with her. It wasn’t much, but the world-weary girl would take what she could get. Absorbing a wealth of knowledge was her primary goal now. She devoured books left and right, a large bulk of her free time in the library, or on the grounds studying phenomenon in person. The girl was pretty much a social hermit anyway, so it hardly affected any relationships she may have. Sometimes she felt like she could disappear for weeks at a time and it would be hardly noticed. She liked that too.
A book on the subtleties of Transfiguration graced her knees as she sat on her bed in her dorm. The bookcase in the center of the room had expedited her ability to acquire knowledge, satisfying the burning lust for it in her. She was so absorbed in the book itself, she failed to notice the nearly silent owl fly into the room. The predatory bird dropped the letter mid-air, allowing it to weave back and forth gently until it reached the open book before her, interrupting her steady reading. She blinked at first, the intrusion both unexpected and unwelcome. Her golden eyes narrowed. Who sent owls to her? It must be important, no one just talked to her for no specific reason. She lifted the letter from the book, using her knees to slam the tome shut. A quick flick of her fingernail across the wax seal broke it open.
The words on the parchment were precise. A summons to the office of the most recent History of Magic Professor. The third one Luna had learned under since her tenure here at Hogwarts. She had yet to form a concrete opinion of Professor Risa. The woman seemed off to her like there was something more to her than she showed her students. Then again, perhaps it was just Luna’s overactive imagination. What could the professor want though? Luna had maintained high grades in the professor’s class. She was hardly a disturbance during lessons. Luna released a sigh. It couldn’t be too bad. The girl stood, her boots making a sharp rap on the floor as they held her weight.
She exited Ravenclaw tower on the trip all the way down to the first floor. She had grown used to the navigation of the castle, barring classes she couldn’t attend yet. The girl walked down the hall, a neat braid of her white hair bouncing off her back, a meticulous practice kept by the second year girl. Braided hair was less likely to get in the way after all, and required some measure of skill to accomplish by oneself. She like the sense of discipline it gave her. Wandering in her thoughts allowed her wandering in the halls to go faster, and within a few minutes, she had arrived at the History of Magic classroom. A simple, quaint little room, but like everything at this school, it held more than what one saw at first glance. She pushed into the room and approached the office door contained inside. She gently rapped on the door, waiting patiently for a reply. The Professor called her in, asking her to sit at a table before the desk. Luna obligied Professor Risa, sitting calmly to find out why she had been summoned.
Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed.
30 Dec 2018, 04:20
Project Management
Ah, class project season. What fun it would be. Aoi had decided to pair up students in her second-year class, giving them all a particular subject to research. At the conclusion of this research, the pair would present their findings to the class. Aoi believed that teaching helped reinforce knowledge in a special way. Understanding a subject was one thing, understanding it well enough to teach the concept to another was entirely more. Owls had flown out with letters for many students, calling them to her office at prescribed times so she could assign their project. They were mid-unit, and so all the projects related to subjects pertaining to the Wizarding Wars.
A soft knock at the door told her one of the two, or perhaps both, students due this afternoon had arrived. “Yes, come in”, replied Aoi. The door pushed open, and in walked Miss Aurelius. The girl was bright, quite successful in Aoi’s class. She wore an air of emotional walling. Like someone wearing a mask constantly. Aoi honestly felt some concern for the young lady, but it wasn’t her place to meddle. Luna seemed to be getting along well enough. “Please, sit down. We have one more to arrive, and then I’ll explain the request for your presence.”
It wasn’t more than a few minutes before a second rapping at her door occurred. Before Aoi could answer this time though, the door pushed open, and in walked Miss Gray. Celynne, if Aoi remembered correctly. Another high performer in her class, as well as a Ravenclaw, just like Miss Aurelius. Aoi thought them to be a good pair, as she knew to both to be orphans of sorts. Similar souls, yet still quite different. How well would the pair mesh to accomplish a mutually beneficial goal? Hopefully, a presentation wouldn’t be too much for the pair, who both seemed to be isolated over social. A trait Aoi did not possess. Miss Gray seemed to love knowledge just for knowledge itself. An admirable trait.
“Welcome girls. How are you both faring today? I’ve called, or owled rather, you here today to assign a project. It will be due in a month’s time. It will be a presentation on a subject, of which I will draw from this hat”, she motioned at a nearby witch’s hat laying upside down with slips of paper lying inside the hollow top, “It will be totally random, so let’s get to it posthaste.”
The hat floated up, above Aoi’s eyeline, therefore ensuring she couldn’t see the slips of paper inside. A quick grasp of her slender fingers yielded a single slip of paper, which the professor unfolded and scanned rapidly with her eyes. “It would appear your subject is….. Pureblood families as documented by The Pure-Blood Directory, and those families reactions to inclusion.” Aoi raised her eyebrows. A touchy subject for many. She was growing excited to see what the two high performing girls would find and present. “That’s all for today girls. I don’t mean to push you out, however, I have many papers to finish grading, as well as a few errands to attend to. Thank you for your time Miss Gray, Miss Aurelius. I’ll see you in class.” Aoi flashed a smile and waiting for the girls to depart.
A soft knock at the door told her one of the two, or perhaps both, students due this afternoon had arrived. “Yes, come in”, replied Aoi. The door pushed open, and in walked Miss Aurelius. The girl was bright, quite successful in Aoi’s class. She wore an air of emotional walling. Like someone wearing a mask constantly. Aoi honestly felt some concern for the young lady, but it wasn’t her place to meddle. Luna seemed to be getting along well enough. “Please, sit down. We have one more to arrive, and then I’ll explain the request for your presence.”
It wasn’t more than a few minutes before a second rapping at her door occurred. Before Aoi could answer this time though, the door pushed open, and in walked Miss Gray. Celynne, if Aoi remembered correctly. Another high performer in her class, as well as a Ravenclaw, just like Miss Aurelius. Aoi thought them to be a good pair, as she knew to both to be orphans of sorts. Similar souls, yet still quite different. How well would the pair mesh to accomplish a mutually beneficial goal? Hopefully, a presentation wouldn’t be too much for the pair, who both seemed to be isolated over social. A trait Aoi did not possess. Miss Gray seemed to love knowledge just for knowledge itself. An admirable trait.
“Welcome girls. How are you both faring today? I’ve called, or owled rather, you here today to assign a project. It will be due in a month’s time. It will be a presentation on a subject, of which I will draw from this hat”, she motioned at a nearby witch’s hat laying upside down with slips of paper lying inside the hollow top, “It will be totally random, so let’s get to it posthaste.”
The hat floated up, above Aoi’s eyeline, therefore ensuring she couldn’t see the slips of paper inside. A quick grasp of her slender fingers yielded a single slip of paper, which the professor unfolded and scanned rapidly with her eyes. “It would appear your subject is….. Pureblood families as documented by The Pure-Blood Directory, and those families reactions to inclusion.” Aoi raised her eyebrows. A touchy subject for many. She was growing excited to see what the two high performing girls would find and present. “That’s all for today girls. I don’t mean to push you out, however, I have many papers to finish grading, as well as a few errands to attend to. Thank you for your time Miss Gray, Miss Aurelius. I’ll see you in class.” Aoi flashed a smile and waiting for the girls to depart.
Sometimes, making the wrong choice is better than making no choice. You have the courage to go forward, that is rare.
2 Jan 2019, 12:36
Project Management
Proh! Est comparentia.
That phrase roughly translated to oh, a presentation, properly describing the young Ravenclaw's surprise and slight apprehension. Projects were fun; she quite enjoyed those, a good refresher from lectures in a classroom, unique or otherwise. But presentations... those were tougher—to have to stand up and speak and explain in front of so many people, their eyes all either on her or on the wall beside her head... it was easier if she was explaining to one person, but in front of a crowd; that was harder. A lot harder, for her, at least.
But she'd worry about that later.
Right now, she'd have to focus on research, with Luna no less—if it was to be a group project, there was probably no better partner to ask for. One of the only friends she had, and her dormmate, a fact that would make it easier for her to communicate—Luna would be a good partner. And the topic was Purebloods, a subject filled with drama and prejudice that she didn't quite care for, but at least she'd be reading about something interesting. After all, she'd only found out about her own Pureblood status a few months ago.
In fact, she'd glanced through a book in Diagon Alley at the start of the school year, Nature's Nobility or some other prejudiced faex like that, and had ended up buying it for little more than a galleon—not much to her, of course, although it could be expensive for a book—for no reason other than the simple satisfaction of knowing her own lineage. Mostly what was contained in it had been her mother's side, though, of the Selwyns, apparently one of the original Twenty-Eight. However, it was currently discarded somewhere under her bed... now was a good time to dig it back out.
Understanding the dismissal, the screech of Cel's chair against the floor caused her to cringe as she pushed it back. "Thank you, Professor," she remembered to say, mind already teeming with ideas as she smiled quickly. The young Ravenclaw rose out of her chair, robes flowing around her like a waterfall, half waiting to see if Luna would do the same, then walked purposefully but a little slowly toward the door, seeing if her dormmate would catch up with her. Perhaps they could discuss the possibilities on the way back up the West Tower, if Luna was heading in the same direction, which hopefully she was?
Hmm, that was an issue—usually with group projects that she'd been assigned, mostly outside of Hogwarts, she'd been able to convince her partner to do a majority of the presenting, although she wasn't certain that would be possible here. Or maybe it was; after all, Luna had once been a prefect, and had probably done a better, much more assertive job of it than Cel had. She wasn't the most extroverted, that was for sure, but she seemed willing to take on the burden of authority when necessary. Cel didn't want to be dead weight, of course, but she also really didn't want to talk in front of a whole class. Well. Perhaps she'd just focus on making the presentation first.