Lesson 1 - 7th Years Slytherin and Ravenclaw

[etiennediable]

This class is for 7th Years, Ravenclaws and Slytherins.

The students expected to attend this class are as follows:

Kalib Hemlock, Lucius Malfoy, Mariella Covas, Bellatrix Black, Celeste De Luca and Devona Edgecombe.

Remember - keep a posting order! There's a lot of students expected and after the first register is taken I expect you to all wait your turn for posting.

Etienne shifted in his chair uncomfortably. He tried to concentrate with tired eyes on the piece of parchment he had in front of him. The inky words kept sliding in and out of focus but he could just about make out the title.

Class Timetable - E. Diable

He pressed the balls of his fists into his eyes with apparent frustration. Small stars popped up in front of them. He pulled his head away and shook it vigorously; trying to ground himself.
Etienne was sitting in his rather dingy office, reading through the classes he had that very morning. He didn't have many lessons today, but still - two was enough to make him shiver with dread.

"Why can't I just climb back into bed?" he almost pleaded, not quite knowing who he was meant to be talking to.

You see, Professor Diable hadn't caught a wink of sleep last night.
It was his first day back from the Summer Holidays and he had a week's classes and homework to organize. This in itself had taken him barely 3 hours, but at 3 o'clock in the morning he simply couldn't make himself fall asleep. So he just lay awake and went over no end of unpleasant and embarrassing memories in his head. As these things will insist on sticking in the mind, he hadn't been able to shake them. The result was Professor Diable banging his head repeatedly on the table in an attempt to knock them out of his brain.

He walked over to the large cupboard that stood in the far corner of his office. He used it for storing all manner of equipment, such as his extensive collection of Dark Detectors. But at the moment, he was something quite different from the ordinary contents of the cupboard. He swung open its door moodily and grabbed a tiny, bright blue phial that had been sitting on the top shelf. He uncorked it, releasing large purple swirls of steam. He breathed deeply the vapour with a smile of relief, and downed the contents in one gulp. Staggering slightly, he smacked his lips with distaste. It had tasted like burnt grass. How Etienne knew the exact taste of burnt grass was hard to tell, but after the initial unpleasantness, he relaxed once more. Refreshed and enlivened he half-skipped back over to his desk to collect the piles of assorted parchment scattered across it.

According to the timetable the headmaster had given out, the first class he had the task of teaching was made up of seventh year Ravenclaws and Slytherins. By the looks of things, it would be their first lesson of the new year. Professor Diable allowed himself a grin as he contemplated giving them the worst hour-and-a-half of their miserable little lives. He hated least of all students the Slytherins, but he still didn't like the brats. Plus, it would give him a ripe opportunity to deduct as many points as he could from Ravenclaw - favouring as always his own house.. Aah, maybe things weren't half as bad as he thought.

His office was on the same level as the DATDA Classroom so his walk was not a lengthy one. Taking long paces he was there in no time. He strode into the room with an almost bored air and surveyed the students already assembled there with dislike etched into every line of his face. Reaching the front of class he slammed the books he was carrying down on his desk and took a hard look at the tiny faces looking back at him. He noticed there were a lot of empty seats and he knew that he must still be quite early. He suspected those already gathered were just eager to start their magical education.

"Morning class," he said, smiling quite wickedly.

[mariellacovas]

Mariella had just forced herself to wake up that morning, eyelids drooping in a most painful way. When one closed the other opened, one opened and the other closed. It was a damning cycle for another five minutes until she managed to keep both eyes open. Well for the most part, the were still drooping. Thank goodness she had the curtains of her poster bed drawn shut, or she would have died from utter embarrassment had others seen her. Mariella really hated mornings, she never finding herself awake when they came about. She was what one could call a night owl, able to stay up from dusk till dawn. Of course you'd have to let her sleep till noon, but that wasn't too bad. Staying up late seemed to become a slight habit of hers lately anyway, Kalib and Mariella meeting in the Common Room after most had scampered off to bed. They seemed to talk for a few hours, enjoying each others company a bit more than they were supposed to, although no one really needed to know that.

Stretching her arms above her head, arching her back and hearing soft cracks sound. Ah, the sound of arthritis was so pleasant in the morning, wasn't it? She twisted from side to side, before stretching her legs out, accidentally kicking Sheena. The cat jumped up in shock, turning her eyes towards Mariella angrily, before slinking from the bed through the small opening. Rolling her eyes, Mariella knew that cat would resurface as soon as she became hungry. Slowly pushing the covers from her body, Mariella shivered slightly, rubbing her legs vigorously. Thus was the disadvantage of having a house under the lake. It was often quite cool in the mornings until the house had been given the chance to be warmed up by enchanted fire and magic and such. Mariella, however, knew that she could escape that problem if she simply wore pants or long sleeved shirts to bed instead of the shorts and t-shirt she had on at the moment. She found such long sleeved items to be so constricting and restricting when she slept, preferring something much looser and less covering.

Pushing her hand under her pillow, she grabbed her wand, swishing it slightly and making the curtains pull back gracefully. She could see some girls getting up and ready for classes while others were still sleeping. Envy was rearing its head as Mariella frowned at the sleeping ones, wishing she too could be asleep. The feelings may have been more bittersweet however...She was about to make her way to her second favorite class of all time: Defense Against the Dark Arts. A class that only let them delve into the defense of such things but also allowed them to see the various Dark Arts. It made a sinister smirk rise to her lips. She did enjoy learning which spells defended which dark spells and what could counter the defense. This whole system of countering and attacking was quite interesting in her eyes. She continued to think about this absentmindedly as she swished her wand again and her bed was made. She was a bit of a neat person when it came to her area. She didn't like messes, that being something that gave her the image of being dirty or not fully clean herself. It seemed that a lot of things were about images to her...

Glancing at her clock, Mariella ran over the time in her head. Well if she took a shower now,then she'd probably have no time to eat breakfast, since her showers lasted a good twenty minutes, and that would just start her day off on a bad foot. Not to mention, she could already feel hunger beginning to rear its ugly head. Running her hand over her stomach, she already knew her choice, not to mention magic could be the option to solve all of this with no problem. Magical body wash always had little spells on the back of it that one could utter when they were in a hurry and needed to bathe. It left them feeling refreshed, smelling wondrous and didn't interfere with their schedule. Muttering the words quickly under her breath, she gently tapped her head smiling, at the warmth than ran through her body, the passion fruit scent that touched her skin. Ah, now she was clean. She quickly began to change, truthfully not caring seeing as she'd known most of these girls for seven years and she was not ashamed of her body at all. Mariella pulled on her clothes quickly, applying a light touch of make up.

Walking over to her dresser, she pulled the drawer open, smiling at what she saw. Her fingers gingerly pulled out her necklace, a precious handmade gift from Kalib. Her fingers ran over it once or twice before she reached about and placed the necklace around her neck, clipping it. It finally seemed she was ready to leave the dorm. Who ever said it took a woman forever to prepare hit it right on the head when it came to Mariella's schedule. Now, she just had to grab breakfast and she would be ready to go to class. Throwing her messenger bag, filled with books and supplies, over her shoulder and grabbing her wand, Mariella left her dorm. She skipped down the stairs, eager to get to breakfast and something to satiate the hunger that was now growling at her. Biting her bottom lip gently, she looked between stopping in the Common Room to converse with friends, or actually getting to the class early. Well...she did want to be early...She decided breakfast was best. She sufficed with a 'Good Morning' and a wave before making her way from the dungeons, up the stairs and to the Great Hall. A muffin, some eggs, bacon and a bit of pumpkin juice and Mariella was full. Saying a brief farewell to any friends at her table, Mariella soon was beginning to make her way towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class. Soon enough she had arrived, seeing only a few other faced had arrived before her, nodding at a few Slytherins and even towards a Ravenclaw. A small smile touched her lips as she made her way towards a seat. She took one towards the middle of the classroom obviously enough space left around her so friends and her boyfriend(hopefully) would join her. This class should be easier, in Mariella's eyes, especially when the Head was teaching it. The slam of the books on the table made her eyes snap up to the front, eyebrow rising slightly. What was it with teachers and that same bloody trick?

"Morning..."Mariella murmured back, a smirk replacing her smile.

[celestedeluca]

Stepping out of the shower with a sleepy yawn, Celeste reentered the Slytherin dorms, stretching her tired limbs. Upon her entry, she came upon the now awakening forms of the other girls, glad that she had gotten up early to have her time in the bathroom and not have to share. Sharing with other girls, not something she usually did. Having two brothers, twins in fact, made it easier for her to get things done, except for their occasional pranks. A worm in her toothpaste, a spider on the showerhead, cobwebs on the mirror, whatever they could come up with, those were usually her morning obstacles. Now at Hogwarts, she had to endure fights over a mirror, lines for stalls to shower, constant bickering, the occasional hexes flying through the air, and even a spider in someones towel. It was hell.

Throwing her towel on her bed, she opened her trunk, pulling out her uniform and laying it on her bed. Dressing was a process for Celeste, one that required her full attention. She could not look sloppy, for that was unladylike, and positively foul in Italy. Though she was in England, she would uphold to her Italian fashion customs, though she was slightly angered at not being able to wear her trademark heels. It didn't take her long to dress and adjust here and there, smiling at herself in the mirror with satisfaction. Throwing her bag over her shoulder, she yawned again and exited the dormitory, hopping down the stairs and exiting the Common Room, glancing at her watch. There was plenty of time to get breakfast and still get to class, but...she wouldn't risk it. She knew that if she even sat down at the Slytherin table she would instantly get caught up in conversation and loose track of time. She would not be late for her first class.

Walking cheerfully to the Great Hall, she made her way towards the Slytherin table, grabbing a napkin and put a blueberry muffin, a slice of toast, and bacon inside, eyes momentarily resting on the pumpkin juice she craved. With a tiny hint of regret, she wrenched her head away, mentally yelling at herself. The pumpkin juice could wait until lunch. For now, she had to get to class. Exiting the Hall, she munched slowly on her breakfast, eager to get to class. As she ate, she sighed, thoughts drifting back to the wonderfully cool juice that she had left behind. Shaking her head, she chastised herself softly in Italian, telling herself to drop the subject and think about something else. She didn't have long to find a new topic when she came to a stop in front of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, head tilting to the side to read the sign. She took in a breath, her eagerness to get to class gone. Hopefully, it wouldn't be empty. Being the first into the class was not the best thing she could do on the first day. But, it could not be helped. Pushing open the door, she entered the classroom, surprised to see it not only occupied, but containing Mariella.

"'Ella!" she exclaimed with a bright smile, bouncing over to her friend and having a seat next to her. She was glad to see her friend, happy that she would at least have one person to talk to, mouth opening to speak again when she heard a loud slamming noise in front of her. Head turning sharply to see the disturbance, she frowned at the sight of the wickedly smiling Professor. Diable, wasn't it? She had never had a teacher do something like that before, immediately finding it to be rude. Holding her tongue with all her might, she slowly turned around, unpacking her things and setting them out neatly on her desk.

"Good morning, Professor Diable." This year was going to be a long year.

[kalib]

Of all the days to wake up late, today was no the best day to pick. It was one fo those rare days that he actually looked forward to class, Defense Against the Dark Arts really the only one he cared for with a passion. It mystified him beyond all belief and he liked to think he could make a good impression on the teacher early on in the year – nothing like a few extra points here and there just because you knew the right people. Of course, he already knew that his professor, Diable, was their Head of House and had seen him floating around although never had a word. He shrugged it off and busied himself with getting ready.

Finally out the dormitory he raced down the stairs and out the Common Room. It would have been easier if a group of girls hadn’t caught him, asking him when he was free. He shooed them away sadly and went along his way, weaving in and out of students. Once he caught sight of his mother standing outside her door, ushering her students in, and he made due to take the long way around despite him running slightly behind just to avoid her.

Thankfully he seemed to have misjudged slight and had just sat down when the professor came out, practically throwing a pile of books upon his desk and welcoming them. A few of the girls muttered hello back, but he had never been one for that. Setting his book bag down quietly, he mouthed “morning” to Mariella and gave a curt nod to Celeste. He quickly focused his attention back to the front of the room however – no need for detentions this early on in the year.

[bellatrix]

She might be late for class, that would not do. Bellatrix, of all people, had a late start this morning. Her blasted alarm somehow didn't seem to work, though Trix had strong suspicions leading towards her fellow room mates. Jealous creatures. Pulling her hair up, ratting it so it was beautiful yet wickedly bizare looking all at the same time. Downing her brand new Slytherin robes, she took one look in the mirror and headed off. Down the halls one Gryffindor dared to say something unintelligent to her, so Bellatrix naturally had to stop and take the time to correct them, leaving them hanging upside from the ceiling. Such a valuable waste of time. If they'd just would realize this before hand.

Her wand was always kept snuggled up in her sleeves, ready to pull it out on anyone if needed. Of course she didn't just use her wand right and left, only when she felt someone severely needed to be taught. Already tired of more people greeting her she waved a hand at them and past by. By the time she got to the Defense class, she seemed to have barely made it before class started. They were with Ravenclaws this year. A somewhat pleasant change from Gryffindors. They were always talking, and ruined any chance of her learning something. Maybe this time it would be suitably decent.

At any rate, their own head of house was teaching the class, so that was a slightly uplifting note. Bellatrix cascaded through the room, sitting near the other Slytherins, the only ones who had arrived as of yet. Pulling out her things she heard what their Professor had said, but she only nodded her head. It wasn't a bloody good morning for her, so she wasn't going to outwardly lie and say so. Her moodiness obviously reflected off of everyone else, so Ravenclaws beware. She let out a sigh and stared at a spot in the room, leaning on her hand.

[etiennediable]

ooc: After this post, please try to keep the posting order already set. If the person in front of you is lagging behind, don't hesitate to nag them into getting their arses into gear ^^

I'm about to take the register, one student is already excused (their player is on holiday) but we still have a few who have not yet turned up.

If this applies to you, you can either turn up late and receive a detention or PM me with your excuse for not turning up.

bic:

Most of his own class seemed to already have gathered. He scanned the room, but there didn't seem to be any Ravenclaws here yet. This was good news, as Slytherin students were about the only ones of their kind that Etienne could bear. Having said that - this meant that he was still far from warm towards them. In Etienne's opinion, all teenagers were insolent brats. He had the odd favourite obviously, almost always from Slytherin, but they were few an far between and as a general rule - he hated everyone equally.

"7th Year!" Diable's voice boomed out, heavily laced with his French accent. His tone was fruity, and more than carried to the back of the room,

"Thankyou to those who bothered to turn up, I'm hopeful your efforts will be rewarded with plenty of new knowledge for you to collect in those pathetically empty little brains of your's." Etienne smiled without warmth.

"For now, I am about to take the register. Please answer only with the words 'Yes, sir' or 'Yes, professor'."

He turned back to his desk and rifled amongst the various pieces of parchment littered all over it. He was looking for one piece in particular - the class list. After what seemed an age, he managed to locate it. His brows knitted and he held the writing at arms length as though it was shining with an unbearably bright light. His hand reached down into his robes and returned with an expensive-looking pair of horn-rimmed spectacles. As he put them on, his expression cleared, and he began to boom out the names of the class.

Kalib Hemlock - Present
Lucius Malfoy - Absent, Not Excused
Mariella Covas - Present
Bellatrix Black - Present
Celeste De Luca - Present
Devona Edgecombe. - Absent, Excused


When he had finished, he returned his glasses to their place within the black folds of his robes, and turned around to survey the class. Without another word, he took out his wand from an equally unfathomable location within his clothing and began to magically instruct chalk to write upon the blackboard. It didn't labour long, as it quickly flew back to Professor Diable's hand when it finished writing the title:

Autumn Term - Main Topic

Demons and Dark Creatures

Lesson 1 - The Banshee



He turned back to the seated class, his expression still indifferent.

"Well? Why aren't you taking out your quills and parchment and writing this all down?"

[kalib]

OOC: Forgive me, but I’m leaving and didn’t want to slow down the RP so I’m gunna post. Please just skip over me until I get back.


A smirk began to creep across Kalib’s lips as he listened to Professor Diable, ruffling through various papers as he spoke. He had always liked Defense Against the Dark Arts and now finding himself back in the classroom at the N.E.W.T. level was invigorating. That and the professor was brilliant, loving the fact that he was Slytherin’s Head of House now more then ever. This would easily become his favorite class.

His attention turned to the chalk writing neatly by itself, the Banshee. An interesting topic. Kalib began to file through what knowledge he possessed and recalled tid bits of information about them. Yes, this term would be fun. However, at the mention of parchment he pulled himself out of his thoughts and focused more, hastily tugging out a sheet and a quill with some ink out of his bag. He copied the words across the top, reading to take notes; it was the only class he ever took note in.

Kalib tried to remain focused on the class work but caught glance of an owl soar by the window far off in the distance. Of course, any bird would look black from such a distance but he couldn’t help but wonder if it was Knight return back to the Owlery. Kalib had sent a letter to his father not so long ago and was curious if he would receive an answer during tomorrow’s morning delivery or not. Kalib looked back to the front and forced himself to pay attention at this point, quill at the ready.

[mariellacovas]

Mariella's eyes lit up as she saw Celeste, immediately turning to her friend as she took a seat beside her. A smirk slowly became set on Mariella's lips, Celeste's reaction towards the teacher being one of those many things Mariella had picked up on over the years. It was obvious the girl was not fond of Professor Diable. Mariella really had no problem with the man, she enjoyed his personality, it was a delightful change from the rest of the teachers that tried to keep up the persona of appearing delighted or actually fond of their students. Not to mention, it was fun to listen to how low he would try and degrade them. She was never insulted though, she really just thought they came from the natural Slytherin nature he had. Mariella's eyes darted back over to the door, smiling and giving a little wave of the fingers. Well it seemed that Kalib wasn't going to be as friendly in this class as he was in others, but that was understandable. This class was definitely more serious and the teacher was a no joke kind of guy.

Mariella knew that class starting was simply inevitable, that it was going to come anytime soon, reaching into her bag and fishing out her parchment paper, book and quill. She laid the objects on her desk, straightening them so nothing would bump into her hand or interfere with the other. She might've been over organizing, yet she rather not deal with shifting things about while he was in the middle of a lesson. That is how people miss important notes, didn't you know? Sighing softly and looking about, Mariella could guess that a few people were probably still missing, but nonetheless, she was prepared for class to start. This was one of her favorite classes after all and it was always a pleasure starting off each year. Staring down onto the various items upon her desk, she smiled as she looked over at Celeste then Kalib. She wasn't prepared to talk and risk getting detention but she needed something of interest to do. Soon, with Bellatrix's near immediate arrival, it seemed that class was beginning. Joyous.

The accent of Professor Diable always intrigued Mariella, peculiar as that sounded. The French in general always seemed to hold some peculiar interest over Mariella, their accent, food, culture and history. Maybe because they held so much alike with Spain yet had so many differences. Whatever it was, she had to pull herself out of her thoughts and into the lesson. Luckily it hadn't started yet and he was only taking roll so she wouldn't have to worry about missing anything too important. A slow sigh passed from her lips as she watched him search for the list, simply wondering why he hadn't kept it in a more obvious place. She slowly began to curl a lock of her hair about her finger as she listened to him call out names, only perking up as she heard her own before going back into her own little world of seeing how tight she could curl her hair about her finger. She could feel it cut her circulation of, making her finger cold before she untwisted the bit and sighed again. Appeasement for this boredom came however, through him finally writing something upon the board. Grabbing her quill, she quickly scribbled down the notes, smiling slightly at the subject. Banshees, Scotland's own less appealing 'Veelas', what a fun subject to start off on.

OOC:You all probably hate me by now. I am so sorry, I got confused about the order! I apologize a million times over!

[celestedeluca]

Waving politely to Kalib as he sat, Celeste returned to organizing her belongings on her desk, awaiting for the lesson to begin. She had noticed that a few students were missing, noting how curious it was to be late on the first day of class. Shrugging, she pushed away the thought. Why would it matter if other students are late or not? Returning her attention to Professor Diable, she yawned softly, impatient to begin class. Though he wasn't her favorite teacher, Professor Diable made learning entertaining, this fact being the only reason she chose it as a N.E.W.T class.

Listening to the various insults spouted, she leaned boredly on her palm, blowing a stray lock of hair from her face. His first insults hadn't been as horrible as she imagined. She supposed they would worsen as time passed, but decided not to dwell on them until the time came. His constant jeering did not affect her as it did some other students, possibly because of her 'Slytherin skin,' or something similar in that nature. Celeste lifted her head slightly when her name was called, stating: "Yes, Professor" and returning to her bored posture when he continued on. When he became silent, she moved into an attentive position, a smirk rising to her cheeks as the professor began to write on the blackboard. Banshees. An interesting topic to begin the year. She knew enough information about the wraith-like wailer, but, it never hurt to expound on knowledge, right?

She pulled her quill and parchment in front of her, set to write down the notes as Diable commanded. Taking notes was a chore, but it was the only way to learn. Quill prepared to jot down more notes, Celeste felt her eyes move to the window to admire the sunny aura outside. The warmth of the sun in the room made her crave for the outside, keen to feel the wind on her skin from Quidditch practice. She was eager for the season to begin, ready to defeat any team they faced. This year would be their best year yet. She turned from the window, tapping the feather of her quill against her lip gently. At the thought of Quidditch practice, she began to remember her parents and their ongoing interest in her school life. They would be expecting news of her practices and the occasional news about her brothers. Making a mental note to do so, she once again returned her attention to the blackboard, ready to begin her notetaking.

[bellatrix]

(sorry, but I've been busy and I didn't notice that Devona was excused so I was waiting for her and Lucius.)

Well? Why aren't you taking out your quills and parchment and writing this all down? She cast a dark glance in his direction and then looked around at the other students. Sighing, and taking her lovely time, Bellatrix did the same. Pressing the tip of her quill to the paper she began to write, making a sharp scratching noise against the paper. Because we're not all bloody idiots and we should be able to remember what we're studying without a reminder. How pathetic. She thought to herself without remorse, finishing the last setence he had written, she sketched a snake on the corner top of her page. Banshees, a rather interesting and all together random topic to start them off on. However she knew it was partially to catch the students' attention at the beginning of the year.

The truth was she was quite disapointed that they wouldn't be in this class with Gryffindors. She loved Defense Against the Dark Arts because of their laughable and true devotion to it. It gave Trix one up on them, to learn the tricks they used to defend against "evil." Though in the end, she knew they'd annoy her more than entertain her, and it just wasn't worth that kind of a bothering situation. She waited for the next set of instructions, or the lecture to begin. It didn't faze Trix when he said they either called him sir or professor. It was proper and respectable, and she wouldn't have said anything different. Bellatrix was raised to give respect to those who deserved it, and she wasn't about to be considered an uncivilized being.

She wished she didn't have to be here right now, even though growing in knowledge was very important to her. Bellatrix had so many things on her plate, it was starting to take a toll on her. Not to mention this upcoming season of Qudditch, and would they be able to take the cup. That was of course, one of the most trivial matters, but she liked to win. She just didn't lose, for it wasn't in her personality to. Glancing upwards, her strong eyes looked around the room and observed her surroundings. She traced a long and polished fingernail down the side of her face as she looked somewhat unpatiently onward at Professor Diable.

[etiennediable]

((I'm actually going to add in the accent here, instead of just saying he has one. It's more interesting that way.

No idea where this muse came from - I came over all philosophical for a moment xD))

Etienne watched row after row of students bend over their desks, as the satisfying sound of quills on parchment filled the room. On good days such as this, when the class wasn't feeling quite so rebellious, teaching didn't seem so bad. And, even thought Etienne would never admit such a thing, neither were the students themselves. Bad days, when cheeky remarks floated his way multiple times during a day, well - that was a different story. He turned away from the class and back to the blackboard; the chalk glaring out from the dark surface. Banshees - one of his favourite subjects - he would try this time, at least, to make it as interesting as possible.

"Now, are you all finished? Good, good." With a flick of his wand the blinds, that had been previously held up above the high windows, fell down with one movement - blocking out most of the light in the room. Immersed in the gloom, Etienne rolled his ancient projector to the black of the class, and began to place the slides in their holders.

The first image flickered into view, illuminated onto the now blank black board. The picture was of a corpse-like, skeletal woman with long flowing hair. She looked as though she was in great pain - at least, her mouth was open in a scream. ((Click))

"I don't doubt zat you are already quite familiar with the entity now being displayed by my projector. Like most of the magical creatures and demons of zis world, zey have an annoying 'abit of making zemselves known to both wizard and muggle-kind. Thus,"

He gestured towards the Banshee again.

"Zis is an image fixed firmly in the consiousness of most muggles, especially zose originating from zee countries of Ireland and Scotland. Although, the magical governments of zis world 'ave successfully transported these creatures into the realms of myth, and keep zem away from muggles in modern times."

The image changed again. Now depicting a wooded glade.

"Zee Banshee is a good place to start in many ways. Eet ees zee first of a running theme you will find in our studies of Demons and Spirits. Zee theme - of death.

"Fear of death ees universal. An inbuilt human terror, zee pumping of adrenaline coursing through our bodies, " he gestured dramatically as he spoke. "All dark creatures depend on zee living for strength. Zey do not have bodies of zeir own, and zerefore need to collect energy from somewhere. Fear ees a powerful emotion, fear and despair. Almost as powerful een fact, as 'ope and 'appiness.

"Zee sad truth ees, Despair and Fear are a much more reliable food source zan anything pleasant."

"But - enough!"

He slapped his hand forcefully down on the table.

"Eet ees too easy to fill your empty 'eads with such things, what you really need - are zee facts."

Diable strode to the front of the class, his black robes billowing dramatically with every stride. He threw his hands up into the air as if in frustration, and peered closely around at all the students gathered there. "So, first you must tell me, what do you first theenk of when you hear zee word 'Banshee'? Eh? C'mon! Hands up!"

[luciusmalfoy]

As Lucius Malfoy sauntered down the deserted hallway, he chuckled darkly to himself. There were definitely rewards to sleeping in. Not that he did it on purpose, it just worked out well. No sniveling Hufflepuffs walking down the same halls as him and he got to miss part of Defense Against the Dark Arts. It was such a waste of time in the first place; like he needed defending, especially from the Dart Arts. At the thought, the corners of Lucius' angular mouth rose in an imitation of a smile. It was all a joke, really.

Coming to the door of the classroom, he stopped and leaned against the wall. The only reason he showed up at all was because skipping class equaled another angry Howler from the parents... He didn't mind them if he received the letters in private; Lucius knew exactly what they said each and every time he opened the envelopes. The only downside was when he received them in public, like at breakfast. Private business should remain private, and he certainly was no fan of the whole retched school finding out he was less than perfect. He had an image to hold up. And Mummy would be displeased.

It was time to face class, damn it. Lucius allowed himself a deep sigh before pushing open the door and entering Defense Against the Dark Arts. He didn't mind making a scene, but under the circumstances, he thought it better to try and avoid as much punishment as possible. Fortunately (at least in Lucius' mind), it seemed that Professor Diable had just asked a question, which would at the very least distract the professor enough... Right?