entrancelogs | and you'll find there'll be mornings

Entry tags:

and you'll find there'll be mornings

Who: (Professor) Garrett Hawke & You
Where: Various locales around Hogland. Wonderwarts? Whatever.
When: 1st-5th
Rating: PG-ish
Summary: Care of Magical Creatures classes are in session, and a general purpose log for Hawke during the event.
The Story:

Third Years » Grounds

Third year classes might not be the most exciting, but Professor Hawke looks forward to the new batch of third years every time. New faces and slowly figuring out who has a genuine interest in the class and isn't just looking for an easy time make for fun classes.

For the professor, at least.

Today's lessons take place on the grounds, where Garrett has taken the time to divide a large section of the land into separate spaces. A large cage filled with birds is on one half, while a series of boxes are set up in the other half. Professor Hawke waits in the middle, his mabari at his side, sitting patiently. As the students approach, a grin makes its way across Hawke's face and he spreads his arms.

"Welcome to class! I have two creatures for you today, but I'm only going to tell you what one of them is. For those of you who want to attempt the challenge, make your way to the cage and wait for me. The rest of you, follow me."

Hawke gestures towards the lingering students and heads towards the boxes, "Ordinarily, knarls are an OWL level topic because they can get violent, but you've all done exceptionally well, I thought you'd be up for it. Inside each box you'll find a hedgehog, a knarl and a few objects; food, toys, things like that. Your task for today is to correctly identify the knarl."

Of course, not every box has a knarl, but that's part of the task.

Once they're settled, Hawke makes his way back to the students waiting by the cage and rubs his hands together. "Right! Inside the cage is a species of magical creature, your task for today is to not only successfully identify the creature, but capture it -- without harming it, remember -- and keep it from getting away until class ends," he explains as he unlocks the cage and ushers the students inside.

"First person to identify it gets 10 points!"

Fourth Years » Lake

In an unusual twist, the fourth years are directed to the lake for today's lesson, where they'll find Professor Hawke standing at the shore and... tossing various foodstuffs into the lake? He's clearly not enjoying it, which is strange in itself, given his general enthusiasm in class and the halls.

"Come on, why are you so shy today?"

He grumbles, and the sound of approaching footsteps jars him out of his grumpy mood and he shifts seamlessly into a grin and rubs his hands together as he looks at his students. "Welcome, welcome. I'm sure by now you've figured out what the intended subject of today's lesson was meant to be," behind Hawke, a tentacle raises out of the water and waves to the students before disappearing underneath the surface when Hawke turns around to see what the students are reacting to.

"But since it seems to be in a mood today, I have something else in mind. But this might be better. So, students, your task for today is: Befriend the giant squid! You have nothing to worry about, it won't ever hurt you -- and it might actually save your life if you find yourself in trouble in the lake."

Fifth Years » Grounds

The fifth years are directed to the familiar kennels they've been visiting all year as part of their semester long task of raising a Crup. Where he appears to be having a conversation with his mabari, who, naturally, isn't responding with anything other than a series of looks. "Right!" He starts without looking up at the students, "Find your assigned Crup and take a few minutes to check them over. When you're all done, I have a test for you all."

While he waits for the students to obey, he goes back to talking to his mabari in whispers, periodically looking up to check the students and shouting out the answers to any questions they might have. "Today we're going to be testing how far you've come in training them. In each cell you'll find a box with a steak inside. Your task for today is to ensure the steak makes it to the end of the period, through sheer obedience. You won't fail if the steak is eaten, but every steak that makes it to the end will earn their house five points."

Sixth Years » Edge of the forest

Professor Hawke had been hesitant about this lesson, which is a rare thing indeed, considering he has a dragon on the grounds, but death is a sensitive subject. Which is why he fought for permission to have a flock of hippogriffs brought to the school. When his students meet him at the edge of the forest, he looks unusually somber but doesn't comment on it and instead directs them inwards.

"You've all seen the subject of today's lesson before, whether you realise it or not," Hawke explains as they make their way inwards and towards a forest clearing where the thestrals and hippogriffs await, separated by a large margin, of course.

"Who can tell me what creatures I'm talking about?"

Seventh Years » A cave

It's amazing he hasn't been fired for this, really. But perhaps the Headmistress thinks about the amount of injuries he suffers taking care of the thing is punishment enough. The seventh year students are directed to a rather nondescript cave entrance on the grounds, where Professor Hawke waits against the wall and barely able to contain his glee. The mabari's nowhere to be found today -- apparently it doesn't get along so well with dragons -- so it's just him.

"I've been waiting for this lesson all week, so let's get started," he says as he draws out his wand and starts removing the spells on the entrance so they can get in. "Oh and, if I find any of you near here, for any reason, without my explicit supervision, you'll be helping me clean out the owlery."

Hawke falls silent after that, concentrating on removing the spells and reapplying them behind the students as they traverse the cave until eventually they come to a large, incredibly so, cavern. He gestures for them to wait as he moves forward slowly, his wand stashed away, and hands raised up before a small winged creature flies out of the darkness and lands in front of him.

"There you are. Aren't you gorgeous? Alright, everybody needs to be extremely careful because Matron Cullen will have my head if any of you end up in the hospital wing again. Today we're going to be feeding him, and I want each of you to sketch the anatomy of him."

Everyone Else » Anywhere

Want to see Hawke elsewhere, whether in Hogwarts or Hogsmeade? Go nuts. He can mostly be found where the creatures are in Hogwarts, but you'll often catching him in or leaving the hospital wing. During the Hogsmeade visit, he'll be found with a mug of Butterbeer and alternately taking a break and keeping an eye on the students.

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Dorian glances over his peers, seeing the flock by the clearing, and one of the thestrals on the other side. He's always been captivated by those majestic hippogriffs, with those beautiful feathers and majestic instincts. They provide a reasonable distraction before he hears the professor ask what species he's talking about.
He shyly raises his hand. "Ah... Hippogriffs?"

Care of Magical Creatures is one of those classes that just kind of...baffles Tim, honestly. He's not sure how this is still a thing people are legally allowed to teach and that students are legally allowed to partake in, especially because he's pretty sure that about ninety-percent of the visits to the hospital wing occur precisely because this class exists.

But, you know, whatever. He's not the type to raise a fuss. He eyes the fairly unsettling creature from beneath lowered brows, plainly uncertain.

"Didn't know dragons lived this close to Hogwarts," he says warily.

Henry, of course, goes straight for the cage. No fear, and determined to figure it out. He's been studying because he's pretty excited about this class. It has an element of danger to it, but at the same time, he feels pretty safe. So, into the cage he goes and while he searches with his class, he figures it out (at least he's like, 95% sure) what it is.

"Flobberworm!"

Of course Jolyne goes into the cage. She wouldn't mind checking out the hedgehogs, but she's way more curious about this one, so that's going to be what she tries. She doesn't think she really has a chance of spotting it first, she's not exactly great at things like this. And the first thing that comes to mind when she steps in there isn't exactly the best thing to say either, but she still has a habit of blurting out dumb things no matter what.

“Aren't they already captured though? I mean, they're already in a cage.”

After she says it, she wishes she could unsay it because she's pretty sure that's like negative a million points for Gryffindor, even if Professor Hawke doesn't really seem like the type to do that. Still, keeping the birds or whatever else is in here from escaping the cage doesn't seem too difficult...right?

This'll be a mess.

Oh, God. They're going to die. Befriend the giant squid, he says, as if it's not going to kill them all. Professor Hawke is the worst.

She hadn't even worn the right shoes for this! She'd worn shoes that guys would think were cute!

And she hasn't the foggiest how to befriend a giant squid? It doesn't even seem to like Professor Hawke! (Smart.) What does a giant squid even eat?

Sharon instinctively reaches for her wand, rubbing the smooth wood as she tries to think of something to try. Still at a loss, she glances at her classmates. They need to think of something before someone suggests feeding the squid a person.

Simon had really intended to try for those five extra points, he really had. But lunch had been so very long ago, and dinner was still too far away. And his crup happened to have the most lethal pair of puppy eyes he'd ever seen. Combined with his own rumbling stomach, he was doomed from the start.

Which is why he slips off behind the Professor's kennels halfway through the class and anyone wandering in the vicinity might start to smell the faintly alluring scent of grilling meat...

Natasha's standing off to the side of some of her classmates, and there's a hint of tension in her form that's been there ever since Professor Hawke had led them out onto the field. While most of the other students are eyeing the obvious answer in the hippogryphs, she studiously inspecting her nails and trying very hard not to glance in the direction of the ghostly winged horses herded on the other side of the field.

"'Seen' is a matter of opinion," she mutters, intending it to be under her breath but maybe she's not as subtle about it as she means to be.

"Half correct," Hawke answers with a nod towards Dorian. "The hippogriffs are part of the lesson, but they're not the main focus." He's essentially given the answer away if there are any students who can see the Thestrals, but it's not a big deal.

"Care to try again?"

Sadly, Dorian has never witnessed death first hand. He has heard of it, he has grieved because of it, but he has never seen it.

Therefore, he cannot see the Thestrals.

"Sir..." Dorian tilts his head a tiny bit. "I'm afraid the only creatures here are hippogriffs."

"You're right! They typically don't, and any dragon that came close to the school would ordinarily be safely removed and transferred to a suitable habitat," Hawke explains as he makes his way over to a crate against a wall. The dragon remains on its perch, watching the students just as warily. "Which in this case would be New Zealand, so with that in mind, has anybody figured out what breed of dragon we have here?"

While he waits, he lifts the lid off a crate and holds it behind him, "Hold this for me would you, Tim?"

If Hawke wasn't a professional, he might have to laugh. If only because Henry sounds so sure, but instead he merely shakes his head. "Not quite," he answers and opens his mouth to elaborate when he sees a flash of feathers right beside Henry that disappears as quickly as it appeared.

"Keep trying, you'll get it."

Tim accepts the lid wordlessly, holding it awkwardly in his hands as he watches the thing perched there as if it's about to flap up into his face at any minute. For all he knows, it will. And that is terrifying.

"A...smaller one?" Tim ventures hesitantly. He's not trying to be funny, really he isn't, he's just - extremely nervous about this whole thing, seventh year or no. He's always been a bit skittish.

Jolyne might think it's a dumb question -- and probably several of her classmates -- but Hawke just beams at her. "Good question, I was hoping someone would point that out." A flash of feathers appears in the corner of Jolyne's eye before vanishing as quickly as it appeared. "That's part of the challenge. While the creatures are completely harmless, they have a certain talent that renders the cage necessary."

As the class begins to separate into smaller groups to begin trying, Hawke keeps an eye out for any students who might be at a complete loss. He knows it's not the most orthodox task and underwater creatures aren't everybody's favourite, so he's prepared for some students to be a little unsure.

"Everything alright, Sharon? You look a little green."

It isn't Professor Hawke who finds Simon, but instead his faithful mabari who had been lured there by the scent. Not that Hawke isn't completely aware - really, Simon has probably made the task that much harder for the entire class - but the mabari beat him there.

Which is how Simon finds himself face to face with a drooling mabari.

Reactions like Natasha's are exactly why he'd pushed for the hippogriffs, since while thestrals are magnificent creatures in their own right, there's a reason they're commonly known as an omen. Hawke frowns as he considers how to handle this, and thankfully the rest of the students are distracted so he takes a moment to join her.

"You can see them, then."

There's no judgment in his tone, just a fact. It isn't his place to question why she can, just to make sure that she can.

She slides a sideways glance at the professor, pausing in the very important task of inspecting her nails. She doesn't miss the fact that most of her classmates can't - that's not news to her. She'd figured that out in second year when the sight of the horses had scared the crap out of her but everyone else thought she was trying to prank them. As if she wouldn't have come up with something far more entertaining - for her, at least.

Still, it's ingrained in her to be respectful of her professors, even when one is standing there stating the obvious, so she just goes back to staring at her nails.

"Yes."

Only Simon's spent enough time out and about on the Hogwarts grounds by now to be at least somewhat familiar with the Professor's mabari. And possibly his affinity for steak. Not that he would ever use that as a way around getting caught amidst some piece of mischief, oh no, never.

But it also means he's not all that surprised when the mabari finds him and his crup crouched around a small fire, grilling the steak over the flames. Simon just narrows his gaze at the huge hound and points at him. "Sit down and wait a minute, it's not done yet. If you promise not to tattle, you can have some too, deal?"

Of all the creatures they've seen up close through attending this particular class over the years, Lily has to admit that the prospect of dragons is more exciting than most-- even if this one happens to be on the smaller side. She smiles openly as she moves closer to where Professor Hawke has him on display, leaning in to get a better look without getting too terribly close and risking getting singed.

"Does he have a name?" she asks, offering her Professor a sidelong glance before fixing her gaze on the dragon once more. "He's still young, isn't he? How big will he get?"

Of course almost everyone is enchanted by the hippogriffs, but that's too easy of an answer to the puzzle. Cami would have thought as much anyway, even if she couldn't see the second herd occupying what most would believe to be a secondary space on the field. She knows what they are; she'd first seen the winged-horses the summer after Sean died, and dutifully did her research to discover just what kinds of creatures they were.

Sometimes she thinks seeing his ghost might be kinder.

She swallows, but keeps silent as she stares into the pack, lost within her own thoughts. She could answer, but Cami doesn't want to. They all already know Sean's dead; why bring it to the forefront when someone else would probably be clever enough to say it anyway?

At the suggestion that she might be too weak to complete the task, her chin juts out and she squares her shoulders. "I'm fine, Professor." Her voice is firm. Possibly a little too firm.

Her eyes slide back toward the lake. Maybe it's a charm, she thinks.

"How, exactly, do we know if we've befriended it?" she asks after a moment. "If it doesn't kill us? Or..."

Henry frowns at himself, then joins his classmates again. and this time when he speaks, he's not quite as loud or sure of himself. He hesitates just long enough for a classmate to speak up the answer and Henry grumbles a little. Maybe he should have stayed where at least he would have known what he was doing.

“Huh?”

She turns around at the brief flash of feathers, expecting to see something, but there's nothing there at all. Her eyes could be playing tricks on her, but this is Hogwarts, that's never the case. So knowing she saw something, and it's not there now means...

“They can disappear?!”

Wait, were there any disappearing animals she remembers looking up? Did her dad write about them? If so, she didn't read it, so that's out. How the heck does she catch something that can turn invisible anyway?

Edited 2016-10-02 22:44 (UTC)

Mabel's been excited ever since she realized they were going to the lake, having seen the squid a few times whenever she's visited the Slytherin common room. Her brother and cousins will be so impressed with her if she manages to pull this off, so the second Professor Hawke steps back, she's waving her hand and bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Professor Hawke! Professor Hawke! Me! Pick me! Mabel! I can do this! Lemme go first! I was born ready!"

...She's pretty excited.

Its not uncommon for Isabela to stroll down to Hawke "classroom" after her classes are finished. Having a drink with her best friend before dinner is practically routine by now, only she had skipped out the night before for a date- a date that had ended with something unexpected now sparking on the ring finger of her left hand.

"Hello, Hawke. Scare any 7th years away with that dragon of yours yet?"

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and you'll find there'll be mornings

6th Year

7th year

3rd Year

3rd year!

4th Year

5th Year

6th year

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7th Year

6th year

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4th year

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