Charms Class - Group Six

Today Amelia wasn't alone whilst she waited for her class to arrive. Today she was accompanied by a variety of screeches, shouts and snapping of teeth. One of the ghosts had in fact been 'trying to sleep' in the empty classroom nearby the charms classroom and had come in to Amelia complaining about the noise, not that she was bothered it kept her mind off of things listening to them all. Not that she needed an audio distraction Professor Cooper was a talented occlumens and had learnt long ago to close her mind upon command.

After checking that the animals were all secured in their cages on the long table underneath the window she tucked a few chairs under the desks, some students really weren't bothered about leaving her classroom a mess it seemed. Two of the desks were already coated in ink from the class earlier alone. Not that it was the end of the world, worst things could have than a pot of ink falling over.

At the sound of the booming bell Amelia made her way to the classroom door and propped it open with the waste paper bin before sitting down at her desk. Back in her day students had lined up outside of their classrooms yet Professor Cooper had decided to have an 'open-door' approach, hopefully it would make the students more eager to learn if they just walked right in and found their seat. Besides, at the end of the day each and every person was in command of their own education - even if it didn't always seem that way.

Cecilie had taken herself Charms classes. Now she needed to go to lesson too. She sighed and did force herself to go there. Lately she doesn't like idea going classes for some reason. She better could do something else but what she has no idea. She had no idea what they are going to learn today.

Cece saw charms classroom and the door was open. She walked in. "Hello, ptofessor," she said and did sit back at class room. She liked to sit there better than front. She hates sitting infront actually. She looked around and saw that she was first one here in class, she actually noticed already then when she entered.

Jordan had spent his time before that class at the Quidditch pitch, which was weird because he had his Robes and Dress Clothes on. But he had just messed around with the Quaffle, apart from the fact that he was a seeker, he and his older brother had played together when they were younger. His brother had gone off to become a professional Quidditch player, Jordan was hoping to do that when he was older. He had been told even by his brother that he was talented enough, but just in case Jordan would never be able to do that, he had his mind also set on maybe becoming an Auror. He had kept his grades up, and even enough in his weak areas like Herbology and Transfiguration. He hoped he could keep it up.

As he messed around with the Quaffle, attempting to kick it through the ring, mimicking the free kick in European Football. It had taken a while but Jordan had managed to perfectly curve it through the biggest ring. He felt like very accomplished by it, something he would probably later tell all his friends. As he felt like celebrating what had happened, he heard the loud bell from the Hogwarts tower that meant class. A worried look crossed his face, as he took his bag and took off running through the Castle.

As he reached the castle he tried to remember what class he had? What class did he have? It was on the tip of his tongue. He knew it, he knew it.. It was right there... Oh right! Charms! Jordan took off towards the Charms class. Charms hadn't ever been Jordan's weak area in magic. But fighting had always been his best area. Jordan had also learned that his wand wood had chosen him for that reason. Dogwood (or Cornus), was a mischievous wand that was playful if it wound the right partner. But just because of a playful nature didn't mean it wasn't a powerful wand, they can perform outstanding and powerful spells under difficult conditions. His unicorn hair was consistent, but wasn't that powerful. His Dogwood compensated for that though.

As he headed towards the class, he got a apple from the kitchen, and then headed past the door to Charms class. "Yo teach!" Jordan said charismatically, setting the apple down for the teacher, and spinning around towards his seat. He saw a girl from his house there...Cecilie was her name. "Ey Ceci!" the boy smiled sitting down on the table next to her.

Amelia gazed down at her lesson plan. She'd done it roughly and in all honesty didn't have real need of it, she had it all down her head. Teaching was in her, it was something she was destined to do... If only she had taught her children a lesson or too more then she may still have Toby and the family wouldn't have gone through nearlly as much trauma as they had.

'Oh, hello dear.' Amelia replied as she looked up at the first student to arrive: a Gryffindor judging by her robes. Before long another Gryffindor had arrived, this time acting more like the Gryffindors she knew back in the day - or maybe that was because she'd been friends with them as her boyfriend, Robert, had been your stereotypical Gryffindor.

'Yo Teach'. Amelia supposed this was some new lingo among the teenagers of today. She was caught up enough in some parts of it having Hallie as her daughter but, despite thinking the boy have beed slightly rude to not address her as Professor, she simply smiled and let it go. Amelia didn't want to get on the wrong foot with her students, besides it wasn't as though it was a criminal offence: it wasn't murder. Besides the student had gave her an apple, a friendly gesture. He was simply being friendly.

So the girl was called Ceci from the boys greeting, which was probably short for Cecilie. At least the students in her class seemed to get on, she wouldn't need to place any of them in detention or seperate any bickerings - always a good feeling for a Professor to know their class would go as planned.  

'Thank you. For the apple.' She replied politely, taking hold of the apply and raising it as she mentioned what she was thankful for. 'I'll save it for lunch time.' Amelia said before opening her desk draw and placing it by her menu that the house elves had left in the staffroom that morning. They were good workers the house elves, providing the staff with meals that they'd be cooking that day and tidying up around them without being spotted. Amelia had contemplated saying that she would tidy her own office, see to the fire, dust under the bed but the house elves would merely be offended.

Cecilie did sat there quietly. She was not really very social person lately. She just didn't trust people anymore that easily or just didn't get very comfort around strangers, except one boy, who she met end off school year.

Cece saw Jordan, he was her housemate. "Hi Jordan," she then sais back to her. In her mind they were not really friends yet. They talk but not much. She didn't mind it when that boy sat fown next to her. It was even good but yeah, let's see what happens. She smiled even little bit.

Toby was staring at a door. No, he wasn't insane. Nor was he waiting for someone. He did hate himself though. Oh, how he hated himself. His mother was on the other side of that door. His mother.

He'd missed his mother over the years. He'd missed her like hell. Toby hadn't even seen the woman since he was ten, an entire third of his life ago. A large part of him was tempted to reach forwards and shove that door open, despite the fact it would probably give the adult a heart attack. After all, it wasn't every day that you see the son you'd thought was dead striding into your classroom.

And hell if that didn't send a pang through his heart. His mother thought he was dead, and he was standing right here. But he knew why walking through that door was a bad idea. Hallie would be blamed for keeping his non-death secret. It wasn't Hallie's fault. In the oddest of ways, she had protected him. Toby didn't even want to think about what would've happened if everyone had known he was alive. They probably would have tracked him down eventually, and then he'd be registered with the Ministry.

Which brought the teen to a whole nother topic of worry. What was he supposed to say to her? "Hey mum, nice to see you again after five years. So, I'm sure you've guessed by now that I'm not actually dead. So not only am I alive, but I'm also a werewolf, and gay! Hope you're okay with all that!" He may be blunt, but even he wasn't that blunt.

Surveying the door with narrowed eyes, the fifth year spun on his heel and stormed off down the hall. Stupid charms. Stupid class. Stupid door.

(OOC: Threw in a few NPC students but you can just ignore them, it was just an excuse to start the register as she wouldn't need to do one for two students)

Amelia sat patiently whilst a few more students arrived and sat down towards the back of the classroom, keeping themselves to themselves. Amelia was no thinking Jordan's 'yo teach' had been exceedingly friendly as opposed to disrepectful now - his enthusiasm sure surpassed the lazy, yawning students who'd entered.

Opening the top draw of her desk Amelia flicked threw a few roles of parchment before finding the classes register. It was a class dominated with Gryffindor's apparently with the odd Ravenclaw. No matter, Amelia only hoped that they would all be as enthusiastic as Jordan had been by the end of the class. Straightening the role of parchment Amelia got her quill inked and was ready to call the names out.

At the top of the list: Toby Cooper. No. Surely not? Had there be a misprint? Was it supposed to say Toby Couger? Toby Cooper! Amelia stared wide-eyed at the name at the top of the register again for a minute or so. T-O-B-Y C-O-O-P-E-R. It couldn't be her son could it? No, Hallie would have told her Mum that he was at Hogwarts and judging by the letter 'G' besides his name mean't Hallie would definatly hav met him in the common room - Hallie wouldn't have kept his presence a secret.

Looking up nervously at the class before calling out the name she gulped, before blinking hard. She didn't know what he looked like today but a Mother always knew. A Mother would always recognise her child, even if he had been missing for the past five years. Besides, he resembled Hallie so much that it would be impossible for her not notice him.

After scanning the entire class several times Amelia came to the decision that she did not recognise him, if he were there. There were not many students in the class, the classes had been made smaller than from when she was a student, surely she would have noticed him.

Did she say his name? Wait. What if he was in the class somewhere and she had missed him upon her search? That could get awkward when she introruced herself, would she cry? Possibly. The first time that Amelia had cried in four years was at Hallie's graduation, overwhelmed that her daughter had completed Hogwarts, which was a rarity after watching half her family disappear in an instant.

Amelia no longer cried, however. She had learnt how to deal with her emotions and cast them aside. Even though she felt no emotion, her eyes showed different. There were many crinkles by them from many years of saddness and despair, furthermore they showed defeat in the pupils but now. Now for the first time in as long as Amelia could remember they were alie. Her sons name was on her register. The son she thought to be dead.

'Toby.' Wow. She hadn't expected it to come out so soon, it had just, escaped her lips. It felt strange to say his name. Amelia had always avoided saying since after his memorial but now. Now saying his name felt warm, welcoming, familiar. Or could tht be the nostalgia

Waiting Amelia watched the class. Two more minutes had passed and nobody had said 'Yes Miss,' or 'Here Professor.' Toby Cooper wasn't in her class. He probably wasn't in Hogwarts. For all Amelia knew it could have been an angry house elf with a mean streak who had added her son's name to the register, after all it hadn't shown in any of her lesson plans. Unless he had not been sorted at the sorting ceremony, which Amelia was at so he definatly wasn't there. He could have been sorted in the Head's office but surely Theodore would have informed her or warned her at breakfast?

'Tob-' No. She couldn't say it again. It was her mind playing tricks. Toby would have been at Hogwarts along with Hallie. He wasn't here. Amelia closed her eyes, emptying herself of emotion. Her thoughts froze and were melted from her mind by the power of occlumency. She couldn't dwell on this, not with a class of students in front of her - already she had now wasted five minutes by pondering her son's name. She would simply have to investigate the matter after class. Unless he arrived late? Oh gosh, how dramatic that would be, how gut wrenching she would probably have a break down in front of the students. Something that couldn't happen.

Moving on in the register she called out the students names, concluding with Jordan Westfield, who she knew was present as he had presented her with the apple. After ticking Jordan's name Amelia put the register back into her draw.

'Sorry about that.' Amelia said, indicating the time spent waiting for a 'Toby' to respond upon calling out his name. 'I will be your new charms Professor. Professor Cooper.' She said, introducing herself with a dull voice. The realisation that 'Toby' must have been a misprint had really devastated her, for once in five years there had been hope, hope that had been blown out like a slight wind extinguishing a candle.

'Most of you are either in your fifth year or NEWT students, which means that this is a spell both will need to know. The silencing charm.' She announced. 'For those of you in the NEWT years you will be casting the spells non-verbally, which is to say without saying the incantation. Very difficult but required for your NEWT's.'

This time Amelia now spoke to the fifth years. 'I don't want you to worry about that if you are only studying for your OWL's you are free to say the incantation, although if any of you wanted to attempt the spell non-verbally that if fine by me, although I strongly suggest you say the incantation as it is a tricky spell as it is.'

Walking in front of her desk Amelia now spoke to the whole class again. 'Now. The silencing charm, pretty obviously, silences something, whether it be a bird, a frog or... even a human. Does anyone know any uses of the silencing charm?' Amelia asked, shouting slightly over the noise of a pair of toads which seemed to have started ribbeting in a conversational manner.