| Details for Sixth Year DADA Class: Vampires |
| Summary: | Professor Lestrange teaches the Sixth Year N.E.W.T. students about bloodsuckers who prowl the night. |
| Date: | 3 November 1939 |
| Location: | DADA Classroom, Hogwarts |
| Related: | — |
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The Sixth Years - all of them taking the Dark Arts Defence N.E.W.T., now, after Professor Dumbledore's cancellation of the S.C.U.M.S. class - are arrayed in their seats facing the projection screen in the front while Professor Arcadius Lestrange looks down from the balcony, lecturing on vampires, discussed in Chapter V of 'Advanced Defensive Magic: Curses and Counter-Curses'.
Meanwhile, in the back of the classroom, Abraxas Malfoy, otherwise on a free period, is seated behind the projector, working it and providing any other assistance needed as student aide. And, no doubt, soaking in a bit of advanced work in preparation for next year.
Although Defense has never been Elspeth's best subject, it doesn't come as easily to her as potions or herbology, she has the typical Ravenclaw tenacity and intelligence. She's been studying hard the past few days, and now sits near the front of the class, not the front row, but close enough to make sure there's very little obscuring her view so that she doesn't miss anything.
The Professor speaks briefly about the nature of Vampires - that they are generally considered evil beings, that live in the darkness and fear the sunlight, and feed on blood. "Now…" he asks, "Who can tell me how we might recognize one of these creatures?"
The Ravenclaw's hand doesn't shoot up right away, but she does raise it to show a willingness to answer the question. When LeStrange says, "Rosen" she stands properly by her desk to give the answer.
"Vampires are fearing the light, meaning they are not getting any sunshine, so they are quite pale and often gaunt. They are also having fangs that are being fairly visible, and bloodshot eyes. Although, I am hoping not to be close enough to one to be seeing that its eyes are being bloodshot." Having answered, she slides back into her seat, and picks her quill up again to write whatever comes next.
"Indeed, Rosen. Or to see their fangs, or smell the faint scent of death that surrounds them at all times." Professor Lestrange says, with a nod. "And not only are the fearful of daylight, it is, in fact, harmful to them. Now, let us talk about one of the more famous - or infamous - vampires known to wizarding kind."
The professor then regales the class with the horrid tale of Lady Carmilla Sanguina, the vampire who bathed in the blood of her victims and lived to be 196 years old.
If Abraxas had any doubt about taking N.E.W.T. level Dark Defence, this pretty much dispells them. Apparently all the good gory stuff waits for the higher years. He dutifully changes through the slides showing seventeenth and eighteenth century wizarding engravings of Carmilla and her dastardly deeds.
At some of the slides, Elspeth seems to find a need to jot something just right on her parchment. The girl doesn't quite seem to share Abraxas's eagerness for the gory things, and so her eyes are fairly often down on her parchment as Carmilla Sanguine's exploits are detailed.
"So, since this is a class on Defense Against the Dark Arts, I invite you now to pair up, and practice your defensive charms. Fire and sunlight are your friends here." Lestrange explains, "So, if any of you are taking Herbology, the sunbeam charm doens't just make plants grow. You may begin." He stays up on the balcony to monitor things.
The sunlight spell, Elspeth smiles as she rises. Without Evelyn, though, her usual partner, she's a bit at a loss as the people already in the class have been pairing up already most of the year. She ends up in a trio with a couple other muggle born students to work on the spells. The sunbeam charm is one of her favorites, and she starts with that one.
Abraxas packs up the projector and puts it away, then reshelves the Professor's books.
One of the Slytherin students manages to make a plume of fire, which is quickly extinguished by a water charm from Hufflepuff Harold Tripe. The two former Magijugend have a good laugh about it, until they are silenced by the Professor's glower.
Ducking as the plume of fire springs up nearby, Elspeth turns, then grins as it's put out. However, a glance up keeps her from actually chuckling or giggling and she composes herself appropriately. With a few practices, the Ravenclaw seems to have batter success with the Sunbeam Spell than she does with her Incendio. Although she does make a respectable flame that could probably envelop a good deal of the Vampire, the sunbeam definitely seems to burn a little brighter.
The practice continues, with sunbeam spells and fire of various sorts being thrown about the DADA classroom, until, finally, the Professor says, "That will be all for today, thank you all. Good work. For next week, a foot on another famous vampire. I've put the appropriate books on reserve with Madame Patil."
Smiling, tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear as she goes back to her desk, Elspeth glances up to the balcony. "Thank you, Professor LeStrange," she says before she puts her things back into her satchel and pulls the strap over her head. Tucking her wand away, she waits to file out with the others, and nods to the pale-haired boy who's been the teacher's aid today. "Malfoy," she acknowledges quietly on her way by.
Malfoy finishes the last cleanup and then gathers his own things to head to his next class, "Rosen." he says, with a nod, and then moves to the other door of the classroom and exits that way. Malfoys and leopards don't completely change their spots.
Elspeth continues on her way, but at least she was polite and didn't ignore the other prefect on her way by, so she's satisfied. With the list in hand of reserved material, she files out of the room and heads down towards the library.