[Y3 and 4] Lesson 2 - Unicorns

The whole room was bright, a new white light had been streaking into the classroom from the outside of the walls. Selene turned to Gretchen, "Should we add more decorations?" she gestured towards the simply decorated room. Besides the new light, which gave the room a whole different vibe from the last lesson, the temperature was warmer and welcoming. Small silver packets had been placed on each student's desk, and the windows had been tainted with a glittering touch.

Having been known for her use of visuals in her lessons, Selene thought the room was missing something. Gretchen smiled and suggested something that resembled the forest. That gave Selene the idea to use her wand. In seconds, the bright walls of the classroom were now the forest. They were real, vivid in an almost three-dimensional state, much like the ceiling in the Great Hall.

"I think that's it." she said, feeling a cool breeze come in from the meadow he had just placed around her room. "We'll wait for them now, Gretchen." she said and took a seat at her desk, with the humble house elf climbing on to a chair Selene had brought specially for her.

Lucy walked into the Professor Vega's class feeling a bit uneasy. The talk about her patronus she had had with Phoenix had revealed a lot more than she was looking for, and she knew she had written it all down for the Professor to read. With a small smile, Lucy took her seat in the front row, not looking around to see if anyone else came in.

It won't be Wade... He had left right after she confronted him about his attitude, and she couldn't help but feel as if that was the reason he was taking time off school's stressful days. Either way, it was almost the end of the term, so he would be okay.

Taking out her wand, Lucy began to tap it on her desk, making teal sparks come out and amuse her while the class began.

Selene decided to start the class and began to walk towards the board. "Welcome, today we'll be studying Unicorns." She smiled and motioned to the silver package in front of the students. "Open it, it's a gift for each of you." She watched as the students opened the packages, revealing small vials with a clear, silvery liquid, hanging from delicate chains. "Unicorn tears, to remind you that there is nothing more pure than this beautiful creature."
 
"Each vial will adjust to the person it belongs to now. Hence why you should see your name engraved on the glass very soon. It is long said that a Unicorn's tears would heal and purify you, so in case there is ever a need for you to use them, do so." she informed them. Turning to Gretchen, she motioned for the house elf to begin handing out papers for the students. "In European folklore, the unicorn is  depicted as a white horselike animal with a long horn and cloven hooves. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, it was described as a wild woodland creature and was a symbol of purity and grace, which could only be captured by a virgin." she then waited until each student had received the handout.
 
 
"In the Middle Ages and Renaissance period, the knowledge of this creatures came from the Bible." As she said this, a list appeared on the board, in fine script, her own handwriting.
 

• God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.—Numbers 23:22
  
  
• His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth.—Deuteronomy 33:17
  
  
• Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee? Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him? Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn?—Job 39:9–12
  
  
• Save me from the lion's mouth; for thou hast heard me from the horns of unicorns.—Psalms 22:21
  
  
• He maketh them [the cedars of Lebanon] also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.—Psalms 29:6
  
  
• But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of the unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.—Psalms 92:10
  
  
• And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with their bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.—Isaiah 34:7
  
  

When Professor Vega told them they could open the packages, Wade opened his quietly. Given as him and Lucy weren't on the best of terms, he didn't want to glance at her. "Unicorn tears." Wade breathed as he had not yet opened his when the professor announced what it was. He found a vial, much like he ones he had used before, but this one seemed much more fragile. It was clinging on to a delicate chain, which Wade gladly hung around his neck and watched as his name, Wade Malfoy, scribbled itself on the glass. The liquid inside was clear yet with a hint of silver, making Wade think of it as being much more precious. 

He quickly shifted his attention to the board, took his handout from Gretchen, Professor Vega's house elf, and began to take notes, all the while keeping his fingers holding on to the vial. Maybe one day the unicorn tears would come in handy, yet he hoped that wouldn't happen.

Auden ran into the classroom. She was late yet again. "Sorry Professor." Auden said while taking a seat.

Ryland took quick notes and soon filled up the page; he was really trying to write word for word of what the professor was saying, in case they had to take a quiz or some form of evaluation. He hadn't opened his silver box yet, as he had chosen to do that on his own time even though he already knew what it was.

"Professor Vega, how is it only a virgin could catch a unicorn? And I'm sorry if I'm being sexist, but does that apply to males also? I mean, in the case that a young boy, such as myself or anyone close to my age, were to look for a unicorn, would they be able to find it if they were...you know? Virgins?" he hoped the question would be suitable for the class as he didn't want to make a fool of himself for asking such things.

Auden was busy taking notes when Ryland started to speak. She looked up. It made sense that both genders would be able to find Unicorns... Auden listened for the Professor's response.

"Great question Ryland." Selene noted. "5 points to Gryffindor." She thought about the question for a few seconds. "I'm sure that if you were indeed looking for a unicorn, and you were in fact a virgin, you would most certainly find one." she finally answered. "Although most stories tell only of virgin women, I'm sure that a creature as kind as a unicorn wouldn't make a big deal about gender. Though, let me ask you all this question, why would someone even go out looking for a unicorn?"

Auden knew this and raised her hand. "Professor I read somewhere that Unicorn horns were widely believed to detect poison in food and drinks. Also Unicorn blood heals things." Auden replied hoping her answers were right.

"Very nice, both of you." she said. "Aylee, I'm particularly impressed with your answer. Bringing Voldemort up as part of the lesson. Though I'm sadly running out of time. There will be no homework until the next lesson when we revisit unicorns. You may leave." she told them and watched as they left her room.