Lesson Three - The Knock-Back Jinx

Ambrosius was standing by the window, lost in his thoughts, apparently unaffected by the constant lapping of raindrops against the glass. Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him, and turned around to find that his students were progressively entering the classroom. He waited for all of them to arrive, then said, standing behind his desk: "Good afternoon, everyone. As you remember, or at least I sincerely hope you do, last time we finished working on the Wand Lighting Spell and all its variations. However, even if those charms can be useful in some specific situations, they are completely ineffective in most of them. For example, if I tried to attack you" (he took out his wand in the blink of an eye and menacingly pointed it at them) "emitting a light from the tip of your wand will probably not save you." He put it back in the pocket of his black robe then pursued: "Therefore today we will be learning a new spell, the first from a set of defensive spells that I will be teaching you during this year. As you should know, the subject of this lesson is the Knock-back Jinx."

He flicked his wand and a piece of chalk came out of his bag, levitated to the blackboard, and started writing on it. "I have asked you to read about that spell in your schoolbook and to answer a series of questions about the jinx and his effectiveness in defence against the dark arts. I had also urged you not to try to perform it on your own, and judging by the fact that no one is severely injured, I take you have followed my advice." He marked a brief pause, leaving his desk to start walking around the classroom. On the board, one could see the title: Chapter 2: The Knock-back Jinx followed by useful information on the spell such the hand movement and the incantation. The chalk was still hovering in mid-air, as if it was awaiting further orders. "If you could all please take out your homework and put it on your desks, so that I can read what you have written, after which we can move on to practicing the charm." He waited for them to comply, walking along the aisles to collect their parchments.

As Kim entered the room, she immediately noticed the title on the board. This made her a bit excited since this is the first time they will learn an offensive spell. She sat down on the middle aisle and listened to her professor.

After saying his announcements, Professor Umbranox instructed them to pass their homework. Kim, who almost forgot to do hers, took her assignment and passed it forward. After doing so, she waited patiently for more instructions.

As Aurora entered the room, she noticed Professor Umbranox standing beside the window, staring out and not doing anything. She wondered if he was thinking about their meeting of the previous night, and the picture on the desk. She and James had still been unable to discover who the woman was. Turning around swiftly, Professor Umbranox snapped out of whatever thoughts he was in and began the lesson. The first part, about how Lumos was not a very effective spell against a human enemy, was interesting, though Aurora had pretty much already figured that out. After writing the homework about the Knockback Jinx, it had also been obvious that that was the subject of the lesson. Aurora fished her paper out of her bulky bag and placed it on the desk, worrying about its brevity. The professor hadn't asked them for much, but still.

James followed Aurora into the classroom. They were among the firsts to arrive. He sat at his usual desk, took out his Defence Against the Dark Arts schoolbook as well as his homework and waited for all the others to come. A few moments later, Professor Umbranox started explaining what they would be learning during the lesson. Excited to discover another spell, he listened carefully, absorbing every word, until suddenly the teacher swiftly pointed his wand at them, startling James. The teacher then asked them to put their homework on their desks. James examined his parchment, anxiously awaiting for him to come and collect his work, wondering if what he wrote was correct.

Keith walked into the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. He looked around the room, noticing that Shah had already arrived. He gave her a small smile, before taking a seat at one of the desks. He saw James, as well, and began wondering if maybe he had arrived a bit too early. Professor Umbranox began to talk, and told them to pass up their homework. Keith got out his sheet of homework and passed it up to the desk. He then waited for what was to happen next.

A couple of students were already at the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom. Since Wade was running a bit late, she took a seat next to Shah.
"Hello Shah. How are you?" Lucy said politely, glancing at the girl.
As Professor Umbranox explained the lesson, he asked for them to pass their homework up. Lucy was glad that she had actually done it, she never forgot about her DADA homework. Glancing at it one last time to make sure she was happy with the result, she passed it up to the student in front of her.

Ella sat next to Lucy making sure to save a seat for Wade as well. "Hello Lucy. Shah." Ella nodded to them. She was excited about her first DADA lesson until the professor asked them to pass in their homework. "Homework?" Ella asked puzzled.

Ellie slinked into the class she was most looking forward to. She saw two empty seats, one behind Ella and one behind Lucy. Figuring the one behind Lucy was reserved for Wade, she sat in the seat behind Ella. Ellie kept quiet, not knowing what to expect. She watched as everyone turned in their homework and watched Ella freeze up on that word.

Wade walked into the DADA classroom and walked instantly to Lucy. He took a seat behind her, and tapped her lightly on the shoulder.
"I don't know if I finished my homework." he whispered, "I remember doing it, but I don't remember finishing it."
Turning to the other people around him, he saw they were all girls. Wade felt somewhat uncomfortable about being with too many of them. Lucy was fine, he could spend the whole day with her, but these were other girls, and he wasn't sure how he really felt about that.
"Hello ladies. You look lovely today." he said to all them, flashing them a smile. "I would love to stay and talk, but I think I'll sit with James and Keith today." he informed them as he stood up, looked back at his cousin, and walked toward the other boys. Once he reached them, he took a seat behind James.
"Hello James." he said quietly, as Professor Umbranox was about to start the lesson but he didn't want to seem rude.
As Professor Umbranox explained the lesson, Wade became even more excited about this class. It was until he pointed his wand at them that he jumped on his desk. Somewhat ashamed, he looked around, and focused on Lucy, secretly wanting her to tell him that nobody had seen anything. When Professor Umbranox asked them to place their homework on their desks, Wade looked for it, desperately, through his backpack. He was sure he had started it, but he wasn't sure if he had finished it. At last, he found it on another class' folder, and as he glanced at it, he noticed that it was finished. Relieved, he placed it on the desk and sat back, waiting for the Professor to pick it up.

Ambrosius started wandering through the classroom, walking from desk to desk to read what the students had written about the Knock-Back Jinx. "I am very content to see that most of you have done their homework, and that you have all arrived on time. You see, unlike some of my colleagues, I do not particularly enjoy taking points off, even though I will not hesitate to do it if necessary." he calmly stated.

"Uh, Professor Umbranox," Shah Hazel suddenly called, raising her hand. "I, er, this is my first class and I don't know what to for the homework. I mean the previous homework." she added. However, while Ambrosius was heading towards her desk, the Gryffindor searched her bag again and took out a piece of parchment, a surprised yet satisfied expression on her face. After collecting her homework, Ambrosius reached the only two students who had apparently not completed their task. "Miss Fontayne, I presume?" he addressed the new student. "I have been informed of your recent arrival. Welcome to Hogwarts. Do not worry about the homework" he reassured her, noticing her anxiety, "You could not have known. However, I do expect you to catch up with everything that we have done so far." he added. He then headed towards the desk behind that one. "And you are excused as well, Miss Fontayne. I have received your owl." he announced to the Slytherin. In fact, the girl hadn't sent him anything, but he had heard about the tragedy she recently had to endure and presumed that she had other things on her mind than her homework. And he didn't want to force her to explain herself in front of the whole classroom, as he figured it was something she probably wasn't ready to share.

When he finished, he moved back to his desk and said: “As most of you have explained in your homework, the Knock-Back Jinx is a quite useful and simple spell to master, but it is far from being the most effective weapon when it comes to dealing with the Dark Arts. If you have no important questions about the jinx, I first want you learn how to cast the spell, after which we can discuss it further and analyze it in detail.” He marked a brief pause then pursued: “Now if you would all please stand up and join me here. Do not forget to take your wands.”

Keith listened to the Professor and stood up out of his seat, taking out his wand, as well. He glanced around at his classmates, who were doing the exact same thing. Excited for what they would be learning today, he waited for further instructions.

After collecting their homework, Professor Umbranox invited them to join him in the front of the classroom. A loud noise of chairs being pulled accompanied the movement of the students. James was feeling excited yet a bit nervous about what they had to do next, since the teacher had explained that they would be practicing the Knock-Back, and his last practical task had not gone very well. Presuming that they would have to work in groups of two, he glanced around, thinking about who to ask to train with him.

After watching Professor Umbranox's greetings to the two Fontaynes, he instructed them to go stand near him with their wands. Kim immediately followed and took her wand out of her robe. She saw some of them did the same thing. Though excited about the lesson, she was still curious about what they are about to do.

As soon all the students had moved to the front of the classroom, he swished his wand and all the chairs and desks levitated towards the back of the room, tidily lining up against the wall. There was now a vast empty space in the center. He waved his wand a second time, and a set of soft pads covered the ground, designed to make sure that if someone falls, he or she wouldn't get hurt. “You will be working in groups of two. Like last time, I will let you decide with who you are going to practice. You will alternately try to cast the Knockback Jinx, aiming to knock back the other. Do not worry, the cushions you can see under your feet are extremely soft and absorbing, so you will not get hurt when you fall. If anyone has forgotten how to perform the spell, all the required information is written on the blackboard.” He looked at his students then added: “If you have no questions, you can start practicing. I will come to check on every group to see if you have any problems with the spell.”

As soon as she heard that it was a task performed by partners, Kim felt nervous knowing that she had been inactive for the past weeks letting herself be outcast from her classmates. She looked around to search for someone but unfortunately, every one seem to have selected who to be with. Still, she let her hopes high, waiting for someone to approach her.

"Hey, Kim!" Aurora called across the room, seeing the Slytherin looking lonely. Swiftly moving towards her, Aurora asked, "Do you want to be partners?" This lesson was sure to be exciting.

“You will be working in groups of two. Like last time, I will let you decide with who you are going to practice. You will alternately try to cast the Knockback Jinx, aiming to knock back the other. Do not worry, the cushions you can see under your feet are extremely soft and absorbing, so you will not get hurt when you fall. If anyone has forgotten how to perform the spell, all the required information is written on the blackboard.” Professor Umbranox said to the class. Keith's eye flickered over to Shah, before going back to the Professor. “If you have no questions, you can start practicing. I will come to check on every group to see if you have any problems with the spell.” He added.

Keith got up out of his seat and walked by a few of his other classmate's desks, finally getting to Shah's. He smiled. "Hey Shah, would you like to be partners with me?" He asked.

Ella heard the professor say,“You will be working in groups of two. Like last time, I will let you decide with who you are going to practice. You will alternately try to cast the Knockback Jinx, aiming to knock back the other. Do not worry, the cushions you can see under your feet are extremely soft and absorbing, so you will not get hurt when you fall. If anyone has forgotten how to perform the spell, all the required information is written on the blackboard.If you have no questions, you can start practicing. I will come to check on every group to see if you have any problems with the spell.”

Ella looked around the room unsure of who she would pair up with. Maybe Ellie? she thought, Lucy and Wade were sure to be together,she finished her thought with very little envy.

"Um....sure." Shah said, giving Keith the impression that perhaps Shah had wanted to be partners with someone else. Before he could apologize, she said, "Shall we begin?" Keith nodded. "Sure. Would you like to go first?" He asked.

Once Professor Umbranox had announced that they would be working in pairs, James glanced around the room, searching for someone to be his partner. Aurora and Kim seemed to have already teamed up, and Shah and Keith quickly followed. After a few moments, the only four students who still didn't have a partner, apart from him, were the Slytherins. After thinking of maybe asking Lucy to be his workmate, he realized that she would certainly prefer to practice with her cousin, just like Ella would without doubt train with her sister, which meant that he would remain alone. Or worse, that he would have to do the task with the professor.