[Y2] Lesson I-Hippogriffs and Phoenixes

Excited, Selene walked down to the Forest. She carried a stick, similar to a cane, with a few dead ferrets hanging from it. Hoping to see many of her students arrive early, she took her spot near the edge of the forest and waited.

"Welcome to another year of Care of Magical Creatures." She greeted them when they arrived. Please, stay close to your house members as this will consist of a game." she watched as they all hurried and placed themselves next to each other. "This lesson, we will make the best to study two animals. A Phoenix, and a Hipogriff. Does anyone have any idea what they are?" she asked them.



OOC: I'm sure Aurelia can handle working on this alone, right? If there is any problem, she can feel free to join the Hufflepuffs.

Auden was so excited to learn new things as a second year. She wanted to absorb as much information as possible and experience as much too. The lesson was on a phoenix and a hipogrif.

" Professor, a phoenix is a large swan sized birds that burst into flames when its time to die and then rise from their ashes." Auden said.

Aylee skipped into the class, feeling excited and happy. It was going to be the first lesson of her second year and she couldn't wait a bit! I wonder what we will learn today, she thought excitedly. She took a quick glance at what groups they were going to be and realized that she was going to be teamed up with Sydney and Auden. The Ravenclaw sighed and found a seat next to Auden. She didn't feel like talking to Sydney.

She listened to Auden's reply about phoenixes. They're reborn, Aylee thought amazed. Cool. Then she started to wonder what a hippogriff was. Was it a kind of hippo? She grinned at the idea. That's silly. So Aylee decided to listened to someone else for an answer.

Auden saw Aylee walk in. She gave her a small smile. Finally someone she knew!

Another term, and this time Emmalynne actually had gotten to advance to the next year at Hogwarts. Therefore, she as excited to see what they were going to learn in Care of Magical Creatures, as she was hoping it meant they were past flobberworms now. She had nothing against those creatures, but they hadn’t been half as interesting as what they could have been shown. Although the first thing she’d noticed upon arriving was that they were going to be grouped by house, which she wasn’t so sure about. All she could remember was the drama that had occurred last term with Taison working with girls other than Daisee, and she really didn’t feel like getting involved with that. She’d work with him, however, if Professor Vega requested, and it seemed she was. She’d have to be the better person.

The grin on her face had grown as it was announced that they were going to be learning about phoenixes again, along with hippogriffs. Those were definitely better than flobberworms. Auden had already answered the question about what a phoenix was, but that didn’t stop her from raising her hand as well. “Hippogriffs are sort of like griffins, at least because they’re a blend of creatures. Hippogriffs are part eagle and part horse, though. The front section and the wings look like a giant eagle, and then the back half is like a horse,” she said, holding back from saying more. Except for one question. “Are we going to be seeing Scarlet again this lesson?” She remembered the professor’s phoenix from last term.

Auden listened to Emmalynne's question. The Professor had a phoenix? That is so cool!

Seeing the student's participation, Selene smiled. "Yes, both of you are correct. 7 points for each." After hearing Emmalynne's question, Selene could tell the girl was excited to see the majestic bird once again. "We will. She's waiting for us in the forest, but first, I want you three to work together, as the house teams will not be completed right now." Before she could tell the girl what they would have to do, a brown owl came by and she knew it was from the Headmistress. Quickly, Selene read over it. "Okay, I have made a mistake and Rebecca Jones and Ryland Marcotte are to join us for this lesson. We'll start as soon as they arrive."

Rebecca entered the class, excited for her first Care of Magical Creatures lesson. She had never attended the class so she couldn't wait. When she arrived, she took a seat almost at the front and flashed a smile at the Professor.

Sydney listened as the rest of the class answered the question. Normally her hand would have been the first one up, but today was different. She wasn’t gonna be the brainy one who got every question right. That was last year, this was a new year. Instead of her usual front row seat, she plopped down in the back row and put her feet up on the desk.

Since his schedule had gotten messed up due to the professor's mistake, Ryland had lost track of where to be and when to be there. Once he finally arrived at the Forest, he apologized to Professor Vega. "I'm awfully sorry, professor. My head was everywhere with all of the changing in classes."
He hoped he'd see Aurelia in this class, but she was nowhere to be found. Looking away, he concentrated on what the professor would have to say.

"That's perfectly fine, Ryland." Selene said to the boy who arrived almost a little short on time. "Now, let's break off into partners then." Glancing around to see which students were present, she quickly made up her mind about the partnering up. "Let's have Aylee and Rebecca work together. They will be group 1. Group 2 will be Ryland and Auden, and group 3 will be Emmalynne and Sydney."

After the students seemed to be comfortable with their partner, Selene announced the first task of the lesson. "Okay, first off, I want you guys to play a little game. I will give you a description, and you will have to discuss with your partner which magical creature it is that I'm talking about. The group who guesses correctly the most, will not have to do this lesson's assignment."

"It is said that to speak like them, you only have to point and grunt."

Aylee nodded as the Professor put her in a group with Rebecca. She looked around and, after spotting her, she hurried over next to her and flashed her a glance. "Hi," she mouthed. Then she looked back at Professor Vega and listened to the description. A language which points and grunts? Aylee thought. I don't know...

Auden nodded to herself. She glanced at Ryland. Auden hoped she would be in a group with Aylee since she knows her better. But oh well. She walked over to Ryland and sat down. " Hi." She whispered.

Sydney felt like she knew this one. But she wasn’t sure. She looked over at Emmalynne and mouthed the words, “IS it an Ogre?” She didn’t want to say it out loud in case she was wrong.

Rebecca almost forgot that she was in a lesson, she was staring at the ground. When the Professor teamed them up, she realized that Aylee was already walking towards her. "Hello," Rebecca whispered back and then started to wonder which language pointed and grunted.

"Is it troll?" Rebecca asked after a few moments of hesitation.

Selene smiled as she heard Rebecca answer. "5 points to Gryffindor."
Thinking for a while, she finally said "Here's another one, after this one, we will all go to to the forest so you can meet the Hippogriff."

"A dwarfish creature, lurks where blood has been shed, he bludgeons the unwary to death."

Aylee grinned as Rebecca told the right answer. She herself didn't know many creatures. When the Professor announced the next riddle, Aylee decided that she had no idea what the answer was. So she just looked around and waited for someone else to answer.

"Doesn't anyone have an answer?" Selene asked as soon as she noticed students looking around for someone who might know it. "Okay, that will be part of your homework then. Let's move on to the Forest now." she said as she walked in front of her students.
"Now, Hippogriffs have the body, hind legs, and tail of a horse, however, the head, front legs and wings are those of a giant eagle." She informed them. "Hippogriffs are proud creatures. If you offend them, they will attack you. You will take turns doing this; you walk towards it, bow, and wait for it to make the first move. The Hippogriff must always make the first move. So, if it bows, then you can touch it, but be very careful. If it doesn't bow, then just walk away immediately. Does everyone understand?" She asked as she suddenly stopped, turned to look at them, and waited for them to agree.

Selene led the students not too deep into the forest, to a place that was withing the sunlight's reach and set the dead ferrets down. Tied to a big, thick tree was a HIppogriff.
"Alright." she said, as she turned to face her students, mentally counting how many had arrived for safety purposes. "Everyone, this is Hippogriff." she began, unable to remember the bird's name. "Before we take turns in meeting him, you will all receive three handouts that you may need for future classes. Now, here," she said as she waved her golden wand and three stacks of papers appeared, floating in mid air.
"Ryland. Take one and pass them down." she said to the Gryffindor as the stacks floated towards him.
"The first one is Handout 1-Hippogriff. It's too dangerous for you to take a closer look and draw him, so you get a handout instead. The second one is Handout 2-Griffin. It's a drawing of a Griffin, an animal very similar to the Hippogriff. Keep it for comparison purposes. The third one, Handout 3-Hippogiff Anatomy, is a vague drawing of what they look like as far as muscles and bones go. Not as useful, but worth having."
As the handouts were passed around, Selene turned to look at the creature.
"Alright. Who wants to go first?" she asked.

Rebecca didn't know the next question so she kept quiet, wondering if anyone else knew the answer. When nobody said anything, the Professor then started to talk about today's lesson. She flashed a glance at Aylee before following Professor Vega. As they arrived near a hippogriff, Rebecca almost gasped out loud. It was magnificent and scary at the same time- she couldn't decide which feeling was strongest. She took the handouts that were being passed around and kept staring at the Hippogriff until the Professor spoke again.

Don't say yes, don't say yes... Rebecca thought. But she so wanted to try it! Suddenly, she slowly raised her hand. "Me," she said slowly but loudly.

Auden listened to the Professor. The riddle was challenging but then Auden remembered a story that her mother told her once. Auden raised her hand. "Professor is the answer a Red Cap?" Auden asked.

Auden took the handouts and looked at the drawings. They were very good. Auden glanced at the Hippogriff. It was stunning. The feathers shiny and its eyes were so emotional. Auden wanted to touch him but she didn't want to be first.

"Aylee, I forgot to say that you also get the points since you and Rebecca were in a team." Selene quickly announced as she realized her mistake. "Also, that is correct Auden. 5 points to Ravenclaw, and also to Gryffindor." she said, motioning to Ryland, Auden's partner. "Okay, Rebecca. Go. Remember what I said though!"

On the way to the forest, Ryland felt as if he didn't deserve the points Auden had gathered as he had spent most of his time thinking about other matters than of the riddle Professor Vega had said out loud. Finally, they seemed to have reached a meadow-like spot, and in the center was the most beautiful creature Ryland had seen so far. It was mesmerizing. It was big, muscular and too strange to put into a specific category.

Glancing around, Ryland saw that Rebecca seemed to have suddenly stopped herself. WIth a bit of hesitation, Ryland raised his hand. "Could I try instead?"
He had no idea what a Hippogriff could do to him, but he wanted to see if it would bow to him. It seemed reasonable for a creature as beautiful as this to be prideful, so Ryland decided not to judge.

Rebecca smiled a little when the Professor allowed her to have a go. She walked towards it slowly and for a moment, she stopped, staring at the Hippogriff. What did I get myself into? It annoyed her a little, though, when Ryland asked if he could do it. When she heard him ask that, Rebecca continued to walk slowly towards it, feeling determined. She wasn't far from the Hippogriff when she bowed, trying hard not to fall over.

Is it going to bow? she thought. She kept her gaze fixed on the ground for some reason, scared to look up.

Selene clapped, soon followed by the rest of the students, as she noticed the Hippogriff bowing to Rebecca. Moving towards the creature, Selene placed a hand near her chest, a sign for the bird to know that she was there only to bring the girl back to the rest of the students. 

"Very nicely done, Rebecca." Selene congratulated the girl as she was walking away. "That's ten points to Gryffindor!" she announced.

Turning back to the remaining students, she looked for Ryland. "Your turn, brave one." She said as she watched him head towards the bird.