The classroom was quiet for once—a rare moment of peace before the shuffle of first-years spilled in. Professor Tobias Blade stood behind his desk, straightening a small stack of parchment with care. He’d taught this lesson more times than he could count, but it never failed to bring a spark to his otherwise tired demeanor. He was here to teach, yes—but more importantly, he was here to guide them. They might not see it now, but he was always watching out for them, even when his patience wore thin.
As the last student took their seat, Blade stepped forward, arms behind his back. His robes today were a simple grey-blue, worn in but well-kept, and his hair, streaked with grey at the temples, looked freshly combed if a little windblown. “Good morning, my dears,” he began, voice calm and steady. “I trust all of you did your reading.” A long pause. He gave a small, amused huff through his nose. “Or at least, you considered doing it.”
He flicked his wand, chalk beginning to write behind him in his usual, firm script: Wingardium Leviosa. “Who can tell me what this charm does?” He pointed to a raised hand. “Correct. Two points.” A slight nod, pleased. “It allows controlled levitation—your focus will determine its path. The object will move according to the direction of your wand, but only with consistent concentration.”
Pacing slowly in front of the desks, he stopped again. “Now. The motion. Who remembers?” Another hand, another nod. “Swish and flick. Two more points. Let’s try that now.” Blade demonstrated the wand movement with precise control, waiting for the class to follow. “Excellent. Now—how do we end the charm?”
He called on one more student. “Finite. Correct again. Two points.” He adjusted his cuffs, then raised his wand. With a subtle flick, small feathers appeared on each student’s desk. “Begin by lifting your feather with Wingardium Leviosa. Once you've got it in the air, practice ending the spell with Finite.”
For several minutes, he circled the room—quiet but present. A few corrections here and there, a murmured reminder about posture or focus. A flicker of pride crept into his expression when a student succeeded after struggling. Eventually, he stopped at the front again.
“Those of you getting the hang of it—good. You may move on to heavier objects if you're confident, but take care. Accidents happen when confidence outruns caution.” He motioned toward a few simple heavier objects that appeared with another wand flick. “No showing off, and if anyone ends up levitating their partner by accident, don’t expect me to be impressed.”
He folded his arms. “Before I let you get back to it—your homework: I want you to review Lumos and Wingardium Leviosa. For both, give me two real-life examples of how you could use them day-to-day. This isn’t busy work. Magic isn’t about memorizing—it’s about knowing when to use what you’ve learned.” With that, he nodded once more, letting the class return to their practice before eventually calling time and dismissing them one by one, a rare but genuine “Well done today,” offered to more than a few of them.
OOC Notes: RP your character answering questions or practicing spells for full marks. Answering a question IC = 2 house points, Completing homework = 5 points. Blade is available for feedback, praise, or snide remarks depending on your character's effort or attitude—feel free to tag!
