Closed Going out of your way

[Rosemarie Chatwin]

Rosemarie was nervous to say the last, but had also learned she had to speak out if she disagreed strongly with something. Today was such a day. She had a pot of recently blooming daisies with her and knocked on the door of Professor's Drage's office. She found that the door wasn't locked and opened it. She was ready to fight for her beliefs and not be roped into a curriculum. Lessons should be made to suit the student and their needs not the other way around. The fact that you needed to do offensive magic if you didn't want to pursue such career or wanted to join the duelling club was outrageous. Rose wanted to work with nature, nurture it. Not break it down by using offensive spells, it felt wrong. Pacifism was something Rose made a case for. She made sure she would never hurt another being. Animal, human, plants, even if she had their consent. She would stay neutral and out of it.

 

[Lydia Drage]

Lydia had politely requested her teapot to pour a cup of mango green tea when she heard a knock at her door. She looked from her desk to see a student- Rosemarie Chatwin, a first-year Hufflepuff. Lydia smiled. “Come on in, Miss Chatwin. Have a seat.” She glanced back at her teapot, which was in the process of pouring the fragrant drink. “Would you like a cup of tea?” she asked.

 

[Rosemarie Chatwin]

Rosemarie walked into the office and spotted an empty aquarium at the back wall which was kind of weird, but it was probably because this Professor was rather new. There were also some plants here and there, she didn't recognize them so they must have been magical. Rosemarie and her pot of daisies took a seat. She looked at the teapot that was emitting a fragrant scent of some type of fruit. ''I would love to have some, Professor'' Rose smiled, although she had a reason to come here, she didn't want to sound like she was going to attack the Professor.

 

[Lydia Drage]

At the Hufflepuff’s word, the teapot hummed excitedly, pouring a second cup of tea. Lydia waved her wand, levitating the two mugs over to her desk. They landed gently in front of herself and Miss Chatwin. Lydia reached for the steaming cup, wrapping her hands around the warm porcelain.

“So, what can I help you with?” Lydia asked. This was the first time a student had ever visited her office. She was impressed by the well-tended pot of daisies. Although most first years didn’t walk around carrying plants, Lydia wasn’t fazed, having grown up with a Herbology nut for a sister.

 

[Rosemarie Chatwin]

Rosemarie looked at the teapot pouring in tea without the use of manual labor. She disliked the fact that people used magic for just about everything. Rose wondered if magic would stop working one day people would go insane, since they forgot how to actually do things. The Professor asked what she could help with, the answer to that question was hard. It wasn't like she was going to remove a whole part of the curriculum for her. ''I find it hard to succeed in the lessons of Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor'' Rose muttered ''They require me to do things, that I am against. '' Rose paused ''I don't want to fight anyone or harm others, even if it is for practice,'' She was a pacifist and fighting was just pointless. Even if a dark wizard or witch was going to try to fight her, she would protect and try to make it harder for the witch or wizard. Killing the other person even if he or she started the fight wouldn't make you any better than the killer. You are still a murderer even if it was out of self defense. ''It goes against every grain of my body and I just can't.'' It was weird they made you fight other students, it only encouraged the same behaviour outside the classroom. ''If I get into a dangerous situation ill protect myself of course, but I don't think harming the other person is the way.'' Rose found it hard to find the exact words, but she knew she had to stand by what she thought was right. ''Even if the other person its out to kill you, if you kill the person first you are still a murderer.'' She could always make a house collapse so the caster would lose his eye contact or would startle from the rumble.

 

[Lydia Drage]

Lydia was definitely not ready for the girl’s tirade against her class. The professor left her tea untouched, narrowing her eyes. She listened to the Hufflepuff’s reasoning, turning over the words in her head. There was a long pause before she spoke.

“Miss Chatwin, if, Merlin forbid, you find yourself in a dangerous situation, how do you truly expect to protect yourself without practice? The muscle memory won’t be there.” Lydia leaned in. “The intent of this class is not to teach you how to hurt and kill other people and creatures. At times, you need to use offensive measures for defense, which is why we review and practice these techniques.”

 

[Rosemarie Chatwin]

Rose took a sip from her tea and listened to the Professor. Of course the intend of the class wasn't to hurt or to kill people, but somehow magical folk always thought offensive magic should be battled with more offensive magic. ''If I find myself in a dangerous situation I will have muscle memory for defensive spells or even environmental spells.'' Rose said ''I can try to remove eye contact or even try to startle my opponent rather than harming or killing them.'' Rose was sure she didn't need to use offensive magic. Everyone did it because they thought it was the way to go, they just never explored other options. She knew duelling was a past time for wizards and witches alike, but she didn't see the use of duelling for fun. What was the chance that she was going to meet a dark witch or wizard in her life. ''I believe that even if I face a dark witch or wizard I can use defensive magic or take advantage of the environment and escape that way'' She didn't want any blood on her hands. Although stunning witches or wizards didn't give lasting damage, it was weird that this whole world was based on offense.

 

[Lydia Drage]

Lydia sat back in her chair, weighing what to say next. The Hufflepuff was eleven, at best twelve years old. She tried to remind herself that children didn’t have a realistic view of the world.

How should she approach this? Scare Rosemarie with stories of modern witches and wizards who were victims of the Dark Arts? She could provide examples from people she was personally close to. No, she decided, fear was not a good teacher.

“I think you are overestimating your abilities and underestimating the world outside of Hogwarts New Zealand,” Lydia said, with a sigh.

“Miss Chatwin, do you understand that if you do not participate fully in class, you will not receive top marks?”

 

[Rosemarie Chatwin]

Of course she was overestimating her abilities, if she was cornered by a dark witch or wizard now she was dead anyway. But that would also happen to all of her classmates, even if you knew how to preform stupefy it would never win against the level a dark witch or wizard possessed. Finally an idea popped in Rose her head and she was sure the Professor couldn't disagree with her. ''Professor if I would practice offensive spells on dummies instead of my peers would that be allowed, I would practice the spells and I don't harm any of my peers.'' Rose said in between the Professor, she had to stifle a laugh at the second statement of the Professor which was utterly ridiculous.''I didn't come here for top marks Professor, I came here to learn about Herbology'' Which was the only reason why she was even here. If Eros hadn't talked about Herbology she had been going to her botany school. She didn't need magic, she needed Herbology. ''Furthermore I don't think people should go for top marks, they should do their best and stay with their beliefs, rather than force people to do something they are against'' She didn't like being cornered, Professor should be accepting and respecting the choices students made. Maybe think with them, rather than stick with old beliefs that were harming the children.

 

[Lydia Drage]

Lydia mulled over the girl’s proposal. Practicing offensive spells on dummies; it wasn’t the same, but it could work. “I need to think this over,” Lydia said, taking her hands off her teacup. She had personally practiced on dummies before to prepare for duelling tournaments, but it wasn’t the same as casting spells with a living, breathing partner.

“Keep in mind that accommodations I make for you, if any, likely won’t apply with Professor Styx.”

In fact, Lydia already knew without asking Kalif that he wouldn’t give the Hufflepuff any special treatment. Rosemarie should expect to fail his classes if she wouldn’t participate as instructed. That meant not advancing to the NEWT levels, which in turn could affect her future career prospects. Again, Rosemarie was an eleven-year-old, so it wasn’t impossible for her to change her mind with further brain development.

“While I admire your passion for Herbology,” Lydia leaned in, “it’s unrealistic to expect your school curriculum to bend to your personal opinions and desires.”

 

[Rosemarie Chatwin]

Rose took another sip of her tea. She was glad that the Professor listened to her, but she also felt bad. She didn't want the Professor to chance the curriculum, since this way of learning was the way for most, it just didn't suit Rose. ''I only desire to take Defense Against the Dark Arts for the time I am required to take the subject, although the theory behind the subject is highly interesting I know I can never succeed in the lessons in the standard that is asked.'' Even if she would try to use Stupefy on others, she would try to purposely miss the spell or her head would hold her back and preform less powerful spells. ''I think it is most logical I follow the lessons so I know the basics and If I ever find myself in a dangerous situation I am taking a Venomous Tentacula with me or something.'' Rose laughed. So far she wanted to have her own shop or greenhouse and sell plants and flowers. Maybe become a counselor or something, she was a good listener. She definetly wanted to do something with plants later. ''I don't ask you or the school to change the curriculum for me, I only want to explain why I can't or don't do certain elements, even although I don't like to harm others in a way that is for learning, doesn't mean I can't see why it is good learning method for others'' Having had two younger siblings under her, Rose had grown up quickly. Lynn took away most attention and Thyme had been a crybaby when he was younger.

 

[Lydia Drage]

Lydia couldn’t help smirking as Rosemarie mentioned using a Venomous Tentacula as a defensive strategy. “Don’t forget about bubotubers,” Lydia replied, trying not to laugh. She remembered Olivia receiving detention at Ilvermorny for blasting another student in the face with bubotuber pus. The Thunderbird boy had gone screaming and puking to the Hospital Wing; it was well-known around school by the end of the day that he had gotten pus in his mouth, nose, and eyes and cried like a baby the whole time. Olivia had responded to the Headmaster, very seriously, that the boy had made fun of her height and too-short robes after a growth spurt, and she figured that if he liked to talk sh*t so much, he must like to eat it, too.

“I will take your request for dummies into consideration,” Lydia said as she drained the rest of her tea. As long as the Hufflepuff understood the consequences of not participating fully in her classes, Lydia thought it was a reasonable request. “Is there anything else you would like to discuss today, Miss Chatwin?”

 

[Rosemarie Chatwin]

When the Professor mentioned bubotubers Rose smiled broadly. ''You know about those?'' Rose said excitingly. She would never purposely use the pus on someone, but if a dark wizard was out for her it was definitely an option. There were a bunch of plants that could be train to harm others even if she didn't want to do it, she could always arm her garden. ''Thanks Professor'' Rose said as she took a big sip of tea. She didn't mind the grades nor was she going to take DADA past her OWLS. ''I think that was everything.'' Rose said ''Thank you for listening to me'' She said while draining the rest of her cup.

 

[Lydia Drage]

Lydia smiled. “Maybe a little too much.” She nodded at the young girl. “You’re welcome. If you have any other concerns, Miss Chatwin, my door is usually open.”