Third Years Lesson Two

Professor Adler had almost finished restocking the cabinet that sat along the side of the classroom when the third years turned up for their next lesson. She wanted to make sure that any student, regardless of whether she was teaching them, had access to the basic necessities any student might need throughout the term. The drawers were filled with tissues, plasters, wipes and deodorant. Spare hand cream and sanitizing lotions, hair clips and products for the girls, and even extra pieces of parchment, fresh notebooks and multicoloured pens. It was free for all, and the mother in her was keen to make sure the students felt as though they had anything they could need.

As the students were taking their seats, Geo held in her hand the questions that they'd submitted the week previously, when she'd asked them for things they could discuss in relation to werewolves. Professor Adler had some important points to cover this lesson but she did hope it would be an interesting one. "Good morning everyone, are we ready?" There were a few students still shuffling in, "If you need any extra supplies at any time, you're welcome to check out the stock in the classroom," she told them, hoping it would be beneficial to someone. "We're getting straight into our discussion today, so I'd like to spend a moment answering some of your questions from last week," she explained, casting her attention to the papers in her hand.

Professor Adler thought they'd be here all day if she answered them all to the class, however there were a few that stood out to her and she was on the fence whether to name their author. "Last week one of you asked If someone close to you became a werewolf, would there be a way to safely help them through their transformations, or is distance the only option?" Geo read aloud. "This is a very thoughtful question. You could certainly assist them with getting hold of Wolfsbane, as it's essential for werewolves to take if they want to keep the condition under control and I expect this will be quite a stressful process, however during the night of a full moon I would recommend being cautious as the best thing." Geo would go into more details shortly about werewolves, but it was still important that the students heard some of these answers. "To the student who asked Do you think werewolves would make good pets?" The professor threw daggers in the direction of the boy who'd left this one on her desk, "Absolutely not. The process of transforming into a werewolf is a condition, it doesn't change the fact that this is a person, and they should be treated no differently to anybody else." Moving swiftly on, to a question that had piqued her interest, as clearly there was someone who knew she had an ability of her own. "Can a Metamorphmagus turn into a werewolf too?" The woman read aloud, "No, first of all, Metamorphmagi can only transform elements of their body to resemble something unlike themselves," she explained. Before she began speaking again, her eyes suddenly turned black, the length of her nose extending until it took on a dog-like form, "like so. Secondly lycanthropy is a condition of its own, so only a werewolf can transform into a real one." Professor Adler put the nose away, her eyes flickering back to her usual blue, and hoped what she was trying to say would make sense. Tucking the papers back into the pocket of her jacket, she walked a little closer to the board.

"Werewolves, first and foremost, are people. They're witches and wizards just like anyone else, however while I expect everyone in this school to be respectful of this, there are some people in the wizarding community that don't recognise this," As she spoke, some notes appeared on the board behind her. "There is no cure for lycanthropy, however as some of you may know, the Wolfsbane Potion helps to alleviate the worst symptoms, and allows a werewolf to hold on to their mental faculties after a transformation meaning they can keep their human consciousness while in their animal form. This potion however is expensive, difficult to brew, and needs to be taken for a week prior to a full moon and so as you can imagine, this can make it very hard for those with lycanthropy to take this potion. Anyone who wants to become a potioneer in the future would do well to learn how to make this potion."

Professor Adler knew this lesson was a long one and she'd have to wrap it up as soon as she could. "Werewolves have always been subject to prejudice at all levels of society. Over the years, those with this condition have been subject to Anti-Werewolf Legislation and discrimination in employment. Depending on the school, children with this condition have been prevented from pursuing a magical education. Thankfully, the treatment of werewolves in the magical community has improved over the past half-century, and opportunities for this group continue to expand. However, there is still room for improvement," Geo hoped no one had fallen asleep. "I recommend that you become well versed in this area however as it will come up on your exam at the end of the year. If you have any more questions or want some advice on your reading materials please do come and speak to me. There's no homework today but if you submitted a question last week that you would still like answered, come over to my desk and we can discuss it, respectfully." With that, Professor Adler dismissed the class, and prepared herself to answer any of their questions.

WEREWOLVES

• Lycanthropy: a condition which causes the transformation of a person into a werewolf during the full moon
• Lycanthrope: Official term for werewolf. One can be infected with lycanthropy when the saliva of a person in werewolf form enters the bloodstream of another
• Applying a mixture of powdered silver and dittany to a werewolf bite can help prevent death, however, the person who is bitten will live on with lycanthropy
• Wolfsbane Potion: Remedy, not a cure for lycanthropy. Contains wolfsbane as the main ingredient (also known as monkshood or aconite)

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To receive an O:
- Roleplay the lesson!

For additional credit:
- Speak to Professor Adler regarding your question from last week, OR ask her another.

For an interaction with Geo, please tag me!

 

[Lilith Ilves]

Lilith was excited for her lesson in DADA, which was odd since sometimes in the years before it was dread she felt not excitement but with the new Professor the lessons actually were comfortable enough even with the darker subjects. Walking into the room she gave a soft smile to Professor Adler before taking a seat at the front because she'd noticed Susie sit there and wanted to offer her someone to sit next to if she wanted. As the lesson began Lilith got the essential note taking supplies out, ready to write down anything that might prove useful in the future. As the woman started reading out the questions from last lesson, the first question was a very kind one to ask. She took note of everything just in case anyone around her ever ended in a situation with the condition, she also made a note for herself to look up wolfsbane and when they'd learn it. The second question made Lilith grimace, who would ask such thing? They were humans at the end of the day and even insinuating having one as a pet was absolutely disgusting to her. The last question was interesting, she'd heard of the Metamorphmagus, but never met one obviously given how rare they were. her mouth fell open as the Professor transformed her face. Sorry?? First an Animagus Professor? Now a Metamorphmagus? Oh she loved Hogwarts.

Closing her mouth Lilith got back to taking her notes. As the lesson continued the Ravenclaw made sure to write as much of what the Professor said down as she could, it was all important information. Once the lesson had ran its course and the Professor told them they could come forward to ask about their questions more Lilith wasted no time. "Professor, I asked last week whether or not you'd ever met someone with this exact condition and if so what was your experience or experiences like?" She repeated her question, still curious about it. "Oh also I hope I am not stepping on any lines but you are a Metamorphmagus? I think that is quite fascinating. How did you figure that one out? I mean I suppose it'd be something you probably felt or if your parents were one but I- I'm sorry i am rambling.." Lilith closed her mouth quickly, desperately stopping herself from crossing any lines with excess questions.

@Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade

 

[Susie Lagowski]

Nobody needed to prompt Susie to pay attention in Defence Against the Dark Arts. She was one of the first lined up at the door that morning, and one of the first to sit down, in her usual seat in front of Professor Adler-Cade. Not the first, though. Lilith was already sitting down, in the front row. Had she changed desks to sit next to Susie? That was the sort of thing Lili would do - she was so sweet. The Hufflepuff made a little heart with her hands before unpacking her notebook and pen.

Werewolves. Susie had never met a werewolf before, or at least, not to her knowledge. She supposed it wasn't the sort of thing people went shouting about. It was the sort of thing you-

"Woah," she said. Professor Adler-Cade was a metamorphmagus. Could she be any cooler?? Right, right - pay attention. Susie was going to do really well this year, she was. A perfect student. The professor was going to love her. She took plenty of notes, resisting the urge to whisper things to Lili. Peeeeerfect student. On the way out, she beamed at Professor Adler-Cade. "Thank you, Professor."​

 

[Demi Zephyr]

Demi felt as though she didn't need to learn about werewolves, not when she had a full blown camera to be working on from Professor Fox. That being said, as she took a seat beside Lumos she remembered the question she'd asked last week. The third year hadn't expected Geo to fully prove her metamorphmagi abilities to the entire class there and then, but her jaw dropped to the floor at the sight of it. Lumos had been telling the truth. The Metatron was their professor. She was practically slapping the Slytherin's arm, unable to get out any words as she admired the professors abilities, and it only increased her curiosity. What else could she do? What was the limit of her power?

At the end of the lesson, having made a few notes because she didn't want her best friends mum to think she was a failure, Demi walked up as patiently as she could behind Lilith, until it was her turn to talk to the woman. "I know you want a question about werewolves," Demi started, although she didn't have what the professor was hoping for, "Could you.. be a metamorphmagus and a werewolf?" Surely that was good enough. "What else can you do?" Lumos said the best way to get his mum to change was just to ask her, so her she was, asking. "Could you turn invisible?"

 

[Professor Geovanna Adler-Cade]

Professor Adler smiled as Lilith approached her desk, and listened as she asked a question. From what she could tell, Lilith was a curious student who had paid a great deal of attention, and asked questions that were both thoughtful and showed Geo she cared about the content. She was a star student in her eyes. "I have," The blonde nodded, recalling a colleague she'd worked with for a number of years. "They were just like anyone else you'd come across. The only difference was of course, once a month they'd be absent from work for a day or two, returning later when they'd recovered. They never admitted it, but I think the whole event left them a little weak, and this was someone who could get hold of the Wolfbane Potion," she told the Ravenclaw. The former auror wasn't surprised when she pressed upon the fact she was a Met, either. "Well, when I was a student here, I used to it to change my hair colour, before deciding it had better uses," Geo used to be known as the Hufflepuff with pink hair for the first three years of her education. "I couldn't control it very well before I began at Hogwarts, but there were a few times when something would transform for a few seconds." Geo hadn't known her parents, but her best friend Riley had been the one to witness it the first time it had ever happened.

The woman turned her attention to a second student, "There's nothing to say you couldn't be both. Both conditions are independent of one another, and if a Metamorphmagus was bitten by a Werewolf, they too would have the same symptoms." She knew Demi as one of her sons' friends. She'd been around their house often enough, although she wasn't about to treat her differently to the other students. She was a little surprised Demi hadn't asked her these things before, but she supposed she'd never used her abilities around her either. "Get an O on your exam and I'll show you," she smiled, hoping it would encourage the girl to keep trying in her lessons.

@Lilith Ilves