Lesson 1 :: Sixth Years

Of all the years Destrey taught, she thought she disliked Sixth years the most. They weren't yet as stressed out as the Seventh Years, and they'd passed OWLs, so they thought they knew FREAKING EVERYTHING.

For once, Destrey was seated in her chair, rather than on her desk when the students arrived. She was absorbed in writing something. Probably something very important, since she didn't greet anyone, or even look up as they entered the classroom.

On the blackboard behind her was written one sentence.

What is the difference between light and dark magic?

Once they were all seated, she finished her sentence and wiped her quill clean.

"That's your discussion topic. Get started."

Charlotte came into the classroom and looked at professor ready to say 'hello' but she quickly shut her mouth.
The professor Destrey didn't look as if she even notice students that are coming in, she was sitting and writing something.
Therefore, Charlotte just shook her head and then went to sit down in her seat.

When the class finally began, professor showed them the words written on the board, and Charlotte, after a brief hesitation still raised hand.
She was waiting to get the sign from Destrey that she can talk and then briefly cleared her throat.
"The main difference between light and dark magic is that dark magic has a primary objective to hurt someone. Of course, there is a hierarchy, from small spells to unforgivable curse, depending on how the evil intentions of the person who uses this magic, but this kind of magic still left mark on the soul of the person who uses it" she ended by looking at the board.
Of course, there is still a lot of things that can be said on this subject, but Charlotte already broke her rules to remain unobtrusive at the moment she answered the question.

Margo was taking a relatively small class load, seeing as her OWL marks had not been... what was the word... good. As much as she hated class, she was finding she was getting bored with the free time. Sure, the extra free time should have been diverted towards actually studying the subjects she had retained, but it was the start of the year and the motivation to stay ahead of the work load wasn't going to come until she was much too far behind for comfort.

It didn't help that Molly was pretty much taking every subject. Margo didn't get it. Molly seemed so unenthused by the school thing, never participated in class, and yet the brunette had calmly signed up for a full class load.

Weirdo.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was fun. She fancied she wasn't horrible at it. She had chatted Molly's ear off for the entire trip to the classroom about how she was going to be one of the best students in the class this year, she knew it. They slipped inside behind Longbottom and dropped their bags off, collapsing into seats on the ground as Margo continued to furiously whisper her plan.

The professor shut Margo up with her posed question, and Waldorf was quick to answer. Margo could see a few nods and glanced towards the other Ravenclaw. So Waldorf thought she was going to own this class... Margo sat up, her joints stretching in preparation.

"Margo-"

Molly was staring forward, her voice low as the blonde stretched her arm into the air.

"Margo, don't."

Margo cleared her throat and brushed her hair over her shoulder. "Actually, if I may add to it, dark magic is performed by... bad guys." She had really thought something prolific would follow if she just... put herself out there, but... "I mean, dark magic is used, like my, um, esteemed peer said... to do bad things. So dark magic is bad spells and spells that are supposed to... hurt people."

Molly looked unfazed. Out of the corner of her eye, Margo could see Ace Longbottom dropping her forehead into her hands.

Charlotte Waldorf could just stare at that girl. She was ashamed because, at the end of the day, Margo is in the same house as Charlotte.
Really, if you can't say something good, why you have the urge to speak at all?
I mean, that, whatever blonde just said maybe even have a sense, but it was the same thing Charlotte said, just in the way appropriate for four years old child who asks you about dark magic.

But then, Charlotte wasn't a bad person. She saw Margo obviously wants to take part in the class, even if one girl actually dropped her forehead into her hands once Margo stopped talking.
So Charlotte looked back in Margo and forced herself to smile "Yeah, bad guys. Thank you, that was just a word I was looking for. I agree with this... Blonde. Sorry but I really don't know your name. Bad guys perform dark magic." she said that and then, wanted to hit herself in the face, she looks stupid, and she cares about freaks. Such a lovely thing.

Margo was thick, but a lifetime of people taunting her had trained her to at least recognize when she was being teased. Whether or not Charlotte meant it, her words stung. Firstly, Charlotte somehow didn't know her name even though they shared a dormitory... And then identified her as a blonde. And Margo, who had always struggled with subtlety anyway, could spot a forced smile a mile away.

Molly felt her friend bristle next to her. "Margo. Margo Richards. Classmate of six years. Actually-"

"Actually," Molly said, picking up right after Margo and focusing her eyes forward. "I'd like to point out a point of interest in Margo's statement. The idea of bad spells and bad people. I think the major disagreement is whether or not it's the spell or the intent that deems magic dark. Say, for example, you use a blasting curse with extreme malicious intent. It's enough to potentially kill someone if used correctly. Is that dark magic? Or is an Imperius curse placed on someone to lead them away from danger considered light magic? Brings up some ethical points."

Anyone really paying attention would be able to see that Molly was just distracting from Margo's statements not really building off of the, but it sounded convincing. Even Margo was impressed at how her words could be used as a launching pad for what sounded like intellectual conversation.

Sierra sat in the corner and looked at the topic they were supposed to be discussing. She scoffed and rolled her eyes at the ridiculous topic. She couldnt help but laugh at their ridiculous answers. "Not all dark magic is used by bad guys. Youre telling me not a single light wizard has used the cruciatus. Or the killing curse? Or used an imperius curse?" She asked laughing even more "If so, what kind of f***ed up secluded world do you live in? Not everything is light and dark! Good and evil. Theres a very very very fine line between the two. So Fine, I doubt it would exist."

"Mmmm," Destrey mused.

"Ten points to Molly Weasley for critical thinking skills," her tone made it sound almost like a suggestion.

As Sierra piped up, Destrey rolled her lips between her teeth. The Slytherin had certainly run with Margo's comment about bad guys, and that gave Destrey a fair idea of what kind of family she must come from.

"Exactly," she said. "Twelve points, Sierra for, um, reading ahead. But ten points off for swearing in class."

"As the rest of you would also know, if you had read ahead in the textbook as Sierra obviously has, the definitions of light and dark magic haven't always been the ones we use today."

"For example, light magic was once defined as magic that drew power from actual light; usually the sun. It's only in the last century or so that light has come to mean good and dark has become associated with bad."