CAGED

It is time for a DUEL! Amycus wants everyone to put the hard work that they have put into their studies to action :) He split everyone into their pairs and -- time to go! Madam Pomfrey was on hand to deal with any real injuries. But he also helped students with minor ones so that they could keep dueling. This is like a final exam.

And the madness begins.

Feel free to do OOC/IC logs or post actual logs with your partners.

Spells they've learned in class:
Corrosive Shield
Horn Tongue Hex
Dingy Lobbing
Shady Stun
Bad Body Bind
Amotio Digito (finger removing)
Noxious Brain

Today was the performance of We Were Just Witches.

7th years performed to 1-2 years in the Great Hall.
6th years performed to 3-5 years in the Great Hall.

Costumes had been supplied and Filch was responsible for the sloppily painted canvas that served as their setting. Hagrid had been made to make other buildings as well. Altogether, it was easy for some to forget that this was a Dark Arts and Muggle Studies assignment, but there you were. After rehearsals, Amycus clearly expected people to do well in the performance (well, most of them). For reference, roles are here.

NOTE: Due to the holiday season making people unavailable this week, we are moving the performance to NEXT WEEK (Tuesday).

Today was another rehearsal. A seamstress from Gladrags came in to try to get everyone into costumes. Some of them had already been prepared (more major roles), and just needed to be re-sized. Others were mostly bigger shells that needed to be shrunk onto someone's body. But everyone had a moment with the seamstress while everyone else was rehearsing.

It was a full walk-through. Anyone who didn't participate was given a detention. More lip and they earned more of them. These detentions are with Filch... for now.

Today in class everyone was given a piece of paper. They were meant to take turns standing in front of the class audience and recite a paragraph from The Warlock's Hairy Heart. Amycus had a clipboard and was making furious notes as each person made their way to the front. When asked what this was for he only gave his award winning Amycus smile.

Today for DARK ARTS, Amycus announced that they would be learning the Corrosive Shield. This incantation is Mordax Scuto. The shield is a dark barrier that comes up. Like a shield during the days of old, it looks to attach itself to the other arm of the caster, so they need to duck behind it to block any spells. The stronger someone casts the spell, the bigger the shield is.

Partners are supposed to practice simple spells against each other.

DARK ARTS PRACTICAL

Today's lesson was on the Horn Tongue Hex. They were instructed to cast the spell on their buddies. Points were given for how large the horn was. At the end of the class, Amycus Carrow demonstrated the title of a book--Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed. "This book was found in the library before we did a careful pruning of the books, and it lies there now." He gave a wheezy giggle as he riffled through the pages. "Hard to tell the difference between the dark and the light sometimes, isn't it?" He closed the book. "It's all a matter of perspective."

Feel free to leave your reactions!

HISTORY

Focus on Grindelwald's rise to power and his control. Students are expected to memorize dates of battles and their positions on maps, comprehending the areas of Grindelwald's control. They are informed that they will be given an exam on the history of Grindelwald's rise to power at the beginning of the next class.

THEORY

Theory revolves around bodily curses. While performing Tarantallegra on VOLUNTEER (6th) and VOLUNTEER (7th), Amycus asks the students if they can give their opinions on when bodily control becomes 'wrong' as opposed to 'clean' magic.

So, can they?

DARK ARTS

Review time! Amycus had each student perform the spells they had been learning in class. Points were given for how well they were able to do the spell on their buddy. If you could not perform a spell, well… He'll deal with you later. The spells were:

- Dingy Lobbing
- Shady Stun
- Bad Body Bind
- Amotio Digito (finger removing)
- Noxious Brain

Let us know how your students did! ("Amycus" will not be responding to everyone today)

DARK ARTS HISTORY & THEORY

ORAL HISTORY POP QUIZ!

Amycus had everyone take their seats and put their books under their desks. He then proceeded to quiz everyone on the material that they had been given. Every student was given approximately 3 questions to answer. The subject matter was Dark Arts history from pre-historic times to the 19th century. Points were given for how well the student managed to answer the questions. At every wrong answer, Amycus asked someone else to answer it and picked hands at random to do this.

Comment with how well your student was able to manage answering Amycus's questions!

WHO: All students!
WHERE: Dark Arts classroom
WHAT: Dark Arts practical
WHEN: During their respective hours

Today's spell was 'Noxious Brain.'

Amycus explained that this is where Obliviation was taken from. The difference between Obliviation and "Noxious Brain" is that instead of simply making one (and this spell is meant to be used ONLY on Muggles) forget something, that the thought that they have removed will be replaced by a nightmare that occurs whenever they try to remember through the fog. Amycus does not teach them how to remove specific memories. If cast, it would remove a random memory.

There was a scalpel at every desk. Amycus instructed the students to cut open the top of their bear. A small, pinkish beanbag was in the cranium of each bear. Amycus had everyone look at the pinkish brain and then he taught them the spell for 'noxious brain.' The better the a student gets, the more jell-o like the brains became and the slower their bears were at the end of the spell.

When students performed the spell PERFECTLY on their bear, the brain turned into a jelly-like substance (like this -- and yes, it's green) for 5 seconds and instead of performing their action, the bears slowed and fell over. Their "brains" smelled like sulfur (not actual sulfur). As soon as they had fallen, the bears stood as though nothing had happened.

Amycus helped sew up the heads at the end :)

WHO: All students!
WHERE: Dark Arts classroom
WHAT: Dark Arts practical
WHEN: During their respective hours.

Amycus looked especially gleeful as everyone came into class. He had everyone take out their buddies and he cast a spell over the room. Immediately, the bears started sprouting human-like fingers. That wiggled. "Today we are going to learn the finger-removing curse," he said. He demonstrated it, and the incantation, Amotio digito, on the giant buddy. He told everyone that they needed to get all ten digits off of their bear before class ended or they would have to come back at 4-6pm for tutoring. If they can't finish by the time class is over? Well, enjoy having a bear with fingers. (And no, no one else can hex them off for you.).

WHO: All students!
WHERE: Dark Arts classroom
WHAT: Dark Arts practical
WHEN: During their respective hours.

Amycus brought in a new friend. A giant bear that sat in the corner. It was so big that it's head hit the ceiling giving it an odd, hunched appearance.

Today they learned: Shady Stun [acerbus offendo]. With their wands directed at a target, the caster should wave their wand from the left to the right ending in a stabbing motion. The spell causes large burns on the body of the person it is cast at. It is more difficult to master than the dingy lobbing, and takes some concentration to establish proper aim.

Students are instructed to use the spell on their little buddies. Students are encouraged to burn the feet, hands, and face of the little buddies. Those who are able to adequately burn all five sections (it's okay if they had some mistakes!) get to take a turn on the 'big buddy' at the front of the room.

WHO: All students!
WHERE: Dark Arts classroom
WHAT: Dark Arts practical
WHEN: During their respective hours.

Dingy Lobbing | Similar to oppugno, Dingy Lobbing [malum vomito], is a spell that allows you to cast items of varying destruction into the body of your opponent or other objects (incl. walls, doors, etc.).

Students will begin with simple paper airplanes for the first fifteen minutes of practical application--directed at their bears. The students will be challenged to progress to quills, beads, and tacks. Whoever can get a tack to stick into the bear will be awarded 5 house points.

Note! Students are expected to bring their BOOKS during Tuesday's theory/history lesson and their BUDDIES on practical sessions unless otherwise noted.

WHO: Everyone!
WHERE: Dark Arts classroom
WHEN: Tuesday, September 3rd, 1997 (different time slots for different years)
WHAT: The first Dark Arts lesson

( Build a Buddy Workshop! )