(DADA) Just because you're paranoid... [1st years]

[Charlotte Pyotr]

Charlotte scowled at the cube, jolting when Jim spoke.

"I guess I should have warned you first. You should start with three or four random twists and then increase the number when you feel that you are advanced enough. You simply mixed up a few little twists."

Charlotte looked back down at the cube, expecting him to continue to talk, maybe to talk her through it. When the Gryffindor went silent, she looked back up. He was looking at her expectantly, with his hands ready to catch the cube. Charlotte looked back down at the cube, about to say she could handle it, that she didn't need his help And wasn't about to relinquish her hold on the cube, but figured it would be better, and nicer, to give the boy his cube back. Tossing the rubrix cube nonchalantly back over Mac's head, the young girl leaned back in her chair, trying to get a better view of what Jim was going to do to the cube and how, exactly, he was going to solve it.

[Alfred F Jones]

Alfred meanwhile had stabbed his frog through with his wand and was munching happily on the chocolate treat like it was a kebab. Glancing around at the other students, he noticed his fellow Gryffindor chatting with a pretty Hufflepuff. Gulping down his frog he asked, "Dude! You know how to use one of those things? Thought wizards didn't know anything about Muggle things."

[Jim Hawkins]

Jim caught the cube and was about to start showing Charlotte how to finish the puzzle when he heard a familiar voice. He turned to see Alfred, his fellow Gryffindor. “Actually,” Jim responded calmly, “My whole family consists of Muggles. I didn’t even know I was a wizard until a few weeks ago, when I got the letter.” Jim was starting to feel like the center of attention in the class, with Charlotte, Mac, and Alfred talking to him, and the Blonde sitting behind him. He wasn’t used to being so popular, he was usually the out cast. The stand alone. The rebel. He wasn’t sure if he liked this or not, but it was a new experience. He stood up from his desk and turned so that everyone could see how a Rubix cube was solved. With a few twists in one direction, a few twists in another, and a couple more twists in between, he put the confused orange and blue pieces back where they belonged. “Piece of cake.” He said confidently.

[Charlotte Pyotr]

Charlotte's eyes widened in wonder. How did he do that so easily??

I grew up in a Muggle family... kind of, but I don't know how to solve that cube...

Charlotte thought, eyes downcast. This guy must be really smart to be able to do something like that that quickly! Why wasn't he in Ravenclaw then?

Okay! I can totally solve this thing now! But...He's busy. Ask him now or later...?

Charlotte fidgeted in her seat, fighting with herself. On one hand, she thought she was definitely ready to try the cube again! But on the other, Jim was standing up, showing everyone else, and what if they all wanted turns too? With a heaving sigh, Charlotte settled back into her chair. She could wait. Patience was a virtue, after all, and she was very... very good at being patient.

[Mac McCracken]

Charlotte's sudden disinterest in her drawing stunned Mac for a minute, but he quickly got over it. Apparently he hadn't been a very good teacher. The Hufflepuff girl who looked suspiciously like a boy moved to sit in the row behind him. With Jim and Charlotte now in a conversation about the Rubix cube, he thought that maybe he should strike up a conversation with her. But before he could, another Gryffindor boy joined them, and Jim stood up to show them how to solve the box puzzle. He was now completely surrounded by kids his own age, talking and having a good time. It felt...nice. He smiled and watched Jim solve the Rubix cube. It was easy enough, although he had never attempted it before. When no one seemed to be saying anything, he timidly spoke up. "I've seen those before but never actually attempted to solve one yet. Can I try it?" Getting used to being around this many people was going to be tough.

[Charlotte Pyotr]

"I've seen those before but never actually attempted to solve one yet. Can I try it?"

Of course there had been someone else that wanted to try. A sullen Charlotte sank lower in her seat, pouting. It wasn't fair! She just wanted to keep the stupid cube, not that it mattered anyway!

I have better things to do!

Charlotte sniffed, sitting back up in her seat, deciding to ignore the other kids.... Well, until something else happened. Charlotte stared ahead at the board, debating what else to do. When was this class going to start anyway-- Oh hey, she still had the unfinished drawing on her desk.

Now what was I drawing?... Right! Dogs. ... What did Mac say about drawing dogs? I think it was like... Draw a triangle? A square? A circle? An oval? A diamond? No... Draw an oval. That was it!

Charlotte hummed happily to herself, occupied by taking up her pencil again, the rubrix cube completely forgotten.

[Jim Hawkins]

“Sure.” He tossed his Rubix cube to Mac and looked up at Charlotte. She now seemed occupied with the drawing that she was attempting to do earlier, so he figured she might have lost interest. He shrugged it off and directed his attention to the blonde. She hadn’t said much… come to think of it… she hadn’t said a thing that he could remember. Since he had already met everyone else around, he figured he might as well meet her too. “You haven’t said much… Would you like to try the cube after Mac?"

[Mac McCracken]

Mac caught the cube rather awkwardly, hoping no one had seen his blunder, and started twisting it randomly several times. Looking at it thoughfully for a minute, he nodded his head and rapidly turned the cube this way and that, twisting here and rotating that there, moving in an almost unconcious manner. Finally his hands stopped, and when he held it up, the Rubix Cube was solved. "Cool! That was fun!" He smiled proudly at himself. Maybe I should get one of these next time I'm home. Mac looked at the other two. "Did anyone else want a turn?" If no one spoke up, he supposed he'd just toss it back to Jim.

[Johannes Cabal]

"Children," Cabal barked, a firm, softened version of his usual snappish tone. "Perhaps we should begin? I assure you, your life will likely never depend on the need to solve a Rubix Cube. Dementors rarely wait so long before inhaling your souls."

[Jim Hawkins]

Jim quickly turned his head around to face the professor. Already Jim was annoyed by the teacher; solving puzzles had gotten him out of other life and death situations before. “Whatever.” He breathed out while rolling his eyes. It was more meant to be to himself than out loud; He gently grabbed the Rubix cube back from Mac and walked back to his chair beside him.

[Mac McCracken]

Mac was inwardly disappointed at losing the chance to interact with other students, but his Ravenclaw side rejoiced that class was finally starting. He let Jim take the Rubix cube back from him and turned back to his own desk. He put the drawing he had been working on inside his pack, took out another sheet of paper, and prepared himself for some extensive note-taking. The professor's last statement had kind of creeped him out though; creatures that inhaled your soul? There was nothing like that in the muggle world!

[Charlotte Pyotr]

Charlotte stuffed her drawing paper into her back, crumpling it in the process. Where was the paper she had put in her bag this morning? She told herself she was going to pay attention; she was going to take notes this year and ace all of her classes! She had spent so much time in the hospital, she had almost forgotten what going to school was like.

This is kind of exciting!

Charlotte wiggled happily in her seat, continuing to search her bag for notebook paper, which was CONTINUING to elude her.

[Yellow Bosque-Verde]

Yellow blushed and looked up at the teacher, who had just spoken. She had been paying close attention to the passing of the Rubix cube and thought it was amazing that the gryffindor boy could solve it. She had grown up as a muggle and she had never even tried a rubix cube, she always assumed it would be too difficult. But it would also be difficult to make friends at this school for 'witches and wizards.' So, she just turned her full attention to the teacher, a bit nervous as he told them that their life WOULDN'T depend on solving rubix cubes. She wasn't sure whether that was good or bad.

[Johannes Cabal]

"Very few or your teachers will be able to say this," he announced over the quiet, "but the things you learn in this class will potentially save your lives. A number of things might end you. Your death could be as mundane as falling down the stairs." He began pacing, eying potential problem students; he so hated first years for all the guessing involved.

"Those things might kill you, and it's hard to account for every possible death. However, there are a handful of things in the world, of people, even, that are sure to do you harm if you let them. Sometimes, you don't just lose your life --- you lose your mind. That's a waste, given that many of those sorts of deaths are preventable. This class will give you the tools you need to protect yourselves. It is a game of survival, and it's not a game you want to lose. Pay attention, sharpen your mind,and you might someday manage to escape the ravenous werewolf intent on eating your face."

He pulled out his wand. "Any questions?"

[Yellow Bosque-Verde]

Yellow trembled like a leaf, shaking her head no and attempting to hide behind Mac. She sincerely hoped that she wouldn't have to fight in the class. Yellow is a self-proclaimed pacifist. She hates fighting and would do anything to avoid it...except perhaps skipping class.