[img align=left]https://sapi.subeta.net/shared/355213.png[/img] The lights turn themselves on near the desk in the front of the classroom and several things appear at once. Large, moving posters depicting known dark wizards both past and present unfurl and stick themselves to the walls. A collection of Dark Detectors arranges itself across the desk, including a sneakoscope, a foe-glass covered with a veil and a dozen other objects of unknown use. On the floor near the desk's corner, a pile of small burgundy colored books pops into place.

Professor Carlos Valdez walks int the room, carrying a silvery cloak, his usual short cigar clenched between his teeth. Making is way to the front, he lays the cloak down and surveys the small crowd of students. When he catches sight of Andrew Tudor he smiles broadly and salutes with the hook that occupies the end of his left arm.

"Andy. Good to see you outside of Mungo's for a change."

Addressing the room in general he adds, "Please find a seat so we can begin. And if anyone would like to bring me one of those butterbeer and a mince pie from the table, that would be great."

He begins to walk back and forth across the front of the room as he addresses them.

"Most of you know me already from your Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, but for those of you who don't, I'm Carlos Valdez. Professor Valdez while at school. Outside in the bigger world however, I am both an Auror and Hit Wizard for the Ministry of Magic, Department of Magical Law Enforcement." He smiles. "Big title. And in this case, just as big a challenge and an even bigger responsibility. This is not a field to go into for fun and adventure. This is not a job for proving your bravery to your friends." Here he looked a few students in the eye knowingly. "This is a dangerous and difficult job that will test your courage, your endurance, your skill and your moral discipline every day. You will encounter many sleepless nights and harsh conditions. You will fight for your life. You will hold the lives of others in your hands. You will suffer injury." He paused and added in a somber voice. "You will lose friends and colleagues along the way."

Here he is silent for a few moments, allowing this information to sink in. He then leans on the desk, crossing his arms, and continues.

"If this is job you choose to take on, you will also find it rewarding. There are days that you will save lives or fill a cell in Azkaban." Here he gestures to the posters on the wall. "You will know that the darkness in the world is being held at bay by people like you."

"There are booklets here that I asked a friend of mine at the Ministry to put together for us." He gestures to the pile of burgundy books on the floor. "These will have the basics of the jobs, both Auror and Hit Wizard. What the differences are, how many O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s you need for each, what departments you will be reporting to, and so on. Feel free to take one and look it over when we're done here. For now, I'd like to focus on the day-to-day matters of the job. What life becomes when you become a 'Dark Wizard Catcher.'"

Here he noticed that there were a mixture of expressions on the faces of the students. Some were looking at him in fascination, some had gone a bit pale. Some were already becoming bored, obviously not interested in a career such as his. A few had their eyes focussed on one or more of the Dark Wizards and Witches looking down from the posters on the walls.

"Before I get talking too much, I think it would be best to hear what questions you have for me. Help me get to the parts you really want to know quickly. So..." He looks around at the students. "Who's first?"

[img align=left]https://sapi.subeta.net/shared/355213.png[/img] Professor Valdez smiled at Millie.

"An excellent question miss Tudor. Auror wasn't my first choice, truth be told." He scratched the back of his head and sighed. "It's been so long now that I hardly think about it but after graduating Hogwarts I went back to my hometown in Spain. It was meant to be just a visit but two days in a nest of vampires attacked. Whole thing got downright messy and... well, to make a long story short, a friend and I got rid of the creatures and did a darn good job of it." Here he chuckled and shook his head, caught up in the memory. "It didn't take long for my friend to point out that there was money to be made taking out beasts most people didn't know what to do with and that was enough for me. I became a Slayer for Hire and travelled the world, learning more every day about the things that lurk in the dark and killing most of them. Met my wife doing just that actually. And it was on account of her that I changed careers. She didn't like the idea of me chasing after things that killed or maimed. Asked me to quit. Anything that wasn't was I was doing, she said." He grinned. "So, I became an Auror instead."

After a moment, Professor Valdez saw another hand in the air.

"Miss Chevaux?"

When Sauvage asked her question, he looked back at her thoughtfully.

"That's a trickier one and I'm not sure that I can give you a satisfying answer." His brow furrowed as he thought. "The times that we get to save people are better than the ones that end with a dark witch or wizard in a cell, most Aurors will agree on that. But narrowing it down to just one instance?... I don't think I can. Every life is worth saving and if I can impress anything upon you all today, that would be it. Every life. Not everyone in my profession would say the same but I have no doubt on the matter. That's why I don't kill if I can help it." His voice had become serious and he let the silence afterward sit for a time before moving on.

"Any more questions?"

((OOC: I'm going to wrap up with the questions now and let the next speaker take over. Would have done earlier but was babysitting late! you can put your question back if you like and I can edit in the answer. I thought it was excellent!))

[img align=left]https://sapi.subeta.net/shared/355213.png[/img] Professor Valdez nodded when he heard Elizabeth's question.

"You're quite right Miss Covington. We do live in a peaceful time in contrast to what the wizarding world has experienced in recent history. The threat of Voldemort is gone and most of his followers have been killed, imprisoned or simply gone underground. This has taken some of the pressure off of the Ministry and of my office in particular but that is not to say that we no longer have a job to do. Dark magic and those who would use it for their own purposes existed before Voldemort and will continue to exist long after today. He was simply a loud and capable leader for other dark wizards to rally around. Now we're dealing with the same thing just on a smaller level. We're also still cleaning up the aftermath of the larger war. It's no secret that many death eaters and lesser supporters of Voldemort went into hiding. There are even more who remain prominent members of wizarding society but have covered their tracks so well that no solid proof can be found of their crimes. We are working against both of these things." Here, he smiled. "I don't say any of this to scare you. Evil exists in the world just as light does and we must always be willing to face that fact. But as Miss Covington pointed out, this is a time of -relative- peace." He paused then remembering the last bit of her question, added, "The vampires we leave up to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."

When Poppy asked her question, Professor Valdez took some time before answering. His brow furrowed and he puffed on his cigar, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the desk.

"Your question is a very good one but not an easy one to answer Miss Blackwood. That is primarily because no one can truly know the mind of another person, not that it hasn't been tried. The Ministry has used legilimency to see what it can about what makes criminals do what they do. But the mind is a much more complex thing than we can begin to understand. We get information on motive, methods and the like. And even what we get is not passed on to the public completely. As for the most notorious cases, the public is always misinformed. That can't be helped when the media takes over and neighbors talk and pub-goers gossip over their fire whiskey. Truth is harder to find than fiction." He paused.

"As for the 'why' and 'how' of evil manifesting in people? Well," he chuckles darkly. "That's an age old question isn't it? If there's a final answer to give on that I don't have it. Not sure anyone does. But I'll give you my take on it which is relatively simple. We all have desires. We all have priorities. And we all make decisions. The first one we can't choose, our desires are what they are. Our greatest desire could be love, friendship, glory, power, anything. But we do have choices in the other two matters. What do we choose to prioritize and what decisions do we make regarding those priorities? If someone desires power, do they make that their priority in life? Do they put it before or after the safety or freedom of others? Do they choose to help the less powerful or to control them? We see a lot of wizards who prioritize their desires above all else, and make choices that cause great harm to the world around them all in the pursuit of satisfying those desires. Take someone who murders to attain wealth or position for example. Is wealth evil in itself? I don't think it is. Same with high positions. These things can even be good. But when they are made priority over life or fairness, when morality is sacrificed, that is what we call evil. I believe that evil is a choice anyone can make rather than a trait possessed by only some."

Looking at a clock on the back wall of the room, Professor Valdez picks up his cloak and straightens up.

"I'll have to leave you on that note. It looks like my time is up and I'm sure you all would like a few minutes to mingle before your next speaker begins. If you have any further questions or want to check out any of the items I've brought, don't be shy. I haven't brought anything life-threatening." He chuckles and tucked his cigar into the side of his mouth where it hung crookedly. "Now I'd like to find one of those mince pies no one saw fit to bring me."

((OOC: Edited to let Professor Valdez answer Poppy's question. ))

[img align=left]https://i.imgur.com/ZH0N4un.png[/img]The lights flicker out and are quickly replaced. Professor Valdez's array of posters, Dark Detectors, and booklets have been swept away in the brief moment of darkness. In their place is a large table, and set up on it is a small collapsible cauldron, brass scale, mortar and pestle, several sharp knives with jade handles, an assortment of crystal phials, and a variety of what look to be rare ingredients used in brewing complicated potions.

Professor Jade Mathers rises from a seat in the back of the classroom. She nods, satisfied by who she sees in attendance at the presentation. The students know how she runs her classroom, and chatter had ceased once it was clear what the next topic would be. "Anyone need a drink? The bathroom? No? Good, can't have you getting up once I begin the demonstration."

"I'm the Potions Master here at Hogwarts, Jade Mathers to most, but Professor Mathers to you lot who attend here." She grins for the first time, wryly. "Potions as a field has always attracted smart, ambitious, and hardworking people. It's a core subject here at Hogwarts, and in the outside world knowledge of Potions is essential for any witch or wizard worth a damn. I may be biased, but the people who run O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s seem to also think so. You like the first subject and you want to be an Auror too? Perhaps a Healer like our guest? Extra Potions then." The gleam in her eyes makes students a little fearful about what she puts her advanced students through.

She takes a deep breath and stops to drink from a frosted glass bottle of herbal water that she produces from her robes, then continues.

"Potioneers must be disciplined above all else. Brewing fame and riches is merely a byproduct of precision, accuracy, patience, skill, and raw talent. Professionals must have a high-level of understanding of the components and magic involved in brewery. With potions you can make wizarding life infinitely better. You can cure disease, strengthen the mind and body, and do magic no spell or charm could produce." As she speaks, she begins using the equipment and ingredients to assemble what could only be a rare and complex potion. The smell emanating from the cauldron envelopes those in the classroom like a heady summer breeze.

"On the side table, there are pamphlets covering some of the most famous Potioneers and their inventions. I don't know why I had to bring those, seeing that you would know who they are and what they did if you ever cracked open a textbook." She chuckled. "Now for the fun part." The Potions Master begins ladling out the delicious smelling liquid into mugs and passes them around the room. "Drink up, every drop!" The students are skeptical, but do it anyway. "First of all," barks Professor Mathers. "Don't go drinking things willy-nilly without asking what they are or what's in them." She laughs, loudly this time. "It's my special Hot Honey Lemonade. A ladle and a mug are very imprecise measures for any quantity of potion that's meant to be taken by a human. Although, the herbs in it will make your breath a treat for the next someodd hours.”

"Brewing potions professionally requires dedication and determination. Only that combined with what I call a special touch creates potions that will change the wizarding world." She lets her final remarks sink in. "You've had enough of me I know. Questions?"

[img align=left]https://i.imgur.com/ZH0N4un.png[/img] Professor Mathers regarded the vivacious Hufflepuff (). She didn't know much about the student, but her enthusiasm in her dream was plain to see. "One who owns and operates a potions shop should master and sell some sort of specialty. A very successful example is J. Pippin's Potions, an apothecary chain that deals strictly in 'potions for all ailments.'" She thought, then continued with her reply. "One does not have to invent something revolutionary, or even anything at all to be considered a good potion-brewer. A professional potion-maker need only be business savvy and turn out the highest quality of potions that he or she strives to sell and make a name on. Usage of superior ingredients and understanding of techniques combined with excellence in magic is how Potioneers judge each other within the community.”

[img align=left]https://i.imgur.com/ZH0N4un.png[/img] “Kindly take a seat Mr. Pendragon. Might I remind you that there are other people in the room, including guests who are here to present who we will give our full attention to later.” Her stern face broke into a devilish grin. “You may even get to hear the story of how Professor Pinto asked me for a Pepperup Potion for an Antipodean Opaleye dragonling years ago, if you find us in good humor at the end of the evening.”

She sized up , privately thinking that such a charming girl could sell potions to anyone. The British were easily taken with mademoiselles like her. Elizabeth () looked the most wary at her quick direction to drink the beverage, which pleased and amused her. It was flattering to see Amelia () enjoying its taste because it was a recipe she prided herself on. Best of all, Zoe Parker () was taking her role as a Head Girl quite seriously and filling the station beautifully. As Head of Ravenclaw House, Professor Mathers had been vocal in her support of the quirky girl for the position. As far as she was concerned, the girl’s excellent marks cancelled any doubts about her unusualness.

[img align=left]https://i.imgur.com/ZH0N4un.png[/img] Marcia’s () query pleased her immensely. She was taught that it was impolite to talk too much about yourself, and welcomed the opportunity now that it was appropriate. Deidra Morgan always ribbed her about being conceited about being humble. Arrogance and pride were two very different things to Jade Mathers though. She had felt this way from a very young age, and felt like a trillion Galleons when she was sorted in Ravenclaw where the mind was valued above all else.

“I knew that I wanted to make the study of potions my life when my own Potions Master told me my Forgetfulness Potion had received the highest marks of all the Ravenclaw first years. It was the best achievement I had ever earned and nothing beats that feeling of accomplishment. I come from a large family of very scholarly people you see. The competitiveness was not attractive to me, but the personal sense of satisfaction was immeasurable.”

“After Hogwarts I apprenticed under a number of expert Potioneers, working long hours for little gain except the company of wonderful people and the invaluable knowledge that has brought me to my current position.” The students were scratching their heads at Professor Mathers’ beating around the bush and growing bored. She finally spit out, “I am a member of the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers,” with an embarrassed smile, even though she had been dying to say so all along. Being a Potioneer wasn’t nearly as “sexy” a career as being an Auror slash Hit Wizard slash former Slayer. It was both exhilarating and chastening to reveal her private background to a crowd.

Professor Mathers softened her expression once spoke again. “I’m afraid you’ve misunderstood me dear. Both going into business for yourself and making potions professionally are anything but easy. In fact, relatively few potion-makers attain widespread recognition from the public and their peers. What I alluded to is that it’s a common misconception that one has to invent a revolutionary potion in order to be successful.” She cleared her throat. “Good potion shops should specialize. For example while I may purchase fine medical potions at J. Pippin’s, I go to a shop that deals solely in beauty potions for my hair potions.”

[img align=left]https://i.imgur.com/ZH0N4un.png[/img] “You work very hard in my class and are a credit to Hufflepuff House Ms. Chevaux (),” she said with a rare compliment. “You want to study potions because it is a challenge. Anything worth doing is hardly easy, or else everyone would do it, so goes the saying I think. I am at your disposal during your time at Hogwarts in order to help you attain any of your Potions-related goals.”

[img align=left]https://sapi.subeta.net/shared/222489.png[/img] The elderly women rose and walked to the front as if she was floating. She certainly did not walk as if she was in her mid-80’s. She flicked her wand a few times and several cages appeared. A small clear plastic cage contained a Bowtruckle. Then there was a bird cage with a Jobberknoll. And in the last cage there was a Fwooper.

“Well now, it appears it’s my turn now. For those who are not acquainted with me I am Rosa Pinto, the new Care of Magical Creatures Professor.” Her Spanish accent was pronounced. “Magizoologists study magical creatures. Sometimes they are also called wizarding naturalists. You don’t need anything special for this field. In fact you don’t even have to graduate. What you do need is a love for animals or at least the magical creature you wish to study. Many magizoologist choose to study within one particular animal, like dragonlogists specialise in dragons. Personally, I would recommend anyone entering the field to have a good knowledge of healing spells. You may need them for the care of the animal or at the very least the care of yourself.” She clapped her hands. “So what questions do you have for me?”

Rosa ignored Jona's tardiness and also Zoe who smiled and say welcome in a whisper.

Instead, Professor Pinto simply replied, "Well, I think for studying you'll want to be good at Charms, herbology, and potions especially focusing on healing. Also of course care of magical creatures. Knowing what can heal and how to do it will really help you on your way. A lot of healing spells can work for animals. There are a lot of magizoologiest who help heal injuries animals. Some of it is rather learn as you go. You'll kinda wind up like a freelance go to guy. If Hubert the Hippogriff is sick, his human will be sending owls out trying to find someone to help Hubert. You fix Hubert up and you'll start getting a clientele rather quickly--especially if you make friends with pet shops and other magizoologists. A dragonlogist might not have as much experence with a Jabberknoll for example but his pet is sick. Who can help? Does this help you?"

"No, it's anytime it is provoked. But Mating season is worse, yes. After all if you were courting a girl and you had four other boys after the same girl, wouldn't you be a bit provoked?" Professor Pinto replied. "Yes, of course they tried to talk to the manitcore. They are sentient and smart, but they don't listen to wizards. They don't trust wizards. Its hard to blame them. Even people don't listen to other people. Muggle police and aurors have had to use lethal methods at times."

"I suppose," Professor Pinto said, "though anyone who specializes in an animal will argue their favourite is the best. Yes, a very sweet bird. I am fond of birds, which is why I brought my Jabberknoll and fwooper with me." To Drew she shrugged. "I'm merely saying that it heightens their ability to be provoked. And honestly, you can't say that for sure. No one knows what will provoke them in one way or the other until it happens."

"Now, it appears my time is drawing near. Feel free to ask me some questions if you still have any if not, please feel free to take a look at the animals or partake of the refreshments Miss Tudor (()) has provided.