Workshop - Wizarding Careers and Hogsmeade Dinner
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Lenore had walked into the classroom just as Professor Valdez had begun talking and waited in the back until he finished his introduction. She didn't want to interrupt by getting snacks or finding a place to sit. When he paused for questions however, she took her opportunity. Waving her wand toward the refreshment table which caused a small plate of goodies and a butterbeer to follow her, she made her way to the front row to sit with the other Slytherin girls.()
"Hi. Hope I didn't miss much. Is Valdez the first one?" She whispered quietly.
Looking about she noticed Drew (), another fellow Slytherin, and gave him a smile and a wave. Then she patted the seat next to her and gave him a 'want to join us' look.
She hadn't had time to see who else had shown up for the workshop but she did catch a glimpse of blue that could only be Zoe (). She would have to go mingle when there was a break.
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Private Outfit "Of course, Zoe (), I'd be happy to take a look" Andrew Tudor said. He took a quick look and withdrew his wand from his back pocket and tapped her knee and whispered a few words. "There you are, try that. Should be good as new"
"Oh, Stella is having her baby? How lovely. Can we stop and pick up a gift in Hogsmeade for Stella and the baby, dad?" Her father smiled and nodded.
He stood up just as Professor Valdez () entered the room. "Great to see you too, Carlos. I'm happy to be home. He winked at Millie and went and stood off the the side during the lecture.
"I appercaite that Drew (). And well, I think we're all food motivated. Tasty treats is one way to get all the Hufflepuffs together." she said with a laugh.
As the lights began to flicker, Millie took a seat next to Sauvage () and smiled at her friend and listened intently to the lecture. When he asked if there were any questions, Millie raised her hand and asked, "What drew you into the field? Did you always know you wanted to be a Hit Wizard and Auror?"
(())
When Mr. Tudor finished his spell, Zoe instantly felt better. "Oh thank you." The girl gave him a hug--which was a rarity for her. She blushed intensely.
(( )) Professor Valdez had always scared the crud out of Zoe. She respected his work but she thought he was really creepy and in fact, he was her boggart. This might also explain why she was "sick" the day of the boggart class. When Professor Valdez started talking, Zoe wasn't surprised at the shiver that ran down her spine. Something told her she didn't want to know the things he knew. She shrank down in her seat.
She was glad of the momentary distraction of Lenore entering. She smiled at her and hoped they could chat later.
Private Outfit Andrew returned the hug. "You're very welcome, Zoe" () He gave her a warm smile that resembled his daughter's
Drew had been about to answer Sauvage and tell her all about his desires to not only be a magizoologist but to specialize in equines when she excused herself to go see to Zoe. With a nod, Drew watched her go and sighed softly. He was seriously beginning to wonder what it was about him and girls. Then shrugging, he helped himself to a pastry and more pumpkin juice…just as the lights turned on in the front of the room and items began arranging themselves. He stayed near the back, munching quietly and watched as a familiar professor made his way forward.
The words Valdez spoke about Aurors had Drew’s mind going to two he knew and loved, though to be honest his thoughts lingered on Paul more than Tamsin. When Valdez regarded them with serious eyes and discussed the dangers of the job, Drew silently nodded, thinking of the scars Paul bore as well as some of the adventures he’d been a part of in his first term at Hogwarts when he’d met the two aurors. A slight shiver went through him as he thought of the danger they had been in and what Paul and Tams faced every day. It for sure wasn’t a career for glory seekers or the fainthearted. It was dedication and commitment…and love that drove the ones who entered the field.
As Valdez paused for questions, Drew decided he should give up his post by the table for a more comfortable one. He had seen Lenore () come in and when she waved and invited him over, he smiled back and made his way over to sit beside her. “Thanks,” he whispered to his fellow Slytherin. “Interesting stuff, though not the life for me,” he commented softly. He wondered if anyone present was thinking of going into this field and what sort of questions would be asked. He chose to stay quiet knowing any questions he might have could easily be handled with a talk to one of his two auror friends.
Sauvage giggled when her and Millie's hands were the first to go up after Professor Valdez asked for questions. She left Millie ask hers first, then when called upon she asked, "Professor Valdez, you spoke of zis being a job where one day you save someone's like and ze ozer you put someone in prison. I am curious, what is ze most rewarding case you 'ave worked on?"
After asking her question, Sauvage looked back at Drew apologetically, aware of the fact that she has asked him a question and then run off before he got to answer. She made note to ask him again when she got the chance. Sauvage also noticed that he was sitting beside the girl who she had to pull Zoe from an altercation with. upon glancing at the Slytherin girl, she smiled and gave a small wave from where she sat.
Zoe was very happy that she was healed. But was sad that Jona wasn't there. She shuddered as the students asked questions to Valdez. Maybe she should've gone to the hospital wing and been late.
[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?"
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Lenore gave a half smile.
"Nor me." she answered Drew (). She took a sip of her butterbeer and tried to relax. The subject of Aurors was making her a bit tense.
Noticing the Hufflepuff () she had encountered at the lake last weekend wave to her, Lenore smiled and waved back. She was glad to see that the girl didn't seem to think of her as a complete jerk after what had happened. She would have to make a point of talking to her. It would be nice to clear the air. Zoe () also caught her eye and gave her a smile which she returned.
Sitting back and telling herself that if she acted calm she might just become calm as well, Lenore listened to the questions being asked. She didn't think she would be adding any herself in this particular career discussion.
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((OOC: Patience, he will come 😉 ))
Sauvage was happy with the answer Professor Valdez gave and she nudged Millie () afterwards, for both having such good questions. She was already really enjoying herself. "Zis is going well," she whispered to Millie.
Millie's eyes got wide at the mention of Professor Valdez mention of vampires. "Wow, that's amazing. And that's really fascinating. Thank you"
Millie nudged Sauvage ( ) back and smiled. "I'm glad" she whispere. "This was a lot of work but it's worth it"
Marcia smiled as Lenore () took a seat near her.
"No, you haven't missed much." She replied quietly, not wanting to speak too loudly since she was in the front row, after all.
Professor Valdez's speech was intense, yet somewhat interesting. Marcia had absolutely no intention of ever starting a career in this field, but it was certainly a compelling topic to hear about. She noticed the change in the Professor's voice when he mentioned losing friends and colleagues and idly wondered if he had ever lost someone on a job, but that was much too personal and not her place to ask when he opened up the room for discussion.
She turned to Drew () who had recently joined their growing Slytherin group and agreed, whispering, "Absolutely. Much too dangerous for me. I'm not cut out for this sort of work." She shook her head slightly with a smile before taking another bite of a pastry she had picked up earlier.
[img align=left]https://i.imgur.com/3B5sLlT.png[/img] Before the start: Elizabeth smiled when she heard one of the girls() saying that she loved her hair. In fact, she even blushed slightly. She couldn't help it, she was a bit vain and loved compliments. "Thank you", she replied quietly, "I like yours, too." The girl's hair was an amazing colour and it was good behaviour to return a compliment.
She smiled when Drew joined them as well () before answering to Sauvage's question. "I'm not quite sure yet. I'm here for information about jobs in the Ministry...but I think I will listen to everyone. It can't hurt.", she said. Then Zoe() entered the workshop as well and Elizabeth eyed her curiously when she saw the crutches. Poor girl. She really wants to attend this workshop, she thought and smiled mercifully at her.
"Hello", Elizabeth said when Marcia () joined them, glad to see another Slytherin here as well. "Enjoy your meal", she added with a grin. The food surely looked tasty, but too many sweets weren't her thing. She would save her appetite for dinner. From the corner of her eye, she saw Zoe's legs getting fixed and was glad for her.
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When the lights turned on, Elizabeth looked up from her table and saw Professor Valdez taking his position in front of the students. While she listened to his speech, hey eyes wandered over the objects on the desk and the different posters of Dark wizards and witches. Had he caught some by himself? These quite dark times were over, but there were surely other people out there wielding Dark magic. Then, the Daily Prophet hasn't written anything about incidents lately... Well..., she thought, but was interrupted when Lenore joined them. () Smiling, she shook her head. "He just started.", she replied in a low and quiet voice, adding in to Marcias words, "and hello." Carefully, she took a sip of her glass filled with butterbeer. No, she didn't want a job like this. When Professor Valdez was talking, she could almost see the desperate situation before her eyes. She blinked shortly to get rid of the images. "I think this career is pretty reckless and dangerous. I rather want to work in a safe office in the Ministry. Probably Head of the Office.", she whispered with a grin. She wondered if Professor Valdez knew important people in the department to have a talk with. Elizabeth knew she could just ask her father about this, but it couldn't hurt to gather more information. Then, something else crossed her mind. Carefully, she raised her hand. "Professor Valdez, excuse me please.", she started, "We live in a peaceful time. Is the focus of your job to hunt down misbehaving magical beings like vampires or do you still go after those who perform Dark magic?"
(OOC - sorry, life was busy the last days and Subeta was barely working over the day so I'm trying to get this through. :'D Twilight_Wanderer I hope Lenore doesn't feel too uncomfortable with the question, but I couldn't resist. :'D )
[img align=left]https://sapi.subeta.net/shared/373953.png[/img] Poppy could see that Millie () was relieved to have a good turnout, especially in front of her father. She noticed Elizabeth's () grin and was pleasantly surprised to catch her looking so animated. Her own smile to Millie and Drew () was genuine. The last workshop that Millie had hosted when Emmett was at Hogwarts had been very informative, and she liked Drew the more she knew him.
did a nice job of putting the tense day at the lake behind them all and laughing it off. "I'm most excited to hear from Millie's father and Cliodna Prewett. It's cool that they made time for us and traveled here." She scooted over so Marcia () could sit easily with her hands full. The pastries looked delicious, she would have to grab one during a break. Zoe () hobbled in late on crutches, and Poppy made a mental note to try and sit with her at dinner. Lenore wandered in after her and tactfully waited for a pause before sitting up front by her.
Poppy had a lot of respect for Professor Valdez. As far as she was concerned, he and people like him were heroes. He was an excellent speaker and she was already fascinated by what made people choose a life of crime and dark deeds. Poppy hoped to learn more about protecting herself against the Dark Arts in class and looked at her teacher with a newfound admiration. “Professor? What makes truly dark wizards and witches different from the rest of us? Is there something the public is misinformed about regarding the most notorious cases and criminals? Is there a “why” and “how” for evil manifesting in people?”
(OOC: Poppy would totally be into a magical equivalent of Law & Order lol.)
While Professor Valdez was answering questions, she looked around the room to see how many people had turned out. She was pleased to see there were quite a few students were there. She noticed Marcia (), return to her seat with several pastries. She whispered to Sauvage (), "is that Marcia girl the one who wants to have her own bakery, do you know? I should have to talk to my mum.
She looked around the room and made eye contact with Poppy () she smiled. She looked like she was enjoying herself. She gave Poppy a smile and turned back to Professor Valdez
((ooc - A magical equivalent of Law & Order would be awesome))
Drew smiled at Marcia () and Lenore. ()"I'll stick with animals," he said, "though I suppose they are just as dangerous and unpredictable."
The dark haired boy regarded Elizabeth () and Poppy () with admiring respect as they voiced their questions. The girls had all had great questions so far. He hoped when he started asking questions that he sounded as intelligent and didn't make an idiot out of himself. For the moment though, Drew was content to sip his pumpkin juice and wait to hear all of Valdez's answers. They were sure to be interesting.
((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. ))
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Lenore didn't have to try to look interested when Professor Valdez answered Liz's () question. She was hanging on every word. 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. She shuddered inwardly but kept her breathing under control. This wasn't exactly news to her but she didn't want to ask for further details on the matter. Oh well.
When the time for the presentation was up she was glad. She needed a break and headed for the refreshment table where she found some coffee. Pulling her usual pink teacup from her bag, she filled it and leaned against the wall, eyes closed, to take in the warm earthy scent.
((Anne That's not nice lol but good question!))
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[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?"
(OOC: RP newcomers welcome :))
pings
Sauvage whispered back to Millie, "I am not sure. I do not think I know Marcia." She quickly quieted, though, when Professor Mathers was up to speak. This is what she was waiting for! After hearing everything the potions professor had to say, Sauvage wracked her brain for something to say, only able to come up with one question. "Um, madam?" She raised her hand carefully to speak. "What course of action would you suggest for someone 'oo is 'oping to open zeir own potions shop?" Sauvage was very shy about her question, for she did not make it very common knowledge that she wanted to open her own potions shop and she was self-conscious that her abilities may not reflect the mastery of potions necessary for such a thing.