Lesson Two - third years

Confringo
Deprimo
Expulso
Impedimenta
Stupefy
Reducto

These would do for now and the next couple of lesson, Professor Minerva thought as she sat down on the edge of the desk waiting for her third years to arrive. She hoped that it would go well and that she would not be that bad of a teacher in the end.

Ethan arrived to class unsure of what to do. He was the first to arrive so he walked up to the professor and said, "Hi, Professor. My name is Ethan Desford. I am a late arrival so I just signed up."

Professor Isolde Minerva nodded. "Feel free to find yourself a seat," she said, pointing at the rows of desks still unoccupied. She sincerely hoped that more third years would arrive soon, both for her own sake and young Mr. Desford.

Evie walked in. She saw another pupil in the classroom, but she didn't recognise him. She walked to the Professor, so that she could explain why she wasn't there first lesson.

"Hello, Professor Minerva, I have only just come back to school, so I am sorry to have missed the first lesson. I will do extra homework to make up for it though." she said smiling.

"I'm certain that'll not be necessary," Professor Minerva replied. "However, I do expect you know the rules that apply to me and my classroom regardless of you having been with the first lesson or not. You can find them listed, so I will not tolerate you stepping over them either." The Professor quirked an eyebrow at her. "Now, go find yourself a seat."

Karma walked into the classroom, eyeing the spells on the board. She smiled. This would be a fun class, then. She smiled and nodded to the Professor, before sliding into the seat next to Evie. "Hey, Ev." She said softly, placing her bag on the floor next to her right foot.

Lucy walked quickly into the classroom, noted the words on the board, and took a seat.

"Does any of you know what the spell Confringo is being used for?"

Lucy raised her hand tentatively, "To blow things up?"

"That's correct," Professor Minerva replied and smiled lightly. "20 for Gryffindor! Does any of you maybe know what the others are being used for? Maybe someone else than Ms. Lovegood and one by one?"

"Stupify is a stunning hex." Karma said, her hand in the air.

"Very well, 20 to Slytherin!"

Ethan raised his hand and said "The Impedimenta is a spell which impedes forward motion, either slowing or stopping an object or individual, effectively immobilizing them for a short period of time.

"20 to Ravenclaw," Professor Minerva said. "What about the others?"

Arsen sighed entering the classroom. "Oh sorry im late professor." He muttered before moving to his seat.

"10 points from Slytherin for your inability to arrive on time. Now, who can tell me what the spells Deprimo, Expulso and Reducto are used for or do I have to say it myself?"

Ethan waited to see if anyone else was going to reply but when no one offered to he decided to speak up again.

"Deprimo puts extreme pressure upon the desired target, Expulso makes things explode, and Reducto blasts things into pieces."

"Very well," Professor Minerva said, somewhat disappointed that her third years were so passive. She wondered if maybe her methods were wrong... "60 to Ravenclaw," she said, and sighed. "With Expulso the force of the explosion may depend on the intent of the caster. With Reducto, the number of pieces may vary, depending on the power of the curse. If used with extreme force, the object may disintegrate."

A wave of Professor Minerva's wand conjured two vases on her desk - particularly ugly ones indeed. Another nonverbal spell ensured shield charms in case pieces flew away. Maybe she should teach this on the domains... "This," she said, "is the difference between Expulso and Reducto." She focussed upon the first vase, waved her wand in a swift motion and called Expulso. The first vase exploded with such force that even she hadn't expected. Nonverbally, she cast a Protego to shield herself from the remains of the vase flying against her. "Pulvis!" she called with another whip of her wand, and all the flying pieces of what had once been a vase... turned into dust, fluttering down slowly. Yet another circular wave of her wand made the fluttering dust vanish to nowhereland. Focussing on the second vase, she called, "Reducto!" At once that vase as well flew into pieces, disintegrating.

She raised her wand into the air and nonverbally cast shield charms around all desks. "Now. You'll wonder what the hell this could be useful for in battle. Imagine casting this while running for your life through a hallway and taking it down, effectively knocking your opponent out. I'd like you to pair up with two. If there's an odd number, please one group pair up with three." With another flick of her wrist, two vases appeared on each desk. "I'd like to believe you all know how to transfigure pieces into dust like I just illustrated. I'd like one of you to practice Expulso and the other to transfigure flying pieces into dust so that we have no wounded in this class like other years. I'll walk around the classroom and help when necessary. When I see you've successfully learned how to cast Expulso, you may go on to Reducto."

"Right, end of class. We'll continue next time."