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Post by River Antonucchi on Jul 12, 2015 18:18:19 GMT -5
River had just finished his cigarette, so he was in a pretty good mood. He finished most of his work, including grading, which made his mood even better. So now he was doing his own Transfiguration studies, no doubt he was a genius when it came to the subject, and it indeed helped him a lot. Transfiguration to him was a beautiful art, the art of turning something into another... It even related to his own life, River was turned to another thing in his childhood.
He erased everything in his chalkboard with a wave of his wand, then reached out for chalk. He put away his wand away and grabbed his book, starting to copy his notes onto the board. He looked down once in his book then started to copy with his spidery handwriting. He looked over the words after he copied enough to take space on half the board. Many, many words were in the board now, and all barely readable from the back due to how small he wrote to fit in all of his notes. River might not be Pietro, but he was still very smart. And if there was anything he definitely was better than Pietro, it was Transfiguration... and sleeping around.
He didn't know he was going to get a visit from... an honorary O'Brien.
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Post by Hallie Keating on Jul 12, 2015 19:24:23 GMT -5
The past few days had been nothing short of hell for her, and because of her fear, Hallie had found herself falling back in different subjects; one of them being Transfiguration. The said subject had never been particularly easy for her, but it had been one that she usually could get the hang of after an hour or two of studying. Her mind was wired with all kinds of things however, so studying anything sounded extremely useless for the time being. The only way she knew she could continue to succeed in Transfiguration was by asking for help by Professor Antonucchi, who she had previously known as Professor Holland. It was hard for her to see him for what he was now. To her, both Antonucchi professors had always been genuine and kind...but, obviously, she realized she had been naive and fell for their demeanors at the time. Now, things were different, and a part of her was fearful of even approaching her Transfiguration teacher...simply because she was sure he knew of her relations with Aedan.
After lingering outside his room, she finally found the courage to step through the classroom door and enter into the room itself, her head tilting around the thresshold as she witnessed her teacher's backside towards the large chalkboard.
"Professor?" She called, stepping forward a bit, clutching her school books to her chest. "I come to ask for help on today's assignment."
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Post by River Antonucchi on Jul 12, 2015 20:02:58 GMT -5
River looked from his scribbles and took a glance at the girl as she entered his classroom. Irish, associating with an O'Brien nonetheless. Of course, usually people still feared River before as 'the meaner Holland' demonizing his presence due to his teaching methods and attitude. But hey, now people feared him even more and they don't voluntarily try his patience now. And that of course Let River teach and help in peace.
But it doesn't mean he didn't have students he hated and hated more.
"Miss Keating, borderline passing with a poor grade in my class. From 'Exceeding Expectations' to 'Acceptable' then 'Poor'," he was blunt, but it was true. This girl had slipping grades ah, typical. He's seen tons of cases for it, it wasn't even funny. This wasn't any different. This could easily go to two ways, fail or pass. "Transfiguring your own clothes, was it? Simple charm, simple. Very simple," River said strictly as he always had. River was no doubt the strictest and meanest teacher in Cascade. "Where do you want to start off in the assignment?" he told her, thinking about something other than Transfiguration. He wondered why she went to him, she was literally part of the O'Brien clan now, and he was honestly thinking if this was a trap, but it didn't seem there would be anything to do with Enzo around.
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Post by Hallie Keating on Jul 12, 2015 20:32:36 GMT -5
Her cheeks turned as red as her own hair as her professor confronted her about her calling grade in the class. It was humiliating because she had been successful in her studies, so to come to an instructor for something that, under any other circumstances she'd excel at, was embarrassing. Hallie laughed lowly and shyly, then nodded her head as she placed her things on the nearest desk. "Yes sir," she began, pulling her wand out from her bag, "I am aware of my dropping grade in the class. That's why I'm here," she told him.
After tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, she inched forward towards her teacher, then swallowed heavily. After the incident which ended with an injured Maureen and Gawain's death, she had been intimidated by both Antonucchi professors. With a ,hesitant nod of her head, she stood next to River, then held up her wand. "What now?" She asked inquisitively.
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Post by River Antonucchi on Jul 12, 2015 21:47:33 GMT -5
River looked at the red headed girl, putting away the chalk and replacing it with his wand. "Well, we have to figure out a way to drill the spell in your head first before you can do the assignment," River said, "Close your eyes and think of an item of clothing," he ordered. He was probably going to end up trying to teach her a shortcut through the spell, he didn't necessarily like teaching shortcuts unless he had to. He believed that only those passionate enough for Transfiguration were the only ones who deserved knowing the shortcuts. But sometimes he would be very lazy on simply teaching his baboon students, or maybe when he was hungover and didn't exactly want to teach. It happened.
"If you focus on it enough your thoughts would lead to colours, now I know I taught in class to think of colours and shapes differently, but there is an easier way, if you're good with distinguishing your thoughts. Now tell me, do you like Transfiguration?" River asked, walking around and using the other part of his board to write something down as he got the chalk again. He was writing something for her something he didn't teach to students, and something he himself had devised. In fact, this theory got him an Order of Merlin Second Class...
Now... if that wasn't cool enough.
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Post by Hallie Keating on Jul 12, 2015 22:28:39 GMT -5
Hallie simply nodded at his instruction and closed her eyes, keeping her fingers tightly around her wand. She had told him she had been decent in Transfiguration, and she hoped she could prove it. Her mind was a bit clouded, but she forced herself to focus on her favorite blouse; a light, soft pink color that considered of both silk and velvet. It was made of a thin material, and she only really wore it during the very hot days of the summer. Whenever she did wear it, she had always received several compliments, both from fami,you and people she didn't know.
Her focus broke a bit as she heard rapping on the chalkboard. It was then that she opened her eyes slightly, taking in River's backside once more. She focused on his own shirt and how it moved against him. Slowly, she found herself wondering what he looked like without it on. Was he toned and tight, or was he soft in the most ideal spots? She tilted her head in curiosity, only to shake her head several seconds later. Why was she imagining such things? How very crude of her.
Kicking her lips, she closed her eyes again, and focused on her shirt once more. After a quiet minute, she began to see the colors of the shirt,and she smiled lightly. "I see them. The colors. The shirt is pink."
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Post by River Antonucchi on Jul 12, 2015 22:51:34 GMT -5
River kept writing, "Wave your wand and chant the incantation while your eyes are still closed, don't let the image disappear, and that makes it a bit challenging. While chanting an incantation, usually your thoughts drift over to the incantation and not much the item of clothing and the colour, so that is very important. Never let your thoughts drift away," He knew it was even harder for her because she had to listen in to his instructions. But if she could do the spell, he'd be impressed.
And he was so totally unaware that she daydreamed about him. Not that he would be surprised if he found out. He did emit hot boy charms to women his age and to his students as well, but unlike his brother, he didn't participate in pedophilia. See, and they tell him he's the crazier and unrulier twin. Tell that to him while his brother is off whoring around with his student. At least River can get women his own age and not have to lower down the age group to find a pretty young thing. Well, he kind of already found his pretty young thing, not that River would admit it to himself.
He finished what he was writing, seeing her shirt slightly transfigure around, but he wasn't sure if it was really working... Yeah, it didn't. The shirt turned blue, definitely not pink. Well, the shirt did transfigure hopefully to the shirt she imagined it to be. He knew it wasn't easy listening to his instructions, think about her shirt, and wave her wand and say the incantation.
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Post by Hallie Keating on Jul 12, 2015 23:14:43 GMT -5
Hallie threaded her eyebrows in concentration, attempting to keep focus of the soft pink shirt she envisioned in her mind. She could practically feel it on her as the seconds passed. If she was able to do this, she was sure Professor Antonucchi would have taken her more seriously than he currently did. She knew the look he had given her when she had entered his room. It had been one of slight annoyance. He probably saw her as just another unsuccessful student that would stay unsuccessful no matter how many times they tried. She was determined to steer away from the status quo, though. She would be the one student who would impress him.
Clutching her wand even tighter than before, the shirt shifted to a light blue for a moment, and she huffed in frustration. This was far harder than she thought it would be. Within a few more minutes, she was able to fully conjure her pink shirt completely. Opening her eyes, Hallie then turned back to River, awaiting his what she was sure to be shocked reaction.
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Post by River Antonucchi on Jul 12, 2015 23:35:20 GMT -5
Light blue... slowly turning purple, then finally turned pink. River looked at the shirt, it was fully pink. Not a speck of light blue. And she did it in a harder, faster way. Of course River was surprised, lightly surprised. So he simply raised her brows with his stoic look. But really, for anyone, it was enough of a shock reaction, in short a raised eyebrow for him was equivalent to a person's shock. But hey, it was River, it was enough to know you did good. It kinda was a big deal if you're talking about River after all.
"Interesting... Now if you could change back your shirt while changing your skirt to a longer length and pattern, how about that for your next challenge?" That was a bit unfair, shouldn't they practice some more first for her sake? Nope, River was an asshole, he had to go make her do significantly harder things, but River just wanted to see if she could do it his way again, because then he might be able to figure out why she was suddenly failing his class. "I'm sure its a harder thing to do, thinking of two pieces of clothing at once and focusing on them, but the trick is to focus on the image of those clothing side by side," he murmured to her, crossing his arms and looking interestingly at the girl now.
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Post by Hallie Keating on Jul 12, 2015 23:57:41 GMT -5
There it was. The subtle surprised expression that had found its way onto her professor's face. She had done what he believed to be impossible for her, and, in way, that in itself was something to be proud of. Professor Antonucchi was no easy instructor and everyone knew it, and this was proven by his next request. Hallie then nodded and closed her eyes once more. It was incredibly difficult to not only picture the same pink blouse, but to also envision her clean white skirt, all the whole making the hem of that skirt grow slowly.
Clenching her jaw in concentration, she forced herself to conjure the shirt once more, and just as she began to conjure the skirt, she lost her concentration, and the image faded, as if it had never been. With a disappointed sigh, Hallie opened her eyes again and looked down at her own feet.
"I'm sorry Professor, I just...I can't do it."
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Post by River Antonucchi on Jul 13, 2015 0:35:25 GMT -5
River looked at her, an aloof expression on his face. Disappointed, he was disappointed, he actually thought she could do it. But then again, changing the shirt in the harder way was a big thing. It was River's own theory and equation that came up with that way of doing the spell, so it was completely in his own way of doing it, which was completely different for the most part from the original spell. Impressive for a sixth year, he has to say.
He looked at her, "Is there something bothering you?" It shouldn't be that hard to imagine two items of clothing itself, it was concentrating on doing all three things at once. And it seemed that her problem was concentrating itself. It was the most ironic question to ask the young lad, but River didn't know that Hallie was in the most precarious situation that possibly involved with her life. That was probably the most ironic thing River could have ever done. But he wasn't asking for details, he was asking what she felt. Because if they manage to fix that shit up, maybe her spell performance might increase in not only Transfiguration, but in other classes too.
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Post by Hallie Keating on Jul 13, 2015 20:21:49 GMT -5
Is something bothering you?
Was it really that obvious? Hallie blinked a couple of times in confusion then shifted her weight from one leg to another. Here was the moment she had been waiting for for days; to finally tell an adult what had happened to her. How she had frightened by belief and how she didn't know how to possibly get away from all of it.
She hesitated for a moment, attempting to gather her thoughts together before finally informing her professor of what had occurred days earlier. Finally, with a sigh, Hallie nodded her head, swallowed nervously, and spoke. "Yes, professor, something is bothering me tremendously. One of my classmates has..." she paused, looking to the ground and biting her lip in the process, "Hurt me. Physically."
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Post by River Antonucchi on Jul 13, 2015 21:36:09 GMT -5
River raised his brow again, "Hurt physically, how bad?" Was this another annoying bullying problem? Because Pietro was definitely better at diffusing those situations nicely. His brow arching, "Ah, a bully?" He hated intervening so he'd just maybe tell her something useful and let herself do it. It builds character, you know. That's at least what him mother always tell him when she's about to whoop his ass tight. Horrible woman, his mother was.
"Well, if the situation is of a dislike between you and the said attacker, we might have to take you to the headmaster himself to discuss the situation, of course with the extent of your injuries if you have any, Miss Keating," he formally discussed the topic. His lips pursed as she looked at her, "Its affecting your grades, Miss Keating. And you know I don't like excessive slack in my class, I don't give exceptions to this situation so we might as well start getting you back on track before I fail you on this class by the end of the year, which... A year does go by really fast," River told her.
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Post by Hallie Keating on Jul 13, 2015 22:08:39 GMT -5
Her breathing hitched in surprise at his response. So, he was concerned not only about her, but her studies as well. Being the kind of teacher that he seemed to be, it meant a lot to Hallie that her professor would make an effort to help her out. She nodded her head stiffly, then cleared throat, calculating what to exactly say to him. Theo had told her earlier not to tell on Aedan...and despite wanting to, she feared for her safety more, and ultimately decided against it. Instead, she simply chewed on her lip before answering him.
"No sir, not a bully...I've just, had problems dealing with some things." She then paused, continuing to logically think things through a bit. "I just need to be resilient and overcome them, and then focus on my school work. Don't worry. I'll be alright," Hallie told him with a forced, tight smile.
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Post by River Antonucchi on Jul 13, 2015 23:33:49 GMT -5
Unfortunately he was doing what his job required to do, sure he was supposed to care like he was as a human. But lets face it, River wasn't a human. "Well you know its my job to dispel those situations, but you're lucky I'm going to let you slip on this one. Though I really have to say," he thought about what he said first, reminding himself that this girl was affiliated with the O'Brien bastards. "No one could hurt you without your consent," he finished. Hallie was so lucky River didn't care enough to find out what really was happening in her poor life. He still knew that this was still just a little girl, barely a woman. But then again, being involved with the mafia, age doesn't matter. Not at all.
"Good, that's what I expect from one of my more successful students," he told her. She somewhat reminded him of himself. Someone who chose to do things themselves and relied on themselves as their own grounding anchor. Someone determined to overcome whatever was thrown in their way and forcing themselves to be okay When she said her final words, that's when River knew that she was definitely going to be all right.
"Now, let's continue on with this lesson, here I wrote down the questions from your assignment," he pointed to the board, transitioning from all the personal stuff back to something he actually cared about.
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