Duelling Salle
Sep. 30th, 2014 03:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alt_justinIt's one of those days when one feels truly lucky to be resident in the Protectorate. The opportunity to take advantage of a duelling course such as the Headmaster and Professor Desai have provided is jolly well exciting. I can't wait to test out the dummies; Headmaster Dolohov was bally well pleased with the job he and Professor Desai did on them. He hinted at a few surprises that ought to present quite the challenge.
The Headmaster has also asked me to provide brief tutorials to those of you who might be unfamiliar with etiquette for a duelling obstacle course. I was fortunate enough to have run the course already this morning, what, and found it quite the workout. I plan to go through it another two or three times this week.
So if anyone would like an orientation, I should be able to take four or five people through the basics in about half an hour. I say, what about Saturday, for those of you who need to arrange your testing with the Professors? I'll conduct one tour at 9:30, after breakfast, and another before supper, at 5:30. For everyone's safety, what, one ought to limit the number to no more than six, so please leave a note here to let me know if you'd like to participate.
-Finch-Fletchley
The Headmaster has also asked me to provide brief tutorials to those of you who might be unfamiliar with etiquette for a duelling obstacle course. I was fortunate enough to have run the course already this morning, what, and found it quite the workout. I plan to go through it another two or three times this week.
So if anyone would like an orientation, I should be able to take four or five people through the basics in about half an hour. I say, what about Saturday, for those of you who need to arrange your testing with the Professors? I'll conduct one tour at 9:30, after breakfast, and another before supper, at 5:30. For everyone's safety, what, one ought to limit the number to no more than six, so please leave a note here to let me know if you'd like to participate.
-Finch-Fletchley
Private Message to Ron
Date: 2014-09-30 08:32 pm (UTC)I say, did Professor Desai clear you, old man? If she did, let's go tomorrow after Charms? We should be able to run the course once before I've got Arithmancy.
-Justin
Re: Private Message to Ron
Date: 2014-09-30 08:45 pm (UTC)It's really all that? (Don't spoil me for it, though. I want to run it cold, first.)
I'll be ready for you tomorrow, though! (Hopefully Charms won't have put us in a complete stupor.)
Order Only: Private Message to Ron
Date: 2014-10-01 02:14 am (UTC)What did you think?
Simpler than the Ouroboros track, what, but quite satisfactory in its own way.
How did the new Aurors treat you? Anyone come say hello? Professor Dolohov made a point of introducing me to Phil, what, but neither of us had the heart to tell him we already knew each other. But I hadn't met Mr Broome before, or Mr Dyson. I've met Mr Travers but he wouldn't have remembered. Oh, and Mr Pennifold. Professor Sandoval's father-in-law, that is to say.
-Justin
Re: Order Only: Private Message to Ron
Date: 2014-10-01 04:49 am (UTC)I've only been to the Ouroboros the once with Desai. This one's not as long a course or as complicated as the Auror's run. It didn't seem as if there were many spots where too many things could happen nearly at once, for instance. But they built in plenty of spots that'll behave differently, depending on what you did moving into the area and how you approach and maybe even where you happen to be looking. I'm planning to try different tactics each time, going through, just to see what it'll throw my way.
Yeah, there were loads of them there. Willett (who's nice enough) and Evan (who's annoying) and Montague (who's always annoyed). Right, and Catchlove (who's not as matey in the department as he is down the pub, so that's a thing to factor in). And all the interns were there except Aelis Fletcher--so Davies, Derwent, MacAvoy and Montague. Alfred, I mean. Maybe Fletcher's realised it's hopeless? I'm not sure Davies has much chance, either, but he's the sort who'll stick with it until they turn him down. And maybe they'll take him. What do I know?
Anywiz, I was really more interested in seeing who else turned up, because rumour has it there are rather a lot of other people either hoping to get selected or being recruited to apply. (Those are the ones to worry about, y'know, the ones that the Aurors are asking to apply.)
So I think the chap who was talking to Sandoval is one of them. I don't know his name, but Derwent says he's got a vault loaded with galleons and works security for Harrods, which I reckon explains how Sandoval knows him. Or maybe she already knew him and got the job for him. Anywiz, Derwent says he's sporty. Belongs to a rowing club or something. Not sure what that has to say about whether he'd make an Auror.
Oh, and did you see Serena Laverty there? She's supposed to be another of them. She's working as a charm weaver for Mackrell Security. I expect she's good at it, too.
And there's Hooper, too. Which is interesting because he went a bit queer before he left school, y'know? Not that kind. I mean, well, that kind, too, but he went a bit off after that business with his brothers. I noticed he gave Finnigan a miss. Did you know they were involved for a while? I mean, I didn't really know until later, but yeah. Anywiz, he seems a bit unlikely, but really, who knows, right? It could be he's just exactly the sort of half-mad personality they'd really want to recruit. Not sure what he's been doing, either. That could be important. One way or the other.
I think that's it, unless Eudoxus Troy's one of them. I think he's curse breaking for Gringotts, which they might see as good preparation for training. I mean, that's solid spellwork, and if you've proved you can work for Goblins, they might think you'd stand a chance with Crouch, right? Not too many people do leave Gringotts for something else, though. Well, Bill did, but he had the Order to think about. So maybe Troy's not one. Not sure.
Order Only
Date: 2014-09-30 08:37 pm (UTC)I say, Tosha's not fooling about getting checked after using the studio. It logs every person who enters, so if one tries to use it and does not report, he and Professor Desai will be able to track down the negligent party.
Which unfortunately means we can't all use it for our training, what, but we still have the secret room.
-Justin
Re: Order Only
Date: 2014-09-30 08:42 pm (UTC)Including Dolohov and Desai.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2014-09-30 08:49 pm (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2014-09-30 08:50 pm (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2014-09-30 08:56 pm (UTC)Yes, absolutely. And they plan to 'refresh' it now and then, so we shan't get too familiar with its twists.
I do think their dummies will be a help, as well. We can practise tag-team defence and such.
-J
Re: Order Only
Date: 2014-09-30 08:54 pm (UTC)Yes, absolutely, and everyone who can ought to take the testing. I wish I could tell you what it involves, what, but Professor Dolohov cleared me without having to duel anyone.
Ron and I had asked for a private place where we could practise against one another, thinking we could open it to everyone in the Order. We got this instead, which is both better and worse at once. It's well-equipped, but the room would have given us that, if we'd asked for it. It's official, which avoids any of the 'Fighting Club' nonsense and any waffle about whether or not we're 'authorised' to use it. But the chance to duel regularly against two people (or more) whom we're likely to face at some point in battle--that is bally well perhaps the best advantage they could be giving us.
I've already set up a standing appointment with Tosha every Tuesday morning and I hope he'll want to meet more often in time.
It's just dashed unfortunate that it's only open to those of us in years six and seven, as Evelyn and Artie can't join us. For that we'll still need the secret room, what.
-Justin
Re: Order Only
Date: 2014-09-30 09:42 pm (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2014-10-01 03:02 am (UTC)I think that was part of the test. So if he casts something on you that you don't recognise, ask him about it, and if he casts something that you know could do real damage, have him remove it -- don't leave and head to the Hospital Wing.
Also, one of the dummies can now be set up to fire hexes a bit randomly. For anyone who tends to flinch. (I flinch a lot.)
Re: Order Only
Date: 2014-10-01 03:45 am (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2014-09-30 09:22 pm (UTC)I need to start doing more of my own training, again, but I have no desire for Savitha or Lana to know what I'm up to in any specific, so I'll be asking carefully about whether anything beyond presence is logged.
(You all will remember, I'm sure, that there are charms that can show cast spells in a space. Deprehensio and its cousins, we were exploring
beforelast year, but I more care about them knowing who cast what.)Is there anything else I should ask about of use anyone can think of? I'm fairly sure I can get away with asking near anything, between wanting my own privacy and wanting to avoid the problems of two years ago.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2014-10-01 03:34 am (UTC)There is a way to log what's been cast. Deliberately, if you want a record, but when I asked more about who might see, he gave me one of those answers that made it clear he wanted to respect my privacy, but couldn't guarantee that Savitha or Lana or someone might not add their own tracking. (Had to think about it for an hour to sort it out. One of those kinds of answers.)
Which makes the thing near useless to me for more than what I want to let them know about, worse luck. Unless someone has a good idea about detecting that kind of charm in action? Rachel, do you know? I do have a workroom set aside in the tower, but it's got nothing fancy in it, just space.
Means you lot shouldn't use anything you don't want them to know you know, either, obviously.
Way he said it also makes me think he'll be logging for a bit, until it's clear no one's going to be an idiot, but that's just - guesswork. Knowing him. I can't pin down exactly why I think it.
Beyond that, there's a list of, oh, three dozen spells, the really dangerous ones, that will send out an alarm if they're used when there's no professor logged entering recently. I don't think any of you will be likely to try them, mind. (Pomona, he wanted me to reassure you on that point, I think. And Poppy. I can explain enough of the theory over tea, if you want, why those and how it works.)
Re: Order Only
Date: 2014-10-01 03:46 am (UTC)Order Only
Date: 2014-10-01 03:36 am (UTC)Or do you think now that you've seen it you could recreate it there?