Wands and Warframes

School days take two, day two

As the rest of the first years busied themselves setting up their telescopes, Sinistra comes over to Harry and Hermione, who are just looking at the sky. All be it, in the right part of the sky for Saturn. "Mr Potter, Miss Granger."

Harry looks down at her, "Sorry Professor, would you be able to refer to us using the gender of our 'armour'. It's a cultural thing."

The professor scrunches her eyes before saying, "I don't see the harm in that Miss Potter. Where are your telescopes?"

"We sort of don't need them professor."

"Young lady, the exercise isn't just about plotting the stars, it's also about learning how to use the telescope. How to make smooth minute adjustments so that you can draw the elements you can see."

Harry and Hermione share a glance and have a silent conversation. Hermione then speaks up, "I'm sure that all of the professors are aware of the fact that we have special sleeping arrangements, and that we are exempt from curfew because of it. There is more to it than just a shack in the forest. We would be honoured to show you our accommodations, and I assure you that a lot of things will make more sense. Oh, and you probably want to pack your telescope. Either way, we will need to fabricate a telescope for the next lesson."

Minerva silently alights on the parapet behind Sinistra, after receiving a chat message from Harry. Taking a heavy step onto the landing, she coughs lightly, idly noting that she is the only 'person' there who's breath isn't steaming in the cold. Taking the cue, Hermione glances up over Sinistra's shoulder, which causes the professor to turn around expecting a student.

"Minerva, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I just thought I'd check in to see how the two young witches are doing in their 'armour'. I also overheard their offer. I would suggest taking it, as it's out of this world."

"How long are you planning on staying?"

Minerva shrugs, "I can stay for the rest of the lesson if it would help."

"If you wouldn't mind, Crabbe and Goyle in Slytherin could use a little extra coaching, as could Weasley from Gryffindor."

With a nod, Minerva gathers the three, and takes them to a secluded area of the tower; where, over the next hour, she finds out that Mr Weasley has just as stubborn opinions about certain members of the school as they do about him. She makes a note to suggest to Filius, to have him sit with the more tolerant members of Slytherin in future classes.

Harry and Hermione are able to draw Saturn in the correct position amongst the stars, though Sinistra does take points off for missing a few stars.

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At the end of the class Minerva escorts each of the first years to their respective dorms while Aurora Sinistra packs up her own telescope. While she's doing that, Harry and Hermione deploy their archwings so that they don't need to walk down all of the stairs.

Turning around with her Telescope over her shoulder, Aurora startles, "How?"

Hermione giggles while Harry says, "We can explain on the way. Give your telescope to Hermione, and I'll carry you, I have less sharp edges then she does."

After a rather undignified flight, they come across a white tube that opens out into an arrowhead. As they approach, a ramp folds down leading inside. Walking up the ramp, Aurora doesn't notice it close silently behind her. It's only once she has gone all the way inside on her own that the scene outside shifts, as the world just drops away leaving only a few of the stars. Curiously she leans against the window and looks up, before screaming as the line of darkness that shows the horizon at night is above her.