Preperations

[razorbladelips]

Roux thought that Hagrid must be mad, asking her to take the NEWT students for her first class. Was this some kind of initiation he had in mind? It was safe to say that she was nervous, especially after hearing about his disasterous first lesson. And those were just third years!!

If the students in her class decided to not listen and act up. They'd be wishing it was just a hippogriff that attacked them. Hagrid had already mentioned something about a dragon sanctuary. Classes hadn't even started and Roux already been wondering if she was in over her head. That was, until she found out about the lesson plan.

She still didn't know how he did it, but Hagrid had managed to get three Snidgets for the lesson. They were a key part of magical history when it came to quidditch and were extremely rare. The Ministry had even set up a breeding program to boost there numbers, and that is where these guys had come from. Roux was on the edge of the forest, setting up for her class. She was dressed in muggle attire, a white tank top and jeans. Her thick hair was pulled back in a sloppy bun and her tribal tattoo was visible on her back. It was an unusually hot day for September, summer was hanging on with all its might.

She unwound two feet of a thin thread and reached in to the Snidget cage. Catching them with one hand is not easy but she finally managed. She quickly tied the string around the leg of the Snidget and released it back into the cage.

[mirasmith]

{name:James McAvoy#|#picture:4}James made his way out onto the grounds. His book back over his shoulder and his shoulder blade length hair pulled back in a ponytail. The feather and beads he had worked into his hair from the day before were still there but he had replaced the strap of leather with something a little more reliable. He didn't like his hair in his face especially when he was working with animals. It was the reason that he had kept it short in the past, but over the summer he had decided to change a lot of things about himself. He was going to make the best of the crappy situation he was in and enjoy his seventh year.

As James entered the clearing he realized that he was the first one at class and he sighed in relief. He liked having this time out here to himself. After a moment he actually looked around and was surprised not to find Hagrid there greeting him in his booming voice Who he saw instead made him stop for a second. Hu. He said staring at the girl in the clearing. A new teacher stood there catching the creature that was in the cage. Would you like some help? He asked smiling widely his Native American features coming to the forefront of his face. Last year if she had seem him The teacher probably wouldn't have guessed that he was Native American. He noted by her tribal tattoo that she was also had at least a bit of Native American blood in her.

James McAvoy. James said dropping his book bag on the ground and making his way over to the teacher to offer his help. Transfer student last year, Came from PNWA, in the States. He said again smiling broadly. He again glanced at her tatt and said Nice ink. He continued to smile and waited for her instructions on how to help her out with the creatures in the cage.

[razorbladelips]

Roux loved this time of day. The few moments before lessons when things were quiet. Most of the nerves she felt earlier were replaced by excitement. She supposed it had something to do with the rare and beautiful creatures that Hagrid had managed to procure. After all, Care of Magical Creatures was not all about handling difficult or dangerous creatures, but sometimes about the rare and delicate.

Would you like some help?

Roux started and looked up. She had not heard the boy approach and lessons were not due to start for a half hour. McAvoy? The name seemed familiar, so Roux was sure she'd read it on the class roster. I'm Ro-… Professor Lightfoot. Boy did it feel weird to be saying that. She stood up brushing the dirt from her jeans. She was a little flustered. Caught off guard in attire not befitting a Hogwarts Professor. Her jeans were too tight, and her shirt too low cut.

Nice ink.

And to top it all off, her tattoo was showing. Thanks, she said slipping on her black 'Professor' robes. It’s the medicine stone wheel. He may or may not know exactly what that is, but based on the way he said it, and the feather in his hair, Roux assumed he did, and did not elaborate.

I'm just getting these guys ready for the lesson, she told him, tying a string to their feet so that they can't get away while they are being handled in class. There were two more so Roux elected to let him help get ready for the lesson. She measured off a piece of string roughly the same length as the first and caught the second snidget. Be careful not to use any pressure, they are very delicate and can be crushed easily. Once she had the string tied, she opened her hand and the tiny bird took off darting around her head.

[mirasmith]

{name:James McAvoy#|#picture:4}James nodded at the professors instructions and smiled as he put his hand into the cage and held very very still the birds couldn't fly around in there forever, and after about five minutes of holding every muscle in his body perfectly still the small golden bird landed on his hand and he very slowly closed his hand around it gently so as not to frighten it or hurt the poor thing. He carefully wrapped the string around the birds leg and tied it off. he smiled and let go of the bird and it flew from his hand. James smiled again and said Its poor little heart was beating about a hundred miles per hour. James continued to smile and watch the birds flit around in the cage.

So small and delicate. I can see how they would be rare. He nods his head agreeing with himself, and some comment he was not saying out loud. He turned to the professor and said Where are you from? The implied What tribe do you come from hanging in the air between them. He figured that she was smart enough to pick up on it and give him the answer he wanted. He walked over to his book bag and slung it over his shoulder and walked over to a fallen tree and sat down on it.

He watched Professor Lightfoot his smile genuine. He hadn't had a genuine smile like this for a very long time and it felt slightly funny on his face. His eyes wandered from her features back to the bird cage and he watched them for a long moment It was so peaceful out here. Not like the bustle of the Castle, and grounds, where every one always seemed to be snogging in corners, or tormenting other students. He liked the quiet that the forest gave.

[razorbladelips]

They worked in silence for a few minutes, it gave Roux time to collect herself. What kind of professor would she be if she was always so easily flustered…Maybe she should stop dwelling on it. They finished up and Roux watched the little birds flitting around the cage barely visible. She found herself relaxing, hopefully all the students were this polite and eager to help.

They were hunted nearly to extinction for their feather's and eyes. She told James, gaining confidence from his curiosity. Not to mention their important role in the history of Quidditch. A Care of Magical Creatures and a History of Magic lesson all in one.

She paused at his next question. Not answering right away. Personal questions. Roux wasn't too fond of them. Especially when she had ulterior motives for taking up this post at Hogwarts. But if she didn't answer any questions, then she couldn't expect to get answers from anyone else. There was also the issue of propriety. Being barely older than the students you are teaching, where do you draw the line between friend, and professor?

Well, I was born in Ireland… My mother is Irish, and my father is Lakota. She had known what he meant. James got up and sat on a log, but Roux remained kneeling near the cage with the Snidgets.

[mirasmith]

{name:James McAvoy#|#picture:4}James listened to Professor Lightfoot. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He ran a hand threw his hair and leaned back on the log he was sitting on. He nodded as she spoke about her tribe. She was a young professor, and he figured that it would made her feel uncomfortable to talk about personal things as she had hesitates. He was good at reading faces most of the time.

He sat there silently after she stopped talking and let the sound of the birds in the cage. He took another deep breath and closed his eyes in pure contentment. The breath in his lungs came out in a long low stream of air. He opened his eyes slowly and he opened his mouth to say something. And then he shut it again.

He blinked in the Green light of the Forest and again looked at his professor. That is very cool. He said his voice low showing how happy he was just to be there out in the air. He said My Da is Irish and My mum was from the Walla Walla tribe in Washington state.