Muggle Studies Classroom

All lessons and home work will be posted here.

Professor DeLanquar entered her newest class and gave a rare smile to the assembled students.

"Welcome to Muggle Studies!" She said almost cheerfully. Her enthusiasm was dampened greatly however as several Slytherin students and a Hufflepuff began to pretend to snore, much to the amusement of their classmates.
Choosing to ignore them, she began her lesson.

"Now muggles are neither subhuman nor dangerous. You may believe that muggles are not as intelligent as you. Nothing could be further from the truth. They simply have a different culture."
Taking a piece of chalk from the desk she began to write on the board.

"Culture."

"Culture is the way of life of a certain people group. This includes their customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements." Leaning her cane against the desk she continued.
"It is very important to understand that the only barrier that separates the magical community from the muggle community is culture."
She surveyed the group to be certain they were all paying attention; some of them were.

"The differences between wizards and muggles is the very same as the differences between British and American. Australian and Greek. German and French; culture. Now take great care to listen to what I am about to say.
In order to do well in this class you must see that you are not better than any muggle and you are worse."

Snorts from Slytherins saddened her but she continued nonetheless.
"You will learn things in this class that will help you throughout your entire life. It is just as important to learn about muggles as to learn Potions, Transfiguration, Charms."

"Now I've run out of time, but next class we will delve deeper into muggle studies." She wrote the homework on the board as she said this.

1. True or False? Muggles and Wizards are equally intelligent. (2 points)
2. Define culture. (3 points)
3. What is the only difference between the magical community and the muggle community? (2 points)
4. True or False? Muggle Studies in an unimportant subject. (3 points

Due March 30th

Diana knocked in the Muggle Studies Classroom. "Professor?" She said hesitantly, "I'm here for Detention."

"Ah, yes Miss Casillas. Do come in." She turned rather quickly and stumbled as she had forgotten her cane in the Great Hall.

"Are you alright, Professor?" Diana said rushing up to help her.

"Yes, yes. Thank you." She accepted the girl's help and leaned slightly on her arm.
"I foolishly forgot myself. Would you mind helping me to the desk?"

"Of course Professor." Diana said as she helped the poor woman back to her desk.

Thankful for the girl's not saying anything else about her weakness, Eglantine leaned against the desk and smiled.
"Thank you very much, Miss Casillas. I almost feel bad about punishing you now."

Diana chuckled. "Oh don't worry about it Professor, I went to the Forest on my own accord."

"So what will my punishment be?"

"The chalkboards. You will clean them by hand." She settled into her desk and sighed softly. "A cloth is on the chalkboard frame. Begin please."

"Alright," Diana said. She appoarched the board and found a bright yellow cloth on the chalkboard frame just like the Professor said.

She started at the top on the far left of the board. She wiped and she was able to see just how dark the chalkboard was. A few strokes along she decided that her cloth needed some dusting, so she quickly wipped it in the air. This created an air of dust which Diana choked on.

A quick wind charm blew the chalk dust away and Eglantine turned back to the papers she was grading.

"Incidentally, Miss Casillas, did you enjoy your classes today?"

"Th-thanks," Diana coughed out. "Oh yes, I did but I have to be honest Professor, I haven't started on any of my homework."

"Well you still have a little while. Haste makes waste."

Diana nodded, unsure of what else to say. "Professor, do you know when Quidditch Tryouts are to start?"

"No I do not know. I can ask the Headmistress though. Do you play Quidditch?" She looked up from the papers.

"Oh yes," Diana said her eyes shinning. "I'd like to try out for the Keeper position."

"What position would that be?" she knew nothing about Quidditch, having never played it or seen it played.

Diana was astounded. Astounded enough to stop what her board wiping. Had the Professor never seen a Quidditch Game before? How could one not see the greatest game ever created? "Professor, haven't you seen it played before?"

"I am afraid not. It is a game played on brooms though?"

"Yes it is!" Diana said excitedly. "There are seven players on each team - the schools' got a team for each house usually. Anyway, the way you win is to be the team to score the most points. It's a bit like a Muggle football game, except a lot better."

((Should I keep posting here or go to the detention area?))

((We should go to the detention area. That is where my reply is))

Professor DeLanquar entered her classroom and was disappointed to find it in an uproar. Students from all four houses were talking, playing, fighting, hexing, laughing, shouting and none of them paid any attention when she entered.
Whispering a sonorous at her throat, Eglantine addressed the students.
"By the count of five, every student that is not seated with their textbook in front of them and silent will have ten points deducted from their house and a week's worth of detention cleaning the hallway with a toothbrush." For some strange reason the students, snapped to attention and by the time she finished counting, the room was a silent as a tomb.

"That is better, much better." Professor DeLanquar said stiffly. This class would not be as the last one.
"You all understood the last lesson very well and so now we will continue to learn about the differences between muggles and wizards." A Slytherin began to fake snore and two of his friends giggled.
"The next snore will be rewarded with a detention." she said as if continuing the lesson. Abruptly the student was silent.
"Now you have learned that culture is the only difference between wizards and muggles. Can anyone tell me what culture is?"

A Hufflepuff raised her hand.
"Yes Miss Reavers."
"Culture is how refined you are." She stated laughed proudly, much to the amusement of her classmates, who jeered and at her.
"Silence!" Eglantine rapped her cane against the floor and the student body slowly descended into silence. "That is one of the definitions of cultured, Miss Reavers, but I was talking about a different culture. Yes, Miss Rosier?"

Surprised to see her niece sitting in her class and yet hiding that fact, Professor DeLanquar's hands shook as the tall fourth year stood. She had shoulder length blonde hair and green eyes; sharing her aunt's main features but being taller and more athletic.
"Culture is the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group." she said confidently. Bellatrix Rosier was one who did everything her best, even if it was something she loathed.

"Very good, Miss Rosier. Five points to Slytherin." There was a murmur of disapproval from the students but Eglantine ignored them.

"Now, in order to understand the differences between muggles and wizards fully, you must understand the differences between people in general. Culture separates muggles from wizards, muggles from other muggles and wizards from other wizards. For example, a witch raised in America would have a different way of living, speaking and even acting than a witch born here in Scotland. The best way to become acquainted with another person is to learn their culture, be it muggle or magical."

"Here I have with me a globe." She took a small fist sized earth globe from her desk and held it up for the class to observe. "The countries are rather small on it, but I think it will help. Just as each of these countries have a different culture, a different language and or a different dialect so do the wizards and muggles that live among them."

"This makes it quite obvious that since wizards have cultural differences as muggles do that they all neither on a high mental plain or a lower mental plain. Culture makes us unique to our origins and beliefs, not better people."

Miss Rosier stood without raising her hand and folded her arms over her chest.
"Wrong, Professor. The only difference between muggles and wizards is not culture, its blood. We have pure magical blood that goes back to the times of Merlin. Muggles are impure and are therefore not worthy to be studied or understood." she took her seat once more and Eglantine resumed her lesson as if nothing had happened.

"Now instead of opening your textbooks, we will look a few cultural differences. Means of travel is going to be our first difference."

She began to write "Means of Travel" on the board but was interrupted by a crash. Turning her head, Eglantine saw a muggleborn Gryffindor had been knocked from her chair.
"Sorry, Professor." she apologized, obviously flustered.

"Several wizard means of transportation are brooms, the floo network, apparation, the Knightbus and the Hogwarts Express. You have all used at least one of these. Muggles use vehicles called cars and trucks for their long distance transportation and a various amount of other vehicles. Such as bikes, motorcycles, airplanes, trains, subways, and boats."

"They have the ability to travel anywhere they wish using means that are not that much different from wizard means."
Miss Rosier raised her hand.
"Yes?" Eglantine asked, annoyed at being interrupted.
"Don't they have accidents?"
"Yes, Miss Rosier, accidents often occur." She was finished, the class was over.

"Here are some homework questions for you. I want them all done properly and without comments." she addressed the final statement to the Slytherin side of the room. "Or you will be given an essay to write about muggle dentistry."

1.) List several muggle means of transportation. (3 points)
2.) Explain how culture makes us unique. (4 points)
3.) True or False? All muggles are the same. (2 points)
4.) True or False? Muggle means of transportation allow muggles to go anywhere they wish same as wizards. (2 points)

((Continued from Professor Viper's personal chambers))

Eglantine painfully limped down the hallway. She had checked in on the Gryffindors and the Slytherins, since Professor Viper was no doubt busy. Now she entered the Muggle Studies classroom and went to the chalk board.

Her shoulders slumped as she remembered her niece's cruel reminder about muggle vehicle accidents. Why the girl had chosen to torment her was beyond reason, yet she did.

"Professor?" Diana Casillas walked into the classroom hesitantly remembering what happened the last time she was alone with the Professor.