"I have given your query some consideration. What else does an old wizard do on Valentines weekend?" Professor Storm addressed two of his students, arms behind his back. Although he held himself upright as always, the way his shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing where Wakahisa had splinched his left hand off last year, and the lack of tie suggested otherwise.

He consulted his pocket watch from his black striped waistcoat pocket, checking the time before he launched into too much theory.
"You'll remember we covered concurrent casting in theory for your OWL written examination[1]?" He looked from one student to the other for signs of recognition.

"Let me refresh your memories. Concurrent spell casting is where two or more people cast the same spell at the same time towards the same target. This can be defensive, or offensive." He let his arms fall to his side and gestured as he explained.
"If you two were to be stood as you are, beside each other yelling the same thing - the volume overall increases. The spell patterns match - even if one is slightly weaker than the other, they combine to form one spell of greater strength. If you were to be shouting two different things, well, it would be loud, but incomprehensible, they'd combine but might become unclear or disrupt each other's message. Does that make sense?"

Letting the thought settle a moment, he stepped away to his desk and reached for a piece of parchment folded once which was perched on the corner of his desk.
"I will require you to study the theory first, not only for safety's sake, but because spell casting isn't enough to really understand this branch of co-operative magic. To save you both some perilous searching, here is a list of texts that are in Mr Morgan's restricted section, and a note explaining the nature of your extra-curricular research." He extended the parchment to Georgiana.

"We will meet every two weeks to discuss your findings. I am hoping to arrange a suitable enchanted camera piece, so we may attempt to capture the spellcasting for record and analysis. As well as providing you both with something to discuss at your future roles, post Hogwarts, and expand your knowledge, you may even be able to be written up in En Guarde![2] if it is of suitable quality."

His eyes slid from one to the other. 
"This is not a light undertaking," the Professor warned, "but I believe a worthy one of your combined talents, which you will both rise to." He folded his arms. "What say you both?"

1.	Mentioned here in March 2009
2.	wiki

"Reinforcing sound waves to win, huh?" Gigi was sitting on one of the empty desks, her legs swinging to the same rhythm that she tapped out with her wand on the hard surface.

She took the parchment Storm offered with her free hand, and smirked at it. Mad skills and an excuse to go poke Librarian McGorgeous? No way she'd turn that down, and Walton wasn't the sort to blow it up in her face neither.

"It tend to go back if you muck it up, then? Double Lumos flameball what does it mean?" Theory wasn't fun, but Storm wasn't the sort to smother them in it either. Least, not in the not really official lessons of sometimes questionable legality.

She tipped her head to the side, looking between the two others in the room. "Sure I can find a shoddy camera somewhere, take pics if we get past the reading part quick enough." She tossed her hair, which included a bit of a turquoise streak in it today, behind her shoulder, and gave Storm a bit of a stare. "It help if we can get tone and all that real close?"

Instead of sitting, he stood next to the desk where the Slytherin prefect was curretly perched. Walton cast a sidelong glance down at Georgiana as she began asking questions. The informality with which she addressed Professor Storm baffled him. He knew that Storm was good friends with Gigi's older brother, but felt that a certain level of respect was due- regardless of any personal connections or ties. This was an acamedic setting, and she was a prefect- she had a reputation to uphold and an example to set. But he kept these thoughts to himself, and exchanged the arched brow for a polite smile. "I say this sounds like an amazing opportunity."

The project that Professor Storm proposed to them was a fascinating one. Though he wasn't always the best with magical theory, he was excited to be a part of this and to try. And he supposed as far as partners went, Trishna wasn't so bad. He looked over her shoulder at the reading list that Professor Storm had handed over. He'd do his best with studying the theory, and hopefully if he got lost somewhere along the way his partner (or Professor Storm) would be able to help him out. "Do you suggest any particular order for the reading?" he asked. Walton preferred to start with step one, after all, instead of barging ahead. Easy stuff first.

Walton made a small sound of interest at the statement that the two of them might end up in the magazine En Guarde! Now that would be really awesome! As far as future roles post Hogwarts... Well, Walton was still trying not to focus too much on the fact he had no idea what he would be doing once he finally graduated.

"We might be able to get someone from the paper to do photos," he suggested. "I'm sure those photographers would really like the opportunity to do something like that. I can only imagine how great those kinds of pictures would be. Especially if they get snapped at just the right moment. With wizarding photography being animated, I can only imagine how amazing the pictures would be."

"Not lumos no," the Professor replied with a hint of amusement crossing his features for such a brief moment it would almost seem to be imagined.

"I'm not going to answer that question, Trishna. The two of you are more than capable of discovering."

Dodd was a little more professional about the interchange, which was appreciated. Then again, he hadn't ever tried to drown Walton in the classroom sink to prove a point.

"Your class textbooks from OWLs have a summary which might be useful to refresh your memories with. Otherwise, the standard set of NEWT books each have a mention." He looked up to the classroom ceiling, and clicked his fingers in thought, "Leonard[1] has a few case studies of the use. One from 1914 was written off as being supernatural hallucinations of Muggles on the battlefield[2], but it is unconfirmed if it was exactly the technique - a little more periphery reading there, ultimately." His right hand waved away the detail and then returned to be folded with his left arm.

"The two of you are very capable students, which is why I am not elaborating further. I will guide and advise when I feel it is necessary." He lowered his chin slightly to regard them both firmly,
"And should I hear either of you have slipped behind in any subjects, I will have the discretion to cease this offer. This is not at the detriment of your NEWT examinations across the board. If it comes to that, we will discuss." He nodded to each of them, looking for understanding.

1.	History of Defence, Regulum Leonard
2.	Battle of Mons

Oh yeah, they had a school paper. Hadn't seen much of it recently. Gigi gave Walton a bit of a nod, thinking. "Guess we can ask the paper. Could rig up some kind of delay otherwise." Wasn't like digital, though. Red eye removal and fluffing out the spell effects, maybe.

But she gave Storm a bit of a nod. Restricted section research (and oogling the librarian) she could handle. "I'll manage, so long as you don't channel my brother and ask for straight Os." That'd be well, somewhere in some corner of her mind she could admit it was possible, but damn it'd be dull.

She sat up a little straighter which, this being Gigi, wasn't exactly too close to good posture. "But seriously,  I'll manage." Shiny new badge did tend to help with fending off the blood-hungry Slytherin shark types. "Thanks." Any session where Storm didn't literally try to kill her again was a good one, right?

 

"Why would I expect anything less?" Ignan replied with a raised eyebrow, "you're capable, you just never put your mind to full use."

The corner of his mouth curled, knowing such quips would only infuriate Georgiana and he'd pay for it later with a blast from her. But, if it meant she did her best and had some inspiration from wanting to prove him wrong, then, so be it.

He looked to Dodd, who was altogether more thoughtful and quiet on the matter. Perhaps he didn't have immediate questions, which meant they would come after some research or thought, perhaps without the witch's presence being involved. She was altogether a little more familiar with their Professor than most students.

"You know where to find me if you have any queries. We shall meet again in two weeks." 

End