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Declan knew that it was time they did some practical things in the class for his seventh years. He had spent a lot of the year in the books, making sure they had the theoretical knowledge to pass their NEWTs. Since Declan had decided to let the third and fifth years have a little fun, he thought he should let the older students do something outside, too. And he would let them do something advanced and on their own.

It had taken him a while to decide what task to set them to- eventually he had settled on having them milk acromantulas for their poison to make antidotes. It would cause the to employ a lot of the things they had learned. Safety lessons, spells, team work, everything. Hopefully it wasn't going to backfire on him. Declan had some antidote at the ready, and he had rounded up smaller acromantulas. (They could have a legspan of up to fifteen feet; these were only about eight feet.) 

The gigantic spiders- there were five of them- were currently set up in pens that he had magically reinforced to prevent escaping. Declan knew they would look intimidating when the students came up, but not all creatures were cuddly- something that they had to learn. Unicorn fluff was for third years- not advanced students. "Everyone gather around," he said, standing behind a table he had set up. "I need all of you to to pay close attention to the instructions I'll be giving."

(OOC Note: As an explanation for Fauna's mood, check out this thread. We're assuming that a DP article would have been written to announce Cin on the run and Tamis was likely hurt in some way.)


Snow crunched underneath Fauna's boots as she slowly walked to the Care of Magical Creatures pens just outside of the Forbidden Forest. She hesitated at one point in the path, looking over at Tulo's hut. If she thought she could get away with it, she would have skipped class and run to Tulo's and hid there for the rest of the day. She was tempted. Her body tensed up, wanting to go in that direction.

And yet, she only had an Acceptable in Ó Móráin's class. As much as she disliked the professor, she needed to earn a better grade if she wanted to go into the RCMC after graduating. Fauna still wasn't certain that was what she wanted to do, but it was one of the more appealing options.

Fauna continued walking in a daze until she reached the class. Her head was bent, her shoulders slumped. She didn't notice the Acromantulas in their pens until she was about ten feet away from them. Fauna glanced up, heard the clicking and clacking from the creatures, and shuddered. This was advanced material. If it had been any other day, she would have felt nervous but excited. Today she could only push back an overwhelming sense of despair.

This morning was the second time during the week that she'd fled the Great Hall in a panic. On Monday, she'd received an owl from her father, telling her the truth about who he was. She'd fought with Adelia, gossip had spread, and she'd spent most of her time avoiding everybody. Her peers might guess that today, yesterday's news caused the horror in her eyes or the lack of color in her face. But it was only a small part now. Fauna's mind was wrapped up in the latest Daily Prophet article, where she'd learned that Tamis Raynor had been injured while apprehending Cináed Tawse.

All Fauna wanted to know was if Tamis would be okay. The last time she'd seen her was on Sunday, like usual, and the Head Auror had seemed distracted. Not physically present, almost. Fauna had never told her, really explained, how grateful she was for her help. It would have embarrassed them both. Now she regretted it.

Because what if... she couldn't even think about that!

Keeping her head down and her hands in her pockets, Fauna gathered with the rest of the class around Professor Ó Móráin. She believed that like Professor Storm, he'd show her no compassion if she left class. And she didn't need another detention so early in the term.

Mornings were not Astrid’s favourite thing, but when it meant getting up for Care of Magical Creatures she really could not complain. Perhaps not her best class but it was surely one of her favourite. Many of the creatures they studied she figured they were misunderstood or angered at the time or attack. Of course then there were some beasts that were truthfully dangerous and ones you never wished to tangle with. As optimistic as she could be about it, she could not defend some creatures. Werewolves were one of those extremely dangerous creatures, but Astrid knew they were just misunderstood. Werewolves were just people under extremely circumstances.

After a light breakfast she headed off towards the grounds for Care of Magical Creatures. She wrapped her arms around herself as she walked across the grounds, snow crunching beneath her steps. She loved that sound, when she took the time to hear it. Most of the time the crunching sound was left unnoticed, but it was early in the morning and no particular thoughts to distract her.

As she reached the pens just on the outskirts of the forbidden forest she caught sight of what they were going to be handling today. Handling was the wrong word for these particular creatures, as nobody would pay Astrid to hold this particular gigantic spider in hand. Astrid was curious what they were going to be doing with this advanced material. Now these were one of those dangerous creatures she really wasn’t sure how to defend.

Astrid gathered around the Professor with everyone else, falling into step next to Fauna. She flashed her a smile hoping Fauna was all right these days, she had not seen her much since the mixer. As she focused on the professor and his instructors she wiggled her toes within her boots. Astrid was slowly beginning to realize she was going to have to tie her hair back for this class.

Outfit

Quinn was beyond tired. Eight o'clock in the morning was always a bad time. It didn't matter if there had been a party the night before or just a quiet evening with the girls, the Gryffindor just wasn't a morning person. Her idea of a perfect day started around lunchtime - but today, Lou had told her that this lesson was important. Maybe it was best she didn't skip every single lesson possible?

Besides, Quinn was more of a... practical learner. The more hands-on subjects was were she saw mediocre success; Care of Magical Creatures and Defence Against the Dark Arts came naturally to Quinn. She just couldn't be bothered to exercise any concentration or dedication. Yes, Quinn McAvoy was disliked by many teachers. A constant talker and a consistent underachiever, but Quinn just basked in her rebellious glory. What was the point in being studious if that trait never came naturally? There were better things to do.

The bitter winter chill still hung in the air like a boring guest overstaying their welcome, and Quinn wanted the sunshine back. Throwing on a denim jacket, scarf, gloves and Wellington boots, she was half-prepared for the day ahead. At least it'd keep some cold out - normally Quinn wore sparkly leggings and glittery shorts and neon sunglasses whatever the weather, but for this upcoming test, Quinn that she should show at least some trace of sensibility.

Trudging towards the pens, Quinn immediately piped up, her tired and exhausted eyes opening immediately. Fauna Blake, a good friend of Lou's (Quinn took a shine to the sweet Hufflepuff immediately) was already there, along with Astrid O'Malley and a few more students. However, the congregation wasn't what distracted her attention - it was the five Acromantulas cooped up in protected stables.

She immediately shook away any form of fear, swaggering over to the class clasping her hands together in pure Cockney delight.
"We having a brawl with those little beauties?" she laughed, pointing towards the hulking spiders. It was better to radiate confidence rather than anxiety. "Bring 'em on Professor Ó Móráin, bring, them, on!"

Declan was surprised the first few to show up were female... "We're not brawling with anything," he said to McAvoy. "They have six more legs and a lot more size than us. If I was going to have you fight anything it would be a troll. If you're interested, I can do a practical lesson on trolls. The fifth years are doing one on yetis later on today..."

He peered up the grounds, and saw a couple of people heading out- but he could not tell if they were coming in his direction or not. If they were cutting classes, they'd have detention, though. "This is a practical lesson on the uses for acromantula- and other spider venoms- in potions! Seems we have a few stragglers- but no matter, we will begin."

"Since you seem so eager, McAvoy, why don't you fill us in on the details of acromantulas? What all do you know about them?" he asked, crossing his arms. What Declan really wondered was whether or not they would figure out the big trick to this lesson. Anyone who was observant and intelligent would...

"A troll, an acromantula - they're all a walk in the park for me, professor," Quinn laughed: her cocky tone was undeniably charming. Kicking the cold earth, she peered over, squinting her eyes to see the influx of students. Care of Magical Creatures was a practical subject - one that Quinn tolerated. She was an animal lover, and although acromantulas weren't her idea of a nice family pet, they were pretty awesome all the same.

Quinn rolled her eyes with a grin as Professor Ó Móráin volunteered her own observations - her loud and eager nature usually landed Miss McAvoy in this position. The blonde rubbed her eyes a little, shrugging with a grin.
"Wellllllll, they're massive, they're dangerous, you wouldn't want one in your bedroom and they're like spiders crossed with a Death Eater." She paused, widening her eyes. It was still morning, and Quinn, although unusually spritely, was still waking up. "Am I right?"

outfit

Lou sidled up to her friends, glad that the one class she was (accidentally) failing was at least full of people she liked (minus the professor, whom she'd been avoiding like a triathlete running from wildfire when she wasn't attempting to kiss up to him and play monster for his underclassmen in the hopes of not having to repeat her final and most glorious year at Hogwarts).

Milking spiders was hardly a the top of Lou's list of things to do before she said au revoir to this stone prison. In fact, that list looked a little more like something as follows:

1. Snog Edmund
2. Snog Edmund
3. Get Grace pissed on whiskey
4. Make Grace smile
5. Snog Edmund
6. Snag the Quidditch Cup from Edmund

And so forth.

But if it meant mending her abysmal midterm marks, she was willing to roll up her sleeves and let the black widows wrap their octo-arms around her poor, innocent form.

"Ten points to Awesomedor," the lionness murmured, nudging Quinn with her elbow and clearly approving of her friend's oh-so-educated response to the professor's inquiry. But the smile vanished as soon as her eyes caught sight of Fauna, who looked less than engaged in the day's lesson.

Frowning slightly, she withdrew her arm from her roommate and snaked the opposite one around the Hufflepuff's waist. "Hey," she said in greeting, keeping her voice down, but speaking loud enough to rouse the melancholy badger. "Is Bernadette really a Bernard? Why so down, muffin?"

Normally Fauna would have found Quinn's comments amusing, but she barely even heard them today, and was only glad that the professor hadn't called on her. Fauna looked up as she felt an arm around her waist and heard Lou's voice. Her friend's kindness and the clever joke, though well-intentioned, made the lump in her throat more pronounced and she blinked rapidly, glancing away and then looking back at Lou.

Even meeting her concerned eyes was too much. All she really wanted at the moment was a shoulder to cry on, and here Lou was, trying to figure out what was wrong. As much as Fauna wanted to tell her (and she was one of the few friends here at Hogwarts who would understand why she would be upset over something that had happened to the Head Auror), now wasn't the time or place. Not with a class in progress, or an audience of mutant spiders.

"It was... the paper," she murmured under her breath, voice tight. "Um... I'll tell you after," Fauna reassured her, glancing warily at the professor, who had a penchant for taking away points for the most minor of offenses. Especially from Hufflepuffs.

Her gaze fell on the five acromantulas gathered in a cluster. They didn't act like they had any awareness of each other, or even the humans watching them. "Am I going crazy," Fauna asked Lou quietly, partially to distract herself from her problems, "Or are those... not really acromantulas."

"A walk in the park, you say?" To Declan, the girl's cocky tone was anything but undeniably charming. Arrogance offended him when it was not warranted, and in this case it most certainly was not. Gryffindors were so insufferable in their attitudes. Really, the school ought to be split into two factions. Ravenclaws and Slytherins in one institution, Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors in another. It made so much more sense and so much more would be accomplished that way.

Her answer, although entertaining, was not correct. "You are right, they are big and dangerous and they spiders- but that can be told by looking at them. One point to Gryffindor for trying at least..." He didn't want to give it to her, but she had not been wrong exactly.

Declan's attention was diverted, however, when the Hufflepuff girl started whispering. Blake- the class klutz, the one who would likely get herself eaten by a puffskein one day- however impossible it might seem. "Would you like to share your observations with the class?" he asked tersely. "I do not appreciate outside chatter while a lesson is in progress. Please, do enlighten us with your opinion Miss Blake! We are all dying to hear it, aren't we class?"

The professor responded to Quinn in his typical condescending manner and Fauna shook her head slightly, feeling bad for her. There was a reason people weren't giving him real answers. They were afraid of his attitude (or at least, she was).

So when he suddenly focused on her and asked for her observations, she turned a baleful glare on him. Did he have to say it like that? Did he have to notice every single time she stepped a toe out of line? Fauna knew she'd made an awful impression on him by letting that doxy loose the first day of his class, and it seemed like ever since then, he'd seen her as a total moron. Of course, sometimes she did do stupid things, but that was partly because he made her so nervous.

"Oh, yeah, I'm sure you're just dying to hear what I have to say," she muttered sarcastically, crossing her arms.

An instant later she regretted her impulsive response, and swallowed hard, looking embarrassed.

"I was saying I... don't think they're actually, well, acromantulas." Fauna paused, knowing if she had this wrong, that she'd feel humiliated.

"Their hair isn't black. They're not interacting with each other. I don't see fangs. And... they're not eyeing us hungrily."

"Nice one, professor," Quinn toothily replied with a thumbs. She could hardly contain a snort of laughter as she was awarded a point for 'trying'; in her entire Hogwarts career, Quinn had scraped only a handful of house points for Gryffindor, and these had been awarded for trying - not succeeding. She wasn't the academic type, big deal? Quinn exchanged a glance with her classmates, Professor Ó Móráin making his reluctance to applaud Quinn in any way quite clear.

Quinn her comrade make a quip from behind her, turning instantly to welcome Lou. Giving her friend a warm smile, Quinn winked like a high school cheerleader. Placing a pen-covered arm over her friend's shoulders, she gave the professor her attention once more, sticking out her bottom lip in thought. It was always best to handle potentially dangerous situations with a dollop of confidence: if Quinn was bitten by one of those big hairy buggers then it was nothing that couldn't be sorted with Nagde.

Her meandering attention was diverted once more as Fauna was reprimanded for whispering, the Hufflepuff standing with the Gryffindor duo. Frowning a little at the professor for targeting Fauna, (she was hardly one for inciting conflict and rebellion), Quinn smiled towards her feet hearing Fauna impulsively mutter. Perhaps there were a few sparks of fury in the Hufflepuff after all.

Declan was going to snap at her for the sarcasm, until she spoke up with correct information. He did not smile often, at least not at Hufflepuff students, but Declan was smiling now. "You've ruined the surprise, Miss Blake!" he told her. "And you would be correct- they are not really acromantulas. Acromantulas are intelligent beings, which I am glad someone remembered. These are a very dark brown, and have markings that Acromantulas do not have. Ten points to Hufflepuff for the brilliant observation!"

"If we were to milk real acromantulas, someone would likely die. They are incredibly dangerous, and most often their venom is harvested upon their death before the venom sacs dry up. It's nearly impossible to milk a live one, actually..."

"These are just normal spiders which have been enlarged- though that does not make them any less dangerous. It has greatly increased their amount of poison, and quite possibly the effectiveness due to that." Perhaps he should have thought of testing that before pitting his seventh years against them.

"Alright, can anyone tell me the proper way to milk a spider or a snake? Has anyone ever milked an animal for their venom before?" he asked. He wasn't sure what professors before him had done, but it seemed that they hadn't done very much hands on stuff in the past.