The Study & Appreciation of Ancient Runes Lesson Three [All Years]

Another day, another class.

Truth be told, the headmaster found he enjoyed teaching more and more as of late. He suspected it had something to do with the alternative being something akin to watching paint dry. That is to say, approving budgets, courting sponsors, and reassuring parents were not exactly things the aging man cared for in the slightest. It was, however, all in the job description, so he gritted his teeth and made it through. Teaching, on the other hand, was a break from the tiresome role of headmaster.

Indeed, sitting at the head of his empty classroom, Andrei felt the stress of his 'other' job fall away. Today would be especially enjoyable because he would not be the one teaching today. Rather, such a task would fall to the students. After all, today was term paper presentation day wherein each student gave an oral report or presentation on their term paper. One could only hope that each student had been working diligently, but only time would truly tell.

Mimosa was actually excited about today's class, it was her grand debut of course! When they were first assigned the term paper, the young model had not intended to do it. After all, she had much better things to do then memorize a bunch of facts about boring old Runes. Bu then Seema had began prattling on about how she was going to make her presentation interesting with additional facts and maybe go dressed as an old time scribe and the Slytherin's interest had been peaked.

This wasn't a boring assignment at all, this was like acting. What she did for work except with more words and more flair. Since then, the child had began work on her "act", choosing ehr topic with a little help from Miss Harrington and supplementing her oral report with special effects sent from the palace for the occasion. the night before, Mimosa had all but dragged Mercy to the Rom of Requirements to show of ehr presentation and the Gryffindor had liked it lots.

Which meant that for once, Mimosa was the first one down to the Common Room to meet the group getting ready to head to Runes, practically bouncing where she stood. Squid Boy and Karan came next, their heads close together as they discussed soemthing unimportant. then came Charles and Ji Hyun, which inevitably brought Catherine and Constance along and the last one was of course Emily. The group was just about to depart when Mimosa noticed Lilac skulking into view and promptly ignored her.

As was usual now, her hand was taken by Squid Boy even as he continued his conversation with Karan, barely looking at her. Almost as if to mimic the action, Charles roughly grabbed Catherine's hand though the girl did not object, merely letting out a giggle. The gaggle of Slytherins navigated the hallways in good cheer, some nervous about the report, others confident. Emily was considering faking illness and Mimosa was almost certain it would work. Professor Kessler wasn't very smart so she doubted he'd notice someone trying to get a free period.

The witch entered class hand in hand with Squid Boy who had now concluded his conversation with Karan and was leading them towards their seats. Telling him to hold on, she gently pulled her hand away and bounded off to the teacher's desk where the Headmaster sat. "Good morning, Sir!' she chirped, her shrill tone ringing off the classroom walls. "How are you fleeing! I feel great! Did you know the House Elves made my favoritest food today? And later on, I get to go to Hogsmeade and see my Jacques. And then I get to come back and do Qudditch practice. And then I can go hang out with Mercy! And then-"

"Mimosa!" someone called, clearly wanting her attention. Of course she would be the first person they'd want to greet upon entering, she was the most important one here after all!

"I'll catch you up to my whole week later," she hurriedly promised the Professor before skipping off to the source of the noise.

One last stretch and it would all be over. That's what Clara kept telling herself. She just had to make it through exams. A part of her urged her on: You've come too far to give up now.

Another part of her knew that was a logical fallacy.

The sunk-cost fallacy is how door-to-door salesman scam little old ladies out of their retirement funds.

Yet here she was, pushing through anyway. University loomed bright like a beacon on the horizon. Just a few more weeks and she'd be free. Ish.

Freer than she was now, anyway, which wasn't saying much.

But things were finally wrapping up, and every hurtle she cleared was a small but satisfying relief. This term paper, for example, had been nagging at her like a splinter under her fingernail for several weeks now, and today she would finally pull it out and be done with it forever.

Knowing this, she entered the classroom with anticipation rather than nerves. She may not love public speaking or presenting in front of the class, but if it meant she could finally check this project off her list, she couldn't wait to get it over with. She retrieved the report from her bag and set it carefully on the desk in front of her, lining the edge of the paper up with the edge of the desk so it was satisfying to look at.

And then she waited, quietly snapping her fingers together underneath her desk in an attempt to relax herself.

Of course his first assignment upon transferring and attending his favorite class would be to do a presentation that everyone else had already had weeks to do.

But, this was Ancient Runes! If he could whip up a report in any class in a short period of time, it would be this one. He was only grateful it hadn't been in something like Care of Magical Creatures, or something like that. He surely would have failed then, and would have beat himself up over it for the rest of the year. But Runes? Runes he could manage. He could practically hear his Père praising him, telling him not to worry about it, and that he had the "Runes gene". Of course, his Père was always the one who'd really and truly loved them, but Gabriel figured the man would be proud of him for taking an interest.

He himself was quite proud of the presentation he'd come up with for the class, and only hoped the professor would like it enough to give him a good grade. He needed all the good grades he could get to make up for the fact that he'd been absent from the school most of the year, through no fault of his own of course.

As Gabe entered the classroom he was much less nervous than he thought he'd be. He didn't like speaking in front of crowds too much, but this was just in front of a bunch of other students who were just as, or more nervous than him. Not too scary, right?

He gave the professor a tight lipped smile as he took a seat towards the middle of the room, trying not to draw too much attention to himself, though his sisters were already there, talking to each other in the back of the room loudly enough to earn a couple of glares from others. He sighed softly and tucked his head down, reaching to pull out his report and reading it over under his breath for the millionth time, though he knew he had it memorized already.

Better safe than sorry.

There they were, holding hands.

It took all the willpower in Andrei's being to suppress a sigh—he really had to talk to that boy. He had hoped to put the whole thing off for a few more months, but it seemed life waited for no man. Funny how that worked, time not stopping and all that. Oh well, for now, however, he could put off the much-needed talk because he had a class to teach.

Thank god he had a class to teach.

Greeting each student with the same half nod he always did, the headmaster watched silently as the classroom filled with students. Even after all these years of teaching he still got the same rush of adrenaline he used to get as a freshly minted graduate student right before starting a class. His hands still tingled and the hair on the back of his neck seemed to prickle. The only thing that had really changed was the aging vessel he inhabited.

"Good afternoon everyone," his voice sent a hush over much of the class as he stood up. "Today, as I'm sure you all know, is term paper presentation day."

He paused and began writing on the chalkboard behind him. He scrawled out 'Grading Scheme' in elegant cursive.

"If you recall from the beginning of the term I outlined the grading criteria for this presentation," he turned around and the chalk continued writing of its own accord. "First and foremost you can expect a large portion of the grade to be based on your factual correctness, second will be your interpretation and analysis of these facts, and third—this being a presentation—you will be graded on your speaking skills."

The piece of chalk fell to the small ledge by the board having written out the three criteria by which the presentation would be graded.

"So, if we have no questions," he returned to his seat. "I believe we can begin. Let's start with Miss Harrington, then Mr. Kessler, Miss Goldstein, Mr. Fletcher...and so on and so forth."

Leaning back in his chair, the man removed a notebook of his own from one of the desk drawers before turning his attention to what would surely be quite the show. When the Harrington girl was involved, well, the man had come to expect nothing less.

Unlike many of his students, Andrei's eyes did not sparkle with wonder at the Harrington girl's presentation. Sure, he was quite impressed by the girl's theatrics—she was a performer through and through. That said, it would be less than professional to allow one's self to show favoritism in any way shape or form, it just wasn't done. And, well, the girl did need to work on the eloquence of her speech as her age showed true despite the fancy effects, not that he'd hold anything like that against her grade-wise.

Nonetheless, he clapped when appropriate and even spared her a good-natured smile to the joke at his expense. The girl had done well, better than expected even. Scribbling down a few more notes, Andrei waited patiently for the next presenter to begin. Nikolai, he hoped, would provide a more academic approach to the topic than Mimosa—it was why he had allowed the two to work on the same topic.

Alas, it seemed that his own son could not deliver on any such hopes, not that the headmaster's face betrayed any of the disappointment he felt. With all the charisma of a wet paper towel, Nikolai gave an abbreviated presentation with little substance. In fact, it seemed to Andrei that it was more an addendum to Mimosa's presentation more than anything else. Regardless, the man clapped and offered a sympathetic smile before scribbling down a few notes here and there.

The class continued much like this for the rest of the allotted time. Some presentations were better than others, of course. Andrei, however, remained stoic as ever so as to give no clue as to the nature of the grades the students were surely fretting over as they watched their friends present. Soon the last student presented and the bell rang causing the mass of kids to jolt from their seats and hurry out into the halls.

Why was everyone always in such a hurry to leave?

---
Class Closed.

Clara Goldstein, Ravenclaw — 10 points [attendence]
Gabriel Fletcher, Ravenclaw — 10 points [attendence]
Nikolai Kessler, Slytherin — 15 points [attendence & participation]
Mimosa Harrington, Slytherin — 20 points [attendence & participation]