You skim over the syllabus. The first thing that catches your attention is the inclusion of OFFICE HOURS: 4-6pm, 7-9pm Mondays and Thursdays; Sundays by appointment; never Friday evening, Saturday. The rest of the breakdown is a schedule of readings more typical to your other classes, the kind of thing Hermione prefers to get a head-start on, but there's a list of assignments included as well. Some of those are labeled simply Current Events.
The Friday class period everyother week is set aside for a class discussion, and that alone sets this schedule wildly apart from any other class you've ever had at Hogwarts. You've never had any more discussion in class than answering a teacher's questions.
There's another sound of snapping fingers. Your attention jumps back up to the wizard at the front, but it seems to have been exactly that, a bid for the attention of the class, all of whom seem to be looking over the syllabus with the same confusion that you're currently feeling.
"As I am sure you are all aware," he begins, "this subject, although unfathomably important to your adult lives, is a new addition to Hogwarts. As such, I've taken the liberty of modelling portions of it off of comparable nonmagical subjects. It is a grand experiment in progress, for which you and your schoolmates are the test subjects. Nonetheless, it is my expectation that you take this class as seriously as you would Defense, Transfiguration, or Potions, because its implications are equally far-reaching."
He pauses, and then adds, "I am also equally aware of the poor state of the history curriculum currently offered by this otherwise prestigious institution. Unfortunately, the hours in my day are limited, and I cannot teach both."
You risk a glance around; many of the students have looks of surprise on their faces, Hermione's mouth open in a little 'oh' and Pansy Parkinson across the room with a scandalized hand over her mouth.
"Therefore, it is my intention to give the tools with which to judge history for yourselves," Professor Solus continues. "This class will focus on Wizarding Society and Government, yes, but it will also focus on why we do the things we do, in the way that we do them. It is my hope that by the conclusion of this year, that you will have learned to sort fact from fiction, bias from authenicity, and your own best interests from those of others."
"In the first term, we will focus on Wizarding society as a whole. In the winter we will shift our focus to the matter of government. As you can see from your syllabus, the curriculum for the spring term will vary based upon the individual class. We will return to that matter no sooner than February, after I have a better sense of your interests, experiences, and capabilities." He walks around to stand in front of the desk, leaning back against it and folding his arms over his chest. "And now, questions. I'm sure between the lot of you, they must be infinite; I will take four."
What seems like half the hands in the room shoot up, including, of course, Hermione's. The part that's strange is that Malfoy's hand shoots up on the other side of the room; you're not sure you've ever seen him actively ask a question of a professor in class.
Professor Solus produces his wand, finally, from his sleeve; it is as long as the rest of him and a dark wood that's only barely visible against the black of his robes as he flicks it with the laziest motion you think you've ever seen a teacher perform. "Nott," he says, and the flick of his wand must be for controlling the beam of light that suddenly falls upon on the Slytherin side of the room.
"Sir," Theodore Nott says. "You included a book about the Muggle government. With all due respect - why?"
It's the obvious question from that side of the room, which you think is probably why Professor Solus started over there; better to get it out of the way early.
"It is impossible to study anything about society and culture, including government, without comparing it to something else," Professor Solus replies, sounding bored. "Non-magical culture in this country is the most readily accessible example, as well as something with which some of your classmates have personal experience, but we will also draw comparisons to the United States, France, and Greece, in both Wizarding and nonmagical societies."
It doesn't seem to quite satisfy the Slytherins as an answer, from the expressions and occasional mutterings from that side of the room, but most of the hands on that side of the room drop away. Only Malfoy's remains in the air.
Solus swings his gaze to the opposite side of the room; the light over Nott goes out, to be replaced by one over Dean when he says, "Thomas."
"Thank you, sir," Dean says. "I just wanted to know - this is written in pen. Will you require assignments to be written with quill and parchment?"
"As long as it is ink on a page rather than pencil, is your original work, and satsifies other requirements of the assignment, I do not care," Solus replies. "Do note that essay lengths are measured in word count, not by physical length. If you are unfamiliar with a charm to check that quality, dragging your wand tip down the left margin of the section to be counted with the incantation Loyariaz should do."
The light over Dean goes out. Lavender Brown also drops her hand.
"Malfoy."
Malfoy doesn't so much as blink as the light shines down on him. If anything, he looks perfectly comfortable in it. "Did the Board of Governors approve of this curiculum, sir?" he asks, all pleasant simper, the kind he uses when he's trying to act innocent.
"They were given a general outline, which appears to have satisfied them," Solus replies. There's something slightly more cutting underneath his bored air. "As I said, this class is experimental. Whether it is retained for future students depends on its success this year. It is my hope that it provides a much-needed new model of education at Hogwarts going forward, but only time and your efforts will tell if it is successful."
The light over Malfoy blinks out with more abruptness than the ones over Nott and Dean. Well, you think, Malfoy's not making any friends with this one.
"Granger."
Just from the way he says her name as the light flicks on over her, you get the idea that Solus was saving Hermione for last.
"Sir," she says. "I was just wondering - on the syllabus, it says that Fridays will be focused on class discussion. Can you clarify what that means?"
"And that is an excellent segue into our next matter," Solus says. "I will lay down the ground rules, and then open the floor for our first class discussion. I hope you'll find it enlightening."
no subject
The Friday class period everyother week is set aside for a class discussion, and that alone sets this schedule wildly apart from any other class you've ever had at Hogwarts. You've never had any more discussion in class than answering a teacher's questions.
There's another sound of snapping fingers. Your attention jumps back up to the wizard at the front, but it seems to have been exactly that, a bid for the attention of the class, all of whom seem to be looking over the syllabus with the same confusion that you're currently feeling.
"As I am sure you are all aware," he begins, "this subject, although unfathomably important to your adult lives, is a new addition to Hogwarts. As such, I've taken the liberty of modelling portions of it off of comparable nonmagical subjects. It is a grand experiment in progress, for which you and your schoolmates are the test subjects. Nonetheless, it is my expectation that you take this class as seriously as you would Defense, Transfiguration, or Potions, because its implications are equally far-reaching."
He pauses, and then adds, "I am also equally aware of the poor state of the history curriculum currently offered by this otherwise prestigious institution. Unfortunately, the hours in my day are limited, and I cannot teach both."
You risk a glance around; many of the students have looks of surprise on their faces, Hermione's mouth open in a little 'oh' and Pansy Parkinson across the room with a scandalized hand over her mouth.
"Therefore, it is my intention to give the tools with which to judge history for yourselves," Professor Solus continues. "This class will focus on Wizarding Society and Government, yes, but it will also focus on why we do the things we do, in the way that we do them. It is my hope that by the conclusion of this year, that you will have learned to sort fact from fiction, bias from authenicity, and your own best interests from those of others."
"In the first term, we will focus on Wizarding society as a whole. In the winter we will shift our focus to the matter of government. As you can see from your syllabus, the curriculum for the spring term will vary based upon the individual class. We will return to that matter no sooner than February, after I have a better sense of your interests, experiences, and capabilities." He walks around to stand in front of the desk, leaning back against it and folding his arms over his chest. "And now, questions. I'm sure between the lot of you, they must be infinite; I will take four."
What seems like half the hands in the room shoot up, including, of course, Hermione's. The part that's strange is that Malfoy's hand shoots up on the other side of the room; you're not sure you've ever seen him actively ask a question of a professor in class.
Professor Solus produces his wand, finally, from his sleeve; it is as long as the rest of him and a dark wood that's only barely visible against the black of his robes as he flicks it with the laziest motion you think you've ever seen a teacher perform. "Nott," he says, and the flick of his wand must be for controlling the beam of light that suddenly falls upon on the Slytherin side of the room.
"Sir," Theodore Nott says. "You included a book about the Muggle government. With all due respect - why?"
It's the obvious question from that side of the room, which you think is probably why Professor Solus started over there; better to get it out of the way early.
"It is impossible to study anything about society and culture, including government, without comparing it to something else," Professor Solus replies, sounding bored. "Non-magical culture in this country is the most readily accessible example, as well as something with which some of your classmates have personal experience, but we will also draw comparisons to the United States, France, and Greece, in both Wizarding and nonmagical societies."
It doesn't seem to quite satisfy the Slytherins as an answer, from the expressions and occasional mutterings from that side of the room, but most of the hands on that side of the room drop away. Only Malfoy's remains in the air.
Solus swings his gaze to the opposite side of the room; the light over Nott goes out, to be replaced by one over Dean when he says, "Thomas."
"Thank you, sir," Dean says. "I just wanted to know - this is written in pen. Will you require assignments to be written with quill and parchment?"
"As long as it is ink on a page rather than pencil, is your original work, and satsifies other requirements of the assignment, I do not care," Solus replies. "Do note that essay lengths are measured in word count, not by physical length. If you are unfamiliar with a charm to check that quality, dragging your wand tip down the left margin of the section to be counted with the incantation Loyariaz should do."
The light over Dean goes out. Lavender Brown also drops her hand.
"Malfoy."
Malfoy doesn't so much as blink as the light shines down on him. If anything, he looks perfectly comfortable in it. "Did the Board of Governors approve of this curiculum, sir?" he asks, all pleasant simper, the kind he uses when he's trying to act innocent.
"They were given a general outline, which appears to have satisfied them," Solus replies. There's something slightly more cutting underneath his bored air. "As I said, this class is experimental. Whether it is retained for future students depends on its success this year. It is my hope that it provides a much-needed new model of education at Hogwarts going forward, but only time and your efforts will tell if it is successful."
The light over Malfoy blinks out with more abruptness than the ones over Nott and Dean. Well, you think, Malfoy's not making any friends with this one.
"Granger."
Just from the way he says her name as the light flicks on over her, you get the idea that Solus was saving Hermione for last.
"Sir," she says. "I was just wondering - on the syllabus, it says that Fridays will be focused on class discussion. Can you clarify what that means?"
"And that is an excellent segue into our next matter," Solus says. "I will lay down the ground rules, and then open the floor for our first class discussion. I hope you'll find it enlightening."