[11:06:07] Lyla Lafferty stands confidently at the front of the classroom, a calm friendly smile on her face as she begins to speak in her warm Irish accent. "Ah, welcome, welcome, welcome! There ye all are! A hearty welcome to each of ye. I'm Professor Lafferty, your Ancient Magic Professor. It's probably been a reet busy week for ye, I only started here last year, so I get ya. We'll take it slow.” [11:06:25] Lyla Lafferty clears her throat. “Now, I've written a fair few articles and papers on Ancient Magic, so hopefully I know what i'm talkin' about. We've got a lot to cover this year but we'll be taking it slow and looking at every angle of the ancients.” She locks eyes with one student. “Ay, don't ye worry, we've got a hands-on practicals planned for every lesson, so it won't be a borefest. We'll be getting our wands dirty, in no time.” She places her hands together in front of her. “Now then, any questions before we begin?” [11:10:16] Lyla Lafferty "That's alright... In good time, you'll have plenty i'm sure." She leans against her desk as she surveys the classroom with a thoughtful expression. "Now, let's get to it, shall we? What exactly is ancient magic? It's a complex topic, to be sure. At its core, ancient magic is early magic, from a time long, long ago. But don't be fooled by the simplicity of that statement; the subject is intricate and not fully understood." [11:11:21] Lyla Lafferty "Come in, find yourself a seat." She starts to pace slowly, her hands gesturing for emphasis. "Now, here's a question for ye: Who do ye think can use ancient magic? All wixen? Some? None at all?" She pauses, giving the students a moment to ponder before continuing. “Any hands? If picked, do tell me yer name – I'll probably not remember it about six months but i'll try.” [11:12:00] Cyrus Velasquez had tunnel-visioned so hard into his first class that he missed out Link sitting next to him. He blinks his eyes with awe and the suddeness of the realization, sending him a wink and then looking at Professor Lafferty and raising his hand. [11:13:29] Lyla Lafferty spins on her heel to the student on her left. "Go for it..." [11:16:29] Cyrus Velasquez clears his throat. "Hello, Name is Cyrus, Cyrus Velasquez professor. And from what I understand, isn't the knowledge of ancient magics a.... How do I put this...? 'Privileged' matter?" [11:18:34] Lyla Lafferty raises a hand to her chin. "Hmm... Well, Cyrus. That depends on how you define privileged. It could mean many things." She pauses. "Care to elaborate?" [11:20:40] Link Delitch raises an eyebrow when Cyrus mentions privilege, eyes narrowing. "You're not one of those muggle lovers, are you?" He asks after the professor asks Cyrus to elaborate. [11:21:58] Cyrus Velasquez nods. "Sure. Doesn't Ancient Magic happen on very rare and arbitrary cases? Like it could happen to a great pureblooded wizard or -..." He looks at Delitch and asssumes hes under a spell so he looks back at Lyla. "A muggleborn yes." [11:27:34] Lyla Lafferty casts her eye towards the gentleman next to Cyrus and then back again. She listens. "There is nothing to suggest privilege of background and blood come into ancient magic. That's not to say that it might not be true." She ponders. "Only a very limited number of Wixen can actually use it. There seems to be little rhyme or reason as to who can obtain the ability, it could be considered a gift, equally, it could be considered a curse." [11:28:54] Lyla Lafferty Her voice takes on a serious tone as she adds, "Ancient magic holds immense power, beyond what our wands can channel. In fact, wands don't come into it. But with great power comes great risk, not just for those who can wield it, but also to those who can't.” She stops, looking to the students. “Now this question might be trickier to answer, i'm not expectin' an answer but i'll ask nevertheless. What makes Ancient Magic difficult for us to truly study?” [11:31:19] Lyla Lafferty "Ah Miss Dashwood, what yous got for me?" [11:34:08] Eilidh Dashwood put her hand down and then began to speak, once she was given permission. "Hi, thanks, professor. Glad tae be here another year.." She saluted and then cleared her throat as she put her thoughts together. "Well.. Ah believe it could be related tae its... Randomness? Well... More like... As ye said before, not everyone is blessed or cursed tae have it.. And not everyone has the same... Rite? So if the parameters dinnae align... It's hard tae take conclusions out of it? Ah dinnae ken, Ah'm no Ravenclaw or Flamelis... But that's my take on it." Solemnly. [11:37:43] Lyla Lafferty "Spot on, Dashwood!" She said, whacking the desk in front of her in an eccentric manner. Even the ability to see or be aware of the presence of ancient magic is gifted to only a small number of Wizardfolk. Most Wixen can't see it, feel it, or sense it in any way. This makes it incredibly difficult to study in depth." [11:38:10] Lyla Lafferty Her voice lowers, adding a layer of gravity to her words. "And let me tell ye, those who do possess the ability to sense ancient magic are often highly secretive and protective of it. They're not exactly publishin' their findings in 'Witch Weekly,' if ye catch me drift." She studies the room. “Any questions before we proceed?” [11:45:39] Link Delitch clears his throat and rests his quill down on the notebook. "Link Delitch, professor. It is truly random, professor? Those who possessed such a gift have had nothing in common? has there been a rough number documented as to how many people have had this ability to sense ancient magic?" [11:50:59] Lyla Lafferty listened to the first year eagerly, nodding as he talked. “Good question, yous could say nothing in life is truly random.” She said in a faux mystical way. “There have been known to be coincidences, things that stand out. Those who came to our Academy from Hogwarts might be familiar with th’ story that many an ancient magic practitioner encountered their abilities in their fifth year at the school. Yet, nobody is able to draw any real conclusion as to the significance of that. Magic being magic, all a bit bonkers.” [11:56:17] Lyla Lafferty "Jus' cause you've passed fifth year don't mean yous ain't got the gift though!" She shrugged, heading back to the middle walkway. ""Now, ye might be wonderin' how we're goin' to approach this elusive subject in this course given that 99% percent of this room can't even see the darn magic. Well, the best way to begin to understand ancient magic is to go back to *the old ways.* We'll be lookin' at how ancient wixen used to practice, the methods they employed, and the storied past of this unique form of magic." [11:57:08] Lyla Lafferty She straightens up and starts to walk slowly around the room, making eye contact with each student as she speaks. "By explorin' the past, proper witchy stuff, we'll get a better grasp of ancient magic's unique nature. We'll delve into some fascinatin' case studies, look at the ethics involved, and then, only then we can even entertain learning specific types of magic involved. It's a journey filled with both wonder and caution, so let's embark on it with open minds and respectful hearts." [11:58:11] Lyla Lafferty She pauses, letting her words resonate with the students. "Now then, let's do somethin' shall we? Gather around this table at the front. Come on now.” [12:01:20] Lyla Lafferty moves to the side of her desk where a small table has been set up. On it sits a bowl of clear water and a seemingly ordinary piece of old, rusty metal. "Ah, now we come to the part I know ye've all been waitin' for—the practical experiment." She looks at it. "I know it ain't as excitin' as climbing a mountain or shooting wands at eachother but it's summit." [12:02:09] Lyla Lafferty She picks up the rusty metal piece, holding it up for the class to see. "This may look like a piece of junk to ye, but it's actually something far more excitin'. Don't worry, it ain't gonna hurt ye... Well, at least it didn't last year. Given i've been here for one year, i'd call it 100% success rating." Setting the metal piece back on the table, she looks up and smiles. "Now, who would like to volunteer for this experiment? Don't be shy. [12:08:37] Lyla Lafferty "Right Eddie... It may very well hurt ye..." She says before chuckling. "Ah, I'm joking... Relax... Jeez. As Dashwood said, you'll get used to it." She straightened up. "Tthank ye for volunteerin'. Now, what I'd like ye to do is use yer wand and cast a spell to levitate this piece of ancient metal and gently place it into the bowl of water here." She steps back, giving the volunteer ample space to perform the spell. [12:12:31] Runespoor Academy - HUD 1.0: [Eddie Pyne] attempted level 3 casting: great success (rolled a 9.50) [12:12:40] Eddie Pyne 's cheeks seem to darken as he realises that he's been had. "Very funny..." he grumbles, fumbling in his sleeve for his wand. His hands are shaking now, but he takes aim at the piece of metal and concentrates on his swish and flick. [12:14:44] Lyla Lafferty As the rusty metal piece levitates and then descends into the bowl, the water starts to shimmer subtly, emitting a soft glow. "Ah, look at that!" she exclaims, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "Anyone know what's going down in our little bowl?” [12:18:01] Charlie Crowley stares into the rusty piece and the water. She hears Cyrus and looks back to the bowl. "Logically speaking, the space previously contained by the water is being invaded by the rusty piece." She doesn't finishing her words as the water begins to splash around. She takes a step back. "And now the water in need of more space, has done so." [12:20:16] Lyla Lafferty "Class ain't it!" She remarks, looking excitedly at the little bubbling bowl of delights. [12:20:47] Eddie Pyne stands on his tiptoes, trying to get an aerial view of the bowl. "Um... my dad has a machine at home that makes water carbonated. Is it like that...?" [12:21:32] Cyrus Velasquez puts his hands before his core defensively. "What's going on?" He looks puzzled, and slightly concerned, he steps back as much as he can without falling back onto the desk. [12:21:39] Lyla Lafferty “The metal that you're seeing, comrades, is what you might class as a relic, an artifac. They're highly sought after... Often for the wrong reason. This one is weak, it's not particularly special and from what I can gather, it once was a chain in an old drawbridge, sealed with protective ancient magic." [12:22:19] Lyla Lafferty "Does it need space, Dashwood? Don't we all?" She laughed. "Now, even though most can't sense ancient magic, its presence can still interact with the elements in ways that are visible to all. You can't see the magic, you can't touch it, feel it, smell it, can ye? No. Ah but what you can see is a small but significant example of how ancient magic permeates the world around us, often in ways we might not even realize."" [12:30:45] Lyla Lafferty raised her hand, no wand in sight and watched as the bowl and the water perfectly lifted off the table. "Ancient magic, has many mysteries, folks." She smiles as the bowl of water spins round, upside down with the water remaining inside the bowl. "That's this weeks lesson completed." She turns to them all. [12:31:42] Lyla Lafferty "Now, for next week, we're takin' our learnin' outside the classroom. We'll be embarkin' on a late-night, nocturnal walk around our very own Runespoor Academy. It's a chance to explore the ancient magic that exists right here, in our own doorstep." [12:31:43] Lyla Lafferty Her eyes sparkle with anticipation as she adds, "So bring yer curiosity, yer sense of adventure, and maybe a warm cloak—it can get a bit nippy at night. We'll delve into the mysteries that have been under our noses this whole time.” She pauses for a moment, letting the excitement build. "I can't wait to see what we'll discover together. Until then, study up, stay curious, and take care of yerselves." With that, she gives a nod, signalling the end of the lesson. "Class dismissed. See ye all next week for our nocturnal adventure!"

[12:00:43] Lyla Lafferty stands at the bottom of the great hall steps, her eyes gleaming with a mix of excitement and solemnity. "Good evenin', me darlin' students. Tonight, we're embarkin' on a journey unlike any other—a nocturnal tour of our very own Runespoor Academy.” She gestured around her trying to look impressive. “Ah, I bet ye're all wonderin' why we're doin' this tour at night, eh? Is it because ancient magic reveals itself more in the dark? Or perhaps the spirits are more active? Anybody?” She looks out at the students. [12:05:51] Lyla Lafferty “Well, if yer gonna be all quiet now... I'll tell you. Truth be told, it's mainly for the crack of it! Night time just has a better atmosphere, don't ye think? Makes everythin' a bit more mysterious and excitin'. There aren't many rules but keep these in yer heads. Keep together, keep yer wits about ye and for Merlin's sake, don't touch anythin' unless I say so. We are going to look at a few interesting items of which you might not even know are related to ancient magic.” [12:06:56] Lyla Lafferty "It's important to study the things around us, before we look at the nuts and bolts... I think that's the expression. Ancient magic has been a part 'o this part of the country since the dawn of time and it also has been a part of this academy." [12:07:53] Lyla Lafferty "We head first, down the potions corridor. Keep up and look out for lost folks. Come come." With that, she heads off towards the potions door. [12:10:29] Lyla Lafferty trailed down the steps into the darker catacombs. "I love a bit 'o darkness. Makes everything better. Right, pile in." [12:12:03] Lyla Lafferty "Ah, here we are," she says, stopping in front of a grand portrait of a woman with piercing eyes and an air of mystery. "This is Elara the Enigmatic. She was a pioneer in the study of ancient magic, one of the famous 'Wyrdweaver Conclave', a group of ancient minds who used this very site, the Runes Nest, as their meeting place. She helped us develop what we consider to be the fundamental principals of ancient magical casting. Anyone fancy asking her a question?" [12:12:08] Lyla Lafferty "Be patient, in her research stages she had many failed ancient magical attempts, one of which left her with a rather aggressive stutter. Still, she doesn't mind being asked a question or two." The portrait nods and waits to see if anyone wishes to ask her a question... [12:14:41] Charlie Crowley looked at the portrait of the woman and blinked. Not once, but twice. She'd tilt her head and look at the woman on the portrait. "Any sort of question?" She suddenly spoke, and faced the painting again. "What did you use as reference for the fundamentals of Ancient Magic casting?" [12:19:19] The painting slowly turns it's head to the deadpan girl. "We were very f-f-fortunate. Each of us excelled in the a-a-a-ancients. We relied upon our own sense of feeling. The sensation of e-e-e-motion. Know thyself and k-know thy magic... Dear girl" The painting then turned back to her stationary, if slightly snobbish pose. [12:21:03] Declan Cobain: leans down a little to hear E's whispers. The penny drops for him and his tension eases a little. At least, it wasn't the potions mistress. He hand goes to chin in thought about what he'd have an ask about for ancient magics. After hearing the painting speak, he'd add..."No training needed then? Very powerful indeed." [12:24:42] The painting then looked towards Declan curiously. "Books and s-s-study were not p-possible. Practice and u-u-understanding are as good of a training as any." She nodded, her feather flopping around. [12:27:32] Ignatious Aldric nodded to Elara's response to Declan's question. He understands the wisdom behind it. He steps closer then and asks. "How dangerous is the pursuit for knowledge in Ancient Magics?" [12:31:35] The painting leans in, her face getting flustered and red. "D-Danger lies not just in the p-power of the magic but it lies within the h-h-h-h-HEART of the pursuer! Those of weak disposition shall p-p-pay the price! L-l-leave me! Be gone!" The lady then held her hand up, turning her head from the group. The Professor then turned to the group. "Probably best leave her to it, thank you, my dear lady!." The Prof then headed to the hall once more. [12:34:54] Lyla Lafferty "Ah, Captain Orion O'Sullivan, a man who sought ancient magical artifacts across the seven seas. Orion has many a tale to be to-?" The portrait of Orion bursts into action, not giving anyone a chance to speak. Orion bellows, his eyes widening dramatically. "The Golden Skull of Maris, a relic so dark, so malevolent, that even its creator couldn't bear its wickedness! Crafted with ancient magic and dark intentions, a force so potent it defies what yer wands can conjure and what mere mortal wixen minds can fathom!" [12:35:11] Lyla Lafferty "I think hes been practicing this since last year..." [12:38:30] Lyla Lafferty He pauses, letting the words hang in the air as he scans the room, making sure he has everyone's rapt attention. "Picture it! A skull, not of bone, but of pure gold, enchanted with magic so vile it'll make yer skin crawl! The dark wizard who crafted it was so horrified by what he'd done, he cast it into the ocean's abyss!" Orion's voice rises, filling the room with a sense of impending doom. "And now, any ship—ANY SHIP, I tell ye—that dares to sail near its watery tomb is cursed to meet a fate most terrible!" [12:41:36] He leans in closer to the students, his eyes almost glowing in the dim light. "You think I dare venture to find out such things, boy?! Wjy, I've seen grown wixen, brave wixen, quiver at the mere mention of it." She adjusts his tunic. "It reminds me of one time, the waves were as big as a wh-” Lafferty steps in front of him. “Come come now, let's not dilly dally towards the dining hall, back the way we came. Thanks Captain!” She quickly escorts the students onwards. [12:45:52] Lyla Lafferty Professor Lafferty leads the class to the next painting, this one featuring a stern-looking wizard with piercing eyes. "Ah, here we have Aelfrid Wyrdweaver, a wizard of great renown but also great tragedy," she begins, her voice tinged with a mix of respect and caution. "Wyrdweaver was a pioneer in the study of ancient magic, and he formed the Wyrdweaver Conclave to delve deeper into its mysteries." [12:46:34] She pauses, letting the weight of the name settle in. "But let me warn ye, ancient magic is not just powerful; it's perilous. Wyrdweaver grew obsessed, and the more he uncovered, the madder he became. His mind couldn't handle the immense force and complexity of what he was dealing with. It drove him to the brink of insanity." [12:47:02] Professor Lafferty leans in, her eyes meeting those of each student. "His portrait had to be enchanted, ye see, to keep him from screaming out and disturbing the entire academy. The man in this painting is a cautionary tale, a reminder that the pursuit of ancient magic should never be taken lightly." [12:48:46] Lyla Lafferty "He now is permanently hushed, his hand unable to leave his lips. Cruel? Perhaps? Necessary? Who knows. He's hung down here, mainly out of harms way. He can be quite unpleasant... You can see the need for his enchantment, I suppose." [12:49:40] Lyla Lafferty looked sad at the painting, it felt wrong to have the man silenced. Equally, she remembered his unpleasantness and borderline sinister nature with deep regret. [12:52:31] Lyla Lafferty sighed. "Ancient magic is as beautiful as it is wretched. Some call it an affliction. His painting hangs here, regardless, as he is just as much part of this academy's story as all of you are - m'dears!" [12:55:21] Lyla Lafferty takes one more look at the painting and then moves onwards."Have any of ye been in the caves yet?" She says, holding her wand to her face. [12:58:56] Lyla Lafferty "Aye, the caves dear boy! Yous are meant to be first years and yer not explorin' places that are probably out of bounds? What're you doin' like? Come come, follow me!" [13:01:04] Lyla Lafferty "These two statues are not anything to do with ancient magic but they don't half bicker eh!" She smiled. [13:02:09] Lyla Lafferty With a flick of her wand, Professor Lafferty lights the way as she guides the students toward the academy's hidden caves. "Now, mind yer step, everyone. These caves are as old as the hills and twice as tricky," she warns, her eyes twinkling with a mix of excitement and caution. "Yous follow the light, don't go the wrong way and don't leave the group. You gots me, i'll be bollo-I'll get in trouble." [13:04:24] As they walk, the atmosphere grows heavier, the air cooler. The walls of the cave seem to close in, as if guarding ancient secrets. "These caves are not just geological formations, ye know. Their history steeped in ancient magic, you could say this whole area is a natural fortress of sorts... Keep following now." she explains, her voice echoing off the stone walls. [13:06:19] Lyla Lafferty stops and turns to face the class. "Now, who can tell me what a Fidelius Charm is?" After a brief discussion, she continues, "Well, a powerful Fidelius Charm protects what we're about to see. On an ordinary day, you'd never know such things were down here. However, for today's class, i've lifted the spell to show you a little something." With a sense of reverence, she leads them deeper into the cave. "Anyone want to describe what they can see?" [13:07:57] Charlie Crowley looked around. Her amber eyes almost glinted with curiosity as they kept advancing. It was her first time there. When they finally reach the spot of interest, the half-veela tilts her head. "The.. Statue in praying motion?" She ventures. [13:10:02] Lyla Lafferty "Aye, a statue of woman praying for her lover and a few steps way, the desperate hand of her husband reaching out in vain." She takes a few steps. "These are no mere statues, but a tragic tale of love and the dangers of meddling with ancient magic," she begins, her voice tinged with sadness. [13:10:21] Lyla Lafferty "This hand belonged to a wizard named Mungaris Deliquent. He was desperate to bring back his deceased daughter and believed an ancient magical artifact could do it. His wife, the weeping woman yonder, stood by him. But ancient magic is not to be trifled with and artifacts to those who do not understand or are even able to cast ancient magic, can be deadly. The spell backfired, turning them both to stone, as you can see." she explains, her eyes meeting those of each student to emphasize the gravity of the tale [13:12:41] "Their love was strong, but their understanding of ancient magic was not. Mungaris and his wife remain here as a cautionary tale, a grim reminder that ancient magic is potent, unpredictable, and often perilous," she continues. "It's magic beyond the capabilities of wands, beyond what most wixen minds can even fathom" She pauses, letting the weight of the story sink in. "So, what do ye think is the lesson to be learned here?" she asks, looking around at the young faces, eager to hear their thoughts on the tragic tale they've just heard. [13:12:56] Declan Cobain: nods to the gravity of the situation. He peers in for a closer look. [13:13:40] Declan Cobain: sort of chuckles. He does that at the wrong time, sometimes. "Don't dance with the darkness." [13:14:07] Charlie Crowley blinks once. And twice. She had not realised about the hand shaped stone. "Oh." She muttered as the professor told them the tale. As the woman asks about what do they think, she ventures once more. "Logic tells us to act with caution. In general, but mostly with Ancient Magic." She nodded also to Declan's words. They had some sort of meaning that she liked. [13:16:55] Lyla Lafferty "You're bright as buttons, you lot! You're quite right, don't dance with the darkness and act with caution. The Ancients demand respect, if not fear. Only then can you master ancient magic with a clear heart and make positive change." She lifted her wand once more. "Any final questions? Once you're done, we'll head back to the grounds and call it a night." [13:19:13] Declan Cobain: shook his head.. "Seems like it's not only a danger, but an addiction then?" He wasn't sure he needed another one. [13:20:09] Charlie Crowley nodded. Tilted her head. And finally asked, right after Declan. "Do you think there might be a correlation with Ancient Magic and madness? It seems like these examples went against logic and ended on a tragic story. Madness for one. Death for others." She vaguely points to the lovers. "However, didn't they end in some sort of madness end? As love seems to be. Irrational as well." Expressionless as usual. [13:20:36] Lyla Lafferty "The practice itself isn't addictive but those with fragile minds can become overwhelmed by the power of it all." [13:21:52] Lyla Lafferty moves her wand to the hand. "Don't let this lesson discourage curiosity though. The ministry makes sure we teach the realities often covered by ancient magic, before showin' and tellin' you the more beneficial side of the practice." [13:23:04] Charlie Crowley nods, somewhat satisfied with the answer. She looks up to Declan, to the side at Eilidh, and back to the professor. "I suppose it can also achieve interesting things." [13:23:18] Declan Cobain: gives an intrigued nod. "I'll look forward to that." And, he would! "Knowing both sides of a 'story' is the best way to unbiasedly learn about something." [13:26:01] Lyla Lafferty "Aye, Crowley. The impossible can indeed sometimes be possible. Ancient magic is potent, raw magic. Contrary to the ol' Hogwarts belief, maybe even one of yurselves might be able to wield it!" She smiled to the pair of them. "Total understanding creates total clarity." With that, she began to shuffle through the passageway and back to the academy entrance. [13:30:13] Lyla Lafferty "Right you lot! That's yer lot! Thanks for coming, you've been grand!" She beamed. "No homework or anything like, just be mindful like and heed the words of those who came before you. Enjoy the rest of your evening!"