fandomhigh | Magical Theory 101 (Wednesday, 01/11/2006, 4th Period)

{{Class is closed for grading.}}

Jenny stood at the front of the classroom. The door to the hallway was closed to minimize disturbances to the lecture. If anyone left the door open on their way in, Jenny asked them to please close the door behind them.

After the students signed in and took their seats, Jenny started today's lecture.

"Okay, first off, one thing I forgot to mention on Monday, guys. That's my detention policy. Cause a disturbance in class? Possible detention, depending on the disturbance. Miss two classes? Detention. Unless you have a good reason. Come and talk to me if you do."

{{OOC: In other words, I get that RL can come up in a heartbeat Let me know if it does.}}

"My introduction on Monday? Kinda sparse too. As you know, I'm Ms. Calendar, your teacher. And my magical knowledge involves practically breathing this stuff in as I grew up. I come from a specific familial and cultural tradition, and it looks like we might have some more people in the class who're from a fam trad. We'll be covering that concept later in the term. Questions on that?

Now, on to the lecture. The principles of sympathy, contagion, and antipathy. Not so yicky as it sounds. These are the basics on how to cast a spell on someone--or how a spell can be cast on you. Sympathy's easy. Like attracts like. Roses are a symbol of love, right? Therefore, you'd use rose petals in a love spell.

Now, love spells? Whole different story. And let me make this really darn clear to you guys: Do not be casting love spells. Almost invariably? They're gonna go wrong. No questions on that; we'll be dealing with the topic later in the term.

Right. Moving on. Voodoo dolls are a representation of a person. And therefore? Sympathetic. Get a bit of hair or some nail clippings on the person you're making a voodoo doll--also known as a poppet--of, and you're starting to get into the principle of contagion here. A small bit of something can affect the greater whole. In other words, you got a sample of someone's hair? You can affect the body. So if you're not in the mood to have a spell cast on you? Ditch the nail clippings, get rid of the hair from your hair brush, and blood? Do not be leaving your blood around for anyone to get ahold of. Blood is powerful magic, guys.

Antipathy's a little more complicated in practice, but in theory, it's not so bad. To boil it down: opposites repel. A cross drives off a vampire. Silver and werewolves? Generally not gonna find them in each other's company either. Salt and zombies don't get along so well either, just so you guys know. Rumor has it they've been a concern in the past. An exorcism is a whole big pile of antipathy heaped on a malignant spirit. In another way of putting it--anything that's been done? Can be undone. No spell's permanent. Laws of magic say there's gotta be a loophole somewhere, and if you look hard enough? You're probably gonna find it.

Next week? We'll get into the concept of expending magical energy. Today? Let's start talking about sympathy, contagion, and antipathy. You can discuss the classroom material either with your classmates, or with me.

{{OOC: OCD comment threads ~~going up shortly~~ are up. Comment away!}}

Useful Links:
Ms. Calendar's Voice Mail
Ms. Calendar's E-Mail

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...

Logan lingered after class to talk to Miss Calendar.

"Hey, Logan," said Jenny, looking up from where she was gathering her things together. "What's up?"

{{OOC: Leaving work very shortly, and likely won't be back on regularly for 2-3 hours.}}

"I had a question about the spell used on Angelus," Logan said.

"If it's about that one? I probably have an answer," said Jenny. "So, what's your question? And how come you're asking?"

"I have a personal interest in making sure that soul stays put," Logan said with a tight smile. His hand went unconsciously to the cross at his throat, and a recently-healed bite scar was visible on his neck. "So I pretty much want to know everything about it, but especially what the deal is with the loophole."

"You and me both," said Jenny. A minute shake of her head cleared away the memories of her last night with Angelus. "The loophole? It's a simple one, but if you're thinking that 'perfect happiness' is a thinly-veiled metaphor for 'orgasm,' you'd be wrong."

"What's it mean, then?" Logan asked.

"Exactly what it says." Jenny finished gathering her stuff and left it in a pile on her desk. She picked up her coffee mug, came around to the front of the desk, and leaned back against it to talk to Logan. "Perfect happiness. Angel ever stops suffering, maybe feels like a human being instead of a vampire, even for an instant? Bye-bye soul, hello psycho stalker vampire." She shrugged. "The reasoning behind it's a little more complicated that that, if you want it."

"Sure, share." Logan frowned. "So it could be anything? I mean, like, hanging out with his puppy could turn him evil?"

"Could hanging out with his puppy give him a moment of perfect happiness?" asked Jenny. She shrugged, tapping her forefinger against her coffee mug. "Maybe. But puppies don't generally make a vampire feel human. The chovihani who fashioned the curse had a big ol' yen on making Angel suffer. Big. And since every curse has to have a loophole anyway? This was the one with maximum pain. Angelus would come back frothing at the mouth about having felt human."

"But what does that mean, 'feeling human'?" Logan demanded. "What causes it? How do we prevent it?"

"You don't have to worry about feeling human. You're a person. You know it. You take human affection as a given. Angel doesn't. He knows what he's done. His soul makes sure he feels the full weight of his sins. He knows he doesn't deserve what he's got." Jenny frowned as she spoke, her brow furrowed. "Thing is? You and I can't understand what it's like not to feel human. It's too innately ingrained in us."

"As to what could cause it? Anything," said Jenny. "But Angel's not the type to forget what he's done. Trust me on that one. That boy takes self-flagellation to whole new heights. But the only way to be absolutely positive that Angelus will never come back? Make Angel suffer. Constantly. Cut him off from all human contact. Make sure he lives off rats in alleys. But can you live with yourself if you do that to the guy?" Jenny gave Logan a searching look.

Logan laughed. "Yeah, I think I can deal."

"Angelus nearly killed you. Or I'm guessing that's what your shiny bite mark is from," said Jenny. She tilted her head and looked at Logan. "That's nothing. He did kill me. He's done worse to others. You ever research Drusilla's background?"

"I was raised to hate the guy, and I still can't bring myself to do it. Not Angel. You gonna give him a raw deal because he might go evil some day? Or are you gonna give him a chance, because Angel? He's really a hero type."

"On the other hand, he ever loses that soul?" Jenny smiled tightly, and the look in her eyes was bitter. "I've got no problems with fiery hate and raining a whole bunch of vengeance down on him."

"Yeah, I'll give him a raw deal if it's what keeps him from being evil," Logan said, folding his arms across his chest. The revelation that his teacher is dead isn't much of a shock. He really is adjusting to this weird life. "How many people could he hurt or kill before we get around to the fire and vengeance part?" He pointed to the scar on his neck. "This might be 'nothing' to you, but it's not something I feel the need to experience again."

"You know, I screwed up," said Jenny, after a long pause. "I shouldn't have said that it was nothing. It's a pretty big something."

"Depends on how long before someone notices he's Angelus again," said Jenny. "Which would probably not be so long as all that. Do you think my people haven't put safety measures in place when dealing with Mr. Soulful?"

Logan looked slightly mollified. "I don't know," Logan said. "Have they?"

Jenny frowned. "There are things I can't talk about," she said. "I probably shouldn't have mentioned even that much to you. Do me a favor and don't bring it up to anyone else? The bad guys would be far too curious to know, don't you think? But yeah. There's at least one early warning system in place. Though the more the merrier, you know?"

Logan nodded. "That's good to know," he said.

Magical Theory 101 (Wednesday, 01/11/2006, 4th Period)

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