nuclear_snide: (canny)
Bob ([personal profile] nuclear_snide) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2015-03-31 12:19 am

Defending Yourself Against Magic | Tuesday, 4th period

Bob was uncharacteristically silent as the students filed in, and he stood there and looked at them all for a long moment once they were there. A class on defence against magic, and he had failed half of them already.

Bob sighed.

"I'm not going to tell you - those of you who fell victim to this latest attack or those of you who never noticed it - that you should have known better. You should have, but knowledge is only a partial defence. Strong enough magic can take in anyone. I'm not going to tell you that I'm disappointed in those of you who succumbed or those of you who didn't protect them; my good opinion isn't the most important thing here."

He took a deep breath. "Ideally, I would be able to show you the difference between beneficial and harmful magic - the white and the black. But the truth is, sometimes the difference is elusive. And even if I could, it would be irresponsible of me to expose any of you to the black any more than you already have been."

He looked at those who'd bought things from Gaunt; his expression was sad, but not judgmental. "I know some of you are still recovering. I hope the worst you get from this is a bit of illness and embarrassment. Because as you've already learned, the black can be addictive. The easy power it gives is heady. But in the end, the one it harms the most is you. Believe me, I speak from experience.

"So, for today's lesson, we talk," he said. "I would like for those of you who've been through this to speak to the rest of the class. Tell those who haven't felt it what it was like. Explain its seductiveness and how it lured you in. Use your experience to help them avoid it. Use your experience to teach."

Make of that wording what you would.
not_every_mage: ([neu] earnest)

Re: Discuss

[personal profile] not_every_mage 2015-04-01 12:05 am (UTC)(link)
"Yes, I don't know her well enough to say, and no," Anders answered, with a tiny smile to Elsa. "Elsa's not from a world where this kind of thing happens. I am. I'm not going to beat myself up over it forever, but I can't wave it away as 'oh, everyone messes up, tra la.''"
not_every_mage: ([pos] fond of you)

Re: Discuss

[personal profile] not_every_mage 2015-04-01 12:52 am (UTC)(link)
Anders' smile was still small, but nonetheless genuine. "That's -- a good way of looking at it," he said. "Thank you."