Doesn’t it look different? And yes, the firsties do have that unformed look. I do actually adore working with them: they are so new and so nervous, and so full of possibilities. If one can get beyond their spelling and writing skills. (And I am glad my help with the stairs was of use.)
As to “Professor”, it took me more than a little time, though of course I was both quite young and most nervous about proving myself when I started, which did not help. (And while not in my classes, my youngest brother was still at school, along with all his friends and I was very much upon my rather stilted dignity for a while.) There are variants, from time to time - last year, a fair portion of the school went to calling me Professor Siz, at least ouside of class, and while I try not to admit it to them, it delights me entirely. (Raz is likewise often Professor Raz.)
Friday evenings will be lovely. I quite like my Friday evening classes - it’s my OWL class and then my 7th year NEWTs, so while it’s a long evening, they’re extremely willing to focus most of the time. And the latter, of course, adore the subect, or they’d not have come this far. A glass of wine over the course of a few hours would not be a problem, but I’ll demur in advance from anything more alcoholic than that: best practice is not to dull the senses when you are going to be on high towers with steep stairs in the dark of night.
As to the actual research, I suspect the language in the Arabic will not be so obscure as all that, fortunately. On the Chinese approach to astronomy, it’s certainly not an area I touch on all that often, but I do know the theory, and I’ve a few relevant reference books in my rooms. And the calculations are - well, not precisely the same method as we use, but numbers are more of a universal language than theories of the patterns in the sky. I’ll see if I can’t brush the cobwebs off this week, and if I can’t untangle it myself, I do know who to ask.
On Raz. Better kept for in person and in private. But briefly, it’s of a matter with Hannah Abbott’s death, and a situation last June. He does see his healers, and I leave it there because he so clearly does not wish to discuss it much with me.
As to the telescopes, I truly am philosophical about it. It helps that they were not my own (Raz, last Christmas, surprised me with the newest and most elaborate model - a hair wrong on that and my world falls to pieces.) Instead, Peeves played dominoes with my storage. Most of them are well enough, but one had a lens slipped entirely from its place, another had a bracket wrenched, both now mended. The last one, alas, the charms are noticeably weaker, and I shall have to beg for a replacement sooner than planned, but it should last the year.
Truth is, it’s been long enough since Peeves made trouble for me, I’d half expected it. He does take a turn for those newer, if he gets a chance, but we can hope he prefers Dolores over you as a target. Alas, there’s no particular trick to managing him beyond force of personality and a knack for distracting him into something that is less a bother. (If he’s truly a difficulty, you’ll likely remember from your school days that the Bloody Baron is a great ally.)
And now I've the prospect of a cheerful afternoon catching up with Pomona, and my final preparations for tomorrow. Do enjoy your last day without any looming marking for a while! A.
Re: Private message to Antosha
Doesn’t it look different? And yes, the firsties do have that unformed look. I do actually adore working with them: they are so new and so nervous, and so full of possibilities. If one can get beyond their spelling and writing skills. (And I am glad my help with the stairs was of use.)
As to “Professor”, it took me more than a little time, though of course I was both quite young and most nervous about proving myself when I started, which did not help. (And while not in my classes, my youngest brother was still at school, along with all his friends and I was very much upon my rather stilted dignity for a while.) There are variants, from time to time - last year, a fair portion of the school went to calling me Professor Siz, at least ouside of class, and while I try not to admit it to them, it delights me entirely. (Raz is likewise often Professor Raz.)
Friday evenings will be lovely. I quite like my Friday evening classes - it’s my OWL class and then my 7th year NEWTs, so while it’s a long evening, they’re extremely willing to focus most of the time. And the latter, of course, adore the subect, or they’d not have come this far. A glass of wine over the course of a few hours would not be a problem, but I’ll demur in advance from anything more alcoholic than that: best practice is not to dull the senses when you are going to be on high towers with steep stairs in the dark of night.
As to the actual research, I suspect the language in the Arabic will not be so obscure as all that, fortunately. On the Chinese approach to astronomy, it’s certainly not an area I touch on all that often, but I do know the theory, and I’ve a few relevant reference books in my rooms. And the calculations are - well, not precisely the same method as we use, but numbers are more of a universal language than theories of the patterns in the sky. I’ll see if I can’t brush the cobwebs off this week, and if I can’t untangle it myself, I do know who to ask.
On Raz. Better kept for in person and in private. But briefly, it’s of a matter with Hannah Abbott’s death, and a situation last June. He does see his healers, and I leave it there because he so clearly does not wish to discuss it much with me.
As to the telescopes, I truly am philosophical about it. It helps that they were not my own (Raz, last Christmas, surprised me with the newest and most elaborate model - a hair wrong on that and my world falls to pieces.) Instead, Peeves played dominoes with my storage. Most of them are well enough, but one had a lens slipped entirely from its place, another had a bracket wrenched, both now mended. The last one, alas, the charms are noticeably weaker, and I shall have to beg for a replacement sooner than planned, but it should last the year.
Truth is, it’s been long enough since Peeves made trouble for me, I’d half expected it. He does take a turn for those newer, if he gets a chance, but we can hope he prefers Dolores over you as a target. Alas, there’s no particular trick to managing him beyond force of personality and a knack for distracting him into something that is less a bother. (If he’s truly a difficulty, you’ll likely remember from your school days that the Bloody Baron is a great ally.)
And now I've the prospect of a cheerful afternoon catching up with Pomona, and my final preparations for tomorrow. Do enjoy your last day without any looming marking for a while!
A.