These are my tentative lesson plans for Charms. They will be updated as we progress in this class. Please check here frequently as I will not be reminding you of your studies. If there are any drastic changes in the course this will be the place to locate them.
You will be asked to demonstrate the charms you have learned during the semester. I will decide when.
If you require assistance in learning any of these spells, or are having difficulty, I can be reached for out of classroom help via owls or in person.
First Years
Lumos - causes your channeler to glow. A very handy spell for first years, especially because of the Catacombs. The brightness and the length of light emitted varies; a first time caster will likely have their channeler flicker until they can focus their energy enough to keep it lit. We will begin with this spell, and I expect you all to master it within the first week of classes.
Nox - causes any lightness caused by your channeler to be turned off. The counterpart of Lumos. A first time user may have to attempt multiple times in order to get their casted Lumos to stay off, as how long it takes varies due to proficiency, and the focus the caster has.
Second Years
Density - increases density of target. Since this spell makes the target heavier, it allows one to stop something from levitating, to bend an object downwards with weight, or to pull a prank on a friend before a party. A first time caster will likely have the object become too dense, in turn causing it to break. We will be beginning this spell on balloons, so please do practice on one. They can be found for fairly cheap in town.
Third Years
Summon - summons target. Straightforward: brings the target to you. Often used for lost items, or for objects you do not feel like getting up for. A first time caster will likely have the object drop on them en route to the caster. Either that, or come at such a rushing speed that the object hits the caster. It is recommended not to use sharp or heavy objects while training with this charm.
Fourth Years
Divinity- gifts user temporary flight. This is one of the hardest charms you will learn in my course. Thus, it will take the longest to master. It will take some time, and patience to learn the ability of flight. A first time caster will not feel any different, aside from a possible lightness in their step. I will give fourth years more of my attention when they require assistance with this spell.
That is all for now.
-- Caedah Pilon.
Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2014 3:56 pm
Week Two
First Years
Nox - causes any lightness caused by your channeler to be turned off. The counterpart of Lumos. A first time user may have to attempt multiple times in order to get their casted Lumos to stay off, as how long it takes varies due to proficiency, and the focus the caster has. You should be able to master this within the week. Demonstrate it to me by casting Lumos, and then Nox.
Second Years
Density - Continue practicing Density. This time, I would like you to levitate any object you are okay with dropping onto the floor at high speed. (I do not recommend electronics or anything ceramic. A book will do.) Why high speed? I expect it will take you some practice before you can return the object's density to what it originally was. If you have trouble getting it down, please refer to an older student before you come to me.
Third Years
Summon - Continue working on Summon. I do not expect you to master it right away, as it's a difficult charm. Start by summoning something only a few feet away the first few times, then work from there. Those taking the tamer course may also use this opportunity to practice their summon circles. Remember, this is more difficult the further the object you are trying to summon is, so be careful and don't overextend yourself.
Fourth Years
Divinity - Do not attempt the full spell quite yet. Focus on becoming lighter, light enough to fly, and when you feel you have accomplished this, visualize the wings sprouting from your back. I cannot stress this enough: Do not attempt the full spell yet. Last year a fourth year leaped off a cliff and Miss Harper had quite a mess waiting for her when the poor boy was carted into her office. Focus on feeling lighter, and visualizing your wings. They should be big and attached to your back - if they are not, they will not carry you. Show me when you believe you have accomplished this.
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2014 4:17 pm
Week Three
First Years
Bump - A simple spell that bumps the target away from you. It is always outward, and it's not difficult. To cast it, imagine an invisible force being pushed out in front of you. A warning, though: do not, under any circumstances, cast this on a person in a small space. Done wrong, Bump can potentially break bones. So practice with caution, and not on each other. If I see bumping in the courtyard, I'm taking points. This will be harder than Lumos and Nox, so be sure to practice.
Second Years
Fortify - If you still need to work on Density, feel free to, but we're moving on. Fortify hardens the target object. It will take practice to harden it more than just a little, so practice using bread or a pillow and test it before and after. Show me by the end of the week so I can gauge your progress.
Third Years
Summon - Continue to focus on Summon. Once again, start with summoning something you know well, and work up to something you don't. Keep in mind that you can only summon something you've seen before, so don't try to summon something like a large sum of cash if you've never seen it. Remember: your ability to summon depends on how well you know that item. Show me by the end of the week and summon your familiar if you have one, or an item you've brought from home.
Fourth Years
Divinity - Many of you are having difficulty visualizing wings, so I ask that you only work on that area of the spell this week. By the end of this week, you should be able to visualize your wings. Think: what sort of wings suit you? Feathered wings? Bat wings? Butterfly wings? Visualizing the wings is helpful because then it's much easier to fly. Once you have managed to visualize your wings, show me. Next week, we will start working on takeoff.
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 8:46 pm
Week Four
First Years
Bump - Several of you are having difficulty with Bump, so I thought we'd take another week to work on it. I have hung several pillows (on loan from the Janus) up in the classroom, so I'd like you to practice on those. Start soft, then work your way up to the point that you are able to bump the pillow up to the ceiling. Work on this over the week, and we'll get back to learning new things later.
Second Years
Fortify - Fortify is not easy, I understand. Practice over the week. If you're having trouble, send me an owl and I'll tutor you personally. For now, imagine a slice of bread, fresh out of the oven. It's very soft and spongy, yes? I think it might be delicious. Now, imagine that piece of bread slowly getting stale over the course of several days. It gets hard, right? Now look back to whatever you're practicing on, and imagine it as a piece of bread or something soft that eventually gets hard. (As a side note, biological males, if I discover you are practicing on your genitalia, I will be inclined to take points.)
Third Years
Summon - This is the last week we are working on Summon - I expect that you will be able to perform it by now. By the end of the week, I expect you to be able to summon a familiar object from at least thirty feet away. Summon is a very valuable charm if you practice it enough, so please work hard in class. I will go over the theory again and will be available after school hours for personal help.
Fourth Years
Divinity - We are not done. Not by a long shot. By now you should have a clear visualization of your wings. Now focus on bringing them into existence. For you, this should be a simple task as you are in your final year at Merlin. By the end of the week, I want to see you be able to conjure your wings. They should be coming from your back - feel free to enter Nimue's Forest and study the dragons at the Tower from afar if you need a reference. Or you can visit the Spring. Next week, we are going to work on making your body lighter, so don't waste too much time on this.
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Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 3:08 pm
Week Five
First Years
Bump - Do you have Bump down yet? No? This is your final week to work on it. If you do have it down, then work on making it better. Remember, your magic can always be better that what it is now. Bump things further and harder - I would highly recommend practicing outside for obvious reasons, and never on your classmates! Never on anything fragile either! I have had several students break my vases for practice reasons, and I will not have any more of it.
Second Years
Fortify - This is the last week we're working on this, so I hope you've gotten the hang of it. Just in case, we'll work on this again. Remember, you want to make what is soft, solid. Take a blade of grass and make it stiff and brittle. Take a cushion and make it hard as a rock. Do what you need to to master this. Also, for you mystics, I understand that the transition from channeler to yourself is difficult, so if you need extra time please let me know.
Third Years
Banish - We have been working on Summon for quite some time. Now it's time to move on to its sister spell, Banish. Banish does exactly what it sounds, except it's a little trickier than Summon. Unlike Summon, where you needed to picture the object you were summoning, now you must see the place you are banishing it to. And, like Summon, this is more difficult depending on the distance between you and your target. So start small, and work up.
Fourth Years
Divinity - We're almost done, just a few weeks longer. Focus on imagining your body to be lighter than anything. Air, feathers... so on and so forth. When you have that feeling down, materialize your wings and try to flap them. You will not lift off the ground, most likely, but this should be good practice for next week when we actually do. Do not try to get airborne either, unless you have my explicit permission. I don't want you to hurt yourself.
Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 1:12 pm
Week Six
First Years
Air Marks - We're moving on to a very useful spell - Air Marks. Air Marks lets you trace lines in the air - it's helpful for writing when you're unable to speak, for example, as well as drawing diagrams to explain things. The trick is keeping the marks in the air. Imagine your channeler to be a pencil or a pen or a quill, and just trace a line or two in the air. Odds are it will disappear as soon as you trace it, so keep practicing.
Second Years
Grow - Ready to move on? Good. I have placed on all of your desks a fake flower. We're moving on to Grow, a spell that, obviously, makes things grow. Imagine the flower on your desk getting larger as you pour energy into it. Now actually do it. Cast your magic on it, and make it grow. I'll be coming around to see how you're doing. I don't expect you to get this - we have a few weeks to work on it.
Third Years
Banish - Let's keep working on Banish. I have placed a fake flower on each of your desks (some of them are larger than others, but work with it anyway). By the end of the week, I want you to be able to Banish it as far as my desk. Imagine it like a magnet. Magnets have two poles, and when you put two of the same pole near each other, they repel. Repel the flower as if you are both magnets of the same poles.
Fourth Years
Divinity - This is the final week we're working on this. I do not expect you to have it down perfectly, but that's alright. We're going to try flying this week, so for that reason you may have noticed that there are a lot of safety mats around the classroom. Materialize your wings again and flap them, but this time focus on your body being lighter than anything and visualize yourself in the air. Get at least two feet off the ground to pass, and fly around the classroom a little for a higher grade. Good luck. Next week we'll be moving on to Telekinesis.
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Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 2:47 pm
Week Seven
First Years
Air Marks - Some of you are improving! The more you practice, the longer you can keep the marks in the air. I'll be coming around this week, so by the start of this week I expect you should be able to write your name and keep it there long enough to be read. By the end of the week, you should be able to keep it longer, so long as you practice. We're moving on from this next week, so please be prepared. Some of you are beginning to fall behind, and it's early in the year so I don't want that. If you need help, please, see me after class.
Second Years
Grow - A lot of you are having trouble. I have no idea how Miss Thakkar taught herself Shrink instead of Grow. This is alright, just continue to practice in class and on the flowers. If you need it smaller, call me over and I will shrink it for you so you can continue. If you practice on your own after class, please be careful and do not grow anything that is living or important to someone! Do not cast Grow on your classmates, and do not cast it on anything that may be of value. Fake flowers and such are fine, as they are very cheap and easy to come by, but please do not try anything that may have serious consequences until you are more confident in this spell.
Third Years
Banish - We're going to be working on Banish some more this week. Some of you are doing well, while some of you can't even Banish the flower three feet. Imagine it as a more controlled form of Bump; you are moving the object away from you, but this time you have a fixed location in mind. Don't shoot for something too far. Go out into the halls with a partner and practice Banishing your fake flower down the hall.
Fourth Years
Telekinesis - We're moving on from Divinity to Telekinesis. You are free to work on Divinity in your spare time, as I imagine you haven't mastered it quite yet.
Telekinesis is a spell that allows you to move objects through the air with your power. The distance this works is up to you, of course, but first you need to practice. You all learned Levitation as first years, yes? This is somewhat similar, but it is much more controlled and precise. While Levitation lets you float objects and move them to a certain degree, you do not have a lot of control beyond the object's height. The object can flip upside down and that can prove troubling if you're moving, say, a goldfish bowl. So this week I want you to Levitate the stack of books on your desk, but try to exercise more control and don't let the stack topple over. This will probably take a few tries, but trust me, this will help you in the future. We'll be working on Telekinesis til the end of the semester.
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 8:47 pm
Week Eight
First Years
Cat's Eye - Today we're moving on to a very useful spell. Cat's Eye sharpens your vision for a short period of time, making it useful to see things from afar or make out something in the distance more clearly. (If you are into playing those ridiculous shooting games, I suppose it could be helpful for that too.) Pair up with someone and use each other for reference. Point your wand at your eyes and imagine the world sharpening, clearing up, being easier to see anything and everything. (If you wear glasses - imagine you are putting on glasses for the first time.) Then release your energy. If you did this correctly, your partner should see your eyes turning red. Once this fades, swap roles. I'll be coming around to make sure you aren't poking your eyes out.
Second Years
Grow - Excellent - you are all improving. Today, we're going to focus on making Grow stop so you don't make something larger than it's supposed to be. As you can see, I have left two flowers on your desk - one that is normal size, and one that is larger. Grow the one that is smaller to the size of the one that is larger, but stop it before it gets too big. Cut the power off at just the right time. I am confident you can do this. We'll be moving on to Shrink next week, so be prepared. But if you managed Grow this well, I don't think we'll have many problems.
Third Years
Banish - You are all at different levels, and I understand that. Some of you are even recovering from some rough experiences. So for this reason, we're going to work on Bump for a while longer. Those of you that are ahead, I want you to try something a little more challenging: Summon something from far away (say, your dorm room) and then Banish it back to the same spot. The rest of you, continue practicing in the hall. And don't Banish anything heavy or sharp - please be cautious of any traffic in the halls.
Fourth Years
Telekinesis - Some of you did well on the stack of books last week, while some of you didn't. Those that didn't, work on it more. Those of you that did well, here's something that will prove a challenge in control: take the stack of books again and Levitate them again. This time around, turn them upside down and right side up - without disturbing the stack. If you're having trouble with this, see the stack as a whole object and not just several objects stuck together. I'll be coming around to make sure you aren't dropping books on anyone's heads.
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Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 5:55 pm
Week Nine
First Years
Cat's Eye - We'll be working on this for one more week. Pair up with someone different and cast Cat's Eye again. One interesting fact about this spell - you can use it on other objects, like telescopes and binoculars, to enhance them as well. Anyway, continue working on this and I'll quiz you on it at the end of the week. We're moving on to a more difficult spell next week, so be prepared. I have confidence in you all.
Second Years
Shrink - We start Shrink this week. It's the exact opposite of Grow, so I don't think it should give you all that much trouble. I've resized all the flowers and left them on your desks. Imagine the flower getting smaller as you compress it to become tiny. Then actually do it. I'll be coming around and checking progress. We'll be working on this for a bit, so don't worry. (If memory serves, this is our final spell of the semester.)
Third Years
Bubble - We're on the last stretch. This is a spell that can create a bubble of air in any environment. It's good for keeping rain away, or if you're drowning. To cast it, Levitate some water and then force some out the inside. It'll take a few tries, so do this over the basins, and for heavens' sake don't throw your water at other students or we'll all be soaked in minutes.
Fourth Years
Telekinesis - Continue where you are. For those of you ready to move on - now that you've mastered spinning it in a circle and seeing the stack of books as a single object, here's something more complicated. Stop thinking of it in terms of a single, solid object, and think of it as a single object with many parts. That's the key to Telekinesis - the way you reshape your thinking. With that theory in mind, arrange the books in a circle in the air. If you can't do this yet, don't worry and just keep practicing. I'll be helping where I can.
Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 8:22 pm
Week Ten
First Years
Levitation - We'll be working on this spell until end of semester. I'm proud of you all for managing through so far, and I'm confident you will master this spell in time. Levitation does exactly what it sounds like - it makes things float. More complex techniques can turn this into the opposite of Density, a spell you will learn in second year. For now, though, let's just focus on lifting things off the ground. Take out one of your books, and imagine it slowly lifting off your desk, hovering only a few inches in the air. Then take out your wand, and make it happen. I will be coming around and helping.
Second Years
Shrink - This week's exercise will be similar to when we were practicing Grow. I have placed a pre-shrunken flower on your desk. Please do your best to shrink the flower I give you to the size of the flower already shrunken. I will be coming around offering assistance wherever I can.
Third Years
Bubble - Let's work on this some more this week. You water users are doing exceptionally well, I've noticed, but let's try to keep the water manipulation to a minimum, please. At the end of term, we're going to test these by dunking in the river, so practice!
Fourth Years
Telekinesis - Continue at your own pace. For those of you who are ready for the next level, continue practicing as usual, but from increasingly large distances. Next week, we'll try heavier objects, and then we'll combine the two. Keep working, and don't give up. This is a complicated technique, but when you master it it may be the most useful spell you learn. (Aside from Glamour, of course, but that's another story.)
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Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2014 4:02 pm
Week Eleven
First Years
Levitation - Good work last week, but I noticed a lot of you were having trouble. I expected this, though, which exactly why we're taking our time with this. Keep imagining the object rising into the air. As you progress, keep working with heavier objects - I have everything ranging from feathers to bowling balls.
Second Years
Shrink - Keep working. You're almost there. This week we're going to do something a little different - I don't want to give you too much work with the... extra work added. So, I've placed a normal flower, a grown flower, and a shrunken flower all on your desk. Grow and Shrink the normal flower until you get the rhythm of it. I'll be coming around to help.
Third Years
Bubble - Okay, don't pretend like I didn't see you. I saw several of you lounging around last week. You think you have this down? Really? Okay, fine, let's test it out. Leave the classroom and come back with something expensive, precious to you, or electronic. Or all three. Go on. I'll wait.
...
You're back? Great. Didn't dally too long in the hallways, I hope? Give them all to me. I am going to dunk them in this tank of water, one by one, and at random, so be alert and prepared to cast Bubble around it if you have any hope of it in working condition again.
Fourth Years
Telekinesis - Continue at your own pace. For added complexity, add more objects to the pile. The more objects you can control at once, the more refined your control will become. There really isn't a lot to teach right now, since this spell is mostly taught through experience. I will be around if you accidentally drop something expensive, so give me a holler if you need me.
Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 6:10 pm
Week Twelve
First Years
Levitation - This is the last week before review, so please work extra hard. This week, I want you to pair up, pick a mat on the floor, and take turns levitating each other. Don't do anything fancy, just lift them up and put them down. If you're about to lose control, please lose control over a mat and not the hardwood floor. I'm sure your partner will appreciate that.
We'll be reviewing everything covered this semester next week.
Second Years
Shrink - You're all doing fantastic. But don't slack off - the midterm is right around the corner. This time around we're going to do something a little fun. As you can see, there's a flower on your desk as usual. Shrink it as small as possible, then swap seats with a classmate, use Cat's Eye, and find the shrunken flower and grow it back to normal size. Repeat until the end of the period.
We'll be reviewing everything covered this semester next week.
Third Years
Bubble - My my, seems that last week's tactic worked. All of you are suddenly much better at Bubble than before. Then you won't have a problem showing your skills again this week, right? I went to the pharmacy and bought some of those silly dinosaur sponges that expand upon touching water. Your job is to keep a bubble around for as long as possible. Have fun.
We'll be reviewing everything covered in this semester next week.
Fourth Years
Telekinesis - Continue at your own pace. Wood, wake up and stop drooling all over your desk. I don't really have much more to teach you for this, so just practice and maybe start reviewing Divinity.
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Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 1:26 pm
Week Thirteen
First Years
Review - Next week's the midterm, as you should all know. We'll be reviewing everything in class today. First, we learned Lumos, which causes your channeler to glow. Everyone please cast Lumos now. Good. Immediately after that we learned Nox, which turns the light off. Go ahead and cast that. Excellent. Then we learned Bump, which is an invisible force that pushes the target away from you. I'm going to throw these pillows at each of you, please Bump them away from me.
Next was Air Marks, which allows you to trace lines in the air. Please write your name in your native language using Air Marks. Good. Then we learned Cat's Eye, which sharpens your vision and lets you see things you otherwise wouldn't be able to. Everyone please cast Cat's Eye on yourself or your glasses now and read this very small piece of parchment. Finally, we learned Levitation, which makes things float. Please take a spare quill out of your bag and make it float.
Good. I think you all won't have anything to worry about for the midterm.
Second Years
Review - You guys learned four spells this semester. Let's go over them one at a time. Density increases the density of an object, making it heavier and a good way to bring down something that's levitating. I've left various objects levitating around for you to practice this on. Next we covered Fortify, which hardens the target object. Some of the objects levitating are pillows helpfully lent from Janus dorms, so feel free to practice on those. Third we covered Grow, which makes things grow, and Shrink, which makes things shrink. I have left a few toy flowers on each of your desks.
Please use your time wisely. The midterm is next week.
Third Years
Review - You learned three spells - Summon, Banish, and Bubble. Since we are at the end of a long hallway, please use that to practice the first two. I have a barrel of water here and several ornaments left over from decorating the Christmas trees to drop into it. When I call your name, come up and show me Bubble by bringing the ornament out dry. Until then, go work on Summon and Banish.
Fourth Years
Review - We only covered two spells - Divinity, which grants temporary flight, and Telekinesis, which is the ultimate in object manipulation. Since this is your fourth year, I don't think I have to tell you how to review, so please make sure you study. Those with top marks will be given the option to leave the Academy of Merlin early.
Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 1:34 pm
Week Fourteen
First Years
Midterm - We're going to the Practice Fields for this. I have set up an obstacle course for you to get through. There are keys that will only reveal themselves under the light of a Lumos, as well as those that will only appear when you put it out with Nox. There are doors that only open with Bump, clues you can only see with Cat's Eye, and puzzles you can only solve with Levitate. I will wait at the end, and you will draw the image I show you with Marks. (Note: points will not be taken for artistic skill.)
Second Years
Midterm - You may notice that the desks in the room are missing. Look up. Yes, there they are, on the ceiling. If you can get them down with Density, there is a key inside. Find your respective safes and Fortify them so you can actually unlock it, and then Shrink and Grow the puzzle pieces inside to their proper sizes and solve the puzzle. This is not a race, so don't treat it like one. Miss Thakkar, please don't cheat by floating up to your desk.
Third Years
Midterm - Oh my. Your electronics vanished? How did that happen? You may have to Summon them to find them. And do it quick before I drop them into the barrel of water, unless you're savvy enough to Banish them from my hands or get a Bubble around them.
Fourth Years
Midterm - I will push you off a cliff. I hope you were practicing Divinity.
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Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2015 11:38 am
That's a wrap for the first semester! Good luck, and I'll see you all after break.
