Hex The Sneezing Hex, First Year

Professor Edit: While there were some spells that did not require specific wandmovements, this particular hex was not one of them. Zahid was not quite sure if the Slytherin had momentarily forgotten that fact or intended one last repetition of the incantation before casting... but the boy's reaction implied the former. He did not let that stop himself, though, and his next attempt succeeded. "Well done, Mr. Mirador."

Steleus learned

• ɢᴇꜱᴜɴᴅʜᴇɪᴛ •
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History of Magic Classroom

For someone who had always appreciated seeking knowledge, History of Magic was far more interesting to Aurelius than some other subjects at Hogwarts. He enjoyed learning, pursuing information, so it made sense that the Irish boy held a preference for the class. Still, every so often, things aligned and Aurelius was able to enjoy both a gain in knowledge and a practical lesson in spell use. It was no secret that Aurelius was seeking to join the duelling team for Slytherin.

It might not be as complex as some other spells, Aurelius thought to himself, as he watched Professor Zahid, listening attentively to the man at the front of the class. But Steleus could be useful, because it causes the target to close their eyes while sneezing...

There was confirmation shortly after, as the Professor mentioned the usefulness in duelling, which caused Aurelius to nod to himself. Indeed, the Sneezing Hex would only add to his duelling arsenal, when it came time to prove his worth to the team. For now, though, Aurelius had to concentrate on perfecting the enunciation and wand movement; and to do that, he had to have a spell casting partner.

"We need partners for this, would you like to join me?" Aurelius asked another student, who was nearby his desk. The other student didn't seem as confident, so the Slytherin smiled. "I'm happy to go first."

The other student agreed.

"Okay, let's move somewhere away from others," Aurelius walked to an open space and took out his wand. "Give me a moment. I'm going to practice the wand movement."

STÉ-lee-us, STÉ-lee-us, STÉ-lee-us, In his mind, Aurelius worked on the pronunciation. Luckily my lessons in Latin help.

The Irish boy looked down to his wand and began to go through the same motions as the Professor had moments before. The wand was sent downward quickly, then outward toward the pretend target. Aurelius did it again, as he started to get a feel for the quick change in angle of the wand tip, the stiffness of his wand requiring precision. A third attempt and Aurelius felt confident.

"Are you ready?" Aurelius asked, as he looked back to his casting partner. The other nodded. "STÉ-lee-us." Aurelius said confidently, as he brought the wand downward quickly, then sent it outward toward the student. And the hex appeared to work, which caused the student to begin sneezing across the short distance, which made Aurelius nod to himself.

Good. A decent hex, I'm glad Professor Zahid taught it to us.

Then, with a resigned sigh, Aurelius put his wand away and stood before his partner. He knew what was coming:

"Okay, your turn."

It was never fun being on the receiving end of casting practice...

Professor Edit: Stopping next to another pair, Zahid observed as first one partner cast the hex and then the other. While both were successful, Zahid noticed that Mr. Leeds was far more sure in his casting than his partner (and seemingly more disgruntled at being hexed in return). "Well done, you two."

Steleus learned

Cain carefully put his bag to the side with the rest of the students, though a little further from theirs so he wouldn't mix his up with someone else's and then he stood to the side while his professor went over the lesson. The room was practically cleared out and that made him a little nervous for today's lesson. Steleus, a sneezing-hex. It made his nose twitch just thinking about it, but he resisted the urge and while pretending to adjust his glasses he pinched his nose to keep it from happening. "STÉ-lee-us." He repeated quietly after he'd heard it. "Steleus. All right." It was easier to say than some of his other charms, he practiced the movements a few times without saying the hex to avoid accidentally hexing himself or others. Downward quickly, then out toward his target, this motion repeating a few times until he perfected it. Now he just had to put it into practice.

Cain was one of the last ones to find a pair, most of the classmates finding their friends or someone they knew. A few just grabbed the nearest person. Once he found one of the other less desired partners, they practiced together. Cain was sent into unpleasant sneezing fits, using the tissues to cover his face until they subsided and it was his turn to cast. It was with some mild vengeance that he narrowed his eyes on his partner, his wand movements whip sharp as he cast. "Steleus." And as soon as the other recovered he tried it a second time, just to make sure he had it of course. "Steleus!" Perfection. He felt a bit better about hexes now.

Professor Edit: As Zahid observed the next practice pair, he was about to comment on their success when the Slytherin hexed his partner a second time. While he appreciated the enthusiasm, he wished his students would show it more often in his regular lessons. "Well done, you two. Mr. Corvus, please give your partner a bit more time to recover before hexing them a second time."

Steleus learned

James slowly walked into the History of Magic classroom to see that all the desks had been pushed up against the wall. He looked around confused until he noticed words scribbled along the board. Oh...seems we are learning a spell today. He walked over to a corner where no one was standing and waited for the class to become silent.

The class was eager and most people were talking with friends excitedly. Soon the class became silent and the professor started on the lesson. He announced to the class that they would be learning the Sneezing Hex today. A boy volunteered and the professor demonstrated the hex on him. The boy began to sneeze almost immediately. The professor then let everyone pair off into pairs.

James stayed in the corner and silently practiced the incantation for the hex. The pronunciation was pretty simple for him so he managed it very well. STÉ-lee-us He whispered quietly to himself a few times just to make sure he had it correct.

He pulled out his wand and began to practice the movements for the hex. He moved his wand downwards and managed to drop it. A few peers near him looked over as he bent down to pick his wand back up with a dusty pink face. He held onto her wand tightly and slightly glanced over to the group of boys and girls who he just assumed were judging him. He tried the movements again. He moved his wand downwards and out a few times.

Now the hard part for him. Finding a partner. He looked around for someone as a shorter very happy looking Gryffindor girl came up to him. "You wanna be partners with me?" The girl asked him. James nodded his head slightly and the girl pulled him away from the corner into an area close to the middle of the room.

"Do you wanna go first or should I go first?" James stayed silent for a moment before uttering "You can go first" The girl nodded her head happily and stood away from James. She held her wand out "STÉ-lee-us" The girl said as she moved her wand down and out towards James.

James began to sneeze almost immediately after the girl finished. The girl rushed to get James some tissues "Thank y-" James' sentence was interrupted by another sneeze. He blew his nose facing away from the girl "Excuse me sorry. Thank you for the tissues" The girl nodded "No problem! Okay it's your turn now." The girl stood away from James.

James took a deep breath before raising his wand "STÉ-lee-us" James brought his wand down and pointed it out towards the girl. The girl seemed to start sneezing before James had even finished the hex. James quickly walked to get some tissues for the girl and gave them to her. The girl blew her nose and threw away her tissue. "Wow how are you already so good at the hex. That was amazing!" James blushed slightly and scratched the back of his neck with a small laugh "Ha ha. Thank you. You did well too."

Word count: 526

Professor Edit: Zahid was pleasantly surprised to see a pair that not only gave their partner time to recover but also provided tissues to the other. "Well done, you two."

Steleus learned

Professor Edit: Despite how disagreeable the Gryffindor seemed to find the lesson's focus, Zahid noted that there was no hesitation or apprehension visible when he cast the hex. "Well done, Mr. Sato."

Steleus learned

Damion had decided that he was going to learn something new. He was going to learn a new Hex. The Sneezing Hex. He was a first year student and was very interested into learning this new hex. He stood there listening to what Prof. Zahid was telling them. He was looking at the professor explain it and show how it was done. He was listening to everything and making notes about it. He wanted to do well in the class. He didn't want himself to flunk or not do well in this. He looked at the professor and listened to what he was saying.

Pair up! He took one of the students who was the closest to him. "I apologize to you before hand." He said as he looked at the other student. He took out the wand and moved the wand in the downward direction quickly, outward towards the target. He did this action once and twice.

"STÉ-lee-us" He said. He looked as the spell didn't hit the other guy. He was not very upset about it. He didn't move his hand in the right direction. He tried it again without speaking the spell. He wanted his hand movement to be alright. He tried it again. "STÉ-lee-us" He cast the spell. But it didn't hit the target. He shook his head. He had missed it again. Damn it. He thought. He practiced the movement once again.

"STÉ-lee-us" He said moving his hand in the directed way as the Professor. He smiled as the spell hit the 0ther guy. He could see the effect of the Sneezing Hex on the other guy. "It seemed to work now." He said as he offered a handkerchief to the other guy.

Professor Edit: And this was why Zahid was not really in favour of teaching spells in his class. Especially a potentially dangerous one. Luckily, The Ravenclaw's first spell attempts safely dissipated against the wall and seemed to have no impact. Zahid made his way over to see if he could help, but it turned out not to be necessary, as the boy succeeded. "Don't hesitate to take care while aiming, there's no hurry when first practicing a spell, Mr. White. Well done."

Steleus learned

Extressia was nervous about doing a spell for the first time, sneezing wasn't an ordinary thing for Extressia but she was willing to do the spell for a good grade, but it was just a few incantations and wand movements she reasoned, though then there was this whole partnering up, she felt kinda nervous about. But she was determined to do ok maybe even great, so with some doubt she just started to rapidly start repeating the pronunciation, all weren't exactly the right pronunciation due to her still nervousness: "SÉ-lee-us, STÉ-lee-ux, STÉ-lei-us, STE-lee-us, STÉ-lee-us, STÉ-lee-os." Shaking her head at the obvious fails, she took a breath: "STÉ-lee-us, STÉ-lee-us, STÉ-lee-us." she almost calmly said. And then she felt better, a bit braver to do the wand movement, making sure to point it at nobody, though she knew without the incantation it wouldn't do anything, just felt awkward pointing someone. "Wand downward quickly, outward toward, just like the teacher said." Extressia thought.

Doing that a couple of times, Extressia felt ready to get a partner to test it out. But feeling a bit awkward that everybody seems to be founding theirs, she decided to just try out the spell solo for just this one time. "Everybody over there, so what the harm?" she thought. So she did: "Steleus." she said as she waved the exact movement necessary for the spell exactly. Just then someone came out of nowhere in front of her and got hit by the spell. Small sparkles surrounded the unknown person as they sneeze.

Extressia shocked, went over them, saying apology to apology. "Hey, you can make me sneeze too." Extressia hurridly said. The person nodded as the spell finished, and soon did the same to her. "Achoo, achoo, achoo." Extressia sneezed, but just as it started, it ended, and Extressia smile awkwardly: "Sorry again..."

Professor Edit: Spatial awareness was an important skill, and not just for duellists. Luckily the spell his students learned today was not exactly a dangerous one - well, more dangerous than the others he taught, but still. Suppressing a sigh, Zahid went to admonish the Gryffindor. "Always keep track of your surroundings, Miss Leo. Spellcasting can be dangerous, so take care."

Steleus learned

Professor Edit: Making his way to the next pair, Zahid observed as first one partner and then the other successfully cast the spell. "Well done, Miss Benett."

Steleus learned

Professor Edit: Sneezing and laughing would have been an interesting new effect of a failed cast, but luckily it seemed the laughter was a reaction to the caster giggling and not the spell itself. "Well done, Miss Langstreth."

Steleus learned

Colin had been itching to learn this duelling hex for a while now, and Professor Zahid would be teaching it to them! Colin got into the classroom and waved a few friends he knew; but recognised quite a few others. Loads of Snakes in here today, he thought.

Professor Zahid taught History of Magic, but it really should come as no surprise that an adult wizard ought to know a whole sack full of charms and hexes! And a good teacher ought to be able to get the idea across even to a bunch of first years!

Colin listened attentively as the professor reviewed the hex --- Steleus --- and its function, which was to make someone sneeze. He said that the effect wouldn't last long, and that it was a good diversionary tactic for duelling. Colin would remember those tidbits!

His eyes fixated on the professor's wand as he demonstrated the downward thrust followed by the outward sweep towards his target, who in this case was a Gryffindor girl. Colin was glad the effects were short lived, because his partner looked like she might want his sneezing to last rather longer than a few mere moments!

They nodded at each other to practice the incantation together.

"STAY-ley-ous!" Colin said.

The Gryff rolled her eyes. "It's not STAY-lay-oos, or whatever you said. Listen: STÉ-lee-us. Go on then!"

Colin tried it again: "STÉ-lee-us? Aye --- STÉ-lee-us"

"Right! Wand movement!" Colin's partner brought her wand down okay, but used her whole arm to swoop the wand up, poking Colin in the chest!

"Ow! You're not supposed to stab me, lass! Here. Watch!" He thought about how Professor Zahid had moved his wand. Colin did the same: "Drop your wand quick, like this; then flick it outward towards me, like that!"

They took turns practicing the incantation and wand movement several times until they felt comfortable with both. Colin's partner said: "Get your handkerchief out, Snake! Time to practice for real!" With that, she brought her wand down and flicked it towards him while shouting the incantation.

ACHOOO! Colin sneezed a few times. Wasn't much worse than an ordinary sneeze! He laughed as he wiped his nose on his robe sleeve. "Alright, lass! My turn!" He brought his wand down quickly, then flicked it out towards his partner: "STÉ-lee-us!" he cried. His partner began to sneeze, too! They tried the hex on each other a few times, eliciting a combination of laughter and sneezing!

@Zahid al-Benghazi ibn Masoud

Professor Edit: The next pair that Zahid stopped next to seemed to have a tiny bit of chaos energy, though they both easily succeeded in casting the spell. "WEll done, you two." He gave them an encouraging nod before leaving them to their practice.

Steleus learned