Advanced Studies (open-Frank that means you)

[Samantha Montgomery]

She was listening attentively to what he said, and more importantly to what he was not saying but she kept her focus, " N.E.W.Ts" she sighed, " I wish..." she shook her head, "I hope to do well on my O.W.L.s" she commented in turn, but she didn't really have any worries.

So he liked to study did he? That worked out perfectly for her, while she might not have liked to study, his studying would keep her on task at least when he was "tutoring" her, " Yes. You are a geek." she said perfectly serious before smiling and letting him know she was teasing, "But I would have to agree, magic is fascinating, I like seeing it all come together, with this spell or that spell just keeping it in the back of your mind and all of a sudden there's a combination and an easier way of doing things.." she paused to look up at him, "Did that make sense?" she laughed.

"I'll try to make it as challenging as possible. Oh, and we're going to fight by the way. At some point in time that is, meaning after you learn to do silent charms, we're going to practice it by putting it into action."

She hesitated for just a second, but nodded, "Then I had better study extra hard, I wouldn't want to let you down as a sparing partner." she smiled, but the truth was she had been "sparing" ever since she could hold a wand, even before then, for kicks her mother enjoyed throwing curses and hexes her way. At first she had to hide, or roll out of the way, defend in whatever way she could, but when she had her wand, and she knew she could fight back, she had begun to.

[Frank Longbottom]

"Don't worry about the O.W.Ls too much. They're not really all that hard," said Frank. "Just make sure you pay attention in class, and do a little studying outside of class, but I think this whole tutoring thing will cover most of what you need to know for your O.W.Ls, on the Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts parts that is."

He gave her a grin and held the door open for her as they exited the school. "And yes, that actually made perfect sense. I'm glad to find that there is someone else who finds magic fascinating. Studying every bit of magic is probably the best thing. Even though History of Magic is quite boring, it actually comes in handy."

Luckily, it wasn't raining outside so it was going to be prefect for her to start. "Well, I feel sure that after you practice the spells on your own and master them, I'm sure that our fighting should be interesting."

[Samantha Montgomery]

She nodded, " Certainly."

Though the wheels in her mind were spinning, what did she intend to do? She could use the practice, but she wasn't about to stun Frank by using spells that she, by all accounts, should not have known, even if the look on his face might have been worth it.

She held her hand up just over her eyes before walking outside, "It isn't raining." she remarked with a small sigh of relief. Their weather was crazy and she wondered how long the reprieve would last. She would make full use of it for however long they had outside.

"I look forward to our duels."

[Frank Longbottom]

"Great! So do I," replied Frank. "However, it maybe two weeks before we actually start dueling. Like I said, I want to make sure you have everything down before we move on to that. I don't want something to go wrong."

He looked around. The ground was dry so he could sit down and study from the book while instructing Sam when she needed it. "I'm glad it's not raining. The other day was horrible trying to get to the greenhouses. Anyway. We're going to start with Accio. It's simple, of course you know that already. I want you to summon this book a loud," he said holding the charm book up. Frank walked several feet away and placed it on the ground.

[Samantha Montgomery]

She nodded, "Well I'm not in a hurry." she replied, "I don't want to be completely humiliated." she said good naturedly insinuating that she would need time to be "up to snuff".

When he laid out her first challenge she smiled. He wasn't being obnoxious about her year, and he assumed she knew enough, but of course he would have to test and see where she was at. Retrieving her wand she focused on the object and envisioned what she wanted to happen, she was sorely tempted to try the spell without speaking, having practiced said spell a hundred times in the library, but with more patience she simply smiled before, rotating her wrist and flicking it while saying "Accio book", then smiled with glee as the object in question floated to her at a decent speed.

She remebered the first time she tried summoning objects, merlin what a nightmare, it would either float at a snails pace or hit her in the head. Once it broke her nose, but she had tamped down on her powers and exercised control, enough now that she could do the spell fairly well.

She smiled in triumph at Frank.

[Alice Prewett]

Alice Prewett watched from a corridor as two students passed her by without noticing on the way out of the castle. She held her breath when she realized who it was. She didn't know the girl but she certainly would recognize Frank anywhere. What was he doing walking with some younger girl all of a sudden? She only heard a very small piece of the conversation as they passed by.

"...I want to make sure you have everything down before we move on to that. I don't want something to go wrong." said Frank and then they drifted off beyond ear shot. Alice frowned she wasn't the jealous type but.. what was that all about? She looked devistated... he'd found someone else.. so that was why he'd been missing for the past few weeks avoiding her. Alice wiped a tear from her eye as she dashed out and back to the common rooms at almost a sprint.

[Frank Longbottom]

"Very nice," Frank commented. He took the book back from her and set it back on the ground. "Now, since apparently you're pretty decent with Accio verbally, do it without speaking. It's a little more complicated. Make sure that your mind is clear and focused."

Before Sam could use the spell, he moved the book back a little further just to make things a little more difficult for her. "Now try."

[Samantha Montgomery]

Sam exhaled slowly. What had she written in that notebook of hers? Angles, degrees in wrist rotation? She knew this spell, the only difference was her focusing and not speaking. She closed her eyes just to steady herself and then without a second's hesitation she flung her wrist to the motions summoning the book to her. Because she was nervous, or well she was "trying too hard" the book came, but at an excelerated rate and flew straight into her solarplexus knocking her off balance.

She fell backwards with an "Oof"

Once she had her bearings she sighed she didn't look at Frank yet, instead she just waited for the reprimand that was sure to come.

[Frank Longbottom]

Frank let out a laugh as she fell backwards. "That wasn't too horrible for a first try. At least you didn't get whacked in the head like I did the first time I tried it." He walked over to her and offered her and hand up, taking the book in his other hand.

"You're nervous, I can tell. Just relax. Picture the book coming to you gracefully as you summon it, OK?" Once he helped her up, Frank put the book back on the ground where it was to begin with. He didn't believe in being horrible to someone that he was teaching. Everyone needed a little encouragement, and it didn't mean that you had to criticize them strongly by telling them everything they did wrong, and not complimenting on what they did right. Complimenting on what they did right, and then kindly telling them what they need to improve on, was a better way at tackling a lesson, at least in Frank's opinion.

[Samantha Montgomery]

She blinked in surprise. That was it? No hounding? No "You must control your emotions?" shouted angrily at her? No exasperation? What was this? She was stunned for all of a second before she released a breath not realizing she had been holding it.

"I'll get it this time." she promised, standing up. When the book was firmly in place she firmly held her wand and used the spell again, this time it came straight to her at a quick speed but stopped just before her and placed itself in her hands.

She didn't expect praise for doing what she set out to do, there was only the internal satisfaction.

[Frank Longbottom]

"Don't look at me so surprised," replied Frank. "What do you expect, me yelling at you?" He raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

"And I know you'll get it. Practice makes perfect." He took a couple of steps out of the way to allow her plenty of room. For a fifth year, Frank thought that Sam did pretty well. She seemed that she knew what she was doing, and he was grateful for that. If he had to start from scratch, he wasn't sure what he would do.

He laughed as she grabbed the book. "Nice," he replied. "Now, all you have to do is work on the direction on which the books go. It was slightly off. Imagine it landed directly in your hand." Frank took the book back from her and placed it back on the ground. "Now, try again."

[Samantha Montgomery]

She could work like this forever without his scorn and be happy. In fact her next attempt was even better. She smiled at him before performing another spell without words to levitate the book back to it's original place so he wouldn't have to come and get it and walk back again.

"Again?" she asked with a smile on her face, she summoned the book silently to her, it wasn't perfect but it would do for a start, especially since she'd be practicing it over and over again on her own.