Thread: The Dirty Part of Physics [ClockworkCadence ║ Ryees]

Professor Sherlins face was unsettlingly unreadable as the entire classroom laid still, the gentle hum of the electricity above cutting through the silence. Olivias gaze shifted up towards the flashing blue light above her before settling on the chalkboard again, not wanting to watch the brutal slaughter of the number one, yet oddly not feeling capable to look away from it. In the quiet, she could have sworn shed even heard a soft scream from the dying digit. The fact that such a thing could actually occur was like gazing upon a car accidenttragic, but looking at it for long enough made you appreciate your own life and safety. Two things that she thought were quite stable in this moment, and very much hers to keep. She hadnt necessarily won, but she hadnt lostjust as hed explained. He seemed very keen on keeping to his rules, so things should have gone smoothly from here. She should have been able to talk about what shed learned from this interesting experience and walk unobtrusively back to her desk, or even to just resume dueling with some other student. The lessons should have continued along a different path, or perhaps even the same path as they uncovered the deeper complexities of fighting. Yes, all of this should have happenedbut none of it did. Her professor moved blindingly fast, some fluid, well-practiced movements that she was unsure what their conclusion would be until a dark object found his hands. A scream. A deafening bang. Another one. Then, disturbing silence. Shocked eyes stared down the barrel of the gun before slowly trailing down to the floor below. A fine dust of dark marble had settled onto her knee-high black boots, the rest still floating through the air between her legs, sticking to her skin. Sapphires bore down into the shallow hole ripped open by the shots, the faint shine of a bullet barely visible. The other was buried somewhere deeper within, impressively hidden by the precise second shothe must be well-trained, despite the gun being a simple Muggle instrument. The collective pressure of breaths being held weighed the atmosphere even further, threatening to crush all who had witnessed the incident. Her mind absorbed each face slowly, noting their fear, their instinctual survival needs kicking in and driving them to hide, the horrified looks they gave the man that was supposed to teach them, not nearly kill them. To them, there was no lesson to be found in turning a gun against a studentonly distrust and dread. This was no way to teach, no matter what subject it was, no matter how high expectations were. There was no lesson to be had in creating a near panic, in damaging their faith in him, in using such a barbaric tool, just to prove a point. Expect the unexpected, but even this was crossing a line. Slowly, neutrally, Olivia stooped down a bit, a hand gently brushing against her boots, leaving faint finger lines in the dust. Unfortunately, the action only succeeded in coating her hands in the grainy substance, shifting instead to brush the marble off her skin against her black skirt. She took her time with the action, deliberate and careful, gaze focused on the task as she willed her heart to still and her face to remain stoic. She wasnt going to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. For all the faith shed wanted to put in him, she could feel it scratch against her skin before it rolled off, just as the dust left her hands. It was meant to be a lesson. But to suggest that mercy was the wrong answer? That was something she would not accept. In all honesty, shed learned quite a bit from this sudden shift from magic to steel. He depended on more than just his imposing magical skills in duels. He wasnt going to kill her, as much as it seemed like he would, at times. He didnt seem to believe mercy was ever a viable option. He was going to have a hell of a time keeping any student in this class after today. But the most important lesson wasnt one shed learned in that moment, but many years agothis was the one she chose to voice, more as a challenge than a statement as her confident gaze burned into his. That Im willing to die for what I believe in.