Constants

Date/Timing: 30 August 2005
Setting: classroom, University of Manchester; Manchester, United Kingdom
Scene-ifying "Corrections"
.
Hermann limps into the classroom for his first class on his first morning of uni.
Neat rows of desks, hooks on their sides for bags, all empty.
Hermann chooses one in the front rank to the left of center with a good view and a straight path to the door, slides in, hangs his backpack, jams his cane between it and the side of the desk so it doesn't fall. He retrieves three razor-sharp pencils and the notebook he'd designated and lays them out in front of him.
Footsteps and quiet chatter as his classmates(!) file in, most singly and some in small knots.
Hermann doodles a Penrose triangle in a margin, checks out the other students with his peripheral vision.
A short, bulky youth with dark hair and a scowl.
A girl, plain, who carries herself with great confidence.
An average-looking boy fighting with an oversize backpack.
A handsome young man, nearly as thin as Hermann with light, bright eyes.
Hermann's heart flutters. He forces his eyes back to his drawing.
Sharp footsteps and a heavy /thump.
Hermann looks up.
A middle-aged man in a jacket, tie, and stylish glasses stands behind the front table, snaps open an organizer. "I'm Doctor Munro. If you're not here for my class, get out."
Nervous titters.
Munro clears his throat.
Silence.
"When I call your name, answer 'here'." Munro looks at his book. "Bolton."
Northern, ""Here.""
"Dawson."
Northern, ""Here.""
"Fisher."
Midlands, ""Here.""
"Foster."
Estuary, ""Here.""
"Gottlieb."
"Here, sir."
A wave of snickers flows through the class and a "What /is that accent?"
Hermann curls tighter around himself.
Doctor Munro frowns.
Silence.
"Hammond."
Geordie, ""Here.""
"Lyons."
Estuary, ""Here, sir.""
"McDonald."
Estuary, ""Here.""
"Preston."
Silence.
"/Preston."
More silence.
Munro jabs a note.
"Reeves."
Northern, ""Here.""
"Reid."
Glaswegian, ""Present!""
Snickers trip around the room.
Hermann cringes in sympathy.
Doctor Munro clears his throat and someone—maybe Reid—scoffs loudly.
Hermann allows himself a small smile, idly wondering which of his classmates is Reid.
"Sheppard."
West Country, ""Here, sir.""
"Talbot."
Northern, ""Here.""
Munro scans the room. "You. Who're you?"
Welsh, ""Rao, sir. I transferred in yesterday.""
Munro /hmphs, scribbles in his book. "Any other latecomers?"
Silence.
"Good. You've certainly read the syllabus and know how this course will be conducted." The barest pause. "Let's begin." Munro seizes a piece of chalk and begins to cover the blackboard with equations Hermann knows like the tendons in the back of his hand.
Still, he makes careful notes.
So it goes for nearly the entire period.
And then, on the day's final formula, Munro makes a mistake.
Hermann blinks at the incorrect constant.
Munro forges on.
Hermann squints.
Munro finishes the next step with a wrong result.
The mistake glares at Hermann.
Hermann chews his lip.
Munro continues, oblivious.
The mistake screams.
Hermann takes a deep breath, says, "Excuse me, sir? Doctor Munro?"
The man turns, frowning.
"I think you meant to use the other constant in step three, sir."
Munro turns back to the board.
An eternal pause.
Hermann holds his breath.
Munro picks up an eraser, very deliberately rubs out the incorrect number and replaces it with the proper one—
Hermann exhales, shoulders slumping.
—then viciously wipes the rest of the board clean. Without turning around, he growls, "Thank you, Mr Gottlieb," sounding very much like Father when Hermann's broken one of his rules.
Hermann's heart sinks and he swallows.
Munro spins back, glares directly at Hermann. "Ignore today's assignment on your syllabus. Instead, complete all of the exercises for chapter one /and finish the problem currently on the board. All of you." 
Groans fill the air and angry stares bore into Hermann's back and, for once, he's glad of the armour—weak as it is—his layers and wings provide.
"Dismissed."
Feet shuffle, bags rustle, voices grumble.
Hermann tucks away his pencils and notes, works his cane free.
Something solid smashes into his back, grinding the upper bone of his wing into his shoulder.
Hermann flinches away, whimpering.
The scowling classmate sneers at him, "It's your fault we have extra work now, smartass. You need to learn to watch your mouth."
Hermann stares at fake wood grain, blinking away the tears pricking his eyes.
Foster (by his voice) sniffs, stomps toward the door.
Hermann takes a deep breath, gathers up his things, pushes gingerly to his feet.
His tormenter blocks the door, talking to ... talking to the boy with bright eyes.
Who's smirking down at him, eyes alight, speaking with Reid's accent.
Foster turns a rather unhealthy-looking dark shade.
Reid grins, whacks him on the back, glances over—
Hermann's heart flips.
—sorta smiles, then strolls out.
Foster shtumps after him.
Hermann wills his wings still and his heart back to its regular rhythm and, with another deep breath, packs his bag, and hobbles to meet Justin for the walk to his next lecture. 
Category:Ficlet
Category:University of Manchester (setting)
Category:Manchester (setting)
Category:Hermann
Category:Hermann's POV
Category:Hermann (ficlet)
Category:Edan
Category:Edan (description)
Category:Edan (ficlet)
Category:Munro
Category:Munro (ficlet)
Category:Foster
Category:Foster (ficlet)
Category:Hermann has wings
Category:Hermann is a genius
Category:Ficlets with images
Category:Pages with comments
Category:Celestial Mechanics
2005 08 30