CCF Trials

[alt_cedric]

It is always exciting to watch people competing by pushing themselves to the limit. Some of our best and brightest are out there racing in the bitter cold. I sure hope they were all paying attention last year when Mr Marvolo and I had to dive into that cold, cold lake. I can say that this time around I'm quite happy to be standing around with my hat, coat, gloves and warming charms while enjoying the view. Not being one of those out striving I can stand back and admire the beautiful and well-proportioned scenery and birds as a backdrop to the contest. Whatever they are doing in the maze sure is noisy, peel after peel of sound rolling out of there.

I have to agree with Megan watching a standing stone hop out of the woods was amusing. I'm also very glad the our resident wonder the Squid did not decide to get involved today. It's good to watch our fellow students powering through obstacles without qualms or hesitations.

Comments

[alt_sinistra]

I've been glancing out my window as well - though it's hard to see as much from up in my office. (The menhir bouncing along, yes - whose idea was that?)

I can't help but think back to last year, as well.

Of course, the CCF training has always been designed to prepare those students involved to deal with all manner of challenge, and I'm sure everyone will do splendidly. And I'm sure the committee has carefully designed each task to provide the right balance of challenge and learning.

[alt_cedric]

They have some very nice observing charms set up down here, so we can see a more of the action. It's wizard to see continued application of the spells developed last year for the Triwizard Tournament. I hope that they can be added to Quidditch venues as they make the action more accessible even to those relegated to the cheap seats.

[alt_sinistra]

Oh, I'm glad they're developing that further. I'd seen a mention in the latest Journal of Modern Magical Theory and Experiment of a summary paper in the next issue. And I believe Visionary Charms is considering a special issue next fall on improvements in related charms.

What's the clarity like? I know they had some challenges with the image becoming blurry at the edges unless the angles are perfect, and the methods I used with the projection stones for the same problem apparently don't work in this case.

Goodness. I just caught that other flare of sparks. I do hope it's nothing urgent. And it looks like, what I can see from here, that some of them are finishing. Or is there something after that maze?

[alt_cedric]

I'll have to take a look at those articles, well at least the Visionary Charms one, as I'm sure Professor Vector has told you I suspect I couldn't make handle or head of the Theory paper.

There is occasional blurring around the edges and it gets... fuzzy I guess would be a good word, when particularly intense magic, like one of the Cardinals, is used near the observation end.

I'm seen some slip and falls, some of them look very, very cold but nobody seems to have been seriously injured at this point.

[alt_megan]

Oh dear! Yes, it is certainly good that the Squid did not get involved!

Everyone did make it out of the lake all right, didn't they? I didn't see.

[alt_cedric]

I think everyone is accounted for, there certainly hasn't been any undo commotion from the healers or the few aurors that are here. Those that went in look rather cold though.

[alt_sinistra]

Come by sometime we've both got time, and I can talk you through what's out so far? (Actually, I know the authors of one of the forthcoming articles, and could request a draft, too: we were talking about it at the Astronomy Guild meeting last night and I know they're nearly done with the write-up.)

The Cardinals, really? Though I suppose that makes sense, on the charm side, that it would affect things. And I did hear mention they'd be allowed.

Is the cold very bad?

[alt_umbridge]

I am so glad that you showed a proper interest in the activity to come out and watch. Do feel free to give appropriate feedback to any of the students for whom it might be appropriate, though of course I would like to know what you share.

One teensy correction - surely, you want to put your best foot forward in public writing - that it should be peal, above.

[alt_linus]

It just occurred to me that if they leave those menhirs there for a sufficient number of centuries with the proper rituals, they may actually be able to coax a ley line into being. The nearest other standing stones being where they are, I believe that would put the prospective ley line either under the Quidditch pitch or the kitchens. I am not certain whether ley lines would have a deleterious or salubrious effect on the food. The effect on Quidditch... well. I am given to understand that ley lines have a definite effect on brooms, and it would definitely complicate the calculations in my on-going project to add yet another variable, so I'd just as soon that they didn't.

[alt_cedric]

Several students failed in casting specific spells. Some succeeded on second tries, others tried other more creative, less brute force approaches. Both of those paths have merit, but in dangerous, high stress combat or near combat situations casting a spell which you are insufficiently proficient with is often worse than casting nothing at all. Clearly they felt pressure to push beyond their comfort zones in spell choice. Not knowing exactly what instructions they were given I can't say whether I think those were at fault or if the students simply responded poorly to the high stress situation with physical impediments (I saw at least one failed cast that was clearly due to wand hand shaking so badly from the cold). All of my comments would be on that theme.

Since his arrival here, each year in Defence Professor Raz has lectured strenuously on proper spell choice and the incredible amount of repetitive practice it takes to make the proper response instinctual. You don't get the necessary level instinctual response without it. For example fifth years just haven't cast the Cardinals enough to make them a good choice in anything other than a pure learning environment. Maybe in the future he could be brought in before such events to give a short lecture on the topic tailored to the tasks at hand?

I'm sorry to have displayed poor word choice in public. I must only plead that homonyms make things hard and I was working without my normal support of a dictionary to check out those sorts of things. I know 'peel' was there on the page and I stared at it. Then I stared at 'peel' some more and just couldn't decide if 'peal' or 'peel' was more fit. Once I start looking at things like that they turn 'round and 'round in my head 'till I don't know if they look better coming or going and decide to pick up the first choice. In the end that's a generous way of saying it really is breast best if I work with a dictionary when witting up potion assays or other written essays.

[alt_umbridge]

Indeed, Mr Diggory. I am certain our students will take your experienced advice to heart.

As to the comments on Professor Lestrange, I do certainly intend to discuss various matters in more detail with him in the near future. You are quite right that one's choices can be greatly influenced by one's past experience.

[alt_harry]

It was a walk down memory lane, that's for certain.

[alt_cedric]

Even just watching it certainly was. I hope your dreams were filled with dancing fluffy bunnies not the cold, pressing dark mine were last night.

Private Message to Cedric

[alt_harry]

Yeah. No bunnies, I'm afraid. Nothing but murky cold water and Him all night long.

Have you written Fleur or Victor?

I was thinking about them.

Maybe I should. Just to say hello.

Re: Private Message to Cedric

[alt_cedric]

You know, I haven't. I think that sounds like a good idea, though I haven't sent an owl outside the Protectorate before.

I'm still trying to think of what to say to Raz. I didn't intend to poke at her with this post, but I ended up there anyway.

Do you want to say something to him about our meeting last week? I think we both trust him.

Re: Private Message to Cedric

[alt_harry]

Maybe we could each write something and send off our letters at the same time. It'd save on owls.

And yeah, we can talk to Raz tomorrow.