A Room With a View

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"Good morning, everyone. I hope you are all appropriately rested for today's events. In case you have forgotten, today we are joined by Mr. Harry Potter and Mr. Ronald Weasley, who along with Professors Flitwick, Snape, Granger, Longbottom, Longbottom and... well, myself, will be putting on an exhibition for the dueling club after dinner tonight. I expect a high turnout and excellent behavior from everyone," the headmistress stated, slanting her eyes toward a clump of snickering Hufflepuffs near the back of the Great Hall.

"For those of you in the sixth and seventh year Defense classes, you will recall that Professor Snape has arranged for three guest lecturers to visit your class this week. Auror Potter, Auror Weasley, and Professor Granger will all be there to speak of magical wilderness survival, battle preparedness, and passive defense. I hope that the first through fifth years are not too disappointed to be missing out on this wonderful opportunity, though I understand that if this year's lectures are a success, they will be repeated next year. Regardless, the entire school is invited to a second dueling demonstration after dinner this evening in the Great Hall. The Dueling Club, under Professor Flitwick's leadership, will be hosting with tea and cakes for dessert in celebration of the matches and tomorrow's holiday. Even better, I believe Professors Snape and Granger have agreed to a rematch of their previous duel from last term. Now off to classes with you all! I want to hear of good behavior in all quarters today; it would be a shame for anyone to miss the demonstration due to a last-minute detention." At this, Minerva glowered at the Hufflepuffs again, eliciting nervous snickers from the cadre of fourth years.

As the children stood to rush off to class, the Headmistress waylaid Severus. "Be a dear and have a word with the Baron about Peeves. I somehow doubt he'll be able to keep himself away from a gathering that includes the majority of the school."

Severus quirked a brow in response. "Indeed, I can well recall Peeves' penchant for mischief. But it is already done. The Baron has promised to keep our local poltergeist in check for the evening. No guarantees on Valentine's Day, though."

Minerva sighed and cast her eyes heavenward. "Of course not. That would be too much to hope for."

With a small smirk, Severus turned away from Minerva and offered his fiancée his arm, which she took with alacrity. "I assume your classes are prepared for their professor to go missing for half the day?"

She snorted. "I've sent them to the library under Pince's watchful eye for today. They're in groups researching the theoretical differences between transforming organic and inorganic, living and non-living, previously transfigured and fresh, and small and large objects. That should keep them well occupied. We'll do a jigsaw when we reconvene later in the week."

"A jigsaw?" Severus queried. The only jigsaws he could think of had rather sharp teeth.

"Um... it's an active learning exercise that's popular in Muggle schools. They've all found different information, then they'll have to come back to class and present that information to the other groups. This way everyone has to synthesize at least a fifth of the information in order to teach it, but everyone has all the information available."

"Intriguing," Severus said. "I wonder if I could somehow make this work for my classes..." he trailed off, suddenly lost in thought. Perhaps if I had them work in groups on deflecting hexes, cruses, and jinxes. They could compare notes on the different methods of recognition and deflection. I'd have to put a good caster in with each group, make sure they had something to work with. It might work for the fourth years if I make sure to-

"Hello? Earth to Severus?" Hermione said, poking him in the ribs a moment later.

"Hmm?" He glanced down at Hermione's smiling face. "Sorry, love. Now then, are you sure you'll be alright with Weasley's presence today?"