Ghosts of the past

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As it happened very few people were interested in taking abhorsen lessons. Due to this Lupin's weekly classes consisted of a smattering of students from all four houses. Several slytherins, mistakingly believing they'd learn to control the dead through necromancy, comprised the small throng of students who shuffled in the first lesson.

"Good morning class," Remus smiled pleasantly once everyone was seated, "as many of you know from DADA last term I am professor Remus Lupin. This is abhorsen and defense against the undead. Contrary to what some of you may assume we are not so much learning to control the dead as we are learning to protect them from those who would use them to their own advantage."

Several slytherins groaned in frustration, Hermione's hand shot up immediately. "Yes miss Granger?"

"I thought an abhorsen simply sent spirits through the gates and into the realm of the dead?" The Gryffindor questioned in a puzzled tone.

Remus smiled, "a common misconception miss Granger. You see most people focus on the grim working of the abhorsen, sending violent spirits who've been dragged from the realms of the dead, back. In all actuality an abhorsen's duty is that of protecting the dead. Show of hands who'd like their spirit to be dragged from their final rest and forced into an undead life of subjugation?"

As was expected no one raised their hands. The students rather eyed each other nervously. "I thought not, as you can see from that perspective sending such tortured creatures back is in fact a merciful act."

Once more Hermione's hand shot upward earning a nod from her professor, "but there are ghosts? All over Hogwarts in fact there are ghosts? Why isn't an abhorsen here sending them back?"

"You see miss Granger it's not all spirits that need to be put back." Remus sat on the edge of his desk instructing his class, "a spirit that elects to remain behind of its own volition becomes a ghost, Nick, the bloody Baron, Myrtle, all being examples. As long as they do not become violent, as in the case of most poltergeists, an abhorsen would be more than happy to let them be. A spirit who has been dragged from its peace unwillingly becomes angry and violent, it generally loses all humanity and sense of what it had been in life. It is not a ghost as it has very little coherent thought other than the angry desire to maim and destroy, and it typical posses a physical form."

The class eyed him in horror, "what about peeves then?" A Slytherin student joked snidely.

Remus chuckled slightly, "well I think we can all agree peeves is more nuisance than anything else."

"Now then in the job of an abhorsen your wand will do more good for you against the necromancer responsible than for the spirit. An abhorsen's tools are these," Remus held up a bandolier containing eight bells, gradually growing in size from top to bottom. "Ranna is the smallest of the Bells and is called the Sleepbringer. Unlike her brothers nothing terrible happens if its ringer makes an error. It is forged in the First Precinct of Death."

Remus tapped his finger against the handle of the smallest bell before moving on to the second, "The next, Mosrael, is the Waker. Its purpose is to call the dead back to Life, with the compromise of throwing the wielder into Death. Due to its especial use by Necromancers, it is not often called upon by an abhorsen. It is forged in the Second Precinct of Death."

"Kibeth is known as the Walker. It can give the Dead movement, or force them through the gates of Death; but one must be cautious and accurate when wielding Kibeth as his notes can take control of the wielder, forcing the inexperienced user into death him or herself. It is forged in the Fourth Precinct of Death."

"Dyrim gives the Dead a voice, or removes that of the living-" Hermione's hand once more shot into the air interrupting her professor.

"-professor why would a spirit need its voice returned? What would have happened to it?"

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