Professor Skies
March 05, 2013 2:19 PM
A discussion with Aria by Professor Skies
“Thank you for coming to see me, Aria,” Professor Skies smiled at the student opposite her. The desk between them felt like something of a gulf. Aria's view of the world was a long way from her own, and she had steeled herself for a difficult discussion.“I'd like to discuss a few things with you today. Firstly, I want to explain why I think it's important for you to keep making progress in class, then we can talk about the problems you feel you're facing with that, and what we might be able to do. Ok?” she asked. “Now, I know it might seem quite obvious why you have to keep progressing... There are your grades to consider. I am fully aware that you may not enjoy my subject or see yourself pursuing it beyond OWL level. However, you do need keep your grades up. You need to keep passing the class in order to progress through the school. Transfiguration is also a core subject – many people will require you to have a decent pass in it, even if it does not seem to directly have relevance to what you are going to do. Not to mention doing it for yourself - I accept that my students come with all levels of abilities. All I ask, is that they reach their potential. If you don't push yourself, you won't do that. And I think think that's very sad. There is also the possibility of it being dangerous. I am sure that you remember before you started school, you may have performed accidental magic. Your school work is about taking command of your powers and channelling them effectively. If you don't progress to more complex work... it can have a negative effect. Your magic can become stunted – you may find it harder, for example, to move onto more complex work in other areas – or it may become unpredictable again. It may not have any effect but it is a bit of a gamble to take. Two years of transfiguration is not a huge foundation and you do have to stretch yourself in order to take full command of your powers.
“I don't know how fully you have discussed this with your parents and it is something I would like you to do. I will also be writing to them. Now, clearly your parents and I may well not have been in the same school, at the same time, but I cannot imagine exceptions being made in my era,” she hated how old that phrase made her sound, “It was not the ethos, and there weren't always the resources or the knowledge about such things. I also wonder whether your parents came to their.... philosophies,” she wasn't really sure what the right term was and hoped that would do, “later in life. I just worry that either or you or them are holding you up to a standard that they themselves either did not have to consider, or were not able to achieve. They may be understanding that you need to make exceptions for the sake of your education. I just... I don't want you to be feeling pressurised over this, or be worrying about what they'd think, without having talked it through.
“I would also like you to review chapter three of your text book. It outlines the two main competing theories of modern transfiguration. As you may recall, the Simulacrum Theory holds that the animals you create in transfiguration are not real. That would solve inanimate to animate, although not the reverse or animate to animate. The Quantum Matter Theory holds that everything is real but the act of Transfiguration moves it within time or space. I tend to adhere more to the last theory, although in my mind it is doing no more to an animal than picking it up and moving it. However, there is evidence for both theories. Perhaps deciding which one you believe might help you reach a decision. I also wish to lend you this. I hope you will find it interesting - I think you will,” she said, holding out an article with a smile. It detailed a conservation project working with stag beetles. The beetles enjoyed particular living conditions, namely somewhat decayed trees, but the population had outgrown its existing space. Several beetles were transfigured into coat buttons until a suitable new environment could be found. This saved the beetles from the inevitable territory war that would have killed off the surplus but was much more pleasant for them than being kept in a tank. “It's the thing I like most about magic... Usually, if you don't like the thing it's used for, you can turn around and invent a different way to use it. You just have to have the creativity - which I'm sure you do. Please return the journal to me when you are finished.
“I can do lessons around plants for the next couple of weeks – your beliefs do not extend to them?” she checked. This was something which she found quite confusing. Whilst she had no great concern or notion that animals had precious souls, she couldn't quite fathom why anyone who did feel that way didn't extend it to plants too. They were alive. “That will give you some time to make your mind up. If you decide that you do not want to pursue animate transfiguration, or are only comfortable with it in one direction, then we have two options. You can work with plants, and I can try to make them as difficult and complicated as can be. Alternatively... There is a new field, called mechanical transfiguration. That is, transfiguring simple objects into much more complex machines. Parts that interlink and move and the like. Now, whilst these may seem like obvious solutions, I must ask you to consider them seriously and cautiously... Plants, however complex, are not as complex as animals. You would be capping your grades at around an A. In order to take practical tests in machine transfiguration, you would have to obtain special permission, as it is not normally part of the curriculum. I cannot guarantee that the bid would be accepted. If it was, I cannot guarantee what your examiner would make of it. They may not be well versed in that branch. It may be that do not understand how well the level of complexity correlates with more traditional transfiguration. They might just be a stuffy old fusspot who doesn't like change. Either way, it might mean that their scoring is not as reliable as it would be for a traditional exam, in spite of everyone's best efforts to ensure that it will be.
“Unless you have any further questions now, I suggest you take some time to go over the options and discuss things with your parents. You may also come back and see me if you want clarification or further details of anything we have discussed.”
OOC – I'm aware this is one very long speech! I wanted to make sure all the points Selina would make were down, so that you can work out what Aria would do before we get into the new term. Feel free to assume it went more back and forth. I am happy for you to reply if she has much to say and/or just come back with her reply after she's had time to mull it over, depending on the time you have.
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A discussion with Aria
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