If at first you don't succeed... on Transfiguration

Professor Skies

April 12, 2013 1:15 PM

Advanced Class - Things aren't what they used to be by Professor Skies

The final challenge would be at the end of the week, and Professor Skies had noticed differences in some of her students. Some, it seemed, were more distracted – with more whispering or drifting off in to daydreams – whilst others seemed more attentive than usual. She personally thought the latter group had more sense, as the challenges thus far had relied on applying their knowledge from class. There were some to whom the prospect of the deciding challenge, or any of the challenges, had made no difference. Perhaps because they always daydreamed or paid rapt attention to start with... Her advanced class was one which she expected little difference to be made to by the forthcoming event. Even though many of them were team leaders, she thought they had the good sense not to let themselves be overwhelmed.

“Good afternoon,” she greeted her class, hoping they weren't too sleepy from lunch to focus. “Today, we shall be looking at part to whole transfigurations. That is, taking a part of an object and replicating that which is came from. Clearly, being part of this class, it is a complex branch of the art. However, as with all areas, it is not a constant slog against the impossible,” she had always tried to teach her classes about balance within the subject. Although frequently the challenges to be overcome did not outweigh the plus points, there were always some of each. A reason why something was difficult but also a mitigating factor that made it make some sort of sense to try it. “Someone had a reason for developing this branch of magic. Someone must have thought that it made logical sense to do things this way. Unless they just wanted to show off at parties of course. Whilst this has been the motivation behind some spells, people will still retroactively theorise at to why something is possible – everything that is possible has a reason why it is possible.

“So, before we begin, I would like your suggestions as to what makes this branch of transfiguration so difficult and what acts against that... What are the strengths you can draw on to make it work? The reasons why it does?” she asked. She took answers until everyone who wished to make a point seemed to have made it, rephrasing or expanding their answers if necessary.

“Excellent ideas,” she smiled. “Your homework will be to write up the points we have just discussed, as well as reflecting on to what extent you found the mitigating factors of this complex transfiguration useful in your own spell casting.

“For your assignment today, you will all take an object from the box at the front. You will identify an appropriate inanimate object to recreate from it. The incantation for this type of spell is 'Renovo' plus the name of the object you are trying to create. You need to use an upwardly spiralling wand motion.

“For example,” she explained, holding up a button for them to see before placing it on her desk, “Renovo cardigan!” she cast, spiralling her wand away from the button before holding up a nice blue angora number for the class to see.

“You may talk quietly amongst yourselves or call me over if you need assistance or have further questions,” she would move, from time to time, between the students, to ensure they were on track but, as their were far fewer of them and they generally needed far less attention than the younger years, she would also spend some time catching up on her marking.

Subthreads:

But things have changed for the better. by Maximilian Joshua McLachlan - Aladren

If at first you don't succeed... by Derry Four

13 Professor Skies Advanced Class - Things aren't what they used to be 26 Professor Skies 1 5

Maximilian Joshua McLachlan - Aladren

April 13, 2013 6:49 PM

But things have changed for the better. by Maximilian Joshua McLachlan - Aladren

Since transferring to Sonora two years ago, Josh had been pleasantly surprised by the difficulty of the work he was doing here. The Academy had been more obsessed with blood purity and social interactions than with actual academics. It was unfortunate and he had struggled a little coming to a full course load his fourth year, but he had kept his head above water and was continuing to do well in all of his classes. He loved a challenge and his professors, since he had moved up to the advanced classes, provided challenging assignments for him.

Transfiguration in particular was one subject that always caught his interest. He studied Transfiguration theories almost as much as he studied Potions and considered himself ahead of many of his classmates. However, when class began Josh found himself entranced once more by the branch of magic they were learning today.

It was a theory Josh had heard of, but none of his relatives had practiced it and he didn't believe they were all too concerned with this. It seemed like a spell that was more for convenience sake or to show off as Professor Skies said and Josh immediately wanted to delve into the books and read up on the theories. He had formed his own opinions, but he didn't volunteer his ideas out loud. He never did in classes, but his brain was always churning and thinking, even answering the questions though his mouth didn't move.

Josh needed a moment to wrap his head around it. It was obvious why it would be such a difficult spell. One had to create a whole figure around a piece, not only imagining it but mentally piecing it together. Transfiguring one object into another needed skill and careful concentration, but creating a whole object around a piece of it needed something beyond what a normal wizard would be used to. Josh couldn't wait to try it.

The moment Professor Skies allowed them to go, he went right up to the front and deliberated for a moment before picking up a long piece of emerald green yarn. He went back to his desk, thoughts racing through his mind as he envisioned exactly what he was going to create. The yarn was the perfect length for a scarf, but if he wanted to do something more challenging he could try his hand at creating a sweater.

It was hard, but he had to stop himself before trying something that was beyond his expertise. He knew his strengths and his weaknesses well enough, so he decided the scarf would be a good starting point. It would still be difficult and he could feel his blood rush in excitement. He immediately retrieved a piece of spare parchment and sketched out the kind of scarf he wanted to create. It was knitted with embroidered patterns. Having never knitted before, Josh had a feeling that would be a challenge, but a fun one nevertheless. He made sure to sketch it as realistically as possible, but he wasn't an artist. Still, it was enough to get him started and when he had finished he turned to the piece of yarn.

The picture was in his mind and Josh took a moment to try and really see it on his desk. It took immense concentration to transfigure something this big, so until he was fully focused, he didn't dare move. He was good at picking up the wand movements quickly. His trouble was usually losing focus. When he could only see the yarn, when he could almost feel the magic coursing through him, excited to be used, he lifted his wand and did the twirl Professor Skies had showed them.

"Renovo scarf," he said forcefully, and he watched the yarn multiply and weave in and out of each other. It was magical, watching this scarf come to life before his eyes, a creation he never would have imagined to be possible in transfiguration. His scarf had spun itself out to the length of the original yarn and stopped, falling in a heap once more on his desk. Josh excitedly picked it up and held it out in front of him. It was poor workmanship with pieces of yarn left uneven and a few small holes here and there. But it was a recognizable scarf and Josh felt himself swell with pride. He wanted to practice with something new, but he wasn't sure if Professor Skies would let him or if there was anything left in the box.

Even though he wanted to try something else, he wanted to perfect this one first, so he took a loose piece of yarn and unraveled it. This time there were several pieces of yarn to work with which mean more opportunities for trial and error. He got started on his second one, this time trying to focus on the picture more than on doing the spell itself. Maybe if he perfected the scarf and still had yarn left, he would try a sweater. "Renovo scarf!"

0 Maximilian Joshua McLachlan - Aladren But things have changed for the better. 0 Maximilian Joshua McLachlan - Aladren 0 5

Derry Four

April 16, 2013 5:13 PM

If at first you don't succeed... by Derry Four

Derry's understanding of Transfiguration was almost entirely instinctual. His visits to the clinic were helping him be able to parrot back theories in his essays and exams - thus improving his grade to a more solid A instead of a barely passing A and achieving some measure of success for the clinic's purpose - but they were mostly just words. They had no meaning to Derry, and the only explanation he really needed or understood for how it all worked was just 'Magic.'

Consequently, he kept mostly quiet during the class discussion of why and how this particular branch of Transfiguration worked. Quiet was not his usual mode of operation, but he really had nothing intelligent to add to the discussion. He took down some notes for future inclusion in his essays and tests, and a couple questions he might ask at the next clinic meeting, but he did not otherwise participate.

It was the one thing he really disliked about this class. He didn't so much mind that he was obviously not at the top of the class - the advent of Thad learning to talk had pretty much desensitized him to the idea there were smarter people in the world than him - but he would have liked to feel smart enough to make at least an occassional contribution to the class discussion.

Somehow, though, he didn't think anyone would find his thoughts on why it worked - because magic can shape anything you can imagine into reality - or how it worked - channelled will - as anything but the overly simplified explanations given to first years. They still worked just fine for Derry though. The keys to Transfiguration were still belief and mental concentration.

That other people now needed far more complicated explanations to believe something was possible was not Derry's fault or concern. It worked. That was good enough for him. He just needed to find the right way to imagine it so it did the same thing for him.

Collecting a buckle from the box of assorted items provided for practice, he returned to his desk, regarded the buckle for a long moment, then took one brown leather buckled shoe off his foot and planted it squarely on his desk for easy reference. The two buckles were roughly the same size and style. Satisfied, Derry studied his eighteenth century style footwear for all relevant details, then spiralled his wand upward and cast, "Renovo shoe."

Bindings and the start of the shoe's tongue appeared, but not a whole shoe. Derry was undetered. He ended his spell and tried again. And again. And again.

Persistence was the only way to win this game, and Derry had the patience to keep trying until he found just the right way to spiral his wand and imagine his way through the materialization of the rest of the shoe.

In the meantime, he kept his spirits high by energizing himself by chatting with his neighbor. "Heya," he greeted cheerfully after his first attempt failed. "I bet somebody really did create this spell to impress someone at a party."

1 Derry Four If at first you don't succeed... 189 Derry Four 0 5