Old lesson with a new twist? on Transfiguration

Professor Skies

November 02, 2013 5:07 AM

Intermediate Class - The Old Switcheroo by Professor Skies

“Good morning,” Professor Skies greeted the Intermediate Class. “Just a reminder that your essays on switching spells are due at the end of week, though the sooner you get cracking on them, the more progress you'll probably see in class.” She had introduced the topic of switching spells at the start of the term and the better they understood the theory, the more it should help with the practical classes. The subject of the essay was what made switching spells a Transfiguration, which would – of course – involve exploring their internal workings.

“Today, we will be working on switching over a greater distance,” the students had previously had both objects quite close at hand, in order to get the basics down. “This is one of the most useful practical applications of this category of spells, as it can help you obtain things that are otherwise out of your reach.

“As you may have noticed, there are several figures along the top of the blackboard,” she gestured to where the mice, squirrels and other assorted small toys were watching over the class. They had been her daughters' when they had been little.

“Your job is to switch the pebbles on your desk with one of the figurines. The list on the board,” she added, with a wave of her wand which caused one to appear, “instructs you which to aim for, as two people going for the same one might cause issues. Try to arrange yourselves so that you have a clear shot at your figure, as that would be preferable to having lots of criss-crossing spells. On that note, this side of the list will go first, whilst the rest of you may work on your essays. You will swap halfway through the period.

“As you should know by now, the spell for this is suppono, plus the name of the target, and the wand movement is the open infinity symbol we have been using in other classes. You may safely use the name of the figurine you're aiming for, e.g. suppuno mole, as – unless you are visualising the location of an actual mole, that is known to you and within the Sonora grounds – there is no danger of you accidentally pulling one in.

“As usual, you may talk quietly amongst yourselves, especially to answer each other's questions. If anyone is truly stuck, I will be making my way around the classroom.” It was habitual for her to move around anyway but she definitely didn't want to be sitting at her desk with a load of switching spells flying over it, and possibly falling objects coming down from the blackboard, “You may begin.”

OOC – as this has been the topic for the term, you can assume a level of experience appropriate to that (although bearing in mind your character's own age and ability). Please feel free to make up theory pertaining to switching spells that your characters has discovered in the course of their homework. You may decide whether they are in the first half or second half, and skip to the second half of the lesson if you decide they're in that group and would rather write about that than essay writing, though of course you are free to do either.

Posts will be marked on length, creativity, realism and relevance, and must be a minimum of 200 words.

Subthreads:

Old lesson with a new twist? by Rupert Princeton, Pecari

If only... by Amity Brockert, Aladren

0 Professor Skies Intermediate Class - The Old Switcheroo 26 Professor Skies 1 5

Rupert Princeton, Pecari

November 07, 2013 12:54 PM

Old lesson with a new twist? by Rupert Princeton, Pecari

It was refreshing not to be in the same class as any of his brothers this year. Next year Rup would not be quite as lucky, but a year was good enough for him after all the drama that had taken place the year before. It wasn't that Rupert disliked his brothers; there was just so much nonsense that they tied themselves up with and refused to change. His brothers, as the rest of his family, were stuck in their ways and refused to look at the world as it was. Rupert simply couldn't understand it. At least the relationship drama with Cepheus was over with. Megan was gone and their betrothal was over. Leo, on the other hand, absolutely refused to learn anything of consequence, or at the very least he was ridiculously slow. Rup felt like the middle-man between his brothers more often than not and, while he did not wholly dislike the position, he grew tired of them both.

After helping Leo with his homework very late the night before, Rupert was dragging his feet to class. On every other occasion, he was cheerful and talkative, but today, tired as he was, he was simply content with not speaking. He hoped Professor Skies wouldn't lecture too long or at least that they would be learning something interesting today so he would be able to stay awake. He knew he shouldn't have skipped breakfast for extra sleep; it hadn't seemed to do any good and now his stomach was empty too.

The lack of energy was unnatural for Rupert and he couldn't bring himself to care much about anything at the moment. He sat down in his usual seat and took out his note-taking supplies before putting his chin in his hand and staring off into space as he fiddled with his quill with his left hand. Rup had improved on the switching spells Professor Skies was talking about over the term and he had been proud of his progress. He was sure he would have improved faster if he wasn't kept up late by Leo. Rup really needed to stop helping him so much, but knowing how things were at home for his little brother caused Rup to have a bit more mercy towards him. Things were never easy for the Princeton brothers, but none of them could see eye-to-eye as all their problems with the family were different. Rup tried his best to understand them all, but it was difficult when no one would talk about it outright.

The lecture was short, but Rup still had a bit of trouble keeping his eyes open. He focused on the small toys on top of the blackboard to keep awake and tried to imagine bringing one of those to his desk. He tried to suppress a yawn, not wanting to look rude, but he ended up covering his yawn with both hands. At least the practical bit was starting now and he would have to stand up. As long as he didn't fall asleep while standing Rup didn't think he'd have any problems.

Wand in his left hand, Rupert got up and stood in front of the figurine he was to try switching with his pebble. The toy he was going to be practising with was a stuffed fox. It was the sort of children's toy that he thought a witch would like. Rup had grown up with toy wizards and witches and action figures that were charmed to fight according to his commands. It had been great fun, then, though Rup wasn't nearly old enough to have grown out of those charmed action figures. He did admittedly entertain himself with those from time to time.

Thinking about those old toys of his made Rup feel a bit more cheerful. He was very glad he was with the first group to practise the spell. Otherwise he might have fallen asleep on his essay which was, by now, a quarter written. He was getting better at doing his work ahead of time in order to keep up with the mad schedule Leo had put him on.

"Suppono fox," said Rup, making the open infinity symbol. The wand movement and incantation came naturally now, at least more naturally than at the start of the term. The switching spell either seemed to work or fail; it was difficult to fall in the middle. But it was part of Rupert's attitude towards Transfiguration; there was only failure or progress. As his pebble disappeared and the greater half of the fox appeared on the desk, he considered that a failure. He looked to see the bottom quarter of the fox still on top of the blackboard alongside his pebble, though he was certain both objects were going to teeter and fall onto the professor's desk.

"Well that didn't go as planned," he commented as he held up the three-quarters of the fox that had made it. "I didn't realise greater distances would make such a difference. Hopefully there wasn't much sentimental value to this." His dark eyes raised to look at his neighbour. "How's yours going?"

0 Rupert Princeton, Pecari Old lesson with a new twist? 0 Rupert Princeton, Pecari 0 5

Amity Brockert, Aladren

November 26, 2013 5:38 PM

If only... by Amity Brockert, Aladren

Transfiguration was Amity's favorite class for one reason and one reason only. It was easy . It was largely regarded as a more difficult branch of magic but it wasn't for her. She got good grades in it without much effort-and according to the Aladren, that was the best way to get good grades. Not that she wouldn't do her fair share when it came to working with others, but the girl would happily take an E if it meant less work but Transfig came so naturally to her.

Her summer had been dreadful too. Her cousins often went on vacation and she wanted in the worst way to go along but of course her mother wouldn't have it, she was more concerned about Amity and Chaslyn working on their extracurriculars. Especially because the Aladren never practiced at school. Plus, she hadn't gotten Biggest Brain in the yearbook this year and Mother was none too happy.And Amity hadn't even got Logical! She'd gotten Bookworm, which was an Aladrenish award. Actually it confused the fourth year too, given she wasn't even in the book club.

Plus, the whole vacation thing had caused fighting between her parents which Mother had unfortunately won. On the other hand, her father had won their other fight, when Chaslyn had had strep throat and Mother had wanted her to do lessons anyway. Father had put his foot down and said the only place the eleven year old was going was back to bed and Amity loved him for it. Meanwhile, as concerned as she had felt for her sister, who had been quite sick, a tiny piece of Amity wanted to catch it from her so she wouldn't have to do extracurricular lessons either.

Amity needed out, one way or another. They both did, and the Aladren was beginning to feel desperate. All she wanted was escape at this point. Just because it wasm't as bad as what Ryan had dealt with for years, didn't mean it wasn't horrible. All she wanted was to be a normal pureblood child and do the things that they did. Nothing extra.

She listened carefully to Professor Skies give her lesson. Amity, despite her lack of desire to go above and beyond, did pay her professors the proper respect and really genuinely did want to learn the things that were important. One of the first things she noticed about this lesson though, was that everyone was doing the same one. Therefore, she didn't have to make the choice between doing the harder lesson in the name of family honor and the easier one because it was, well, easier.

A switching spell didn't seem too hard either. As well as Amity was at the practical part, she also got the theory pretty well. She was lazy-she'd been told this enough that she believed it about herself but didn't care as there were far worse things to be- not stupid. Of course, with this particular spell, she didn't entirely get why it wasn't considered a charm. She supposed it was because even though she was switching things, she was making her pebble into whatever figurine she was switching with and vice versa. Which wasn't hard at all really.

Amity sat there, boredly working on her essay, which was good enough for her, likely good enough for Professor Skies and unlikely would be good enough for her mother. Nothing ever was and the Aladren just didn't care. She'd stopped doing so a long time ago, been burned out, but now she cared even less about the opinions of a woman who had thought a sick child should go to piano lessons and especially gymnastics. That was something that in Amity's eyes qualified as borderline abusive and Mother could not, in the fourth year's book, hold over them how much better than Aunt Pearl that she was.

Finally, the first half of the students was done and Amity put down her (barely started) essay, happy to move on the the practical part of the lesson. The item she selected was a small figurine of a dragon, she looked down at the pebble on her desk which was sort of a brownish color, while the dragon was green. "Suppono dragon" . The Aladren wasn't that surprised when she had some measure of success. Even though the dragon now had a brownish pebble head rather than it's original one.

She heard the person next to her address her and felt sort of annoyed. Unless it was Effie or Isabel or perhaps one of the acceptable males in her year, she really did not want to deal with anyone else, and if it was someone she really disliked, well,it would take every ounce of self control and propriety she had not to rip into them.

11 Amity Brockert, Aladren If only... 233 Amity Brockert, Aladren 0 5