Transfiguration Lesson 1 (All Years)

Grayson was glad to return to Hogwarts, something he had never been able to honestly say during his years as a student there. His summer had been...well, equal parts stressful and boring. His mother had recently been diagnosed with early-onset dementia and was deteriorating somewhat, particularly in the memory department, and he'd felt obligated to remain with her all summer to look after her. Thankfully, a kind neighbor had promised to visit her regularly and make sure she was okay during the school year, but that hardly stopped Grayson from worrying.

Yet he was also relieved to be back to work, to have something to occupy him outside of his mother's health. He felt guilty thinking of her as some kind of burden, but...well, staying in London all summer had made him restless, and the more her memory failed, the more tiring it was to keep her company. He loved her of course, and on the outside he was endlessly patient, but it was difficult to remain in high spirits after three months of repeating himself. Not to mention the sadness of watching her, once a strong and capable woman, gradually decline when she wasn't even that old. She'd stopped working a year ago when the symptoms began to interfere with her job, and now she was only 62 and living by herself, spending most of the day alone in the house. He wished there was something more he could do, but he also knew if he didn't get out of there soon, he'd start to go insane.

So as he stepped into his classroom for the first day of the new school year, he took a deep breath and allowed himself to relax, to focus on the present moment and the plans he had for his students. That, at least, was within his control.

He approached the board and wrote today's topic in his neat, flowing script: Animagi. Something interesting, yet fairly calm and theoretical to start the year. Hopefully his students wouldn't be too disappointed in the lack of wand waving, but sometimes they had to learn things they couldn't actually do in class.

The day was turning out to be better and better. Jake first thing in the morning and now Professor Hughes straight after lunch. perhaps her timetable would not be a constant source of annoyance this year after all, Mimosa reflected as she ran a brush through her hair in the fourth year girl's dormitory. Most of the girls in her had skipped lunch, a new diet idea that Catherine swore by, and were in various states of getting ready as Mimosa skipped out of her room. She hand't gone far though when an unusual sight greeted the young brunette.

Lilac Capulet had been backed into a corner by three of her own dorm mates, all of them intent on commenting upon the bright red beret atop the young blonde's head.

"Seriously, what are you a Gryffindor?' a tall dark girl sneered. "Maybe we should throw ehr into their common room instead, since she likes them so much."

"A Gryffindor with no sense of style," another girl commented, swiping at the beret that looked oddly familiar but Mimosa couldn't place it. "Where'd you get it, flea market?"

"I..." Lilac tied only for a wand to come out and a quick silencing charm cast ehr way. The tall girl was quick, Mimosa only saw her wand when it was being slipped back up her sleeve.

"That will teach you to talk without being asked to."

"Oh, that's Elenore beret!" Mimosa exclaimed, finally remembering where she had seen the hat before. Her Elenore had worn it once upon a time, only to find it distasteful and discard it almost immediately. "How did you get that?'

Lilac struggled to speak but the silencing charm held, rendering the french witch helpless.

"So she's a thief too huh?"

Lilac's face was steadily turning blue as she opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Mimosa had no idea if she was trying to explain herself or call for help. Not that it mattered.

"You go on ahead Mimosa, we can take care of her," the tall girl encouraged, waving the young brunette away. Mimosa nodded, stepping away. Before she departed for the common room where quid Boy would undoubtedly be waiting for her, she added a casual line in lieu of a goodbye over her shoulder.

"Make sure not to ruin the beret, It needs to be returned to the palace."

Sure enough, Squid Boy was waiting downstairs, his books and bag ready. He had probably been doing something boring like reading up on the subject but as soon as she arrived, his hand was ready and waiting for hers. Together, they along with a dozen other Slytherins headed out the common room, their group slowly joined by students of other Houses as they made their way to Transfiguration.

A huge grin blossomed on her face when the young brunette entered the class. "Professor Hughes! How are you? I sent you post cards over the summer but I don't know if you got them! I was in India again and I saw some really interesting tribes that worship transfigured things. Have you heard of them?" As always, the child was off like a rattle, leaving Squid Boy to find their place and guide her there when the class became too crowded.

Grayson greeted his incoming students with a smile, returning their salutations with his own. Mimosa, as usual, had boundless energy.

"Hello, Mimosa! I'm well, how are you? I did receive your postcards. I would have sent my own, but I'm afraid I didn't go anywhere very interesting this summer. I actually studied some of those tribes at length when I was there," he responded to each of her questions in turn, barely able to keep up with her rapid-fire transitions. He waved to Nikolai over her shoulder, then waited for the class to settle down. Once everyone had found their seats, he addressed the class.

"Good afternoon and welcome back! I hope you've had a smooth transition. I'm afraid there won't be any wand-waving in today's class, but I promise we will get to it soon." He heard a few grumbles, but most of the kids were still pretty alert. The beginning of the year was the best - the students weren't yet bogged down by homework from other classes and peer drama and upcoming exams, and most of them actually made some effort in the first couple weeks before they crashed.

"However, I think today's topic might interest some of you. Can anyone tell me what an animagus is, and how it differs from a metamorphmagus, a werewolf, and other, more common types of human transfiguration?"

The boy snuck into the classroom hoping he'd be able to be overlooked but didn't think that was very likely as covered as he was in cobwebs. He'd gotten as much as he could off himself as he ran to the classroom, but was sure he'd missed some. Sliding onto a chair, he glanced at the board and smiled brightly. Brilliant! They were going to be learning about Animagi! That had actually been one of the things he first asked the alumni that had come to discuss him being magic to his family. Well, actually it had been Jasper's. It was something that he and his parents wanted to know as well though; could a wizard turn someone into a toad like it was so commonly portrayed? That was when he'd learned that skill was called Transfiguration and that there were many different types of animal transformations. Most of which he was told he'd have to learn when he'd got to school.

Listening to the older students talk, he scribbled notes down in his notebook absently brushing more of the cobwebs from his hair. While he knew what some of what was being talked about, he had no idea of others such as Metamorphmagi. What the heck was that? He wrote a side note to his study notes to find out what that was. Or to ask the Slytherin after class. Paling when the Slytherin girl spoke, he Jurian made a mental note to never be caught stealing. He did not want to be half hephalump!

Grayson noticed the young Ravenclaw boy slip into the classroom out of the corner of his eye and sent him a mildly questioning glance as he noticed the cobwebs clinging to his robes. But, he was in the middle of teaching right now, so perhaps he would ask later. As it was, he listened and nodded as first Nikolai answered, and then Mimosa. Both of their responses were satisfactory.

"Very good. I believe that covers the brunt of it. As Mr. Kessler noted, an animagus form, much like a patronus, is an extension of the witch or wizard, rather than a conscious choice. More often than not, a person's animagus form and patronus are the same - so, if you are able to cast a corporeal patronus, you'll have a good idea of what your animagus form might be without having to put in the months of work required to become one."

As he spoke, the lights dimmed somewhat, and the board cleared to make room for a projection. The video was one he had recorded back at Uagadou, which specialized in human transfiguration. Some students had provided a demonstration of the shift between human form to animal form and back. The recording played soundlessly as he continued.

"While animagi are exceedingly rare in the Western world, due to the tremendous difficulty of the process, students of Uagadou in Africa pride themselves on their commitment to the craft. Many become animagi before they graduate, with the help of their peers and their professors. Often, groups of students will attempt it together, with guidance and encouragement from the school, since it can be dangerous without both solidarity and supervision."

The lights came on again, and the video faded. "To become an animagus, one must perform a series of tasks that can be both challenging and tedious. The process can take anywhere from a couple months, to several years, depending on the circumstances. First, a single mandrake leaf must be held in the mouth for an entire month, without swallowing it or spitting it out - otherwise, you'll have start over. On the next visible full moon, you have to spit the leaf into a vial underneath the moon's rays. If it's cloudy, you'll have to start over. Once completed, you then have to add one of your own hairs, a silver teaspoon of dew that has not seen sunlight or been touched by human feet for seven days, and the chrysalis of a Death's-head Hawk Moth. The mixture must be put in a quiet, dark place and cannot be in any way disturbed.

"The next part is where Uagadou students tend to have an advantage. Electrical storms are common in the area surrounding Uagadou, so students there don't usually have to wait long, given that they start this process just before the rainy season. The final step must be completed during a lightning storm, but for every day until then, you must chant the incantation 'Amato Animo Animato Animagus' at sunrise and sundown with the tip of your wand placed over your heart. When, at last, there is a lightning storm, you must move immediately to a large and secure place, recite the incantation one final time, and then drink the potion.

"There are many places in which this process could go wrong. If any step is completed incorrectly, you could risk a failed or incomplete transformation, sometimes resulting in a permanent half-transfigured state. Coupled with the fact that it is illegal in the UK to become an animagus without registering with the ministry, most magic users here find it's not worth it to attempt the transformation. While an animagus form might be useful for one attempting to hide or spy on someone, the animagus registry is open to the public, negating most practical, legal uses. So, if you are curious about your own animagus form, I'd recommend attempting to learn the Patronus Charm. It may be difficult, but in most cases, it's nowhere near as difficult as becoming an animagus."

Grayson lectured for most of the class, stopping a few minutes before the bell to take questions. When the bell rang, he dismissed his students, freeing them to enjoy the rest of their first day of school.


House Points:
Mimosa Harrington: 10 for attendance + 10 for answer = 20 points
Nikolai Kessler: 10 for attendance + 10 for answer = 20 points
Jurian Taggart: 10 for attendance = 10 points

Totals:
Slytherin: 40
Ravenclaw: 10
Hufflepuff: 0
Gryffindor: 0