//------------------------------// // Transfiguration Trouble // Story: Three Werewolves, a Pony, a Seer and a Skepticist walk into Hogwarts... // by SamuelK28 //------------------------------// Overall, despite Lavender and herself constantly having to keep Scoti awake and focused, Limestone’s Herbology lesson was an overall success, with her and Hermione perfecting a care routine for Moly whilst Lavender managed to successfully identify the first variation of Asphodel and that it was this variation that attributed to the most powerful of Wiggenweld Potions. Afterwards, much to Scoti’s ire, they had opted to head to the library as a group and complete the homework Professor Sprout had set them, which was to make a spectrum of ten magical plants from most helpful to most dangerous and to explain their choices and their locations on the spectrum. Limestone had managed to get Scoti through the period by promising they would stop of at the Great Hall for a snack if she completed her homework. And thus, the group of four now found themselves heading to Transfiguration, a lesson Limestone was fearing for totally different reasons to Flying. She heard Susan and Leanne before she saw them standing outside the classroom. “I can’t believe you got us detention on the very first day,” Limestone heard Susan grumble. “Me,” Leanne replied incredulously. “If I remember correctly, it was you who attacked me.” “You stole my breakfast,” Susan retorted. “It was barely more than a mouthful and you are well aware of pack law, you snooze you lose,” Leanne argued. “That was your fault. You were the one who practically drowned me in those foul-smelling odours last night,” Susan snapped back. “And you were the one who took on Scoti at arm wrestling and lost five times!” Leanne retaliated, unwilling to back down and not noticing Limestone, Scoti and the two Gryffindor girls approaching. “You two still bickering? Nice shiner by the way Leanne,” Limestone commented cutting into the conversation. “Oh, and this is Hermione and…” “LAVENDER,” both Leanne and Susan squealed as one, immediately forgetting their squabble and embracing their fellow werewolf in a massive hug. Lavender, who usually looked like she could die of fright at any moment, perked up a little as her fellow lycanthropy sufferers embraced her. “What’s it like in old Mrs Miser’s house?” Susan enquired as she and Leanne slowly let the other girl go. “Horrible,” Lavender squeaked in reply, quickly deducing just who her friends were talking about. “I already feel like she has constantly got an eye on me, the wench. And there are cats everywhere and I mean everywhere in our common room, although I have managed to keep them out of our dorm so far, the beasts. You should see the scratches and bites they have given me just since last night. I am terrified to go back in… oh no,” she abruptly cut of, her face going pale as she stared beyond Limestone at something. “Professor McGonagall, are you spying on us?” Limestone said without turning around and in a low threatening tone. Realising the jig was up Professor McGonagall transfigured herself back into her human form and approached the pack of girls. Susan started to growl at the deputy headmistress and Limestone had to quickly clamp a hand on the furry muzzle that had started to form on her friend’s face. “Seriously, do you want a second detention or worse,” Limestone chided turning to their Transfiguration professor with a forced smile. “Professor, everything alright? “Miss Granger, Miss Brown, I would strongly advise you seek any further friends from the boys’ dorm in your own house, although if you must socialise with other girls your own age, might I suggest Ravenclaw or Slytherin? You both seem like smart, sensible girls and trust me when I say these four are only going to get you into trouble, as they already have done themselves,” Professor McGonagall said coldly not waiting for a response as she opened the door to the classroom and went inside. Wow, what a rude fucking bitch, Scoti stated with a sign to everyone’s shock at the girl’s brazenness. “Miss Prewett, that’ll be detention after classes are finished today,” Professor McGonagall’s voice echoed from the classroom. “And Miss Pie, you can join her, because I am sure your mutt will do something stupid sooner rather than later.” Limestone gave Scoti her best death glare. “Thanks.” Scoti shrugged her shoulders, her sign now replaced by another one, How? “Don’t know, don’t care. Just get in there before she decides to give us detention for the whole term,” Limestone groused pushing Scoti forward with her left hand whilst dragging Susan forward by the muzzle with her right. * “Hmm,” Professor McGonagall said as she finished checking of the final student on her register. “Two missing. I wonder where Mr Potter and Mr Weasley have got to?” A timid knock came upon the door. “Enter,” Professor McGonagall ordered sharply. “Sorry Professor, we got lost,” a timid voice belonging to the dark-haired boy with glasses who had received the rapturous applause the previous night stated peering nervously around the door. “Well perhaps you should get a map. Hurry up now and take a seat so we may begin,” Professor McGonagall replied sternly and the two boys rushed to the last two seats available right at the front of the class. “If that was one of us, she would have had us in detention or deducted our house points,” Limestone heard Susan whisper to Scoti behind her. “Favouritism at its finest.” Limestone knew those two sitting next to each other was going to be trouble but Susan had taken the seat she was going to sit in whilst she had been distracted momentarily by Leanne and thus, she had ended up at the very front of the class with Hermione. And of course, Professor McGonagall had only gone and heard Susan. “Something you wish to say Miss Bones?” the Transfiguration professor said more as a demand than a question. “No Miss, nothing at all, maybe you need your hearing checked. You know, they do say it starts to deteriorate as you get older,” Susan replied insolently to a silent chuckle from Scoti next to her. Limestone’s head hit her desk. She didn’t. Professor McGonagall scowled at Susan. “Ten points from Hufflepuff for your insolence. I would have you in detention with your delinquent friends as well but I saw the spectacle you put on this morning at breakfast and know you are already in enough trouble with your head of house right now. Still, if you continue in such a manner, I will be having words with your head of house at lunch and I’m sure she would be only too happy to have help in the greenhouses for the entire first week, understood.” “Yes professor, absolutely professor, although it would still beat sitting here and listening to you. Maybe that is the real reason your own house’s students couldn’t be bothered to turn up on time,” Susan replied not backing down as Scoti continued to snicker silently next to her. “That will be another ten points and detention for the entire first week either with myself or Professor Sprout. Still like to continue? I am sure your aunt would love to know how insolent and impudent her niece has been on her very first day?” Professor McGonagall said coldly. That finally did the trick as Susan’s eyes widened for a split second in fear. It was all the advantage Professor McGonagall needed. “That’s what I thought,” Professor McGonagall said, pressing home her advantage and, not waiting for a response from Susan, she returned to the front of the classroom as the girl slumped glumly in her seat. “Now, would anyone else like to join Miss Bones in a week-long detention or shall we begin today’s lesson?” Silence greeted her in response. “That is what I thought,” Professor McGonagall said turning to the blackboard behind her. “Now, many of you will be looking forward to practicing with your wands. Well, I am sorry to say this, but this is something that shall not be happening for a while in Transfiguration. Transfiguration is an extremely complex science that requires substantial theoretical knowledge to perform even the most basic of spells successfully. Today I shall be introducing you to the four types of transfiguration before later in the week moving briefly onto Gamp’s Law and the five exceptions, although this is more advanced level and will be revisited in depth in your later years, specifically at N.E.W.T level. Next week, we shall be moving onto the transfiguration formula and alphabet. Only once I feel you have mastered these will we move on to turning matches into needles. Now, does anyone know the four types of transfiguration magic?” To Limestone it was no great surprise when Hermione immediately stuck her hand in the air. “Yes, Miss Granger,” Professor McGonagall asked, looking pleased it was one of her house’s students who had raised their hand. “Conjuration, untransfiguration, vanishment and transformation, which can be divided into three sub-categories, human transfiguration, switching and trans-species transformation.” Hermione replied confidently. Professor McGonagall was taken aback for a moment by Hermione’s knowledge but swiftly regained her composure to praise the girl. “That is correct. Very well done. Fifteen points to Gryffindor.” Hermione beamed at her head of house’s praise as Professor McGonagall began to explain the four types. “Now, conjuration and vanishment are both more advanced forms of magic and can be viewed as opposites of each other. Conjuration is the art of bringing things into being temporarily or in other words, transfiguring an object from thin air for a limited amount of time and generally is the hardest form of transfiguration alongside human transfiguration. There are one or two exceptions to this though, for example, raw elements and certain animal species. It is also the form of transfiguration with the most restrictions placed upon it and I shall talk more about these when I go over Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration later in the week. For the most part though it is not an area you need to worry about unless you continue studying Transfiguration at N.E.W.T level in years six and seven. Vanishment on the other hand…” she paused as Scoti, of all people, stuck her hand into the air. “Miss Prewett, is there something I can help you with?” Would you like a demonstration? Scoti asked with a sign. “Miss Prewett, I have no idea where you got that from but the suggestion a mere eleven-year-old can cast more than Incendio in terms of conjuration is quite preposterous,” Professor McGonagall said dismissively. Oh, I have no idea what my magic is, I just call it magic. I think it and it materialises for as long as I need it, Scoti explained. “Really?” Professor McGonagall said disbelievingly. Yep, although nothing bigger than me, Scoti went on. And it never lasts more than an hour at most. Professor McGonagall had had enough. “Miss Prewett, I strongly suggest you stop wasting my time before you end up joining your friend in a week’s worth of detention.” Scoti just shrugged her shoulders and went back to doodling on her parchment. “Right, now where were we,” Professor McGonagall said irritably, her mood somehow even more sour than when the lesson had begun. And that was when something proceeded to land atop her head. Everyone in the class’s eyes widened aside Scoti’s, who was still doodling on her parchment. Limestone’s head may have also hit her desk for the second time in the lesson. “Professor, there’s a chicken atop your head,” the ginger haired boy that had been late with Harry Potter exclaimed. “Thank you, Ronald. Now, does one of you wish to inform me how a chicken has come to be atop my head?” Professor McGonagall said calmly but with a clear undertone that highlighted her patience was starting to wear extremely thin as she removed the chicken from her head. The chicken took one look at Professor McGonagall before proceeding to breathe fire into her face and then, to her astonishment, it vanished right in front of her eyes as if it had never been there to begin with. The first thing Professor McGonagall saw as the chicken disappeared and left her with two scorched eyebrows was Scoti holding up yet another sign. Magic