Transfiguration Help

Kayla needed help with Transfiguration. She wasn't failing, per se, but she was going to have to boost her grades if she wanted to consider the possibility of a future career as an Auror. Of course, it was only a possibility. An alluring one, nevertheless. She asked Greg about it, who in turn suggested Autumn for help. Kayla vaguely recalled her aspiration to be an Animagus and agreed to a three person study group. 

"Hi, Greg. Hi, Autumn," she greeted when they arrived at the large table Kayla was seated at. In front of her was a large assortment of objects and small animals that she received special permission from the librarian to bring in. She was a little nervous to practice on them, though. She didn't need just help on practical Transfiguration but also some theory, so she had several textbooks laid out neatly. 

"I suppose this will be an 'Ask Autumn' session," she laughed. "I'm having trouble with 'Vera Verto' but Greg should go first," she said. It was his cousin and his idea, after all.

Gregory really didn't know how he got pulled into this study session baffled him.

Autumn wasn't a bad teacher. She was, in fact, a very good teacher. But she wasn't the best teacher for Gregory. They learned in completely different ways and communication was difficult for the two.

Luckily, he didn't need her help very often.

But once again, why did he get roped into this? Especially going first. His transfiguration would look clumsy next to Autumn's, and overall inexperienced.

"Well, I brought the owl, so I shouldn't have to go first," he said, shifting in his chair. "How about I just sit here with my wand and do Reparifarge if necessary?"

Autumn knew Transfiguration. Facts, spells, general random hints and tips she'd picked up from watching other people, anything she had available to her was committed to memory. If she was ever going to be an Animagus, she would need to know everything. "Not completely an ask Autumn," she answered smiling.

"Gregory, I have no idea why you'd bring an owl. We use smaller objects first," she commented.

It was ridiculous. There was no reason why he couldn't go first. There wasn't a specific order. But she wasn't going to force him to. "And that's fine. I'll go first, then we can switch," Autumn said to Greg.

Autumn gently picked up a small rabbit that would be a good subject. "Living things are actually a bit easier," Autumn told the two. She centered the creature on the table. Autumn took her wand out of her sleeve and tapped lightly on the rabbit's back three times, then aimed at it. "Vera Verto," she pronounced clearly.

The rabbit successfully turned into a crystal-clear goblet. Autumn examined it. "Perfect. What you are looking for, well, more like listening for, is a mist. It makes a spraying noise," Autumn explained. "What you don't want is a cracking noise. That means you did it incorrectly. Go ahead. Give it a try."

She pushed her goblet toward Greg so he could change it back, as he requested, and let Kayla pick one of the calm creatures on the table as her target.

Kayla surveyed the animals in front of her. "I hope half-goblet tortoises don't result because of this," she confessed as she gently picked up a small turtle. Autumn made it look easily. She was quite confident she couldn't replicate her results. She cleared her throat and pointed her wand at the shell. "Vera Verto." An insignificant jet of mist erupted from the tip. The tortoise turned into a goblet, but it had a rocky shell pattern. 

"This is better than my usual attempt," Kayla admitted. She turned to Greg, hoping he would stop sulking. She didn't know what was wrong. She didn't know if she should ask. She didn't know why she cared so much. "Now it's your turn." She slid her goblet towards him, lightly nudging Greg.

Gregory sat in his chair and did his untransfiguration spells as quietly as possible so he wouldn't bother the girls.

"Reparifarge," he said, with his wand pointed at the turtle-goblet. The cup unfolded back into its original creature shape.

Gregory tried to remember how he had done this spell last year. He was used to having some fair warning before he had to perform any magic. He didn't like being just called out on it. He felt self-conscious, even though he was with two of his closest friends.

He sat up and looked at the little turtle. He did the same thing as his cousin: tapped the turtle three times and quietly said, "Vera Verto."

The turtle turned into a complete water goblet. No mistakes. But he still felt awkward for some reason. He slid it back toward Kayla. "You'll get it. Just keep practicing," he said, trying to sound encouraging. It sounded a bit flat to him, but he tried.

Kayla knew Greg meant well, but it wasn't helping her. She didn't learn by watching people do it, she preferred logical explanations. Unfortunately that could only get her so far in spells. Nevertheless she took out her wand again and tapped the turtle shell. "Vera Verto," she commanded. It emitted a spraying sound. The turtle shifted into a water goblet. It was green, but there was no rocky turtle shell texture.

"I think the textbook mentioned how to get it the right color," Kayla noted. She heaved her giant textbook and flipped the pages. While she flipped through the pages of long diagrams and notes, she asked, "Have either of you met any graduates yet?" The reunion was the big talk of the school. Kayla was happy to have her brother.

"I think you'll just have to try again," Autumn answered. "I don't think there is a way to change just the color of it. That's more of a charm than a Transfiguration."

"Well, I've seen some of the old Quidditch players practicing, but that's about it," she answered. "Although, to be honest, I could have gone the rest of my life without seeing Ryan Green. I hadn't made the connection between him and Isobel until I saw them together."

Autumn hadn't met any of the other graduates. She had been on the look out for Osmund, but she knew that he wasn't very fond of the school. It was wishful thinking.

"I haven't really 'met' any. I think some are just here to see their siblings," Greg answered after Autumn had. He'd briefly spoken to Caleb, Kayla's brother. And he had seen two of Kayla's cousins. The mean one and the flighty one.

"Isobel and Ryan are siblings?" Greg asked. He couldn't believe it. And, then again, he could. "That actually makes a lot of sense. I guess being a brat runs in the family." He smiled a little bit at his own comment. It was a mean thing to say and he felt bad, but it wasn't like they were ever going to find out what he had said about them. He doubted they would care anyway.