Science, Switching Spells, and Stephanie

Hassan thoroughly enjoyed Transfiguration. It was the most scientific branch of magic, and therefore his favorite. He felt at home among formulas. They actually learned the why, the scientific reasoning behind these flamboyant spells. Granted, not all his questions were answered, but he could be momentarily appeased.

Not everyone liked Professor Walker; Hassan had overheard some disparaging remarks about him. Nevertheless, Hassan relished his serious and methodical manner. He and Stephanie were apparently the Professor's favorites, as they were placed in conjoining seats up front and trusted with a nice window view. Hassan breathed in the breeze, which only he and Stephanie had been afforded. He almost could have stared out the window and forgotten about their Switching Spell assignment. But of course, the very beautiful Stephanie brought him back to the present. He had managed to blush slightly less in her presence, thank goodness.

He cleared his throat and watched as Stephanie performed the Switching Spell. "You are very adept at this," Hassan marveled in awe. Perhaps he would be jealous, if it were anyone else. But not Stephanie. "With your skill, you should try to switch harder objects," he suggested.

Hassan lifted his wand and found his focus. Concentrate....Stephanie's scrap parchment switched with a piece of candy. "I did it," he beamed. He handed the candy to Stephanie. "For you, m'lady," he joked with a tiny smile on his normally serious face.

Transfiguration...Surely one of the most interesting subjects, at the Beauxbatons Academy. Stephanie understood that all classes were of utmost importance for her future, but transfiguration had a special place in her heart. Probably, because of its scientific nature. Stephanie just loved proving things in a scientific way. Moreover, she was actually given the chance to prove magic in a scientific way, something that most Muggles deemed as supernatural.

Professor Walker, wasn't really the most popular professor at school. Stephanie wasn't a gossip girl or anything, far from that actually, but she was smart enough to understand when a professor wasn't liked by his students. However, she didn't care at all. Stephanie and Hassan seemed to be Mr. Walker's favorites. Hassan...yeah...Stephanie was more than happy, to be able to sit next to him, during transfiguration. Her realistic and mature approach to...pretty much everything, also helped to bring Hassan back to reality, at times.

Stephanie was quite talented at everything related to magic. She was a magic prodigy, according to her parents and some professors. Of course, most magic assignments came pretty easily to her. The Switching Spell one wasn't an exception...

"Um...Grazie, Hassan. That is pretty nice of you." Stephanie said with a blush. Hassan was always so kind and supportive. And such a gentleman...she couldn't think of anything else as he switched her scrap parchment with a piece of candy. And then, a tiny smile appeared on his face...Utterly adorable...

"Grazie..." Stephanie said, trying to hold her blush...
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*Grazie: "Thank you" in Italian.

To his chagrin, Hassan couldn't think of a decent reply to her thank you. "You're welcome" seemed inadequate for such a girl like her. He considered saying thank you, but that was inadequate too. Furthermore it could result in aimless back-and-forth trifling flattery. He ended up merely stammering "It's th-the truth. I speak only the truth." Goodness gracious. He was quite sure he was blushing, so he turned away quickly to hide it.

"Perhaps you could try Switching this quill for that desk," Hassan suggested when he had recovered. "It should be much harder due to the disparity in size." He didn't even know if it was possible at this rate. However, he had great faith in Stephanie's magical prowess.

Stephanie knew, that she had low self-esteem. She just didn't consider herself to be special, like most people around her. She never got complimented a lot either...But this one changed with Hassan. He was always telling so many good things about her.

"T-The truth, huh? Grazie...a lot."

"That's what I was thinking. The disparity of the size makes it really difficult, for a wizard of my level at magic. However, possibilities sometimes surprise us...I should try it, I guess." Stephanie said. She wouldn't try it, because she wasn't sure about its success. But Hassan told her to try it...she couldn't do otherwise. To her surprise...she did it! From her first try!

"Oh my-"
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Grazie: "Thank you" in Italian.

On the outside Hassan kept nodding. Internally he pleaded for Stephanie to stop thanking him. Goodness gracious, you'll make a tongue-tied fool out of me, he thought with embarrassment.

His mouth fell wide open. The sight he had just witnessed was ineffable. Stephanie had Switched a bulky desk into an airy quill! Admittedly, Hassan's keen eyes caught some color and texture imperfections, but it was indubitable that in the desk's place was a feather and in the feather's place was a desk.

"Stephanie! مدهش!" Hassan was too awestruck to pose a billion scientific questions. However, he couldn't help speculate. "I wonder what the maximum limit of volume deviation is, if it exists. Perhaps, with immense skill, a master wizard could Switch a quill with a black hole? Or must the item have a defined mass?"

He stared at Stephanie's eyes for a while as he pondered through the questions. Then he remembered his discomfort with eye contact and broke it off. "Wel-well done. You must teach these formulas to me."

مدهش="amazing" in Arabic

Stephanie couldn't believe it. Nearly impossible, statistically. Nearly...It was amazing! She was really excited. Her monotonous expression was replaced with a smile. Her eyes lit up. She looked around the room, to process the situation. In the desk's place was a feather and in the feather's place was a desk. Incredible. Stephanie looked at her teacher. Even he, seemed slightly surprised. For the first time in her life, Stephanie felt like she did something special.

"G-Grazie, Hassan. Sono stupito troppo. Perhaps there's not a defined mass. Based on how limited the rules of magic are, somebody could possible Switch an ant with a galaxy! Although this level of magic, would probably lead to chaos." She was amazed. So many possibilities. So many scientific questions. However, most of these questions led to ethical questions, as well. What if this kind of magic, fell in the wrong hands?

After that, Hassan stared at Stephanie for a while. Stephanie expected another speculation, but he was just standing there...Giving her the chance to look deeply in his charming brown eyes.

"Ah-ah...I'd be glad to teach you...Although, I'm not that special..."
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*Grazie: "Thank you", in Italian.
**Sono stupito troppo: "I am amazed too/as well", in Italian.