She watched, wide eyed, as Professor Marchand demonstrated the various charms on the poor little blue mouse. Real or not, she wasn’t sure how she was going to bring herself to trick the sweet little creature. It just wasn’t in her to be mean to anything. Permanent damage kept running over and over in her mind. With a slow exhale, she turned her attention to Rose. Perfectly happy little Rose with her nose up in the air, searching for a whiff of delectable cheesecake.

Opening the cage door, she simply put her hand out, palm up, and Rose climbed on. Sure, the mouse had to like her too. That was going to make it so much harder. “Ok little one, you are going to have to go back into the maze.” She whispered to her mouse in loving tones. “I’m going to have to try some charms out on you. Please know that the professor is making me do this. I would never do this any other way.” Placing Rose in the maze, she gave her a little scratch behind her pink ears while blocking off her start so she could finish setting the maze up.

Emmalyn slowly placed a fresh piece of cheesecake in the original spot in the maze and readied her wand. “Here we go.” She would be starting with the kindest charm of the three. The confundus charm. She unblocked the start of the maze, raised her wand, moved in a question mark motion, and pointed at innocent little Rose. “Confundo!” she commanded with a painfully sad voice. Rose started off toward the first turn of the maze. So far she was doing just fine. Then, she somehow doubled back and ended up at the start again. Her little nose twitched and she kept lifting up on her hind legs to smell the air. Rose once again headed towards the first turn, made a left, then doubled back to the start. Rose was sufficiently confused.

Emmalyn couldn’t stand it any longer and reached down to break off a piece of cheesecake. She put the chunk in her hand and lifted Rose out with her other hand. She placed Rose next to the treat and allowed her to snack. “I think this is fine since I didn’t show you were the cheesecake was located in the maze.” She would give Rose, and herself, a few moments to recover from the confundus charm before moving on.