Definiton of Transfiguration. That one was easy! Louisa raised the hand that held her quill and replied, "Transfiguration is about learning how to change the subject's shape or properties." Short, simple and somewhat enough.

Ella looked at Charlotte with a quizzical expression. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to define the term but she did her best. "Professor Magnus, transfiguration is when you turn one thing into something else." She looked at the professor hoping this was correct.

This was the class that Lily really looked forward to. Lily pulled out her picture and placed it on her desk. Lily heard a bunch of people answering the question that this really laid back professor had asked, so Lily decided not to answer the question, since her answer had basically been answered already. Instead, Lily pulled out her notebook and quill and took notes as to what her peers were saying about transfiguration.

The defition of transfiguaration, I learned this a long time ago. This is simple, "Transfiguaration is is changing something into something totally different in its entire makeup", Nathan responded raising his hand.

I read EVERY post, but just quoting a few or I'll be here forever. :P lol
 

Isabelle narrowed her eyes at this one. She wasn't sure if the girl was being serious, or just a naive firstie. "Urrr, no. You seem to be getting confused with transportation. Not the same thing." But you know, she was young. She could excused just this once.

"Exactly right, on both counts. Well done. A controlled wand movement, clear speaking and above all focus are extremely important." Isabelle was mighty impressed that a young one had picked up on such an important point. She gave the girl a broad grin for that.

Again with the eye narrowing. This time for someone that wasn't paying attention.

Walking over to the girl, Isabelle took the folded piece of paper out of her hand and placed it down on the table. Smoothing it out in a rather pointed manner, she cleared her throat. "The parchment is to be used for practice, not for you to distract yourself with when you should be paying attention to the lesson. Five points from Slytherin."

"Yes, understanding the physical traits of an animal, or person, you are going to transfigure is paramount so not to cause injury." Isabelle nodded approval towards Alyssa.

"Exactly. It's not just changing the appearance of something, but also being able to produce something seemingly from thin air." Oh yes, and Gamp's Law's, one of the very important things they all needed to remember.

"Gamp's Law's, as Sierra mentioned will all be listed in your textbooks, so please make sure you read that before attempting to do any spells outside of the classroom," Isabelle said, raising her voice to address the whole class.

Never use it on a professor? Did she hear that right? "Considering the professor is likely to be more skilled than you, it isn't a good idea to try and use transfiguration on them, no." Not that they were allowed to use it as a punishment.

"Concentration is a major thing to remember, yes. Good, August." Smiling as she passed towards the front of the class, Isabelle patted him on the shoulder lightly.

"Absolutely! If you drop focus and concentration for a second with this type of magic things you turn out in a manner that you don't want."





Getting back to the front of the class, Issy turned to face the kids and sum up what had been said. "You are all correct, well done. Transfiguration is, put simply, changing one thing into another. Although, as Sierra and a couple of you pointed out, you can also conjure, vanish and untransfigure things."

Picking up the piece of paper she had left on her desk for the demonstration, Isabelle held it in front of her. "Now the paper you have all been given will, hopefully, by the end of the lesson become a brand new picture frame for the photo's you all brought with you." She hadn't just asked them to bring them for her amusement. Although you never knew, some of them might be funny. Issy hadn't actually seen them yet.

Taking her wand out of her pocket again Isabelle placed it against the paper and drew a square around all four sides. With almost a pop the paper changed into a gold picture frame that was slightly ornate. "The incantation is 'Stat-UA HAB-itum' (Statua Habitum)....and you trace a square above the object you are changing. Because this is a new spell you're trying I've given you something square to use, in the paper, but it can work on any object no matter the shape. I'll explain where your photo's come into the practice a little later when you have all got used to the spell. For now you don't need them."

Putting the frame down on her desk, Isabelle spread her arms wide and smiled. "Now I don't want you all to launch into changing things yet, please do refine each element of the spell before you try it for real. And don't be worried if it doesn't work first time. No one is perfect. Just revert it back to it's original state, using 'Reverto', and try again. And please, don't be afraid to ask for help!"




OOC: You can begiiiiiin! PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE READ EVERYTHING ISABELLE HAS ASKED YOU TO DO. No excessive chatter, and please don't blow anything up. lol This is my last post before bed, but Issy will be here the whole time. Remember that. ;)

Anakin watched the Professor as carefully as she could as she demonstrated how to properly transfigure the piece of paper that had been supplied, into a neat frame. Looking down at his own paper, and then back up at the Professor, once she'd released them to begin.

The 7th year couldn't resist taking a glance around at all the other students who were beginning to practice, and was perhaps a little astounded by how quickly some were getting it. Focusing in on his own paper once more, Ani concentrated on his paper and lifted his wand in the air. "Stat-UA HAB-itum" He certainly hoped his bit of a brogue wouldn't do anything to the spell.

Drawing the figure in the air, the piece of paper was suddenly transformed into a frame! Well...sort of...At least he'd managed to get ONE part of the practice done...the shape however...Well, it was more oval then square he'd say...And it certainly wasn't as NICE of a frame as most others were transfiguring...

Obviously. He'd need to practice it a bit more. "Reverto."

Alyssa quickly jotted down the instructions to changing the piece into a photo frame and then read them over again, until she was sure about what she was supposed to do. Before picking up the paper, she practised the incantation ''Stat-UA HAB-itum'....Stat-UA HAB-itum...Stat-UA HAB-itum". Once she was sure of the pronunciation. Alyssa re-read her notes before picking up the piece of paper that the Professor had earlier placed on their desks. She then picked up her wand and raising the paper in the air, she traced her wand over it, drawing a square above the paper and at the same time saying the incantation "Stat-UA HAB-itum"

The paper that she was holding in her hand, changed to a square photo frame. 'Cool' Alyssa thought to herself. Now to change it back. She picked up the wand and repeating the spell and wand movements she learnt in Transfiguration class last year, she pointed the wand at the photo frame and said "RE-VER-TO" immediately changing the frame back into the paper that she had originally held in her hand.

Zhenya put her wand on the table and practised the incantation out loud. She didn't expect to change the paper into a frame for the first few tries, but she did want a new photo frame by the end of the lesson. She had a photo of herself with her grandparents.

She started saying "Stat-UA HAB-itum" just as the Professor had said. She thought it sounded okay, so she decided that she might give a try at the paper. She held her wand out and drew a square. Of course it might be nice to one day try to do a love heart frame! But she liked square frames more. The paper was merely shrunk to the size of the square she drew. Well, it didn't look like a frame at all. Even though she knew it probably wouldn't work the first time, she still hoped it would. She said "Reverto" and it stretched back to the initial size.She tried again and again and again, until eventually the paper turned brown. Well, that must be a good sign, right?

She tried to think clearly about her intent to transfigure the paper into a frame. She traced a square with her wand, and said "Stat-UA HAB-itum" and it transfigured into a frame! She smiled with delight!

Minerva got a big smile on her face it was time to transfigure something. She pulled her wand out and moved the paper in the middle of her on the desk. Making a square with her wand she said "Statua Habitum" a more of a lopsided rectangle happened. Hmmm that's not right she thought, maybe I moved my hand wrong. "Reverto" she said and the paper went back to normal.

Conrad lifted his piece of paper into the air and practiced tracing the square a few times. Then he set his wand on the table and practiced the words. "Statua Habitum..." he repeated to himself. Satisfied that he had the pronunciation down, he picked up his wand, lifted his paper into the air, and said it stronger now. "Statua Habitum" he said, moving his wand in the square way the professor had demonstrated.

The piece of paper did indeed transform, but not into a picture frame. An oddly misshapen hunk of wood appeared in his hand. He noticed sections of it had interesting engravings on it, that had to be a good sign. Figuring he just needed more practice, and perhaps a steadier hand drawing his square, he quickly muttered, "Reverto", and got ready to try again.

Ariella listened as the professor gave all the instructions. After copying down some notes on her parchment, she replayed them in her mind and repeated the incantation over and over again. "Stat-UA HAB-itum." It sounded right. Then, she practiced the wand movement. Okay. Here goes nothing, she thought to herself. She picked up the paper in her hand and held it in front of her. "Statua Habitum!" she said firmly, drawing out the syllables of UA and HAB while tracing the square near her paper.

She watched as the paper she was holding transformed into what looked like a picture frame. No, it was more like a deformed picture frame that was run over by a bus. "Reverto!" she said quickly as the frame transformed back into a piece of paper. Ariella supposed it was because of her square. Now that she thought about it, it was much more like a rectangle.

"Statua Habitum!" she said again, carefully tracing the square. A gold picture frame appeared in front of her. It had a few dents in it, but not nearly as bad as the last time. "Reverto!" she exclaimed. And now, she could try again.

Melanie was hoping she could at least get the paper to do something as she watched Conrad turn his into a lump of wood. He was sitting right next to her, he was bound to notice if she did something stupid, and then he'd think even less of half-bloods.

She held her paper up in front of her and practiced tracing the square with her wand, careful not to even think the incantation. When she was satisfied she could successfully form shapes, she set her wand down and began practicing the incantation.

"Statua Habitum...Statua Habitum..." She said it over and over, wanting to be absolutely sure she had it right. Finally, she felt like she was ready. As ready as she was gonna be anyway.

She picked up her piece of paper and her wand and concentrated on picture frames, something she never could have imagined she'd be doing. Specifically, she envisioned a gold one that her mother had hanging over the fireplace at home. Concentrating on the gold paint and swirled engravings, Melanie lifted her wand. "Statua Habitum," she said forcefully, drawing the square around the paper.

The edges of the paper turned gold, the color stretching a couple inches in on all four sides. Melanie sighed. 'Well, it's a start. And at least it didn't explode', she thought wryly. "Reverto" she said, and glanced at Conrad out of the corner of her eye, thankful she hadn't embarrassed herself.

Kennedy pulled out the picture he had decided to bring to class. He actually had to Owl his mom to send him one. He wasn't the type to be carrying pictures with him... and he had forgotten to pack them, but, to his defense Kennedy didn't know they were going to need pictures when he was packing at home.

He set the picture upside down on the desk and covered it with his notes parchment.

The snake looked down at the paper they were given and traced his wand in the air making a square. Now that he got that down, it was time to get familiar with the incantation. "Stat-UA HAB-itum, Stat-UA HAB-itum, Stat-UA HAB-itum," he repeated quietly to himself.

That...seemed simple enough. Kennedy readied his wand and traced a square above the paper and said, "Statua Habitum."

A grin spread on his lips when the paper was a golden frame, but there was something wrong with it. He picked it up and frowned when the frame was still paper-like.

Er...a paper frame. Yeah, that wasn't going to work. "Reverto," he said. Sure, magic sometimes didn't come easy to him, but that was the fun in all this. He got to try until he got it right.

Jezzabelle sighed and pulled her wad out of the pocket she had sown into her robes for it. She decided that instead of practicing the word she would practice the wand movement. She was never really good with drawing squares in the first place. She felt like she would do better standing up but didn't really feel like it so she practiced hit sitting down.....

Four attempts at a square later she groaned, "I am such a failure it isn't funny." How was she ever going to be good at magic if she could make a simple square with her wand? What was she doing wrong? Was she moving to fast in her haste to prove to someone other than herself that she wasn't going to mess up? Or we she just incapable of doing a simple square?

Kurumi was a little disappointed that they were not going to transfigure origami, but there really wasn't any connection with the art and bringing an unframed photograph to class. Oh well.

Setting her picture on her desk, Kurumi was momentarily distracted by it. It was a picture that she had taken over the summer after being given a make over by Jonathan's mother. Her first moments with her new look had been really awkward, but nothing had made her feel more awkward than when he had seen her for the first time. The picture was from a small dinner party his family had hosted, of her and Jonathan of course, and she smiled because for perhaps the first time she did not look plain standing next to him. She had another one with her as well, one of her and Selina smashing chocolate frogs with Beater's bats in the dorms. Horrid things.

When there was a discussion about what Transfiguration was, Kurumi opted to be an active listener and refresh her notes on the topic should anything new pop up that she didn't already have written down from previous terms.

Kurumi was pleasantly surprised when class then immediately moved on to an activity. So soon?! Excellent! First things first though, Kurumi needed to practice the incantation and wand movement before diving right in and trying it on her piece of paper. She flinched a bit when Professor Magnus subtly hinted at not blowing anything up. She hadn't said it, but it was all in her eyes. She didn't say anything about melting things. So, Kurumi was safe. Yep.

First, Kurumi picked up her wand and practiced drawing a square in the air. "Professor Magnus," she asked with her hand in the air. "How important is it to draw a perfect square? If we were to trace a rectangle in the air, for example, would the results be the same?" For now, Kurumi would stick with trying to perfect drawing air squares.

Once she felt confident enough with this, she set her wand down on the table and used her index finger in its place. "'Stat-UA HAB-itum....Stat-UA HAB-itum....Stat-UA HAB-itum...Stat-UA HAB-itum..." she repeated as she drew much smaller and confined air squares with her finger. That sounded just about right. Time to put everything together.

Kurumi picked up her wand again and traced a square above her paper. "Stat-UA HAB-itum," she said. The effects were instant and, well, the result was what she suspected they would be. Her paper now somewhat resembled a mushy rice cake that had been rolled with a rolling pin and was now a gooey mess all over the table. She couldn't help but laugh. Somethings just never changed. "Reverto," she commanded, and her paper was back to normal.

Good, now that THAT was out of the way, her second go should be much more fruitful.


Kurumi glanced over at Jezz who seemed to be struggling a bit and flashed her a smile. "It helps if you relax your shoulders," she suggested. Jezz looked very tense, probably from being nervous which was to be expected when practicing a new spell. "You'll get it and probably won't have to melt your paper to do it. Don't call yourself a failure. Remember, there are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."

Such as always having to melt your object before doing things properly.

So this piece of paper... was supposed to turn into a picture frame... Huh. Alright. Ellie had done some minor transfiguration thingymabobs before. This couldn't be too difficult.
[/b]"Stat-UA HAB-itum"[/b] She repeated to herself, chunking the syllables of the word. It sounded kind of funny.

Ellie took out her wand and pointed it at the piece of paper. Statua Habitum, Statua Habitum, Statua Habitum... "Statua Habitum!"

....

Well that didn't work. The piece of paper looked like it was trying to turn into a picture frame, but then it just stopped halfway between a piece a paper and a picture frame. An odd sight, really. "Er... Reverto." And it was back to a piece of paper.

She would definitely have to practice more.

Sierra glanced down at the ordinary piece of paper right in front of her. It didn't look like much, but...maybe she could change it into something better by the end of class. After all, the picture she'd brought along was sort of special to her. She hadn't randomly had any funny or amusing pictures in her trunk, and there hadn't been enough time for her to owl her father.

Her eyebrows raised upward as she took in the sight of the changed paper, now a picture frame. Hmm...pretty useful spell, yup. Now it was time for them to practice things, which might be a bit of a challenge at first. At least for Sierra. What in the name of Merlin had the professor said for that incantation again?

She listened to the voices around her and picked up on what had been said. "Stat-UA HAB-itum..." ... That just sounded awkward. "Stat-UA HAB-itum," Sierra said again. Hmm... "Statua Habitum," she finally managed to say. There. That was it, yes? She guessed she'd see. If her piece of paper turned into a frame, she was saying the incantation correctly. If not, well... Okay, maybe there wouldn't be an 'if not'.

"stat-UA HAB-itum...Statua Habitum..." Silvia repeated to herself several times, trying to commit the incantation to memory. Transfiguration did look like it would require a lot of hardwork, but also imagination to make the frame look how you wanted it to look, and luckily Silvia had a good imagination.

After practicing the wand movements for a minute, Silvia closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, focusing on an image of a picture frame in her mind. A dark wood with a leaf pattern along the edges. She pointed her wand at the paper and, as she traced a square with her wand, said "Statua Habitum!" The paper seemed to shiver slightly and the edges changed to a dark brown color. Well, that's a start, she thought happily. "Reverto," the paper turned back to normal.

She took another deep breath and concentrated as best as she could on the image of the frame. "Statua Habitum!" she tried again. This time not only did the paper turn brown, but it grew thicker and a bit heavier, though it wasn't quite wood yet. Maybe I'll have this mastered by the end of class, she thought excitedly, and continued to practice.

Alyssa decided that she didn't like the first frame that she had transfigured, so she decided to try the spell again. Picking up her wand in one hand and the paper in the other, she traced a square over the paper and said, "Stat-UA HAB-itum". Instantly the paper turned into another picture frame. Only this one was too fancy for her, so shaking her head, Alyssa pointed her wand back at the frame and said "Reverto" changing the frame back into the paper.