Norman had to admit he was slightly surprised that conjuration was the first answer given. He knew it would come up eventually, but he expected most people’s minds would go to transformation first. Not that it was the bad kind of surprise - far from it! Kynaston’s examples were right on the money. “Correct, Mr. Kynaston,” he said with a slight smile. “Fire conjuration can come in handy for that purpose and many others.”



Norman still had no idea how Connolly could’ve gotten his name so badly wrong, but he wasn’t angry about it. She didn’t strike him as the type for disrespect or disruption. He nodded in acceptance of her apology. “I should hope it won’t,” he said. With that little blunder behind them, he turned his attention to her answer to the question. Another conjuration spell. That branch of transfiguration was proving to be more popular than he thought! “An excellent use of that spell indeed. Thank you, Miss Connolly.”



Norman acknowledged Anders’s thanks with a nod and a slight smile of his own - a smile that remained in place as he listened to the boy’s answer to the next question. The creativity of these kids never ceased to amaze him! “Excellent, Mr. Anders,” he said. “That would be a very practical use of the Softening Charm.”



Norman knew it was only a matter of time before someone brought up human to animal transformations. He was pleased with Nam’s eloquent and thorough example of the subject. “Ah, yes, Squalofors - that’s the spell Krum would’ve used,” he said with an approving nod, but he digressed. “Excellent example, Mr. Nam. Human transfiguration can come in handy, though if one is alone, it’s best to stick with an incomplete transformation like Krum’s so you’ll still be able to untransifgure yourself.”



Blink, blink. Did she not hear him say almost that exact thing moments before he asked the question? Norman was unsure whether Valentine was not paying attention or just confused. Probably the latter, considering she was one of the younger students. “Yes, Miss Valentine,” he replied. “Do you have any ideas how transfiguration can change the environment around you? What could you turn yourself or that maze into that would make it easier to get through?” Maybe if he worded the question a different way, it would click with her.



Norman nodded in approval at Prescott’s answer. “You’ve guessed correctly on both counts. Very good, Miss Prescott,” he replied.



Had Norman known what Ness was thinking, he would've assured her that there was nothing to dread. Her answer was on the right track. ”They certainly can,” he replied with a small smile. “In fact, there are multiple ways to do that. You could transfigure something into snowshoes to help you walk through the snow. You could give yourself the legs of a creature better equipped to walk through snow, or you could vanish the snow so nobody has to walk through it at all. Very good, Miss Ness.”



Blackthorne’s answer was one that Norman hadn’t expected, but it was no less correct. He nodded approvingly. “An excellent use of the vanishing spell. Very good, Miss Blackthorne,” he replied.



Branxton’s answer earned a slight smile from the professor. Now that was a creative solution! “Good idea, Mr. Branxton,” he said. “There are two ways you could go about doing that. You could use a Shrinking Charm to make the maze smaller, or you could transfigure it into another tiny object entirely.”



Norman caught Hazelwood’s smile out of the corner of his eye but did not draw attention to it. Still it was nice to see the boy a little more at ease! His answer to the second question earned a small approving nod from the professor. “Very good, Mr. Hazelwood,” he replied. “You certainly could, though there are a couple of safety rules to keep in mind with human transfiguration. Unless you’re an animagus, metamorphmagus, or skilled in wandless magic, always have a partner with you when attempting full transformations so they can untransfigure you. If you’re alone, you should stick with incomplete transformations.”



Well, that was an interesting question Flamsteed posed! Norman pondered that thought for a moment, carefully considering the possible effects of human transfiguration on evolution. He’d never heard of transfiguration negatively impacting evolution, though that sounded like a great subject for an experiment. Filing that idea away for now, he replied, “Generally speaking, no. Our bodies have adapted to handle the traces left by most types of magic, including transfiguration. I’d think the only exception to that would be dark magic. Excellent question, Mr. Flamsteed.”

Yes, he knew how incessant James could be after teaching her for three years… which was why he was shocked that she didn’t argue with him about the maze. He was even more shocked when she added her thoughts to Flamsteed’s evolution question. “Valid points on both counts, Miss James,” he said with an approving smile. “And no, you can’t change genes with magic. Transfiguration, for example, changes things on a molecular level, not a genetic one.”



Evans’s question had Norman concerned for three reasons. 1. The boy had forgotten to raise his hand before speaking. 2. The question was completely unrelated to the topic at hand. 3. Most importantly, the boy had just asked him to vanish someone. Yeah, that was not happening! He could only imagine the parents’ and the Board’s reactions to a mad transfiguration professor vanishing students. “Not today, Mr. Evans,” he said firmly. “Please try to stay on task and remember to raise your hand before speaking.” That was the only warning the boy would get.



Rasting’s answer got a small smile from Norman. “That would be quite helpful indeed,” he replied, nodding in agreement. Not that he’d know from personal experience, It had been many years since he was small enough to need transfiguration to reach tall objects! That answer was satisfactory on its own, but then the girl tied metamorphmaguses in. That was a subject he didn’t expect to come up! “Yes, I suppose they would. Very good, Miss Rasting.”



Now this subject was one with which Norman did have personal experience. Nichol’s answer earned a small smile. “Theoretically yes, though that would depend upon which form one’s animagus takes and the environment in question,” he said. “Good thinking, Miss Nichols.”



Norman was unsure whether or not Bixby’s touching the maze was intentional, but nonetheless it earned her a quick warning look. But it didn’t last. That look quickly softened into an approving smile at her answer. “Thank you, Miss Bixby,” he replied. “That’s correct.”



While scanning the room for more hands in the air, Norman’s eyes momentarily lingered on Toros and then Rivers. He waited a moment, in case either girl decided to speak up, but they both appeared absorbed in their notes. That was fine too. As long as they were paying attention, no speaking was required.

Norman roamed the area, walking behind the students as they worked so as not to wander into the path of their spells. Toros and Bixby’s little competition got a small smile from him. Although neither girl had yet produced a net, they were on the right track. “Keep practicing, girls!’ he said.

Elsewhere he saw Hazelwood asking Fox to team up, and the younger Nam and Flamsteed had partnered up too. Nam’s pronunciation and wand work earned an approving nod, though Flamsteed’s jogging got a slight eyebrow raise. Why was he-? Oh. “You shouldn’t be catching anyone,” he reminded the pair. Did they forget that he said not to ensnare other students?

As he made his rounds, Norman saw several students making great progress at the spell. Kynaston, Nichols, and Wolff had each hit a target. “Good work, Kynaston, Nichols, Wolff,” he said, giving each of the three an encouraging smile. Elsewhere he saw Blackthorne succeed in producing nets, if not in aim. “Nice conjuration, Miss Blackthorne,” he said before moving on.

Rivers’s net looked a little wobbly, but the important thing was that she’d produced one. “Great start, Miss Rivers,” Norman said with a slight smile. Connolly also appeared to be on the right track. Had she not sneezed mid-spell, he expected she would’ve fully ensnared that rabbit. “Bless you, Miss Connolly,” he said. “Keep at it!”

Norman watched as Anders and the elder Nam tried and eventually hit their targets. ‘I like your perseverance, Mr. Anders,” he said. “You too, Mr. Nam.” Even the younger students were making great progress. Prescott’s efforts earned an approving smile. A little more intent behind the spell, and she’d have it in no time! “Good start, Miss Prescott,” he said. “All your spell needs is a bit more intent.”

Elsewhere he heard Valentine stumbling through the pronunciation, but before he could step in to correct her, she got it right on her own. “Nice pronunciation, Miss Valentine,” he said.

No sooner had Norman finished his sentence that he saw Branxton take a tumble. Oh dear, Melin! Didn’t he know that the animals weren’t real? Dodging the others’ spells, he made his way to the boy’s side. “Are you alright, Mr. Branxton?” he asked, eyeing him with mild concern. That bloody knee didn’t look good! Perhaps a trip to the healer was in order.