[Cl: T] Lesson I

[Keaira Liath]

Keaira looked at her artichoke suspiciously, as though waiting for it to leap into the air and breath fire at her. When it did no such thing, she opened her text and flipped to the proper chapter, skimming it once and going back to read more carefully. Color changing spells...she found one quickly enough. At the front of the chapter, it was a simple spell but involved a tricky wand movement.

Furrowing her brow in concentration, she focused her attention entirely on the prospect of a red artichoke. Checking the book one last time for confirmation, she pointed her wand at the plant.

"Infucatus rutilus!"

The artichoke shivered and its color flickered, but did not change. Keaira frowned; she knew she had done the wand movement wrong, but it was complex for such a simple spell. Withdrawing her magic, she practiced moving her wand until she performed the routine correctly three times in a row.

"Infucatus rutilus!" she cried again. This time, as Keaira watched proudly, the artichoke darkened itself to a healthy crimson. Well, she amended, crimson wasn't really a healthy color for an artichoke, was it? But nonetheless, it was a pretty shade.

[Lisa Turpin]

Lisa looked at Keaira in awe. Her own artichoke was sitting on her table untouched, as she wondered what spell she should use. Picking up her wand, she read the first few lines of the chapter, her hand copying some stray swish and flick movements. Suddenly, sparks erupted from the end of her wand and she quickly set her wand down, her eyes wide.

Maybe she'd read the entire chapter first.

[Keaira Liath]

Keaira looked over at Lisa, startled by the sparks suddenly flying from her wand. She leaned back in her seat, looking at the pages Lisa was reading.

"You don't actually need to read the whole chapter," she said quietly. "The spell is explained from pages 38 to 43 and the wand movements just take practice. Do you want me to help you?"

[Prof. Eithne l'Keitha]

Pacing about the room, Professor l'keitha inpspected her students, less interested in whether or not they could transfigure yet and more in their methodology and characetr when it came to magic.

"Lovely work, Ms. Liath," she beamed, more at the student's own diligence and quick ability to learn than the spell itself. "Ten points for Gryffindor."

Looking over Lisa's shoulder, the professor could sense her nervousness. She smiled warmly at her, "Don't feel rushed or pressured aby anyone else. Just trust your instincts."

[Keaira Liath]

Keaira felt herself blush a healthy pink, her eyes darting away before she looked up at Professor l'Keitha.

"Thank you, Professor," she said quietly. "I wondered, though—was I doing the wrong sort of work? I mean, was there an easier version? The wand movement seemed awfully comlicated for such a basic spell."

[Lisa Turpin]

Lisa's cheeks grew warm realizing Professor Eithne had most likely witnessed her spoof. However, she greatly appreciated the encouragement and sent a small smile the Professor's way.

A voice startled her and she looked at Keaira. Smiling, Lisa turned to the pages Keaira had mentioned and took out a fresh sheet of parchment for notes. Looking timidly at the Gryffindor, she gathered her artichoke in her arms and nodded.

"If you wouldn't mind." She said, her eyes glancing at the book then back to her friend.

[Helia Ollivander]

She watched the Gryffindor sucessfully change her artichoke turned to her own, she thought for a moment, 'What was the spell Alec taught me last year...' she aimed her wand at the artichoke and said, "Cor'vermelho." she tapped the tip of her artichoke three times, then flicked her wrist up. Then, as if someone poured paint over it, the artichoke turned red; slowly, from top to bottom. Halo smiled, not the most text book execution of the spell, but it worked.

[Keaira Liath]

Keaira shifted in her seat, moving closer to Lisa.

"Sure thing," she said with a tiny smile. "From the diagram, you see here" —she pointed at Lisa's textbook— "it looks as though you jerk your arm up in a jagged sort of movement, right? Well, actually the arrows are pretty hard to understand because it's so detailed. You move more like this—" Keaira brought her wand up in a graceful glide, stopping at a distinct point midair and bending her wrist down with a sharp flick.

"When you flick your wrist," she explained, "you say 'infucatus.' Then you do this sort of sketching thing" —she demonstrated the motion as though her wand was skating across the air— "and make sure the 'rutilus' takes up the whole movement."

[Lisa Turpin]

Lisa looked at her textbook, her face knitted into one of concentration. Nodding every once in a while, Lisa followed the Gryffindor's instructions, gratefully. Her eyes widened at the amount of wand movements, and she followed the first few flawlessly until she had to flick her wrist.

"Sketching thing," Lisa repeated, grinning at Keaira. Keaira did the movement in the air once more and Lisa copied it, feeling her hands beginning to get used to the awkward flicking and gliding of the wand in her tight grip.

"Infucatus-" She paused trying the sketchy movement, her mouth tense with concentration. "Rutilus!" She finished, dragging out the ending until the wand movement was done.

Looking at the artichoke, she grinned. Although it wasn't scarlet, it was a rather nice shade of pink. "Not bad," She said to Keaira, feeling her wand vibrating in her hand. Then, raising it once more, she copied her former movements, not pausing in between the syllables. The artichoke shook for a moment before slowly transforming into a brilliant red.

Feeling her cheeks red with excitement and pride, Lisa looked at Keaira, the gratitude sparkling in her eyes. "Confusing, but so worth it when you get it down," She said, her grin broadening. "Thank-you!"

[Prof. Eithne l'Keitha]

Laughing beside herself, the professor beamed at her students, "Not quite the most orthodox way of going about it, Ms. ollivander, but since has orthodox methods been fun? Ten points."

Passing by Lisa, her smile became a subtle grin, as if sharing a secret. "Strong work, Ms. Turpin. The great wizards have always understood when to turn to others. What did that famous muggle say? No man is an island...?"

She paused, and with a glance toward Keaira continued, "And of course, those who are willing to impart their gifts are the sole reason why our world continues... ten points."

"Oh I'm sorry, I'm going on and on again! Too many years of mysticism and wilderness... Lovely work, everyone. Read the next chapter on 'Medium Transformations.'

Class is dimissed!"

With another flick every desk was cleared, and that night in the Great Hall there was a mysterious red vegetarian casserole for dinner.

[alfreddumbles]

"Hello Professor!" Alfred said. He took his seat.

[Keaira Liath]

(OOC: And I quote: "Class is dismissed!")