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Wang: I'm so sorry!
Shadow: We don't own anything.
Chapter 10: Task 3
Tuesday after breakfast had classes cancelled and the teams all together like before. The third task was transfiguration, and Draco had no clue what the old crone had in store for them. But, he was thankful that he was full at least.
Instead of the five long tables that would be used for the meals, dozens of smaller, circular tables were spaced out. The walls held snacks and refreshments, and the younger students leaned up against walls or sat together in huddled groups. The staff table had been replaced by a smaller rectangular table, where eight wooden blocks sat upon it in a line.
Draco sat close to that table with the rest of the team. Each table had just enough chairs for the members of that team. Each table had a corresponding number of blocks, one per team member. He sat between the Hufflepuff and Granger. Lovegood and Weasley sat across from him. Weasley fingered her wand, and seemed to stare angrily at Draco. He ignored her as best he could, and half-focused on the rambling conversation that Lovegood and Swallow were having. Granger kept silent, staring at the wooden blocks in front of her.
The other teams didn't talk much. Hushed whispers crept throughout the hall. Several Retardclaws had taken out assignments, and were dutifully scratching upon them.
The old crone entered the Great Hall, flanked by Professor Smith. The tall, thin man loped to the front of the room, to stand at the table with the eight blocks. The other professors which dotted here and there around the room perked up and waited for the old crone to speak.
"Welcome to the third task." The Headmistress walked past tables slowly. "Today's subject in question is Transfiguration. Professor Smith, if you may demonstrate to us what we are doing today?"
The professor nodded. He flourished his wand, and waited a moment. Whether that was for dramatics or because the man didn't know what he was doing, Draco wasn't entirely sure. A few seconds later, the professor's wand moved, and the eight blocks slowly changed shape. Draco couldn't hide the surprise as his eyebrows shot up. The man had just used a complicated spell to transform eight objects into different things.
Perhaps there was a reason that this man from America was here as a professor.
"Your task for today, is to transfigure your block into another shape." The old crone went on. "Each member of your group is responsible for the block that is in front of them. Now, as you will note from Professor Smith, each block that is transformed met a similar theme. In this case, butterflies."
Eight different varieties of butterflies sat resting on the table. Some of the younger student's eyes went wide with amazement. The butterflies took off, and floated around the room.
"Now, your own transformations do not have to be a living thing. But, it must fit within the theme of the group's choice. Points shall be rewarded for the complexity of the transfiguration and how creative your team can be. You have one hour, at which point your team will be examined. You may begin."
Professor Smith brought out a large hourglass and upturned it. Before the first grains of sand had fallen through, the different groups around the room were clamoring. Draco turned his attention from the hourglass to the block in front of him.
Swallow was looking sullenly at his block, while the girls were all talking rather quickly. Well, Granger and Weasley were talking rather quickly while Lovegood was silently listening. Draco waved his wand at his block, and it trembled slightly before changing into a small newt. The animal tried to run away but he waved his wand again and it transformed into a box once more. He repeated it, changing the block ahead of him into a miniature broomstick, and then back into a block.
He cast another spell, and a small version of an Atipodean Opaleye. The small, white dragon curled up and rested in his hand. He set down his wand and pet the dragon, scratching it gently at the base of its head where it met the neck.
"That's wonderful, Malfoy. But would you like to join the conversation?"
He looked up at Weasley's face. Everyone else was looking at him, as if expecting him to say something. "Why should I?" He yawned. "It sounds like you and Granger have things under control."
"That's the thing, Malfoy." Granger said, "We can't decide what the theme would be."
"And you want my input?" He asked credulously. "Whatever, I don't care."
"Malfoy…" Weasley fingered her wand.
"It literally doesn't matter. Figure it out amongst yourselves and I'll create something that matches."
"What about…" Lovegood started talking. But he ignored her and went on to pet his dragon. It snorted appreciatively, and closed its eyes. He stared down at it, silently marveling the pearly-white scales as the glistened in the light.
There was more arguing, more complaining, and more talking from his group. But he kept his head down, absently petting the dragon. He listened in on the other teams. Some were beginning to cast their spells, changing the blocks into something or another. He could feel Avery's gaze on him from time to time, even though he was across the room from him. That Slytherin git was angry, still probably fuming from the last task. The fact he couldn't take revenge or sabotage this task had to be extremely aggravating to him.
He smirked at the thought of Avery fuming in his seat. If anything, that could cheer him up.
"Malfoy!"
He looked up, at the other members of his group. Granger was looking at him, a miniature version of the Goblet of Fire taking form in front of her.
"What?"
"Aren't you going to turn your block into something useful for once?" Weasley smirked.
He narrowed his eyes. She was smirking his smirk! She was smirking the arrogant trademark that was his by right! "Depends. Have you ladies decided on something?"
Lovegood was concentrating hard on the block in front of her. It slowly shrank in size, becoming a small silver I. Draco glanced between that and Granger's cup, to the large cylindrical shaper Weasley was making. Swallow already was making the Hogwarts Crest, though the borders between the four animals representing the four houses were gone.
"So let me guess, you came up with Hogwarts."
Granger turned her attention back to her cup, continuing to wave her wand. "Luna came up with the idea. Each block will represent the different years of Hogwarts, going backwards from here."
Draco watched as Weasley slowly shaped the cylinder into something resembling a tower. "So we have fourth year, and fifth year." He said. "The tower is sixth year then?"
Weasley looked up at him. "Take long for you to figure that one out?"
He didn't look at her, but looked at Swallow's block. "So what year does he have? This year?"
The Hufflepuff kept on concentrating. "It's mean to represent the inter-house unity from the tasks."
Granger peaked over to look at it. "You're doing fine, Sebastian. But try to keep the colors somewhat close to the original."
Swallow swallowed. The colors indeed were all wrong, with Slytherin being a bright yellow and silver and Hufflepuff being red and blue. Draco hid his contempt well, and looked down at his block. It was still the dragon, though it slept comfortably in his hand.
"I guess that means I have last year then."
"Yes it does." Granger was back looking at her goblet, glancing every so often to the hourglass behind Draco. "You have just half an hour left to get that dragon turned into something representing last year."
Draco sighed. "Anything I want?"
Granger skootched her chair a little closer to him and spoke in low tones. "And do something impressive. Ginny and Sebastian aren't the best at Transfiguration."
Draco looked at the vaguely tower shaped thing in front of Weasley. "I can tell."
"Hate to say it, but you might have a good chance to impress the judge if you can pull something off."
Draco smirked. "Please, Granger, this is me we're talking about. I'm not an amateur when it comes to my transfiguration."
"You are when it comes to humility." Granger hissed back at him. "Make something impressive enough to the judges, but not too impressive."
"Don't want me to outshine you, Miss Moving-Flame?"
Indeed, as Granger concentrated on the cup in front of her, the top of it began to slowly move in flames. The other three creations were starting to take shape, but unlike Granger's and Lovegood's, Swallow's and Weasley's were subpar at best. Swallow was still trying to figure out how to change colors on the crest, while Weasley's tower had several sharp angles in it.
"The Goblet of Fire had fire moving." She said softly. "And no, I don't care if you outshine me. But if you create something too good, too perfect, it will put Sebastian and Ginny to shame."
"And both of them are on either side of me."
"Exactly."
"Well, Lovegood seems to be helping Swallow right now. If you hurry up, you could give Weasley a hand."
"We're not allowed to interfere with other people's blocks." Granger hissed.
"I'm not talking about directly changing it, I'm talking about pointers." Draco set his dragon on the table, where it perked up its head and looked up at him. "Isn't this whole damn thing about Inter-House unity and all that tripe? Wouldn't the right thing to do in this case was to help your team members, even if they were on the other team?"
Granger was silent, and after a moment skootched her chair closer to Weasley. Draco looked down at his dragon. It opened its eyes and looked at the goblet, mesmerized by the moving flames on the top of it. Lovegood and Granger were both done, or close enough to it that they could help the other two.
He took out his wand, and changed the dragon back into a block. He tapped his wand on the block in a steady rhythm. Nothing happened, only because he wasn't casting a spell. He was thinking. What would count as something as iconic from the past year? What would make the most sense to fit in the theme of Hogwarts?
His first choice was his daughter. But while that was important to him, it wouldn't have made sense for the rest of the theme. He needed something or someone important enough to tie the last year up into one tiny bow. One event, one person, one thing; something that made sense. Of course, the death of the Dark Lord was important. His final breaths had taken place on the grounds. He had died here, betrayed by his own wand. At least, that's what Potter had said to the Prophet.
And of course, Potter was an idea. It wouldn't be hard to change the block into a lightning bolt or a pair of glasses. But let's be real. Potter wasn't even a part of Hogwarts last year. He was running around England, doing Merlin knows what. He showed up at the end of last year, and created pandemonium. And he killed the Dark Lord. He couldn't forget that.
If Draco had to choose the one man who made all the difference in the world to Hogwarts last year, it wouldn't have been Potter or the Dark Lord. It wouldn't be a single student. But rather, the Headmaster. Professor Snape. He was the most key individual to Hogwarts last year.
That brilliant man had played his part perfectly. He deceived not only the most feared wizard of all time, but that man's followers and the wizards and witches who thought him the worst traitor of their time. He had single handedly kept the school under the Dark Lord's control, but at the same time saved the students inside of it from the potential death or Kiss from the Dementors. His cover wouldn't have been blown posthumously if it hadn't been for Potter and his meddling ways.
He was a brilliant man who had sheltered Draco for as long as he could. And Draco owed him much of his remaining humanity. Even if he couldn't give the man a proper tribute, this could do.
He tapped the block again, and it slowly began to change shape. Bit by bit the block shrunk and thinned itself out. The finer details of the face and the clothes had to be done after the fact, but the basic humanoid shape of a man came clear. More waves of his wand, and the block took on colors; black robes and buttoned all the way up, with oily looking hair and a pale, hooked nose of a face.
The more he spun his wand, the more details came into being. Causing the small man to move was easily done, but making the man talk in the likeness of the deceased Professor was much harder.
He glanced at the timer. Most of the sand was gone. They had only a minute or so left. No time to make the man properly speak. For now, Severus Snape could be a mime.
"Wands down," the old crone said, her voice ringing through the room. "Professor Smith and myself will be by shortly. Once we have visited your table you may leave to get refreshments. But do not leave."
The room murmured, and the professors began to move from table to table. Draco looked at the other creations. The Inquisitorial Squad pin was immaculate. And the Goblet of Fire looked to be of the same make as the one he had seen back in fourth year. The tower that Weasley had made was decidedly looking like a tower. It looked rough and like someone had hewn it from rock. But, it looked vaguely like the Astronomy Tower, so there was that. And…oh dear.
The Hogwarts Crest itself looked fine, but the colors were all wrong. The primary colors of green, red, blue, and yellow were all on the correct symbols. But the secondary colors were all wrong by several shades each. Swallow was head down, looking anywhere but his crest. Lovegood was whispering something to him.
Draco picked up his wand, and drummed on the table. Granger shot him a look, as if to warn him from doing anything. But nothing changed from the miniature professor which paced back and forth.
"Ah, Miss Granger. What is the theme of your group?" Professor Smith asked.
Granger looked up, as did Weasley. Draco eyed the two of them and the two professors. The attention was on each other. "It's the years of Hogwarts, the past five years." Granger said. "We decided to choose something that truly defined the year. As for me, I chose the Goblet of Fire."
"Yes, the Triwizard Tournament was very decisive." The man from America picked up the cup. "And remarkably well done, Miss Granger."
Granger blushed, but didn't say anything.
Professor McGonagall bent down to look at the Inquisitorial Squad pin. "Excellent transformation, Miss Lovegood." She said. "If I didn't know better, I would say Mr. Malfoy had brought out his old pin instead."
Weasley smirked once more at him. He scowled.
"And Miss Weasley," Professor Smith moved on to the tower. "I believe this is the Astronomy Tower."
"Yes, professor." Weasley looked up at the man. "I thought that the most definitive moment of the year was the death of our beloved Headmaster." She shot Draco a dirty look.
The man sniffed, as if struck by allergies. "Not well done, but there is a certain artistic flair in this. I believe the rough cut of the piece shows anger and resentment for what happened?"
The old crone coughed gently. "This isn't an art exhibit, Professor Smith. This is a test."
"Of course, of course." The man turned to Draco. "And Mr. Malfoy, what is it – by Merlin, is that Severus?"
The two professors crowded around Draco, who kept on knocking on the table with his wand. "Of course, professor." With his free hand, he held the miniature man up. "Would you care to see him closer?"
Professor Smith held the man in his open hands, and he stared at it rather closely. Professor McGonagall peered over her glasses at it. Draco kept on taping his wand as he spoke. "I thought about the war, of course. Potter and the Dark Lord came to mind. But only Professor Snape was vital to Hogwarts. He did his part for not only this school, but also the war. And he did it well." He winked at Granger and Weasley, who both hid their groans.
"Remarkable work, Mr. Malfoy. You may possess a talent for transfiguration."
"Perhaps, professor. But right now I think my calling is elsewhere." Draco kept on tapping his wand on the table. But he took the miniature Snape from the two professors.
"Yes, well. That means our last transfiguration. Mr. Swallow?"
The Hufflepuff didn't move.
"Do you mind explaining your choice for this year?"
The boy muffled something into the table.
"Speak up, Mr. Swallow." The old crone said sharply.
"I'm sorry bout the colors."
"The colors are fine." Professor Smith said. "But why did you choose a crest without borders?"
Swallow's head rose so fast that he almost fell out of his seat. The crest had the right, proper colors. "Uh, I did it cause of Inter-House unity?" He asked.
The American sniffed. "Well, good work at any rate. Next time, don't try to overcompensate with the colors. They are far too vivid. But good job with transfiguring the block."
The two of them walked off, leaving the five in silence. Draco picked up the silent Snape on the desk, and placed him inside one of his pockets. "Well, that was fun. I'm going to get a drink." He stood up and left the table, wand spinning casually in the air.
A moment later he was joined by Granger. "You dirty Slytherin."
"You can't prove nothing."
"You were changing the shade of his colors with each tap on the desk, weren't you?"
Draco smirked as he reached for a goblet of pumpkin juice. "How can you prove that?"
Granger narrowed her eyes at him. "You just cheated."
"I just saved ourselves from an embarrassing placement." Draco corrected. "And they were right there to see it. And I doubt they did. As you said, the colors changed from shade to shade."
"You are a git. A right awful git."
"I'm also a Slytherin, Granger." Draco glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "You honestly think that Avery isn't trying to touch up his own block right now? If I could do something like that, so can he."
"Cheaters never prosper." Granger hissed back at him.
"Correction: cheaters who are caught never prosper." Draco felt the little Snape in his pocket squirm a bit. "If I am to beat Avery, I will do what it takes to so."
"Anything?"
"Now let's not be unreasonable." Draco slowly made his way back to his table. "Even I have standards."
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