Pansy spent her days lying in her comfortable bed at home and spending her time with her parents. Pansy's father was greatly interested in her work, much to Pansy's fascination. But her days there were numbered. So she decided to visit Mrs Gobblestone on the third day. Pansy had taken a liking to the little figurine that she had created but since there was nothing more suitable for her project, she had decided to part with it. She kept it in a beautiful ornamented box that she designed with her father and went to Mrs Gobblestone's office.
The first thing that Mrs Gobblestone said upon entering was, "You look much too glum Pansy are you alright?" "I am Mrs Gobblestone" Pansy replied. Mrs Gobblestone was an ageing lady but far too spiritful and curious for her age. "Please have a seat. I suppose you are here to submit your project work." "Yes ma'am. I was not able to come on the last day of the course." Pansy replied. "The reason of which must be closely linked to your present condition, I suppose." Her eyes were twinkling. "The matter is of personal concern madam" Pansy replied politely. "Of course, child." She said smiling. "Now let us see your project, Miss Parkinson."
Mrs Gobblestone was mesmerized by the charms Pansy had added to the tiny figurine and she most certainly noticed the detailing she had added. "Marvelous work, Miss Parkinson. You have combined two different streams of wizardry into creating this masterpiece. This is probably some of the few outstanding projects we have received so far." "Thank you ma'am" Pansy said genuinely smiling after a very long time.
"You know dear, your magical core is very strongly saturated. And such masterpieces are the result of it." She said carefully keeping the figurine aside she instantly mounted its broom and started exploring her office. "What do you mean ma'am?" Pansy asked. Mrs Gobblestone explained "You see Pansy; the art that we create is an expression of a feeling. The charms and wand work combine with the intention and motivation of the caster to result into such art forms. Creativity comes from mind but the beauty, delicacy and form of the work comes from the core feeling in your heart when you work on the art piece.
Let me show you something. This is a sculpture from one of my favorite students." She pointed towards a meter high sculpture of a mountain surrounded by small rocks and hills. The hill top was the only barren spot. All the other space was filled with flora. Tiny flowers swinging in the wind and leaves whistling by. On the hilltop stood a girl dressed in muggle jeans and a jumper. She was facing the edge of the rock she was standing on. The girl seemed to look at a faraway place from the hill top. Her expression was serene. The whole sculpture was bathed in sunlight and the girl, unblinkingly stared at the faraway place. It seems she had no hope of going to the place she was looking at.
"And now see this one. Another one of my favorites." Now Pansy stared at a portrait on wall behind her. This portrait also pictured flora. But here the green trees were gently swaying to the wind. Light sunshine was filtering from the canopy of large trees and illuminating the foliage below. There were flower outgrowths on the floor but the yellow flowers were spread near the tree trunks. They seemed to be hugging the tree and laughing when the wind flew by them.
Pansy looked questioningly towards Mrs Gobblestone. She explained. "Both the sculpture and the portrait depict foliage to the tiniest detail. We notice the butterflies flying around in the portrait as well as the leaf blade in the sculpture. They both are technically depiction of the same type of subject. But dear, they give away very different meaning. Seeing the lone girl on the hill top brings about a sense of melancholy and grief whereas the foliage and canopy of the forest displays joys and carelessness." Pansy was listening to her very attentively.
"In both these the same colors are used to depict the same subjects. Both they are vastly different in their core magic because the creators expressed different emotions through their arts." Pansy nodded. Mrs Gobblestone continued, "When the core magic that binds the art is very strong the art comes out naturally beautiful. Like with you Pansy. You pour your heart out in the work you do. Hence all your works turn out to be masterpieces." Pansy had no words to say but she replied with a kind acceptation of the compliment. "Thank you Mrs Gobblestones but you give me far too much credit."
Mrs Gobblestone smiled kindly at her and said, "Do think about what I have told you, the most important thing, whenever you create, do it with all your heart."
Pansy was pacing in her room the night before she was to leave for Hogwarts. Her bags were half packed and her books were lying on the bed. She was nervous and anxious to return. There was tingling all over her body. She willed herself to take deep breaths and tried not to think about anything. But it did not work as a result she was pacing in the room holding her head. She asked her elf to bring a glass of water. It was when she picked up the glass; she realized that she hands were shaking.
Deep breaths she told herself. But nothing was working. Her heart was beating very fast and she felt fear deep inside her. She did not know what to make of it. She felt a headache coming and tears pricking the corner of her eyes. She sat on the bed and held her head tightly resting it on her knees. Then the door opened to reveal Regina Parkinson. She saw the state in which Pansy was and asked the elf to bring her some calming draught.
Meanwhile she took the glass of water and asked Pansy to drink it and boldly held her shoulders and said in a stern voice, "Breath Pansy. Deep breaths. One two. One, breath Pansy, two one two". Pansy followed her mother. "Repeat after me. Everything is fine and breathe. Repeat everything.." "..is fine" Pansy said in a shaky voice, small tears on her cheeks. "Everything is fine, my dear", Regina said hugging her after her breathing returned to normal.
Regina gave Pansy the calming draught with a few drops of sleeping draught and advised her to sleep for a while. Leaving a sleeping Pansy in her room, Regina sat down to write a letter.