Chapter 6 The Troubles of Transfiguration and Charms

By: Moonkist

Steffanie set her quill beside her on the grass. She picked up the piece of parchment in front of her and read over the first half of the Potions essay she had just written. Satisfied, she carefully placed her quill, essay, Advanced Potions book, and a few spare pieces of parchment back in her bag. She rubbed the hand she had been writing with as she looked around to see what the others were doing.

Maria was propped up against the tree writing steadily, her eyes darting back and forth from her parchment to her book.

A couple of feet away from her was Sarah who was lying on her stomach, scratching away at her parchment as her legs waved lazily behind her.

Matt was sitting opposite Sarah. He was immersed in the large Defense Against the Dark Arts book that was propped on his legs which were crossed in a way that Steffanie could not believe he found comfortable. Steffanie watched him for a while, wondering what he was reading that he found so interesting. She glanced over his shoulder to see, and laughed to herself when she saw that he had expertly charmed the pages of his favorite comic book onto the pages of his DADA book.

Matt finally looked up at Steffanie who rolled her eyes at him, still laughing to herself. He smiled back mischievously before glancing wearily at Sarah. When he saw that she was still immersed in the dangers of polyjuice potion, he turned his attention back to his reading, smiling at his own cleverness.

Chris Lunem was sitting a few feet away from Matt, studying a very complicated chart.

"What subject is that for, Chris?" asked Steffanie, breaking the half-hour long silence.

"Muggle Studies," he replied, "we have to memorize the geneology of the British throne."

Steffanie remembered her mother teaching her about the muggle's government structure and English history, but they never got into anything nearly that detailed. "See, that seems so interesting," she said looking at Chris' copy of British Muggles : A History which was open to an elaborate picture of a man who was wearing a crown and perched on top of a horse. According to the text below his picture, his name was William the Conqueror.

"Yeah. Yeah, it is." said Chris quietly as he turned his attention back to his chart.

"I would have much rather taken that instead of stupid Transfiguration," said Steffanie sulkily. "Probablly would have been a lot better at it too."

"I really don't see how you can be as bad as you let on," said Matt, "with McGonagall for an Aunt and all."

"Right," added Sarah, "and two of your sisters are Healers. They have to know a lot of Transfiguration."

"Ellen and Liz?" asked Matt.

"No, Ellen and Marcie," correcte Maria. "Liz is the Aurorer."

"Right!" said Matt enthusiastically. "The Animagus!"

"Well I guess I'm just the black sheep of the family," muttered Steffanie.

"What did you get on you Transfiguration O.W.L. anyways?" inquired Sarah. Steffanie was grateful that she steered the conversation away from her siblings' accomplishments. She was very proud of them, but was exposed to quite enough of that talk at home.

"An A."

"I though McGonagall only accepted E's or higher for her N.E.W.T level class."

"Yes, well usually she does," sighed Steffanie, "I was actually kind of happy when I got my test results back because I knew I wouldn't have to take it anymore."

"Well?" asked Sarah, slightly confused.

"But," Steffanie began again, "Aunt Minnie told my parents that she would still accept me into her N.E.W.T program if I did some extra course work."

"So did you?"

"Did I have a choice? Aunt Minnie stayed with us for all of July so every night after dinner she reviewed spells and theories with me for two hours."

"Wow. Glad she's not my aunt," said Maria.

"She's actually pretty cool when she's not being... you know... a-" but before she could finish Matt, who had lost interest in the conversation a while ago, interrupted.

"Hey, I just though of something! McGonagall can transform into a cat and Liz can transform into an eagle, right? So has McGonagall ever tried to... eat Liz. You know, when they were both transformed?"

They all burst into laughter.

"Ha! Ive never thought of that!" said Steffanie brightly.

"She's her aunt!" Maria gave Matt a disgusted look, though she was still laughing. "Besides it would probably be the other way around...but I guess we are talking about McGonagall."

"Speaking of Transfiguration," said Sarah, packing her things back into her bag, "it's about that time."

Steffanie and Sarah began walking across the grounds to the castle as the other three headed in the opposite direction, Maria to Care of Magical Creatures and Matt and Chris to Herbology.

"Well, have fun then!" shouted Maria, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Yeah," added Matt, "say 'hi' to Auntie Minne for me!"

The rest of the well and a half passed pretty smoothly. Although the course work was slightly more difficult, the 6th years were amazed at how less stressful this year is as compared to their 5th. The 7th years, however, didn't have it quite as easy. On top of their normal work load, they have been making regular visits to the heads of their houses to get help with the long and tedious process of applying to different Career Training Programs.

At the beginning of the week Dumbledore announced that the twelve students who will represent Hogwarts at the Tri-Wizard Tournament will be announced on Saturday evening, the day of the first Hogsmeade visit. Since then, talk of the Tri-Wizard Tournament and speculation of who will be chosen became the main topic of discussion amongst the students.

Two days before the big day, Maria, Jacqueline, and Steffanie were sitting at their usual table by the window in the Gryffindor common room.

"Gah! I just can't get it!" exclaimed Steffanie as she vanished a shapless piece of ceramic and pounded her fist on the table. "We have been doing conjuring charms since the start of term and I still can't bloody do it!"

"When do you have to know it by?" asked Maria, looking up from her drawing.

"Tomorrow."

"And you have an essay to write too?"

"Uh-huh," sighed Steffanie as she rubbed her eyes.

"Yes! I'm done!" exclaimed Jacqueline and in one smooth movement she thrust her Transfiguration essay into her bag and pulled out the latest copy of Teen Witches' Weekly. "Oh sorry, Steffanie," she said when she noticed the annoyed expression on Steffanie's face, "just keep at it, I'm sure you'll have it in no time."

"Yeah, I s'pose... hey Jacqueline, could you help me? How did you do it?"

"I'm not sure... I mean, I just sort of did it, you know. I cant really explain. Try asking Sarah."

"Yeah, I think I will," said Steffanie as she pulled a tattered piece of parchment with a gold trim. Sarah had charmed six pieces of parchment in their fourth year. Maria, Jacqueline, Matt, Sarah, Justin, Steffanie each have one and they use it them to talk to each other when they are separated.

Sarah? Steffanie wrote on the parchment and the ink automatically changed to dark green.

Let me guess, you need help with Transfiguration? appeared underneath in pink and in Sarah's handwriting.

Yes, I don't think I'm holding the wand right and are you supposed to flick it or is it more of a jab?

Weren't you paying attention in class?

Yes, but...

And you still have an essay to write? Maybe you should start on that. this time in Matt's handwriting and in dark blue.

Yes! Would you two quit it! You're stressing me out!

Sorry.

Just trying to help...

Right, well I think I've got it now anyways, thanks lied Steffanie as she cleared the parchment and stowed it back in her bag.

"Help any?" asked Maria.

"Not really." Steffanie rested her head on her hands and closed her eyes. Having only gotten 4 hours of sleep the night before, Steffanie let herself drift off to sleep, but was woken with a start a couple minutes later by a male's voice behind her.

"Hello...er... sorry didn't mean to startle you," said Sirius Black.

"Oh no, it's alright," answered Maria for Steffanie.

"I was just wondering if any of you had a spare piece of parchment. Wormtail spilled a bottle of ink all over ours." Sirius cast a disgruntled look in Peter's direction.

"Oh, I think I have a spare piece somewhere in here..." Jacqueline began to rummage through her bag.

"Oh! I have one right here!" said Maria brightly as she quickly pulled a piece of parchment from her robe pocket and handed it to Sirius.

"Thank you, Maria," Sirius smiled broadly at her. "Goodnight ladies."

"Right...good night..." breather Maria.

Steffanie and Jacqueline exchanged glances.

"Oh god..." said Jacqueline when Sirius was out of earshot.

"What?"

"Could you make it any more obvious? According to this article in Teen Witches Weekly the best way to get a guy's attention is to act like you're not interested."

"But that doesn't make any sense. That magazine is a bunch of rubbish anyways."

"Is not!"

"Is to!"

"Its no worse then the books you read!"

"Excuse me, I think Jane Austen has a little more credential then Tracy Heartstone from Teen Witches Weekly!"

"Would you two please cut it out I have a ton of work to-"but Steffanie stopped when she noticed Sirius standing in between her and Maria, holding a sheet of parchment and moving his lips silently, trying to find the right words.

"Erm..." he finally began, "well, I started to write my name on that sheet of parchment you gave me and... well it started to... er... talk back."

"What?" said Maria and Jacqueline, slightly amused as if he were playing a tric on them, but from where Steffanie was sitting she could see a gold trim on the parchment that Sirius was clutching.

"No, I mean... er... look for yourself," he handed the parchment to maria and she took it from him, her face now matching his baffled expression. it only took her one glance to realize what is was.

"Oh bloody hell." she muttered as she thrust the piece of parchment back into her pocket.

"Well, better get back to work," said Sirius quickly, trying to hide the slightly amused sexpression that had surfaced on his face. "you know, homework and such... well, good night!"

Steffanie waited til Sirius had taken his seat next to the fireplace again then turned to Maria whose head was now buried in her arms.

"You gave him you charmed piece of parchment?" questioned Steffanie in a whispher. Maria nodded, her head still in her arms.

"And Matt and Sarah wrote back?"

,Maria nodded again.

"Well that's not so bad..."

"Oh yes it is," came Maria's muffled voice. Both Jaqueline and Steffanie quickly retrieved their own charmed pieces of parchment to see what was written.

Sirius Black was written in purple but was in Sirius's handwriting at the top of the page.

Yes? said Sarah below that.

Sirius Black was written again.

Look, would you stop writing lover boy's name and tell us what you want! appeared under that in Matt's handwriting.

"Oh, Maria..." said Steffanie sympathetically after she finished reading over it, trying not to laugh when she caught Jacqueline's expression.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Right, well you know it could have been worse..." but she couldn't' hold in her laughter anymore and both her and Jaqueline burst into a fit of giggles.

"Its not funny!"

After a couple of minutes Steffanie's and Jacqueline's laughter died down and Maria started drawing again, though still thoroughly dejected. Jacqueline was writing an explanation of what just happened to Sarah and matt and Steffanie was back to work on her conjuring charms, though was not making much progress on them.

"What does this look like to you, Jacqueline?"

Jacqueline concentrated hard on the piece of ceramic in Steffanie's hand. "An ash tray or maybe a... bear?"

"A bear?"

"What's it supposed to be?"

"A mug."

"Well I guess it could from this angle..." Jacqueline turned her head sideways and squinted.

"No, it's rubbish. Thanks anyway." said Steffanie as she vanished her latest attempt at a mug.

"I think you need to concentrate more. And you have to hold your wand really steady."

"Right, ok. I'll try again." Steffanie held her wand carefully in front of her and screwed her face in concentration, staring intently at the table.

"Steffanie?" came another man's voice from behind her.

Steffanie screamed and jumped in her seat, causing her wand to fly out of her hand, landing about 10 feet behind her.

"Er... sorry didn't mean to scare you."

"S'alright, happens all the time," giggled Jacqueline, even Maria was smiling slightly.

"Oh Remus, it's you... yeah no, its fine. Just a little jumpy." Steffanie said as she tucked her hair behind her ears and stood up to talk to him."

"Bit of an understatement." Remus said with an amused smile as he handed Steffanie her wand.

"Yeah, right. Thanks. So, what's up?"

"Oh, right. I just got this note from McGonagall," he waved a small piece of parchment in the air, "she volunteered Gryffindor to lead the first HSS meeting on Monday and she wants us to meet with her at 7 tonight to go over the agenda."

"I'm sorry Remus, I don't think I can go. I have to conjur a ceramic mug by tomorrow and the closest I've gotten is a bear-shaped ashtray. Do you think you can go with out me? I'll do the next one by myself, I promise."

"Oh, well I was hoping you would go so you could take notes. My handwriting is so awful I can barely read it."

"Gosh, I'm sorry Remus, but... wait, er... maybe Maria could go with you. She has great penmanship."

"Oh, well sure!"

"Er, actually I was just about to head off to bed." Maria began to pack her bag and shot Steffanie an annoyed look. "You know, long day tomorrow."

"We have a half day tomorrow and Charms was cancelled..." Steffanie said as she eyed Maria suspiciously.

"Right...well goodnight!"

"Sorry, she-" said Steffanie turning to Remus after Maria had disappeared up the stair case to the girl's dormitory.

"Yeah, Sirius told us."

"Right." They both stood in silence for a while.

"Well I better let you get back to work."

"Yeah, I guess so." Steffanie sat back down and held her wand out again and tried to concentrate but couldn't because she could still see Remus standing there out of the corner of her eye. Steffanie assumed that he was just upset about the recent ordeal with Maria so she thought it best not to say anything. When she finally glanced up at him, he was not staring lost in thought like Steffanie thought he would be. Rather, to her surprise, he was staring intently at Steffanie as if he was trying to solve a particularly hard arithmancy equation.

"Oh sorry" he said, slightey embarrassed. "It's just... do you always hold your wand like that when you're trying to conjur?"

"Er...yes..."

"Well, I've always found it better to extend you index finger across the top of you wand. It keeps you hand steady, also helps you to concentrate. No, like this... may I?"

"Oh, sure."

Remus walked over to Steffanie and held her wrist steady with one hand and with the other placed her fingers correctly on her wand. Steffanie jumped slightly at his touch, but was grateful that he didn't seem to notice.

"Then you just tuck your thumb under there. I know that feels odd, but believe me it does help." He pulled over Maria's abandoned chair and sat next to her. "The movement is all in the wrist and shoulder, so try to keep you elbow steady. Ok let's give it a go." A wobbly teacup-looking piece of ceramic appeared before them.

"I'm hopeless."

"Not bad," said Remus encouragingly, "but this time I want you to concentrate not on the object itself, but on the object forming before you...you know, in pieces. Does that make sense?"

"I think so."

"Alright, lets give it another go." Remus pulled his chair in closer to the table.

Steffanie tried to focus again, keeping in mind all of the things Remus just said, but she couldn't. She saw him lookin on out of the corner of her eye. "Well, I can't with you looking at me! You're making me nervous!"

"What? Do you want me to turn around?" laughed Remus, half-jokingly.

"Yes, please." replied Steffanie, not joking at all.

"Oh...er... alright" said Remus slightly taken aback as he slowly turned his chair around.

"And that goes for you too!" said Steffanie to Jacqueline, whom she just noticed was looking on also. Steffanie didn't know why she was so nervous.

"Ok, ok. Sheesh!" said Jacqueline who blocked her view with her magazine.

Steffanie took a deep breath and tried again and to her surprise a perfectly shaped mug was sitting in front of her. "Ha! look! I did it... I can't believe it!"

Remus turned around, smiling broadly. "Well done!"

"Thank you so much, Remus. You've been a huge help."

"Anytime, really. Well, I guess I better head off its 10 'til 7."

"Oh right... wait, know what I've got the hard part finished. I could probably still come with you to the meeting."

"What? Are you sure? Really, you don't have to if you have work."

"No it's fine. I want to go. Just let me run to up to the library really quick," she said picking up her bag and putting it over her shoulder, "and after the meeting I'll still have plenty of time to write the essay, she's only asking for 6 inches. Just tell McGonagall I'll be a little late." Steffanie was already half-way across the room. "See you in a bit."

"Oh my gosh, I didn't think she would ever stop talking!" whispered Steffanie was she closed the door behind her and Remus as they left McGonagall's office and started to head back to the Gryffindor common room.

"Well now I know where you get it from."

"Ha ha..."

"I have to admit though; you don't hold a candle to your aunt. How much notes where there?"

"Two and a half rolls of parchment... and I write small."

"Wow."

"Tell me about it. Speaking of, you have been quite talkative yourself tonight. I'm actually not monopolizing the conversation... I'm a little worried."

"So you want me to be quiet then?"

"No, no. It's a good thing." They both laughed. "So what's gotten into you?" It was true, Steffanie had never seen Remus this talkative before. He was even joking around. Being on HSS together they had always been amiable to each other, but now Steffanie was starting to look at him as a friend.

"I don't know. I guess I'm excited about the announcement of the people going to the Triwizard Tournament."

"Oh, so Dumbledore said you could go?!"

"Yes, he said that my, you know, that... er...I..." Remus paused trying to find the write words, "probably wouldn't get too sick while we were there. If I went." he finished quickly.

"Right." Remus barely brought up his illness but whenever he did Steffanie got really uncomfortable. She didn't even know exactly what was wrong with him, but could tell it was serious. "Good. I mean...that's great!" She racked her brain, desperate to find something to change the subject. Steffanie spotted Professor Scales about twenty feet from them across the candle-lit corridor, walking briskly toward them. He was one of her least favorite teachers, but was grateful for the interruption. "Good evening Professor Scales!" she said a little too enthusiastically."

Professor Scales was now only 5 feet from them. He stopped, looking a little alarmed. He obviously didn't even notice them until Steffanie talked. "What are you two doing out of you dormitories?" he said finally.

"Oh, we were talking to Professor McGonagall about HSS stuff." replied Steffanie. Scales eyed them suspiciously. Steffanie knew he thought that her and Remus where off snogging somewhere and tried desperately not to laugh.

"At 9:30 at night?!"

"We were professor... you can ask McGonagall." said Remus. It looked like he was trying not to laugh either.

"I think I will, and if I find out otherwise it will be 20 points each from Gryffindor. You two go straight back to your common room." He eyed them suspiciously again. "Good night."

"Good night professor." they both replied as he continued to walk past them. Steffanie was about to start laughing but didn't when she was that Remus wasn't smiling anymore.

"I didn't realize it was so late," he said.

"I know."

" We won't have time to write the agenda tonight, you still have that paper.

"Right, I almost forgot." Steffanie's good mood was officially over.

"How about Saturday? Are you busy?"

"Well I was going to have lunch with Mar-" Steffanie was about to say Maria, but stopped herself. She knew he still fancied Maria and didn't want to bring her up after Maria just turned him down again earlier that evening. She cleared her throat. "Ahem... Matt and Sarah and them at the Three Broomsticks at 12, but other than that..."

"Oh, good. I'll meet you there at 11:30. It shouldn't take us more than 30 minutes."

"Ok, sounds good." They were now standing in front of the portrait of the Fat lady. Steffanie was about to say the password but Remus stopped her.

"Wait, I want to talk to you. It will only take a second, I promise."

Steffanie turned around to face him, his expression was serious. "Sure what is it?"

Remus crossed his arms and looked down at the floor. He wasn't saying anything and Steffanie was nervous he was going to tell her about his disease. "Thank you for suggesting that Maria come with me tonight to the meeting," he said, finally.

"What?" Steffanie was baffled.

"I mean, thanks for all you are doing. You know, trying to help me with Maria... it's just I don't think it's going to work..."

"Don't you fancy her still?"

Remus paused and bit his lip. "I would lie if I said I didn't still, but I know she doesn't like me-"

"She really was tired," Steffanie interrupted. "It wasn't you, really."

"No, it's not just that. I've thought a lot about it and I think Maria and I are better suited as friends anyways."

"Oh, ok." Steffanie wasn't quite sure what to say to that. "Is that all you wanted to talk about?" She didn't know why they couldn't have just talked about that in the common room, she thought is was something more serious.

"Yeah, I know it's not that big of a deal. It's just that I know Sirius and James are going to be in there and... well... they don't know that I've ever fancied Maria and I kind of want to keep it that way. Fizzgigg" The portrait door swung open.

"Finally!" said the Fat Lady. "I thought you two would never shut up."