Thank you to everyone who reviewed with their thoughts on Merlin's bird, and congrats to those who got it right.
Merlin waited until Draco was on the last part of the task, slowly coaching him through it with tips he had picked up from all of his years of experience. Thanks to his help, he and Draco were about to be the first people to complete the task.
"Okay Draco, do you know what bird you are going to make?" Merlin grinned as he pictured his bird quite easily.
Draco nodded. "Yes, do you?"
"Of course! Okay, start by using all of your senses to picture the bird. Feel it's feathers, see it's color, hear it's sounds. I think we can leave out smell and taste on this one." Merlin chucked a bit. "Okay, here we go!"
They waved their wands as one and the goblets slowly morphed into their birds of choice.
At first glance, Merlin's bird was not very ostentaneous. But any seasoned bird lover would know exactly what bird he had chosen. A Merlin hawk. The bird was completely seperate from what the goblet had been, and the transformation showed no odd side effects, which could not be said for Draco's bird. Although the bird itself was as perfectly formed as Merlin's, it was drenched with water. The first thing it had done upon transformation was shake it's wings and splatter the two boys with water droplets. Only after Draco had dried it off could it's beauty be fully appreciated. Draco had chosen a Royal Pigeon. It was rather like him.
Professor McGonagal made her way over to their table. "Very good boys. Could you please tell me what birds you have chosen and why?"
After a few looks at each other from the corner of their eyes, Draco went first.
"It is a Royal Pigeon. It was the first bird I thought of and I do like it anyways." Draco said. McGonagal turned to Merlin.
"This is a Merlin hawk. I had one a few years ago to send letters instead of an owl." Merlin covered smoothly. Honestly, he just appreciated the irony of the situation. McGonagal nodded and left them to their birds.
Over the course of the rest of the time, only seven other students had managed to make it to the bird tranformation. Only two of them managed to make their birs without bits of goblet showing. McGonagal quickly collected the goblets and birds before announcing the final task.
"This one will be quick but difficult. I have two caudrons here full of slips of paper with items written on them. You will select one piece from each cauldron and then retrieve the item from the first slip of paper from the table over there. You will then transfigure it into the item on the second slip of paper. Do you understand?"
The entire class either nodded or replied positively.
"One final thing. The items can be anything from animals to liquids to household items. Be prepared for anything. Now, will you please make a straight line in front of my desk."
The students quickly formed a line and selected their items before returning to their seats or going to the table of items.
Draco turned to Merlin. "I have to turn these spectacles into a dog. What do you have to do?" He asked as he grimaced at the dusty glasses before placing them on the desk in front of him.
"I have to turn this spoon into daffodils." Merlin grinned at the odd combination.
"Good luck with that. I'm not entirely sure I know what daffodils even look like anymore." Draco said quietly as he turned his wand on the glasses. He waved his wand and the glasses were turned into a small dog with metal circles embedded around it's eyes. He sighed and turned it back. He was being distracted by the thought of daffodils. He remembered how he would pick daffodils for his mother after learning of them in the Manor's library. He remembered how she would smile at him. And he remembered how they would but put in a vase and placed on the dining room table for all to see. The yellow of the flowers would brighten the room and he would smile every time he saw them. He also remembered clearly that the day the Dark Lord- no, Voldemort- had come to stay, all of the flowers surrounding the Manor had died. That, for him, had signaled the end of a happy childhood and the beginning of the end.
Merlin noticed how uncommonly quiet his friend had become. "Hey Draco, are you okay?" He asked worried.
Draco snapped himself out of his reverie. "I'm fine." He said a little more gruffly than he had intended before continuing to work on his dog.
Merlin gave a small "okay" then continued on the flowers, but he kept a close eye on Draco for the rest of the class. He worked on changing the spoon into a single daffodil before attempting to make several. The slip did say 'daffodils' not 'daffodil'.
The rest of the class was filled with odd hybrids of two unusual items and much struggle from those with odder combinations. Merlin was still having trouble creating more than one flower from one spoon when Professor McGonagal told them that time was up. Draco had finished his assignment and had settled for a golden retriever puppy with slightly darker fur around the eyes. Merlin had an odd bundle of daffodils that started as one stem and then branched off into several flowers.
The Professor made her way around the classroom before stopping in front of their desk. After she approved Draco's work she turned to Merlin. She raised her eyebrow at the strange looking flower in front of her . "Might I request what you were attempting to do here Mister Emerson?" She asked curiously.
Merlin once again turned a light shade of pink. "Well the slip of paper said daffodils, as in plural, so I tried to make a bunch of daffodils."
"And what item did you create these out of?" Professor McGonagal asked.
"A spoon."
She seemed very suprised. "It seems wonders never cease. I'm suprised you managed to get this many flowers out of one stem."
Merlin simply smiled at her.
The bell that announced the end of class rang and the students packed their things and went into the hallway.
"What class do you have next? I have Care of Magical Creatures with the Gryffindors." Merlin asked Draco as they made their way out of the classroom.
"Too bad. I have Arithmancy. I can give you directions though. Go out by the Forbidden Forest and look for the hut. If any other students are heading that way you can ask them for directions. I guess I will see you in Potions." Draco said. Before Merlin could reply he quickly began to speak again. "And watch your back, the last time I was in CoMC, the teacher did something really flashy and dangerous."
Merlin nodded and made his way to the front doors of the castle.
Whew! That was interesting! I wonder what Hagrid has planned for class. Here's a fun fact about daffodils: Daffodil is the common name for the plant genusNarcissus. Thought you ought to know. *Faints* *Is revived* Ahem. Anyway in case you missed my little hint in the last note, the trials in Transfiguration class were designed (unintentionally on McGonagal's behalf of course) after the trials of the Triwizard Tournament. Well, this is getting longish.