If one thought that spying on the headmaster was unnecessary, then one may well be correct. However, Gavin's extensive experience as an auror had taught him to leave no stone unturned, and even the closest ally could be a deadly enemy in disguise. Hank wasn't exactly an ally. He didn't know him well enough to consider him such, but he was a seasoned, well-respected wizard in various social circles. He was from a noble family, one of those open to all witches and wizards, no matter their lineage. That was a vast improvement on the last headmaster, who'd shown clear bias to purebloods.
It was with this caution in mind that Gavin had risen early and sloped along to the Charm's classroom. He'd skipped breakfast in order to beat Hank and find a suitable nook to hide in. He had to be careful. Hank was a powerful wizard. You had to be in order to be elected as headmaster. With such an important title, the person filling the role had to live up to it. Being so powerful, Gavin had no doubt he'd sniff him out in seconds if he wasn't careful. If Hank was a good man, it wouldn't be an issue. Perhaps there would be some minor embarrassment, but nothing else. If, however, Hank had nefarious intentions, being discovered could have dire consequences. Deep down, Gavin was confident Hank was a good man. He didn't give off the same eerie aura that came with ill intent.
No one else was in the hall as he paused outside the double doors. He'd arrived in human form, mainly so he could open any doors he came to. After listening for a moment, he cracked one door open and slipped inside. As expected, the large room was empty. The Charms classroom was a little like a miniature auditorium. There was a vast open space in the middle that ran up to Hank's cluttered desk. On top were books and papers stacked ready for class, and a crate of white feathers. On either side were desks set on staggered platforms. Steps stood on either side, like seats in a theatre. Behind the highest desks were a few shelves of books and other odds and ends used for Charms. Hank also had shelves lining the wall behind his desk with various personal items set on top, trinkets from his travels. There were also three heavy looking trunks that likely housed other classroom supplies.
Gavin paid these no mind. It wouldn't do to hide in such an obvious place. Hank wasn't expecting him, but that didn't mean he wouldn't notice his presence, especially if his personal items were out of place. With that in mind, Gavin shrank into his animagus form and hopped his way up to the back row of desks. Unsure how many students would be in the first class, he couldn't risk hiding beneath a desk or in a chair, so he hopped onto the shelves. Many were filled with thick, heavy tomes, but there were also rows of locks, boxes of keys, lanterns, candles, and other items that could be charmed.
Gavin chose a shelf lined with miniature chests and slinked his way between the small boxes to hide at the very back. He was a long way from the front of class, but his cat eyes could see just fine. The curved chests were dark brown and sat as high as his head when he stretched out on his stomach. The shelves were dark, leaving a shadowy nook for him to hide in. With that in mind, he felt he should be safe. He had no intention of moving, so as long as no one removed the chests, he should be fine. He flicked his tail lazily, doing a few final shuffles to find a comfortable lounging position. If he rested his small chin on the curved lid of a chest, he had a fine view of the central walkway where Hank would give his lecture.
There was a loud creak below, and the doors were thrown wide. He froze in place, even slowing his breaths as Hank entered with an armful of papers. He was wearing his favourite caramel and beige robes, complete with matching hat and teal tassel. As he arrived at his desk, he dropped the papers and took up a cloth to clean his half-moon reading glasses. He rarely wore them, so Gavin could only guess he'd been reading over those papers at breakfast and kept them on for class. Hank paused a moment, back straightening as he stood to his full height. He was over six feet tall, a full head taller than Gavin's human form. Gavin held his breath and lowered his head as Hank turned to run his aged eyes over the room. He let out an almost curious hum, and Gavin swore he must be able to hear his little heart racing, but then his steps continued around his desk.
Upon raising his head, Gavin found that Hank had moved to sit in his chair. He let out the smallest breath of relief, resting his small chin on the box once more. The scratch of Hank's quill soon filled the room. It seemed he was getting a little grading done before the students arrived. Gavin relaxed after that. Hank showed no further sign of having noticed anything unusual, and there was nothing to draw his attention away from his papers. Flicking his tail, Gavin lowered his head to his paws and closed his eyes, lazily twitching his ears as he waited for the hurried footsteps of students to arrive.
It didn't take long, perhaps thirty minutes. The students arrived one by one and in small groups, many coming straight from breakfast. Hank raised his head to gruff out a few greetings, slowly getting to his feet to lean on his desk as the rest arrived. It was a relatively small class. Sixth years. With many students leaving after their fifth year, and not all of them taking Charms at NEWT level, there were only nineteen students. There would often be over thirty in the earlier years. Charms was a popular subject with fewer restrictions than others. To take NEWT level Defence Against the Dart Arts or Potions, one needed an Outstanding at OWL level. Charms class was more lenient, only requiring an Exceeds Expectations. Depending on the student's abilities and dedication, Hank would even consider Acceptable students in his NEWT classes, so long as he believed they had the potential to pass. Education should never be perceived as a locked door…especially for a student of Charms!
"Good morning everyone…Are we all here?" The question was only slightly rhetorical. Hank ran his eyes over the small crowd, which had filled the first and second rows on either side. That told Gavin a lot as he watched from his hiding place. It told him the students were attentive and eager to learn. They had chosen to sit in their professor's direct line of sight. It also suggested they had routines. Either Hank had told them or they'd all decided that these rows were the best areas to sit during this class. Their willingness to be so close to Hank also told him they were comfortable being near him. He drew them in with his words and kindness. Teenagers were sensitive to bad intentions. If the students sensed evil, they'd automatically recoil, sitting as far back as they could. That wasn't the case in Hank's classroom.
Everyone seemed comfortable as they leaned forward on their desks. Some had their heavy tomes out already, though none were open. Hank hadn't given them a page or even at hinted what they'd be learning yet. Quills and inkpots slowly appeared as Hank did a headcount, many laying their wands out, too. There was usually at least a little practical magic in Hank's classes, even if it was just review. Hank nodded his head in satisfaction, pushing himself off the desk to begin. As soon as he was on his feet, the students fell silent, eager to get started.
"Alright, today we're going to be practicing a rather tricky spell. Appare Vestigium. Does anyone recognise the incantation?" Hank paused, smiling as around ten hands shot up, ready to answer. "You did the pre-reading! Good-good…Miss Andrews, maybe you can enlighten us." He waved an inviting hand at a girl from Slytherin. She seemed quite genteel, as expected of such families. Her long brunette hair was neatly clipped back, her uniform crisp and immaculate, and she sat straight with her feet crossed at the ankles, as all young ladies should.
"It's a tracking spell that can show you traces of any magical activity, such as the footsteps of any witch or wizard that passed by, or where a magical creature has been. Those skilled enough may even be able to reveal which spell left those traces." Hank nodded his agreement and awarded points appropriately. Gavin was impressed himself. This was tricky magic. The casting itself was quite simple. The difficulty came in identifying which traces you wanted to follow. It revealed all magic, so casting it within the school would bring up a mass of footprints, not all of them useful.
"That's right. The spell with show you any and all magical activity. This makes it particularly useful for aurors tracking fugitives through muggle spaces, or experts in magical creatures tracking through the forest. It's more difficult to follow trails in the wizarding world. Why do you think that is?" He looked around again before choosing a confident-looking Ravenclaw boy to answer. He would have looked like a Ravenclaw even without the tie. It was clear in the way he pushed his glasses up his nose and stood to answer.
"There's too much magic, of course! Every witch or wizard who walks the area will leave trail after trail overlapping each other. It's extremely difficult to pick out the exact one you need." Hank handed out more point and let him sit down. With that in mind, it seemed the spell wasn't all that useful.
"It's useful if you know what you're looking for…If you're looking for a man with size twelve feet, then it would be easy to pick those out in a sea of size fives, right? Sometimes, the devil is in the details. It will take many years of practice to get used to picking out those details, but for now, it's enough that you all learn to cast. For that, I'm pleased to say we have a special guest." Gavin's ears twitched as Hank's blue eyes raised in amusement, staring right at his hiding place. Phck! The students hadn't noticed. They were too busy murmuring about who the special guest may be. "We're lucky enough to have a rather excellent auror currently employed in this very school, and he just happened to have a free period this morning." Phck-phck-phck! Gavin certainly got the message. He shuffled his way out of his hiding space and hopped lightly to the floor, considering himself lucky none of the students had noticed. Hank had a knowing smirk on his lips as he allowed Gavin to hide behind the desks and change back. "Professor Reed, won't you join us?"
It was worth being called out for the look on the students' faces as they looked up to see him sitting at one of the rear desks as if he'd always been there. Chatter started immediately, all of them wondering where he'd come from and how long he'd been there. Covering his racing heart and the slight quiver in his fingers, Gavin put on a grin and pushed to his feet. The students applauded as he walked down the steps, missing the way Hank quietly guffawed and moved off to the edge of the room. He leaned on his desk, folding his arms as he relaxed and allowed Gavin to take over. Upon reaching the stone floor, Gavin raised both hands for silence and reached for his wand.
"Thank you, Professor Anderson, for that…generous introduction." Gavin cleared his throat a little, hoping to keep the nerves out of his tone. It wasn't everyday he got found out and put on the spot like this. At least the students have no idea…"Professor Anderson is right. It'll take years for you to fully master this spell to the point of being able to pick out what you want and discard the rest. At this level, it's enough for you to see the footprints at all." There was a small murmur of understanding and a few nods. As usual, when Gavin was in charge, there was an air of anticipation. No one knew what he'd say or do, and everyone was eager to find out. Even Hank was looking forward to seeing how he handled being put on the spot. He hadn't planned anything, after all. He'd just been thrown into the middle of a lesson. "Any questions?"
"Did you use this spell a lot as an auror?" an eager Gryffindor asked. Her name was Pennington, if he remembered correctly. Amelia Pennington. She kept her uniform neat and her long dark hair tied back. A practical move in active classes. Gavin didn't even need to ask to know she was interested in becoming an auror someday. It was a common career choice that many didn't give up on until part way through their seventh year. Some didn't get the grades they wanted, and others looked into it more and realised just how hard the life was. He suspected that Pennington would be just fine though. She had the smarts, the wits, and the confidence.
"All the time. When fugitives run, it's easiest for them to cut through the muggle world to give us the slip. At those times, it's easy to follow them, but it gets harder when they return to the wizarding world. That's when you need to know how to pick out their tracks exactly. I couldn't even count how many times I've used this spell over the years because it's so useful." There was an eager flurry of murmurs as the students whispered. It sounded like he had a lot of stories to tell, and they were always eager for more of those. It had barely been a week, but they already knew that Professor Reed told the most fantastical stories. "There was this one time I was tasked with tracking a dark wizard clean across Europe! If it hadn't been for this spell, I never would have caught up to him. I finally found him right on the Turkish border, trying to flee to the Orient…I followed his trail up into the mountains, doing my best to blend in with the muggles as I went. Village after village, I tracked him, and then…the trail disappeared." There was a flurry of small groans as they assumed the tale ended in failure. "But then, from the top of the mountain, I heard a mighty roar! He'd disturbed a dragon's nest. I snuck up there, using all the cover I could find. Dragons don't have the best eyes up close, but their sense of smell? You can't beat it. I stayed downwind, hugging the mountainside all the way up, and then…I saw him."
Many students were leaning forward on their desks at this point, eager to know what happened next. Hank let out the smallest huff, chuckling under his breath. He wasn't sure who was enjoying it more, the students or Gavin. The life of an auror was hard, and many memories were things best forgotten, but through the hard times, there were good times. A student prompted him to continue, eagerly asking what happened next. Gavin chortled to himself as he straightened up and took his wand out, ready to begin.
"The idiot jumped off the edge. I had to dive after him and apparate us both all the way back to the ministry." The students looked aghast, insisting it couldn't be done. To apparate over such an enormous distance was surely impossible! And from mid-air? Hogwash! "As long as you know where you're going and have a clear picture in your mind, you can apparate anywhere. As for disapparating in mid-air, I'll admit, that was a first for me. I had no idea how it would go, but I couldn't exactly let him hit the ground, could I? The landing was a little messy, I'll give you that. We landed in the ministry foyer, right smack in the middle of the morning commute. We arrived around seven feet above the ground and landed on a bunch of rushing commuters. They weren't exactly pleased, but they did help take the guy down so I could detain him." The students laughed at that, enjoying the short follow-up of how they'd chased the wizard around the fountain, and Gavin had even been pushed in.
Having warmed them up with a story and a little recap, Gavin had them all stand and take out their wands. As usual, they started with the wand movements first. This spell was a little unique in that the movement was a full body turn. Their wands should be angled a little towards the ground, but not so much that they were pointing at their feet. They watched as Gavin showed them the spell first. A few gasped and yelped in surprise and wonder at the golden sparks that seemed to fly from his wand. It was like he was holding a firework as he span. The sparks spread out like a net and covered the stone floor, slowly lighting a myriad of crisscrossing footprints. It was somewhat beautiful, watching the floor light up as it did.
"As you can see, this hall is full of footprints, and these are just the recent ones! This spell will only show up prints from around five or six hours ago…As you get more proficient, you may be able to extend that time, but the more time you extend, the more prints you'll see. You can't pick and choose. You can't only see the prints from this morning, and you can't only see the prints from the past five minutes. They're all here together." The students nodded their agreement as they leaned over their desks or stood to look over the lower rows. "You may notice that the oldest steps have started to fade…See here?" He paused as he wandered over to Hank's morning prints. They weren't as clear as the most recent. The light was a little faded and less clear.
"So the older the prints, the less clear they'll be?" Gavin nodded his agreement as he returned his attention to the class.
"That's right. The prints will be less clear as they age, and they'll gradually go out as the spell fades. How long it lasts can depend on a few things…If you're new to casting, the spell won't stick around long. You need to learn to control it first. As you improve, you'll be able to control it better and make it last longer. Those at an expert level can make it last up to an hour if need be, though it's rare to need it that long." There was a flurry of scratches as students took notes, some of them even drawing small diagrams to help them remember. Gavin allowed it, giving them all a few moments before encouraging them down to the lower floor.
Hank helped as he spaced them out in two staggered lines, giving them all plenty of space to turn a circle and cast without hitting each other. Unlike the lower years, they all managed to cast a few sparks on their first try. It was common for older students to pick up spells more quickly, since they had a wealth of experience and knowledge that lower years lacked. By try two or three, all the students had managed a proper cast and showed up at least a few faded prints. Hank and Gavin both beamed with pride, bolstering them with praise.
"Excellent work everyone! I'm very impressed. You might just be the fastest learners we have." Praise from Hank was always good. It meant something when it came from the headmaster. It also meant a lot when Gavin agreed. To have a seasoned auror insisting he was impressed was akin to being noticed by someone famous. Since they had the basics down, Hank thought it only fair they put those new skills to the test. Gavin wasn't sure he liked it as Hank looked across at him. "This is the real reason I asked Professor Reed to join us today." You what? "Professor Reed is going to leave us and hide somewhere in the school…He's really going to give you the runaround with this one, so you'll have to be sharp!" Phck, alright, why not? That's just what he got for snooping.
"He's right, you know. I won't go easy on you." Gavin folded his arms with a confident smirk, enjoying the way the students immediately pumped themselves up for the sport. "Alright, I'm going to leave this room and you're going to give me a thirty-second head start. That's it, just thirty seconds. After that, you need to use Appare Vestigium to track my movements throughout the school. No cheating! No asking for help or using other spells, got it?" There was a flurry of agreement, and Hank summoned a small hourglass. Gavin opened the door and waited for Hank's three-count before sprinting down the hall. He wasn't about to underestimate the students. Underestimating an opponent could get you killed. He'd learned that a long time ago.
Pelting his way into the entrance hall, he grabbed the banister and swung himself round to rush up the stairs. He could already hear voices behind as the students took turns casting and searching for his larger, fresher prints in the carnage outside in the hallway. They had to pick his prints out of their own and those of other students. He reframed from making it too hard. Switching to his animagus form could really throw them off, but he resisted the temptation. He did, however, jump on the banister and take a few steps before leaping up to the staircase leading to the second floor. He continued up and turned right, running deeper into the school.
Further down the hall was a small, hidden staircase. Younger students probably wouldn't know about it, but he had confidence in the sixth years to have noticed. It was hidden behind a painting that could be pulled open and shut behind. This led to the third floor, where he passed through more winding corridors. He led them all the way up to the seventh floor before making his way back to the ground floor, coming out not too far from his own rooms. He was breathing hard as he finally jogged his way back to the Charms classroom, where Hank was patiently waiting.
"How did you know?" Gavin gasped as he stepped inside and closed the doors, doubling over and gasping for breath. Hank had a definite twinkle in his pale blue eyes as he looked up with a smirk. "You weren't even here when I arrived, and I was quiet as a mouse! I was in my animagus form!" That was true, but Hank didn't enlighten him right away as he continued scratching away with his quill. Gavin dragged himself over to his desk and hopped on one of the student desks close by.
"Did you really think I wouldn't have looked you up? As soon as Tina recommended you, I looked into your background. A brown cat with green eyes and a scar across the nose." His animagus record. Every animagus had to be registered with a description of their transformation. "You learned the same time as Tina, so I assume you did it together." Gavin nodded. She'd been eager to do it, and he'd thought the skill would be useful for an auror, so they'd done it. "I had the feeling someone was in here when I arrived…One look at those striking green eyes of yours and I knew." Gavin had no idea how he'd even noticed something so small from so far away. He'd been shrouded in darkness at the back of a bookshelf. He'd even lowered his head when he noticed him looking. Phck, his skills are no joke! "Did you get all you needed?"
"All I needed?" He couldn't even pretend to play innocent.
"Well, you wouldn't be spying on us without reason." Gavin balked. Had Sixty and Nines noticed him? Did they bring that information to Hank and tell him about it? "They don't know. I'm the one who saw you…It's your first week. Did you really think I wouldn't be checking in?" He knew he'd check in, but he had no idea he'd been watching so closely. How hadn't he noticed? How had Hank watched him, a seasoned auror, without him noticing? Had his skills gone rusty? Had his danger sense abandoned him since his time at St Mungo's? He didn't think so. He licked his lips, almost feeling guilty as he answered.
"I didn't think you'd be watching me like that…I mean, I thought I'd know." Hank huffed softly, shaking his head as if Gavin were a naïve child. Perhaps he was compared to Hank. He wasn't sure exactly how old he was. He could be fifty, or he could be over a hundred. It was hard to tell with wizarding kind. Some aged better than others.
"You're not the only seasoned wizard in these parts." Gavin huffed as he folded his arms and crossed his legs. Touche, old man…"Whatever curiosity you have, I'll consider it satisfied. You're welcome to view my classes at any time, and if there's something else…if you need help…" Hank's eyes were strangely steady and searching as he raised his head. Gavin felt uncertain, almost vulnerable, under that gaze. He swallowed down the urge to burden him with it. If there was something going on in the school, he'd let him know when the time was right. There was no need to bring him into it until then.
"I'll let you know." They both knew that was a half-truth. They'd barely ended their conversation when a flurry of steps filled the hall, and the doors were flung wide. The first four students had returned, breathless and triumphant as they hurried over to tell Hank about their adventure. Hank lowered his quill and listened attentively as they told him about how Gavin had climbed on banisters, run across walls, jumped between shelves and podiums, and even hopped between balconies to throw them off. They'd chased relentlessly through secret passages and winding hallways, all the way back to the classroom. Hank guffawed as they declared it the most fun they'd had all year.
"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed yourselves, and you've sharpened your tracking skills on top of all that." The students had almost forgotten that's what they were supposed to be doing. They'd used the spell, of course, but after a while it had come naturally and they'd focused more on the details than the casting. It didn't surprise Gavin to find that Pennington was in the group, along with a Hufflepuff girl and two boys from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. "You'll each get five points for winning the game, and an early lunch! Gather your things and you can go along to the Great Hall." The group eagerly agreed as they gathered their bags and hurried off. "As for you…" Gavin balked at the stern tone. "What's my rule about breakfast?"
"Everyone eats, Sir." He'd said it just a few days ago.
"That's right. I don't want students or staff going without, especially first thing in the morning…You get yourself to the hall and have yourself a big lunch to make up for the lack of breakfast." He didn't mention that he'd transformed that day and run a lap around the school. Gavin was well aware of his flagging energy levels. He grumbled out an obedient agreement before hopping to his feet. "And Gavin…don't let it happen again." Hank was dead serious as he looked over his reading glasses. It was like being back in school again. He considered himself lucky Hank didn't have him writing lines as punishment.
"Yes, Sir." With a humble bow of his head, he hurried from the room. Hank would remain and let the students know the game had ended as they returned. Gavin even passed a few on the way, grinning and telling them to go get their things. Upon entering the Great Hall, he was surprised to find Tina absent. She didn't turn up, even as he finished eating. That was fine by him. He'd already decided that hers would be the next class he watched. She was scheduled to teach after lunch, and as he arrived at her door, she was right where he expected her to be. Bent over a chest, rummaging for some trinket or other.
The Transfiguration classroom was much like his own. A simple room with rows of desks facing a blackboard, which was barely used because Tina preferred practice to theory. Most theory was studied as homework to be discussed next lesson and put into practice. Gavin smirked as he realised he hadn't been spotted. She was too busy grumbling as she rummaged. Transforming, Gavin padded his way along the row of desks to the right, prowling right alongside her. Her bun was messy now, already out of place from the previous class and all that hunting. He hunkered down and raised his rear, tail flicking as he got the angle right. She blinked and turned her head just as his paws left the floor, too late to save herself from the flying bundle of fluff.
"Gavin Alexander Reed! You, Sir, are the ass of all asses!" Laughter rippled from his lips the moment they'd reformed, leaving them both rolling on the cold, stone floor. Despite her chagrin, Tina couldn't stop her lips twitching. Gavin's laughter was both rare and infectious. "Shut up and help me!" Returning to her knees, she instantly leaned over the heavy chest again. Gavin joined her, resting an arm on the edge and looking at the chaos within. There was a pile of what looked like useless junk inside. Wooden tops, books, an old lamp, half-burned candles, a barometer, compasses, brass pots, and a myriad of other things.
"What are you even looking for?"
"My doohickie!" Of course, it's all so clear now…He raised an eyebrow, leaning over to give her an incredulous stare. "You know, the thingy!" Not a clue…"You're useless!" Gavin scoffed at the accusation as he leaned in and started lifting out the heavier items. If she notice he had it, she'd stop him. She seemed grateful enough as she returned to rummaging. "Ah-ha!" She sat up triumphantly, clutching the small brass circle in her hand. It was like a small makeup mirror, something flat that could be opened.
"What is it?" Gavin knew it had to be more than a simple mirror or powder.
"Well, it was a travelling powder store at one point, but now it's enchanted to store things…" Gavin watched as she flipped it open. The top section was a simple mirror, but the bottom, where the powder store had once sat, was a hole into nothingness. "I'm sure I left them in here somewhere…" Gavin watched in disbelief as Tina put her eye to the hole and shook the small pot as if searching for something. She even turned it upside down and shook, resulting in numerous loud clanks and pings as things that were clearly too big clattered against the small rim. In the end, she resorted to Accio and shrank items to get them out. She had a whole store of wooden eggcups inside. What she needed those for, he had no idea, but she went around placing one on each desk.
"Do you mind if I stick around for class? I have a free period." He'd never seen Tina teach before, and he was sure it was a sight to behold. Tina beamed at the suggestion, ready and eager to show off her skills. Since class time was fast approaching, Gavin slinked off into a quiet corner and took up a space on a battered old cabinet to watch. He had a good view of the whole classroom, sitting like a loaf as the second years filed in. His ears twitched, unimpressed with the ruckus they made as they entered. Tina's voice rose above the din, calling them to order and having them review what they did last lesson.
They were still learning to transfigure objects into objects. In the coming years, they'd be able to transfigure living things into objects, but they weren't quite ready for that yet. In advanced classes, they'd be turning living things into living things. Few would reach that level. Tina looked for an Exceeds Expectations in her NEWTs students, and not all of them would be interested in advanced Transfiguration. It wasn't something Gavin trusted himself with, either. He was confident in his own transformation abilities, but transfiguring someone else? That was a skill he hadn't practiced since his schooling days. Tina had no such reservations, of course.
During their last class, they'd transfigured paper into playing cards. It was always easier transforming like for like. It got harder as the materials changed. In this lesson, they would transfigure wooden eggcups into spinning tops. Both were made of wood, so it was really just mastering the change of shape. Many students didn't actually know what a spinning top was. They were muggle toys, and not all of them had access to such things. Gavin purred softly as he watched Tina demonstrate.
"Mutata in Figura!" She waved her wand with a flourish, making the eggcup spin and twist into a new shape. It became almost egg-like, the bottom stretching out into a point so it could spin across her desk. The students seemed delighted as they watched the top stand on its tip, where Tina left it spinning. "It's a simple shape changing spell. Since the material is the same, the only thing we need to change is the shape." She plucked the top from her desk and passed it to the closest student, telling them to pass it around. "Get a feel for it. How does it look? How does it feel? Is the point sharp? Is one end heavier than the other? Are there grooves you need to remember?"
The students took turns holding the small wooden top. It wasn't even the size of a tennis ball. It was like a wooden pear with few imperfections at all. The wood was smooth and unvarnished as the eggcup had been, and the pointed tip was slightly blunt. Curiously, the top actually felt a little heavier on one side. A flurry of murmurs circled the room as the top was passed along and the students shared their thoughts. The muggle born students were far less surprised than their pureblood peers, having played with them at home.
"Alright, let's get started! You all have an eggcup in front of you. In order to master this transformation, you need to picture the top in your mind as clearly as possible. Remember the shape and feel, and keep thinking of it as you cast. For the casting motion, a simple downwards flick will do. The most important part of Transfiguration is your ability to think clearly and picture the end result in your mind." Transfiguration always went smoothest for those who thought in pictures or moving images. For those who thought in words without the ability to picture things, it was always a lot harder. Gavin watched with interest as they began. A few seemed nervous, quietly murmuring the spell and practicing wand swings a few times first. Others jumped in and tried right off the bat. There were mixed results.
The first student who tried, a Gryffindor called Cynthia, warped her cup into a twisted lump with a vague spiral shape. She was clearly disappointed as she picked it up and turned it over. It was pointed at both ends, and almost looked melted. Tina let out an almost theatrical gasp as she hurried over and took it, beaming with pride as she turned it over in her hands. Cynthia looked like she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her, she was so embarrassed. A few of those close by paused to look, giggling quietly as they tried themselves with limited success.
"Sorry Professor…"
"Why on Earth are you sorry, Cynthia? This is amazing! It was only your first try, and look what you did! You managed to get a perfect point! It's taller, the middle is wider, and you even managed to get it weighted on one side! Revertere!" With a light tap of her wand, the spiral turned back into an eggcup in her hand. "You're on the right track, so try again." Having bolstered Cynthia's confidence, Tina moved on to the next ailing student. Many of them were in good spirits, working in pairs and groups. There was no volume control in Tina's classroom. She more or less let them run riot. The students laughed at each other as they made twisted mass after twisted mass. One of them came out looking like a perfect mushroom. Gavin flicked his tail in amusement as the boy's friends accused him of always thinking with his stomach.
"I think I almost did it that time!" Tina hurried over and lifted the top. It was outwardly perfect. The only thing that wasn't quite right was the weight. It was centrally balanced instead of leaning to one side. Despite the oversight, the girl from Slytherin was bursting with pride. Tina laid on the praise, gifting her points as she restored the eggcup for her to try again. Gavin liked the way Tina worked. She gave just the right amount of praise and enthusiasm to lift those who needed it. She teased and made fun of the more boisterous students, but was overly enthusiastic with those less confident. A more reserved student might find that patronising, but she always read the situation right. It was one of the things that would have made her a good auror had she chosen that path. Seeing how happy it made her students, Gavin couldn't say it was a wasted skill. Tina was a fantastic teacher.
By the end of class, they'd all managed to at least get the shape right. Their homework was to practice and perfect it by their next lesson, a task many of them took to with gusto. Gavin stretched out his paws as he watched the students hurry out, a few of them already yelling about going to the Great Hall to practice more. The hall would be full of older students between classes at that time, using it as a study hall. It was probably a good idea to practice there. The older students were always ready and willing to give advice. Anything to give themselves a break or reclaim the peace and quiet.
"So? Did I pass?" Tina asked as Gavin turned back and hopped down to join her.
"With flying colours." They shared a grin as he passed, wrapping her in a half embrace as he hurried to the door with a quick farewell. He had his own class to teach.