herbology
Herbology, the study of plants, is not exclusive to wizard culture. Through my research into the muggle world I have found some mentions of the practice as well as a fair few shared beliefs about plants and their symbolism between our world and it’s muggle counterpart. It’s interesting, almost enough to make me like Herbology (almost). It helps that Professor Myers (champion of the arts) for all his sometimes nonsensical approaches to the subject peppers (pun intended) his lessons with a practical, considered flair that makes it easy to grasp no matter which world you grew up in. This year’s lesson was on essential oils (a connection to an earlier Divination class) and the extraction one could use to gently get that oil from the plant of your choosing. A cute, and thought-provoking lesson. I’m here today to discuss some aspects of that lesson with Natalie McKinley and Herbology in general.
Do you use essential oils in your day to day life? If so, do you gather them yourself or is that not the kind of thing you spend your time on?
My mum has some plants she uses to get essential oils. I use lavender sometimes to help me calm down and stay focused, but she does all the work.
Would you say you have a green thumb (or two)?
I'm TRYING to have a green thumb. Herbology is cool and interesting, but I'm not very good at it. I'm trying to do better and I help my mum at home with her plants in the summer.
What’s your favorite plant or flower?
I like all flowers. I like Lavender, of course, but I also like roses a lot. Really, I just like all of them. I try to stay away from flesh-eating plants and stick to flowers that can't hurt me.
A lot of our peers think Herbology is just about plants, dirt and animal dung. Do you agree? And if not, why?
Well... a lot of Herbology is just plants, dirt and dung... but I mean, it's kind of interesting to watch plants grow and react to different things. They're just like little green babies. They need to be fed and nurtured like us.
Do you like the meditation sessions? I’ll admit, I can never get into it.
I like meditating, but I usually fall asleep... But I don't mind as long as somebody wakes me up.
Do you use essential oils in your day to day life? If so, do you gather them yourself or is that not the kind of thing you spend your time on?
My mum has some plants she uses to get essential oils. I use lavender sometimes to help me calm down and stay focused, but she does all the work.
Would you say you have a green thumb (or two)?
I'm TRYING to have a green thumb. Herbology is cool and interesting, but I'm not very good at it. I'm trying to do better and I help my mum at home with her plants in the summer.
What’s your favorite plant or flower?
I like all flowers. I like Lavender, of course, but I also like roses a lot. Really, I just like all of them. I try to stay away from flesh-eating plants and stick to flowers that can't hurt me.
A lot of our peers think Herbology is just about plants, dirt and animal dung. Do you agree? And if not, why?
Well... a lot of Herbology is just plants, dirt and dung... but I mean, it's kind of interesting to watch plants grow and react to different things. They're just like little green babies. They need to be fed and nurtured like us.
Do you like the meditation sessions? I’ll admit, I can never get into it.
I like meditating, but I usually fall asleep... But I don't mind as long as somebody wakes me up.
history of magic
With the departure of Professor Marchand (formerly Newton) , Hogwarts found itself in need of a new Professor to drill copious amounts of history into the mind of its students. You’d think they’d do away with such a dull subject, just as they’d done with an arguably more interesting study of Arithmancy but instead, the position was filled by one Professor Charles Curtains. There’s a lot that could be said about the strange Professor and his unusual greetings but there’s more to be said about his lessons. Anyone who wasn’t a first year would notice his methods were…markedly different from the previous Professor who’d start debates then end them before anyone could get anywhere. This sort of thing is to be expected when you’ve got new blood in the water but you’d be in danger of real whiplash from just how wide a departure he’d taken from what had begun to be considered a “normal” History of Magic lesson. If you turned up to the classroom with a pillow or a cozy book of your own, you were already more prepared than those who came prepared for an engaging lesson.
When all you had to look forward to was heading to class to write essays, it was no wonder many students chose to focus on the strange markings that kept appearing on the walls about the castle. Entering the history of magic classroom, a few had taken to hushed discussions on the latest thunder bird to grace the corridors around the school. Others were out rightly distracted. Only a few seemed capable of focusing on the props that greeted them upon entering the room; parchments that read “By order of”. It should have been a dead giveaway to what the lesson would be about but to really drive the point home, the students were asked about anything they may have known about one Dolores Umbridge and the decrees she passed in her time. A lesson on a woman who fought against muggles and muggleborns could be considered a bit morbid given the climate around Hogwarts, with signs showing up to end the struggle and stop the inequality but sensitivity training hasn’t been something the Professors teaching here have ever been required to take. The massive information overload didn’t do the average kinaesthetic learner any favours either. The hollow looks that slipped into a few pairs of eyes made it clear the man had lost them somewhere in his long speech. Gryffindors like Zoryn Spinnet stood no chance after that point. Only the comment by Slytherin 6th Year Valkyrie on Gryffindors no longer being able to play quidditch had the effect of pulling the spaced 4th year back to the lesson…and rather spiritedly so. The blatant lie the Professor served the class as the lesson drew closer to its end may have been the largest let down of all. Curtains spoke of an experiment—but it didn’t take too long after for anyone to realize the man wouldn’t know what an experiment if it bit him on his large toe. It was shameful, dastardly and downright criminal to get hopes up just to reveal they’d be writing a new rule and waiting for the Headmistress to pick the one that stirred the least amount of waves within the school community. It was a hard pill to swallow and the let-down was remarkable but not uncommon.
Professor Curtains’ lessons could all be summed up as lectures, devoid of physical activity or a means of much practical application to have the material do anything but go through one ear and come out through the next. Blocks of information being offered between breaks of discussions that boil down to students repeating things they’ve learned at one point or another. The under-stimulation is an almost tangible consequence and were it not for the sometimes amusing responses of the students—like Ravenclaw 4th year Chloe Kettleburn and her opinion of a dark time in history being a time before eyeliner was invented—one might be in real danger of going brain dead. As it turned out, this stormy history of magic lesson had nothing to do with makeup and everything to do with Voldemort and his curses on the staff and a particular subject at Hogwarts. Exciting, sure….until you turn up for the lesson and realize it’ll be another hour of sitting still and sharing what everyone already read in their textbooks. After the Professor’s infamous league long lecture thrusting copious amounts of information at the students all at one time, he brought the lesson to the point of writing down whether they believed the castle truly had a jinx on it or the castle was simply, coincidentally always under attack in one way or another.
All in all a very tame first year of teaching for the Professor that doesn’t hold much promise of better days if every lesson will continue to be discussions and writings. History of Magic already has enough of a hard time being on the “liked” list for students without the mundane and often unengaging “activities” within. Others might feel differently and all the power to them for it but as I’m the one writing this article, it’s my opinion that gets to be taken into consideration. Professor Curtains has proven to be really laid back and free flowing in his approach to educating the youth which could go either way and doesn’t particularly affect me. The method of passing on this knowledge is what makes it painful.
When all you had to look forward to was heading to class to write essays, it was no wonder many students chose to focus on the strange markings that kept appearing on the walls about the castle. Entering the history of magic classroom, a few had taken to hushed discussions on the latest thunder bird to grace the corridors around the school. Others were out rightly distracted. Only a few seemed capable of focusing on the props that greeted them upon entering the room; parchments that read “By order of”. It should have been a dead giveaway to what the lesson would be about but to really drive the point home, the students were asked about anything they may have known about one Dolores Umbridge and the decrees she passed in her time. A lesson on a woman who fought against muggles and muggleborns could be considered a bit morbid given the climate around Hogwarts, with signs showing up to end the struggle and stop the inequality but sensitivity training hasn’t been something the Professors teaching here have ever been required to take. The massive information overload didn’t do the average kinaesthetic learner any favours either. The hollow looks that slipped into a few pairs of eyes made it clear the man had lost them somewhere in his long speech. Gryffindors like Zoryn Spinnet stood no chance after that point. Only the comment by Slytherin 6th Year Valkyrie on Gryffindors no longer being able to play quidditch had the effect of pulling the spaced 4th year back to the lesson…and rather spiritedly so. The blatant lie the Professor served the class as the lesson drew closer to its end may have been the largest let down of all. Curtains spoke of an experiment—but it didn’t take too long after for anyone to realize the man wouldn’t know what an experiment if it bit him on his large toe. It was shameful, dastardly and downright criminal to get hopes up just to reveal they’d be writing a new rule and waiting for the Headmistress to pick the one that stirred the least amount of waves within the school community. It was a hard pill to swallow and the let-down was remarkable but not uncommon.
Professor Curtains’ lessons could all be summed up as lectures, devoid of physical activity or a means of much practical application to have the material do anything but go through one ear and come out through the next. Blocks of information being offered between breaks of discussions that boil down to students repeating things they’ve learned at one point or another. The under-stimulation is an almost tangible consequence and were it not for the sometimes amusing responses of the students—like Ravenclaw 4th year Chloe Kettleburn and her opinion of a dark time in history being a time before eyeliner was invented—one might be in real danger of going brain dead. As it turned out, this stormy history of magic lesson had nothing to do with makeup and everything to do with Voldemort and his curses on the staff and a particular subject at Hogwarts. Exciting, sure….until you turn up for the lesson and realize it’ll be another hour of sitting still and sharing what everyone already read in their textbooks. After the Professor’s infamous league long lecture thrusting copious amounts of information at the students all at one time, he brought the lesson to the point of writing down whether they believed the castle truly had a jinx on it or the castle was simply, coincidentally always under attack in one way or another.
All in all a very tame first year of teaching for the Professor that doesn’t hold much promise of better days if every lesson will continue to be discussions and writings. History of Magic already has enough of a hard time being on the “liked” list for students without the mundane and often unengaging “activities” within. Others might feel differently and all the power to them for it but as I’m the one writing this article, it’s my opinion that gets to be taken into consideration. Professor Curtains has proven to be really laid back and free flowing in his approach to educating the youth which could go either way and doesn’t particularly affect me. The method of passing on this knowledge is what makes it painful.
muggle studies
Muggle Studies. One of the five electives third years may choose to add to their curriculum is so much more than electricity (a form of energy resulting from the existence of charged particle muggles harness to power everything from lights to their stoves), Professor Stewart seeks through teaching us basic muggle practices like sewing with machines to show us a different way of life, one many of us have little to no previous experiences. Although I grew up in a muggle populated city I realized, as I settled down for class at a desk beset with a strange white apparatus and many spools of thread and cloth, was that as cultured as I believed myself certain aspects of Muggle life still eluded me. Professor Kaysha Stewart seemed very pleased that morning, perhaps even mischievously so as she addressed the class and began to speak on the objects she had so carefully brought over for us to learn about. Sewing Machines, she explained, had been invented by the cabinet maker Thomas Saint, an Englishman who quickly patented (something muggles do to make sure others will not copy their invention without permission) the creation but did not perfect it. That was Singer and Elias Howe, whose machine was much more efficient and cut down sewing time by quite a lot.
All of this information led to our first assignment: to set-up our sewing machine first by powering it up with batteries or electricity, and then to connect a floor pedal to a set of jacks (I’m not sure why they’re called jacks) a practice many of us (myself included) found trickier than you’d expect. Alessandro Toussaint tried and failed many times with the obstacle of the tiny bobbin hole and the thread, while Shera ben-Ari seemed too busy wondering why a cabinet maker would create a sewing machine to properly attend her work and likewise could not thread her bobbin. Zoryn Spinnet surprised everyone as she easily got to work with absolutely no help necessary, while Freya Simm got about as far as the others before she stopped casually to watch the rest. It was quite the scene, all these magic born children getting quietly (almost quietly anyway) to work, but soon enough, hands were in the air (one belonging to Bel Macindoe and the other to Gerreth Kenway to name a few) requesting help and further explanation, something Professor Stewart gladly offered.
We were asked soon after this about our impression of the forever changing forms of muggle fashion and which fashion period we liked best- a question for my own designer-loving heart. Amanda Dixon brought up the point that Muggle fashion could sometimes be limiting in their interpretations of gender, while Scarlett Richards echoed a point earlier made that muggle fashion was in constant evolution, always coming and going (a well made, if brief point) and Zoryn, not to be outdone by anyone suggested that only what Justine Janvier wore mattered. Personally, I believe fashion to be too broad a term. Style, personal style is crafted through experience and not just exposure. I could go on about this for another three paragraphs but then you’d never hear about the main assignment: making fleece hats. We were made measure and cut a pattern using measuring tape (obviously) and pins to mark where we would cut. Once again, the whole thing sounded so simple in theory and yet proved a real and proper challenge for many of us and not just because we were accustomed to magic work.
Everything had to exact or else the pieces cut out would not match together and you’d end up with a misshapen woolly head. The beanie, for those unfamiliar with the style of hat, is a head-hugging brimless cap usually without a visor. They’re typically made from triangular sections of cloth joined together through - spoiler alert - sewing. Soft, and very warm. Exactly perfect for a Scottish winter’s accessory.
After we had finished we were given the option for a long term assignment, one I did not participate in- in which we were to create not one- but two outfits using the sewing machine, something which divided the room almost immediately between elevation and displeasure. I left class that day with sore thumbs and a higher appreciation for Transfiguration and all the hats one could create with just a few waves of your wand.
All of this information led to our first assignment: to set-up our sewing machine first by powering it up with batteries or electricity, and then to connect a floor pedal to a set of jacks (I’m not sure why they’re called jacks) a practice many of us (myself included) found trickier than you’d expect. Alessandro Toussaint tried and failed many times with the obstacle of the tiny bobbin hole and the thread, while Shera ben-Ari seemed too busy wondering why a cabinet maker would create a sewing machine to properly attend her work and likewise could not thread her bobbin. Zoryn Spinnet surprised everyone as she easily got to work with absolutely no help necessary, while Freya Simm got about as far as the others before she stopped casually to watch the rest. It was quite the scene, all these magic born children getting quietly (almost quietly anyway) to work, but soon enough, hands were in the air (one belonging to Bel Macindoe and the other to Gerreth Kenway to name a few) requesting help and further explanation, something Professor Stewart gladly offered.
We were asked soon after this about our impression of the forever changing forms of muggle fashion and which fashion period we liked best- a question for my own designer-loving heart. Amanda Dixon brought up the point that Muggle fashion could sometimes be limiting in their interpretations of gender, while Scarlett Richards echoed a point earlier made that muggle fashion was in constant evolution, always coming and going (a well made, if brief point) and Zoryn, not to be outdone by anyone suggested that only what Justine Janvier wore mattered. Personally, I believe fashion to be too broad a term. Style, personal style is crafted through experience and not just exposure. I could go on about this for another three paragraphs but then you’d never hear about the main assignment: making fleece hats. We were made measure and cut a pattern using measuring tape (obviously) and pins to mark where we would cut. Once again, the whole thing sounded so simple in theory and yet proved a real and proper challenge for many of us and not just because we were accustomed to magic work.
Everything had to exact or else the pieces cut out would not match together and you’d end up with a misshapen woolly head. The beanie, for those unfamiliar with the style of hat, is a head-hugging brimless cap usually without a visor. They’re typically made from triangular sections of cloth joined together through - spoiler alert - sewing. Soft, and very warm. Exactly perfect for a Scottish winter’s accessory.
After we had finished we were given the option for a long term assignment, one I did not participate in- in which we were to create not one- but two outfits using the sewing machine, something which divided the room almost immediately between elevation and displeasure. I left class that day with sore thumbs and a higher appreciation for Transfiguration and all the hats one could create with just a few waves of your wand.
potions
It was a dark time for many when the school community lost Healer Reed as the Potions Professor. The phrase “gone too soon” couldn’t be more accurate given the man only occupied the position for a year before deciding the life of a professor and child Healer wasn’t for him and his fluffy dogs anymore. Dark times indeed, but no one knew just how dark it would be until they met his replacement. Stepping up to the post, Professor Ignatius Noble was now tasked with the potioneering education of students as likely to explode a lab as they were to make a cure for dragon pox but perhaps not nearly patient enough to deal with this disparity in skill level.
It didn’t take too long to figure out how this man planned to run his classroom. First day back and not a smile to be spared—not a tremendous issue—least of all any bother to get a person’s name right when you can just look at their badge, then their robe colour and rather without creativity make up a name on the spot that they neither like nor appreciate—but we digress. We’re here to speak about his lessons. Some students may have gone as far as to say it was a level of culture shock they weren’t prepared to handle. It’s no secret that most of the Professors at the school are busier trying to be chummy, hardly around or lack the gut to tell an 11 year old when they’ve been naughty. To suddenly have a man of steel—and not at all in like reference to the iconic muggle superhero figure—come in and suddenly create order and discipline, yes, I imagine it must have posed a shock to some—he called us a miserable lot. Does anyone else remember that? Just me? Well now I’ve reminded everyone, we can continue. The Pompion potion! Yes, one of several potions he taught that term to us “miserable lot”. For anyone who’s already discarded it from memory, this is the potion that turns heads into pumpkins. Sure to be used in all areas of our lives from now on……actually, for a few in the castle it might be. Huh. There are several steps involved in making this potion, but as this isn’t a recipe manual there’s no sense in listing them all. There’s a lot to be learned about the man while he conducted his lesson, like that he doesn’t answer questions when asked—just ask Slytherin Fourth Year, Maxton Carden. A simple question on the efficacy of the potion when a spell would work better earned him nothing more than a “Ponder on it a while, and we'll open it up to the rest of the class.” And Merlin forbid you know what you’re doing and try to move ahead. All that gets you is a VANISHED POTION and the need to start all over—not that anyone’s bitter about that. By and large, to both the trained and the untrained eye, the lesson was more like a pumpkin carving activity in light of Halloween. We’re on to you, Sir.
That, however, wasn’t the first time the man’s lesson went against his very nature and exterior. Another lesson included taste, sweets tastes. If you momentarily forgot who was teaching the subject, it could easily be said the Professor was giving the students a break and treating them to ways of making everything into candy…but this was still Noble and by now, surely, everyone knew better than that. It was one in a series of topics that would focus on "bewitching the senses", which sounded a lot more practical and up his alley than “here, have a sweet treat for the road”. There was mention of miracle berries that make everything taste sweet before the discussion opened up to foods that had strong tastes…at least….I think that’s what everyone was talking about when they began naming food. The REAL fun came when the man said the class would be conducting experiments!!! Not the flimsy fake ones that Curtains sometimes tried to pull off either. It was almost enough to make you forget the ill temper of the man and the way he liked no one—but only almost. Let’s not forget he spent half the class grumbling. But even in a class that seemed too good to be true, there still had to be something…someone…..in this case, Gryffindor Sixth Year Ronan Carter. We’ll never really know what possessed the boy to the madness that had him fling a lemon directly at the Professor but then one could hardly expect to understand the mind of the often rash and foolhardy in scarlet and gold. Want me to rescind the description? Maybe don’t throw fruits at the authority figure with the power to do terrible things to you. Pretty sure everyone expected Noble to rain down fire and brimstone on the boy but all that happened was him being told in no uncertain terms to get out. That worked too. At the very least, Ronan didn’t seem to mind. He sure picked a rotten class to be kicked out off. Active, nearly unstructured experimenting to move at your own pace. Once in a lifetime with this man surely.
All in all, it was a rocky year with the new Potions Professor. It may not mean much, given the current competition but it didn’t take long for him to be known as the strictest professor at Hogwarts. With that title, one would expect a tremendous amount of ‘perks’—like being avoided or having students itching for the lessons to be over the moment they start. Might go over just a little differently in future if some people stop vanishing the hard work of others. Just saying.
It didn’t take too long to figure out how this man planned to run his classroom. First day back and not a smile to be spared—not a tremendous issue—least of all any bother to get a person’s name right when you can just look at their badge, then their robe colour and rather without creativity make up a name on the spot that they neither like nor appreciate—but we digress. We’re here to speak about his lessons. Some students may have gone as far as to say it was a level of culture shock they weren’t prepared to handle. It’s no secret that most of the Professors at the school are busier trying to be chummy, hardly around or lack the gut to tell an 11 year old when they’ve been naughty. To suddenly have a man of steel—and not at all in like reference to the iconic muggle superhero figure—come in and suddenly create order and discipline, yes, I imagine it must have posed a shock to some—he called us a miserable lot. Does anyone else remember that? Just me? Well now I’ve reminded everyone, we can continue. The Pompion potion! Yes, one of several potions he taught that term to us “miserable lot”. For anyone who’s already discarded it from memory, this is the potion that turns heads into pumpkins. Sure to be used in all areas of our lives from now on……actually, for a few in the castle it might be. Huh. There are several steps involved in making this potion, but as this isn’t a recipe manual there’s no sense in listing them all. There’s a lot to be learned about the man while he conducted his lesson, like that he doesn’t answer questions when asked—just ask Slytherin Fourth Year, Maxton Carden. A simple question on the efficacy of the potion when a spell would work better earned him nothing more than a “Ponder on it a while, and we'll open it up to the rest of the class.” And Merlin forbid you know what you’re doing and try to move ahead. All that gets you is a VANISHED POTION and the need to start all over—not that anyone’s bitter about that. By and large, to both the trained and the untrained eye, the lesson was more like a pumpkin carving activity in light of Halloween. We’re on to you, Sir.
That, however, wasn’t the first time the man’s lesson went against his very nature and exterior. Another lesson included taste, sweets tastes. If you momentarily forgot who was teaching the subject, it could easily be said the Professor was giving the students a break and treating them to ways of making everything into candy…but this was still Noble and by now, surely, everyone knew better than that. It was one in a series of topics that would focus on "bewitching the senses", which sounded a lot more practical and up his alley than “here, have a sweet treat for the road”. There was mention of miracle berries that make everything taste sweet before the discussion opened up to foods that had strong tastes…at least….I think that’s what everyone was talking about when they began naming food. The REAL fun came when the man said the class would be conducting experiments!!! Not the flimsy fake ones that Curtains sometimes tried to pull off either. It was almost enough to make you forget the ill temper of the man and the way he liked no one—but only almost. Let’s not forget he spent half the class grumbling. But even in a class that seemed too good to be true, there still had to be something…someone…..in this case, Gryffindor Sixth Year Ronan Carter. We’ll never really know what possessed the boy to the madness that had him fling a lemon directly at the Professor but then one could hardly expect to understand the mind of the often rash and foolhardy in scarlet and gold. Want me to rescind the description? Maybe don’t throw fruits at the authority figure with the power to do terrible things to you. Pretty sure everyone expected Noble to rain down fire and brimstone on the boy but all that happened was him being told in no uncertain terms to get out. That worked too. At the very least, Ronan didn’t seem to mind. He sure picked a rotten class to be kicked out off. Active, nearly unstructured experimenting to move at your own pace. Once in a lifetime with this man surely.
All in all, it was a rocky year with the new Potions Professor. It may not mean much, given the current competition but it didn’t take long for him to be known as the strictest professor at Hogwarts. With that title, one would expect a tremendous amount of ‘perks’—like being avoided or having students itching for the lessons to be over the moment they start. Might go over just a little differently in future if some people stop vanishing the hard work of others. Just saying.
transfiguration
After the departure of Professor Stewart, Celestia Grimsbane has now taken over the position of Transfiguration Professor at Hogwarts. Now, for those of you who might think of paying her a visit, beware: do not eat the cookies set out for you outside her office. No, they’re not poisonous but they ARE in fact……...well, not very good. Which is putting it nicely. So while you won’t die if you do find yourself hungry enough to try one, you might need a lot of pumpkin juice to revive your taste buds afterwards. Once you have made it into Professor Grimsbane’s office, you immediately know a LOT about her. Although, it might take you a while to process it all, seeing as there is just SO much of it. For this article, however, I tried to sort through some of the things – figuratively speaking – and came up with a list of what our new Transfiguration Professor is fond of: books, Minerva McGonagall, Quidditch (but where is your Scotland U17 poster, professor?), more books, comfortable armchairs by the fireplace, her fireplace, dogs and her Pygmy Puff. The latter of which is apparently quite nosy and likes to sneak up on unsuspecting students and sit on their heads. Perhaps it’s just curious as to what the world looks like from up there. Or maybe it just likes playing small pranks on people. (Or maybe it just wants to get away from Professor Grimsbane’s cookies).
Have you ever wondered how to get a whole classroom full of students’ attention? The key is to simply say, “Try to ignore the noise for now” while gesturing towards a table filled with rattling cages, their contents concealed by brown pieces of cloth draped over them. That most definitely got everyone’s attention. Which...yes, was most likely the opposite of what Professor Grimsbane had intended. Especially Jessa Cambridge couldn’t keep her eyes (and hands) off the cages - which reacted accordingly. Just as one might expect from a small animal in fact. A handful of them even. Additionally, the enormous bluebell flames that had been placed in the corners gave the whole classroom a somewhat eerie touch. Or Slytherin-esque might be a better way to describe it, rather, seeing as blue and yellow flames combined produce….a greenish glow. Is that your way of showing favoritism, Professor Grimsbane? Despite the fact that you, yourself, were a Gryffindor? Slytherin IS better than Gryffindor, though - or so I’ve heard. So who can blame her, really?
But back to the lesson. Once everyone had arrived on time (or not on time, such as one Zita Valla who lost Slytherin TEN points!) and cleaned their desks (ahem, looking at you there, Patrick Dooley), Professor Grimsbane officially started the lesson. In spite of the students’ curious faces she did NOT, however, reveal what was in the ominous cages just yet. Instead, the first question revolved around the differences between natural animals and conjured up animals, especially with regard to any ethical and moral dilemmas one might come across when using spells on them. It soon became clear that the first part of the question was not so easily answered as one might think. First year Lion Daehyun Yoon insisted that there was no real difference between the two, seeing as they’re both “living and breathing” animals – which is simply not true. Professor Grimsbane interfered before any animal rights activists would be called upon and quickly explained that while the conjured up animals might look and behave like their natural counterparts, they are NOT in fact alive. Which means that they can neither feel pain nor do things like eat or procreate. What a dull life that must be. But then again, as we’ve just learned, it isn’t really a life to begin with. Aren’t you just so happy you are an actual living and breathing human being who can do all of these things, though?
Aren’t you just so happy you aren’t just a conjured up hedgehog, about to be transfigured into a pin cushion? Because yes, that was what this lesson was going to be about. The overall objective was to learn to transform something animate – albeit not technically alive – into something inanimate. Before the pin cushion would be of any use, however, pins had to be created. With the help of the Mutatis Insigne spell regular small pins turned right into House-themed Quidditch pins or whatever your heart desired them to be. Even small pirate flags (very creative, Max Carden). Once that had been successfully accomplished, the focus lay on actually transfiguring the hedgehogs – yes, it was IN FACT hedgehogs in the cages; although, by now the element of surprise was basically nonexistent – into pin cushions. After dividing up into groups the older students (third years and up) were asked to perform the Ericiusfors spell before adding their pins to the new pin cushion. Remember, though: Do NOT put the pins into the hedgehog! If the pin cushion curls up in “fear” when you approach it with a pin or if it’s still breathing, it has NOT been successfully transfigured yet. Revert it back to its original form and try again. Now, one final piece of information to take away from this lesson: One of the most important aspects to consider in Transfiguration is to be aware of just how much the animal needs to change to become an inanimate object. As Hufflepuff Emmalyn Walsh pointed out, it’s a lot easier to transfigure a hedgehog into a pin cushion than changing an elephant into a tea kettle. Take a moment to picture the latter and you will see that she’s absolutely and 100% right.
Have you ever wondered how to get a whole classroom full of students’ attention? The key is to simply say, “Try to ignore the noise for now” while gesturing towards a table filled with rattling cages, their contents concealed by brown pieces of cloth draped over them. That most definitely got everyone’s attention. Which...yes, was most likely the opposite of what Professor Grimsbane had intended. Especially Jessa Cambridge couldn’t keep her eyes (and hands) off the cages - which reacted accordingly. Just as one might expect from a small animal in fact. A handful of them even. Additionally, the enormous bluebell flames that had been placed in the corners gave the whole classroom a somewhat eerie touch. Or Slytherin-esque might be a better way to describe it, rather, seeing as blue and yellow flames combined produce….a greenish glow. Is that your way of showing favoritism, Professor Grimsbane? Despite the fact that you, yourself, were a Gryffindor? Slytherin IS better than Gryffindor, though - or so I’ve heard. So who can blame her, really?
But back to the lesson. Once everyone had arrived on time (or not on time, such as one Zita Valla who lost Slytherin TEN points!) and cleaned their desks (ahem, looking at you there, Patrick Dooley), Professor Grimsbane officially started the lesson. In spite of the students’ curious faces she did NOT, however, reveal what was in the ominous cages just yet. Instead, the first question revolved around the differences between natural animals and conjured up animals, especially with regard to any ethical and moral dilemmas one might come across when using spells on them. It soon became clear that the first part of the question was not so easily answered as one might think. First year Lion Daehyun Yoon insisted that there was no real difference between the two, seeing as they’re both “living and breathing” animals – which is simply not true. Professor Grimsbane interfered before any animal rights activists would be called upon and quickly explained that while the conjured up animals might look and behave like their natural counterparts, they are NOT in fact alive. Which means that they can neither feel pain nor do things like eat or procreate. What a dull life that must be. But then again, as we’ve just learned, it isn’t really a life to begin with. Aren’t you just so happy you are an actual living and breathing human being who can do all of these things, though?
Aren’t you just so happy you aren’t just a conjured up hedgehog, about to be transfigured into a pin cushion? Because yes, that was what this lesson was going to be about. The overall objective was to learn to transform something animate – albeit not technically alive – into something inanimate. Before the pin cushion would be of any use, however, pins had to be created. With the help of the Mutatis Insigne spell regular small pins turned right into House-themed Quidditch pins or whatever your heart desired them to be. Even small pirate flags (very creative, Max Carden). Once that had been successfully accomplished, the focus lay on actually transfiguring the hedgehogs – yes, it was IN FACT hedgehogs in the cages; although, by now the element of surprise was basically nonexistent – into pin cushions. After dividing up into groups the older students (third years and up) were asked to perform the Ericiusfors spell before adding their pins to the new pin cushion. Remember, though: Do NOT put the pins into the hedgehog! If the pin cushion curls up in “fear” when you approach it with a pin or if it’s still breathing, it has NOT been successfully transfigured yet. Revert it back to its original form and try again. Now, one final piece of information to take away from this lesson: One of the most important aspects to consider in Transfiguration is to be aware of just how much the animal needs to change to become an inanimate object. As Hufflepuff Emmalyn Walsh pointed out, it’s a lot easier to transfigure a hedgehog into a pin cushion than changing an elephant into a tea kettle. Take a moment to picture the latter and you will see that she’s absolutely and 100% right.