Originally Posted by MeredithRodneyMckay

Picking up Jasper from his waiting spot, she let most of his short body hang down in front of her, while she kept a firm grip on his head. It was easier to show them how things worked this way, they could hold their snake as they wished, it made no difference to the end result.

"Now, the counterspell for both of these spells are quite simple indeed - Verto for the worm transformations, and Reverto for the walking stick. Those of you not familiar with those spells," although even the first years had probably done them at some point, "can ask myself or one of the older students to reverse their spell for them."

Holding Jasper out from her body, Isabelle cleared her throat and gave all the kids a quick look to make sure they were all paying attention. "I'll just demonstrate exactly how the worm spell should go, then the walking stick, so you all know what a successful transformation looks like....Then you can come and fetch your own snake. Now, please pay attention!"

Flicking her wand left to right, top to bottom in a diagonal line, then straight down, Issy aimed her wand at Jasper and said the incantation - "Amp-lus Verm-is Verto!" Almost immediately the snake began to shrink, and after a few seconds, she was holding a brown wiggly worm in her hand. Much smaller than the animal she started with. "Verto!" The look of concentration on her face was clear. Issy did not want to get it wrong and have to explain to her husband why his snake was not being returned to him.

"Now the stick!" she grinned, giving Jasper a little while to get used to being a snake again. But not for long. "Suc-cur-ro PED-es!" This time, instead of shrinking, the snake lengthened a little and stiffened out - it's skin turning into a smooth metallic colour. His head curved around to form a handle, no longer having the facial features it began with. Once the transformation was complete, Issy knocked it against the floor and smiled. "No longer a snake." With another flick of her wand, the stick began to change once more, back into good old Jasper.

Winding the snake around her wrist, Isabelle checked him over to make sure he was all right. Perfect.

"Okay, as you can see, when performed with the correct amount of intent, focus and concentration, the spells are quite simple. Waver for a second and you will have problems. Only attempt the spell on your snake when you feel comfortable enough to do so. For now though, please come and fetch yourself a corn snake," Issy moved to the side to allow them room to get to the tanks. "Acquaint yourselves with every detail of that snake, as I wish them to be returned in the same state you took them in. Then you may begin. Up you come."

Originally Posted by FireboltAvis88

Alyssa smiled at Victoria. She did find it ironical that a Slytherin would be afraid of snakes. 'But then again, Slytherins are still humans like the rest of us, even though they sometimes don't want to admit they are,"Alyssa chuckled to herself. "Cool! Just call out when it's time to pick up your snake, Victoria and I'll be right over,"Alyssa told Victoria before going back to practicing the wand movements and the incantation.

This time she decided to try using her wand. Unholstering it from her leg holster, she moved her wand straight down starting from top to bottom and then said the incantation,"Suc-cur-ro PED-es". She was glad that nothing happened when she did that. 'Now here's hoping that when it's time to do the spell, something does happen and the snake does change into a walking stick like it is supposed to.'Alyssa thought to herself.

Originally Posted by FireboltAvis88

Alyssa listened as Professor Magnus showed them how to change the snake into a worm and then into a walking stick. She paid more attention on how the Professor had changed Jasper into a walking stick because that was what the younger students, like her, were supposed to be doing in this lesson. She made note of the counterspell to change the walking stick back into a snake. "REVERTO", she repeated it over and over again, until she was comfortable with the incantation.

Once the Professor gave them the 'okay' for them to collect their snake, Alyssa walked up and waited until the student in front of her had picked up theirs before she walked up to the glass tank and looked inside. 'Actually when you think about it, they do look kinda cute. For the time being, I'm going to call you Mr. Bean,' Alyssa thought to herself. She reached down and picked up a snake using one hand to hold its head while using the other to cradle its body. Pulling it out of the tank, Alyssa brought it back to her desk where Tori was waiting.

"See Tori, it isn't so scary after all." Alyssa told Tori showing the snake. "Mr. Bean meet Tori."

Alyssa first studied Mr. Bean. His tongue flicking in and out and she held his head. The way his body felt. From first looks his body looked wet and cold, but actually it felt warm to touch. Alyssa studied every inch of his body, every scale was kind of unique.

"Would it be okay if I went first?" she asked Tori. "I could practice changing him into a walking stick and then back into a snake and then when I'm done, I'll hold him for you, while you do the same." Alyssa told Tori.

"Okay, time to turn you into a walking snake, Mr. Bean. Don't worry I won't hurt you."Alyssa whispered to the snake. Picking up the snake by its head, she let its body hang straight down. First, she repeated the spell in her mind, 'Suc-cur-ro PED-es!' and then the reverting spell 'REVERTO'.

Once she was confident of both incantations and the wand movement, she took out her wand and pointed it at the snake. She moved her wand in a straight downward motion from top down to bottom, and then said the incantation,"Suc-cur-ro PED-es". Instantly, the snake stiffened out and changed. The head she was holding in her hand was no longer a head but the curved handle of a walking stick and its body, the stick itself. "I did it!!" Alyssa almost yelled out. She almost twirled the stick in her fingers before remembering that this really was a snake and not a walking stick and that the Professor would be upset with her for mistreating it.

"Time to change you back," Alyssa whispered to the walking stick even though she knew that it couldn't hear her. Holding the walking stick by its curved handle, Alyssa took out her wand, pointed it at the stick and said "REVERTO". Immediately, she was looking into the eyes of the snake, its forked tongue flicking in and out. As Alyssa looked at it, the snake seemed to wink one of its eyes at her, like it was congratulating her. "Thanks." she whispered back.

She let the snake coil and wrap itself around her arm before turning to Tori. "Okay, Tori, would you like to take your turn now? I'll hold it for you. Just do me a favor and don't point the wand at me,"Alyssa smiled to the Slytherin girl while holding out the snake by the head, a little away from her body...just in case.