Quote:

Originally Posted by AmbiguouslyMe

Preston quirked an eyebrow at the boy with the cupcakes. "Mister Fletcher, I would appreciate it if you didn't eat in my classroom. If that cupcake is your item for class, then you may leave it, but please put the rest away."

Fletcher was midway through polishing off another cupcake --- with the dessert half in his surprised mouth --- when the professor called him out on it.

"Ommm yesshir, shorry sir," the boy tried to swallow, nod and speak at the same time. Worked out pretty well. "I'll just leave the others in this pretty little box here. They are for you, by the way, we just made 'em fresh in Charms."

Hopefully he'd accept the gift of cupcakes cuz uh, that was half the homework assignment right there. And who didn't like #cupcakes, right?!

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmbiguouslyMe

"Alright. That was a bit longer departure into theory than I had originally planned, but thank you all for your astute observations and excellent questions. Hopefully, some of the more simple material, like the Five Exceptions, will help you understand some of the more complex. If you can understand what isn't happening, than you may be more able to take a guess at what is."

Preston shifted away from the board and back to his desk. Picking up the box of items again. "We are going to go back to what Miss Ballard said earlier about properties. Take out another sheet of parchment and make sure your personal item is in view. These items will be transfigured today, so this is your last opportunity to select a new item if you are at all concerned about your selection." He shook the box.

"Examine your object. What descriptive words would you use for it? What is its shape? It's feel? Any defining markings or characteristics?"

Preston tapped the side of the board with his wand, a list of possible properties emerged.

"On your parchment, take note of these and any others you think are relevant for your item. Be as descriptive as possible. It will help, later."

Fletcher tapped his quill thoughfully on his parchment and listened to the professor talk. All right so he had to describe his cupcake.... easy.....

Quote:

What is the item: A delicious, fresh, pink-frosted cupcake.
Size: Sits nicely on my palm, got a good little height to it with the frosting.
Shape: Round bottom, angles up into a little frosted pink peak.
Texture: 100% pure deliciousness. Er, delicate?
Color: Dark chocolate, light blue wrapper, and bright pink frosting.
Weight: uh, light?
Defining markings: It's the only cupcake in the room, yo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmbiguouslyMe

Preston walked among the desks, taking note of the students as they wrote down the properties of their items. "Good, good." He nodded, pleased at how descriptive they were.

"Those of you who are still writing, you'll have more time, but I could use everyone's attention." Preston reached into the box, extracting a child's dog toy. Placing it on the desk, he unholstered his wand.

"We're going to learn two spells today. Or, rather, we'll learn another use for a spell that returning students already know, and then a new spell. But the first is important so that you can fix any mistakes you make."

"Untransfiguration reverts a transfigured item back to its previous form. Last term, students learned the Reverto, pronounced re-VER-toe, would revert an item to a previous natural state - like a butterfly to a caterpillar. The SAME incantation, with a slightly different emphasis, will undo a transfiguration. Like so."

Preston tapped the toy, transfiguring it into a vase, decorated with the images of little dogs. "Pronounce the incantation, re-ver-TOE, with a light flourish of your wand, concentration on the form you want the item to return to."

"Reverto!" Preston flourished his wand, and the vase shrunk back down and into a child's toy.

"Now, it's much easier to revert something you transfigured in the first place, so we're going to give you some practice reverting things you didn't. That is why I've asked you to bring a personal item. I will be transfiguring your items into something else. I want you to take note of the new properties of the item. Even without knowing what spell I used, you should be able to think about what kind of changes occurred. Take careful notes of those properties and then picture in your mind the item changing back, focusing on each specific property. Concentrate on that image."

Preston picked up the box again, just in case some wanted to change their item. "I don't expect the younger students to be successful immediately. The strength of the original spell has a lot to do with how easy untransfiguration is. Keep at it. Don't be surprised if you get it part of the way but not entirely. Older students, fifth year and above, this should be easier for you, so I would like you to try the spell nonverbally. The concentration for that, coupled with the concentration should provide more of a challenge."

Preston tucked the box under his arm. "I'm going to come around and transfigure your items once you are done with your initial notes. If you would like to pick a new item because your item is too personal or valuable, please do."

----

Waiting for her response, Preston looked about the room to see who else was ready. "Who else? Questions?"

Once he had the description of his beautiful cupcake all written down, Fletcher calmly raised his hand and waited for the professor to come transfigure it. Mmmm mmmm the poor cupcake, getting transfigured and all. Good thing he still had a half-dozen fresh ones that wouldn't suffer the same fate sitting in that box to the side....[/color]