Oh, few. No maze just making fires. "Are we going to roast marshmallows?" Kurumi asked innocently as she cleared an area around her to start her fire. Maybe they were going to have a BBQ?

Adelyn was all bundled up and just sat down. SHe peeked around and said nothing whatsoever.

Conjuring their own wood. That had to be useful, eventually, no? And that way you didn't have to set on fire the nice trees around you, we all know they can walk and kill you if you do.

Wand out, Treyen was going to conjure up the wood...when...marshmallows? Hey, they did that once, didn't they? Like, at that Camp Out, didn't they? All he could remember was cupcake girl, and the sleeping bag, and the fact that Prefect Cedric offered to shared one. Odd. Really odd.

Now he couldn't concentrate, he sort of wanted marshmallows.

Arya kept far, far, faaaaaaar away from the other students. Especially the younger ones. She had been ignited once, she did not need to relive that experience. Tugging gently on her yellow beanie with one hand, wand twirling in the other, she stared at the glowy blue line. Concentrate.

Focusssssss.

Yea, that was kinda hard to do with all the thoughts that suddenly flooded her mind. Being on the grounds tended to do that to her. Currently she was wondering how fast a snowman would melt if incendio was used on it.

Hmm.

What was the incantation again?

As much as Raiden had been planning to keep himself away from other students for this... on the way down, he'd suddenly remembered that, as a prefect, it was kinda his job to be near the kids. Especially the younger ones, when they were lighting things on fire. Who knew which would be the first student to accidentally ignite him- or herself.

So he found himself in a spot close enough to a cluster of students to put out fires should the need arise, yet far away enough that he could work by himself and not 'accidentally' get hit by anything from them.

He'd help if needed, of course, but for now... the young man settled down on the ground and went about his own work.

Focalia. That was it, right? Right. Muttering the spell, he followed the wand movements given to them, and was not surprised when a small amount of firewood appeared. With an absent flick of his wand, it ignited, and the prefect half-grinned.

Now to figure out limits. Heh.

Simon joined the rest of the classout on the grounds, seriously wondering why they were out in the middle of winter for a class. Listening to the professor, he moved to an area away from other students, his wand out to prepare for what to do.

At least we'll be warm, he mused to himself thinking of the wood they were to conjure and a fire.

Focusing on the image of wood, he crouched down and aimed his wand a bit. "Focalia!" he cast as he focused, the wood slowly appearing as it was conjured.

Preston watched some of the students sit in the snow and raised an eyebrow. And then another mention marshmellows...

And a few just look aimless.

"Time to practice. Remember, the incantation is focalia to conjure the wood. It's a simple 'x' movement in the air. Everyone up and give it a go. And no, there are no marshmellows. No food is permitted in my lessons."

Standing back to survey the entire group -- easier to see trouble -- he called out to those who had been practicing already. "Well done, Mister Kururugi. Mister Bennett, try to light the wood, now."

He paused, looking to the older students. "Those over fifth year will likely have an easier time. Put out your fire and use evanesco to vanish the wood and try again, varying the quantity of wood and the intensity of the fire. Those under fifth year, conjuration is one of the harder disciplines, so focus on creating the wood."

Professor Kingsley knocked some sense into him, he forgot about the marshmallows already. Perfect!

However, his face fell. 'Conjuration is one of the harder disciplines'. Greeeeat. He'll be here until tomorrow night. Sigh.

That wasn't going to stop little Lockhart from trying, though, all he needed to do was focus. Focus. Yeah, that. Sooooo, focusing, the boy nodded at his wand and made the X, haha, that was a fun movement, "Focalia" he said, and then he blinked, blinked, blinked...there was only a little twig on the ground.

He frowned.

There was little he could do with one twig, chances are the fire will extinguish as soon as it hit the twig...because, you know, it was really little.

"Evanesco" he said, all annoyed, and the twig disappear. It was rather incredible to see how he managed to do some spells oh-so-awesomely and some were a complete failure.

He'll try again.

Keeping her poka dot green and white blanket wrapped around herself, completely wishing that it was Josh instead of a blanket, the Slytherin finally sat herself down away from the others and looked around.

And thank Merlin that Mr. Ruffles reminded them what the incantation was and the wand movement, because she soooo was not paying attention in class. Scooting her bag away from herself, she finally noticed the blue line thingy that was near them. Meh? What was that?

Not that she really cared what it was. Probably some barrier thing so they all didn't go crazy and ran the wood up to the castle to burn it down. Hehe. Burning down the castle. Now THAT was impossible.

Or was it?

"Focalia," she said, not muttering, but speaking clearly and confidently as she made the X wand movement in the air in front of herself. What appeared, was not really what she was expecting since the professor made a whole bundle of wood appear with his spell...but she supposed two little wood log pieces was good enough. Just do that spell a few times and she'd have a bundle of wood!

Mhhmmm! "Professor!" she called out, waving him over. "Can i light it?" PLEASE!?!?! She had to...make sure they were dry and all. You know. Hehe.

Seeing Treyen there she waved at him. He seemed kinda nice, so why not be friendly and try to make new friend.

Aiming her wand at a piece of wood she made an x movement in the air.
"Focalia!"
Seeing the wood was conjured now she happy sighed.
Sweet succes.

Conjure the wood with an x and a don't forget focalia. Fo-fo-fo-cal-cal-liaaa!

Fletcher had this. He totally made up a rhyme for the spell and everything. Wrapping his blanket about his neck like a large scarf!cape, Fletcher flicked out his wand from its holster and closed his eyes. He was discovering that this helped. The boy took a breath and imagined a nice, medium-sized pile of... some wood. He didn't know what type of wood, specifically, but it was dry and old and chopped into very even pieces.

Kinda looked like Professor Saylen's stash of firewood outside her hut. *Snickerrrrr* But now that he had a good mental image, anyway, Fletch made the x-shape in the air and silently commanded, "Focalia!"

There it was, the pile of wood just as he'd imagined it. The color was a bit different from his mental image but wood was like snowflakes. Probably. No two pieces are exactly alike.

"Incendio!" Fletcher happily lit the wood and shuffled closer to it for a spot of warmth. Shame Kingsley was such a stickler for that no-food rule. He had a chocolate frog in his pocket he was dying to set free.... and uh, wasn't there a way to transfigure or charm food and make duplicates? Like enough for the whole class??

Treyen smiled, and waved back. She hasn't done anything bad, in his eyes she was still a good girl. Apparently, even Slytherins could be good sometimes? Er, back to the spell.

His eyes widened slightly, Feenella had gotten conjured wood on her first try.

Sigh.

This certainly put some pressure on him, even if no one was pushing him to do this.

The boy noticed Arya not too far away, and she wasn't giving the spell a chance, she had to conjure up wood before...the...fire...oh. Lafay. But Arya will be good with the lesson, wouldn't she? No one was getting on fire, anyway.

Back to the spell. This time he closed his eyes, and pictured a bunch of logs, wood will make an appearance my friend, because he had to get the spell right. "Focalia" he said, eyes closed while he made the X movement. And what do you know? A bunch of wood was in front of him. AWE-some.

He grinned, and touched the wood, haha, it was real...or at least solid. "Incendio" he said, with a flick of his wand, and watched as three of the logs got fired up. Oooooh, pretty flames, pretty, pretty flames. He was mesmerized by it, as usual.

Simon briefly looked up as Professor Kingsley acknowledged his and Raiden's individual work. The fifth year nodding slightly as he showed his understanding of his instructions. "Now a nice fire," he mused quietly almost to himself.

"Incendio!" he cast, smiling as the wood caught fire creating a nice little campfire.

Jenny tried to stop herself from snickering. She was getting hungry again...all thanks to Kurumi.

Jenny looked around at everyone else. Some were just summoning wood, while others began making fires...no fair. A fire couldn't be better at a time like this; she was still cold even with her blue blanket around her. Sighing, Jenny practiced making X's with her wand before turning to a clearing and pointing her wand at it. "Focalia!" A few thick pieces of firewood appeared in front of her. Not bad.

It started with an 'f', she knew that much. It was the rest of the incantation that she couldn't seem to remember. Her eyes flicked to the professor when he spoke. Ah ha! That was it. Focalia. Repeating the word mentally, she continued to practiced the 'x' wand movement in the air.

"Focalia." She repeated the wand movements and watched as.....hum. Twigs. Arya tugged on her beanie with her free hand, a small frown crossing her lips. Twigs was not what she wanted. Ya can't roast marshmallows on a twig fire, and you certainly couldn't keep warm with them.

Instead of vanishing the two twigs. She kept them. Build a HUGE pile of twigs.....or practice making the twigs, logs. But just in case she was stickin with the twig mountain.

Salander was grumbling. Unusual for the lad who would seize any opportunity to get out of the classroom, even get on a broom and fly into invisible barriers. But he was having a tough time with Transfiguration, being completely unable to transfigure the scarf into a blanket. And now they were heading out to do more Transfiguring in the bitter cold?

Still clutching that scarf (that wasnt even his to begin with), he spotted Fletcher transfigure a nice wooden pile then set it aflame with ease. With his back to the Professor, he sat himself slightly in front of the GlitterPuff, and made the flicking wand movement at the ground in front of him "Focalia." Nothing. He scowled then repeated it again "Focalia!" he growled. The breeze picked up slightly, blowing in a few dried leaves into that spot. But no twigs, not even an inch. He huffed, then pointed his wand at Fletcher's burning pile "Accio." A few burning twigs rolled his way, then used his shoes to shove them together right on top of the generously given leaves. "Incendio...." the boy cast belatedly, pretending that he was able to conjure up the wood and the fire. If he wanted to keep warm in the great outdoors, he'd learn to shrink a self heating tent with a wide screen tv and a jacuzzi thankyouverymuch.

Freya let out a small sighed. They going to conjure the wood?Better doing it right away before she's freezing to death. She pulled out her wand trying to picture a wood in her mind. She kept the picture in her mind and making a X movement in the air with her wand before saying the incantation "Focalia!" the wood slowly appeared. 'Yesssssss.I did it'

She looked around and saw a few students tried to lit a fire. Okay let's try it. "Incendio!" she said the incantation and suddenly a big fire was burning the wood. Oh Sweet Merlin..NO..!!NO..!! "Aguamenti!" she pointed her wand to the burning wood and a jet of clear water come out from her wand extinguish the fire. "Phew..That was close." she sighed. "Evanesco!" she said and the wood suddenly disappeared.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steelsheen

Still clutching that scarf (that wasnt even his to begin with), he spotted Fletcher transfigure a nice wooden pile then set it aflame with ease. With his back to the Professor, he sat himself slightly in front of the GlitterPuff, and made the flicking wand movement at the ground in front of him "Focalia." Nothing. He scowled then repeated it again "Focalia!" he growled. The breeze picked up slightly, blowing in a few dried leaves into that spot. But no twigs, not even an inch. He huffed, then pointed his wand at Fletcher's burning pile "Accio." A few burning twigs rolled his way, then used his shoes to shove them together right on top of the generously given leaves. "Incendio...." the boy cast belatedly, pretending that he was able to conjure up the wood and the fire. If he wanted to keep warm in the great outdoors, he'd learn to shrink a self heating tent with a wide screen tv and a jacuzzi thankyouverymuch.

"Nice fire there, Salllllll," Fletcher drawled, not missing a beat as he rubbed his hands and watched his friend blatantly steal from his creation. "Too bad we have to try, try again."

He smirked and promptly doused both fires with a simple, nonverbal Aguamenti. "Better luck next time!" He vanished all the wet wood and scratched his chin, trying to think up something good and big and made of flammable material for this assignment.....

Preston watched the Lockhart boy. He made note to speak with him. He was doing well, but perhaps needed some encouragement. Letting his eyes linger on several students, his attention was drawn by a question.

The professor nodded. "Of course. Just be careful."

"Well done, now... see if you can't get it to catch fine." He would bet that they would probably be too wet, since she was so new, but they would see.

"Well done, Mister Fletcher. You may want to try varying your spell work, or perhaps assisting a younger student." There were many options. Larger wood piles. Smaller wood piles. Different intensity of fire at the start. Many possibilities, he thought to himself, watching some more.

Preston smiled, noticing the boy's success.

"Excellent!" He called out, trying to appropriately encourage those finding success while also making sure no one went aflame.

Preston called out. "Well done. Now, see if the wood was appropriately cast by trying to set it on fire. If it was, it'll burn. If not, it will just smoke."

"Keep up the good work," he called out, before he saw something disturbing out of the corner of his eye.

"I saw that and it was quite foolish," Preston scolded, grateful that he has established himself in a way to keep an eye on everyone.

From his location, he cast a non-verbal evanesco to eliminate the pile.

Preston watched the girl manage her own problem before it got out of hand. "Do you need some assistance? Perhaps we should talk about what went wrong?"

------

"Keep practicing," he called out to the students. "You are doing quite well. Remember, conjuring the fire is a way to see how well you cast the spell for the wood. Damp or fresh wood won't burn, but correctly conjured dry wood will."

Destiny was keeping her eyes on Evelyn.

Yes. She. Was.

Even though there was a Professor with them, she did not trust her friend with fire. Perhaps they could make a compromise of some sort. Evelyn will stay away from fire and Destiny will stay away from chocolate..

..NAH!

Shaking that CA-RAZY idea from her head, Destiny pulled out her wand before glancing at Evelyn one last time. She was still watching her..even if her eyes weren't on her. "Focalia!" she said, pronouncing the incantation loud and clear, then making the snazzy X movement with her wand. Pssssh. Easy stuff, she thought as she noticed the board sitting in front of her. Sure the board was VERY thin, and had a few holes here and there, but that did not make her any less awesome.

Arms raised above her head in triumph, she waved them around to get Professor Ruffle's attention. "Can I karate chop this thing in half!?"

She'd get to the fire part later.

Eyes flicking to the professor, a half-smile flickering across his face at the praise, he gave the man a nod before looking back to what he was doing. A little water put out the flames, and then a quick evanesco vanished the wet wood.

He tried it silently this time, and with a bit more intent behind it. Eyes on the spot on the ground before him, he repeated the 'x' motion. It seemed when he really focused on it, and meant it, more wood was conjured. And larger logs than before, too. Hmmm. Not surprising.

Lips still pressed closed, he flicked his wand, and the wood burst into flames.

Awesome. He held his gloved hands closer to the flames, gathering a bit of the heat into his fingers instead of putting it out immediately. The gloves only kept him so warm, after all, and this jacket was never meant to seal out the cold of sitting in the snow.

Louisa strolled into the blue line area and threw her bag randomly while clutching her wand tightly in one hand and the parchment in the other. She wouldn't risk memorizing what the spells were. Besides, she really needed a fire out here.

She took one glance at the spell and repeated it many times in her head before. "focalia." And moved the wand in an 'X' move with a big picture of firewood in her head.

Tadaaaa!

A pile of ragged pieces of woods laid in front of her on the ground. Blink. She stepped closer and knelt down to stare at the… things she just conjured. Hmm.. those were 'woody' enough to be firewood right? With one slightly shaking finger she poked the thing. Aye. It was wood, phew! They were not wet or rotten, just er.. little things that could be lit, hopefully.

One step back and cough cough, "Inci—what?" She re-glanced at the paper. "Oh yeah.. Incendio." She pointed at the piled small pieces of wood.
A tiiiiiny little flame was lit and quickly faded out. The little girl stomped her foot on the ground causing the snow underneath to swallow it whole so she fell on her butt.

Grrr. She tossed the parchment and laid the wand on top of it and started freeing her foot from the ground mumbling "stupid little fire! And wand" With an evil glance at the stick lying there innocently. Few seconds had passed before Louisa was on her feet again and giving the pile another go. "INCENDIO!" Shouting would do the trick then. HEH!

BANG!

An orange-yellowish flame was lit and started to grow bigger eating the ragged pieces of wood quicker than it was supposed to which led to a two-minute-warmth and then nothing was there except for coaled stuff. Black awful smelling stuff to be accurate, which made the girl coughing and "Bl—ood--y he--ll!"ing at the same time.

"Yes Professor",Fee smiled.
Smiling back at Treyen she observed what he was doing. Okay Incendio next.
Movement watch. Check.

Just try it Feenella,how bad could it be?!Besides that the professor was around.

"Incendio",she pointed her wand at the wood.
Why didnt anything happen`?! Hellloooo?!

"Incendio", she said again doing the movement.


Argh. Nothing.

Pretty flames...his eyes were ever focused on the fire.

And the concentration was broken by a much familiar voice trying something out. The second time he heard it he knew that she needed help.

Eyes on Feenella now, and then he left his fire unattended, yeah, that's right, and took a few steps toward her. "No, no, like this" he said, making the wand movement again, "One flick up, and two small ones down" but, of course, he didn't say the incantation because she will make it happen on her own, yes.

He smiled, "Try it again" and focus, that was the most important and most annoying thing. Focusing.