Today is cold. Cold, cold, cold! I was standing earlier out in the Transfiguration courtyard, with Holly and Amanda, swirling my wand around and attempting the spell Avifors for Transfiguration. It didn’t take me long before the beautiful blue light spun out from my wand and swirled in the air. I gave a little shriek and leapt back as the magic twisted into a bird and spread it’s wings before dissipating. Holly and Amanda cheered for me and mirrored my movements and their wands came to life also as the blue light spiralled out. We all suddenly realised how cold it was and so gathering our books we hurried into the Transfiguration classroom, which Professor Darkstorm had unlocked for us to use in our practice on the weekends. A few groups of students were gathered in the classroom. Shweta Night and Cosy Malfoy, though different houses, were sitting on the far side, by the rabbit hutches, working on their homework together. Even from here, owing to all the star charts, I could tell that they were working on their Astronomy work from the past week. The Professor had stockpiled the homework on and made it known that we would need to be able to map the Galaxy. We made our way over to the Raccoon Cages however where Melissa, Marilyn Huang (A Slytherin), Sam and Ashton Hott (A Hufflepuff) were all crowded around the Transfiguration textbook. Next to this lay a series of diaries which we’d been advised to read.

“The diary clearly shows that Artur generated a form of magical life though” Melissa was arguing, her hands carelessly waving around and a few sparks leaping from her wand.

“I agree with you” Ashton chimed in, “However the question is whether or not he generated a true form a life”

We slid into the desks behind them and Holly quickly pulled out her Charms homework, which she began working on. Amanda noticed Quinn sitting on the other side of the room and after she put her bag down, went over and began talking to him. I was drawn back into their argument as Sam voiced his opinion,

“I think Artur was a crazy fool” He said as he sat on the desk with his back against the walls. He was throwing a small rubber ball in the air and catching it in his hands. “I think it’s obvious from the fact that everyone and everything is born in the same or a similar way that we can’t just make it from our wands”

“Yeah, but what if he did and just chose to not record the knowledge for that very reason?” Marilyn countered, as she lashed out and snatched the ball from the air in front of him. He looked at her startled before grinning and snatching it back off her.

“I think regardless, he definitely created something never seen before” Melissa noted, to steer back to the topic, “He developed an unnatural bond with the spells and therefore thought he’d created life”

They all nodded in unison and picked up their quills and began scrawling on the parchment they had before them. Ashton finished first and turned her attention to me.

“Hey Genevieve” She said with a smile, turning in her chair to fully face me.

“Hey Ashton, how are you?” I responded gently, placing down my quill.

“Oh you know, not too bad” She responded, rolling her wand between her fingers, “I’ve gotten Avifors working and so thought I would see what I can do on Draconifors, however it’s proving difficult”

She turned her attention to one of the small dragon statues on the table beside her and stood up gracefully. Her Hufflepuff robes tumbled around her as she moved around the table and faced the statue. She took her hair in her hands and tied it up into a ponytail out of her face. She cleared her throat and faced the statue, before dropping her wand down and sweeping it upwards.

“Draconifors!” She cried eagerly, and from her wand a bright jet of orange flame leapt and swirled around the statue. The flames continued to spin and as we watched in anticipation, it narrowed out and evaporated into the air. The statue remained unchanged however it had taken on a pair of horns. Ashton sighed and slumped back down into her chair.

“I don’t get what I’m doing wrong!” She sighed in confusion.

“Perhaps you need to perfect Avifors first?” Sam chimed in, now lying on the table and throwing the ball against the wall. Ashton stood up and turned her wand towards the ball.

“Avifors” she whispered, as she twirled her wand and flicked it. Just as Sam was about the catch the ball, the blue light hit it and made it rise into the air. The light rushed into the ball and warped it Transfiguring it into a fat rubber bird with little wings which tried frantically to fly but merely fell down onto Sam’s face.

“Hey!” He exclaimed, sitting up so quickly that he almost fell off the table, “What was that for?”

“Just perfecting Avifors” Ashton chortled back.

As we were all laughing, we felt a cold breeze signifying that the doors had opened once more. We turned to see Dian waltzing in, her bag slung around her waist and her wand sitting behind her ear. She saw us all and came hurrying over.

“How was detention Dian? Marilyn giggled as she pulled out a flask of hot chocolate.

“It was good!” Dian responded quickly, “I got to polish Professor Balog’s vanity wall - I mean, his Trophy Cabinet!”

We all laughed at her as she took a seat. I turned my attention back to my Transfiguration essays and after a few minutes looked up to see them all huddled around whispering.

“Are you certain that’s what’s in there?” Sam was whispering, almost under his breath.

“Yes I’m certain!” Dian responded, “I was in there for 4 hours cleaning!”

“Well shall we go find out?” Ashton said animatedly, “It could be fun!”

I tried to turn my attention back to my essay but was pulled away by Holly as they all headed out of the classroom and back out into the cold. Although I love this group, I have a feeling we’re all headed for big trouble soon!

Hoping that we make it, avoiding Balog’s detentions,

Genevieve Greenburg