An active, character-driven Hogwarts experience set in the early 2000s. Unique items, plots, and features. Non-canon; this isn't Harry Potter's story, it's ours.
Post by Elizabeth Doren on Dec 23, 2021 16:16:49 GMT 10
Elizabeth was pleased that her name appeared nowhere in the Daily Prophet. No news was, in this case, good news. She didn't know if her parents expected her to be one of the heirs, but since everyone was interested in whatever they were doing, Elizabeth had neglected to write them a letter. Hopefully, they would be too busy to notice that she hadn't updated them.
Add the way that she (or anyone in her family) wasn't making headlines to a delicious breakfast of fruit, and her day was beginning to look up. She'd heard that Professor McGonagall was looking for some help fixing some transfigurations, and that was exactly the type of thing that Elizabeth thought she was good at. Rather than having a boring day with no structure, she headed down to the staffroom and knocked politely at the door.
As it so happened, it was Professor McGonagall who answered. The room seemed rather quiet, though someone shuffled papers out of view so she wasn't alone.
'Yes?' McGonagall gave Elizabeth a mildly suspicious look, given that it was Christmas Eve and the staff room was the last place any student was expected to be within the vicinity of.
Post by Elizabeth Doren on Dec 23, 2021 16:39:43 GMT 10
"Good morning, Professor McGonagall," Elizabeth smiled in what she hoped was a polite manner, "I heard that you were looking for some help...fixing some improper transfigurations?"
Elizabeth had always wondered what the Professors did during the holidays. Grade papers? Come up with new lesson plans? Both sounded interesting. Grading papers mostly because it was a chance to correct someone, and new lesson plans meant new knowledge and things for Elizabeth to learn.
Last Edit: Dec 23, 2021 16:41:08 GMT 10 by Lena: Fixed: formatting error
Professor McGonagall's suspicion remained, eyeing the Slytherin teenager for a moment longer until realising that, yes, Elizabeth was serious. She supposed it was plausible for this particular student, as the Doren children were a bit unusual but quite studious.
'Very well. I do appreciate you taking time out of your Christmas to assist.' She nodded. 'Several spiky cats were set loose in the forest path. Undoing the mistransfiguration has been quite a gradual process. If you could kindly catch one and bring it to me?'
Post by Elizabeth Doren on Dec 24, 2021 3:58:52 GMT 10
Elizabeth paused. Spiky whats? She considered saying no, that actually she'd remembered she had Christmas plans with her friends. Then again, she'd already asked to help, and how would it look if she turned it down just because it seemed tough? She could certainly find a spiky cat! And she had magic on her side. It couldn't be that hard.
"Yes ma'am," Elizabeth said. She nodded at McGonagall and headed out to the forest path, only slightly dreading the spiky cats. Why couldn't it have been first year transfigurations gone wrong?
Last Edit: Dec 24, 2021 16:33:54 GMT 10 by Lena: Fixed: formatting error
Professor McGonagall nodded in appreciation. She returned to the staff room, closing the door behind her though she was now aware that perhaps not all the students were off enjoying Christmas and leisurely passing the time.
Post by Elizabeth Doren on Dec 24, 2021 16:26:29 GMT 10
Slightly out of breath and holding a fussy spiky cat, Elizabeth had finally returned to the staff room. She grumbled a little about how to knock on the door before shifting so she was holding the cat in one arm, knocking as quickly as possible to indicate the urgency of her situation, and then going back to holding the cat with both hands.
If she had to do this again, she was going to seriously regret asking to help, though the thought of simply not completing the task did cross her mind several times as she carried the cat back into the castle.
Last Edit: Dec 24, 2021 16:34:06 GMT 10 by Lena: Fixed: formatting error
Professor McGonagall was waiting for her by the time Elizabeth reached the staff room, given that the cat's yowling was a forewarning enough of her approach.
'Well done, Doren.' McGonagall praised her, though was concerned as she inspected the cat from just a safe enough distance not to be scratched.
She did some intricate spellcasting that was beyond Elizabeth's understanding at this point in her education. The cat first calmed, almost in a trance, then transfigured back into an ordinary brown cat. One who was no longer as opposed to being held.
'You may release it,' McGonagall said, tucking away her wand. 'And thank you for your dedicated assistance. You perhaps saved her life. There's also some trouble with transfigured books, if you wish to assist further? Now or later, whichever you prefer.'
Post by Elizabeth Doren on Dec 24, 2021 16:51:47 GMT 10
Elizabeth was in awe of whatever spells Professor McGonagall performed on the cat to get it back to normal. She set it down on the ground and removed her gardening gloves, putting them back in her bag. She was much more calm now that the cat didn't appear to have any threats to her safety, and she very obviously appreciated the praise from Professor McGonagall.
Elizabeth paused before considering the next offer. Books couldn't be all that bad, she reasoned. She liked books normally, and she couldn't imagine anyone turning them into anything that was too dangerous. "I can help now," Elizabeth nodded.
'Very well.' Professor McGonagall nodded in approval. 'Several of our important Transfiguration books keep vanishing and are impervious to summoning charms.'
She paused to let Professor Archerose pass by, headed into the staff room with various books of his own. History books, by the looks of it, which wasn't at all surprising given is profession.
'We suspect they've appeared in the Cluttered Room,' McGonagall continued. 'If you could search it for three Transfiguration books and return them to me, we would be most grateful.'
Post by Elizabeth Doren on Jan 2, 2022 14:58:47 GMT 10
Elizabeth nodded at the start of Professor McGonagall's explanation, then moved out of the way for Professor Archerose to get by. Finding books seemed an easy enough task. Elizabeth visited the library enough to know that much.
"I'll do it, ma'am." She semi-smiled, which seemed like a thing that most of her peers did when set an easy challenge. It didn't really feel natural, but maybe it looked a bit better. She headed towards the Cluttered Room.
Post by Elizabeth Doren on Jan 5, 2022 14:53:07 GMT 10
As she approached the Staff Room, Elizabeth retrieved the books from her bag and held them in her arms so that she could more easily return them to Professor McGonagall, and waste less of the professor's time. She knocked on the door.
As she waited, she made a list of all the questions she had and picked a few in case McGonagall was too busy, mostly about what the textbooks were about and why the Cluttered Room was so...cluttered. She was also a bit curious to know what had started the books vanishing in the first place.
Last Edit: Jan 5, 2022 15:04:07 GMT 10 by Lena: Fixed: formatting error
Having expected Ellizabeth's return sooner rather than later, Professor McGonagall was the one who answered the door. She was pleased to see all three Transfiguration books safely returned. Thanking her, she retrieved them from the Slytherin's arms. With an intricate swish of her wand, the books shuddered then gained a magical hue.
'That ought to keep them in one place until we can figure this out,' McGonagall said, satisfied with the progress. She kept hold of them though, and remained in the doorway, noticing a look on Elizabeth's face. 'Is there something else?'
Glancing at the books, she acknowledged a job well done.
'If you'd like to assist further, Filch has been having some trouble with Peeves that you'd be suited to help with,' McGonagall added. 'Not now, of course, as dinner is due to start -- but if you ever have some free time, do let me know.'
Post by Elizabeth Doren on Jan 5, 2022 15:19:17 GMT 10
Elizabeth was quietly quite pleased that Professor McGonagall answered the door and saved her the trouble of asking for her from a different professor. She watched in awe of the intricate swishing motion, and considered using some of her free time to look at anti-vanishing Charms. They seemed quite useful.
After McGonagall asked if there was anything else, Elizabeth paused before asking, "What level of Transfiguration were those books for? It all looked...rather complicated."
She made a note of the way Filch was having some trouble, though working in an area where Peeves even had a chance of appearing did not sound like one of Elizabeth's favourite ways to spend free time. It would be worth it if she got the opportunity to practice more of her skills, so she decided she'd end up doing it later. As Professor McGonagall said, dinner time was fast approaching.
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