| Details for Transfiguration Practice |
| Summary: | Angelus takes Madeline to his brother for help with her Transfigurations - interrupting Noalan and Elspeth's conversation. |
| Date: | Sunday, November 9th, 1939 |
| Location: | Training Grounds |
| Related: | The Nature of the Soul |
| Characters |
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The Quidditch Match has been over for awhile, Elspeth let her injured players go to the infirmary without following. She'll check in before dinner, leaving the infirmary staff to do their work for now, without hanging around or trying to get in the way. Cleaned and changed back into her school uniform, she's found a tree along the edge of the training grounds to sit against, her head leaning back to the trunk and her eyes closing for a bit as she relaxes.
Noalan was in no rush to get to the meeting point. He knows the amount of stuff that one has to do after a game. Though it seems Eslepth got through everything faster than he tends to. His approach remains unhurried and eventually he takes up station, leaning against the tree she's sitting under. "Not our year for quidditch it seems."
Elspeth opens her eyes, looking upwards towards Lan without moving. "Hullo," she replies. "Not so far. But we have three more games. A little early for giving up." She sighs. "It was not a good for Ravenclaw. A comedy of errors? That is the expression, yes?" She lets a tiny groan sound in her throat, then rubs at the back of her neck. "I will stop by the Infirmary to see Lowe and Clayworth before dinner. How was your day?"
"Just as long as we do better than Gryffindor did last year." He gives a little shrug, "Can't complain. Things have gone rather quiet on all fronts since Dumbledore. I still find myself wondering what to do with this sudden new found free time. It's the loss of the anxiety that's the worst though, going soft. I didn't even check my bed for razor blades before laying down last night. I've gotten practically suicidaly trusting."
Elspeth says, "Maybe I can put you back on your back toes," Elspeth replies, smiling at his account of losing his edge. "I am not able to figure out what is going on with your brother." She stretches her arms over her head, then out across her knees as she brings them up towards her chest. "I thought he was trying to work some new angle, but now I am not sure that he knows what he is trying to do… he lied to me the other day." She looks up again with a rueful quirk at the corner of her mouth. "That, of itself, is not odd, I know. It is what he lied about. He told me he had to confess to drawing his wand on Evans and trying a leg-locking spell on her. Except, according to Evans, he did no such thing." She shrugs. "I am not sure why he was wanting to have points taken, but he could at least make up something that is not so easy to find is false. He is slipping.""
Noalan looks thoughtful while Elspeth lays out her conundrum. Even after she stops he takes a moment to consider, "Don't know." He finally says, "But he's Gryffindor, so I'd expect shenanigans of some kind." He says, as if by rote. "When I catch him doing something odd, I just tend to change the lock on my school trunk or add a new protective spell to my door." He shakes his head, "That said, he's been awfully enamored with an Auror as of late. Maybe she confunded him."
Her neck doesn't need to be looking up this much, so Elspeth turns her attention back to the ground as she listens to Noalan. She picks up some of the little oak seeds, and carefully tucks them into the cuff as his pants, setting them at just the right angle. When he mentions the auror she glances up with surprise. "Really? Angelus? Enamored?" She can't seem to wrap her head around that particular notion. "Has to be a confundus."
"Could have been a love potion gone wrong." Lan says, then can't help but cough in slight embarrassment, "Anyways. I've never been able to understand him, I just work to protect against him." He wiggles his en-seeded foot, but is unable to dislodge them. "I'd just go ahead and remove points from him, seems like fun."
Elspeth nods. "I went to talk to Professor Pettigrew," she replies, then grins as he shakes his leg to no avail, and tucks more in. "You could sit down," she adds as she tilts her head to study her handiwork, fixing the seeds he's shaken from their angles. She doesn't say anything about the love potion, although it does bring a raise to her eyebrows.
Noalan does, carefully, slide down the tree until he's taken up a comfortable position. He shakes his leg again. After a long moment he asks, "How are things going for everyone back home?" Sadly, he really hasn't been following what's been going on in muggle Germany.
Elspeth shakes her head. "We have not heard anything in awhile. We were hoping my cousins would make it on the kindertransport, but since the war has been declared, we have heard nothing. I am writing to the German Wizard Ambassador to see if there is any way he can be helping us send mail to our family." She looks back down to her knees, her seeding of his cuff abandoned now that he is seated next to her. "I am hoping this is not going to be a long war like the last one."
After the game Angelus had been hanging out on the grounds - he's been so often found on his own as of late instead of with a crowd. Small wonder, that. When he spotted both Elspeth and Noalan - with a little sigh of disapproval - he had gone into the castle. Finding Madeline, he'd have asked if she still needed, and wanted, transfiguration help, which he would than direct outside.
Oh, Madeline still needs the help. While she managed that transfiguration on a rock, she's still almost completely useless whens he tries a spell on a living thing. She takes Angelus up on his invitation, glad to have something to distract her from thinking about her problem with Gabriel, as she skips and bounces along beside the older boy. The pair get more than a few double-takes from students not used to seeing those two together.
"Wouldn't be anything left of the muggle world if that happened. Not that I can see how it can, it isn't like last time. Germany is pretty much alone on this, against both France and England, and still has a pretty bad economy." Lan says, trying to console her. "Oh good. We have to learn to stop mentioning his name." Lan says, lifting his chin to gesture at the approaching Angelus.
At the consoling, Elspeth does lean her shoulder against Noalan's, still looking at her knees. When the younger Eibon is noticed and pointed out, Elspeth smiles a little. "I am taking responsibilty. It was being my doing this time, I was mentioning him first." She lets her shoulder lean against his for a moment longer, then she puts her hands down to her sides and places them palm flat on the ground to push upwards. After she just got Lan to sit, too. "I better be going to the Club room and be working on a suitable muffin to be asking my forgiveness." The smile grows a bit, and then she sighs. "I am wanting to make something for Clayworth and Lowe. I will be seeing you around dinner."
As Angelus crosses the grounds, he hesitates a moment when he catches the pair again, frowning. He lifts a fist to his mouth, chewing lightly on his thumb as he considers, tilting his head and turning his gaze to Madeline. A smile flicks against his lips, considering for a moment before he pipes up to ask, "What do you think our chances of winning against Hufflepuff next? Think Esmond will finally be beat?" His approach on Noalan and Elspeth is dropped to a slower pace - to give them time to notice him - and he offers them a raise of his head in greeting. "Rosen, excellent playing out there. Too bad on the loss. Noah," he adds, smirking as he shifts his eyes to his brother. He turns and rolls his hand out towards Madeline. "I told Evans here you could help her."
"Umm - you know I don't really know much about Quidditch, right?" Madeline answers uncertainly. "But Colton's pretty good, right? And the seeker's all that really matters. It's just if Colton can beat Esmond or not… I hope he can."
As they come closer, she beams brightly at the two older students. "Hello! Umm, good game today. Already saw Gabriel in the infirmary today - you know, helping Madame Spleen. He had some nice goals, didn't he?"
Making muffins sounds better than having to deal with Angelus, "Abandoning me? I guess I'll slay the demon you summoned then." Noalan takes a moment to clear the seeds out of his pant cuff before standing, "What with? There isn't much that needs my services now. I do have a couple dozen muggle books I need to get rid of now."
Elspeth chuckles at Lan as he mentions the demon that needs slaying. "I will be baking you an extra special pastry to be making up for it?" With one more smile, she turns towards the two younger students. "Thank you Eibon. Yes, Ward was having some ver good goals today. Ravenclaw was playing well, we were just having bad luck with the bludgers today." She raises her eyebrows as Angelus offers his brother's assistance, but continues on her way. A few safe steps away, when Angelus /should/ be concentrating on Lan and Maddie, she looks back to the Slytherin once more, offering him a smile of encouragement, walking almost sideways for a few steps before she turns and walks properly towards the castle.
"Chasers are very important," says Angelus quickly, a grin crossing his face. "Even if we win all our games, if it was just by snatching the snitch without scoring, we could still lose the cup." But the youth drops it with a simple shrug.
"What… have you been talking about?" Angelus blinks, looking curiously at Noalan, glancing to Elspeth, and lowers his brows as he ponders. His head lowers an inch as he offers a nod to Elspeth's departure, his fingers lifting to rub the side of his temple. He lets out a sigh, shaking his head and asking, "Summoning and slaying demons?" Curiosity glitters in his eyes, plus giving his brother a frown, but he rolls his eyes. "Well I thought you could help her with her transfigurations."
"Well, maybe," Madeline says uncertainly. "But it doesn't seem likely - does it?" She muses this over - trying to do some math in her head, and deciding to try it later with some parchment and a quill.
"I'm lousy at Transfiguration," Madeline supplies helpfully. "I just barely got my A last year, I think, and what with losing almost two months this year - I'm just terrified I won't pass. My parents'll be cross with me if I don't pass all my classes."
Noalan watches Angelus for a moment before muttering, "I'm going to need a new lock." To Angeluses question he just bluntly says, "Demons are fallen Angels." The Slytherin frowns slightly in consideration and folds his arms when the request is made. "Transfiguration? Ya, I'm a fair hand…" He trails off, possibly trying to think of a reason to refuse to help, "I'm not really a teacher… but I guess I could at least tell you what you might be doing wrong."
Angelus just shrugs his shoulders, shaking his head lightly about the likelihood. His mouth parts, as if he was going to comment, but instead he closes his mouth and simply smiles faintly. To Noalan, Gel tilts his head and glowers bitterly in response to the mutter. He frowns deeper to his answer about demons and fallen angels, sighing out as he turns away from Noalan. "Blimey, Noah," he murmurs, taking a couple steps away from his brother. But he does look towards Madeline, offering the girl a smile when Lan accepts. "My brother really is excellent at transfigurations. You might just turn out to be a pro." He grins a little.
"Gosh. Am I the only one who's not called you 'Fallen Angel'?" Madeline asks, looking towards Angelus. "I've never called you that - not once." Her attention returning to Noalan, she smiles at the older student. "I bet that'd be a big help. I can usually manage to transfigure stuff that's not alive, you know. Buttons, cups, rocks… It's just… I never liked the idea of changing stuff that is alive. It just doesn't seem right, does it? And I always mess it up."
"It was Aelus's decision to dress up as one." Lan says with a shrug, "Anyways, ya I guess I can help a little. Not unusual for the live stuff to be harder either. The more complex the living thing the more it seems to be able to resist too, like it knows what it should be and doesn't want to change." He makes a mach pft sound and waves a hand dismissively, "What? Morals? I can try a little mental manipulation to get rid of those for you if you'd like, I'm pretty good at glamers too." He flashes a grin that's difficult to read.
"Hey, my costume was brilliant," Angelus pipes up proudly. "And did you see Celes? How can you not vote for that?" He turns his blue eyes to regard Madeline, rolling his shoulders back lightly as he lets out a sigh. "Yes, thanks for that, by the way, Evans," he says about her not calling him 'Fallen Angel,' "that's… appreciative." He shrugs lightly before his blue eyes flick onto Noalan, frowning. "Anyway, I've got to get back to the castle. You take care of my housemate," he says to Noalan as he lifts his brow, smirking.
"Oh. Well. I guess he did," Madeline agrees, before looking towards Angelus. "Well - I voted for the Warlock's Hairy Heart! That's my favorite Beedle the Bard story, but I told you that already." She shrugs her shoulders. "Sorry."
Her attention flicks back to Noalan - but as he mentions using glamers on her, the girl promptly shakes her head, her eyes widening a little. "I don't want anyone messing with my mind. That sort of stuff… just isn't right," she insists.
"I never said it wasn't good. You should have won a prize for having the bravery to bear your true soul like that." Noalan says, physically incapable of not tweaking Angelus when possible. "That Hairy Heart costume was impressively gruesome." As for the girls reluctance, "Are you sure? Elspeth didn't mind, at least she didn't after I was done, and don't you love Aeluses shiny new personality? Remove a couple of memories here, change a few there and your inhibitions will be a thing of the past." Noalans deadpan expression breaks at least with a slight grin, "I'm joking. That kind of thing is worse than any of the three Unforgivable Curses in my opinion, as it embodies all three in the worst possible way."
Angelus can't help but grin widely as Madeline mentions the Beedle the Bard tale. "Oh, that costume was fantastic," he says enthusiastically. "Bloody brilliant It should definitely have been the winner." His eyes flick towards Noalan, one corner of his mouth twitching with irritation as a single brow lowers briefly. The fourth year turns to face the castle, but then seems to have second thoughts as he instead he walks coolly up to lean against the tree.
Madeline looks absolutely horrified by Noalan's words - edging back a step - until he reveals the joke. "That's… that's not very funny!" she complains. "Wizards can't really do that, can they? Mess with someone's head so much it changes how they act? That'd just be… weird. That's like something out of Weird Tales or Astounding Science Fiction!"
Abraxas has the Daily Prophet tucked under his arm as he descends from the Owl Tower and onto the Campus Grounds, his Slytherin Cloak flapping behind him in the unseasonable (for Scotland) warmth. Seeing the knot of students, he meanders in that direction. "Evans. Eibon. Eibon." he says, with a nod of his head, "Exciting news." He arrives just in time to see Maddie recoil and asks, "What's that all about?"
Noalan looks a little surprised. "What? Of course they can. There's an entire department dedicated to doing that exact thing at the ministry, the Obliviators, though I'm sure everyone in the MLE does it. With enough work, you could rewrite a person's entirely. It can be dangerous too, brain damage can occur. " He shivers a bit, "I'd rather be imperiused myself, better to know you did something against your will than have your will changed to want to do it." "But you wanted help with Transfigurations, not mental magic."
Angelus parts his mouth as if to respond, but then locks his blue eyes on Noalan as he beats him to it. Whatever he needed to get done in the castle apparently isn't pressing, because he remains leaning up against the tree now, crossing his arms. He lets out a sigh as he shakes his head, adding in for reassurance purposes. "But we aren't supposed to use magic that way unless you wanted to end up in Azkaban." Except for the higher ups, but the youth doesn't voice that. His eyes shift onto the newest arrival, and Gel lifts his head in greeting to Abraxas. "Malfoy."
"Well, sure you can make someone forget something. Like if I told Asher and Saul and Miriam about magic I'd get in trouble and they'd have it erased so they didn't remember magic at all but that wouldn't change them. You can't just… change someone," Madeline insists. Because she really, really would rather believe that.
As Abraxas approaches, Madeline gives him an uncertain smile. "Umm, hi Malfoy. We were just, uhh, taking about memory magic is all." She looks at the paper in his hands, then back to his face as she adds, "I heard it was someone in your family that helped do it."
"What do you mean? Of course you can change people with magic. Obliviators can not only erase memories but insert new ones." Abraxas says, of Maddie's complaint about Magic, "And yes, dark wizards can use evil spells on people to make them do what they want. And you can make someone infatuated with a love potion, or an enemy with a hate potion… What effect do those things have on the soul, who knows."
Noalan gives Abraxas a little nod in greeting, "What news? Oh, this was supposed to be a little help with transfiguration, but we've seemed to have derailed catastrophically." Madeline's assertion causes an even greater look of surprise, "What do you mean? If I erased every memory you had of your mom or dad, wouldn't that change you? Or even if I just erased the last year of your life? What if I erased every negative memories a person you dislike and left just the neutral and good ones? Or erased the good memories of your friends." He pauses as Abraxas chimes in, nodding, "Ya, that was just the erasing, add to that the ability to alter, or add memories and what's to stop me from making you believe Dumbledore tortures muggles for fun and Grindelwald has been your close personal friend for your whole life?" He shrugs, "But ya, you'd go to prison if it wasn't authorized by the government, and they found out."
As the Slytherins go into a big explanation of what one could do, Angelus locks his eyes on one, and then the other, depending on who is speaking, and then toward Madeline to gauge the girl. He doesn't interrupt, considering as his gaze shifts between the others, and then releases a heavy sigh as he shifts away from the tree. A smirk flicks against his lips as he steps closer to Madeline. "There is a lot you can do with magic," he agrees with nod, "but there's a lot you can learn to protect yourself from a witch or wizard who'd do such a thing." He reaches out a hand to rest lightly on Madeline's shoulder. "It is a little frightening what one can do, but it's nothing you need to worry about while staying safe. A wizard isn't just going to waltz up in the middle of Diagon Alley and attack you with a spell." A manages a little smile.
"Well, yeah, but that doesn't mean…" Madeline starts, before cutting herself off, looking between the older students uncertainly. "I'd always be me," she asserts quietly - though she doesn't sound entirely convinced of that herself. "Right?"
"The most important way to protect yourself is probably to avoid crossing dark wizards. Unless you plan on becoming an Auror or something." Abraxas can't help but smirk a bit at that. "Right. Well, unless someone made a polyjuice potion. Then they'd be you. You'd still be you, too." He hides his mouth behind his hand until he manages to stifle his laugh, and then takes a deep breath before continuing, "There's just gobs of magic that can harm you or change you. And nothing will protect from an unforgivable curse - that's probably one of the reasons they're so evil. If you think the magical world is all rainbows and unicorns, you haven't been paying attention in Professor Lestrange's class."
"I don't know. Would depend on what you call yourself I guess. It would be you physically, but imagine for a second you have a belief you hold very strongly, that's very important to you, could be a religion, or the belief in the worth of your own individuality. Imagine I could take that away from you, without ever asking, without you ever even knowing, without your volition at all. Imagine I could wipe it away so thoroughly, that if you met your former unaltered self, you'd disagree so violently you probably couldn't stand each other. Would that new you still be you?" Noalan shakes his head, "I don't think so. That's why I'd rather have the imperious or even killing curse cast on me rather than that. Yet it's something auror and obliviators do all the time. If a Muggle, after seeing magic an having their eyes opened to the larger world met themselves after that was erased, imagine the disagreement they'd have. Worst, you wouldn't even know if it already happened to you."
Gabriel strolls down from the castle with his broom slung over one shoulder. Over the other shoulder he's carrying what looks like a bull's-eye target nailed to a stand. Slung over the same shoulder is bag that looks like it has a large ball inside of it.
Angelus bites his lower lip as he shifts on his feet. Lifting his hand, he bites his thumb lightly, looking between the Slytherins and his housemate. He sighs as he lowers his hand, rolling his eyes and frowning as he looks disapprovingly at the fifth year prefect and his brother. "All right, enough. Is really necessary to scare my housemate?" he asks as he spreads his hands in front of him. "You've said enough." Still frowning, he turns his gaze to Madeline. "I'm sorry, Evans. My brother…" He lets out a sigh. "He's bloody, paranoid git at times. I'm sorry I suggested his help," he says, dropping his tone into more of a shameful mutter, his gaze dropping to the ground and brushing his hand past his robes at his side regretfully. With his eyes cast down he doesn't notice Gabriel.
"I know magic is dangerous. I'm not stupid," Madeline answers Abraxas. "I was at Sweet Temptations, you know." She looks between the three boys before adding, "But…Well, I'd still like writing stories, and drawing pictures, and climbing trees, and reading weird and creepy stories, and all that… So… so I'd still be me. Right?"
Towards Angelus she reminds him quietly, "I like the creepy stuff."
Abraxas shakes his head sadly, "If we're going to let the muggleborn students stay here, Eibon, we might as well let them know what they're up against. But since you seem to have it completely under control, I'll leave it to you to educate your housemate." Abraxas nods curtly, and then says, "See you in the common room." to Noalan, before taking a step away. "Oh! You asked what news." he says, almost reminded, "Headmaster Dippet and the others have been rescued from Durmstrang. And rumor has it there's a transfer student with them. A Durmstrang seventh year." He slaps the paper against his palm, and then says, "Exciting days we're living in." And then he turns and walks away with a wave as he goes, heading back towards the Castle.
Gabriel bows deeply as he walks past Abraxas, "and how are you today, Master Abraxas? I hope you are having a magnificent day!" He says this in a chipper voice then he stands back up and keeps going. Once he's in the training grounds proper he puts his things down a little bit away from the rest of the group, to which he waves once his hands are free. Then he starts setting up his target.
Noalan just shrugs, "Again, I don't know. I quite like the ocean and swimming, but a large part of that is due to the fond memories I have of growing next to the ocean and my family. Take away those memories, I don't know that I would still like either. If my only thoughts of the ocean are about sharks, I doubt I'd swim in it again." He blinks as Abraxas finally gets to the news. "Pull the other one. You serious?" He lets out a considering hum, "See, I'd once wondered if the messed with Dippet just like this. Which would have explained is traitorous statement back when he got captured. He's all right then? Will he be coming back to the school?" His attention shifts to Gabriel and his face falls slightly, "Master Salazar, good to see you."
Abraxas tosses the paper to Noalan, "Read for yourself. They say he and the others are at Mungo's. It's all the talk in the Great Hall at the moment. Don't know if he'll be back, though. I mean, he's old, I don't know if a year at Durmstrang was very good for him." And with that, and a dismissive gesture to Gabriel, his chipper greeting, as usual, not deemed worthy of response, the Malfoy heads across the training ground and departs.
Gabriel bows just as dramatically to Noalan and he opens his mouth but then stops. His eyes flit firts to Madeline then to Angelus, he closes his mouth, takes a moment then opens it again and says, "And a good day to you, Eibon." in a perfectly normal tone of voice instead of whatever he was planning on saying. Then he digs into his bag and pulls out a regulation quaffle.
Madeline's thoughts about memory manipulation and self are derailed with Gabriel's arrival - and the potential squabbling this could cause. As Noalan calls him 'Salazar,' she shakes her head hastily, giving Gabriel an anxious, almost pleading look. When he doesn't make any obvious attempts to start anything, though, her expression changes to a smile and she makes her way closer. "Hey, Gunny? Do you think you could make another of the dragon chocolates? For Lowe, you see, he's so fond of dragons and he was in such a foul mood today…"
Angelus rolls out his hand in a gesture, dipping his head first to Madeline, and then towards Abraxas, who he watches depart before bringing his gaze back. "Excuse me, then continue the discussion," he says. He sighs as he lifts his fingers to his forehead, turning back to the tree when he notices Gabe. "Ward," he offers out politely to the third year, dipping his head. Glancing over to his brother, he steps up beside him, looking about as he considers, keeping silent from the whole news about Durmstrang. Instead, he murmurs quietly to Noalan, "Are you going to help her with her transfigurations?"
Noalan catches the tossed paper and takes a moment to look over the announcement. He's just rolling up the paper when Angelus asks about Transfiguration. "What? I didn't scare you two off yet?" He rolls the paper a little tighter, "Ya, sure. But if the problem is a compunction then I don't know how much I can help, that's something you'd need a counselor for."
Gabriel nods at Madeline, "Sure. I still have some of the animation potion left from Halloween." Then he takes his broom in one hand the quaffle in the other and kicks off, starting to fly around, trying to hit the target as he comes out of various aerobatic moves.
"Thanks Gunny," Madeline says with a bright smile, before looking back towards Noalan, her gaze flicking between him an Angelus. "A counselor?" she asks uncertainly. "…I'm not crazy. It just makes me real nervous. What if I get it wrong and hurt it?"
Angelus lightly shrugs, glancing towards Madeline. He blinks as his eyes flick towards Gabriel starting to fly around, but then he's looking toward Lan again. "Well, you're a prefect," he says, sliding out a smile as he tilts his head at Noalan. "So Evans, why don't you take out your wand and Noah can watch you and maybe give you some tips." His eyes lower to the ground. "We can pick up some stones."
"I meant for your emotional support. Concentration will suffer if you're nervous or aren't committed to casting. Never mind. Hmm, I can already tell you're not going to love when you get to the Vanishing spell." Lan gives his hand an impatient wave. "Sure. That works, I can at least tell you if your technique is good."
"What's the Vanishing spell?" Madeline asks. "You make things… go away? But why would you do that to an animal?" It shows on her face - what a disturbing proposition she finds that. "Can you vanish… people?" Poof, they don't exist anymore? That's a terrible thought!
Frowning, Madeline stares down at a stone. She draws her wand, trying to get her mind off of the thought of vanishing things - and onto the much less disturbing idea of making a bird. "Avifors," she finally intones, gesturing at the rock.
Angelus nods, as smile flicking against his lips, stepping back and leaning up against the tree. Silent, he locks his gaze on both Noalan and Madeline, watching them interestedly as he crosses his arms in front of him.
"Fifth year spell, it erases things from existence. As part of it, you have to practice on more and more complicated organisms, but no, it doesn't work on anything sentient." He watches her cast, giving his chin a little rub. "Perhaps this talk isn't helping your concentration. Try not to think about sending small animals into non-existance, then try." Helpful.
"But that's horrible!" Madeline protests. "I'm not gonna do that," she asserts. Why would anyone want to do that to any animals? "Oh, gosh, someone could even do that to Mischief!"
There's a thought they're not getting out of her head anytime soon.
Still - she does try to push it to the back of her mind as she says again, "Avifors."
From his position by the tree, Angelus sighs as he lowers his head into his hands. "I think this might have been a bad idea," he murmurs out. "Rats. Insects," he says as he raises his voice. "Creatures that infest, not pets." He shakes his head lightly. He rolls his eyes at his brother. "You're a terrible teacher." He sighs and walks a few steps away from the tree. "Just forget all about casting on animals for now. The stone," he says, nodding to it, "you know you can do that. Just visualize the bird. Nothing else."
Noalan will leave out the rumor that one year a student accidentally vanished their toad on accident while practicing one year. "Ya… not pets. Anyways." He says, trying to change the subject, "You're wand work seems pretty good. So maybe a concentration exercise would be the most helpful?" He asks. He takes a moment to consider, "All right, how about this? I want to you believe that the rock you are trying to cast on is, in fact, an egg. Believe, as your casting that there is a bird in there that wants to get out."
"But they could use it on a pet," Madeline mumbles quietly. Still - living on a farm, she knows you sometimes need to get rid of pests. And is it any worse, vanishing them than snapping them in traps or poisoning them or letting a cat eat them up? She tries to focus on that, though her attention turns back to Noalan as he suggests the little exercise. "An egg?" she repeats. "Yeah… okay. It's an egg." She agrees. An egg trying to hatch. She takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly before trying the spell this time. "Avifors." This time the rock at least sprouts some wings. She keeps working at it, with Noalan's coaching, until she's successfully transfigured the stone several times. After thanking Noalan for his help, the group parts ways.