Entering the cssroom Ana notices it is still rather empty. Professor McGonagall is already at her desk seemingly waiting for css to begin. Ana sits in an empty seat towards the back of the cssroom and gets out her textbook to study a bit before css begins. A few minutes ter most of the cssroom is full and the bell chimes signaling it's time to begin.

  Professor McGonagall stands and waves her wand, casting a spell to close the doors to the cssroom before she begins speaking. “Good morning css. I will begin with the same warning I give every year as you all know,” Professor McGonagall says.

  “Not all of us know,” one of the students mutters, Malfoy, by the sound of the voice.

  Professor McGonagall gives him a look before continuing, “A warning most of you know well by now. Firstly, Transfiguration is very dangerous if not performed correctly. It may have catastrophic and sometimes explosive results if done improperly. As such, you will only cast spells I teach you under supervision until I am sure you are at least not a danger to yourself or those around you while casting. Secondly, Transfiguration is at the most basic level a purely cosmetic change. Never consume Transfigured food or drink. When the spell ends it will revert to the material it was originally inside you. Something that would be very bad with most of the materials we use in this css. We do begin studying Transmutation, the art of permanently altering an object, this year, but that will come after the first few sections. Never perform transmutation on a living thing without supervision. The results of a mistake in casting a transmutation spell on a living subject can be quite deadly especially if not fixed immediately. Does anyone have questions?”

  A Slytherin girl raises her hand. “Yes, Miss Bulstrode?”

  “Why are there students from more than two houses? I thought the core subjects were limited to two houses each,” the girl, Bulstrode, says, indicating a few students with Ravencw uniforms.

  “Due to scheduling conflicts caused by certain electives, some students needed to be pced in different csses. The two houses per css was simply to allow students to better find where their csses were by being able to ask or follow those in their house. Now, are there any questions about my announcements?” Professor McGonagall asks again, correcting herself.

  After a few seconds with no other hands raised she continues, “Good, then we may begin. We will start with a brief refresh of st year. Do any of you recall where we left off?”

  One of the Ravencw students raises her hand. “Miss Patil,” Professor McGonagall says.

  The girl, Patil, says, “We had just begun working on animated transfiguration.”

  “Correct Miss Patil. Five points to Ravencw,” Professor McGonagall says, before continuing, “Animated transfiguration is more difficult than simple material and shape transfiguration because greater detail is required to maintain proper function as well as more energy.”

  The lecture continues for several more minutes. The Professor describes how knowing more about what you're attempting to transmute a material into will make spells easier and more likely to succeed. She also describes how certain materials are easier to transmute into animated structures.

  After about an hour of lecture Professor McGonagall says, “Now, for the st bit of css I want you to practice turning the materials to be provided into self-running watches with the standard material transfiguration spell, Conformo Materia. Now come up to the front to receive your materials.”

  The professor turns around and steps behind her desk which is now filled with trays of sets of three materials. Ana gets in line with the rest of the students to grab her own tray. Malfoy stays seated, presumably waiting for one of his henchmen to grab a tray for him.

  After all the students have their trays professor McGonagall says, “Alright, you may begin casting until css ends.”

  The room fills with quietly spoken “Conformo Materia”. Ana takes a moment to look over the materials the css was given. There is a block of wood of some sort, a block of some kind of metal and a block of stone. “Enodo,” Ana says, casting a simple analysis spell.

  The spell informs her that the wood is mundane pine, the stone is simple granite and the metal is not totally pure iron.

  *Interesting. The wood will probably be easiest to transfigure seeing as it's mundane and wood is usually an easier material according to the books. The iron on the other hand may be near impossible given its natural resistance to magic,* Ana thinks, considering the results of her analysis spell.

  “Having trouble Grim? Need someone to show you how to cast the spell?” One of the other Slytherins, Theodore Nott, says to her quietly.

  “No thank you. I'm just considering how I wish to go about this,” Ana responds.

  “Well most everyone has at least one watch by now, better hurry up,” Nott says before returning to his own materials, One of which has already been turned into a watch.

  Deciding to start with the pine Ana moves The other two materials off to the side. She takes a moment to properly visualize a self running watch made of wood, says, “Conformo Materia,” and taps the block of wood.

  The block quickly transforms into a simple pocket watch made of wood, with the face and hands differing in lightness to allow one to tell the time. The second hand ticks in correct timing and it is even set to the correct time.

  Realizing something, Ana raises her hand to get Professor McGonagall’s attention.

  “Yes miss Grim?” the professor asks.

  “Do we need to maintain the transfiguration on all of the watches or do you simply wish to see we have succeeded with each material?” Ana asks.

  “Seeing as maintaining the spell isn't the goal of this assignment I need only see that you have succeeded. I have been taking note of everyone's progress as I see it. However, that is not to say bonus points won't be given to any student that manages to transfigure and maintain the shape of all three materials,” the professor expins.

  “Understood. Thank you professor,” Ana says before looking back to her desk and releasing her spell on the pine block.

  After the block returns to its original form Ana moves it to the side and brings the granite to the center. Taking a moment to picture a watch made of stone Ana says, “Conformo Materia,” and taps the block of granite.

  The block changes a little slower than the wood, turning into a stone watch with simir coloration differences on the face and hands. It ticks for a few seconds before the second hand cracks and falls off. *Ah, I didn't take how brittle stone is into account with the design,* She thinks before ending the spell on the stone. After it turns back into a block Ana pictures a slightly different design for the stone watch, with a thicker second hand that moves slowly instead of ticks. Casting the spell again she says, “Conformo Materia,” and taps the block.

  The granite transforms into the watch Ana pictured, this time with the moving second hand. Ana waits a few moments to ensure it is functioning properly before ending the spell again. She moves the granite block off to the side and moves the iron into the center. Picturing a metallic watch She casts the spell, “Conformo Materia,” and taps the block.

  This time it takes several seconds for the transformation to take pce. When it finishes it is clear the spell was not perfectly completed on the iron. The watch face is not colored perfectly clearly. Some of the numbers blend back into regur metal and the hands are not fully formed. The timing is also slightly off, each tick taking a little more than one second.

  Ending the spell Ana waits a moment for the block to turn back. Casting the spell again she says, “Conformo Materia,” and taps the block. This time she forces a bit more magic into the spell, instead of just allowing it to pull what it needs. The block transforms faster thus time and when it finishes the watch looks much better and now ticks in proper time.

  Moving the iron watch to the side while maintaining the transfiguration Ana brings the granite block to the center. Picturing the successful stone watch again Ana casts the spell and taps the block. The stone transforms into the watch a little slower than it had before, but the details are all correct. Next, she moves the stone watch to the side and brings the pine block to the center. Picturing the wood watch she created previously while maintaining the other two spells, Ana casts the spell a third time. This time the wood block changes much slower than it originally had, taking several seconds longer. The finished watch also has a few warps, the hands being slightly bent. With her concentration split as it is the other two watches also begin to show errors, the hands shortening a bit and the ticking going out of sync.

  With all three watches made Ana raises her hand to get Professor McGonagall’s attention. “Ah, good job Miss Grim. 10 points to Slytherin for being able to hold all three transfigurations at once, even with the minor issues they possess. If you don't mind my asking why did you choose to leave them as their starting material and only change the shape?” Professor McGonagall says, walking over to Ana's desk.

  “Given I'm not entirely certain how a ‘self-running watch’ works I decided to keep the end results closer to the starting point so that there would be less for my magic to fill in,” Ana expins.

  “Well done, another 10 points for having an apparent understanding of the magical theory involved in this task,” Professor McGonagall says.

  “Professor,” one of the Ravencw students says, raising their hand.

  “Yes Mister Goldstein,” The Professor says.

  “What does letting magic ‘fill in’ mean?” He asks.

  “It's a part of magical theory you would touch on in Arithmancy if you chose to take that css. To expin, however, when you cast a spell without knowing exactly how to create the effect you desire in order to direct your magic, the magic will find a way on its own. Generally this results in a spell taking more magic. Although, intense emotion can provide the extra energy. Which is how accidental magic tends to happen,” Professor McGonagall expins.

  “So she took the easy way out?” Goldstein asks.

  “Unless some of you are at least master enchanters or hiding an in depth knowledge of clockwork you all took the ‘easy way out’. Self running watches are not common without rune enchantment. Something that is incredibly difficult to do through transfiguration without a thorough understanding of either subject,” the Professor says, “Now time is almost up, unless the rest of you have finished the assignment I suggest you get back to work.”

  The rest of the students quickly go back to work while Ana ends the Transfigurations on her watches. Rexing a little as the split focus and the drain on her magic disappears. She gets up and returns her materials and after sitting back down she gets out her textbook for Charms css and reads until Professor McGonagall begins speaking to the css again.

  “Well done today. Some of you need a bit more practice, but I'm gd to see nearly all of you completed at least the basic assignment. I hope this is a sign of a good year to come. Css dismissed,” Professor McGonagall says just before the bell chimes for the end of css.

  SchrodingersGamer