Transfiguration 1st year (Lesson 3)

Snail to Teapot

This is a spell which turns a snail into a teapot, the teapot's appearence varies from caster to caster, as well as the skill level of the caster. To cast this spell, you must hold the wand firmly and give it two sharp flicks while saying the incantation "Cochlea Potus"

Homework Task
Students will also be required to provide in their notebooks; One benefit of this spell and 1 implication of this spell

Mary had been very rushed this morning, and had forgotten that she had Transfiguration. Without taking much care, she had scooped up whatever she found useful, and stormed off down the stairs from the Ravenclaw common room. Finally, when she'd reached her desk she breathed out in relief. She believed she'd be last though, but to her surprise she appeared to be the first of the 1st years to arrive. Unpacking her items, she noticed she'd brought items she definitly wouldn't be able to use, such as a sock. Muttering something under her breath she stoved the sock out of sight, leaving the useful objects in front of her. Such as a piece of paper, a quill and an ink bottle.

Hearing what they were supposed to do, she grabbed one of the slimy snails and put it in front of her, wrinkling her nose with disgust at how awful it looked.

However, she ignored her sensation and need of barfing, and dragged out her wand. Pointing it at the snail, she murmured "Cochlea Potus" and watched the ugly snail transform into a teapot. It was white, it seemed, with what seemed like green vines circling the surface of the pot. On the left side, there was a white dove, hardly noticable because it was as pale as the pot itself. Though she had managed to get it completely firm this time, the teapot seemed to slither along the table as if it was still living. Frowning, she turned it back to its normal state and made another try at recreating the snail.

Sam walked into the room, dreading that he was late... again. Surprisingly though, only one other first year was there, and he knew her very well. After all, you've got to know your best friend very well, right?

He put his bag on the floor near his seat - next to Mary - and greeted her. He read out the instructions from the board and went to work. "Cochlea Potus," he stated clearly, giving two sharp flicks of the wand, once on the left, and the other on the right. He imagined what his teapot would look like, from the shape of it, to the texture it would make.

He grinned satisfied when his snail turned into a red teapot, with small, pale moons decorating the teapot. He glanced over at Mary and frowned when he saw the moving teapot.

"Hey Mary, did you flick your wand once in each direction?" He asked her curiously, knowing that the only reason the teapot could be moving was if she flicked the wrong way.

Looking up, Mary's face broadened into a smile when she noticed how familiar the newcomer was. "Hey!" she said happily and smiled softly, and watched curiously as Sam transformed his snail into a teapot. She found it rather graceful, and smiled with a pleased look on her face. However, she hardly noticed that the round dots on it were supposed to be moons. Actually, she just assumed it was a polkadot pattern that Samuel had seen sometime earlier.

However, she soon saw that his eyes were fastened on what had been her moving teapot, and she shrugged, giving a sheepish grin. His advice made her blink a couple of times though, and her smile faded. "Oh shucks! I forgot!" she exclaimed immediatly and waved her wand twice, once in each direction and muttering the incarnation once more. To her relief, this teapot seemed to be quite still on her desk. Not only had it fell completely still, but it also had a clearer vanilla-white colour, and the twisting 'vines' seemed clearer too. Mary hardly noticed, although the vines weren't vines at all, but thin, long snakes with their small tongues poking out of their mouths, so similiar to a vine but still so clearly not. The roses and flowers that smoothened across it seemed to lessen the likeliness that it actually was snakes, although their small beady eyes told the entire story.

Glad beyond relief she'd mastered just another Transfiguration lesson, she looked at Sam with a very grateful look. "Thanks," she murmured softly, and took another glance at his teapot, only to realise the dots were coloured like moons. The second glance seemed to make everything clearer to her, and she narrowed her eyes, looking at Sam for a soft moment before she rejected the idea and smiled once again.

Sam smiled slightly when Mary's teapot got fixed properly. It had vines twisting all over it. Wait, those aren't vines; they're snakes! He realized. They has small red tongues sticking out, and small beady eyes, proving that they really were snakes.

"So you like snakes?" Sam asked her gesturing to the 'vines' on the teapot, "I guess they're pretty cool."

He saw her narrow her eyes at him when she looked at his teapot, covered with moons. I wonder what she's thinking, he thought to himself, curious.

"It's no problem," he answered her, smiling, "you have the potential to be really good, and a boost would really help you."

Mary had a seemingly good mood, seeing that she'd mastered another skill, although her smile rapidly turned into a frown as he mentioned snakes. "Wait, what? I don't know what you-" she stopped herself in mid-sentence, and stared at the pot with wide eyes. No! It's not supposed to happen! Snakes aren't for Ravenclaws, she tried to convince herself and she grabbed her wand quickly and muttered the counter-spell, turning the pot back into a crawling snail. She fell completely quiet and she looked at the snail, who was trying to make a break for it. "Wingardium Leviosa," she said clearly, and brought the snail floating back into the jar, before she tightly shut the glass with the lid.

Figuring she couldn't stay much longer without having to tell the entire story, she gathered her books and glanced at the teacher. Well, I've mastered the transfiguration... No need for me to stay, she told herself and got up from her chair. "I have to go... See you later, alright?" she murmured, although didn't wait for a reply and instead headed straight for the door. Without any further implications or acts, she vanished from sight and headed down the stairs.

Sam was confused as to why she panicked so much when he pointed out the snakes. He quickly flicked teapot back into a snail and put it back in the jar. He then ran after her panicking figure.

"Wait! Where are you going?!" He yelled after her, and being a werewolf came in handy when with his better speed. He caught up to her easily and caught her by the shoulder.

"What's going on?" He demanded softly, "whatever secret it is... it couldn't be worse than mine."

He really was going to have to explain to her, wasn't he? But only if she explains to me, he added in his head.

Mary gulped and lowered her head, fixing her eyes on the matted floor where thousands of students had passed by, day in and day out. She was hardly expecting Sam to follow her though. When he flipped her around to face him, she felt terribly small, and looked up into his eyes. "I-I..." she stopped in her words. This is exactly what my parents said I shouldn't talk about... There'll be rumours and whatnot. But he's my best friend too, she thought, confused and slightly lost.

Finally, it seemed she'd managed to regain her voice, however pitiful it seemed. "I-I can't tell you here. Meet me at the lake, alright? I'll just have to head off and put away my books," she muttered, then turned right around and made another attempt to head off, her hands shaking and her teeth ratteling with fright.