Closed Almost There

[Genevieve Fuentes]

Evie was a little sad that Professor Abberline was no longer at the school. She missed him during the first semester, especially as she had no one to go to with any questions as she practiced. But this still didn't stop her from continuing with her training. She was getting much better at meditating now and actually was feeling less relaxed than she remembered being last year, even with the added pressure of NEWT exams and planning SDA meetings. She was feeling a little nervous however, especially since today was her first session with Professor Styx. She just had to keep reminding herself she only had one semester left, and if there was anyone that was going to help her focus, it would be him.

Evie held her breath as she knocked on the professor's door. She was determined to show the professor that she had this in her, and even though she was almost finished, she still needed him to help her get through it.

 

[Professor Kalif Styx]

Styx knew that as the Transfiguration professor, or one of them, then he would have the option of teaching students to not only learn legilimency and occlumency, but also how to be an animagus - a feat that he would never try because he had no control over what form he would take. He knew the process because of his wife, and his late wife. Both turned into felines as animagi. He was sure that his family would have a joke with that. He heard the soft knock on the door, which he waved his hand to open it. He stood up from behind the desk, and motioned for the Gryffindor to come inside. "Miss Fuentes." Styx did need to see how far she was along in her training. Hopefully not starting out. "Have you successfully transformed yet?"

 

[Genevieve Fuentes]

Evie smiled slightly as Professor Styx opened the door and gestured for her to come in. She took a step inside and kept close to the door. Somehow she still felt a little apprehensive about the man, so keeping close to the door made her feel more comfortable. At his question, Evie's heart sank a little. Was she supposed to have transformed successfully yet? "No." she said, a little guiltily. But why did she need to feel so vulnerable? She had been doing so well with her training and wanted Styx to know. "But I'm very close. Professor Abberline was just about to help me with that before he left." Evie had to stand up for herself. After all, she was sure other people her age who wanted to be animagi may have also not transformed successfully yet.

 

[Professor Kalif Styx]

Styx raised an eyebrow when she said that she could not transform now. When his relatives went through the training, they were able to turn when they were in their final year. Perhaps his family's success was too high of a bar to reach. He stood up and gestured toward her. "Try it. I want to see how far you have come before I finish up where others lacked." Styx was better at teaching Occlumency and Legilimency since he was skilled in that himself, though his knowledge base spread out far and wide. He started to think of what his wife, both dead and current, told him when it came down to the process, and then let them in on it.

 

[Genevieve Fuentes]

Evie could feel herself tense a little as the professor asked her to attempt to transform. She had attempted it so many times before with no luck and she wasn’t sure she would be able to get it at the moment, especially with Professor Styx staring at her. She just nodded a little tentatively, took a step back, and just tried her best to focus on her breathing and calm herself down. She had become good at the meditating part and was comfortable showing Professor Styx how she could do that, but not so much about the transformation. A little awkwardly, she sat herself down on the floor cross-legged and closed her eyes. She tried not to think of the fact that the professor was right there and just focused on herself. In order to be able to transform, she knew that she needed to know herself first, and this was probably the hardest part. She couldn’t picture anything in her mind. She just sighed and opened her eyes, looking up at the professor. “I just... can’t do it.” she said, disappointed in herself.

 

[Professor Kalif Styx]

Styx watched as she got down on the floor, and looked more like she was trying to meditate than actually turn into an animal, and then said that she could not do it. He let out a sigh, since he did not need to be a mind reader to see that she was disappointed in her failure. He thought over what Nicolette might have written down. He made copies of it in case one of their descendants wanted to turn into an animal - which none did. He opened one of the locked desk drawers and pulled out a small sheet of parchment. He approached the student and knelt down to hold it out to her. "This is in my late wife's handwriting. She was an animagus, and this was her guiding words in case one of our kids went down that route. Use this and try again." It was encouraging, which was the opposite of what he was doing without the parchment. "Transfiguration is among the top most complex forms of magic. You will continue to fail, until eventually you will succeed. I've seen your work. It isn't a complete disappointment."

 

[Genevieve Fuentes]

Genevieve nervously watched as Professor Styx looked inside his desk. He pulled out a piece of parchment, which actually made Evie feel privileged to hold in her hand. He was really giving her his late wife's handwriting to use as a guide. He also told her that her work wasn't a complete disappointment, which was probably the best compliment that she could ever receive from Professor Styx. She couldn't help but feel her heart warm a little at this gesture, and so she smiled, looking down at the piece of parchment that she took from the professor. "Thank you." she told him simply, before giving it another go.

Genevieve closed her eyes again, trying to relax every muscle in her body as she repeated the words that were on the parchment inside her head. Eventually, she was no longer in the room with Professor Styx anymore. Her mind was in other places. She was feeling the wind flow through her hair. She felt like she was running, but she was perfectly still at the same time. But then she felt a sudden jolt, and she quickly opened her eyes, realising she was still in the professor's office sitting on his floor, but her heart was beating strongly against her chest. She hadn't ever felt like it before, but wasn't even sure what she was feeling. "I... I'm not sure if I did it... or... I did something." Evie couldn't put into words what exactly she did, but she hoped the professor understood what she meant. "Do you think I'm getting there?"

 

[Professor Kalif Styx]

Even if he did not have the ability to turn into an animal, Styx could see progress when it was in front of him. He leaned against the desk to see how she would fair with his late wife's guidance. If his teaching methods did not work, hers would fill in the gaps, and it seemed like it paid off. She was nearly there. And then she asked for confirmation or reassurance. That was hard for even him to give to his children. He finally spoke, his cold tone not lighting up even a hint, "You have improved. If you keep following, you will find yourself succeeding. However, let up at any point and you may never finish." Styx informed her of that, even if she might know. His words may drive the point home.

 

[Genevieve Fuentes]

Genevieve couldn't help but smile at the professor's encouraging words. She had no idea that he could be so kind. "Thank you, professor." she said softly before attempting to try one last time. She just needed to remain calm and positive, and also focus on what was written on the parchment. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, going over what she needed to in her head. The same feeling returned and she tried to hold onto it, furrowing her eyebrows a little in concentration as she did. She could see something now in the distance. A four-legged creature was staring at her, but Evie couldn't make out what it was. It didn't hang around for long however and was quick to disappear. Evie kept trying to focus, but was quickly pulled away from it, opening her eyes again. She felt as though her arm was itchy, but when she reached for it, she noticed the patches of brown fur down her arm. She instantly looked up at the professor, wondering what this could mean. "This could mean anything, right?" Evie asked him, a little excited about what form she could end up taking. There were so many kinds of animals with brown fur, but she was definitely making some progress at least.

 

[Professor Kalif Styx]

Styx tapped his arm as she tried it again, and it seemed like she was even further ahead than before. And he noticed that there were patches of brown fur. He assumed that they would not remain permanently. It was hard for him to see what sort of creature she would turn into. There were hundreds of creatures that had brown fur. It was hard for him to guess what it was. And he was not about to lean down and touch it. "It can. You can continue practicing on your own in your dorm. However, you don't want that to remain." He gestured toward the fur. "There are cases where people have tried and end up with permanent, unwanted, features of their failed transformation."