Closed Colour Inside the Lines

[Jonah Edogawa]

Jonah had really thought that he could get away with not attending Transfiguration for the rest of the semester. He didn't think it would be noticed that he had... essentially disappeared from the class. He'd only gone to the Introductory class, and when he'd found out what they would be doing Animate to Inanimate Transfiguration - they were going to stop tiny animals' lives to turn them into tiny things - he didn't really want to go anymore. He wasn't very good at spellwork anyway; he had enough trouble reviewing the spells from last year, the mean spells from Defense, and then adding Charms to add more cruel spells. He'd managed to skip three classes before a note found him in the Great Hall that was asking him to meet the professor in his office. Jonah bit his lip as he walked towards Transfiguration, he hadn't really told anyone what he'd been doing - practicing Defense spells on his own in an abandoned classroom while Transfiguration class was ongoing. And now the professor had noticed he'd been gone and he was definitely going to be in trouble. Lost points? Detention? What if the professor told his dad? Or what if he told the Hufflepuff Head of House? What if he loses his spot on the Quidditch team? He knew skipping class wouldn't be good, but he really didn't want to do such cruel spells just because and he'd really thought he wasn't that good of a student anyway to be noticed. When he couldn't delay going to the professor's office any longer than he already had by pacing outside, he knocked softly on the door. Maybe the professor wouldn't hear and Jonah could pretend that the professor hadn't been there.​

 

[Professor Edward Pirrip]

Edward was checking his class attendance and pretty quickly noticed that Jonah had three consecutive unauthorised absences from Transfiguration, which was a concerning pattern that the professor wanted to discuss with him. He'd sent his note to Jonah to do exactly that, and was expecting his arrival any moment. Edward looked up at the door when the knock did come, so quiet it could have easily been missed. He let the silence stretch for just a second longer, just to see if they might knock again. They didn't so then Edward spoke, "Come in Jonah," he called out, making it clear that he had heard and he was expecting him.

 

[Jonah Edogawa]

Jonah had been just about to step away from the door and call it a day when he heard a voice from inside, and he had to swallow nervously. D@mn. Biting his lower lip, he slowly opened the door to take a peek inside. He'd only been in a few professors' offices before. His dad had towering shelves and had just about a lot of muggle items scattered about. The Hufflepuff Head of House had a lot of plants. The Headmaster's office had books everywhere (no Sorting Hat though). Even this office looked different. He didn't really know what he expected a Transfiguration professor's office to look like though - some trapped animals, maybe? Like insect jars? Jars for everything? He supposed it wasn't really what he imagined, even so he was hesitant to come in but he was probably making it worse just peeking into the room, and so he just sort of slid into the crack in the door - just wide enough for him to slide inside and keep his gaze on the floor and then slowly close the door, not stepping far away from the door. He was so sure no one would notice he was not in the class.​

 

[Professor Edward Pirrip]

Edward watched with amusement as Jonah unnecessarily slid into the room through a tiny opening in the door instead of using the door properly by opening it wider. It was amusing, but Edward kept his features neutral and professional, and waited until Jonah had closed the door behind him before speaking, “Jonah, thanks for coming." He had saved Edward the effort of having to look for him, "Take a seat.” he said after a beat, gesturing towards the available chair across from his desk. Edward leaned back in his chair and folded his arms, he wasn’t angry, but he hadn't summoned Jonah for a casual chat either. “You do realise that I can see when a student is not in my class. Right?” Then he got straight to the point, “Care to tell me why I haven’t seen you in Transfiguration for the last three lessons?”

 

[Jonah Edogawa]

Jonah nibbled on his lip, not really wanting to leave the comfort of staying by the door. He didn't know this professor. Had one class with him, that was all. He knew what to expect with most professors by now. But Professor Pirrip was the one that he had no clue about and just so happened to be the one teaching the class Jonah had decided he couldn't do. Maybe he really would be expelled from Hogwarts now? Well, at least he lasted three whole semesters. He wouldn't know where to go if he got expelled though. This was all running in his mind as he walked towards the chair like a man heading for the gallows. And then he sat and the professor began talking. Of course he'd been caught. He couldn't even do that bit right. "I... I'm not very good so I... you wouldn't have noticed." Or at least that's what Jonah thought. He'd only been in the classroom once, and he really thought that wouldn't have been enough to be recognized by the professor enough to tell that he'd been missing in class. "I...," it was so hard to put proper words into how he felt about Transfiguration, about school right now. "Hurting animals is wrong," he said miserably after moments of terrible silence. It was enough that the Defense class was casting spells on students. At least they had magic to try and shield. The animals couldn't even do that.​

 

[Professor Edward Pirrip]

Edward's gaze remained steady, assessing Jonah but not in an unkind way. He reminded him of a nervous cat ready to bolt at the slightest movement. He listened to him then at the boy’s final admission, Edward nodded slowly. There it was, the reason he had not been attending. “You think Transfiguration is cruel,” he said, more a statement than a question. “You think practicing magic on animals is unethical.” He let the silence stretch between them, giving Jonah space to speak if he wanted.

Edward drew in breath, “I won’t pretend that’s not a fair concern Jonah,” he admitted, “Transfiguration isn’t about harming creatures, but if you really want to challenge the ethics of what we do in this class, then the best place to do that is in class asking these questions, at least until the end of semester and then it will be your decision to drop Transfiguration in third year if you want to.” He said, it'd be a shame to see him go but Transfiguration was not for everyone, "I'm not giving you detention or deducting any points today, but I am expecting to see you in class next week. Understood?"