Third Years, Lesson Three

Third Years, Lesson Three: Learning Cuniculus (rats into rabbits)
​

Professor Pirrip stood by the door to greet his students, smiling as they slowly found their way into the room and closing the door behind the last student. He limped back to his desk, his old injury feeling particularly stiff and sore today. He put that aside to teach, although perhaps his patience was a little tested today. "Alright, let's get started. I'm sure you all remember beginning Animate to Animate Transfiguration last week. Unlike last week, there will be no frogs involved. This time, we'll be practicing on rats. They're pets. They're clean. Let's not make a fuss about it. They're actually quite cute really." He glanced around the classroom, looking at the students specifically who typically weren't too happy to come anywhere near what was considered vermin.

"I don't want to waste all lesson talking, so let's get a move on. Make sure you memorise the incantation written on the board. Repeat it after me, Cuniculus!" Edward said, ensuring they all knew how to pronounce the incantation the right way. As soon as they had repeated it, he summoned the cage of rats the class would be using and lifted its lid. "Alright, come and get your new friends." He said, motioning for his students to come forward.

"I don't have quite enough rats to go around and you need you all to pair up with the person sat beside you and attempt to turn one into a rabbit together. You can practice here or anywhere in the castle you want. Take a rat and go find somewhere indoors that is relatively quiet to start transfiguring. Just make sure you aren't disrupting other students or classes. I'm trusting you here, I'd like to believe you won't break that trust." Some of the students looked at him in disbelief over the fact he was letting them roam around the castle for the lesson. He was sure letting them practice in a spot that felt comfortable to them could actually have a positive influence on their work. As did working with another student. As long as they didn't try to turn each other into rabbits.

"I want to see you all having mastered the spell by next week. Now go! Practice! As soon as you've managed the change it into a rabbit, bring it back to my office for grading."

---

Homework: Roleplay the lesson and team up with one of your classmates (or pretend that you did) for full marks. Tag @Professor Edward Pirrip if you would like me to interact with your character!
Extra credit for any pair who starts a thread practicing somewhere in the castle (share the link here for credit)

 

[Susie Lagowski]

Rats into rabbits? Well, that would be easy - Susie knew exactly what a rabbit looked like. With completely unwarranted confidence she chose herself a rat (a cute one, obviously) and paired up with the nearest girl. A good ten minutes was spent finding a cosy place to practice, but the empty closet they settled on was quite ideal. The rat couldn't run too far and no-one was likely to come in and disturb them. Susie went first. She held the rat under its tummy and pointed her wand into its fur. "Cuniculus!" she said. Oh, right - she was supposed to envisage a rabbit. She let her partner have a go while she brought the image into her mind: floppy ears, fluffy tail, white paws. Still the creature stayed stubbornly rodent-like. Ugh - what was wrong with her? She tried at least a dozen times, but she just couldn't get it. Everyone made transfiguration look easy, but Susie was useless.​

 

[Elijah Edogawa]

Why did it have to be rats? Eli made a face as he looked at the one he was supposed to transfigure into a rabbit. He really didn’t see why they had to turn a rat into a rabbit, because honestly when was this going to be necessary? He didn’t think it ever would be honestly. He sighed as he paired up with someone, nodding to the rats they were holding. “You know what a rabbit looks like right?” Everyone knew what rabbits looked like surely? Well he hoped so. The rat was… surprisingly calm actually as he placed it on the table and tried to picture what this rat specifically would look like as a rabbit, because he obviously wanted it to be noticeable as his rat and not some random rat… or rabbit. Whatever. He practiced the spell without his wand a couple of times to get the pronunciation down. He liked to know he had that right before he tried to use it with his wand, he hoped it heightened his chance of success and honestly so far it had been working - he was pretty sure. Eventually he tried it with his wand and was only mildly surprised when the rat immediately started to grow longer ears, flopping, and it’s rat tail started to shrink and grow fur as it became the well known fluffed tail of a rabbit. He grinned and showed Professor Pirrip before the class came to an end.​

 

[Lilith Ilves]

Walking into the classroom Lilith gave her usual smile to the Professor, it was a default setting almost at this point. Finding her usual seat to settle down on the brunette waited for the lesson to begin. Listening to today's instructions Lilith raised an eyebrow at the comment about the rats being clean and all that. She supposed some kids might have been iffy about rats and stuff but she'd hardly think anyone would expect their Professors to bring street rats straight from New York to class, but then again who knew maybe someone actually would think that and be put off immediately.

Lilith paid attention to everything, silently mouthing the incantation after the Professor, just to get a good feel on it already. As Professor Pirrip told them they'd pair up and be free to practice where they pleased the Ravenclaw turned to her boyfriend with a grin. "I'll go grab us a rat, you gather our things and let's find a place to practice?" She asked him but barely waited for an answer before shooting up to get the little rat. Making her way to the front she picked up the first rat she could and then gave a smile ad nod to the Professor before heading out the door with Eoghan to go practice.

(GM approved <3)

 

[Winnie Calida]

Winnie walked into the transfiguration classroom and took her usual spot in the room. Her gaze moved to the professor at the front of the room as the professor began telling them about the spell they would be covering. She liked this, it was building on what they had covered in the last lesson, and she was eager to get to doing another spell. Winnie took her wand and pointed it at the rat that was on her desk - others were leaving the room but she didn’t. She took a breath and then said the incantation, ”Cuniculus,” it took a couple of tries this time but she got it. She had the professor change it back to that the person she’d partnered with would be able to practice too. The lesson continued like that back and forth until they were dismissed.