Class Three - N.E.W.T.

Amelia, knowing that her house was getting desperate in the points department, actually considered answering the question which was posed to the class. Although she usually avoided answering the questions aloud (she always came up with mental answers), Amelia knew that Ravenclaw could use the points; they were next to last in the house competition, and unless Christabelle was going to pull out a win in the Hogwarts tournament, the rest of the house was going to need to do some serious work to even come close in the running.

After a few seconds of indecision, Amelia raised her hand and formulated an answer, which she recited upon being called on.

"Pullus is a spell which transfigures Erklings - elfish creatures who lure children away from their parents - into the far less harmful, though noisier, geese. This spell has decreased in practical application since the German Ministry of Magic imposed strict controls on Erkling attacks," Amelia finished, not breaking eye contact with Professor McCoy in an attempt to avoid noticing any of the attention from her classmates which might have been directed at her.

McCoy nodded with a smile. That was the correct answer. ''Bravo Miss Lyons, 10 points for Ravenclaw for your answer.'', he said.

''Now, for the lesson itself. Your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor has been so kind to lend me some Erklings for my class. They are inside the boxes that you will receive in a moments time.'', he said. He then flicked his wand and several boxes floated and landed on the desks of the students. ''Inside these boxes you have Erklings, which should be asleep. I must emphasize the word should. If they have managed to wake up, you are free to use any charm to make your job easier. But, please, do not kill them. I doubt that professor Delacour would be happy with me.'', he said with a smile.

''Once you are ready, open the box and take the Erklings out. Then make a hand movement that resembles the letter G. There is one difference... your G has to be reverse, not exact. After you have finished with that movement say Pullo and you should have a nice, but sleeping, goose on your desk. If you have any problems, just call me.'', he said. ''You can begin.'', he added and returned to his chair.

Arthur nodded and took his wand out. This is a spell he had done before so there should be no problem. He opened the box. His Erking was asleep. He carefully levitated it out of the box and it landed gently on his desk. He pointed his wand at it. ''Pullo'', he said rotating his hand. The Erklinh, which awoke just a second before the spell hit it, turned into a white goose. Arthur looked at it with satisfaction. He had succeeded. He took the goose and carefully returned it to the box. ''Professor, I am finished.'', he said with a smile.

Amelia was unsurprised when Poe-the-Perfect managed to transfigure his Erkling on the first try. Amelia knew that it was petty to hold animosity toward the boy for being good at what he did – isn’t that exactly what she wanted to do? – but she couldn’t help but feel a little competitive toward him. She wanted to be the best, and Arthur Severus Poe was a definite obstacle to that. Amelia also wasn’t particularly fond of how often the Gryffindor boy gloated about his good fortune; yes, he was good at magic, but everyone knew that. No reason to rub it in everyone’s faces.

Sighing, Amelia turned her attention away from Arthur and onto her own box. It was of medium size, supposedly reflecting the size of the creature within it. Although Amelia knew what an Erkling looked like from having read about them in books, they had never actually covered them in Defense Against the Dark Arts. What with the professor changing nearly every year and what not, some things had been covered twice while others were not touched upon at all.

Not knowing exactly what to expect, Amelia held her wand tightly in her right hand and with her left hand pulled back one of the flaps of the box slowly. At first, the shadow from the flap was blocking her view of the creature inside the box, but in an instant it became all too visible. At first, there was just a jostling of the box, but after a second a wrinkly head poked its way out of the flaps of the cardboard box, grinning eerily at her with sharp, pointed teeth, already beginning to open its mouth wide for that notorious cackle.

Without thinking, Amelia dropped her wand to the floor, using both hands to push the lid of the box back down on top of the Erkling’s head. Of course, it would likely have been better to do as Professor McCoy suggested and use a spell to “make her job easier”, but in the heat of the moment of being faced with an XXXX creature, Amelia had panicked.

Blushing heavily, Amelia picked up her wand from the floor where it had landed after her dropping it, returning herself to an upright position as she took a moment to slow her heart rate and return her breathing to normalcy. She attempted to think of a spell that would successfully disengage the Erkling from being combative, but never having faced them before, Amelia wasn’t sure what to try. She knew that if she killed the thing she would be in trouble not only with McCoy, but also with Professor Delacour.

Why is it that when I need a spell, all I can think of is Peskipiksi Pesternomi? Amelia demanded of herself, making reference to what was widely considered the most useless spell in all of magic because it did, well, basically nothing at all.

Alice took out the thing, what teacher told them to take, made the movement with her wand, pointed to Erkling and said: "Pullo!" Erklong torned into a goose. "I'm done too," she said quietly. She didn't know, did the teacher her her, but she didn't wanted to yell or something.

McCoy looked around the class. ''Mr. Poe, brilliant job, 15 points. Ten for being done, and 5 for being the first one. Miss Taylor, good job.. 10 points for Slytherin.'', he said with a smile.

He then looked at Ameila and approached her. ''Miss Lyons, is there a problem? Have you not heard my advice? Use a spell... Petrificus Totalus, Immobulus or anything similar. Just, do not kill it. If you need any help, I shall immobilize the Erkling for you.'', he said bending down.

Amelia tried not to allow the success of her peers throw her even more off her game, and had calmed herself down enough to have thought of a way to immobilize the Erkling, but before she could do so discreetly, the professor approached her with a disapproving look on his face. Amelia shrunk a bit in her seat as he reprimanded her, hating that she had failed so visibly. She knew that he was right to correct her – she had not acted very appropriately – but she thought he was being a bit harsh. She hadn’t even attempted the spell yet and was already in trouble.

Suck it up and prove him wrong, Amelia’s subconscious encouraged, though it was difficult to regain her usual confidence with the professor leaning over her.

“No, no, I’ve got it,” Amelia muttered meekly, her authority complex making her shrink inside herself even further than she usually did. She held her wand firmly as she flipped back the flap of the box once more, this time prepared for what she was about to see. It took only a few seconds to cast Immobulus , leaving the Erkling ready for transfiguration.

The creature now laying still in the cardboard box, Amelia was quick to cast the spell which was the focus of the lesson. The Erkling shuddered for a moment before transfiguring into a full-sized goose, plumed with brown and white feathers, looking like it was sleeping aside from its eyes, which were moving about and looking from her to the professor, clearly concerned over what had just occurred.

It was a successful spell, but Amelia could not justify a celebration. What should have been a simple task had turned out to be more difficult and embarrassing merely because she had received a box with an Erkling who was alive and aware. Instead of looking to Professor McCoy for validation, Amelia merely lowered her wand and kept her eyes on her lap.

Belle had come in moments before the professor had begun explaining what he wanted them to do, she was staring at her box a little nervous. Though she read and studied everything she possibly could, there was a BIG difference in reading about it and acutally doing it.

But thanks to Andrian she was learning to have more confidence in herself and so lifted the lead and let out a little sigh when the creature was indeed still asleep. She took a breath and sat straighter in her chair her chin held high as she did exactly what the Professor had said to do and smiled brightly when it worked, of course she ended up bumping the box and the goose woke with loud honks before it could do any harm she simply bound it. "Petrificus Totalus" She said.

She then smiled apologetically at the Professor. "Do forgive me sir." She said.

''Miss Fey, 5 points, for being late. There would be ten if you were on time. Miss Lyons, good job. Ten points. Next time, do be more brave. Erkling should be no problem for you, nor for anyone in this class. They are not werewolves or basilisks. They are just... Erklings. Just be a little more confident next time.'', McCoy said.

''The rest, would you please wrap it up so that I can conclude the lesson. There is no need to make this any longer than necessary.'', he added.

(Until tonight, when I dismiss the class)

Julia carefully lifted the erkling out of it's "bed" and placed it on the desk. She took her wand out of her sleeve and turned it with the movements necessary, and mumbled "Pullo". The erkling stayed the same, so she tried again "Pullo!". The erkling had, this time, turned into a goose. She turned to the professor "Sir, I'm done"