When Caterpillars Attack: A Transfiguration Disaster
Paul Starlight sat at his desk in the Transfiguration classroom, staring at the tiny matchstick in front of him like it held the secrets of the universe. ‘Turn this into a needle,’ Professor Kane had said, her voice calm and measured. ‘Easy, right?’ Paul had thought. After all, he’d spent half the night stargazing instead of revising, but how hard could it be?
He took a deep breath, gripped his wand, and whispered, ‘Mutatio!’
The matchstick wobbled. Then, with a tiny pop, it transformed—not into a needle, but into a tiny, confused caterpillar. The caterpillar blinked up at him with what Paul swore was judgment in its little bug eyes. ‘Oh. Uh.’ Paul blinked back, his face heating up. ‘Maybe I should’ve revised last night instead of stargazing…’
A snicker came from his left. ‘Nice one, Starlight,’ said a Hufflepuff boy, grinning. ‘I didn’t know we were studying entomology today.’
Paul glanced around, hoping no one else had noticed, but of course, Professor Kane had. Her eyebrow was raised, but there was a hint of amusement in her eyes. ‘Mr. Starlight,’ he said, ‘while your… creativity is noted, perhaps try again? With a bit more focus this time?’
Paul sighed, looking down at the caterpillar, which was now munching happily on a crumb of parchment. ‘Okay, caterpillar,’ he muttered, ‘let’s try this again. But no pressure, yeah?’ The caterpillar seemed unimpressed.
With another deep breath, Paul raised his wand again. ‘Mutatio!’ he said, more firmly this time. The caterpillar wobbled… and this time, it turned into a needle. A slightly crooked needle, but a needle nonetheless. ‘HA!’ Paul exclaimed, grinning at his classmates. ‘Told you I’d get it!’
The Hufflepuff boy laughed. ‘Yeah, after the caterpillar had its snack.’
Professor Kane nodded approvingly. ‘Better, Mr. Starlight. Though I’d still recommend revising before attempting spells next time.’
Paul grinned. ‘No promises, Professor.
He took a deep breath, gripped his wand, and whispered, ‘Mutatio!’
The matchstick wobbled. Then, with a tiny pop, it transformed—not into a needle, but into a tiny, confused caterpillar. The caterpillar blinked up at him with what Paul swore was judgment in its little bug eyes. ‘Oh. Uh.’ Paul blinked back, his face heating up. ‘Maybe I should’ve revised last night instead of stargazing…’
A snicker came from his left. ‘Nice one, Starlight,’ said a Hufflepuff boy, grinning. ‘I didn’t know we were studying entomology today.’
Paul glanced around, hoping no one else had noticed, but of course, Professor Kane had. Her eyebrow was raised, but there was a hint of amusement in her eyes. ‘Mr. Starlight,’ he said, ‘while your… creativity is noted, perhaps try again? With a bit more focus this time?’
Paul sighed, looking down at the caterpillar, which was now munching happily on a crumb of parchment. ‘Okay, caterpillar,’ he muttered, ‘let’s try this again. But no pressure, yeah?’ The caterpillar seemed unimpressed.
With another deep breath, Paul raised his wand again. ‘Mutatio!’ he said, more firmly this time. The caterpillar wobbled… and this time, it turned into a needle. A slightly crooked needle, but a needle nonetheless. ‘HA!’ Paul exclaimed, grinning at his classmates. ‘Told you I’d get it!’
The Hufflepuff boy laughed. ‘Yeah, after the caterpillar had its snack.’
Professor Kane nodded approvingly. ‘Better, Mr. Starlight. Though I’d still recommend revising before attempting spells next time.’
Paul grinned. ‘No promises, Professor.