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+------- Thread: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic (/showthread.php?tid=472)
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Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Etain Mómhar Battersea - 09-09-2025
September 27th, 1920
Walking into the Transfiguration Classroom was a woman in a deep blue Victorian frock, shoulders covered in a shawl of dark gold. Delicately etched upon the hem of her garments were runic patterns. Those knowledgeable in such matters would recognize them not at Eldar Futhark, but Ogham, an early medieval alphabet (if not older), used for Primitive Irish and possibly Old Irish. When the shadows them, they seemed to shimmer with a faint, milky light as they moved with her, like moonlight floating on water.
On her right walked golden-eyed Eris. The half-kneazle traversed the hall into the classroom with her master proudly, though inquisitive of her surroundings. As Etain advanced toward the front, Eris began to explore the classroom, from the floors to the chairs, and finally the front. It didn’t seem like much of a look around, but it was enough for her to get a general sense of the place. The haughty animal jumped upon the desk and watched Etain, waiting for what was to come.
Behind Etain, a tote bag of sorts had floated. When she slowed, it slowed. When she ascended the steps, it did the same. Whatever she did, it kept in perfect sequence with her without fail. Reaching the front, it sailed to the desk and landed gently beside Eris, ready for what was to come next. After a moment, it appeared to move all on its own to the opposite side of the desk away from Eris, who seemingly glared at it. Once this was done, all disgruntlement ceased.
Smiling softly, the bag opened, and Etain watched as a pair of chalk shot out from it and began soaring over the classroom. Like miniature comets, they moved with uncanny agility, trying to outmaneuver one another but never succeeding.
“Castor, Pollux, have all the fun you want, but remember,” She looked up. “When class begins, I’ll have need of you.”
The chalk appeared to hover as she spoke, and then once more resumed its course through the classroom.
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Oilibhéar Ó Coigligh - 09-10-2025
When it came to magical subjects he was best skilled in manipulations. Mostly as he found them useful in repairing things which made him focus on them in his learning. When it came to charms or even many blunt transfigurations he found them of less use to his goals. After all, he saw zero desire to transfigure any part of himself into anything like the party tricks he'd seen his classmates perform over the years.
Though he accepted that his interest in manipulating things through conjuring was a related skill to transfigurations. Which made him decide to focus and take the class his head of house was teaching. That and there was some minimum number of required classes that he was informed he had to take. Even with everything descending into chaos at Hogwarts one couldn't just get away with taking zero classes and hanging out in the library. He'd tried.
As he walked into the classroom the first thing he noticed was the flying chalk. The second thing he noticed was he was one of the first students in the classroom which considering his personal obsession with time was typical. If he was going to commit to doing something he was going to be on time for it. With a slight sigh, he made his way to a desk in the middle he wondered if the classroom was so out of sorts that they were going to have the notes written on them instead of the chalkboard.
Curiously he asked " Do you want me to try to catch the chalk torpedos for you? "
It would be typical for the mess that was Hogwarts for the chalk to get all haunted and it would be much easier to learn and take notes if the chalk was cooperating. Which if he were to be sitting in a class and not doing his own personal research he wanted the professor to be in the best position to teach them. A position that in his mind required chalk to be in the professor's hand for use on the chalkboard.
Then he took out a pair of pocket watches and started winding one of them up as he waited for either class to start or his classmates to do something entertaining.
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Tulip Asquith - 09-10-2025
Tulip headed to Transfiguration, the most surprising thing was that she didn't actually hate Transfiguration. She found the spells for the most part easy to learn. However liking transfiguration didn't extend to doing homework or actually paying attention in class. Just because she liked one subject didn't mean she was going to show it preference over the other subjects she liked less. The first thing she noticed was that the windows weren't covered and there was actual day light in the room, as well as an especially pretty ceiling. "Bloody hell windows!" she exclaimed as she walked in the door.
She'd asked Briar about their new Transfiguration professor, she was her sisters Head of House after all, but Briar had been vague, freaky cat, probabily floats, Irish sounding, all mysterious like not the most helpful description but unless it was potion related or animal related Briar didn't care. Whilst her sister had very little to say about her Head of House she spent twenty minutes gushing on how amazing the Potions Professor was, which then started a wave of agreement from her freaky little friends, at that point Tulip had made a swift exit.
She was one of the first here, she grabbed a seat in behind the 4th year Ravenclaw, it was closer to the back than the front, nicely hidden in the pack should she need a sleep at some point during the year. She leaned back in her chair, the only transfiguration she really needed to perfect was shrinking spells, she really hoped they'd be learning them this term, she absolutly didn't want to have to resort to going to the library to actually borrow a book.
" Do you want me to try to catch the chalk torpedos for you? "
She heard the Racenclaw ask, noticing for the first time the chalk whizing around, the professor seemed not to notice or care. "Why is it when I make chalk fly around the room I get detentions." she mused out loud to no one in particular.
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Ruth Elliot - 09-10-2025
"Why is it when I make chalk fly around the room I get detentions."
"Because the world is tilted," Rae replied, entering the room in time to hear Tulip's question. Rae didn't know the context. It took her an extra moment to connect what the Gryffindor's complaint had to do with anything. That's when they zipped by, a pair of chalk, darting from corner to corner like they were on a speedway rather than inside the classroom. Rae ducked when they headed her way, by now used to some schenanigans when it came to the professors at large.
Three other years at Hogwarts had taught her to never expect a simple classroom where one walked in, sat, took notes, then left. There was usually something trying to kill them, force them into uncomfortable reflection, or test whether they'd actually done the readings. Rae could save them all the speculation and assure them, more often than not...that she did not.
She sank down in her own seat, unfortunately not at the back. When she'd first embarked on the journey to become an animagus, her mother had made it clear that Transfiguration was no longer one of the classes she was allowed to slack off in. She had to learn how to effectively weave such complicated magic, whether she wanted to be there or not. That meant no sleeping in the back, no waiting for her friends to duplicate their notes for her on the morning of tests, and most egregiously, active participation in the lesson.
Last year, when she'd first begun her training, she'd been far more on the ball. In this second year, her diligence was already waning. The life of a responsible student wasn't made for her.
Reading? Studying? These weren't who she was. Frankly, Rae couldn't wait to be done. The back of her transfigurations classes always seemed to call her name the loudest.
She cast a forlorn look toward the back, where Tulip sat, wishing she could also be there, passing snarky comments back and forth while they made minimal attempts to appear as if they were paying attention.
'Save me' she mouthed to the girl.
She wasn't trying to have a productive class...even if she really needed to.
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Everleigh Ravenstone - 09-10-2025
Everleigh walked into the Transfiguration classroom, all prim and proper like she was taught. Uniform just so. Hair in a soft french braid going down her back. Her mother had tried to encourage smiling, but that was where she drew the line. She would smile only when there was a damn good reason too.
" Do you want me to try to catch the chalk torpedos for you? " She heard Bear ask as she found a spot near the front of the room. It was the overachiever in her, front was better for note taking and paying attention. Taking her seat, Everleigh arranged her book, parchment, quill and ink just right. Hmmm… She moved everything two centimeters to the left… Yes, that was just right. Sitting in her seat, back straight, hands folded, the model student.
She hated everything about it. This was her normal, drilled into her from a young age and adopted once she was old enough to realize a prim and proper lady, quiet and meek, was overlooked. Sitting in a corner, staring into space, a vapid expression on her face, but ears wide open. You learned a lot when the adults thought you weren’t paying attention.
"Why is it when I make chalk fly around the room I get detentions?"
She fought a smirk on that one. "Because the world is tilted," Rae answered. Well now. Wasn't that the biggest truth of the day? Tilted on its axis to put ladies at a disadvantage. Holding onto the edge, while the men held ropes to keep them at the top.
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Cassian McCormick - 09-10-2025
It was with the greatest of pain that Cassian pulled himself from the Room of Requirements. A moment of inspiration had left the boy in there for what could've easily been hours (it was not) without really allowing him enough time to get to work. There would be no big productions this year, no chance of him trying to run an entire play despite no longer having the dreaded OWLs on his back. This year, the boy wanted something contained for himself and his girlfriend, maybe even a few of their friends. He'd spent the last week with parchment and quill never far away, waiting for the creativity to begin flowing.
It was just his luck that that happened when he suddenly had to be in class.
The sixth-year entered the room heavily distracted. He could still see the stage standing before his eyes. He could see all the places the lights needed to hit, backdrops that would need to be painted. As a general rule, the more excited he got about his latest project, the hazier his eyes became.
It was no wonder, then, that he ended up getting smacked in the forehead by the zipping pair of chalk shortly after entering the room. The animated writing implements left a splattering of dust on his forehead before continuing on, fleeing the scene of the crime.
Cassian blinked a few times, not sure what had happened, but suddenly questioning whether his distraction had caused him to miss some vital instruction.
Looking around, there wasn't anything there that didn't seem to be amiss. His classmates were more or less sitting, waiting for the lesson to begin. Bear was offering to take care of...chalk? Was that what had hit him? Cass rubbed at his forehead, his fingers coming away covered in that chalky residue.
Huh.
"Are the charms going wonky in here, too, professor?" he asked. It wouldn't surprise him, in the same way it wouldn't surprise him to learn that, in fact, this was just another transfiguration class doing as it wanted.
At this point, Cass would be more surprised by charms working the way they were meant to.
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Rosalie McCormick - 09-11-2025
Rosalie rather liked Professor Battersea and her class. She gave off the impression of a rather serious woman, but Rosie had discovered, to her absolute delight, that the Ravenclaw Head of House had a wicked sense of humor. Julia had mentioned, prior to returning for term, that Professor Battersea would be teaching, and if she were honest, Rosie had dreaded it the moment she'd heard.
The Laurences were friendly with the Batterseas - especially Julia who had studied at the Battersea castle occasionally in her college years, so Rosie knew enough about them. She was pleasantly surprised that Professor Battersea didn't remind her of anyone in her family, and it was a good reminder that not everyone in this small society operated the way the Laurences did.
She had been early, one of the first students to arrive, and was already buried in her notes, her quill scribbling away some annotations she'd forgotten to jot down in the previous class. She hadn't noticed when Professor Battersea had entered, nor when her pet chalk began rocketing around the class. Transfiguration wasn't Rosalie's strength, and she had struggled greatly over the years with it. It was a frustrating thing for a girl who took her studies seriously and enjoyed being at the top of her classes.
Remaining staunchly in the middle of this one was a position she didn't intend to maintain.
She glanced up, just as the chalk sailed past her, blue eyes following them until one smacked her boyfriend directly in the forehead.
The snort that exited the girl. She immediately dropped her eyes back to her parchment, lips tightened in an amused smile.
"Are the charms going wonky in here, too, professor?"
The girl shook her head as she continued writing, her smile growing wider by the moment. She was content to keep her head down, less Professor Battersea's chalk decide on a second target.
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Vinnie Folwell - 09-11-2025
Transfiguration.
This was the class Vinnie had looked forward to most before he came to Hogwarts. He had eagerly flipped through his textbook on the train - though mostly to look at the shifting pictures and diagrams rather than actually doing any reading. As a young kid he had loved to watch transfigurations. Turning a pig into a desk, transforming oneself into a bird, conjuring things from thin air and vanishing them again - that was magic.
The class itself had turned out to involve much more listening and homework than actual wand-waving, to Vinnie’s immense disappointment. Turning desks into pigs still seemed many years away. Still, the novelty of it all hadn’t worn off yet in late September, and so Vinnie was excited to return that afternoon. He was even early to class for once.
Their professor was a graceful-looking and slightly intimidating woman named Professor Battersea. Vinnie had heard the rumors about her job before Hogwarts, putting away criminals as an effective Auror. He rather liked her as a result. Her cat, however, was a different matter. Its golden eyes creeped him out, always seeming to follow wherever he went. He could swear sometimes the thing was judging his notes in class.
Vinnie watched delightedly as chalk danced in the air - Professor Battersea had evidently named the pieces. Their names sounded sort of familiar too, but Vinnie found he couldn’t quite place them. “Why is it when I make chalk fly around the room I get detentions?” Vinnie grinned. He empathized with the girl. He had gotten himself into trouble a whole host of times since arriving at Hogwarts, mostly for being late to class and attempting unsuccessfully to sneak off to the Forbidden Forest.
Vinnie tried to hold back a smile when one of the pieces of chalk zipped off and smacked an upper-year student in the head.
Most of the students around Vinnie were several years older, but a Ravenclaw girl in a seat next to his appeared to be in her first or second year too. He thought he’d heard her name before in class: Emmeline, maybe, or Evelyn. Everything about her seemed perfectly neat and tiny - almost obsessively so - from her french braid down to the quill and parchment laid out before her.
“Hello!” Vinnie said brightly, as he dumped his book and notetaking supplies haphazardly onto the table. He turned in his seat and stuck out a hand to the Ravenclaw girl. Although he was talking only to her, his voice had a tendency to carry, always a bit too loud. “I don’t think we’ve met properly. I’m Vinnie Folwell. What’s your name?”
Technically there weren’t supposed to be any disruptive antics during class. It was one of Professor Battersea’s five rules, alongside ‘Be on time’ and ‘If you have a question, ask it’. Still, the professor was messing about with chalk and the lesson had yet to start in earnest, so Vinnie didn’t feel he was truly breaking any rules.
“I made a bunch of chalk float like that by accident when I was little,” he told the Ravenclaw girl. “They had to bring in obliviators and everything. It was a right mess.” His enthusiasm didn’t falter at the words.
Vinnie waited excitedly for the class to begin in earnest, wondering if they would cover anything truly interesting today.
ooc: in case it’s too unclear, Vinnie is addressing Everleigh Ravenstone
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Elias Everett - 09-11-2025
Nearly a month at Hogwarts, and Elias was getting used to the fact that his lessons might kill him. Professor Roan threw explosive potions around like party favors, then made them drink mysterious brews. Professor Barlowe teleported them to strange places where children got terrorized by unknown creatures.
For all that, there were good bits too. Maybe his Flutterby bush wasn't doomed, for one? It had been sitting wilted on his windowsill all week, leaves barely managing a weak twitch, with no wing-fluttering at all. This morning he'd noticed one leaf attempting what might generously be called a flutter. Progress, maybe?
"Time's up! Wands away!" Professor Aethelgard called from the front of the Defense classroom.
Elias shoved his notebook in his bag before the cursed quill could finish scribbling its latest insult. They had been learning to identify cursed objects. The quill that was assigned to him and Joshua spent the whole lesson writing increasingly rude things about everyone in class, calling the professor's mustache "a dead ferret" and there had been a particularly memorable verse about Joshua's hair.
"Oh no you don't," he caught the quill just as it tried to dive into his bag. It wriggled in his grip, spattering ink on his fingers as he dropped it back onto the desk.
The classroom had erupted into chaos as students headed for the door. Elias glanced at the clock and frowned. Two minutes until Transfiguration, and Professor Battersea's classroom was so far away.
"This way," he said, reaching for his roommate's arm and jerking his head towards a side corridor instead of following the crowd.
He pressed on a loose stone next to a decidedly ugly tapestry. It swung inward with a grating sound that revealed a narrow passage beyond.
He squeezed through, and the rough stone scraped against his shoulders as he dashed through the darkness. Elias felt his bag snag twice as cobwebs and dust caught on his hair and clothes, but pushed forward until light appeared ahead. The hidden corridor emerged behind a suit of armor, and he tried to straighten his robes as he hurried the remaining distance to class.
The door to Transfiguration hung open, and Elias slipped inside just as the last students were finding seats, before he immediately stopped dead.
There was flying chalk. Just casually zipping around the room like tiny comets!
"Bloody hell," he breathed, then quickly glanced around to make sure no one had heard him. The chalk pieces—Castor and Pollux, Professor Battersea had named them—swooped and dove through the air with impossible agility.
He scrambled toward seats near Vinnie and Everleigh, eyes following the aerial show above them. How did they work? What magic had the professor used? He wanted to know so bad. As he settled into his seat, he caught Vinnie talking about chalk floating when he was little. That was so cool!
He leaned toward the Gryffindor boy, practically vibrating with excitement.
"They have names and everything!" he whispered, eyes wide as he watched Castor and Pollux chase each other. "How does she make them seem so... real? Your chalk just floated, right?"
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Corbin Donahue - 09-11-2025
Corbin slipped into a seat near Ó Coigligh—or was it Mac Coiglidh? Scots and Irish gaelic made his head spin. It was something with too many vowels anyway. Bear, then. Everyone else called him that, anyway. Bear was already absorbed in winding one of his pocket watches. The familiar ticking sound was oddly comforting. Perfect. No expectations, no small talk, just Bear doing his own odd thing while Corbin could exist in comfortable silence. Or ticking. Whatever.
Bear looked up at the flying chalk and asked if anyone wanted him to catch them. Because of course.
"Maybe, do you think they're house-trained?" Corbin asked, voice deadpan. The chalk seemed to be aiming for people's heads. It was not a good sign.
He pulled his bag onto the desk with a soft thud. Notebook first, opened to a fresh page. Quill next to his right hand, ink pot positioned just so - close enough to reach without thinking, far enough to avoid knocking over.
His eyes tracked the flying chalk as it zipped around the classroom. The pieces moved with the same quick, darting agility as the rusty old snitch he'd found at home.
He'd discovered it tucked away in a dusty tower chamber over the summer, along with faded Quidditch gear that probably belonged to some forgotten ancestor. The snitch had been a welcome find - one less thing he had to ask father for.
Those summer afternoons had become routine. He'd slip outside after lunch, chase the thing until he ached all over, then return it to the tower before dinner. Simple. Predictable.
It was fun, but games would have bludgers flying at him while he tried to catch the snitch.
His gaze drifted briefly toward Elliot. Hadn't she been a beater? All those July mornings practicing had been for nothing thanks to the Quidditch cancellation, but maybe she'd be willing to help him prepare for when tryouts opened again. Assuming they ever did.
He realized he was staring and quickly looked away, focusing instead on Professor Battersea. She looked amused watching the chalk, like a parent watching children play.
The chalk dove suddenly toward Cassian's head, and Corbin watched the older boy duck with practiced reflexes. He opened his notebook to a fresh page and picked up his quill.
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Etain Mómhar Battersea - 09-15-2025
" Do you want me to try to catch the chalk torpedoes for you?"
“I wouldn’t worry about those two, Mister Ó Coigligh.” Etain looked up, watching them wheeling about through the air. “Castor and Pollux do this all the time, though…” She rubbed her chin. “I’ll have a talk with them about reducing their dust trails…”
"Are the charms going wonky in here, too, professor?"
“Everything is working as intended,” She winked. “The magic within this room has changed for the better, and speaking of magic… I do believe it’s time to begin. You two, to the chalkboard.”
Castor and Pollux halted in midair, whirled about one another, and sped in a graceful arc toward the chalkboard. Golden-eyed Eris looked up at them. Were it possible for cats, much less half-kneazles, to roll their eyes, she would have done so. Instead, the feline of Russian Blue heritage appeared to scowl, shake her head, and went back to studying the class with palpable intent.
“If you ever attended a Muggle magic show, a carnival, or even a party where a Magician was brought in, you’ll find phrases such as Abracadabra and Presto Chango being used. They’re etymology is invariably simple, lending to the idea of creating or changing, and if we go further, the idea of alteration. Regardless, these Muggle Magicians do magical tricks, and as everyone knows, tricks are for kids.”
Whether or not the emerald-eyed woman was making a joke was unclear.
“However, with this idea of change comes our topic for the day. The Praestigiae Series is a set of four illusion-based transfigurative incantations. If used effectively, they can reward the caster with the results they produce. This series is highly malleable, flexible, and most importantly layered. And” She raised a finger. “Each incantation behind this series brings one of two specific things to the cauldron.”
“Each spell will begin with Praestigiae configere.” She looked back toward the board, catching sight of the chalk writing her words carefully and concisely. Each incantation will end in conspectus, contages, schema, or naturae. Respectively, each word means sight, touch, form, and substance. Illusion through sight alters color and ‘adds’ simple objects. Illusion through touch alters how the object feels when touched. Illusion through form alters the object from one form to another. Illusion through substance alters the properties of the object. ”
“To begin the spell, you direct your wand toward the object or area you intend to change in some form or fashion within fifteen meters. Though the spell’s dimensions can range from a mustard seed up to a medium-sized room or larger for accomplished casters. Beginner maximum sizes typically range around the size of a small statue. Overall, the effects should last for roughly twenty minutes, although a more accomplished caster can extend that duration.”
“So, a few questions before we continue.” She surveyed the room. “As they were developed during the early Middle Ages, what do you think as to their purpose? How would you use them? Any other thoughts regarding them?”
=====
Next update will be the late afternoon of September 20, 2025
Eris:
![[Image: JrCy9DL.jpg]](https://imgur.com/JrCy9DL.jpg)
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Oilibhéar Ó Coigligh - 09-15-2025
"Why is it when I make chalk fly around the room I get detentions."
He looked back towards Tulip with a smile, but stopped himself from saying anything as he chuckled and looked back towards the clock on his desk. After all, he suspected if Tulip were sending them about they'd be more chaotic. Though a small part of him did silently agree with Ruth.
"Maybe, do you think they're house-trained?"
With a quick shake of his head he whispered to Corbin " Doubtful, and with everything else even if they were I wouldn't have high expectations. " Though, this term he had naturally been reducing his expectations daily for most things around the castle.
“I’ll have a talk with them about reducing their dust trails…”
He blinked and asked quietly " You named them? " Quiet enough he wouldn't be surprised if he was unheard considering the fact he was in the middle of the room.
He watched as the chalk zoomed to the chalkboard.
With another whisper to Corbin he said " Actually they might be the only trained things in the castle. " Though that detail made it more curious why Cassian got hit in the head. After all, there were others he suspected a professor would aim harmless chalk at first, himself included, over his responsible housemate.
He started paying attention and taking the occasional note as the Professor talked. He didn't see much use in illusions as they were just fakery, but it was his house head so he resisted his temptation to pull out a book on another subject from his bag. If it were charms which he was already planning to drop as early as he could the situation would be different - mostly as there was no use in investing in uninteresting things in a subject he was rubbish at. At least with this subject he was good with it so perhaps the knowledge could be applied elsewhere.
He said " Considering there was more linkage between the muggle and wizarding world in the middle ages. Spells like that could easily have been used in commerce to fool muggles. "
A statement that while factual he recognized, but didn't care, that the timing of saying it with recent events was potentially ill-timed.
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Corbin Donahue - 09-16-2025
Bear whispered that he wouldn't have high expectations for the chalk being house-trained, considering everything else this term. Corbin snorted quietly. Fair point - at least the chalk moved when it was supposed to, which was more than could be said for most things at Hogwarts lately.
Professor Battersea called Castor and Pollux to the chalkboard. The chalk obeyed immediately, settling into position like well-trained pets.
Corbin chuckled at Bear's observation about the chalk being the only trained thing in the castle. It was sad but true.
"Alas, it's a low bar," he murmured back.
Professor Battersea began her lesson, and Corbin opened his notebook to a fresh page, his quill scratching steadily as he wrote.
The Praestigiae Series - Illusion-Based Transfiguration
Base Incantation: Praestigiae configere
Four Variant Endings:
- conspectus - sight (alters color, adds simple objects. How "simple" exactly?)
- contages - touch (changes texture. Duration of effect?)
- schema - form (shape alterations. Limitations on complexity?)
- naturae - substance (property changes. This seems dangerous)
- Range: 15 meters maximum (for beginners)
- Duration: ~20 minutes (longer for advanced casters)
- Size limitations: mustard seed to small statue (beginners)
- Developed: Early Middle Ages
Wait. No. The words had been Abra Cadabra, not Avada Kedavra.
Apparently, the phrase was something Muggle frauds used, pretending at magic. Something they used at parties. For children.
His quill pressed harder against the parchment, leaving a small blot of ink. Of course they did. Of course muggles would casually throw around words that sounded like killing curses. No wonder they were dangerous. No wonder the Statute existed.
He forced his writing back to its usual steady pace, but his notes became sharper, more precise.
Etymology: Muggle magicians frauds use "Abra Cadabra" and "Presto Chango" - change/alteration themes.
Professor says that these are "tricks for kids." (They teach children killing curses as Party Entertainment. Muggles are insane...)
This was exactly why magical secrecy mattered. This was exactly why muggles couldn't be trusted with knowledge of real magic.
Bear mentioned commerce applications. Made sense - medieval period had more magical-muggle interaction.
He glanced up as the chalk writing almost the same notes on the blackboard. Professor Battersea was looking around the room, clearly waiting for more answers.
Corbin cleared his throat quietly. "Concealment, Professor," he said, his voice carefully measured. "If magical folk needed to blend in with muggle communities during that period, illusions would be safer than... other options."
He kept his explanation brief, academic. No need to elaborate on why magical folk might have needed to hide.
In the margin of his notes, he added a careful annotation:
Modern improvements? Longer duration variants? Better effects?
Twenty-minute duration would be useful for that. Long enough to fool suspicious neighbors, short enough to avoid magical detection if the spell failed. Medieval wizards would have needed that flexibility.
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Catherine Holloway - 09-16-2025
In her seat, student Cate watched as her emerald-eyed professor began to lecture about illusion-based transfigurative incantations. Cate was still not done with her study hall period and her hand hurt from writing essays all day. She was in a middle seat, that is, a seat where she could focus on note-taking without being called upon. The professor started by making a teasing remark about Muggle magic tricks compared to true magical transformations. The student could not tell if the professor was being serious or not, but either way the message was clear: true magic was not something trivial.
The professor began the topic of the lecture: the Praestigiae Series, a series of four illusion-based transfigurative spells. Cate recalled that the professor referred to them as a "malleable, flexible, and layered" collection of spells. Each of the spells in the series began with "Praestigiae configere" and ended with one of four different words: conspectus, contages, schema, or naturae.
Taking notes, Cate observed as the professor explained the intent behind each word. Conspectus, sight, changed the color of an object or 'added' objects of simple shape. Contages, touch, modified something about how something felt when touched. Schema, form, was a more complex incantation that changed the form of the object. Last, naturae, substance, changed the nature of the object itself. The pupil explained that these spells were meant to change an object differently, ranging from a simple deception to a basic modification.
The instructor also outlined the stipulations upon which these spells were to be cast. They had a fifteen-meter range and could alter objects as small as a mustard seed or, for more advanced casters, as large as a room of medium dimensions. The largest size for an average beginner, Cate explained, was a small statue. The lifespans of the incantations were roughly twenty minutes, though more advanced casters could prolong the lifespan.
After she had told them the basics, the professor paused and looked around the room and asked the class a question or two. Cate, tired and cradling her hurt hand, listened intently but couldn't respond to the questions. She liked to listen to her classmates' and professor's answers and found it easier to listen and absorb it all than to contribute.
---
- The Praestigiae Series includes four illusion-driven transfigurative incantations.
- It's a sequence of spells that are highly malleable, flexible, and cumulative, offering the caster several ways of altering an object.
- Each spell begins with the incantation "Praestigiae configere".
- The effect of each spell is determined by the final word of the incantation:
- Conspectus: Creates an illusion that alters the color of an object or adds simple, non-corporeal objects.
- Contages: Alters the sensation an object gives when touched.
- Schema: Alters the form of the object.
- Naturae: Alters the fundamental nature or material of the object.
- The scope of the spell is fifteen meters at most.
- The object to be altered in size may begin from a mustard seed to as big as a medium-sized room, though beginners have an upper limit of the size of a small statue.
- The time of the spells requires around twenty minutes for a regular caster.
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Elias Everett - 09-16-2025
Elias watched Castor and Pollux zip to the chalkboard. How did they know exactly where to go? Were they listening, or was it something else entirely?
He fumbled for his notebook, still craning his neck to watch them work. His bag had gotten twisted during the dash through the secret passage, and everything tumbled out when he opened it. Quill, ink pot, his Herbology notes covered in dirt smudges, a half-eaten chocolate frog that had somehow unwrapped itself...
"They're like pets," he whispered to Vinnie, popping the rest of the chocolate frog into his mouth. "Do you think they get tired?"
Professor Battersea started talking about Muggle magic tricks and something called the Prissy Diggy Series. Elias opened his notebook and tried to write it down.
Prissy Diggy Series - illusion stuff
The chalk was moving again, writing words on the board in neat letters. His own hand was already cramping just watching it work.
Professor Battersea was explaining about four different endings. Sight, touch, form, substance. Elias managed to scribble down the first two before his attention wandered back to watching the chalk work at the board.
In the margin of his parchment, he found himself sketching how the chalk moved while they wrote. Little arrows showing how they zipped between words, question marks where he couldn't figure out how they knew who should write what.
Then he looked up at the board and saw the chalk writing "Praestigiae Series" in neat letters. His face burned. Prissy Diggy? Really? He quickly scribbled over his awful attempt and tried to copy the real spelling, but his letters came out wobbly and uneven.
The older students had given answers about commerce and concealment. They sounded really smart.
Elias found himself raising his hand. "Professor, could you— like, my dad makes things, and sometimes people want to see... but he has to draw it first, and they don't always understand the drawing, but if you could make it look like— oh! Like testing it? Before you actually change anything permanently?"
He was thinking of when his parents had to draw pictures for customers to show them what things would look like. But magic could just make it look real instead of having to draw it.
His parchment was a disaster. The crossed-out "Prissy Diggy," his wobbly attempt at copying the real spelling, and his sketch of the chalk's movements taking up more space than any actual notes. At the bottom, he'd somehow started drawing tiny gears without even realizing it.
At the board, Castor was adding a little flourish to the end of a word, and Elias couldn't help but grin. Whatever magic was making them work together like that, it was brilliant.
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Vinnie Folwell - 09-17-2025
Vinnie glanced away from Everleigh, grinning over at Elias as he scrambled into the seat next to his own. “Yeah, mine just floated for a bit and then fell,” Vinnie confirmed, as his eyes followed the chalk back and forth in front of the blackboard. He felt slightly awestruck. It would be difficult to pay attention to anything Professor Battersea said with those two zipping around. Lowering his voice to a still-loud whisper, Vinnie asked, “Do you think they’re alive?”
Elias opened his bag, everything tumbling out of it in a mess, including a half-eaten chocolate frog. Castor and Pollux were still zipping around when he said, “They’re like pets. Do you think they get tired?”
Vinnie grinned. “I bet they do.” He imagined Pollux taking a well-deserved nap on a desk, chalk dust rising in a puff every time it snored. “She probably takes them on walks and gives them treats when we’re not around. What do you reckon a piece of chalk likes to eat?”
When Professor Battersea began the lecture, Vinnie turned his attention up front. He was pleased that she brought up Muggle magic shows and carnivals. Vinnie had always enjoyed them. If vanishing a coin and turning a hat into a rabbit was impressive with magic, surely it was twice as impressive without. “It’s not real, Vinnie,” he remembered his older sister Ada telling him exasperatedly once, but that had only served to increase his fascination.
Vinnie’s eyebrows furrowed when Battersea ended with, “Regardless, these Muggle Magicians do magical tricks, and as everyone knows, tricks are for kids.” He couldn’t tell whether she was joking. He also wasn’t sure whether the words meant she considered Muggles childish. He knew there were plenty of witches and wizards who did. The idea sat uncomfortably with him.
His eyebrows furrowed even more as she began her explanation of the Praestigiae Series. Some of it was simple enough. He understood how you could create a visual illusion. He wouldn’t have thought of an illusion of touch, but that made sense too. It was the third and fourth that confused him. Vinnie raised his hand, but spoke without waiting to be called on. “Professor, I don’t understand ‘illusion through substance’. If you change what it’s made of, isn’t that just normal transfiguration? How’s it an illusion?” he asked curiously.
Vinnie glanced sideways at Elias’s notes. The boy had crossed out ‘Prissy Diggy’ at the top, and a nearly incomprehensible sketch of arrows and question marks sprawled across much of his sheet. Amused, Vinnie doodled a cat on the side of his own parchment, positioning it as though it were staring up at Elias’s chalk diagram. It was meant to be Eris, though looked more like a wholly new breed of creature than any cat, let alone the professor’s.
“As they were developed during the early Middle Ages, what do you think as to their purpose? How would you use them? Any other thoughts regarding them?”
“You said Muggles use tricks for magic shows, right?” Vinnie began animatedly, after Elias was done. “What if wizards did the same thing? We didn’t used to be so hidden. I bet a lot of people would have paid to see real magic shows back then! And illusions were probably safer.”
And cooler looking, Vinnie thought privately. Very little impressed him so much as watching transfigurations, and fake ones were probably just as exciting.
Granted, he didn’t know how accurate his imagining of the past was. For one thing, he didn’t know when the Statute of Secrecy had been passed. For another, he didn’t know when the Middle Ages were. Still, he loved the idea of magic performances being flocked to like plays hundreds of years ago.
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Ruth Elliot - 09-18-2025
It had already begun. Sitting at the front of the room, Rae understood she would be put in a position where she had to pay attention, but there wasn't anything she wanted to do less. How could she, while there were so many things that demanded her attention instead? There was the redness of Bear's hair, the intense way Corbin always seemed to be taking notes--would he share? She'd never asked--Rosie twirling her quill. The feater looked fancy, soft, and kinda like the sort of thing you'd expect from a Richie Rich girl like her friend was.
It looked like if she ran it along her chin, it would tickle her ever so delicately. Maybe it would have the tips of her fingers singing if she ran them along the silk-like plume. Goose feather? Nah, that didn't even make sense. It looked far fancier than that.
What wasn't Rae paying attention to?
That was easy, all the talk about pest...praester...presto? While Professor Battersea rattled off the different incantations and the things they were likely to change (sight, touch, and all that) Rae's mind had already begun to wander. Ironically enough, her own quill and parchment remained untouched, off to the side of her desk. She didn't admire her own plain quill nearly as much as she had her friends, lamenting that she'd left her poofy pink one back on her nightstand.
“Professor, I don’t understand ‘illusion through substance’. If you change what it’s made of, isn’t that just normal transfiguration? How’s it an illusion?”
Rae sat forward in her seat, tugging at one of her bouncy curls while she listened to the first year's question. Her finger coiled and coiled around the lock, watching it stretch and retract while Vinnie interrogated the woman's words.
At the end, she spoke up.
"I'm wondering that, too, actually. Aren't illusions all about appearance and perception? If we actually changed them down to their property, haven't they become that new thing rather than a trick?"
The curl came loose, springing up to hit gently against her nose before she caught the coil and wrapped it around her finger again.
She was paying attention.
Mostly.
The professor had questions of her own.
“So, a few questions before we continue. As they were developed during the early Middle Ages, what do you think as to their purpose? How would you use them? Any other thoughts regarding them?”
"If it were the Middle Ages, wasn't everyone some sort of witch, anyway?" It was a question to answer a question, but Rae felt it must've been that way. If so many old Muggle fairytales had fairies and dragons and ogres, didn't that imply everyone was kinda aware that something spooky was going on? That was the impression she'd gotten anyway.
"I guess, if they were using it for anything, it might just be hiding their shit in plain sight whenever they had guests?"
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Cassian McCormick - 09-18-2025
“Everything is working as intended.”
Oh. Everything was fine then. Noted. Cassian wiped the last of the chalk from his forehead while he waited for the lesson to begin. In some ways, he supposed he should've thanked the professor. With his attention diverted, he was no longer fantasising about his screenplay or all the work there was to be done. Slowly, his mind was returning to the classroom with the forever-watching cat and the perfectly working enchantments.
It was just as well.
If he allowed himself to remain in the daze of earlier, he would miss a whole lot, and today it seemed like they were starting a new topic. Cassian couldn't afford for his head to be in the clouds, not during the first few classes anyway. He'd have to get the information the first time, unlikely as he was to review after.
The Ravenclaw's hand worked diligently while the woman spoke, making little jottings based on the things he found necessary.
Around him, he was aware of the questions going back and forth, but he chose to focus on the notes first. Once he allowed himself to be distracted--it didn't matter by what--he knew his mind would trail off again. Cassian had to play his part in not being distracted, curious as he was about some of the things he'd heard.
Finally, he lowered his quill, satisfied for now with what he'd jotted down.
“So, a few questions before we continue. As they were developed during the early Middle Ages, what do you think as to their purpose? How would you use them? Any other thoughts regarding them?”
It was an interesting question.
From his own readings, Cassian had gained a fair understanding of the time period. Magic--rather, the perception of magic varied based on social standing and the society. There had been circles that were more accepting of it, with people going to the local old women for herbs and potions to heal many remedies. They had men who checked the stars and omens in the bones in order to determine the way people should go. Depending on where you went, there was a heavy emphasis on the magical arts, making the spells less useful for concealment purposes as some of his classmates had suggested.
On the other hand, the introduction of religion had influenced attitudes in many regions. There, he supposed, there would've been more use for it.
"Signs and wonders, maybe?" Cassian suggested mildly. "If you could convince people back then you were mystical and had power--and they weren't the sort to burn you after--you could really set yourself up."
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Rosalie McCormick - 09-18-2025
“If you ever attended a Muggle magic show, a carnival, or even a party where a Magician was brought in, you’ll find phrases such as Abracadabra and Presto Chango being used. They’re etymology is invariably simple, lending to the idea of creating or changing, and if we go further, the idea of alteration. Regardless, these Muggle Magicians do magical tricks, and as everyone knows, tricks are for kids.”
And there it was; that wicked sense of dry humor that Rosie had come to find rather endearing about Professor Battersea. It was something the Gryffindor girl had thought about from time to time - how muggle 'spell encantations' so closely resembled some of the real ones. Dark ones too. Abracadabra was far too close to Avada Kedavra for her liking, and a bit macabre. Whoever came up with that one must have known a wizard at some point. The coincidence was just a little too on the nose.
She listened quietly, scribbling away in her notebook, her eyes occasionally drifting to the cat that, as usual, was unmoving from its perch. Transfigurations that managed touch, sight, form and substance. But...they were only illusions and not actually real transfigurations? Rosie glanced up, trying to see if she'd missed something on the board that explained.
"I'm wondering that, too, actually. Aren't illusions all about appearance and perception? If we actually changed them down to their property, haven't they become that new thing rather than a trick?"
Good, so she wasn't the only one thoroughly confused. She paused her notes for a moment, waiting for Professor Battersea's answer, and mulled on the last question. How would they have been used in the Middle Ages and for what purpose?
"The middle ages were rife with accusations of heresey and heretics. There were burnings and hangings for the smallest offenses that muggles perceived." She tapped her quill idly on her notebook. "Maybe they were used to hide familiars, or tools and artifacts? Maybe even themselves from those who would condemn them?"
It was as good a guess as any, she figured. If she were any good at the subject, she could easily hide plenty of things from her family that had been confiscated over the years.
RE: Lesson 1: The Praestigiae Series of Magic - Tulip Asquith - 09-20-2025
Tulip leaned back in her chair her note pad out as she doodled absentmindedly. She watched others enter the class taking their seats you could tell the studious, from those less so, a devide appears in the room with the middle almost a no mans land. Today wasn't any different she smirked as the seating played out as it always did.
"Because the world is tilted,"
Tulip looked over at Ruth, "Isn't it just. One rule for them one rule for us" she mused, it always seemed the professors could do things they always got in trouble for. The school microcosum was a deeply unfair universe.
The professor eventually recalled her chalk and they started the lesson. Tulip didn't hate Transfiguration and she found it mostly useful for some of her schemes and scams. It proved a good way to hide things, changing their shape, concealing them. She would pay some attention here, but she was probabily not going to do the home work.
It seemed this year they were looking at illusions which sounded useful, it would help with the hiding of things and stuff that she probabily wasn't meant to have.
“So, a few questions before we continue.” She surveyed the room. “As they were developed during the early Middle Ages, what do you think as to their purpose? How would you use them? Any other thoughts regarding them?”
Tulip had zoned out a little, more interested in the cat, she wondered about bring some treats for the creature, or robbing cat nip from the green house just the alliveate the boredom.
"Because Muggles hate Wizards! And Wizard's want to hide" she called out from the back, "It's the only reasons wizards come up with anything." It seemed that avoiding or hating muggles, Trolls, Goblins was the only reasons Wizards did anything.