Harry Potter 50 Shades of Gray

"Transfigurations is an art—a branch of magic that can change the form and appearance of an object… or person." Sounds of quills scratching the paper filled the room as the Ravenclaws rushed to copy down the speech word for word. "However," Professor McGonagall paused, taking the time to meet each student's gaze sternly, "it is also some of the most complex and dangerous magic—"

"Sick," whispered Malfoy with a smile to Goyle, who grunted in response.

"I've heard it's one of the hardest classes in Hogwarts," Daphne mused to Cyrna who was copying down the Professor's introduction.

"Mhm," answered Cyrna distractedly, "There is a lot of science and calculations needed for Transfigurations—especially in the upper levels…" Cyrna flipped open the textbook to the pages that, based on the outline, would be covered in today's lesson. She scanned them. "... Extremely specific conditions have to be met for the transformation formula to be applied successfully for the more complex stuff."

"Very good, Miss Raine."

Cyrna looked up from the textbook to see Professor McGonagall looking at her with a curious expression before she continued pacing across the classroom.

"As your classmate said, Transfigurations can become quite complex, and thus, quite dangerous. Anyone—anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned." Professor McGonagall levelled one last severe glance at the class collectively before she turned to the board and began the lecture.

There were all sorts of students in the class. Some began dozing off after the first twenty minutes of lecture, while others were frantically writing everything down. Some just sat and listened attentively to the Professor, and others stared blankly at the board, not understanding what was being taught.

"Sure you shouldn't have been placed in Hufflepuff, Raine?" Draco sneered as he watched her take diligent notes. "My father has already arranged an agreement with a top student from Ravenclaw, second year, to give me his notes and work—oh, but then again, you're just a Half-blood." He smirked, "You wouldn't know any upper years now, would you."

Cyrna rolled her eyes. "I'd prefer my own notes, thanks. Besides, I thought you were interested in Transfigurations. Shouldn't you be more… engaged?"

Losing interest from her calm reply, Draco shrugged. "I'm the Malfoy heir. I've already had to learn this stuff."

"If we just wanted to learn, we'd stay home," said Pansy with a haughty sneer. "It's not hard getting private tutors that are just as good, if not more famous than some of the Professors here."

Professor McGonagall threw a reprimanding glare in their direction, and they quieted down. Truthfully, Cyrna hadn't thought of how a house comprised mostly of Purebloods would differ from the other houses beyond house politics. The difference was probably especially jarring for her year, given the identities of her Slytherin year mates.

Daphne's notes were in a similar state of emptiness when Cyrna looked over.

"Most of us Pureblood heirs have already been tutored to some extent on the subjects," Daphne explained as they headed off to their next class with Theodore. "We know some of the material already. Of course, we are here to learn, but more importantly, we are here to socialize with the other members of reputable Wizarding families."

Then after another hour, Cyrna's first day was officially over.

Back in the common rooms, the Slytherins lounged on the couches by the fireplace while Cyrna tucked herself away in a corner with her Transfigurations textbook. She had covered the theory of the subject with the Flamels, but she had never actually practiced the spells. This hadn't worried her because she had never struggled with the other spells for duelling, but that nonchalance rapidly evolved into alarm when she failed her first Transfigurations lesson at Hogwarts.

"Well, I may have struggled, but at least my match turned somewhat silver… unlike someone's," Draco said loudly, so Cyrna could hear from where she sat.

"You keep forgetting, Draco dear, that her blood is different from ours," Pansy crowed with vicious glee, "you can't expect her to perform as well as us."

Daphne was silent while the others jeered.

"Maybe she just needs time," Theodore drawled, "I know I couldn't do it on the first attempt."

"Yeah, but Theo, you should've seen McGonagall's face when Raine tried. Nothing—the needle didn't even twitch!" Pansy exclaimed.

"Theodore," Theodore corrected coldly.

Draco smirked. "Yes, that must have been the highlight of my day—"

Cyrna blocked them all out as she focused on her text. But try as she might, she couldn't figure out where it had gone wrong. She was confident that her wandwork was perfect, as was her enunciation of the spell. She had enough magic for it... so what was the issue?

"How is it going?"

Looking up, she saw Daphne hovering near her, uncertain of her welcome. The rest of the Slytherins had disappeared somewhere. For dinner, most likely.

Cyrna hesitated. "I'm pretty sure I'm doing everything right."

"... Well, you've got to be doing something wrong," Daphne answered dryly, "otherwise you'd be able to transfigure the matchstick."

"That's the issue, isn't it?"

Daphne watched curiously as Cyrna sunk deep into thought. Just as she was about to excuse herself and leave Cyrna to it, Cyrna's head snapped up. Blue—so crystalline that she thought she was hallucinating the glow—captured her own. Daphne sucked in a quick breath, enthralled despite the shiver of fear tingling her spine.

Then the glow was gone.

"What?" Daphne asked dumbly.

Cyrna blinked. "I said that I've crossed out one of the three potential reasons, but I need your help to eliminate one more."

They stared at each other in silence.

"So..." Cyrna prodded. "Want to help?"

What in Merlin's name—Daphne met Cyrna's gaze again, but nothing unusual happened. Daphne shifted warily, but she couldn't deny that she was intrigued. "Depends. What do I have to do?"

"I just need you to cast the transfiguration spell for me, in slightly different ways. Do you know anywhere quiet?"

....

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