MAGIANIMA // Hermione Granger

Ruin

The box of mice squeaked quietly in her hold as Atlas carefully carried them to Transfiguration. They would be the subjects of the lessons in their continuation of the vanishing spell and Minerva had asked her to retrieve the little mice from her office before class started. It had taken her longer than usual to find them, the mice having been kept at the very back of Minerva's office rather than with the other animals of its likeness but she knew her godmother wouldn't scold her for it so she didn't worry.

On the contrary, the only worry she had was for the safety of the little mice, though the vanishing spell would cause them no harm nor pain, there was always the possibility they might not return from wherever a subject might go when afflicted with the spell. She sighed and nudged open the door to Transfiguration lightly, eyes remaining on the mice as she carried them to the front and gently set them on her godmother's desk with a smile.

She looked up, expecting Minerva's quiet thanks but instead, she caught a glimpse of the pink-clad woman behind her and felt instantly overcome with a feeling of icy cold. She swallowed and tore her eyes away, forcing her eyes to Minerva's deeply attentive ones, she had immediately caught onto her goddaughters worry and gave her an acknowledging nod, that small and reserved smile on her face that used to always soothe Atlas's churning stomach. It seemed to have lost its effect over the years.

"Atlas, please hand out the mice for the lesson," Minerva said softly and Atlas nodded quietly, picking up the box again and anxiously making her way down the rows of her classmates, delicately handing each of them one of their own mice. She came to Hermione and stopped a second when the girl placed her soft palm atop her hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

Atlas looked at her, their eyes locking into some quiet conversation that had Hermione smiling and Atlas offering a tentative one of her own. She moved further down the row and gave two of the final four away, Ron thanking her with a grin while Harry only smiled unsurely, nodding in appreciation. The mice remaining sniffed up at her curiously as she headed back to Minerva's desk.

"Now, the Vanishing Spell becomes more difficult with the complexity of the animal to be Vanished," Minerva began as Atlas chose her own, softly stroking down the mouse's front with a delicate finger. "The snail, as an invertebrate, does not present much of a challenge; the mouse, as a mammal, offers a much greater one." Minerva placed her hands on Atlas's shoulders and the girl placed her mouse on the desk, readying her wand. "Atlas will now demonstrate, as she did last lesson, the desired outcome of the Transfiguration we shall go through today."

"Hem, hem."

Atlas froze and Minerva's hands around her shoulders grew tense, the Transfiguration professor turning, a cold fury on her face, towards their High Inquisitor. Atlas keeping her gaze on her mouse, wand suddenly uncomfortable in her hand. She could vaguely feel the remnants of her old wand, broken, pressing against her leg in her pocket and shifted her weight to her other foot uneasily. She'd decided to keep them with her, she didn't understand nor did she know why, she just felt it was the right thing to do.

"Yes, Professor Umbridge?"

"Do you think it is wise to entrust a demonstration to your pupil?" Umbridge smiled, her hands clasped in front of her and back suddenly straighter, as if she'd become aware of the staggering difference in height between herself and Minerva. "Should that duty not be yours to complete? After all, many, many things could go wrong. As I find it hard to believe a mere student of the fifth year would be able to accomplish such a feat."

"Atlas is the best in the class," a sudden voice burst and Atlas went wide-eyed, looking over at Hermione, equal parts panicked just as she was pleased. The girl was pink-cheeked, as if she hadn't meant to speak the words with such indignation but she remained with her head held high and maintained her eye contact with their Inquisitor.