9 Uncontrolled magic

Knocking on Snape's office door, I waited.

It opens, showing Snape with a concerned look. "Come in, Mr Carter," he said. Snape's office was cramped with shelves with unsettling potion ingredients on display. Gliding around his desk, he sat down. On the desk, I saw the guitar. "Where did you find it?" He asked in a stern voice as I sat down.

"An abandoned classroom on the seventh floor", I replied. Snape raised an eyebrow at that. "Well, did you intend to do that magic on your classmates, Eddie?" Snape seemed to be undergoing a shift in motive.

"What magic, sir?" I was just playing a song.

"Hmm, tell me, Eddie, did you play a song on the guitar before coming into the great hall?" snape asked.

"Yes, I did", I answered.

"And how did you feel afterwards?" he asked.

"Happy and whole, and hungry, really hungry" I replied and frowned.

"I would assume so" snape said "that kind of spellwork should beyond your capacity, so you must of burnt up alot of energy" he explained.

"You mean I cast a spell while I was playing, and it wasn't the guitar?" I asked.

"Yes, I had my suspicion it was the guitar causing the effect, but after studying it, it is not enchanted." snape said "So it seems like you are the cause of the mind spell you put on your classmates."

"Mind spell?" I asked. This was getting bizarre.

"Tell me what the song was about. That you were playing in the Great Hall?" Snape asked.

"The innocence of childhood and being friends with classmates," I said with a shrug.

"And how was Draco and rest in class? More friendly, I suspect," Snape said.

"Yeah.." I drifted off, thinking about what Grant and Tim said.

"It seems to me, Mr. Carter, you and your magic love music and act up around it." Snape hypothesized, "So until you can get it under control, you will not play in public the wrong song could have disastrous effects. Do you understand?" he warned

I gulped and nodded.

"Good Friday nights. You will meet me here, and we will practice controlling it," Snape said.

"But, sir, wouldn't you be affected by my music?" I asked him

"Please, don't be so arrogant, Mr Carter, your music might be powerful, but it wouldn't affect me in the slightest." Snape scoffed.

"Sorry, sir, I was just concerned," I said.

"Well, take this thing and go" snape said, "and remember Wednesday is your first practical, I expect good things form you for bugging me all last month." He dismissed me.

Leaving the office I smiled I knew I had gotten under his skin. Slinging the guitar on my back, I headed back to my dorm to store it away. Dinner was just an hour away I could get some reading done in the mean time.

After dinner, my roommates and I headed to our room. They were shocked to see the black acoustic guitar sitting near my writing desk. "Got it back, did you?" Grant asked.

"Yeah Professor Snape said it's an ordinary guitar" I explained.

"So, the spell?" Grant asked.

"Mine, accidentally", I said as the three of us stared at it.

"You accidentally turned Malfoy nice?" Tim said.

"Yup," I said with a pop.

"So gonna play a song?" Grant asked.

"Can't", I sighed. "I can't control the magic yet; Snapes is going to help me on Friday nights."

"Why?" Tim asked.

"he's helping because my magic won't affect him. But I'm not sure about his motivation to help," I explained.

"Well, once you've gotten it under control, can you teach me?" Tim asked.

"Huh?" I looked at him. "You want to play the guitar."

"Well, I want music; I don't really know if I'll like the guitar." Tim said, "Dad used to be in a band when he was in high school."

"Sure, the room I found had loads of instruments," I said. "like it had everything, from drums to tubas." 

"What about a piano?" Grant asked. "I'd love to learn some new songs." 

"You too?" I looked at the prim proper Grant and thought that it actually made sense.

"I know some classical music; Mom made me take lessons," Grant explained.

"Sure, but let's wait till I got my magic under control," I said and sighed again. "Best to bed, good night".

The next day, we had transfiguration in the morning and charms in the afternoon; I had asked a second-year Ravenclaw after breakfast about the weird schedule because there seemed like a lot of free time. He had told me it was just the first week's schedule, lots of free time to explore the castle and get your bearings. We will get another schedule next week that will be jam-packed.

Grant, Tim and I where sitting a long desk in the transfiguration class, professor McGonagall was in her cat form, sitting on her desk waiting for students to fill in. We had this class with the Gryffindors, and everyone arrived pretty early. There was a chapter title on the backboard, so I opened my book and nudged Grant and Tim to do the same. the bell was just about to ring, and only two people were missing. Footfalls echoed down the hall and into the classroom.

"Whew! Made it! Can you imagine the look on McGonagall's face if we were late?" Exclaimed Ron. Just then, Professor CatGonagall leapt from the desk and, in mid-air, shifted back into a witch.

"That was bloody brilliant!" Ron said, shocked, and he was right. And the class agreed.

"Thank you for that assessment, Mr. Weasley. Perhaps it'd be more useful if I were to transfigure Mr Potter and yourself into a pocket watch. That way, one of you might be on time." Professor McGonagall quipped; I smirked, and so did Grant; Tim was just wide-eyed at the idea of getting turned into anything.

" We got lost," Harry explained

"Then perhaps a map? I trust you don't need one to find your seats." McGonagall gestured to some empty seats. "Today, students we'll be learning the bases of transfiguration. Turning one object into another." She waved here wand and the words <objectum verto> "this is the simplest incantation for object transformation, the hardest part is picturing and understanding the change. It's best to start small. So today, we'll be trying to turn matchsticks into needles." McGonagall's voice commanded attention. So the class got on its way as McGonagall came around and offered guidance here and there.

It was a tricky spell; I had just managed it before the end of class, and so had Hermione, we both got 5 points for our house. Hermione gave me a look as if she was angry with me. I'm unsure what for, but I decided I was not getting involved with the Golden trio yet.

Charms were next, with Ravenclaws. Professor Flitwick is probably my favourite Professor. Generally excited to teach and loves when people succeed. It was just the lumos spell today, and a handful of us could already achieve it. He asked us to help our neighbours, so I spent time educating Grant and Tim. Both achieve success at the end of class.

"Why are you good at spells?" Tim asked me at dinner.

"Hmm?" I asked with a chicken leg sticking out my mouth. Grant snorted at my antics, and I heard a chuckle from Goyle. "What do you mean?" I asked with my mouth empty.

"Well, you managed the transfiguration tasks and knew how to do Lumos," Tim said.

"Ah, read the magical theory book; it has a lot about controlling your magic and the basics of spell works," I explained.

Grant nodded at that. "Yes I did read some of that but it's a bit boring" he said.

"Yup, that's for sure, but the information is there. Remember, build your foundation strong, and your tower will be stronger," I said like a wise sage.

"Huh?" Tim questioned.

"He means if you learn the basics other stuff will come easy" Grant explained.

"So, read magical theory?" Tim asked.

"Yes," Grant and I said at the same time.