“I am glad you ask,” he replied. Samuel respected the combination of confidence and caution Themis displayed. It certainly boded well for this discipline of Alchemy.
“Yes, there are things to consider. A great amount of magic will be released at once, and it is imperative to keep the flow of it balanced and steady to ensure the integrity of the energetic structure. If there is a disruption, a phenomenon is bound to happen that we call a recoil, when all magic breaks out of the circle at once and wreaks havoc on its surroundings.”
That had happened many times over the course of Samuel Griffiths' career, especially towards the beginning of it. He had lived to tell the tale but was aware that the prospect of it might be frightening. It was the reason advanced transmutation had not been taught in practice in Hogwarts prior to his arrival. That was about to change.
“However, this shall not trouble us because I will not allow a full recoil to happen,” he assured her.

Stepping back towards the table, he said: “You see the runes that indicate where you place your hands. As soon as you do that and let your magic flow into the circle, you will feel it integrate into your field of awareness, like it becomes an extension of you. A quite remarkable sensation, really.”
He placed a piece of copper in the middle. This would be the material to transmute. It was pure and malleable, easy to control.
“Then you can attempt to change something about this piece of copper. You may find that you have a natural inclination towards a certain action. Most find it easiest to heat or cool the material, but maybe you will feel drawn to turn it liquid, alter the shape, or even transmute some of its properties. There is no way to know until you try. We have no goal right now, but to experiment.”

He looked up to her and felt a sense of anticipation. He was excited to see this. But first, he needed to do his due diligence to make sure she knew what she was getting into.
“Regarding the risk of a recoil; I will place my hands to the left and right side of yours, respectively, just outside of the circle. It is necessary that they are in light contact with yours so that I can connect and listen to the flow of magic without getting in your way, which would happen if I touch the lines directly. If I feel things becoming unstable, I will intervene and supply my own forces to balance everything out.” Meeting her eyes to make sure she understood the next point, he said:
“It is very important, whatever happens, that you do not break off your connection to the circle abruptly. When transmuting, we always have to sever supply to the circle in an orderly and controlled manner.”

He pulled back and removed everything from the table which they did not need, giving her some time and space to consider all of this.
“I want to assure you that there is no expectation on my side to achieve perfection on the first attempt. I certainly did not, when I started out. This is how I learned advanced transmutations as an apprentice, with my master safeguarding the process. I offer this to you because transmutation is one of the arts of magic that you can only truly understand the marvels of when you experience it.”
And it felt to him like she would value it, take something from this experiment that would take on its own life in her world.

The Homunculus appeared at their side, taking away their half-finished teacups.
“However, I understand if you would rather not attempt this. Take your time and let me know your decision.”

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Themis wouldn’t brag before knowing her odds, but balance was something she rarely lacked. It was that sort of principle that begins to lead a life. But it would be a waste of words to talk about it when she could prove herself proficient instead.

“I find it interesting that exploration not discovery seem so central to your art. Some practices seem too focused on a specific outcome. Perhaps they tolerate wonder, but it does not seem encouraged.” She meant no disrespect to her colleagues, there were multiple valid ways to teach a subject; Themis had a preference.

Themis was finding it difficult to appreciate his concerns for her sensibilities when they were so close to experimenting, but she was capable of patience. It wouldn’t do to disrespect his time and generosity or be rude to the subject matter. Still, she was eager to know his art and benchmark herself. What could she do?

"I will follow my curiosity, but remain in control. I trust you will guide me and I will follow your direction." She offered him her hands to make her intentions to clear.

“Show me, please.”

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Lou made magic!

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Samuel guided her hands to the correct position on the outer line of the transmutation circle and placed his own next to hers. The light contact of their skin would be enough for him to listen in. They were at opposite sides of the table—she, where he was accustomed to stand; he, looking at her.

He searched for Themis's gaze until their eyes met and said: "We are ready. Call on your magic and direct it through your hands into the circle. As soon as you have established the connection, you will know."

Other than a wand, which was an open conductor of magic pointed outwards, a transmutation circle was a closed system that had a backflow of energy into the body; it was a different beast entirely. It would feel like something snapped into place, and suddenly expanded the field of awareness beyond its physical boundaries.

"As soon as the copper suspends itself in the air, you have successfully established the system where the transmutation takes place," he said. "Then you can try to alter it."

As soon as she had accomplished that part, he would provide further direction. It was important now to not give too much information at once , he thought. She needed to focus.

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All hints of play disappeared as he took her hands and guided her into place at the table. She steadied her breath, placing her hands precisely, focusing on the form he'd displayed already. She could do this.

Themis closed her eyes for a moment, focusing on her intention, however vague it was.

"Alright, let's begin. She took a second to experience the space around her, her senses cataloging the world diligently. The magic in her blood was screaming for action, but Themis held herself steady before raising her eyes to meet Samuel's. At this moment, she wasn't dissecting him. He was all that stood between her and the unknown, her and oblivion. She was sizing up her partner and she was relieved that her inspection found him up to this task. Meeting his eyes for a moment, she allowed her emotions to play across her face, let him see her on the edge of success and failure.

Themis sucked in a heavy breath, the connection he mentioned faster than expected and hitting harder. For a second, she saw the universe; the underweaving of the pattern of the world was hers to see. The thought was gone before it finished forming, but she felt her body leaning against the table, eager to meet the magic at her fingertips. Magic danced through her veins like lightning, the world was both awe-inspiring and so simple to her eyes.

Remembering her task, Themis moved her focus and her thoughts to the copper between them. She didn't know what she planned for the metal; she had no real plan. Still, something told her what to do, the faint glimmers of possibility loud in her head. Eyes locked on the copper piece, slowly the solid surface began to melt.

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   Samuel Griffith

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Lou made magic!

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The piercing quality of her eyes gave way for a moment and inverted, and Samuel felt pulled inwards, towards the feelings that ran below. The scope of his responsibility shifted into focus, but he did not feel afraid.

The runes and lines of the circle started glowing. His body reacted to the presence suddenly palpable in the air between them and shifted every fiber into alertness. He could hear, first like a faint echo, then with increasing clarity, the pulse of the magical structure that established itself as an extension of the magical pathways inherent to Themis Lyra.
"You've formed the transmutational structure. And it appears stable," he said. "It's fascinating how much the circle is influenced by the individual. It feels much different than mine or anyone's that I know."

Samuel closed his eyes, listening. Transmutation circles mirrored, to an extent, the magical supply system they were connected with—the Alchemist, or in this case, the astronomer.
His own system, he had been told, felt to others like its power was compressed to a coil, pulsating and undulating in the center of his body and then expanding outward suddenly and at a frightening speed and intensity when he started transmuting. It was highly unusual, Rosenberg had told him in his apprentice days with an expression that betrayed his uneasiness with it. Back then, when Samuel was listening in to the work of his master, it felt as though he put his hands on a steam engine: scalding, powerful, predictable.
Hers was unlike any he had come into contact with. It felt nearly cool to the touch, sharp yet airy, extraordinarily focused. That was fascinating. He wanted to close in, know more of it. But that was not his task. He was to give directions and to keep watch.

Already, she had figured out how to alter the piece of copper. He watched as parts of it turned liquid. The droplets suspended themselves in the air around it like moons in orbit.
"Excellent. Now the droplets of copper are in a very malleable state. Try to give a shape to one of them and then harden it. Conceptualize its qualities beyond the visual. Focus on how it is an object with depth and dimension, beyond being an image in your mind's eye."

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   Themis Lyra

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It would be difficult, under normal circumstances, to catalog the influx of sensations, but her concept of reality was being rewritten. She noted his praise and her resulting sense of accomplishment. Still, it was nothing compared to the energy coursing through her body, every nerve and cell seeming to participate in their activity. She knew control was essential, but she wouldn't deny herself this sensation.

Themis leaned into the table and the structure she was forming. Even though this exercise was new, her magic felt familiar. She had tasted her power before but had never felt her magic manifest like this. It was beautiful, cool, and clear as a winter morning. It moved without restriction, free and mobile, but the edges were sharp as glass, a warning against frivolous use. The magic flowed, but did so without veering or deviation. "Samuel, it's beautiful." She observed reverently as she gave more of herself to the structure. She felt something alongside her own magic, a strong presence, but it offered no resistance to the magic she channeled. She grinned as she identified Samuel's magic, which differed greatly from what had coursed through her. "You're warm." She mused, resisting the urge to explore further how their magic differed.

She turned her attention back to the copper suspended between them. For a moment, she let the copper dance, melting drops of copper now orbiting the central piece. She narrowed her focus, pulling her attention to the largest of the copper droplets. She imagined, there wasn't another word for her for this, the copper changing. She played with it, allowing the piece to stretch and compress, allowing it to dance before turning her intentions to solidity. "I could lose entire days to this." And she meant it.

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   Samuel Griffith

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Lou made magic!

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"Keeping this up for days might be challenging fate," he answered.
Samuel stared at the pieces of copper shifting and changing shape in the air, then turning solid. At the same time, his body was listening to what his eyes could not see. He could feel the vibration and consistency of her magic projected into this space, could trace its cold lines and spires. They really felt sharp. He felt as though they might cut into him, if he were to press down on them.
"You are doing very well. Can you change its temperature?"

The flow of energy out of her left and right side was in balance. No disturbance, no wavering in concentration threatened its stability.
Yet he must not permit his vigilance to lessen; the circle he had engraved into the table was not meant for beginners; it was complex and large in diameter to allow for powerful transmutations. It also required a high volume of energy to upkeep.
He felt her lean in and increase the amount of power she was supplying. Samuel felt himself tense up. Here lay dangers. He closed his eyes and took measure of the invisible structure of magic between them, ascertaining its destructive potential.
They had already entered into the territory, he decided, where a sudden recoil of all the energy that was at work could harm them.

Samuel had the suspicion that, much like for himself, for Themis it was not keeping balance and focus that would present a challenge, but withstanding the strain transmutation put on the body. The longer they kept at this, the more grew the likelihood that she would experience stutters and sudden short drops in the supply of her magic, as her system struggled to keep up with the demand. His own body had adapted over the decades, but he had to remember that she was new to this.
Nonetheless, he did not want to caution her prematurely and take her out of her experience.
Samuel decided then that he would trust himself. When she found her limit, he would react quickly enough to prevent any harm. Maybe it was better if she felt it viscerally, that there were limits. Otherwise it would be so exhilarating, so easy to believe that there were no bounds to what could be accomplished. He knew that.

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   Themis Lyra

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"Challenging indeed."It took a moment for her to recognize the prickling at her hairline, the tiny beads of sweat curling the stray wisps escaping her braid. This exertion was unexpected, but Themis was unafraid of work. She enjoyed physical challenges, but it had been decades since she could remember her magic tiring her. While called willowy more than once, Themis has toned her body through the ritualistic devotion she gave to her morning swims. The thought of her morning ritual brought recognition, wonder, and a bit of emotion.

"I recognize this; the way my magic feels. It's a distinct moment, an action, and an emotional response." She allowed her discovery to steady her heart rate and moderate her breathing. "There is a moment in swimming, just before breaking the surface when everything comes into focus. It is a moment of perfect stillness while still in motion. Below me are depths I've never reached and was never meant to. If I look up past the surface, I know the same can be said of the heavens. I am in balance with all things until the ache in my lungs begins. I can resist it for minutes, but eventually, I must breathe, and it is the first gasp at the surface that confirms that I am a living being."

Themis raised her eyes to consider the orbiting metallic structure, pride blooming in her chest at what she accomplished in this attempt. Careful to change the quality and not the quantity of her magic in this move, she set her thoughts to the temperature of the metal. She inclined to cool, and, almost as the thought formed, the metal itself seemed to compress, becoming visibly brittle. Using what little intuition was forming in her attempt, she pulled back gently to avoid shattering the copper."You gave me that feeling just now, and I am most grateful."

She gave herself another moment with her experiment, flexing the copper just a bit more to prove that she could. "I wish to continue, but I do not think it wise." It was as close as she could come to asking for this to end.

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   Samuel Griffith

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Lou made magic!

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Samuel watched the copper keep changing and shifting. They were at five, six alterations now. Customarily, he would go no farther than five at a time. His mouth formed an expression that was half between a smile and half between something he wanted to say, but did not. Perhaps a word of warning. The amount of magic that was contained in the transmutation circle kept increasing, with no way to escape it. He could feel the change of pressure in the air. It made the hair on his arms stand.
On her end, the strain of what she was doing crept up on her. There was a slight unsteadiness in her breathing and heartbeat, reverbarating trough her magic, that for a moment sent a shiver through the structure. But before he could move, she had somehow caught herself. Only when Themis started to speak again, he understood.
"You are a swimmer too. I now understand better how you sustain this", he said, even though he knew that was not what she had meant to say.
He saw her flex the form of the copper yet again, bringing them to seven alterations. Just when he started to doubt if he could permit this to continue, Themis posed that question herself.
"You are right, we need to end this transmutation and dissolve its magical boundaries. The most difficult and most dangerous point of our experiment is yet ahead of us”, Samuel said.
“You have done seven alterations, if I counted correctly. Each of them increased the amount of magic trapped in the circle and built up pressure that could spell disaster if released in an uncontrolled manner. That can happen easily, while you pull back and sever the supply. It is the point at which many in your place suddenly find themselves past their own limits, with nothing to bring them back."

He steadied himself on his side of the table and looked at her. I have not prevented you from diving this deep despite the danger that lies below, he thought. It is my responsibility to bring us back to the surface.
"Your control is extraordinary. I do not say this to flatter you. Nontheless, I think it unfair to put it upon your shoulders to ensure our safety from here on. I will join you in a moment. While you retreat from this circle, I will supply my own magic to keep it stable. Then I will dissolve it." He let a moment pass for her to take in this information. But at this point of the process, the stakes were too high to lose more time.
"We will need to achieve a degree of synchronicity for this to succeed. Please, look at me. When I enter the circle, it might create a startling sensation. You must keep yourself steady in that moment."
The Alchemist's dark eyes locked onto her. A profound gravity now filled them.
"As soon as you are ready, say so."

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She was surprised to learn he was also athletic, but missing such a thing felt silly. Perhaps it was knowing that the measure of a man rarely laid so close to the surface. Samuel was built like a sculptor who took their time with him, all chiseled lines and angles. Themis hadn't known he was an athlete, but it did further raise her estimation of her new colleague.

Ending the magic flowing through her sounded like punishment, but the slight quiver in her arms spoke of the strain the magic was taking. She listened intently, knowing that he wasn't warning her lightly. He had been clear about the dangers ahead, and she took the risks willingly. She would not turn coward now. She would not disappoint. Themis met his gaze, and what he spoke took no words. She understood her role in this and would play it well.

"I understand, and I am ready." Taking strength from his determined expression, she nodded decisively before leaning into the magic and, to the best of her ability, calling the magic back to herself. She was hyperaware of the weight of his magic, the now opposite force in her circle. She could not be distracted, could not falter.

"I won't let you down. I can hold it." Despite the burn in her muscles, she intended to hold her own.

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Lou made magic!

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“I know”, he answered and meant it.
Samuel moved his palms on top of her hands and the runes beneath them, that permitted him to enter the circle fully.
His magic unfurled from the tight coil below his ribs and expanded rapidly into the space between them. There was nothing light or airy about it; instead, it was a dense and heavy force. Not hot enough to burn, but carrying the cloying warmth of a fever. What set it apart was not precision and balance, like hers, but speed and impact; the driving power within it.
Samuel leaned forwards and put a bit of weight on their hands. This sudden invasion might feel unpleasant to her, he was not sure. He could not permit a startle reflex to break their contact to the circle even for a second; this was a critical moment.

But she held herself steady. “Good. Now all you need to do is permit your magic to be driven back by mine replacing it. Slow and steady.”
While he felt her retreating, he got to work on dissolving the energetic structure of the circle in tiny, systematic increments.
The copper piece slowly descended towards the table. Something was moving in the air. It rustled the strands of hair that had fallen into their faces while working, like a breeze had suddenly come into the room.
Then it was done, and it was over. He let go and stepped back. Suddenly, he was aware again of the space around him and the sun outside the windows.

“Sit. We should sit.”, Samuel said and with a flick of the wand called forth two chairs to them. “It is a very taxing kind of work. While the body struggles to regain what it has just lost, it is better to forgo further exertion for a few minutes, to avoid lightheadedness.”

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   Themis Lyra

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Threadlog

It was strange, that magic could vary so much between two people. She welcomed his hands atop hers, and was grateful for the guidance he offered, but the weight of them quickly became something more than physical. This was not a gentle meeting of magic. While she had a taste of his own presence and knew better than to panic, her own magic was far more reactive. It was the shock of his strength that most startled her. Themis was prepared for the heat of him and even the force behind his power, but his pressure set the hairs on the back of her neck prickling. She was grateful both for his warning and for the weight of his hands on hers. No matter how hard she tried, there was no way she could remain fully neutral as he began to pour into them both. His magic was too potent, too different to ignore.

Still, she felt the warmth of his approval when he spoke, her focus entirely on a safe exit from this creation. She found a way to move her magic, call it back into herself without the feel of desertion. She was not abandoning their experiment, only resting before further examination. On this, she was sure. She would be back to feel this again, but for now, she needed her power to be disciplined and cooperative.

When the spell broke, Themis found herself at a horrible loss. The force of magic singing in every cell was gone, as was the warmth of her companion. Her new ability to see the fabric of the universe had dulled to normal human vision, and she was suddenly worried about her ability to stay upright. Taking a seat, fine collapsing, into the summoned chair was unsettling, Themis' own estimation of her strength shaken. Still, all she could think, as she fought a wave of nauseous energy, was "That was incredible. Absolutely incredible. I cannot believe we did that."

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   Samuel Griffith

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Lou made magic!

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“I can hardly believe it myself,” he answered with a smile. At times, he surprised himself with the foolish risks he took, guided solely by the voice of his intuition. It had told him once that she would succeed—only once—then it retreated into silence. And that had been enough for him.
But strangely, in his life, giving in to these feelings and hunches had led him to the greatest rewards.

He looked at Themis with quiet watchfulness. She was very pale right now, but he left her to wrangle the physical reaction she was likely experiencing without commenting directly; he certainly knew what it was like and understood instinctively that she had a strong need to have her dignity remain intact.
It was not that he had always succeeded in keeping his: once, he had pushed himself so far that he had blacked out for a few seconds after barely avoiding a recoil upon closing out the circle; he had split his head open on a table corner and still bore a small scar below his hairline. Not to mention ending up in St. Mungo's following his first attempt at 19 years old, all alone in his room.
She seemed to him a good deal less foolhardy.
“Transmutation takes a toll on the body if one is not careful. It is good that you have a habit of exercise already. It helps,” he said.
“There is a kernel of truth to the cliché image of alchemists as gaunt and haggard creatures; it is rooted in the common fault of not caring for the physical form in a profession that prizes itself so much more on Intellect, but demands so much of our energy.”
It was the pure amount of magic that was given to transmutations that likely caused this effect. The body took the resources for its replenishment from wherever it found them.

The Homunculus appeared beside them, offering them cups of water on a tray.

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His confirmation had her chuckling; this exercise was one that could have gone disastrously. There were plenty of ways that Themis could have proven unequal to this task, but Samuel had trusted her, or at least trusted his own skills to keep her from incinerating them both. The gravity of the experiment and her logical need to pick everything to pieces had her considering her own body. The muscles in her thighs were spasming like she'd run the castle stairs or swam for hours. Her arms were certainly heavier than they had reason to be, and her heart was still trying to settle into a post-exertion rhythm. It was humbling, how exhausted she was after the attempt, but it also brought a sense of accomplishment. She had faced a new experience and enjoyed herself, risked failure, and was rewarded. While she did not enjoy appearing fragile, her body was buzzing with electricity, her mood giddy even as she knew climbing to her tower now would be a mistake.


She laughed heartily at that. "I wager it takes a toll even when you're careful. How often do you expect the sixth years to faint, on average?" She joked, but also had the image of the school nurse levitating a classroom of overeager students to the Hospital Wing. On a more serious note, she observed. "I think it speaks to your love of your subject, your physical and intellectual devotion. It is admirable that you have committed to your craft completely." She did not need to gesture to the scars on his hands to make her point. She thanked his creation for the water, still unsure how to relate to it, but assuming kindness was still a firm policy.

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Lou made magic!

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Her giddiness somehow made him feel accomplished. “The sixth years,” he answered, “will start leagues smaller than you. Be assured that there is no comparison to what we did here today.”
With the tension of the experiment easing up and it all having gone so well; her having done as well as he could not have expected, new light seemed to have entered this room. Half-finished as it was, his attempt at a new life was laid out here in all its materials, still in the process of taking form. Samuel felt suddenly very proud of Themis, fond of her with an intensity that unsettled him and that he could not express by more than, perhaps, the gleam of his eyes.

“It is admirable that you committed to your craft completely,” she said. “I am not sure you will always think that,” he heard himself answer; With a smile, as if he was joking. He rose from his chair and stepped towards the windows to open them. What she had seen was merely the surface. Much like the scarred circles on his palms, it was just the tip of the monolith that lay still in the darkness. He thought that if she were ever to know how far he had taken it, or see what else he had done to his body in the process, she might not think it admirable anymore. He did not think it was admirable. And that possibility made him feel a twinge of melancholy.

Naturally, this meeting was drawing to an end. In a short time, when the excitement subsided, she would feel deeply exhausted; she would then want to leave to rest. “Take a few minutes until you feel steady,” he cautioned and went to the back of the room to get both of them a small bite to eat and recover a bit of her strength, before she departed.

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She had lost some higher level functioning because she was sitting in her collegue's office at the point of physical exhaustion and she felt superior to sixteen year olds. Yes, she was exhausted. Her tired grin dropped slightly as she took in his words. She wasn't unfamiliar with self-criticism, but he hinted at something far deeper than she felt capable of adequately addressing now. Still, she wouldn't let such a comment stand. "You may not be sure, but it would be unwise to doubt my admiration." She resisted the urge to push. Another time, when she had earned his confidence, was such a thing possible.

Hoping to end the evening on a brighter note, she finished her water and the refreshments he returned with. It took every ounce of self-restraint not to eat twice her share. She suddenly had the appetite of a growing teenager and was making peace with just how sore she would be come morning.

Testing her legs, Themis was unsurprised but frustrated to find herself dizzy upon rising. Bracing herself on the back of her seat, she gave a small groan of frustration. "It seems I am mortal after all. May I impose upon your kindness a few minutes longer and ask that you escort me back to the Astronomy Tower?" Incapable of feeling this helpless without further comment. "You are welcome to refuse, but I fear your companion would find it most inconvenient to drag me so far."

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   Samuel Griffith

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Lou made magic!

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