Tuesday Staff Interview

SFCorgi

This week we sit down for a very trans-formative conversation with SFCorgi who has placed all of us into the realm of pest control this month.

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself outside the cup.

A: I work full time as a business analyst, a.k.a. database hack. I am married and expecting a little one next March. We have a very balanced household, Hogwarts-wise. My husband is a Hufflepuff; my corgi, Tryst, is a Gryffindog; and my other dog, Radar, is a Slytherdog. It's any one's guess where the baby will be sorted.

If hobbies were a disease, I'd have to be hospitalized. In addition to knitting, designing, spinning, and a little bit of dyeing, I compete with my dogs in agility and am an avid gardener, canner and cook. Like all Ravenclaws, I often have my nose in a book. I even listen to audiobooks while I knit, thought I sometimes take a break and listen to a Radiolab podcast instead.

Q: Why Transfiguration?

A: I have loved Transfiguration since my first month in the House Cup, when we studied blocking, the art of turning a lumpy, bumpy knitted piece with uneven tension into a beautiful FO. But the possibilities in my field are truly endless. In fact, all crafting can be seen as Transfiguration. We can make things out of string that Muggles have to buy at the store!

Q: What is the most amazing or challenging transfiguration you've ever completed?

A: I am severely I.L.L. (I Love Lace) so all of my best transfigurations involved turning objects into shawls. I think my most impressive would have to be the time when I transfigured two balls of Yubina cashmere into Maplewing, a Faroese shawl by Anne Hanson. This project earned me a prize in detention my first term.

Q: What is your favorite part of being a professor? What is your least favorite part?

A: My favorite part of being a professor is definitely reading all of the great stories our students come up with when they turn in their homework. A well-executed story can turn a mere dishcloth into high comedy.

My least favorite part is that I can't give everyone 50 bonus points and a prize. It can be really hard to choose favorites from among the many creative and beautiful projects.

Q: If you could transfigure one thing in real life what would it be and why?

A: On days when I have a headache, I might be tempted to transfigure my dogs into footstools, assuming I could reverse it later. Footstools don't bark! But more seriously, I would try to master Vanishing. I could use this skill to vanish messes around the house, weeds, irksome people, traffic and bills. It's definitely the most versatile Transfiguration spell there is.

Thank you to SFCorgi for her time and tune in next Tuesday when that force from the North, Danemum introduces us to the herbological wonders of her world.