When a group of Ravenclaw students entered the Transfiguration classroom, Kyle followed them and moved towards the front with ease. Everything seemed natural and effortless. By the time they reached the second row, only one Ravenclaw girl remained between Kyle and the podium.
He was just one step away from his goal.
Kyle clenched the small bag of dried fish in his pocket, nervous on the inside, but managing to stay calm outwardly. His plan was in place; this was the moment he had been waiting for. But as Kyle was about to pull out the dried fish and finally unlock his long-anticipated achievement, he noticed something peculiar. The Ravenclaw girl in front of him seemed to have the same idea.
From his vantage point, Kyle could see her slowly pulling something green from her pocket.
"A cat toy?!" Kyle's thoughts screamed in panic.
His heart sank. If she took out the toy, Professor McGonagall—currently in her Animagus form as a cat—would surely change back into her human form. His carefully crafted plan, his dream of feeding Professor McGonagall some dried fish, would be ruined.
"Damn, I should've just gone for it right away!" Kyle cursed himself silently, his frustration overwhelming him. He wished he could rewind time, slap himself, and take the opportunity earlier. But now, there was no turning back. The moment had passed.
Sighing, Kyle moved to the left and casually sat down in the first row, acting as if he had always planned to be there.
Meanwhile, the Ravenclaw girl, whom Kyle was silently cursing, finally reached the podium. Just as she was about to pull the toy out entirely, the tabby cat on the desk twitched, gave a little laugh, and in an instant transformed back into Professor McGonagall.
"Miss Leona, while your kindness is admirable, a wizard must always maintain sharp awareness," Professor McGonagall said gently, but with authority, as she patted the girl on the shoulder and subtly pushed the cat toy back into her pocket.
The girl, clearly terrified, stammered, "P-Pro-Professor McGonagall..."
"Yes, it's me. If you had paid close attention, you'd have noticed that the markings around the cat's eyes are the same as the square glasses I wear," McGonagall said calmly. "Now, if you please, go back to your seat. Class is about to begin."
Leona, red-faced and embarrassed, quickly scurried back to her seat with the help of her Ravenclaw friends.
Professor McGonagall, to her credit, didn't reprimand her too harshly. To her, Leona's behavior was no more surprising than a student being late for class. She had been at Hogwarts long enough to witness countless first-years try to interact with her Animagus form—feeding her, petting her, and more. And she had foiled every attempt.
With a small flick of her wand, Professor McGonagall cast a calming spell on Leona, ensuring that her nerves settled. The girl immediately looked more relaxed, her trembling subsiding and her complexion returning to normal.
"Thank you, Professor McGonagall. I'm really sorry... it won't happen again."
McGonagall nodded and continued her way back to the podium, but not without casting a brief glance in Kyle's direction as she passed by. She suspected that Kyle had been considering something similar to Leona, but what stood out to her was how composed Kyle seemed. Unlike Leona, he didn't seem surprised at her Animagus transformation, which suggested that he had recognized her much earlier.
Maybe Weasley was wrong about Kyle, she thought. He did seem to be a diligent student after all.
Once she was back at the podium, Professor McGonagall addressed the class with her usual seriousness. "Transfiguration is the most complex and dangerous magic you will study at Hogwarts. Anyone who disrupts my class will be asked to leave and not return. Consider this your only warning."
Her stern words were met with immediate silence, and Kyle, who had been holding his breath, finally relaxed. He had narrowly avoided embarrassment, thanks to Leona's unintended distraction. If not for her, he might have been the one humiliated in front of the entire class.
Grateful for his stroke of luck, Kyle made a mental note to talk to Zhang after class. He wanted to ensure Leona got a free map, whether or not she intended to buy one. He couldn't let someone so kind leave disappointed.
With the relief of surviving his near-disaster, Kyle found it much easier to focus on taking notes. Even Gamp's Laws of Elemental Transfiguration, usually considered boring, seemed more interesting than usual.
While Kyle was enjoying his unexpected good fortune, Kanna, seated next to him in the first row, was feeling increasingly uncomfortable. She had deliberately chosen the front row to avoid sitting near Kyle, but somehow, here they were—side by side.
How had this happened? She thought the boy who arrived with Kyle had taken a seat at the back of the classroom. Why was Kyle in the front row now? She didn't know whether to laugh or cry at her misfortune.
Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall continued her lecture on the fundamentals of Transfiguration, oblivious to the turmoil in Kanna's mind.
"Now, remember," McGonagall said firmly, "Transfiguration is a highly precise branch of magic. When performing a spell, focus and control are essential, like this..."
With a flick of her wand, Professor McGonagall transformed the podium into a large pig. The animal was as real as could be—it snorted, ran around, and had all the proper cuts of meat. When it realized everyone was staring at it, it squealed in fear.
The class was amazed. For many, especially those who had only recently been exposed to magic, the sight of such a real creature being created from a mere podium was astonishing.
Every student in the room was captivated by the demonstration, eager to dive into their own lessons in Transfiguration.
(End of Chapter)
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