Moody's normal eye reflected shock. Augustus's remarks about "transfiguration" seemed to hint at something deeper. How could he have noticed? Even Dumbledore hadn't detected it. What had given him away? And if Augustus had indeed uncovered the truth, why hadn't he exposed it? What stance did the Julius family heir truly hold between them and Dumbledore?
Moody coughed awkwardly, feigning composure. "Well, it seems I'm getting old. The Julius family certainly lives up to its name—one of its fourth-year heirs already has the power to stand against us." For a Slytherin with such immense potential and an influential family yet to declare loyalty, it was clear the Dark Lord wouldn't want to see him aligning with Dumbledore. Offering goodwill and drawing him in were the best strategies.
Augustus glanced indifferently at Moody, who now seemed caught in a dilemma. With a flick of his wand, he transformed Draco back to his original form. The boy curled up on the cold stone floor, his pale blond hair disheveled around his flushed face. After a few moments, Draco shakily stood, trembling uncontrollably.
"Now, what you need to do is simple: apologize to Draco," Augustus stated calmly, his expression unreadable, his voice steady.
A ripple of astonishment spread through the crowd. Forcing a professor to apologize to a student? That seemed excessive.
"You're asking me to apologize to a student!?" Moody roared, his disbelief turning to fury. "Do you think this school belongs to the Julius family? Arrogant nobles! Don't think being pure-blood gives you the right to do as you please!"
"Fine," Augustus replied coolly, his demeanor unchanged. "If you won't apologize, we can always settle this another way."
With a graceful flick of his wand, a blue-tinged ray of light shot toward Moody. Sensing the threat, Moody shouted, "Protego!" A glowing shield appeared around him, halting the beam five meters away.
But Moody wasn't satisfied. Muttering rapidly, he conjured multiple layers of barriers, encasing himself in what seemed to be an impenetrable fortress of magical protection within a 20-meter radius.
Augustus smirked faintly, an air of disdain crossing his face. For the first time, he cast a spell aloud: "Mordentis Fractura." A green ray erupted from his wand, tearing through Moody's defenses as if they were paper. Each barrier dissolved instantly, and the ray struck Moody directly. His robes and wand vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a faint golden aura around him—a last remnant of his protective magic.
The gathered students stood frozen, staring at the now defenseless Moody, stunned into silence.
"What did you do?" Moody asked hoarsely, his voice tinged with bitterness.
"Just ensuring you don't resist further, so we can save time," Augustus said casually, as if discussing the weather.
He waved his wand again, and a beam of yellow light struck Moody, transforming him into a pure white sheep on the spot.
Harry could hardly process what had just happened. Ten minutes ago, a ferret had been writhing on the floor to his immense amusement. Now, the tables had turned, and a sheep had taken its place. How was this even possible?
The other students, regardless of their house, shared Harry's disbelief. A professor—disarmed, stripped of his wand, and turned into a sheep by a student? It was madness.
Draco's emotions were equally tumultuous. He had just endured the humiliation of being transformed into a helpless ferret. If not for Augustus, he would have suffered further disgrace. Now, however, it was Moody who was humiliated, paying the price for his earlier arrogance. Life's twists and turns had come at dizzying speed.
"What is going on here?" Professor McGonagall's voice rang out as she descended the marble staircase, arms full of books.
"Good day, Professor McGonagall," Augustus greeted her with a calm expression.
McGonagall nodded briefly, her sharp eyes sweeping over the scene before landing on the white sheep. "What's this sheep doing here? Whose pet is this?"
Hermione, looking utterly drained, hesitantly responded, "Professor, that's actually… Professor Moody."
"What?!" McGonagall gasped, rushing down the stairs and drawing her wand. With a sharp wave, she cast a spell, but the sheep remained unchanged.
"What's going on? Are you sure this is Professor Moody?" McGonagall asked incredulously, looking around for confirmation.
All eyes turned to Augustus. Meeting McGonagall's gaze, Augustus offered a polite smile. "Allow me, Professor." With a snap of his fingers, the sheep began to change, slowly morphing back into Moody's hunched, grizzled form.
McGonagall stared in shock. For a professor to be transformed within Hogwarts—who could have dared?
"Professor Moody?" she asked, stepping forward, her voice cautious.
Moody's magical eye swiveled to fix on Augustus. Saying nothing, he turned and limped away toward the castle.
McGonagall, baffled by his silence, decided not to press further. If Moody wasn't going to hold anyone accountable, it wasn't her place to intervene. "All right, everyone, disperse!" she ordered, dismissing the crowd.
"Augustus," Lilian said softly after the commotion settled. Her tone was filled with concern. "Wasn't this a bit reckless? Moody is still a professor. Offending him like this might not be wise."
"There's no need to worry," Augustus replied with a faint smile. "In the world of wizards, power is the only truth. Why could Moody act so brazenly toward Draco? Because he believed none of the students here could resist him. Arrogance and tyranny like his must be met with even greater defiance to remind him he is not above the rules." His silver eyes glinted coldly. "Villains like him need to be struck down with overwhelming force when the time comes."
Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon
https://patreon.com/Glimmer09