Harry was quite familiar with Animagi, especially since there were several among the Ash Serpent faction. They often transformed into wolves or big cats, such as tigers and leopards—forms that were both aggressive and agile.
The downside of becoming a beast, however, was that it allowed Harry to cast ancient magic on them without any psychological burden. His favorite spell involved shrinking the animal down and then stomping on it with a swift and final stomp. While it wasn't the most sanitary approach, it was undoubtedly stress-relieving.
For reasons Harry couldn't fathom, the Ash Serpent followers would always scream in terror upon witnessing this magic. Was it because they didn't like it?
Before long, the classroom began to fill up with students arriving one after another. Perhaps due to observing that no one dared approach the cat, the new students only observed curiously from afar, not one of them brave enough to step closer.
Once everyone was seated, the cat leaped forward. In a flash, it transformed into Professor McGonagall, who now stood before them in her emerald green robes.
"That was amazing!" Ron instinctively exclaimed.
"Thank you for your compliment, Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall responded.
This extraordinary introduction immediately captured the young wizards' interest. They all straightened up in their seats, eagerly anticipating the start of their Transfiguration lesson.
"Transfiguration is one of the most complex and dangerous branches of magic you'll learn at Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall began. "Anyone caught misbehaving in my class will be asked to leave and will never return—I'm warning you now."
"I'll bet, Harry," Ron whispered, "she was thinking of Fred and George when she said that."
Professor McGonagall shot a stern glance at Ron before proceeding to transform her desk into a pig and then swiftly back again.
The students were enthralled, wishing they could start practicing such magic right away. However, they quickly realized that turning furniture into animals was a skill that would take a long time to master. For now, they had to settle for taking down a mountain of intricate notes before being handed a matchstick and instructed to transform it into a needle.
For Harry, this task was a breeze. With a flick of his wand, he transformed the matchstick into a needle adorned with elegant patterns.
"Wow, that's amazing!" Ron exclaimed instinctively.
"Mr. Weasley?" Professor McGonagall's stern voice interrupted. "No talking during class!"
"But, Professor," Ron argued, "Harry just turned his matchstick into a needle in one go..."
Hearing this, Professor McGonagall approached and examined Harry's work. Sure enough, it was a perfectly transformed needle.
"Excellent transfiguration," she praised. "Five points to Gryffindor for Mr. Potter."
The class erupted into applause, partly because of Harry's skill and partly because Gryffindor had earned points—a rare occurrence, as even the first years understood how easy it was to lose points and how difficult it was to earn them back.
Harry, however, remained composed, gracefully thanking Professor McGonagall. If I couldn't manage this after six years, I might as well quit, he mused.
McGonagall allowed herself a rare smile as she looked at Harry's green eyes, which reminded her so much of his mother.
By the end of the lesson, only Hermione had managed to produce any noticeable changes in her matchstick. While her transformation was commendable, it earned Gryffindor just two points—a significant achievement but still overshadowed by Harry's performance.
As the class ended, Hermione hurried over, inserting herself between Harry and Ron.
"Harry, how on earth did you do that?" she asked, her rapid-fire speech making her excitement clear. "The professor just explained, and you immediately turned your matchstick into a needle!"
"Well, Harry is the Chosen One," Seamus said from behind them. "You didn't really think the Chosen One would be ordinary, did you?"
Oddly enough, Seamus's logic was enough to convince Hermione. After all, if Harry weren't special, how could so many books have been written about him?
The group made their way to the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table.
"Harry," Neville asked hesitantly, "how did you do it? Can you teach me?"
"It's not too difficult," Harry replied, draining his goblet of juice and drawing his wand. "Take this cup as an example. If I wanted to turn it into a bowl, I'd start by picturing the bowl clearly in my mind. Then..."
As Harry spoke, the goblet transformed into a beautiful blue-and-white porcelain bowl.
"Wow," Neville gasped, eagerly pulling out his wand. He aimed at his cup, and with a flash of light from the wand tip, it managed to swell slightly in the middle.
"That's a great start, Neville!" Harry praised. "Getting the object to begin transforming is a solid foundation. Just remember, the stronger your intent, the better the result... Oh, nice work, Ron!"
To Harry's left, Ron had successfully turned his cup into a stemmed bowl. Considering he was working with a wand that didn't suit him perfectly, it was an impressive feat.
Harry thought to himself that a new wand would make an excellent Christmas gift for his best friend.
Ron beamed at the compliment but also looked a bit frustrated. "I was trying to make a regular bowl, but this is the best I can manage."
"Believe in yourself," Harry encouraged. "Faith in your abilities is the best magic of all."
Bolstered by Harry's words, Ron picked up his wand again and cast the spell. This time, the result was much closer to the bowl he had envisioned.
"Nicely done, Ron," Seamus cheered. "Now, watch this!"
Harry had a sinking feeling as Seamus raised his wand.
Sure enough, with a loud bang, Seamus's cup exploded spectacularly, soaring into the air before landing in pieces in front of them.
"Well... in a way, it did change," Hermione said, picking up a fragment of the cup. "At least the opening is wider now."
The afternoon brought Herbology, taught by the stout Professor Sprout, who led them to the greenhouses behind the castle. There, they began learning about various magical plants and fungi and their uses.
For Harry, Herbology had always been one of his best subjects. Back in the 19th century, Hogwarts' Herbology professor had been none other than the school's most beautiful instructor, Professor Garrick, who wore her hair in two braids.
Harry couldn't deny that an attractive teacher could greatly enhance a student's enthusiasm for learning.
He had fond memories of the kind and graceful Professor Garrick, who always had a sisterly warmth about her. He often found excuses to ask her questions after class, and she was never annoyed. On the contrary, she had even taught him how to cultivate Chinese Chomping Cabbage.
Cassandra had often teased him about it.
"Look at him," she'd say. "Like a dog chasing a flying broomstick—it'll never catch it, and even if it does, it can't ride it."
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