Mr. I Don't Understand, Miss Know-It-All, Explosive Prodigy

At two in the afternoon, the Transfiguration classroom was already full of students.

This class was once again shared by Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Andy saw that Neville, who had missed a Charms Class, was here as well, but Harry and Ron were still nowhere to be seen.

He wondered if they had been hospitalized.

A Tabby Cat sat perched on the teacher's desk, staring at Andy for a full ten minutes.

Hermione had become interested in the cat as soon as she entered the classroom. Delighted, she asked, "Is this the Tabby Cat Professor McGonagall keeps?"

After saying that, she had even been about to go over and pet it.

Fortunately, Andy stopped Hermione in time, preventing a terrible mistake.

Having seen the movies, Andy naturally knew that the cat was Professor McGonagall.

After living in the Wizarding World for so many years, Andy fully understood just how advanced Animagus Transformation was.

To put it bluntly, any wizard who had mastered Animagus Transformation possessed exceptionally high attainments in Transfiguration.

Professor McGonagall's skill was unquestionably impressive based on that alone.

As class drew near, Harry and Ron rushed into the classroom in a panic.

So they had not been hospitalized.

"Looks like we're not late. The professor isn't here yet," Harry said with some relief. He did not dare imagine the consequences of being late—Professor McGonagall was the head of Gryffindor House.

"Is that the cat Professor McGonagall keeps?"

Ron looked at the Tabby Cat on the desk and swaggered over. "George and Fred told me that Professor McGonagall keeps a cat."

Thank goodness!

Andy looked at Ron with immense relief. You're my savior! Yes, George and Fred really had said that.

Professor McGonagall clearly did not enjoy being petted. Before Ron could approach, the Tabby Cat leaped off the desk and transformed into Professor McGonagall in midair.

Ron's hand froze in the air. His eyes went blank, and his legs were already trembling with fright.

Professor McGonagall looked sternly at Ron. "You are late."

Ron forced himself to say something. "That was really cool."

"Thank you!"

Professor McGonagall was unfazed. "Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, it seems I should turn one of you into a Pocket Watch so that you can learn to keep time."

"Professor, we got lost," Harry hastily explained.

"Then I'll turn you into a map!"

Professor McGonagall shot the two of them a glare. "You do not need a map to find your seats, do you?"

The two quickly sat down.

"Transfiguration is the most complex and dangerous subject at Hogwarts. Anyone who misbehaves in my class will be asked to leave, and will never be allowed back."

"I have warned you."

Professor McGonagall opened with a show of force. She transformed the podium into a pig, then changed it back amid the Little Wizards' astonished gasps.

Impressive! Andy praised inwardly.

Professor McGonagall's technique was truly superb.

Helen could also transform objects into animals, but the animals Helen created clearly lacked intelligence and looked no different from inanimate objects.

The pig Professor McGonagall had transformed, however, was lifelike, as though it were a real pig.

This involved more than just Transfiguration. Perhaps it also involved techniques for granting intelligence to inanimate objects.

Professor McGonagall's demonstration had clearly piqued the Little Wizards' interest. What awaited them, however, was a lengthy stretch of theory and at least eight inches of Transfiguration notes.

Professor McGonagall loved asking questions in class, and Hermione could always answer every one of them precisely, earning the reward of "One point to Ravenclaw."

This made Professor McGonagall's gaze toward Hermione extremely complicated.

Damn it!

Why wasn't this kind of Little Wizard in Gryffindor?

Wasn't the Sorting Hat Gryffindor's hat? When exactly had it thrown itself into Ravenclaw's arms? After finishing the theoretical material, Professor McGonagall swept her gaze around the classroom and habitually asked, "Does anyone have anything they do not understand?"

Andy quickly raised his hand.

Professor, I don't understand.

Every Little Wizard in the classroom turned to look at Andy. They knew he was about to ask questions they would not understand again.

"Mr. Collins, go ahead." Though Professor McGonagall was rather strict, she was clearly a qualified professor.

Professor McGonagall had only explained the principles of transforming wood into metal during class, so Andy naturally could not ask about anything unrelated to this lesson.

After organizing his thoughts, Andy asked, "Professor, wood and iron are two completely different substances, yet iron created through Transfiguration possesses all the properties of iron—does that mean magical power itself can imitate those properties?"

"Second, what is the principle behind magical power altering a substance's structure? Magic is amazing, but I believe there should be a reason behind all of this."

"And..."

Andy asked four or five questions in succession, then waited eagerly for Professor McGonagall to resolve his doubts.

Professor McGonagall froze for a moment.

These questions were beyond the curriculum!

"You are already very close to the answers, Mr. Collins."

Professor McGonagall explained, "Many wizards renowned throughout history have said that the highest realm of magic is making whatever one wishes become reality, but it cannot create something from nothing."

"Magical power can indeed imitate the properties of matter, but it must rely on other substances to complete the transformation."

"If you wish to learn more about Transfiguration, you may read more books on the subject."

Professor McGonagall answered all of Andy's questions, and Andy readily said, "I'm reading books on the subject, Professor!"

Hermione secretly rolled her eyes at Andy. Liar again. You've clearly been reading books about Charms.

"Do you have any other questions, Mr. Collins?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"No. Thank you, Professor." Andy returned to his seat.

"What about everyone else?"

No! All the Little Wizards shook their heads together.

Professor McGonagall handed everyone a matchstick and told them to use Transfiguration to turn it into a needle.

Andy lightly tapped the matchstick with his wand, and it instantly became a needle. Showing off a little, Andy even carved beautiful patterns onto it.

"Mr. Collins has succeeded. Two points to Ravenclaw."

Professor McGonagall held up Andy's transformed needle for the other Little Wizards to see. "You all entered school in the same year. You must not fall too far behind Mr. Collins, or you will appear very foolish."

Andy was dumbfounded.

So this was the kind of person you were, Professor McGonagall.

Not only had Professor McGonagall used Andy's achievement to motivate the other Little Wizards, she had also conveniently drawn their resentment toward him.

As expected, women held grudges.

All I said was that you kept a Tabby Cat, tricking the other Little Wizards into petting you! They didn't even get to pet you, so what was the big deal?

Professor McGonagall clearly understood Gryffindor very well. Her provocation worked exceptionally well on the Gryffindor Little Wizards.

The instant her words fell—

BOOM!!! An explosion rang out.