The Cat in the Transfiguration Classroom? Just Pet It!

Dylan played with Luna in the Owlery for a while and fed her a few strips of meat before returning to the Great Hall.

A few scattered students had also come in for breakfast.

Dylan had already eaten, so he sat in his seat and began reading.

When it was nearly time, he finally stood up and prepared to head for the classroom.

There was still half an hour before class started.

The reason he had come early was that he was worried Hogwarts' staircases would give the new students trouble.

Sure enough, as he climbed the stairs, they suddenly changed direction from time to time.

Dylan walked across them twice.

When he was about to reach the landing for the third time, the staircase trembled again, as if it wanted to turn in another direction.

Dylan narrowed his eyes and raised his wand.

"Petrificus Totalus—Body-Binding Curse!"

A surge of magic flowed out.

Dylan's control over this spell was not particularly strong.

When the magic took effect on the staircase, it only made it stiffen for a moment.

But taking advantage of that opening, Dylan still crossed the final step and jumped onto the landing.

The staircase stopped moving.

Dylan glanced at it before turning and entering the classroom.

By then, a few scattered students were already sitting in their seats.

Most of them, however, were sitting in the middle and back rows.

Dylan could not be bothered to walk farther in, so he went straight to the seat in the front row nearest the door.

Just after he put his things away and arranged the books he would need for class on the desk,

a Tabby Cat suddenly walked in through the doorway. Its steps were light and silent, yet it carried an indescribable elegance.

The instant she entered the classroom, those dark green eyes locked onto Dylan.

Dylan looked at her too.

"Hmm, what would happen if I pretended not to know Professor McGonagall's Animagus form and gave her a pet right now?"

The thought flashed through his mind.

Dylan stood up as if possessed.

"Wow~ What an adorable little Tabby Cat. Does someone keep you as a pet?"

He had been sitting right by the door, so he reached the Tabby Cat in two or three steps and crouched down.

The Tabby Cat froze, seemingly unable to react.

Before she knew it, her entire body had left the ground, and Dylan was holding her in his arms.

Feeling his palm move through her fur, the Tabby Cat instinctively narrowed her eyes in enjoyment at first.

But the next moment, she came to her senses, let out a cry, and began squirming restlessly.

Then she abruptly broke free of Dylan's embrace, tracing a yellow arc through the air before leaping onto the lectern and landing firmly.

She crouched there and glared back at Dylan, an unreadable light flickering in her green eyes.

Dylan tilted his head with an innocent look. "Whose little Tabby Cat are you, anyway?"

Muttering to himself, he returned to his seat.

"If I can't hold you, then forget it. You're really not cute at all."

"..."

Professor McGonagall almost failed to maintain her Animagus form.

She had been teaching for so long, yet never had a Young Wizard been so bold!

He had even dared to tease her!

After being hugged by Dylan, Professor McGonagall began considering whether she should leave first, change back into human form, and then come in again.

The Young Wizard was not embarrassed in the slightest, but she was starting to feel embarrassed for both of them.

After Professor McGonagall broke free from his arms, Dylan returned to his seat and continued flipping through the unfinished Concise Essentials of Transfiguration Spells.

Professor McGonagall glanced at him.

Seeing that Dylan was still so eager to learn, her foul mood improved somewhat.

Her head dipped downward, then gently bobbed up and down. Her furry ears twitched slightly, and her tail swayed from side to side.

Dylan was not looking directly at the Tabby Cat, but he still caught the sight from the corner of his eye.

"She's really... adorable!"

He quickly composed himself, withdrew all his attention, and focused on the pages before him.

However, another daring thought rose in his mind.

"I need to get Little Shadow's Ownership Permit sorted out as soon as possible."

The last time he bought the owl, he had gone to Diagon Alley again and asked about the more detailed process for applying for the permit.

However, if he handled it himself, it would be quite troublesome, so it would be best if he could entrust the matter to an adult wizard.

If an adult wizard who was also a Magizoologist wrote him a letter of explanation,

then obtaining the permit would be much easier.

Dylan had already chosen the adult wizard he wanted to ask.

Hagrid!

Hagrid himself was the Keeper of Keys and Grounds.

Besides, since he was not human himself, he understood almost every kind of creature. He was certainly a highly accomplished Magizoologist.

"Harry has a pretty good relationship with Hagrid. Looks like I'll have to build a good relationship with Harry too."

That way, he could use Harry to get in touch with Hagrid.

Hagrid loved Magical Creatures, so once he learned that Dylan was secretly keeping a Shadow Crow, he probably would not refuse to help.

More and more Young Wizards hurried into the classroom.

But Harry and Ron still had not arrived.

Not until the bell rang

did the two finally arrive, late as usual.

Professor McGonagall's catlike eyes narrowed from atop the lectern.

She leaped lightly.

Her body twisted sharply, and in the blink of an eye, she transformed into human form.

"What?!"

The Young Wizards around them all froze, their eyes widening as they stared in shock.

Dylan appropriately put on a stunned expression too.

He did not need to do anything right now. He could simply pretend to be clueless.

After all, he had already petted her.

Ignorance was no crime!

Professor McGonagall shot him a sideways glance but said nothing, instead turning her eyes toward Harry and Ron at the door.

The two boys were just as stunned. They had thought the professor had not arrived yet, so they could sneak in first.

Instead, a cat had suddenly turned into their professor, giving them both quite a fright.

"Late together. Very impressive. Perhaps I should turn one of you into a pocket watch, so you can tell what time it is."

Harry lowered his head and stammered, "Sorry, Professor. We didn't mean to."

Ron hung his head as well. "The school is too big. We got lost by accident."

Professor McGonagall remained expressionless. "Oh? Then perhaps I should turn you into a map, so you can find your way."

Harry: "..."

Ron: "..."

"I assume you don't need a map to find your seats, do you?"

Hearing that, Harry quickly pulled Ron along and sat down in the nearest seats.

They happened to be right beside Dylan.

Only then did Professor McGonagall return to the front of the lectern.

"Time is precious. Transfiguration will be the most complex and dangerous branch of magic you study throughout all your years here, and it must never be treated lightly or neglected."

Professor McGonagall's stern gaze swept across the entire room.

"If anyone dares disrupt my class, then you will never need to enter my classroom again!"

As her words fell, Professor McGonagall flicked her wand.

The lectern in front of her instantly transformed into a large pink pig.

"Gasp!"

The entire room drew in a sharp breath!