Animagus

After entering third year, the Transfiguration textbook changed from "Elementary" to "Intermediate."

The Guide to Intermediate Transfiguration was no longer limited to object transfiguration, but covered the more difficult transfiguration of living creatures.

For example, turning a beetle into a pipe, or turning a textbook into a tabby cat.

"Even more difficult than transfiguring living creatures is Human Transfiguration." Professor McGonagall glanced at the clock on the wall.

She had covered most of the main material, so she could briefly mention what they would study in their sixth and seventh years.

"The most profound technique in Human Transfiguration is the extraordinarily difficult Animagus transformation."

After saying that, she transformed before the entire class into a tabby cat with square markings around her eyes.

But the students did not react much. They were clearly still agonizing over Trelawney's seven predictions.

With a pop, Professor McGonagall transformed back into herself.

"I say, what is wrong with you all today?"

She looked somewhat disappointed. "This is the first time my transformation has failed to earn everyone's applause. It seems I will have to work harder from now on."

The students laughed.

Vincent, who was laughing the hardest, raised his hand. "Professor, we just finished Divination class, and Professor Trelawney, she—"

"Ah, I understand." Professor McGonagall pursed her lips. "Mr. Wayne, which one of you will die this year?"

The students all looked at Vincent and Harry.

Countless journeys filled with trials and suffering were one thing; the terrifying omen of death was another.

"I understand." Professor McGonagall stopped pursing her lips.

"Ever since Sybill Trelawney came to teach at this school, she has made a death prediction for one student every year.

Yet so far, not a single one of them has died.

She likes to greet every new class with phrases like ill omen and misfortune. If I were not someone who never spoke ill of my colleagues—" Professor McGonagall suddenly closed her mouth.

She quickly calmed down. "Divination is the least rigorous branch of magic.

To be honest, I have very little patience for it.

True seers are exceedingly rare, and Professor Trelawney..." Professor McGonagall paused again.

She glanced at Vincent. "You all remember the dueling tournament from the year before last, do you not?

Professor Trelawney predicted that Mr. Wayne would lose terribly, but in reality, it was Mr. Flint who lost all face."

The students burst into laughter again.

He had literally fallen flat on his face.

"Honestly, I would rather believe that the two of you are going to encounter something good."

Amid the laughter, the first Transfiguration class of the new term came to an end.

Professor McGonagall picked up her textbooks. "Mr. Wayne, please come to my office."

Vincent stopped laughing and followed behind her with a miserable expression, gradually walking away.

Lavender stood up and suddenly screamed, "The prediction came true!"

The students who were preparing to leave the classroom stared at her blankly.

"Vincent was called to the professor's office. This must be the beginning of his 'journey'!"

"Impossible." Hermione turned back. "Professor McGonagall is not petty."

Lavender was instantly left speechless and muttered quietly, "Then what about Neville's teacup...?"

Hermione looked at the few students who had begun to panic and explained:

"Professor Trelawney merely used simple psychological suggestion and guidance to make Neville unconsciously believe that he would break his teacup..."

From a psychological perspective, a person could influence another person's thoughts and behavior through subtle or indirect means.

Suggestions could be divided into suggestion from others, self-suggestion, behavioral suggestion, environmental suggestion, verbal suggestion, and so on.

In terms of effect, they could also be divided into positive and negative suggestions.

For example, before a child went to bed, his mother might tell him, "You played all day, so be careful not to wet the bed."

If it happened, it might seem as though she had predicted it, but it was merely a negative verbal suggestion.

"Think carefully. Didn't Professor Trelawney start dropping all sorts of hints from the very beginning?"

Lavender was rendered speechless.

Her former longing for Divination class shattered like a mirror dropped to the ground.

Ron, standing by the door, said disdainfully, "Harry, I told you she had to be a fraud."

Had she been?

Probably.

Harry was visibly much more relaxed. "Let's go. After lunch, we have Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures class."

After that reasonable and well-supported explanation, their good moods returned.

The students noisily headed downstairs toward the Great Hall.

The Transfiguration professor's office.

Vincent was not worried that Professor McGonagall would call him to account for petting a cat at the podium. He was worried that the new term might bring extra homework.

"Am I really that frightening?"

"No, Professor. You are the nicest person. Why would I be afraid of you?"

Professor McGonagall shook her head, half amused and half exasperated. "How is your Human Transfiguration practice going?"

Vincent let out a sigh of relief. "I have barely reached the beginner level. I can now maintain two or three body parts."

"How long can you sustain it?"

"About an hour."

Professor McGonagall nodded. "That is about what I expected. You can begin studying Animagus transformation now."

Animagus transformation was the most profound magic in Transfiguration.

After mastering it, one could completely transform into a fixed animal form without any time limit.

The benefits were naturally numerous, but if the transformation failed, one would become an irrational beast like a blood demon orc.

If not for the existence of the Time-Turner, even someone with the highest talent would need to prepare for three to five years in order to reduce the risks.

Vincent's eyes gleamed.

Five years could be shortened to four.

Four years could become two, and even one year was not impossible.

Professor McGonagall pursed her lips and poured cold water over his enthusiasm.

"I must remind you, Vincent, that the use of the Time-Turner requires strict adherence to the rules."

Vincent immediately put on a stern face. "Professor, I absolutely will not let anyone discover me, I absolutely will not change the past, and I absolutely will not go back more than five hours."

His solemn assurance made Professor McGonagall relax her pursed lips.

"You should know the steps very well, but I believe the first thing you need to do is ensure that no accidents occur."

The deeper his understanding of Human Transfiguration, the safer his first Animagus transformation would be.

"Professor McGonagall, you know my character."

Merlin would not favor the same person forever.

He had only just reached the threshold for learning it; it was not as if he could master it with absolute certainty.

Professor McGonagall's lips curved slightly upward. "Vincent, I completed my Animagus transformation under Professor Dumbledore's guidance."

"While you were at school?"

"Yes."

Vincent suddenly felt as though he had been set up.

At the end of last term, Dumbledore had hinted that he should obtain permission to use the Time-Turner this term.

Given how well that old bastard Dumbledore knew him, he could certainly guess that Vincent would make sensible use of the Time-Turner without breaking the rules.

The user might go back in time, but they themselves could not be reverted.

Learning future lessons ahead of time was not a problem. Improving his magical ability by leaps and bounds was not a problem. Shortening the time needed for his growth was even less of a problem.