Professor McGonagall's Birthday Gift

Professor McGonagall waved her wand, and all the items in the Transfiguration Club classroom immediately returned to order and cleanliness.

"Do you know why I asked you to stay behind, Mr. Trollope?" She looked at Scott, who was standing to the side.

"Please rest assured, Professor," Scott promised. "Up until now, I have never delved into content beyond the textbooks."

Professor McGonagall looked into his eyes. "But you are very interested in Mr. Weasley's theories."

"I am indeed interested in the conjectures Mr. Weasley set forth in his paper," Scott said, meeting Professor McGonagall's gaze without flinching. "But I will not conduct in-depth research in that area until I have thoroughly mastered the knowledge within the scope of the school curriculum."

"That is good. I believe you, Mr. Trollope."

Professor McGonagall looked away first.

Having taught Scott for three years, she understood his usual study goals quite well. She knew he placed immense value on the fundamentals himself.

"That will be all for today."

Professor McGonagall turned and was the first to walk out of the club classroom.

Scott also left the classroom, and they exchanged goodnights in the corridor.

"Oh, by the way," Professor McGonagall stopped just as she turned. "Mr. Trollope."

"Professor?" Scott also stopped in his tracks.

"Professor Flitwick has boasted to me more than once about the birthday gift you gave him in advance. And if I recall correctly, his birthday is October 17th."

Professor McGonagall suddenly gave a playful wink.

"But I would like to remind you, Mr. Trollope, that your Transfiguration professor's birthday is more than ten days earlier than your Charms professor's."

After saying this, she walked into her office without looking back, leaving a somewhat dumbfounded Scott standing alone in the corridor.

Sigh, why do the professors at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry love to compare themselves so much? They are clearly all quite advanced in age.

Scott shook his head and turned to walk toward the stairs.

Since Professor McGonagall had given such a reminder, it seemed he had to prepare an equally thoughtful gift to make things right. Furthermore, forgetting Professor McGonagall's birthday was his own oversight to begin with.

But more importantly... he thought about it carefully; there were only five days left until Professor McGonagall's birthday on October 4th!

So, what would be a good gift?

Scott thought as he walked.

Would it seem too perfunctory if he gave Professor McGonagall another painting with the same theme?

After all, he knew that Professor McGonagall had taken great care of him over the past three years, and her guidance in Transfiguration had gone far beyond the scope of a school professor's duties.

In fact, to Scott, who was a Chinese person in his past life, this was already the difference between a master and a student.

If Scott had just given the professors a gift at Christmas like in previous years, it would have been fine. But this time, he had been eager to show off and used the excuse of a birthday gift to give that painting to Professor Flitwick. It was no wonder Professor McGonagall felt a bit unbalanced.

Being liked too much by professors as a student is also a source of distress.

Scott thought narcissistically as he hurried down the stairs.

Meow...

Just then, a cat's cry rang out. Scott's expression immediately soured, and he couldn't help but curl his lip.

Sure enough, Filch was striding over from the first-floor corridor with his scrawny, ugly cat, Mrs. Norris.

The magical lamp in his hand illuminated the two pairs of bulging, bulb-like eyes that looked exactly the same on both man and cat.

"It's almost curfew, Trollope." Filch smiled maliciously at Scott, revealing his mouthful of ugly teeth. "You'd better pick up your pace and run back to the Ravenclaw Common Room in one go, or you'll be in detention starting tomorrow."

Although Scott had never been caught by Filch during his past night wanderings and had basically never dealt with him, he was not at all surprised by the malice Filch was showing now.

Because he knew that this old Squib hated everyone who could learn magic from the bottom of his heart.

"Curfew is almost here? But it isn't here yet, is it?" Scott gave Filch a clearly fake smile and quickened his pace to brush past him and Mrs. Norris.

Filch's angry voice came from behind him, "I will catch you if you don't return to the Ravenclaw Common Room on time..."

"Oh, if you can manage it," Scott replied nonchalantly.

Although it was indeed very close to curfew, he didn't listen to Filch and start running. Because even if he were truly wandering at night, Filch wouldn't be able to catch him.

But at the moment, he was still troubled by the matter of the birthday gift and had no interest in wandering at night.

However, he stopped in his tracks again when he walked out of the main castle building and passed through the courtyard.

"Come out."

He said to the monster stone statue in the courtyard.

"Fred, George."

Two identical figures immediately walked out from behind the stone statue, one from the left and one from the right.

"It really is you!"

"The hound of Ravenclaw!"

"...Since when did I have such an ugly nickname?" Scott gritted his teeth and glared at them. "It must have been you two who just made it up!"

"It wasn't us!"

Fred shouted that he was being wronged.

"It's been spreading out of Ravenclaw Tower these past few days!"

George added.

"How come I don't know about this?" Scott frowned deeply.

He had always felt he was quite popular in Ravenclaw, so he didn't think anyone would maliciously give him such a nickname.

"We don't know who gave you that nickname either."

"Maybe you can go investigate it yourself."

Fred and George spread their hands in unison, looking at him with innocent expressions.

"Or ask Eddie for help."

"He definitely knows, but he didn't tell you!"

Right, Eddie.

Scott nodded in agreement; that kid must have known about this nickname but hadn't warned him at all.

Scott decided he would settle the score with him as soon as he got back.

"Then goodbye, you two."

Scott waved his hand, turned around, and walked away.

"It's a beautiful night, and curfew is almost here."

"Won't you join us for a pleasant adventure?"

The twins chased after him, extending an invitation.

"No thanks, have fun."

Scott rejected them mercilessly.

"Then don't blame us..."

"...for not writing a letter to introduce you to Bill."

The twins said with grins; although neither of them participated in the Transfiguration Club, they were clearly very well-informed.

Hearing this, Scott didn't stop his pace. "It doesn't matter, Percy has already agreed to help me."

"Percy?" Fred sighed dramatically.

George said smugly, "Obviously, Bill prefers us over Percy."

Scott turned a deaf ear; he was more interested in finding out who had given him that ridiculous nickname.

But the twins continued to chatter incessantly in his ears.

"Besides, we aren't sure if Mom and Dad would accept Bill having a boyfriend."

"Maybe we could help you convince them."

Scott felt the veins on his forehead throbbing; unable to take it anymore, he pulled his wand from his robes.

However, the moment he turned around, the twins laughed and ran off into the distance.

Scott took a deep breath.

Very well, this is so England!

He hurried toward Ravenclaw Tower, suddenly feeling a strong urge to find a girlfriend as soon as possible.