Transfiguration Class

Another task branch had been unlocked. Roy felt certain he would be busy for all seven years. Taking "Dumbledore" and "Professor McGonagall" back from Cedric, Roy clenched the two cards in his hand, and they returned to their original forms.

"It's getting late. We should head to Transfiguration Class. Professor McGonagall looks really strict, so don't be late for her class."

Roy put the two cards away, grabbed his Transfiguration textbook from the desk, and called for the others to head to class together.

Seeing the Wizard's Chess pieces they had just been playing with scattered all over the bed, Roy stopped Connor as everyone picked up their books to leave. Pointing at the pieces, he asked Connor,

"Aren't you going to put those away? What if some of them get lost?"

Connor waved dismissively, picked up his book, and followed the others out of the dormitory.

"They'll go back into the box themselves. I bought the deluxe version."

Hearing Connor's answer, Roy nodded thoughtfully. I could use that feature if I ever make a set of self-moving chess pieces.

The Transfiguration classroom was on the first floor. As they walked down the corridor, Cedric asked Roy about Transfiguration.

"That Transfiguration of yours was incredible. And your answer in Herbology too—you were seriously amazing. I never realized there was such an impressive top student hiding right beside me."

Honestly, Roy did not have the temperament of a good student at all. True model students were either like Percy and Aisling, always carrying themselves properly like adults, or like Cedric and Bill, approachable but serious about many things.

As for Roy, he looked a little silly, and every move he made radiated the rebellious air of a bad boy.

"Tch, you've got some nerve saying that about someone else. I saw a third-year Transfiguration textbook stuffed at the bottom of your trunk."

Cedric was absolutely top-student material. Roy was sure that, aside from himself, perhaps only Aisling in the entire first year was better than Cedric.

Having his advance study of upper-year material pointed out by Roy, Cedric blushed slightly. He glanced at Connor and Gabriel, who were still intensely discussing Wizard's Chess. Seeing that they did not seem to notice the conversation here, Cedric lowered his voice a little.

"I was only studying ahead. I wasn't trying to show off or compete with anyone."

Many people believed that outstanding, powerful people could only get along with others who were equally outstanding and powerful, and that they were difficult for ordinary people to approach. Slytherin and Ravenclaw were supporters of that kind of philosophy.

That was why Roy and Cedric had chosen Hufflepuff. Although Cedric was excellent, he had never looked down on anyone. Instead, to fit in better, he was unwilling to show off too much. Roy was actually the same way.

Throughout both his lives, Roy had firmly believed that becoming detached from the masses was a terrifying thing. Havoc's failure was the most typical example of that belief.

Roy draped an arm over Cedric's shoulders—Cedric was a little taller than him—and smiled as he exposed Cedric's thoughts.

"Alright, I know you don't like showing off. Let's hurry to class."

When they entered the Transfiguration classroom, quite a few students were already seated inside. Everyone was rather afraid of the strict Professor McGonagall, and no one wanted to be late for the very first class.

The four of them sat in the back row. Although Cedric wanted to sit closer to the front, he could not override the wishes of the other three unless he wanted a table to himself.

Professor McGonagall did not seem to have arrived yet. A tabby cat stood atop the lectern, though it was unclear whether it was Professor McGonagall's pet.

With Professor McGonagall absent, the students in the classroom were fairly relaxed, chatting with their classmates about all sorts of random things.

Hufflepuff and Slytherin had this class together. Roy noticed Aisling sitting in the center of the front row with a young Slytherin witch, closest to the lectern.

Some more knowledgeable young wizards recognized the tabby cat on the lectern as Professor McGonagall's Animagus form and hurriedly reminded the students around them to stop joking around. Cedric recognized it too. Looking at Connor and Gabriel, who were still heatedly discussing Wizard's Chess, he quietly warned them to stop talking.

"What is it? Professor McGonagall hasn't even arrived yet."

At that moment, the tabby cat leaped down from the lectern and transformed into a stern-faced Professor McGonagall. The entire class fell silent at once, as though someone had cast a Silencing Charm.

"Transfiguration is the most complex and dangerous magic in your Hogwarts curriculum," Professor McGonagall said gravely.

"Anyone who misbehaves in my classroom will be asked to leave and will never be allowed back in. Consider yourselves warned."

Then Professor McGonagall transformed the lectern before her into a cow in an instant. It was the most technically accomplished Animal Transfiguration Roy had ever seen.

With a wave of her wand, Professor McGonagall turned the lectern back. The display drew everyone's attention and ignited their enthusiasm for learning—at least until most of them began trying it themselves.

Experts watched the technique; amateurs watched the spectacle. Cedric gently nudged Roy beside him with his elbow and whispered in an extremely low voice.

"Did you see that? That cow?"

Roy stared fixedly at the lectern ahead. Of course he had seen it. He had practiced Animal Transfiguration a great deal over the summer, but he had only barely managed to master it in the end.

Roy's assessment of Professor McGonagall's demonstration was simple: too fast, too real, too detailed.

Dumbledore had said that he had once been a Transfiguration professor. Roy wondered whose Transfiguration was better, his or Professor McGonagall's.

"The goal of this lesson is to turn a matchstick into a needle. We will first cover the basic principles, and I will leave time for you to try at the end."

Professor McGonagall was exceptionally meticulous, and Transfiguration was the same—there was no room for even the slightest mistake.

"As long as you can successfully transform and restore a matchstick by mid-October, you can be considered on pace. So it is perfectly fine if your first attempt fails."

Professor McGonagall tapped the blackboard with her wand, and a long list of all kinds of complicated incantations appeared upon it. As she explained them, the young wizards desperately copied them into their textbooks.

After everyone had copied down a great many notes, Professor McGonagall carefully instructed all the young wizards on the precautions they needed to take before practicing. Then she handed each of them a matchstick.

All the students held their wands and desperately pointed them at their matchsticks, but most of the matchsticks showed no change at all.

Transfiguration was difficult. Professor McGonagall had not expected anyone to learn it in a single class.

Walking through the aisles of the classroom, Professor McGonagall carefully observed every student's movements. If anyone's motions were improper or they were slacking off, she sternly corrected them.

"Hmm—not bad. Ten points to Slytherin. Few students can successfully turn a matchstick into a needle in their very first lesson."

When Professor McGonagall reached the front row, she saw a silver needle on the desk before Aisling. Professor McGonagall looked quite pleased and awarded Slytherin a generous number of points.

No one was surprised that Aisling had managed it. By now, the entire school knew that Slytherin had welcomed an exceptionally gifted young witch.

"It seems you worked hard over the summer. Keep it up."

Professor McGonagall gave Aisling, who had succeeded, a kindly smile and softly encouraged her.

Aisling politely thanked Professor McGonagall, then took the initiative to guide the students around her who were looking at her with admiration.

Though Aisling appeared proud, aloof, and difficult to approach, she was still willing to help others. Watching Aisling in the front row instruct the surrounding students with a reserved poise, Roy revealed a disdainful expression.

"Tch, what's so great about that? Come on! Cedric, show them what you've got!"

(Cedric: Fuck, let's go, ignore it.)