Professor McGonagall was not only the Transfiguration professor but also the Deputy Headmistress, the person who truly ran Hogwarts.
Naturally, her office was spacious, though hardly luxurious. Aside from the Quidditch touches everywhere, everything in it concerned school administration.
The office full of documents and the cabinets packed with records spoke to how much Professor McGonagall did for Hogwarts.
Shawn noticed it all, but his heart did not ache for her.
Instead, he mused that once he made something of himself, he would have to find an assistant like her.
After sitting down in her office chair, Professor McGonagall took a notebook out of a drawer. She gazed at it fondly for a moment, then handed it to Shawn, who stood before her desk.
"These are the Transfiguration notes I compiled as a student. Your talent has already outpaced the normal curriculum, so I'm giving you this notebook. Come and ask me whenever you find something you don't understand."
Shawn accepted the notebook without surprise. This was only to be expected.
He bowed politely in thanks.
"Thank you, Professor."
McGonagall pursed her lips, hesitated for a few seconds, then spoke again.
"A student reported this morning that you've been imposing rules in Slytherin that aren't part of the school regulations. As Deputy Headmistress, I need to look into this."
Shawn was slightly surprised. He had not expected anyone to report the situation to McGonagall. After a moment's thought, he answered frankly.
"Professor, strictly speaking, I wouldn't call it imposing rules. Those expectations are all qualities a proper Slytherin should possess. They're also what Slytherin's Founder intended when he established the House. I'm merely returning to its roots."
McGonagall was rather speechless. For the moment, she could find no rebuttal. After all, she wanted to enforce Shawn's three requirements in her own House.
After some thought, she decided to discuss it with Albus before taking action, so she cautioned him instead.
"Helping your fellow students improve is a good thing, but I hope you'll be mindful of your methods. Hogwarts strictly forbids corporal punishment."
Shawn gave her a warm smile.
"Understood, Professor."
"Now, do you have any questions about Transfiguration?"
Noticing the weariness in Professor McGonagall's eyes and the piles of documents on her desk, Shawn answered considerately.
"Not for now. Once I've finished reading your notebook, I'll come and trouble you again."
Professor McGonagall's stern expression softened.
"Very well. Go and have lunch."
"Goodbye, Professor."
Watching Shawn leave with unhurried steps, McGonagall sighed. The boy's personality always seemed strangely contradictory, but she could never quite put her finger on why.
As Shawn passed the Great Hall, he glanced inside from a distance and saw Draco, Harry, and Hermione sitting together at the Ravenclaw table.
Was this the new trio?
The plot had really gone off the rails.
Shawn could not help laughing. Oh well. Nothing I could do about it now.
Rather than enter the hall, he went straight back to his room.
He nodded to the young Slytherins he passed along the way, then had Kreacher prepare some food once he reached his room.
He began reading McGonagall's Transfiguration notes as he ate.
He lost himself in them for two whole hours, only coming back to his senses when Draco arrived to tell him it was time for Charms.
On the way to the Charms Classroom, he was still thinking.
A master of Transfiguration truly lived up to the title. She explained its key points in clear, simple terms.
She also mentioned that the ultimate secret of Transfiguration was to give inanimate objects a "soul."
Of course, this "soul" was not a soul in the true sense, but a form of animation.
It could also be a genuine soul, though Professor McGonagall described that as a hypothetical realm that even Dumbledore had yet to reach.
Shawn had a vague sense that whether it was Charms, Potions, or Alchemy, pursuing any of them to their utmost limits ultimately meant exploring the soul to attain immortality.
Such matters were beyond Shawn's reach for now, but the notes had shown him the steps he needed to take to improve his Transfiguration.
With a plan taking shape in his mind, he reached the Charms Classroom almost without noticing.
The Charms Classroom was laid out much like the Transfiguration classroom. Its most distinctive feature was the Charms professor, Flitwick.
He was an extraordinarily small wizard, apparently with goblin ancestry. He had to stand on a stack of books during lessons just to reach the lectern.
Today's Charms lesson was a double period, making it a long class, and they were sharing it with Ravenclaw House.
Shawn brought Draco to the front row and sat right beside Hermione. Draco was talented enough and had no objection to this area reserved for the top students.
That made things miserable for Goyle and Crabbe, however. The two poor students squirmed in the front row as though they had hemorrhoids.
Hermione felt a little thrill when Shawn sat beside her, but with the professor there, she could only wish him a good afternoon.
Professor Flitwick was teaching the Levitation Charm today. Shawn did not let his attention wander just because his own Levitation Charm had reached level three.
The same principle still held: his understanding of magic was shallow, and the higher his ambitions, the more attention he needed to pay to the basics.
In his high, squeaky voice, Professor Flitwick broke the spell down and explained it in great detail.
He was also extremely patient, freely answering Shawn whenever he raised his hand to ask about a detail. Often, a single remark from the professor made everything click for him, even allowing him to apply the idea elsewhere.
When Shawn demonstrated that broader understanding, Flitwick not only awarded him points but also declared that a student with such a thirst for knowledge belonged in Ravenclaw.
The young Slytherins had long since grown used to it. Their chief was supposed to be that outstanding.
Beside him, Hermione began questioning everything.
She had earned points for Ravenclaw too, but all her answers had come straight from the textbook.
Shawn never volunteered to answer questions. Instead, he asked questions, received answers, and then earned points by drawing further conclusions from them.
She intended to ask him properly about this after class.
The second period was for practice, and everyone received a feather.
Unsurprisingly, Shawn was the first to cast the Levitation Charm correctly. This time, he disabled the system's assistance and relied solely on the correct incantation and wand movement.
Shawn sensed the difference between the two methods.
Using the system's assistance was like using a back scratcher to relieve an itch: there was something between him and the sensation.
Casting entirely on his own felt as satisfying as scratching the itch with his own hand.
After Flitwick awarded him points again, Hermione succeeded immediately afterward and earned points from the professor as well.
Draco struggled for a while but still failed to cast the spell, so he looked pleadingly at Shawn.
With a mischievous streak, Shawn switched seats with him, pointed at Hermione, and went back to reading his notes.
Draco looked utterly torn. Earlier, he had eaten with Hermione and Harry in the Great Hall, but Harry had been there to smooth things over. He had never spoken to Hermione of his own accord.
Now Shawn wanted him to ask Hermione for help. For someone as accustomed to pride as Draco, it was mortifying. He opened his mouth several times but could not get a word out.
Hermione naturally understood Shawn's intention and could not help feeling a little pleased with herself.
After watching Draco agonize for ages, Shawn finally gave him a nudge.
"Draco, there's no shame in asking someone better than you for help. Didn't you say you'd abandoned pure-blood supremacy? Why aren't your actions matching your words?"
Draco's little face flushed scarlet. Another lock of platinum hair drooped down, curling into an "S" that mirrored his tangled feelings.
Shawn reached over and smoothed his hair back. Draco looked best with his hair slicked back, after all.
Draco lifted his head, exhaled heavily, and tried hard to keep a straight face.
"Hermione, please teach me how to cast the Levitation Charm. But don't get smug. I'll definitely learn other spells before you do."
Hermione burst out laughing, suddenly finding Draco rather adorable.
She gave a cough, then spoke seriously.
"I was watching you cast just now. You aren't pronouncing the incantation correctly. Wingardium Leviosa. The 'um' needs to be long and clear. Let me show you."
Hermione pointed her wand at the feather on the desk and recited the incantation.
"Wingardi~um~~ Leviosa."
At her words, the feather slowly rose into the air.
Draco said nothing. He simply took his wand and began practicing in silence.
Hermione did not mind and continued patiently teaching him from beside his seat.
Ten minutes later, Draco finally cast the spell successfully.
Before he could celebrate, Shawn spoke.
"Draco, once you've thanked Hermione, go and teach Goyle and Crabbe."
Draco's delighted expression instantly froze, and the platinum hair over his forehead turned into an "!"