Snape, the Cross-Dressing King

Professor McGonagall was furious. She waved her wand, and a fountain of water gushed out, quickly dousing the flames on Eloise's head.

McLaggen stood frozen at his seat after his mistake. Heaven might not lie ahead, but hell was definitely close at hand.

Professor McGonagall gave him a death stare, her expression suggesting she wanted to turn him into a mouse.

Eloise was furious too. The hair she had spent all summer growing had been burned down to a flat plain by a single match.

The look she gave McLaggen made it seem as though she wanted to fire an Avada Kedavra at his head!

Professor McGonagall said sternly, "Mr. McLaggen, five points from Gryffindor because of you!"

When they heard Professor McGonagall deduct points, all the young Gryffindor wizards glared at McLaggen as though they wanted to cast Diffindo on his crotch.

Gryffindor's House Points were already in the negative!

Eloise began to sob. What girl didn't care about her looks? Though she hadn't been particularly good-looking before, either.

Professor McGonagall comforted her sympathetically. "It's all right. Pomfrey has a hair-growth potion. It'll all grow back in just one night."

She conjured a large, bright-red hat with a moving lion's head on it.

The hat went on Eloise's head, covering hair that looked as though a husky had chewed it, and Katie Bell supported her on the way to the Hospital Wing.

Professor McGonagall also quietly told Katie to take a staircase with fewer people on it.

Five minutes later, class finally ended.

Professor McGonagall asked William to stay behind.

"Professor McGonagall, what did you want to see me about?" William asked once all the other students had left.

"Mr. Stark, you've made rapid progress in Transfiguration." Professor McGonagall chose her words carefully.

"Based on the usual teaching schedule, most students don't manage to turn a match into a needle until a month and a half after term begins."

"In other words, you're at least six weeks ahead of the other students. I'd like to know whether you studied ahead on your own over the summer?"

William nodded honestly. "Yes, I studied on my own."

William didn't want to create the false impression that he was a genius at Transfiguration, because he really wasn't.

"How long did it take?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"A little over half a month."

The surprise faded from Professor McGonagall's eyes.

A little over half a month was certainly excellent among his peers, but he could hardly be called a genius.

That was only a little better than the average young wizard. Compared with a genius who could complete the transformation after only a few days, the difference was like night and day!

Not to brag, but McGonagall herself had completed the transformation in a single day. By her third year, she had finished studying the sixth-year Transfiguration textbook, and before graduating, she had won the award for the most promising newcomer in contemporary Transfiguration!

When it came to talent in Transfiguration... McGonagall really wasn't afraid to measure herself against anyone.

Professor McGonagall had originally thought William was also a wizard with a great talent for Transfiguration, but that didn't seem to be the case now.

Yet the appreciation in her eyes didn't diminish. Instead, it grew.

"There aren't many wizards your age who can settle down and study hard anymore.

"With such a strong thirst for knowledge, Mr. Stark, I can see why you were sorted into Ravenclaw."

Professor McGonagall continued, "Hufflepuff once said, 'Diligence is the greatest driving force behind a wizard's progress.'

"With diligence and wisdom, Mr. Stark, you'll certainly become an outstanding member of Ravenclaw someday. It's a pity... the Sorting Hat should have put you in Gryffindor."

"Just call me William, Professor," William said with a smile. "The Sorting Hat did consider it."

"I've never believed a wizard has only one defining quality. Many children have the traits of all Four Houses." Professor McGonagall winked and smiled slyly. "The Sorting Hat once considered putting me in Ravenclaw too."

"That's a real pity. Ravenclaw missed out on an outstanding witch," William said.

Professor McGonagall laughed. She patted William on the shoulder and said, "I wouldn't want to compete with Flitwick for the position of head of Ravenclaw.

"Well, if there's anything you don't understand, you can come and ask me."

William nodded. "I will. Cedric suggested the same thing."

Professor McGonagall said in surprise, "I remember... William, you're Muggle-born, aren't you?"

"Yes. Cedric and I met at Ollivander's Wand Shop over the summer. I learned a lot from him during the holidays," William explained.

"Ollivander's Wand Shop... I advised that boy not to put too much energy into wandmaking. It's a waste of his talent." Professor McGonagall shook her head.

It was clear she didn't think much of wandmaking as a profession.

"Still, Cedric really is one of the most outstanding Transfiguration geniuses I've ever taught.

"The last student with that much talent was James, more than ten years ago..."

Professor McGonagall sighed.

"James..." William remembered the confrontation in the Hospital Wing. Professor Tywin had mentioned the name James.

"James Potter. He was a Gryffindor student. He died at You-Know-Who's hands," Professor McGonagall said sadly.

Potter... Now William knew who that was: the father of the famous Harry Potter.

William asked, "Professor McGonagall, may I ask you something? Were Professor Snape and Professor Tywin classmates?"

Professor McGonagall nodded. "They were, but they weren't in the same House."

"Was there a conflict between them?"

Professor McGonagall asked curiously, "Why do you ask?"

William didn't mention the confrontation in the Hospital Wing. He simply gave a vague answer. "They don't seem to get along very well."

Professor McGonagall said sternly, "William, there's no conflict between the professors. Your job is to focus on your studies."

William nodded. He didn't dare say anything or ask any more questions, because Professor McGonagall had given him a stern look.

Fortunately, Professor McGonagall wasn't the only person William could ask.

That was an old man who had spent fifty years at Hogwarts and might know the school better than most of the professors!

He wasn't called the ultimate holdout for nothing.

On Thursday morning, Professor Snape was finally discharged from the Hospital Wing.

But his troubles didn't end there.

With Snape's discharge, rumors that someone had confessed their love to him began spreading through the school again.

There was no longer any way to tell which House or which young wizard had first let it slip, but overnight, everyone seemed to know what the love letter said, as though they had seen it with their own eyes!

Professor Snape got busy, narrowing his eyes as he tried to track down the person behind the rumors about him.

He took all his anger out on the other three Houses, deducting over a hundred points in the space of a few days, especially from Gryffindor.

Ravenclaw House maintained its lead thanks to the early advantage William had given it.

Gryffindor had it rough. They were galloping toward the lowest score in their House's history, with no turning back.

There was really nothing wrong with what Professor Snape had done. His instincts were right: Gryffindor really had spread the rumor.

The Weasley brothers had written the letter.

At dinner one evening, Lee Jordan even hired an owl to deliver Professor Snape a... Lolita dress.

Word of Snape's reputation as a cross-dressing king spread like wildfire!

----I am the cross-dressing king's divider----

(Professor Snape: All you wizards, come and cast your recommendation votes! I can give you photos of me cross-dressing. Moving ones, too!)