4 Chapter 4: Transfiguration (U)

A/N: The U in the brackets stands for unedited. I will come back and some point and edit it properly. Till then just bear with errors.

***

After a bit more planning while putting on her robes, she returned to her dorm, went to the Common Room and walked over to where the female 5th year Prefect, Rhona MacLean was giving out timetables to the first-years.

"Good Morning Ms. Weasley. Did you enjoy your first night at Hogwarts?" queried Rhona MacLean, who had straight black hair and eyes like her younger sister, but had a leaner build.

"Yes, I found it quite pleasant, thank you." Ginny replied while casually scanning the timetable she'd been given.

'Double Transfiguration first thing in the morning with Slytherin, and Charms with Ravenclaw after lunch Flying Lessons and History of Magic. '

Pocketing the parchment, she walked out of the Common Room. A casual Tempus told her it was now 7:32, leaving her with a little more than an hour of free time before it was time for classes.

As she made her way towards the Room of Requirements, she brought up her status screen.

{

Name: Ginevra Molly Weasley

Race: Witch

Magic: 5.9

Body: 0.7

Spirit: 5.8

Innate Abilities:

Assimilate 2/3 (regen: 1/year (Total: 7/decade)),

Parseltongue

Magic Perception

Skills:

Cooking Lv.3 (4/4000), Flying Lv.5 (121/16000)

Magicks:

Enchantment Lv.7 (12/64000),

Transfiguration Lv.7 (15459/64000),

Dark Magic Lv.8(127029/128000),

Mind Magic Lv.5 (2/16000)

}

'Interesting… my magic increased even more… is it due to it not being fully assimilated before? I have to research this more.' she mused. 'I also have 2 remaining slots for this year…

The corner of her eyes twitched in irritation as she gazed upon the large glaring letters that joined together to form the words 'Dark Magic Lv.8'.

'Riddle sure liked his Dark Arts, eh?' Despite not casting a single Dark Spell in her entire life, her Dark Magic was far beyond what most wizards could ever achieve in their normal spells.

She knew the skill level and the corresponding level of mastery due to a combination of Riddle's understanding and the information that came along with the status screen.

The arrival at the Room of Requirement broke her out of her thoughts.

Inside the Room, 'I should work on my Occlumency, Riddle's memories will be a lot of help.'

Having made up her mind, she immediately got to it.

-x-x-x-

"Where were you all morning, we were looking for you all over the common room. We didn't find you anywhere! Gwen here was so worried that she even checked under the pillows-umph!"

Before she could further embarrass Gwen, she was stopped by the latter's hands clamping down on her like a vice.

Nervously looking at Ginny, she tried to explain in an attempt to salvage the situation, "I-I wasn't looking for you!"

Ginny, however, wouldn't let go of such a perfect chance to tease the girl. Putting on a fake hurt expression, a hand on her chest, and a sorrowful look in her eyes, she lamented, "Y-you weren't looking for me? I thought we were friends? So, you hate me?"

"Ah-! No! I mean yes! I mean no-..." busy trying to explain herself, she completely missed the exchange of mischievous looks between her fellow roommates.

While teasing the poor girl, the trio made their way to the Transfiguration classroom. They were the first ones, having arrived a whole 10 minutes before the scheduled time.

"Ah! Look there! There's a cat! Do you think it's the professor's pet?" Gwen was trying her best to divert the two demons' attention away from her.

'No! It's the professor herself!' she wanted to exclaim, but held herself back, for she realised that the time had come. The time to prove to everyone that she, Ginevra Molly Weasley, was a true Gryffindor! Nothing could stop her! She would do it or die trying!

She walked over with purpose, and stood in front of a very confused tabby cat. Stretched out her hand and… scratched it behind the ears. The cat froze in surprise for a good while before it started purring involuntarily. Her other scratched it under the chin, drawing out even more purrs.

"No fair! Let me also scratch her!"

"Me too!"

Just like that, the strict and stern professor of Transfiguration, who commanded the fear and admiration of the students and the respect of many powerful magicals was molested by three first-years until she was reduced to blissful mess. All the while Ginny tried her best to keep her face straight, even calling upon the aid of her rudimentary expertise in Occlumency.

The trio's joy was not to last, however, as groups of students came in one after another. And just like that it was time for classes.

Unlike what Ginny expected, Professor McGonagall did not leave the classroom. It wasn't until it was time and most students had settled down in their assigned seats, that she finally transformed back into her human form.

Gwen and Aileen were stunned for a good few seconds before the former turned pale and started shivering while the latter's gaze switched between her hand and the Animagus in awe.

Ginny also put on an Oscar-worthy surprised Pikachu face.

"My name is Minerva McGonagall and I will be your teacher for Transfiguration for at least the next 5 years. And seven if you score satisfactorily in your O.W.L.s. She paused. "Transfiguration is one of the most complex and dangerous Magicks you will learn here at Hogwarts and it is not a discipline known for simplicity. The Art of Transfiguration demands focus, will, and a great deal of hard work."

With an almost casual wave of her wand she turned her desk into a pig and turned it back with another.

The whole class was amazed. And rightfully, too. Few magicals could transfigure between animate and inanimate quite as effortlessly as McGonagall did. Though most of the students were surprised at the visual shock of a desk turning into pig and not the skill of the caster.

"The Art of Transfiguration is a most complex subject. Even the most skilled and revered Witches and Wizards might dedicate their entire lives to this pursuit, yet only manage to scratch the surface of its complexities. However, you must understand that Transfiguration is as dangerous as it is fascinating. As such, anyone messing around in this class will leave and not come back. I will entertain no excuses, no matter how valid it may seem."

She directed a sharp look at her students to drive home just how serious she was about her statement.

"Now, the very first spell we will be learning is the Transformation Spell, with the example of turning a matchstick into a needle…"

The next hour McGonagall expounded exhaustively on the various facets and key points to take note of during the casting of the spell, the factors that affected it, both outside and inside, how the magic changed the structure of the wood and so on.

"Now that we have a rudimentary understanding of the spell, it is time to put it into practice." with a wave of her wand, a matchstick appeared in front of the students."

"You have one hour. Begin."

Staring at the matchstick in front of her, Ginny slowly pulled out her wand. She took a deep breath and exhaled it, clearing her mind. Slowly, she visualised the transformation of the needle from the matchstick: the change in its shape, colour, texture, structural integrity, smell, feel and so on. She visualised it several times, until she was very sure.

She held her wand, which seemed to transmit a feeling of eagerness and excitement to her, as if wanting to be used again. Waving her wand in the correct movements, she incantated, "Forma Verto"

Instantly, the matchstick turned into a needle.

"How did you do that?" Colin Creevy, her deskmate, gasped.

McGonagall, who happened to be nearby, was surprised as well. She walked over and carefully inspected for a short while before a rare smile appeared on her stern face. "A perfect needle. Well done, Ms Weasley. Five points to Gryffindor."

McGonagall pulled a matchbox out of nowhere. Giving Ginny the task of transforming multiple needles at once while also adding patterns of increasing complexity.

Ginny happily took on the challenge and by the end of the class she had earned herself another 10 points.

As they were leaving, McGonagall suddenly said, "Ah, before I forget, another 5 points to Gryffindor for Ms. Weasley's correct recognition of the animal form of an Animagus."

Ginny, who was happily chatting with her roommates, nearly fell over.

She turned to look back to find one Minerva McGonagall giving her a strange look. "Your face was too straight, Ms. Weasley. Next time you should consider acting a bit more natural when petting a cat." McGonagall looked almost… smug.

"Y-Yes, professor" she squeaked before high-tailing it out of there.

As soon as they were far enough, Aileen and Gwen both snapped towards her glaring at her with such intensity that she felt they would give the basilisk slumbering in the Chamber of Secrets a run for its money.

"What?"

"You knew?" asked Gwen.

"And you petted her anyway?" demanded Aileen.

Startled by the intensity of their glares she replied, "Yes?"

""That's the bravest (dumbest) I've ever seen done!"" both Aileen and Gwen exclaimed at the same time.

"Merlin's Beard, Aileen, she knowingly petted Prof. McGonagall in her cat form! Replace her with a Dragon and the danger will only decrease!"

"And that's why it's brave!"

"No it's stupid! A death wish!"

Before they could continue bickering, Ginny interrupted the two, "But did it feel good?"

The two looked at each other before turning back to Ginny, "Yes!"

'Two for the Dark Side!' she did a mental guts pose.

-x-x-x-