Chapter 15

The next class turned out to be Transfiguration, which was something Harry was very interested in, as Transfiguration had many applications in combat as it was very versatile. Harry went early to the class by ten minutes and took a seat in the first row and greeted Professor McGonagall who was seated on her desk in her animagus form.

McGonagall was surprised to see that a first year student had recognized her in her animagus form. She had transformed into her human form and asked, " Mr. Potter how did you recognize me in my animagus form?. Harry replied that he had never seen a cat sit so still and also he had seen the spectacle like markings around her eyes in her cat form and assumed that she was in her animagus form as he knew about the animagus transformation from his father. McGonagall was impressed by his observation skills and awarded him with ten points for Ravenclaw. McGonagall returned to her animagus form and waited for the other students as she usually did in order to introduce herself as in her animagus form as it always made an impression on the first years to see a cat transforming into their professor. Ravenclaw shared the first year transfiguration class with Gryffindors.

As all the students came in and settled McGonagall was about to revert to her human form Neville Longbottom and Ron Weasley burst into the classroom, and Weasley exclaimed, " we manadmged to make it to class before McGonagall mate, I dread to think of what she would have done if we were late on the first day ".

Then I suggest you come early to every one of my classes if you don't want to find out Mr, Weasley,

McGonagall replied as jumped from her desk and transformed into her human form. Weasley went red in embarrassment and muttered about being lost on the way to class to which she asked if she should transfigure one of them into a map and another into a watch so that they can find the classroom and also be on time, before telling them to take a seat.

McGonagall started the class saying, " Transfiguration is one of most complex but useful magic you will learn in Hogwarts. Transfiguration not performed properly can have disastrous consequences, so if I find anyone playing around in my class they will be made to leave my class and will never return to my class, you have been warned. " As an example of what could be done with transfiguration she transfigured he desk into a pig and back and with a flick of her wand conjured a bunch of matchsticks and gave one to each student and made had them try to transfigure them into needles.

McGonagall walked around her class watching over students attempting the transfiguration and so far only Miss Granger had made any progress with the assignment, as she walked to the front of the class she saw Mister Potter lazily flicking his wand changing his matchstick into a needle and back as fast as he could without saying the incantation, she was shocked even James Potter did not have such talent in Transfiguration.

McGonagall walked up to Harry and asked, " Mr Potter, why are you not saying the incantation? "

"I have no need for it professor, I just picture the change in my mind and with a flick of my wand I can transfigure the matchstick into a needle and back, " Harry replied. "Why? Professor did I do anything wrong, " Harry asked.

Professor McGonagall just shook her head and replied " No, Mr Potter you did not do anything wrong, it seems that you have an intrinsic grasp on your magic as non verbal magic is not something that is taught to students till their sixth year, keep up to the good work and take fifteen points for Ravenclaw. Now take a few more matchsticks from my desk and try to transfigure them into needles all at once and then try to increase the speed at which you can do that, " and returned to watching over other students.

By the time McGonagall returned to Harry's desk , she observed that he had managed to transfigure twenty matchsticks into needles at once and also with just a flick of his wand and also non verbally. She saw him trying to transfigure a matchstick into an eagle shaped needle like the mascot of Ravenclaw house in blue and silver colour and so left him to it.

Padma Patil was surprised at the ease with which Harry had completed his transfiguration and so asked for his help as she hadn't made any progress on her assignment, " Harry could you help me I am not getting what I am doing wrong I am saying the incantation perfectly and my wand motion is also correct., "

Harry replied, "Padma, the most important part of transfiguration is visualisation, you have to visualize the change you want and then will your magic to perform that change." Harry was pleased to see that Padma had managed to transfigure her matchstick into a needle after following his instructions and Padma was very happy, she smiled brightly at Harry saying " thank you Harry. "

They didn't see the professor standing behind them who smiled and said, " that is an excellent explanation Mr Potter, take another fifteen points for Ravenclaw and another another ten points to you Miss Patil. "

By the end of the class Harry had transfigured four matchsticks into perfect needle representations of the four houses i.e. a lion, a snake, a badger and an eagle complete with the house colors which impressed McGonagall greatly and she gushed about Harry being even more talented than his father and gave him another twenty points.

Astronomy class took place at midnight and was pretty interesting to Harry as Astronomy was very useful in performing rituals and also some potions could only be brewed during certain lunar cycle or some other such criteria.

By the end of the first week Harry had realized that he was far ahead of his peers and that he would need to use the room of requirements and practice on his own to progress further.