Chapter 759: Treant? Bowtruckle Cat? (Edited)

No wonder they were left speechless because what appeared before them was a tree, or was it a tree-man? A tree-cat, perhaps?

Because the tree not only had limbs but also a living face on its trunk, a face that combined human and feline features, yet more human in appearance.

The eyes, of course, remained emerald and feline.

Moreover, the tree's leaves were claw-shaped and silver-white, resembling Fish's hair color, while the bark was black and white, like that of a birch tree, but with a higher proportion of black and a fur pattern similar to Fish's cat form.

The most interesting part was a long separate branch extending from the back of Fish's face, near the root of the tree, which occasionally swayed.

Everyone was certain it was Fish's tail.

"Professor, professor, what has Fish become?" Hermione stammered. "Is... Is it a mutated version of a Bowtruckle?"

Fish then looked at their branch-formed hands, their straight, black-and-white trunk body, and their two thick, twisted legs made of tree roots.

"nyajajajajajaja! Fish has become a tree, nya!"

|≧≦|

Instead of being alarmed, Fish found their form amusing as they ran around the headmaster's office on their thick legs made of tree roots, shaking their cat paws and rustling the leaves above their head.

"Something marvelous always happens to Fish," Dumbledore said with a smile, being the first to regain composure.

The others were surprised but eventually accepted the fact that Fish had turned into a tree. Hermione approached curiously and stroked Fish's trunk, asking, "Fish, can you feel me touching you?"

"Yes, but it's not very obvious."

|?ω?|

Fish touched the leaves on their head and explained, "It feels a bit like Fish is wearing thick clothing or covered in layers... no, at least three layers of quilts, nya."

The crowd gathered around Fish, discussing with curiosity for a while, but it was Professor McGonagall who reacted first.

"Wait! Don't you need to heal Albus's wound?"

"Oh, yes!" Fish then remembered and looked at Dumbledore, who was happily examining the leaves on their head, and scolded him, "Albus, don't you even remember that you don't feel pain when you're hurt?"

|?ω?|

"Hehehe, because Fish, your new form is very amusing, and besides, I still have two months left, right?"

"I think it's less than two months," Snape interjected severely from the sidelines.

"Well, Fish, can you heal Professor Dumbledore?" Harry nervously asked from the sidelines.

"Of course, I can! Fish has learned several healing spells this time, nya!" Fish turned their body towards Dumbledore, with both wooden arms raised in the air, and exclaimed, "Watch Fish's natural healing spell!"

|ΦДΦ|

A faint iridescent glow emanated from Dumbledore's body, lasting for about three seconds before fading away, and then...

There was no visible change in Dumbledore's body.

His face remained pale, his finger black, and even to Fish's perception, Dumbledore's life force still flickered like a candle in the wind, threatening to fade at any moment.

"Is it possible that... Fish failed?" Harry asked cautiously.

"Of course not!" Fish glared at him and snorted, "The curse on Albus has been lifted by Fish!"

[Nature's Healing: Removes all harmful magic, curses, and poison effects from the target.]

Everyone turned their attention to Dumbledore, wanting to confirm it with him.

Dumbledore smiled and nodded, "Yes, I feel that the curse has disappeared."

As the recipient, he was different from the others; he could clearly sense his own condition. The curse that had stubbornly lodged in his body vanished as soon as the rainbow light appeared, as if the ice had melted.

Thus, he could recover as soon as he received treatment. Of course, the life force that the curse had taken from him wouldn't be so easily restored... without Fish.

"The next one is... [Life Blooming] nya!"

|ΦωΦ|

A brilliant green glow emanated from Dumbledore's body, and everyone could faintly see a kind of plant extending its branches and leaves within the radiance.

The glow appeared and disappeared so quickly that before Snape could identify the plant, the glow and the illusion of the plant vanished, leaving Dumbledore with a flushed face and a completely restored blackened and charred index finger on his right hand.

Dumbledore even felt better than before he was injured, as if he had shed years off his age.

[Life Blossoming: The target regains their best physical condition.]

"He's healed! Fish is truly amazing!"

|?ω?|

Fish happily shook his head, causing another rustle of leaves on his paws.

"These leaves are so annoying..."

As a cat, it was an ingrained instinct to make as little noise as possible while moving, so Fish didn't like the rustling leaves... even if they were in the shape of his own paws.

And...

They swayed in front of his eyes, making Fish's paws itch a bit.

So, unconsciously, Fish extended his leafy hand, grabbed some of the swaying leaves in front of his eyes, and with a strong tug, tore them off.

"That hurts!!!"

∑|QДQ|

"You little fool!" Professor McGonagall playfully slapped Fish. "Even though you're a tree now, it's still your body no matter how you change it, and the leaves are mostly your hair, so it's a wonder it doesn't hurt when you pull so hard."

"What?! This is Fish's hair?!"

∑|ΦДΦ|

Fish felt depressed... His fur was so valuable that he had to take care of it every day, and now he was tearing it out himself?

Fish immediately transformed back into his human form and leaned his head toward Professor McGonagall.

"Minerva, help Fish check if the hair on my head is bald," Fish urgently shouted.

Professor McGonagall pretended to look through his hair for a moment before patting Fish on the head and telling him, "No, no, your hair looks as beautiful as ever."

Still unsure, Fish transformed back into a cat and allowed her to examine him, relieved to confirm that his head wasn't bald.

Dumbledore smiled as he observed the little drama between Fish and Professor McGonagall before turning to Snape and saying, "Severus, we have plans to continue, Voldemort is counting on you."

Snape nodded expressionlessly and left the Headmaster's office.

"Minerva, the Order of the Phoenix is expected to be very busy these days, so you'll have to take care of the rest of the school," Dumbledore said to Professor McGonagall.

La profesora McGonagall gave him an unpleasant look, "Do I have to do anything more than that?"

"Exactly! Albus, you always leave your work to Minerva, it's too much nya!"

(`н´)

Fish blurted out on behalf of his mother.

Dumbledore chuckled dryly and then continued with Professor McGonagall, "In addition, we need your collaboration from the school for the upcoming project."

"What is this plan you have with Severus? How am I supposed to work with you if I know nothing about it?" Professor McGonagall frowned, unsatisfied. "Can you at least tell me what I need to do?"

"Relax, Minerva," Dumbledore said gently, "The plan starts with Lucius Malfoy contacting me through Severus..."