15: The Transfiguration Class

In a half-dazed state, Nolan felt as though someone was staring at him.

He cracked his eyes open slightly and saw a small, dark brown tabby cat with tiger-like stripes. It was glaring at him with its slit pupils. Nolan blinked, a little confused, then slowly reached out to stroke the cat. The feline stretched lazily, clearly enjoying the attention, before leaping off the desk and crossing the classroom with elegant steps.

Before the stunned eyes of the young wizards, the cat transformed into a fully grown witch.

Professor Minerva McGonagall, wearing her pointed hat, stood there, her gaze cold as she fixed her eyes on the Weasley twins. They were in the middle of tormenting Malcolm Baddock with a mouse and a snake.

"Put away your foolishness, gentlemen," McGonagall said icily. "Let me make one thing clear: anyone who dares to disrupt my class can leave and never come back. I don't care if you're in Slytherin"—she shot a sharp look at the young wizards wearing silver and green badges on the left side of the classroom—"or Gryffindor." She glared just as coldly at the Weasley twins, who hastily sat upright.

Without waiting for further responses, McGonagall began pacing the classroom as she spoke briskly. "Transfiguration is one of the most precise and dangerous branches of magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Miss Eve, can you tell me what Transfiguration is?"

Eve replied cautiously, "It's magic that turns one thing… into another."

For a brief moment, a hint of warmth softened McGonagall's frosty demeanor, and she nodded. "Correct. Wizards excel at Transfiguration. When you need something and don't have it at hand, why wait? A simple Transfiguration spell can solve all your problems. Sometimes, we alter the form of inanimate objects. Other times, we might even turn something inanimate into something alive."

As she spoke, she waved her wand, and the desk in front of the Weasley twins transformed into a large Yorkshire pig.

The twins were so startled they nearly jumped out of their seats.

Without missing a beat, McGonagall reverted the pig back into a desk. "I hope this serves as a lesson, Mr. Weasleys."

The impressive display of magic piqued everyone's interest in Transfiguration, especially Eve, who came from a Muggle background.

Excitedly, she whispered to Nolan, "My dad's always frustrated when he can't find his lighter. Now I can turn an ashtray into one for him!"

"Or," Nolan replied coolly, "you could just use a charm to conjure a flame directly."

For the first Transfiguration lesson, Professor McGonagall gave a simple assignment: straighten a bent pin.

Half-asleep, Nolan tapped his wand lazily against the pin and completed the task almost immediately, becoming the first student in the class to succeed.

"How did you do that?" Eve half-wailed, on the verge of tears.

Nolan glanced at her technique and, looking slightly annoyed, remarked, "Your wand movement is wrong. It needs to be quicker, more decisive. Stop treating it like it's your pet dog. It's a pin; even if you're too forceful, you won't kill it."

By the end of the class, most students had managed to complete the assignment. Eve, however, did not and dejectedly accepted extra homework from Professor McGonagall.

As everyone prepared to head back to the Great Hall for lunch, McGonagall called out, "Mr. Von Draugr, stay behind for a moment."

Miles and the disheartened Eve exchanged worried looks. They seemed to think that Nolan's half-asleep demeanor had annoyed McGonagall, and they wished him luck before leaving.

"Professor McGonagall," Nolan said, stepping forward.

The professor fixed him with a stern look, scrutinizing him closely. "Nolan Von Draugr… First, I'd like to know your age," she said sharply. After a pause, she added, "Your actual age."

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