Chapter 45: Nolan Loses Control!

From late February onwards, Hogwarts became unusually lively.

The instigators of this excitement were none other than Professor Snape, Filch, and the Weasley twins from Gryffindor.

The Weasley twins had never been among Snape's favorites, frequently finding themselves singled out in Potions class. After Valentine's Day, Snape's hostility intensified, which naturally irritated the twins. Determined to retaliate, Fred and George concocted a plan to give Snape a taste of his own medicine.

On February 17th, as Snape strode out of his office, over thirty dungbombs came raining down from above. He was left reeking, covered in filth, and an entire cabinet of potion ingredients was ruined by contamination. The loss amounted to at least 200 Galleons.

"I will catch the imbecile responsible for this and have them expelled from Hogwarts!"

Fuming with rage, Snape began his hunt for the culprits. Intrigued by the case, Filch joined him in the pursuit. Together—a wizard and a Squib—they embarked on a prolonged battle against the Weasley twins.

Over the course of a month, the twins had numerous close calls but managed to evade capture using a special map. They even retaliated with more of their custom-made dungbombs, launching counterattacks that left both Snape and Filch fuming.

One day, the twins were once again lurking within the castle's secret passages. They lit their wands with giddy anticipation, observing the footprints of Snape and Filch on their map.

The two adversaries crossed paths and began conversing in hushed tones, their location dangerously close to the twins' hiding spot. Fred and George could hear their exchange clearly.

"Have you caught them yet?" Snape's cold voice asked.

"Not yet," came Filch's raspy reply. "The little devils stuffed my Mrs. Norris into a stew pot—nearly ended up as dinner for those blasted house-elves!" His voice quivered with outrage. "I swear, it's those Weasley troublemakers from Gryffindor!"

Snape's voice turned even icier. "I'll catch them myself and see them expelled. You check the Trophy Room, and I'll stake out the Potions storeroom."

"Yes, Professor Snape!"

Once the two had left, the Weasley twins grinned wickedly and whispered among themselves, debating whether to gift their foes a few more dungbombs.

Just then, the sound of a door opening startled them. They quickly glanced at the map, only to see Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecombe from Ravenclaw entering the scene.

The two girls were deep in conversation, their voices growing heated as they stopped right outside the twins' hiding place.

"Cho, you're far too lenient with Nolan! He's not as decent as you think he is!" Marietta's voice was sharp and disapproving.

"Ugh, you're too prejudiced against him, Marietta! Nolan isn't as bad as you're making him out to be!"

"Ha! How would you know? He's a Slytherin, after all. Slytherins are always the same—arrogant and dismissive. Be honest, Cho, do you really think he considers you a friend?"

Cho's voice faltered slightly. "Nolan's not someone who easily expresses his feelings. He wouldn't outright say he considers you a friend."

"But has his attitude toward you changed at all compared to six months ago? No, right? Cho, don't be foolish. You mean nothing to him!"

"But he's willing to go on dates with me!" Cho protested.

Marietta scoffed. "Dates? Sweetheart, that's not a real date. In an actual date, there's kissing involved. Have you two even kissed?"

"Well… maybe not," Cho admitted sheepishly. "But he's teaching me how to play video games…"

"Just a Muggle thing," Marietta sneered. "Maybe Nolan is an unusual Slytherin because most Slytherins wouldn't care about what Muggles think. But that's all there is to him. He's not as remarkable as people make him out to be. People only like him because his sister is the brilliant Professor Felicia Von Draugr! Everyone loves her."

"That's just your bias talking, Marietta!" Cho Chang's tone turned sharper. "Professor McGonagall often praises him in Transfiguration, saying he's one of the most talented students she's ever taught. And Professor Flitwick constantly commends him, too!"

"How do we even know that's true?" Marietta countered. "Slytherins share Transfiguration with Gryffindor and Charms with Hufflepuff. For all we know, those professors might just be being polite."

In the darkness, Fred and George exchanged a glance, ready to step forward and defend Nolan.

But before they could act, a sudden clattering of hooves echoed down the corridor, accompanied by a shrill woman's voice.

"Oh! Mr. Von Draugr! Stop! Stop now! You must resist the instincts of the beast!"

"Nolan?" Cho's ears perked up at the name, her voice tinged with worry.

"It's Professor McGonagall. What's happening?" Marietta sounded alarmed.

At that moment, a small black horse bolted from the end of the hallway, its hooves striking the stone floor with a wild ferocity.

Marietta screamed. "Why is there a horse in the castle?! Run, Cho! It's gone mad—RUN!"

One of the twins shouted, "They're in danger!" as the other threw open the door to their hiding place.

"Over here, girls! Quickly, get inside!" Fred yelled, waving them over.

Marietta, startled by the sudden appearance of the passageway, hesitated only for a moment before reaching out. The twins pulled her inside. Turning back, she shouted, "Cho! Hurry, get in here!"

Cho took a few hurried steps forward, but it was too late. The black horse was nearly upon her, its powerful frame just half a meter away from colliding with the young Ravenclaw.

Suddenly, Professor McGonagall appeared, wand drawn, shouting a spell. "Petrificus Totalus!"

The spell hit the horse, freezing its movements momentarily. But to McGonagall's dismay, the creature shook it off, breaking free of the enchantment.

"Mr. Von Draugr, you must regain control!" McGonagall pleaded, her voice firm yet laced with urgency. "Remember who you are! You're not just a horse—you are a student of Hogwarts. You have family and friends who care about you!"

Cho stared at the black horse in shock. "Professor McGonagall, are you saying… this horse is Nolan?"

McGonagall hesitated, then nodded. "Yes, Miss Chang. I've been teaching him a transformation technique. This… is a result of that."

From inside the passage, Marietta's panicked voice echoed. "But he can't control himself! Cho nearly got trampled! Professor, you shouldn't have taught Nolan such advanced magic if he can't handle it!"

McGonagall shook her head, her expression remorseful yet resolute. "That was my mistake. I failed to act quickly enough to contain him. The spell he's learning is called Animagus transformation. Even the most talented wizards require years to master it fully. But I must say, Mr. Von Draugr has an exceptional aptitude for Transfiguration. In fact, it's incredibly rare—if not unheard of—for someone his age to achieve even a preliminary grasp of Animagus transformation."

Cho's eyes sparkled as she gazed at the black horse. Now that she knew it was Nolan, she found it strikingly beautiful. "Would he hurt me, Professor?"

McGonagall's voice softened. "If I were you, Miss Chang, I wouldn't take that chance. Mr. Von Draugr wouldn't harm a friend, but right now, he's not himself. He's just a Thestral—a creature driven by instinct."

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Note: Thestrals are invisible to those who haven't witnessed death. However, Nolan's transformation hasn't reached that level yet.