Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is not meant to infringe upon copyrights.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As a group of Ravenclaw witches entered the Transfiguration classroom, Kyle quickly followed them, walking with them towards the podium. Everything seemed so natural.
By the time they reached the second row, there was only one young witch in front of Kyle.
The podium was only a step away.
Kyle's hand tightly clutched the bag of dried fish in his pocket. Although nervous, he maintained a calm demeanor.
But just as Kyle was about to take out the dried fish and unlock the achievement, he suddenly realized that the young Ravenclaw witch in front of him seemed to have the same idea.
Because she was closer, Kyle could even see a green object being slowly pulled out of her pocket.
Was it... a cat toy?
"Oh no! Someone's got me!"
Kyle's vision went dark, and he was completely paralyzed.
It was obvious that once the young witch took out the cat toy, Professor McGonagall would definitely transform back into her human form.
His long-planned plan was completely ruined!
"Damn it! I made you think so much! I should have just started right away!"
Kyle pounded his thigh in frustration, wishing he could use the Time Turner to go back five minutes and give himself a good smack.
But now that it was done, there was no point in saying anything. Kyle could only sigh and shuffle to the left, taking a seat in the front row.
It was as if he'd always wanted to be there.
Meanwhile, the little witch Kyle hated so much had arrived at the podium, her hands completely out of her pockets.
But just then, the tabby cat on the podium suddenly smiled. With a tap of its hind legs on the table, it transformed back into Professor McGonagall in the blink of an eye.
"Miss Leona, being compassionate is a good thing, but as a wizard, maintaining a keen eye is far more important."
Professor McGonagall appeared beside the new student named Leona and, with a gentle pat on her shoulder, shoved her hand, which had been holding the cat toy, back into her pocket.
"Professor McGonagall," the young witch was clearly frightened, her voice trembling.
"It's me. If you look closely, you'll see the pattern around the cat's eyes is identical to the square glasses I wear," Professor McGonagall said calmly. "Now, could you please return to your seat? Class is about to begin."
There were no point deductions or harsh reprimands, for Professor McGonagall saw Leona's behavior, like any first-year being late, as nothing surprising.
She had been at Hogwarts for half her life, and the tradition of displaying an Animagus in the first class had lasted for seven or eight years. During that time, she had seen countless first-years like Leona.
They played with the cats, fed them, petted them... all sorts of things.
Of course, Professor McGonagall had never let them succeed.
How could such a tradition last this long without real skill? Did she really buy her title as the Master of Transfiguration?
Not to mention that cats' reaction speeds are much faster than wizards'. If she could fall prey to these first-years, she would be too ashamed to stay at Hogwarts any longer and might as well resign.
After Leona was helped back by her Ravenclaw classmates, Professor McGonagall skillfully waved her wand and used a simple healing spell to calm her down.
"Tranquillo."
The spell was very effective, and Leona stopped shaking immediately, and her originally pale face became much rosier.
"Sorry, Professor McGonagall, I didn't know it was you."
"It won't happen again."
Professor McGonagall turned and returned to the podium, only glancing at Kyle as she passed the front row.
She had initially suspected Kyle of having the same thoughts as Leona, but then she noticed that Kyle hadn't given her that look of surprise after she'd untransformed himself.
It seemed Kyle had probably recognized her Animagus from the beginning and had simply wanted to sit in the front row. Sure enough, she shouldn't have believed Weasley's words;
Kyle was indeed a bright and studious child.
Returning to the podium, Professor McGonagall looked at the young wizards and said sternly, "Transfiguration is the most complex and dangerous magic you'll learn at Hogwarts.
Anyone who dares to misbehave in my class will be asked to leave and never be allowed back. I've warned you."
As soon as Professor McGonagall spoke, the whole room fell silent. Kyle's heart finally settled.
I'd escaped, thanks to Leona. If it weren't for her, I'd have been the one who'd died in front of everyone.
Kyle decided to tell Cho after class that he'd pay for a map, regardless of whether Leona wanted one or not.
He couldn't let a good person down.
The joy of having survived made Kyle's notes more relaxed, and the dull Gamp's Basic Transfiguration Laws sounded more pleasant.
Unlike him, however, Kanna, also sitting in the front row, was feeling incredibly uncomfortable.
Kanna couldn't understand why she'd run into Kyle even though she was already in the front row. Wasn't the first-year who'd come with him sitting in the back row?
Could they just be passing by?
But that didn't make sense. She clearly remembered they were roommates. If she hadn't known that, she wouldn't have sat in the front row.
But what was going on now?
She was sitting in the front row, with Kyle next to her... the worst and the worst all at once?
Kanna was so flustered that she mechanically recorded Professor McGonagall's words, not even realizing she'd been writing in a sequential order.
At the podium, Professor McGonagall was still discussing the essentials of Transfiguration, oblivious to the fact that the two young wizards beneath her nose were acting strangely.
"Alright, so many of Gamp's basic Transfiguration rules. Everyone, remember them. They are the foundation of Transfiguration."
Having finished explaining everything that needed to be remembered, Professor McGonagall looked at the crowd and reminded them again:
"Remember, Transfiguration is a rigorous discipline. You must concentrate when waving your wand, just like this..."
Professor McGonagall waved her wand, and the podium transformed into a pig.
It looked no different from a normal pig, able to run and jump, with all the bellies and tenderloins to match. Noticing everyone's attention, the pig howled in fear.
This move stunned the first-years, especially those new to magic; it was hard for them to imagine such a realistic animal transformed from a table.
Everyone turned to Professor McGonagall, eager to begin learning.
[End of the chapter]