Hearing professor Edward's words, all the children obediently lined up in two rows, following him like a tail into the automatically opening golden gates.
The Great Hall was formerly the castle's banquet hall, now converted into the students' Great Hall, where students would eat or hold opening ceremonies.
Inside the magnificent Great Hall, thousands of candles floated high above, illuminating the entire hall brightly.
The domed ceiling was like the night sky outside; besides scattered clouds, countless stars dotted the night sky, and the moon was bright and clear, appearing within reach.
Under the illumination of the stars and moon, four long tables were arranged in the Great Hall below, their surfaces polished to a brilliant sheen, reflecting the candlelight and the starry sky.
The tables were also set with many empty place settings, all crafted from gold, luxurious and exquisite.
In front of the four long tables were the professor seats.
Each professor sat upright, dressed in formal robes, watching the new students enter the Great Hall below.
Luke sat on the golden chair in the middle of the professor seats, with the seat to his left empty, and to his right was his wife and History of Magic professor, Arwen.
Lady Galadriel also attended the opening feast and sat to Arwen's right.
Tall and beautiful, she was surrounded by a holy radiance, even more dazzling than the moon in the sky, drawing gasps and exclamations from all the students.
The Elf children among them were even more surprised.
Lady Galadriel was an object of reverence for all Elves in Middle-earth, considered the uncrowned "Elf Queen" in their hearts.
To be able to see her here now, even the usually reserved and introverted little Elves showed excited and surprised expressions, all gazing at her with unwavering adoration.
Feeling the children's gaze, Galadriel showed a gentle smile, the light around her growing brighter, and her tender gaze fell upon every child.
To Galadriel's right sat none other than Gandalf.
He, too, wore a benevolent expression, looking at the group of young and vibrant children with kind and joyful eyes.
Deputy headmaster Edward led the new students to the front of the long tables.
There was a three-legged stool there, and on the stool rested a new and magnificent hat.
Once all the new students were standing, the hat moved, its brim gently swaying, and its seams slowly opened, like a mouth and two eyes, and a melodic voice emanated from the hat:
"I was once a simple hat,
Belonging to the Black Robed Wizard Luke,
But today I am endowed with thought and mission,
To discern where you belong.
Listen, little Wizard, listen to the tide in your heart:
If an intrepid fire burns in your chest,
Daring to chase the Dragon's flame, daring to cross unknown bridges,
You shall belong to Phoenix House.
If a nest of wisdom hides in your eyes,
Loving to gather shells in the sea of books, loving to seek mysteries in star orbits,
Able to make riddles bloom, and knowledge bud,
You shall belong to Thunderbird House... Fear not, panic not, put me on,
I will find the hall of your belonging, no matter where you come from!"
The hat finished singing loudly, then bowed left and right to the crowd.
Luke, from the professor seats, was the first to applaud.
The other professors and new students also applauded, expressing their admiration for the hat's performance.
Deputy headmaster Edward took out a parchment scroll and said to the new students, "Students whose names are called, please step forward and sit on the stool for Sorting."
"Anlómir!"
The little Dúnedain, Anlómir, was the first to have his name called.
Astronomy professor Alpha, also a Dúnedain, sat up straight in the professor seats, his eyes focused on the child.
Under everyone's gaze, Anlómir nervously stepped forward and sat on the stool.
Immediately, the Sorting Hat was placed on his head.
"Oh, a little Dúnedain, welcome to Hogwarts, let me see your deepest desires... Ha, what incredible dreams, to learn all magic? And to restore the glory of the Dúnedain? And to defeat evil and protect your homeland?
This is truly difficult! Where should I sort you?..."
The Sorting Hat seemed to be muttering to itself.
Anlómir's nervous mind went blank, unsure how to answer.
After about a minute, the hat finally made a decision.
"I know where to sort you... Phoenix House!" the hat shouted loudly.
As applause erupted, the hat was removed from Anlómir's head.
Edward, the dean of Phoenix House, smiled and pointed Anlómir to the long table belonging to Phoenix House.
Anlómir got off the stool, quickly went to sit at the long table, then eagerly awaited the arrival of the next student.
He especially hoped that his new Elf friend, Aranil, would also be sorted into his House.
professor Edward continued to call names.
"Aida Buttercup!"
A little Witch from Bree City sat on the stool.
The Sorting Hat had barely been placed on the little Witch's head when a voice rang out:
"...Thunderbird House!"
With applause, the little Witch, blushing, excitedly hopped and skipped to another long table and sat down.
The Sorting continued,
"Brandy!"
"Dragon House!"
"Beth!"
"Basilisk House!"
...This time, there were a total of 107 new students, with the most numerous being the little Wizards from Luke's territory, totaling 65 people.
Next were the Elves, with 33 people.
The fewest were the Dúnedain, with only 9 people.
Unlike the little Wizards who were evenly distributed among the four Houses, the Dúnedain were more often sorted into Phoenix House, representing courage, and Dragon House, representing loyalty and guardianship.
The Elves, however, were even more distinct, with most concentrated in Thunderbird House, representing wisdom.
But there were also clear distinctions; for example, Elf children from Rivendell tended towards Thunderbird House, Elf children from Lothlórien tended towards Dragon House.
Elf children from Mirkwood, however, tended towards Basilisk House.
At the same time, Noldor Elves tended towards Thunderbird House; Sindar Elves leaned more towards Basilisk House; and Silvan Elves tended towards Dragon House.
Watching the Sorting Ceremony, at the head of the professor seats, Astronomy professor Alpha, somewhat puzzled, asked Luke:
"Headmaster Luke, according to the Sorting Hat, Phoenix represents courage, Thunderbird represents wisdom, Basilisk represents shrewdness, and Dragon represents loyalty. The first three are easy to understand, but aren't Dragons the most cunning and greedy? How can they be associated with loyalty?"
The other professors also looked at Luke, sharing the same confusion and curiosity.
Luke, unhurriedly, said in a joking tone, "At least Dragons are very loyal to treasure, aren't they?"
Everyone immediately burst into laughter upon hearing this.
This reason was indeed very sufficient.
After all, the extent of a Dragon's obsession with treasure was well-known.
After the last new student completed their Sorting, the Sorting Ceremony officially ended.
Edward waved his wand, making the three-legged stool disappear, and handed the Sorting Hat to Luke, respectfully saying, "Sir, the Sorting Ceremony is complete, the Sorting Hat is now in your care."
"Thank you for your hard work, Edward, and from now on, just call me professor. After all, you are now a dean, there's no need to be so formal," Luke said with a gentle smile.
"Understood, professor," Edward never disobeyed any of Luke's requests.
After Edward sat in the empty seat to Luke's left, he gently tapped his cup with a spoon on the table, the sound echoing in the students' ears.
"Silence, please, for the headmaster's speech!"
All the new students who were conversing immediately fell silent, all looking towards the figure in the middle of the professor seats.
Everyone knew that their ability to gather here today and enter the school of magic was all thanks to the young-looking headmaster.
This was especially true for the young Wizards from the territories, who had grown up hearing legends of the Lord. Their parents held the Lord in immense reverence.
Through constant exposure, they, too, held the Lord in great admiration and respect.
Luke stood up, his gaze gentle and kind as he looked at the students below. His voice was not loud, yet it resonated in everyone's ears.
"Welcome! Welcome everyone to Hogwarts to begin a new school year! Before the feast begins, I'd like to say a few words: First-year students, please note that the area of silver-leafed trees outside the school grounds is forbidden to all students.
Furthermore, unless there are special circumstances, students are forbidden from going down the mountain to Amon Sul on weekends. Only in their third year, with a parent's signed consent, may they visit Amon Sul on weekends.
Also, tryouts for Quidditch players will be held in the second week of this semester. All students interested in joining the House team, please contact our professor Gandalf."
The young Wizards from the territories, hearing 'Quidditch,' immediately brightened, becoming excited.
The other young Elves and Dúnedain children, having never heard of it, showed expressions of confusion and bewilderment.
But soon, after explanations and introductions from their classmates, they too showed looks of anticipation.
Professor Gandalf, seated at the faculty table, waved cheerfully at the students when Luke introduced him, completely devoid of any serious expression, like an old prankster.
"Finally, I must tell everyone: Do not disturb the sleeping Dragon! If you do not wish to encounter accidents and die a painful death, please do not attempt to enter the door next to the dungeon. Otherwise, Dragon Smaug's Dragonfire awaits you!"
When he spoke the last sentence, Luke warned with a serious expression.
This made all the new students take his words seriously, engraving them firmly in their minds.
Many of them had heard that beneath the castle, a Dragon guarded endless treasures in its sleep.
That Dragon was the Lord's mount, famous and fearsome, once occupying the Dwarf kingdom and its treasures, causing the Dwarves to become displaced, until it was finally subdued by the Lord.
They naturally knew of the Dragon's might. Although very curious about the Dragon, no one dared to risk provoking a sleeping Dragon; that was no different from seeking death.
Children, though fickle and curious, were not foolish.
They naturally wouldn't seek death.
Luke looked at the students below, each visibly startled, and a smile flickered in his eyes.
His warning was, of course, meant to deliberately scare them.
Not to mention that the door leading to Dragon Smaug was magically locked by him, impossible to open without a special key and command.
And even if these students did manage to enter, Smaug would at most only scare them, not actually harm them fatally.
"Alright, the feast now begins!" After finishing the announcements, Luke raised the golden cup in front of him.
The next second, sumptuous food instantly appeared on all the tables.
This drew gasps of surprise from the students, who looked incredulously at the appearing food.
At the Phoenix House long table, Anlómir was seated with the young Elf Aranil, and beside them was Adam Bailey from Amon Sul.
Adam Bailey, considering himself a subject of the headmaster, displayed a sense of ownership. He took great care of Anlómir, who came from the Dúnedain tribe, and Aranil, who came from Rivendell.
Chewing on a chicken leg, he happily told his two classmates:
"My dad will definitely be thrilled that I got into Phoenix House! My dad said the headmaster's Animagus is the only Phoenix in all of Middle-earth! So our House is actually symbolized by the headmaster's Phoenix form. It's not an exaggeration to say it's the direct lineage House!"
Anlómir and Aranil, being new to Wizard society, were a bit confused.
"Animagus? What's that?"
Adam Bailey also only half-understood. He shook his head and said:
"I'm not very clear either. My dad said it's too far beyond us. It's said to be a very advanced Transfiguration that allows one to transform into an animal. Only the most skilled in Transfiguration can successfully transform into an Animagus.
And so far, only the headmaster's Animagus is a Phoenix; everyone else's Animagus is just an ordinary animal.
Oh, and professor Edward, who presided over our Sorting Ceremony just now, is our House dean. I heard he's also a registered Animagus, but no one knows what animal his Animagus is."
Hearing Adam's words, Anlómir and Aranil were even more astonished.
magic that could transform into animals—that was truly amazing!
Through their mutual conversation, the three quickly became acquainted and began to talk about their families.
Just like them, other students, amidst the lively atmosphere of the dining tables, also got to know each other and grew closer.
Among them, the young Elves were the most popular.
With their perfect faces and elegant demeanor, although their actual age was much older than their human classmates, and even older than many professors at the faculty table, their appearance of only eight or nine years old made them receive care and affection from their other classmates.
After everyone had eaten their fill, all the food on the tables disappeared again, leaving the gleaming, spotless tabletops with only clean, empty plates.
Luke stood up again, and with a flick of his wand, a colorful ribbon shot out, fluttering in mid-air. Rows of shining lyrics sparkled on the ribbon.
"Everyone, in your favorite tune, let's sing the school song together. Ready... begin!" Luke said with a cheerful laugh.
The children looked at the strange lyrics, all greatly surprised.
The professors, however, were somewhat speechless and amused, only sensing Luke's mischievousness.
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts,
Please teach us knowledge,
Whether we are bald old men,
Or children with scraped knees,
Our minds can accept,
All interesting things,
Because now our brains are empty, full of air,
Dead flies and trivial matters,
Teach us some valuable knowledge,
Give back what we have forgotten,
You just do your best, the rest is up to us,
We will study hard until we turn to dust."
Everyone sang in different tunes, talking over each other. Even with the beautiful singing of the Elves among them, it still couldn't salvage this musical disaster.
Initially, the professors were enjoying the spectacle, especially Gandalf, Galadriel, and Arwen, who saw it as Luke's mischievousness acting up.
But soon, they discovered that as the singing progressed, the entire castle seemed to awaken.
A magical fluctuation, perceivable only by those with deep and sensitive magic, continuously vibrated with the students' singing... The castle established an invisible connection with the students, more like a contract: the castle would protect the safety of every student, and at the same time, the castle would absorb the children's overflowing magic, as well as the constantly active emotional energy.
As the owner of this castle, Luke felt it most deeply. He could sense that somewhere in the castle, the children's emotional energy and excess magic were gathering, slowly nurturing something.
Luke thought that perhaps when the time was right, this castle would give birth to a "spirit," thus truly becoming a "living" castle.
After the school anthem, Luke announced the end of the feast and dismissed the students in an orderly fashion.
Since there were no older students, the four House deans left their seats at the professors' table and led their respective Houses' students back to their common rooms.
"Students of Phoenix House, please follow me!"
"Thunderbird House, don't fall behind, please go upstairs!"
"Dragon House / Basilisk House..."
The voices of the four House deans rang out successively, overriding the students' buzzing.
The other professors also bid farewell to Luke and Arwen, then returned to their respective offices.
Among them, Lady Galadriel and Gandalf walked together; they both lived in houses on the maolong tree in the garden.
Luke carefully held his wife Arwen's arm as they strolled down the narrow corridor towards Amon Sûl.
That was Luke and Arwen's private domain, where usually only close relatives like Galadriel and Gandalf would gather for small get-togethers.
Arwen gently stroked her slightly protruding belly, a gentle and bright smile on her face as she said to her husband, "Luke, with these children, the castle has become lively. It's truly wonderful!"
Luke carefully supported her, shaking his head: "I just hope these little ones don't disturb you."
Arwen was already almost two years pregnant and would give birth in a little over a year.
If Arwen hadn't insisted, Luke wouldn't have wanted her to be a History of Magic professor. After all, facing those boisterous children, Luke was deeply afraid that a single misstep could harm Arwen and the child in her womb.
"Of course not. I love hearing the children's laughter, and I also believe they will bring an endless supply of vitality and energy to the castle."
Arwen naturally felt her husband's concern and carefulness. Besides feeling sweet about it, she also felt a little helpless.
Elves have stronger physical constitutions than humans. Even while pregnant, Arwen could still jump and skip. Even if Orcs appeared now, she could easily kill them.
Not to mention just being a History of Magic professor.
However, facing her cautious husband, who treated her like a fragile item, Arwen didn't want to startle him, as he was already on edge. So, she agreed to let her grandmother Galadriel share the teaching workload, trying not to overexert herself.
------
On the other side, the first-year students of the four Houses followed their deans like a group of ducklings.
The dormitories for Phoenix House and Thunderbird House were located on the upper floors, requiring passage through layers of moving staircases.
Phoenix House was on the eighth floor of the castle, and the entrance to its common room was a portrait.
The portrait depicted a very beautiful Elf maiden named Nimrodel, a Silvan Elf.
Lothlórien's most famous river, Nimrodel Stream, was named after her. It is said that beneath the waterfall of Nimrodel Stream, one can hear the singing of an Elf maiden, as Nimrodel once sang there.
There is also a beautiful and sad love story about Nimrodel:
Nimrodel was a free-spirited Elf maiden who deeply loved Amroth, the lord of Lothlórien, but refused to marry him because she was displeased with the Sindar and Noldor Elves entering Lothlórien, believing they exposed the land to war and turmoil.
She lived alone and spoke only the language of the Wood Elves, persisting even after Sindarin became the common tongue.
In the Third Age, the Balrog beneath the Mines of Moria awakened, and Nimrodel, distraught, fled Lothlórien alone, with Amroth following her.
Near Fangorn Forest, Nimrodel promised Amroth that if he could take her to a peaceful place, she would marry him.
So they set off for the Elf haven of Edhellond in the Bay of Belfalas to the south, but they got separated in the White Mountains.
When Amroth reached the port, his ship was swept away from the shore by waves. He leaped into the sea to search for Nimrodel and eventually drowned, and Nimrodel's whereabouts thereafter remained unknown.
Lothlórien thus lost its lord, and subsequently, Celeborn and Galadriel were acclaimed as the Lord and Lady of Lothlórien.
The portrait of Nimrodel before them was painted by Arwen and imbued with false memories, her personality more closely resembling her image in Elf songs.
To the students' astonished gazes, the Elf maiden in the painting spoke, asking for the password. After professor Edward replied, she performed an elegant bow.
The hidden entrance behind the portrait opened, and the first-year students, led by dean Edward, entered the Phoenix House common room.
The common room was very spacious and comfortable, with soft red carpets on the floor, golden-red sofas and chairs casually arranged, and Phoenix patterns on the surrounding walls and ceiling.
A large fireplace burned with flames, making the common room warm and cozy. A family of Fire Salamanders also lived in the fire.
dean Edward briefly introduced Phoenix House and distributed the timetables before leaving the common room.
The well-fed first-year students, drowsy in the warm common room, yawned as they went upstairs to find their respective rooms.
The Dúnedain Anlómir, the little Elf Aranil, and the young Wizard Adam Bailey happened to be assigned to the same dormitory.
They chatted about their magical day, and even their drowsiness quietly faded a bit... Similarly, in the other Houses,
Thunderbird House students had exclusive use of a tower. Their dormitories were the highest among the four Houses. The entrance to their common room had a Thunderbird statue knocker on the door, which would only open after a question was answered correctly.
The common room behind the door was predominantly blue, with a blue starry sky on the ceiling and a huge floor-to-ceiling window offering views of the entire Hogwarts Castle. There was even a branch of a maolong tree extending outside the window as an outdoor decoration.
Dragon House and Basilisk House, on the other hand, were located underground.
Dragon House required walking down a long corridor on the first floor and stopping in front of a Dragon statue near the kitchen.
The Dragon statue was carved entirely from stone, lifelike, and curled up as if asleep.
But if one tapped the name "Smaug" rhythmically on the Dragon statue's head with a wand, the Dragon would come alive, move aside, and reveal a hole in the corner of the wall behind him.
However, if the tapping was incorrect, the Dragon statue would spray a stream of water, drenching the person.
Furthermore, if anyone deliberately tried to damage or force their way into the Dragon House dormitory, the Dragon statue would directly attack, spewing flames from its mouth, and its massive tail would smash people into the wall.
The hole behind the Dragon statue led down a flight of stairs, wide enough for only one person to pass.
Passing through the hole led to the common room on the first underground level.
The Dragon House common room was primarily yellow and black, shaped like a Dragon's cave, with a cozy interior. A portrait of Dragon Smaug also hung on the wall.
Smaug in the portrait was very pleased and proud of the House named after him. He directly took the students assigned to Dragon House under his protection and called them "little dragon whelps."
The Basilisk House dormitories were located in the basement, requiring a descent down a long flight of stairs beneath the castle to reach a circular stone door. A silver snake statue adorned with two emeralds hung on the door.
The snake statue seemed alive, constantly flicking its tongue and hissing.
After the password was given, one would enter the Basilisk House common room.
The common room was luxuriously decorated, primarily silver and green. Although located in the basement, there was no sense of coldness; the constantly burning fire in the fireplace filled the entire common room with warmth.
The student dormitories were located even further below the common room, almost reaching the Black Lake.
Outside the dormitories, through crystal windows, one could see the scenery of the Black Lake, with various schools of fish swimming past the windows, and occasionally even the massive form of the giant octopus Kraken.
The next day, the sun shone brightly.
The rising sun illuminated the castle, reflecting brilliant light off the golden maolong trees and silver white trees, shrouding the entire castle in golden and silver radiance, full of sacred and bright imagery.
The sweet fragrance of grass, trees, and flowers drifted into the dormitories with the breeze, gently waking the new students who had enjoyed a night of sweet dreams.
The students opened their blurry eyes, saw the scene outside the window, and were filled with shock, their sleepiness completely fading away.
"Wow, it's truly beautiful!" Anlómir of Phoenix House exclaimed in admiration.
Even the young elf Aranil, who had lived in Rivendell since childhood, couldn't help but nod.
As the new students gradually woke up, after washing up, they all went to the Great Hall on the first floor for breakfast.
After breakfast, it was almost nine o'clock.
Anlómir, Aranil, and Adam Bailey hurried towards the Transfiguration classroom; their first class today was Transfiguration, and it was with students from Dragon House.
The three finally arrived at the classroom just before the class bell rang and quickly took their seats.
When the class bell rang, all the new students looked around, confused, as they didn't see the professor.
Just then, a massive figure walked in through the classroom door on all fours.
The students in the back looked back in confusion, instantly turning pale with fright, their terrified screams caught in their throats, unable to make a sound.
Then, more and more students noticed the dead silence in the back, turned their heads, and showed expressions of fear.
It was a wolf-like creature as tall as an adult, with a black back and white belly, and thick, powerful limbs, making one initially think it was a Warg.
The "Giant Wolf" strode through the aisle, came to the front, and then instantly Transfigured, becoming professor Edward.
Seeing this, a series of gasps and exclamations rose and fell.
All the students watched this scene in disbelief, feeling as if they were still dreaming.
Only Adam Bailey, after his initial shock, immediately reacted, his voice growing louder with excitement and admiration:
"I know, that's an Animagus! professor Edward's Animagus is a wolf! That's so cool!"
Everyone else in the classroom heard Adam Bailey's words; those who had heard of Animagus immediately understood.
Those who hadn't heard of it looked bewildered but were then explained to by their knowledgeable classmates, subsequently showing the same shocked and enlightened expressions.
Edward, at the front, naturally heard Adam Bailey's voice, and a smile flashed in his eyes.
He then spoke to quell all the noise: "Quiet!"
The classroom instantly fell silent, but the students' expressions remained unsettled, still immersed in the recent shock.
Edward looked around and said loudly, "Mr. Bailey's explanation was correct. Animagus is one of the highest achievements in Transfiguration. It allows a Wizard to freely transform into another animal form, which helps us disguise ourselves or cope with special environmental needs."
"However!" Edward's expression became serious, "Transfiguration is a very dangerous subject. One careless mistake can easily lead to irreversible magical accidents. Those who master Animagus transformation are few and far between. To this day, only five people have successfully achieved Animagus."
"Therefore, in my class, no reckless attempts are allowed, and you must not use Transfiguration rashly. I do not want to see any of you turn into strange shapes, lose your minds, or even die!"
Hearing professor Edward's very serious words, the students felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over them, and their impulsive excitement about Animagus instantly cooled down.
But some brave students couldn't help but ask curiously, "professor, besides you, what are the Animagi of the others?"
Other students also showed curious expressions.
Seeing everyone's curiosity, Edward didn't rush to start the lesson immediately. Instead, he satisfied their curiosity and also stimulated their interest in Transfiguration.
"To date, there are four Animagi registered with the Ministry of Magic, including the headmaster," Edward said slowly, looking around at the students who were listening intently.
"I'm sure many of you have heard of the headmaster's Animagus. Yes, it is the first and only Phoenix in Middle-earth!"
As he spoke of this, Edward's face showed longing and reverence.
"A Phoenix is a very beautiful, powerful, and sacred creature. It can be reborn from its ashes, control fire, its tears can heal all wounds and illnesses, its song can inspire courage and deter Dark creatures. It can be said to be a perfect creature!"
The students present all showed expressions of awe and longing as they listened.
"Generally speaking, Animagus transformation can only transform into ordinary animals, like me or the other two Wizards, who only transform into ordinary animals. Forcibly transforming into a magical creature will cause severe, irreversible damage, so wanting to become a Phoenix like the headmaster is unrealistic."
"So, if any of you are interested in Animagus, when you reach advanced Transfiguration, you can apply to me and practice Animagus under my supervision or that of other professors.
But the most important rule is: absolutely, absolutely, absolutely no practicing in private!"
"As for the Animagi of the other two Wizards, one of them you also know: your Dark Arts Defense professor Brog. He is the only Animagus with the ability to fly besides the headmaster, a very handsome falcon."
"And the remaining one is Mr. Bill Ollivander, the wand-making master. His Animagus is a chameleon."
Edward revealed all the information about the Animagus owners to the students without any concealment.
He didn't seem worried about exposing others' privacy.
After all, one of the most important uses of Animagus is for disguise and stealth, to avoid revealing one's true identity.
Now that their Animagi were revealed, it could easily spread, causing Animagus to lose its secrecy.
But in fact, this information was already public.
After Edward, Brog, and Bill successfully completed their Animagus transformations, they registered with the Ministry of Magic, so many people within the Ministry of Magic knew about it.
Of course, the reason Edward could openly speak of their Animagus forms without concern was that they also mastered more advanced magical animal forms.
After they successfully completed their Animagus transformations, Luke helped them evolve their Animagi.
After evolution, Edward's ordinary Animagus was a wolfdog, while the evolved version was a Giant Wolf. Both forms existed simultaneously, meaning he possessed two Animagus forms.
Just as Luke, although he completed the Phoenix Animagus transformation, could still transform into an owl.
And Edward's Giant Wolf was far more powerful than a Warg. Its transformation was also inspired by the Three-headed wolf Cerberus at Isengard, possessing copper skin, iron bones, and sharp venomous fangs.
Brog's ordinary Animagus was a falcon, while the evolved version was a Giant Eagle. Although its size could not compare to true Giant Eagles, it still possessed considerable strength.
As for Bill's Animagus, it was just a small chameleon, appearing the smallest and weakest, but it had the greatest potential among the three.
With Luke's help, Bill's Animagus successfully evolved from a chameleon into a fire-breathing Wyvern.
Although its size and strength could not compare to a true Dragon, being only similar to a Wyvern, its power was still not to be underestimated.
So, on the surface, their three Animagi were a wolfdog, a falcon, and a lizard, but in reality, they were a Giant Wolf, a Giant Eagle, and a Wyvern—three powerful magical creatures.
They were also the three strongest Wizards among those cultivated under Luke.