Transfiguration that morning was simple in theory and humiliating in practice.
Professor McGonagall stood at the front of the classroom, posture straight as a blade, her sharp eyes sweeping across the students.
"Today," she announced, "you will be turning a beetle into a button. Focus on structure, material conversion, and intent. Precision matters far more than speed."
Small boxes were distributed across the desks. Inside each sat a single glossy black beetle.
Cho glanced at hers, then at Alexander, already smirking.
"This should be easy," she whispered.
He gave a confident nod.
He flicked his wand.
"Vera Verto."
The beetle twitched… and turned slightly more purple.
He frowned.
Again.
This time, one leg hardened into plastic while the rest remained very much alive, skittering in offended circles.
Cho covered her mouth, shoulders shaking.
"You're struggling," she whispered, amused.
Alexander narrowed his eyes at the beetle as if it had personally insulted him.
He knew the theory. He understood the spell matrix. Structural override, surface binding, magical compression—none of it was difficult.
But his mind kept drifting.
All summer, he had focused on defensive magic—Protego layering, barrier density, shield curvature. Transfiguration had been neglected.
He exhaled slowly.
Focus.
Intent. Form. Conversion.
Halfway through the lesson, his wand moved again—slower, more deliberate.
"Vera Verto."
The beetle shimmered.
Its legs folded inward, shell flattening, color draining—
Click.
A smooth black button rested on the desk.
Perfect holes. Clean edges.
No twitching.
Professor McGonagall appeared beside him almost instantly.
"Excellent, Mr. Chen. Ten points to Ravenclaw," she said, examining the result.
Her lips curved faintly.
"Though you seem to be slacking compared to your Charms performance."
She gave a small chuckle before gliding away.
Alexander leaned back in his chair.
Fine. I'll practice Transfiguration more.
He spent the rest of class repeating the process—beetle to button, button back to beetle, then again. By the end, he had succeeded several more times.
Cho, after laughing earlier, only managed one successful transformation.
"It's harder than it looks," she muttered.
He smirked but didn't tease her back.
The next class was universally understood as sanctioned nap time.
Professor Binns droned on about Goblin taxation policies from three centuries ago, his ghostly voice floating through the room like distant fog.
Alexander didn't sleep immediately.
Instead, he placed a spare beetle on his desk and quietly practiced under the table line—subtle wand movements, silent casting attempts.
Transfiguration required repetition more than raw power.
After several successful conversions, mental fatigue finally caught him.
His head dipped.
Darkness.
A poke to his shoulder woke him.
Cho stood beside his desk, books already gathered.
"Class is over," she said. "You were snoring."
"I don't snore."
"You do when you practice magic in your sleep."
He ignored that.
She hesitated, then spoke more quietly.
"I want to join you all tonight."
He raised a brow.
"With the twins."
"Yes."
He considered for exactly two seconds.
"Sure."
Her face lit up instantly.
Detention finished late, as usual.
Filch still had them scrubbing trophy plaques by hand—no magic allowed.
Once dismissed, Alexander and the twins stepped into a hidden corridor.
He glanced behind them.
Cho stepped out from the shadows.
The twins grinned in unison.
"Finally joining the chaos, are we?"
Alexander didn't answer.
He simply raised his wand.
"Disillusionment Charm."
A ripple passed over the four of them, bodies fading into chameleon-like transparency.
Cho gasped softly, staring at her own hands.
"This is still amazing."
"Stay quiet," He said.
They moved through the halls like ghosts.
Then they found their target.
Mrs. Norris.
Filch's ever-watchful cat prowled the corridor, tail swaying, looking for prey.
Cho's excitement was barely contained.
"Can I?"
Alexander gestured politely.
She aimed her wand.
"Silencio."
Her spell flew and landed perfectly on the cat.
Mrs. Norris jerked, fur puffing, eyes wide as she spun in circles searching for the source.
Trying to Meow but no noise came out.
The twins bit their knuckles to keep from laughing.
Cho cast again—this time, a flick of her wrist and the levitation spell lifted the cat's tail slightly before dropping it.
Mrs. Norris hissed furiously.
Footsteps finally echoed.
Filch's voice roared down the hall.
"WHO'S THERE?!"
That was the breaking point.
The twins bolted first.
Alexander grabbed Cho's hand, and they ran.
Boots pounding stone.
Laughter spilling uncontrollably into the night air.
Behind them, Mrs. Norris tried to screech while Filch thundered after phantom footsteps he couldn't see.
They turned corners blindly, barely keeping quiet as they ducked into hidden passages.
By the time they finally stopped, breathless and grinning, Cho leaned against the wall laughing.
She breathed heavily but was filled with excitement.
"This—is—still fun."
Alexander smirked slightly, catching his breath.
The twins exchanged proud looks.
The night was just starting.
Another story added to Hogwarts' unseen chaos.
And somewhere in the castle, Filch was still yelling in empty corridors.