Lucas Summers turned around and immediately saw Professor Dumbledore smiling warmly behind him.
The old Headmaster had apparently walked all the way down from the staff table just to speak with him personally.
"Mr. Summers," Dumbledore said pleasantly, his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon glasses, "after classes today, would you mind coming to my office?"
"Of course, Professor," Lucas replied.
"My office is on the eighth floor. There's a rather noticeable stone gargoyle guarding the entrance, so you shouldn't have trouble finding it." Dumbledore paused thoughtfully. "The password is sherbet lemon."
"Understood."
Dumbledore nodded with satisfaction, then glanced toward Fred and George. His eyes landed on their magnificent white beards, and his smile widened slightly.
"You know," he said thoughtfully, "a pair of bows tied around those beards might complete the look rather nicely."
Then he calmly walked away.
By now, the magical beards on Fred and George had already begun falling off in clumps.
"Oh," Lucas said regretfully, "looks like the duration still isn't long enough."
Fred grabbed his shoulders dramatically. "Are you kidding? This is already incredible!"
George laughed so hard he nearly fell off the bench. "At least we didn't end up like Lee Jordan."
"Imagine attending an entire day of classes with a beard down to your knees."
Fred suddenly leaned closer with bright eyes. "What are these biscuits called, anyway?"
Lucas scratched his cheek awkwardly. "I haven't decided yet. Maybe… Whitebeard Biscuits?"
The twins nodded seriously as if discussing a legendary invention.
"Perfect name."
"Classic name."
They clearly wanted to continue discussing prank products, but before they could, Lee Jordan stormed into the Great Hall carrying a Beater's bat.
"You traitors!"
Fred and George instantly bolted from their seats.
The three boys disappeared through the hall while shouting and laughing loudly enough to wake the castle ghosts.
A little while later, Hermione and Kassandra finally arrived for breakfast and sat beside Lucas. Both girls looked fresh and energetic, unlike Lucas, who still appeared half-dead from lack of sleep.
Oddly enough, Harry and Ron were nowhere to be seen.
Lucas calmly took another bite of bread. They were probably lost again.
Honestly, Hogwarts itself seemed determined to confuse first-years. Fortunately, Lucas had already memorised the route between Gryffindor Tower and the Great Hall the previous evening.
At exactly nine o'clock, Hogwarts classes officially began.
To Lucas, this schedule felt heavenly.
Back in his previous life, he'd suffered through brutal exam-focused schooling that required waking up at six in the morning every single day. Compared to that nightmare, Hogwarts practically felt like a holiday resort.
By the time Lucas, Hermione, and Kassandra arrived outside the Transfiguration classroom, they were still absurdly early.
The classroom itself was empty except for a tabby cat sitting neatly atop the professor's desk.
Hermione's eyes immediately lit up.
"Oh! What a cute cat—"
She started walking toward it excitedly, but Lucas instantly grabbed her sleeve and yanked her back before disaster could strike.
Hermione stumbled slightly. "What?"
Lucas coughed awkwardly. "Trust me. Don't touch that cat."
Especially if that cat happened to be Professor McGonagall.
Because Lucas doubted the strict professor would appreciate having students scratch her chin and pat her head first thing in the morning.
The three of them found seats together near the middle of the classroom.
The moment Hermione sat down, she opened her Transfiguration textbook and immediately began muttering complicated theory under her breath. She'd apparently attempted Transfiguration magic several times at home over the summer, but none of it had succeeded.
At the moment, Lucas had no particular plans to focus heavily on Transfiguration himself.
Not because the subject was weak—far from it.
The problem was that advanced Transfiguration required an absurd amount of theory and precision. For a first-year wizard, it was difficult to develop practical combat effectiveness quickly.
Lucas would rather spend that time learning spells that exploded things.
Far more efficient.
Leaning lazily against his chair, Lucas glanced toward the tabby cat sitting on the desk.
Then he turned to Kassandra.
"If I became an Animagus someday," he asked casually, "what animal do you think I'd turn into?"
Kassandra tilted her head while thinking seriously.
"A small snake?" she guessed.
Lucas immediately protested. "Please. I'm a Gryffindor."
Although, without his system suppressing certain tendencies, Azkaban might genuinely have been his future destination.
Hermione looked up from her book eagerly. "A kitten would suit you."
"A kitten?" Lucas repeated blankly. "Why does nobody think I could become something impressive? Like a lion?"
Hermione and Kassandra both slowly looked him up and down.
Then they shook their heads in perfect synchronization.
Hermione explained seriously, "Books say Animagus forms are linked to personality and physique."
Kassandra covered her mouth while laughing softly. "Your personality might fit, but your size…" She looked him over deliberately. "Honestly, a kitten seems possible."
Lucas fell silent in despair.
Kassandra's eyes brightened suddenly. "If you do turn into a kitten someday, I'm holding you first."
The moment the words left her mouth, she froze.
Her cheeks instantly turned bright red.
At that exact moment, the tabby cat atop the desk suddenly leapt gracefully into the air.
Mid-jump, it transformed.
Professor McGonagall landed neatly before the class in full human form.
Hermione nearly screamed.
McGonagall's lips twitched slightly with amusement as she looked directly at Lucas.
"If you truly wish to study Animagus transformation in the future, Mr. Summers, you may come to me for guidance." Her expression then became serious. "But you must promise never to attempt it alone."
Lucas nodded obediently. "I understand, Professor."
Animagus transformation was notoriously dangerous. One mistake could leave a wizard permanently trapped between forms for the rest of their life.
Besides, Lucas had already looked into the process before.
The very first step alone was enough to make him give up entirely.
Holding a mandrake leaf inside his mouth continuously for an entire month without swallowing it?
Absolutely impossible.
Forget magical difficulty—he simply refused to sacrifice eating properly for thirty straight days.
He would rather wait for the system to reward him with an easier method later.
After exchanging a few more words with Lucas, Professor McGonagall calmly transformed back into a tabby cat and returned to the desk.
A few minutes later, Harry and Ron burst breathlessly into the classroom.
The pair initially looked relieved upon noticing that the professor seemingly hadn't arrived yet.
Then the tabby cat transformed back into McGonagall directly in front of them.
Both boys nearly died on the spot.
Professor McGonagall stared coldly at them. "Perhaps this map of Hogwarts is too complicated for you to navigate?"
Harry looked utterly wronged. "The staircases kept moving, Professor…"
"And Peeves attacked us," Ron added miserably.
McGonagall clearly wasn't interested in excuses.
Once everyone had finally settled down, she began the lesson properly.
"Transfiguration," she said sternly, "is among the most complex and dangerous forms of magic taught at Hogwarts."
Her sharp eyes swept across the room.
"Anyone fooling around in my class will leave and never return. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Professor," the class chorused nervously.
McGonagall tapped the desk lightly with her wand.
The wooden desk instantly transformed into a plump pig.
Several students gasped.
A moment later, the pig transformed back into the desk perfectly.
The little wizards stared with shining eyes.
Every single one of them suddenly wanted to master Transfiguration.
Unfortunately for them, that level of magic was still very far away.
The lesson quickly shifted into theory.
A massive amount of theory.
Professor McGonagall lectured continuously while the students scribbled notes as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, Lucas had barely slept the previous night.
At first, he only nodded off slightly.
Then his head started drooping lower and lower.
Finally, he simply collapsed face-first onto the desk and fell asleep completely.
Several minutes later, sharp pain suddenly exploded from both of his feet.
Lucas jerked awake violently.
Hermione and Kassandra had each stomped one of his shoes beneath the desk.
He looked up.
Professor McGonagall stood directly before him with her lips pressed tightly together.
Lucas immediately realised things had gone terribly wrong.
Sleeping in McGonagall's class?
How courageous had he become?
"Mr. Summers," McGonagall said calmly, though her tone carried obvious danger, "perhaps you'd like to demonstrate your Transfiguration abilities for the class."
Lucas instantly stood up.
"If your skills have improved," she continued, "I may consider awarding Gryffindor points."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"If not, I shall deduct them from your own house."
Clearly, Professor McGonagall had decided her favourite student required immediate correction.
Lucas sighed inwardly before walking toward the front of the classroom.
He drew his ebony wand smoothly and pointed it toward the desk.
With a gentle wave, the desk twisted and transformed instantly.
A magnificent phoenix appeared.
The fiery bird looked astonishingly lifelike, almost identical to Fawkes himself. Brilliant crimson feathers shimmered beneath the classroom light while golden eyes sparkled with intelligence.
Then the phoenix began to sing.
The entire classroom instantly fell silent.
The song was warm and soothing, like sunlight after winter, making every student feel strangely peaceful inside.
The phoenix spread its flaming wings and circled gracefully above the classroom several times before finally landing on Lucas's shoulder.
"Oh my God…"
"He made a phoenix!"
"I heard Professor Dumbledore teaches him personally!"
"It's beautiful…"
Several students looked ready to cry from envy.
Even Professor McGonagall couldn't hide her satisfaction anymore.
"Excellent Transfiguration," she announced firmly. "Gryffindor gains twenty points."
Lucas blinked.
Then he suddenly understood.
Professor, if you wanted to award house points, you could've just said so earlier. I honestly thought you were about to execute me for sleeping in class.
....
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