Chapter 265: Connections
Chapter 265: Connections
"It's true."
Albert wasn't lying to Hannah. Whether it was the Transfiguration Club or the Charms Club, they were similar in nature to the advanced classes for sixth-years.
However, the selection criteria for members were much more stringent.
Joining the Transfiguration Club required not only talent and effort but also a passion for Transfiguration and a dedication to delving deep into the subject. Otherwise, with the content Professor McGonagall covered in the club, younger students wouldn't be able to keep up.
Albert shared some of the things that happened in the Transfiguration Club with Hannah, but to his surprise, she suddenly shook her head and said, "Never mind."
"Never mind?" Albert was taken aback, not expecting such a response.
"Being able to learn Professor McGonagall's class material ahead of others is something I achieved through my own hard work," Hannah said, being realistic about her abilities. "If I were to delve into even more complex knowledge, I don't know how much time and energy it would take." She knew her magical aptitude, and it certainly didn't include writing a paper worthy of publication in a magazine like Albert.
That would probably exceed the O.W.L. level.
Could she really keep up with the others and make further progress in Transfiguration? In the end, Hannah decided to give up. It would be too exhausting, and it was better not to push herself too hard.
Albert didn't know what to say. Without the system's help in his previous life, he could understand why Hannah would refuse.
The two of them walked silently to the moving staircase.
"See you later," Albert said, turning to Hannah. "By the way, there's one more thing. Don't lend your homework to others. Be careful, or a professor might find out, and you'll end up in trouble too."
"Fred, George, and Lee Jordan would want to beat you up if they knew," Hannah said with a smile.
"Just don't tell them, then," Albert replied.
Soon after, Albert knocked on the wooden door of Professor McGonagall's office.
"Mr. Anderson, have a seat for a moment. I have something to finish up, and it won't take long," said Professor McGonagall, who was in the process of editing an article for Transfiguration Today.
"Sorry to disturb you."
Albert sat down in an armchair by the fireplace, sipping the tea that Professor McGonagall had conjured up, and browsed through the latest issue of Transfiguration Today on the table as he waited for the professor to finish her work.
After about a quarter of an hour, Professor McGonagall finished editing the article and sat down in the armchair across from Albert.
"About Animagus?" she asked, having already guessed Albert's intention. She hadn't forgotten the letter he had written to her during the Christmas holidays.
"Yes," Albert replied, closing the magazine and nodding at the professor. "I don't know much about Animagus magic."
"May I see your Patronus?" Professor McGonagall asked gently, looking at Albert. She understood his concerns, and any master of Transfiguration would not shy away from the challenge of becoming an Animagus. Naturally, she expected no less from a talented student like Albert.
"Of course," Albert agreed, raising his wand. He began to recall happy memories and successfully cast the Patronus Charm, summoning his patronus.
A pale griffin, a lion-bodied eagle-headed creature, strode gracefully across the room and soon disappeared.
"That's a remarkable Patronus," Professor McGonagall said with a comforting smile. "Your concerns are not unfounded, but unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any useful information about Animagi. So, for now, I can't give you an answer."
"That is a shame," Albert said, though he wasn't surprised. He hadn't come to Professor McGonagall for help with becoming an Animagus.
If achieving Animagus form through the ritual was difficult, Albert knew he would have to rely on the system's mission panel to obtain this skill.
However, completing the mission would require him to earn two more special contribution awards from Hogwarts, which wouldn't be easy.
"You have plenty of time to figure it out," Professor McGonagall consoled him. "I assume you've read about the ritual in books. The process of becoming an Animagus is quite intricate, and I suggest you attempt it after graduating from Hogwarts."
"Alright!" Albert raised an eyebrow but didn't press further on the Animagus matter, knowing that Professor McGonagall might not be able to help him much in this regard.
"Actually, there's one more thing," he said.
"What is it?"
"I finally learned the Transfiguration Charm some time ago," Albert said, surprising the professor once again. "I want to know about its more advanced applications. As far as I know, The Prophet uses the charm to modify the content of the newspaper when necessary."
"The Transfiguration Charm?" Professor McGonagall looked at her student anew, finding it hard to imagine that Albert was a Muggle-born wizard.
"You're right; The Prophet does use the charm. But that's not considered an advanced application," she explained. "What level of proficiency have you achieved with the charm?"
Albert took out two identical parchments and used the charm to modify their content, causing the words to shift and form a new paragraph. "I can make the same text appear on multiple sheets of parchment," he said.
"Your aptitude for Transfiguration far exceeds my expectations," Professor McGonagall said, looking pleased. "Once you become adept at using the Transfiguration Charm, you'll be able to alter the content of newspapers. But that's not an advanced application of the charm."
"What about the two-way mirror? I believe advanced Transfiguration Charms are used in their creation," Albert inquired.
"Two-way mirrors? I'm not very familiar with them," the professor admitted. "But if you want to explore the advanced applications of the Transfiguration Charm, I suggest you borrow two books from the Restricted Section: Ultimate Transfiguration and Extraordinary Transfiguration." As she spoke, Professor McGonagall wrote a note for Albert to access the Restricted Section.
This was the benefit of having a good relationship with a professor. When it came to matters outside of class, they were always willing to lend a helping hand, especially to students they favored.
"Of course," Professor McGonagall added, "if I find out that you've caused any major trouble with this knowledge, Mr. Anderson, I will put you in detention." She handed the note to Albert but not before giving him a warning.
"Feel free to come back to me if you have any questions, and don't attempt any of the Transfiguration spells from the books recklessly. They can be quite dangerous," she advised.
"I'll be careful," Albert assured her, happily taking the note and bidding the professor farewell. As he turned to leave, she added one more thing.
"Oh, and Mr. Anderson," Professor McGonagall called out before he could exit the office, "please inform your three roommates to come to detention. Their Christmas holiday homework was a mess."
"Oh, I will," Albert replied. He had been planning to play a prank on the trio, but it seemed they were already in trouble even before he could get started.
As soon as Albert left Professor McGonagall's office, he made his way directly to the library to deliver the "good news" to Fred, George, and Lee.
"Merlin's beard!" Fred exclaimed, unable to contain himself.
The others in the library glared at them, and in the next moment, Mrs. Pince chased the three of them out of the library with a feather duster.
Albert shook his head at the sight of their hasty retreat. With a smile, he handed Mrs. Pince the note from Professor McGonagall.
(End of Chapter)
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