Chapter 287: The Professors' Clubs
Chapter 287: The Professors' Clubs
Kyle rushed and managed to dash into the classroom just in time for the start of class, earning only a glance from Professor McGonagall, who said nothing...
In their third-year Transfiguration class, they had begun learning animal transfiguration and were tasked with turning a button into a beetle, which was the opposite of what they had done in their second year.
While the subject matter was the same, the difficulty level had increased exponentially.
By the end of the lesson, Kyle was the only one who had successfully met the challenge, and Professor McGonagall, watching the beetle scuttling across the desk, awarded Gryffindor fifteen points.
As for the others... Connor had managed to create a beetle, but its movements were stiff and it couldn't fly, making it only half a success.
Most of the other students had only been able to transform their buttons to look like beetles.
After class, as the students began to file out, Kyle was stopped by Professor McGonagall.
"Stay back for a moment, I'd like to speak with you."
"Yes, Professor," Kyle nodded, staying put.
Once the classroom had emptied, Professor McGonagall smiled and asked, "Would you be interested in joining my Transfiguration Club?"
"Transfiguration Club?"
"It's a club I run personally," Professor McGonagall explained. "Twice a week, I teach more advanced material than what is covered in class. Of course, this has nothing to do with exams and can be considered an advanced study group of sorts.
What do you say? Are you interested?"
"Of course," Kyle nodded without hesitation. "I'd be delighted to join."
Professor McGonagall was one of the most renowned masters of Transfiguration in the wizarding world. If her Transfiguration Club were held anywhere else, its slots would be auctioned off for a hefty sum of Galleons, with countless people vying for a chance to join.
Kyle had no reason to refuse.
"Very well then," said Professor McGonagall. "It starts at seven o'clock sharp on Wednesdays and Fridays."
Wednesday... Wasn't that today?
"Where do I go? To the usual Transfiguration classroom?" Kyle asked.
"No," Professor McGonagall smiled. "It's on the eighth floor of the castle, behind a portrait of two goats near the right-hand corridor."
"I'll be there on time," Kyle assured her.
...
After bidding farewell to Professor McGonagall, Kyle exited the Transfiguration classroom.
Connor was waiting for him at the door.
"What did Professor McGonagall want with you?" she asked.
"Oh, it's nothing," Kyle said casually. "Professor McGonagall just invited me to join her Transfiguration Club."
As he finished speaking, Kyle glanced sideways, expecting to see a look of surprise on the young girl's face.
"Oh... it's a club, then," Connor said nonchalantly, not even turning her head. "I joined Professor Snape's Potions Club at the start of the term. Why are you only joining now?"
"Huh?" Kyle asked, taken aback. "Professor... Snape has a club too?"
"Of course," Connor replied. "Each professor can host their own club and invite students from the third year and above to join."
"By the time we're in our sixth year," she continued, "those members can directly enter the professor's advanced class.
You didn't know that?"
Kyle shook his head; he had been unaware.
"Professor Snape told me about it," Connor said, turning her head. "I thought you were like me and had been invited by a professor at the start of the term. I didn't expect you to join so many days later."
"Heh, maybe the professor was busy," Kyle forced a laugh and quickly changed the subject.
"By the way, what's our next class?"
"Charms."
...
Kyle wondered if the professors had coordinated their efforts because, after Charms class, Professor Flitwick also invited him to join his club.
"Yes," Kyle nodded. "The eldest child of the Weasley family, working as a Curse-Breaker at Gringotts."
"That's right, him," the professor continued. "During his time at school, he joined three clubs: Charms, Transfiguration, and Potions..."
Professor Flitwick winked, "I'm sure you can manage it too."
"That's not necessarily true..." Kyle thought to himself.
There was almost no chance that Snape would invite him, and even if he did, Kyle would have to consider if there was some hidden agenda.
Upon learning that he could join both clubs, Kyle readily accepted Professor Flitwick's invitation.
The location was an empty classroom in the West Tower, and the meetings were held on Mondays and Saturdays.
With his enrollment in two clubs, Kyle could imagine that his future days would be busy, but it was worth it... After all, such opportunities didn't come by often.
Before he knew it, a whole day had passed, and it was already 6:50 pm.
Kyle stood in the corridor on the eighth floor, looking perplexed at the portraits hanging on the walls.
He had already searched once but hadn't found any painting featuring two goats.
There was one with a single goat, though...
Kyle approached the end of the corridor and carefully examined the goat that was munching on grass, as well as the old wizard tending to it.
As he drew closer, the old wizard in the painting grumbled, "Hey, lad, don't get so close. Your fidgeting might smudge the frame!"
"Sorry..."
Kyle took a step back and asked, "Do you have another goat here?"
"Unless you can paint one for me..." The old wizard gave him a sideways glance.
"But would you like a pony instead?"
He pointed to a painting on the opposite wall, where a knight was leading a pony while muttering provocative remarks.
Kyle didn't find it bothersome, but the old wizard frowned in displeasure. "Too noisy... Can you make him be quiet?"
Kyle's heart stirred, and he transformed a Bean of Many Flavors into a thick velvet curtain, which he hung over the knight's portrait.
The sound immediately became much softer.
"Not bad, that Transforming Spell." The old wizard commented, "But I do only have one goat here."
"No," Kyle smiled. "That goat keeps looking around as if it's searching for something... If I'm not mistaken, your Animagus form should be a goat, Mr. Dicathanglus."
"You know me?" The old wizard raised an eyebrow.
"Just a guess..."
"I was mentioned in the 'Beginner's Guide to Transformation' as the eighteenth century's most famous master of Transformation. I once turned a fire dragon into a goat, and it lasted for a whole hour."
"That was a long time ago... Not worth mentioning."
The old wizard waved his hand dismissively and stepped out of the frame, "I've transformed three times today already... That Minvera sure knows how to cause trouble."
When he returned, he had transformed into a goat.
At the same time, the top and bottom edges of the frame began to extend, growing larger and larger. Alongside it, several protruding golden lines intertwined to form something that resembled a doorknob.
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
