Chapter 37: Survival After Disaster
Chapter 37: Survival After Disaster
Taking advantage of a group of Ravenclaw witches entering the Transfiguration classroom, Kyle quickly tagged along and walked with them towards the lectern, making it all look very natural.
When he reached the second row, there was only one little witch in front of Kyle.
And he was just one step away from the lectern.
Kyle's hand in his pocket clutched the packet of fish treats, feeling extremely nervous inside, but his expression remained calm and collected.
However, just as Kyle was about to take out the treats and unlock the achievement, he suddenly realized that the Ravenclaw girl in front of him seemed to have the same idea.
Due to their proximity, Kyle could even see a green object being slowly pulled out of her pocket.
That was...a cat toy?!
"Damn, someone beat me to it!"
Kyle's vision darkened, and he felt numb all over.
Without a doubt, as soon as that little witch took out the cat toy, Professor Meow would surely turn back into Professor McGonagall.
All the plans he had thought out were now completely ruined!
"Damn it! Why did you have to overthink it? You should've just gone for it from the start!"
Kyle angrily slapped his thigh in his mind, wishing he could use a Time-Turner to go back five minutes and give himself a good kick.
But it was too late now, and there was no point in saying anything more. Kyle could only sigh and shift to the left, taking a seat in the front row.
As if he had intended to sit there all along.
At the same time, the little witch that Kyle despised so much had also reached the lectern, and her hand was now fully out of her pocket.
But at that moment, the tortoiseshell cat on the lectern suddenly smiled. It tapped its back legs lightly on the table, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed back into Professor McGonagall.
"Miss Leona, it is commendable to have a caring heart, but as a witch, it is even more important to maintain a keen sense of perception at all times."
Professor McGonagall appeared beside the new student named Leona and gently patted her shoulder as she spoke, pushing her hand holding the cat toy back into her pocket.
"Pro-Professor McGonagall..." The little witch was obviously frightened, her voice trembling.
"It's me," Professor McGonagall said dryly. "If you had observed carefully, you would have noticed that the patterns around the cat's eyes are identical to the square-shaped glasses I'm wearing. Now, would you please return to your seat? We're about to start the lesson."
There was no point deduction, nor was there a stern rebuke, because in Professor McGonagall's opinion, Leona's behavior was no different from a student arriving late for class—neither warranted any surprise.
She had been at Hogwarts for half her life, and the tradition of displaying an Animagus form during the first lesson had been going on for seven or eight years. During this time, she had encountered too many newcomers like Leona.
Some tried to play with the cat, others fed it treats, and some even tried to pet it...the list went on.
Of course, Professor McGonagall had never let any of them succeed.
Without real skill, there was no way this tradition could have lasted so long. Did they think her reputation as a master of Transfiguration was bought with money?
Moreover, cats naturally had faster reactions than witches and wizards. If she were outwitted by these newcomers, she would have no face left to remain at Hogwarts; she might as well resign.
After Leona was helped back to her seat by her Ravenclaw classmates, Professor McGonagall skillfully waved her wand and cast a simple healing spell to calm the girl's nerves.
"I'm sorry, Professor McGonagall. I didn't realize it was you," she apologized.
"Don't let it happen again," Professor McGonagall replied.
As Professor McGonagall turned back to the lectern, she glanced intentionally or unintentionally at Kyle as she passed the front row.
She had initially suspected that Kyle might have had the same idea as Leona, but soon realized that he hadn't displayed that look of astonishment after she had ended her Animagus transformation.
It seemed that Kyle had recognized her Animagus form from the start, and his intention to sit in the front row was likely innocent.
As she had expected, she shouldn't have believed Weasley's words; Kyle was indeed an intelligent and diligent student.
...
Back at the lectern, Professor McGonagall addressed the young witches and wizards with a serious expression. "Transfiguration is the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts.
Anyone who dares to misbehave in my class will be asked to leave and never return. Consider this your warning."
The moment Professor McGonagall spoke, the entire classroom fell silent. Meanwhile, Kyle's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally relaxed.
He had narrowly escaped disaster. He owed Leona a debt of gratitude; if not for her, he would have been the one to embarrass himself in front of everyone.
Kyle decided that after class, he would speak to Autumn and offer to buy Leona a map, regardless of whether she intended to buy one or not.
Good deeds should be rewarded.
The joy of surviving this close call filled Kyle with a lightheartedness as he took notes. Even the dry basics of Gamp's Elemental Transfiguration Theory sounded more pleasant.
However, unlike Kyle, Connor, who was also sitting in the front row, was feeling extremely uneasy.
She couldn't understand why she kept running into Kyle. The new student he had come with was sitting in the back row, weren't they?
Or were they just passing by? But that didn't make sense either, as she remembered that the two of them were roommates. If she hadn't known about this, her personality would never have allowed her to sit in the front row.
So, what was going on now?
She was sitting in the front row, and Kyle was beside her... Was this the worst-case scenario combined with an even worse scenario?
Connor's thoughts were in disarray, and she mechanically jotted down Professor McGonagall's words, not even realizing that her notes had become a jumbled mess.
Up at the lectern, Professor McGonagall continued to explain the precautions of Transfiguration, unaware that the two students under her gaze were anything but focused.
"Alright, those are all the basics of Gamp's Elemental Transfiguration Theory. Remember, these are the foundations of Transfiguration, so make sure to commit them to memory."
Having finished explaining all the key points, Professor McGonagall looked at the students and reminded them once more,
"Remember, Transfiguration is a rigorous discipline. When you wave your wand, you must concentrate, just like this..."
Professor McGonagall waved her wand, and the lectern transformed into a pig.
It was an ordinary pig in every respect; it could run, jump, and even had the characteristic five-ribbed meat. And when it noticed all eyes on it, the pig let out a frightened squeal.
This display left the first-years dumbfounded.
Especially those who were encountering magic for the first time; they found it hard to believe that such a lifelike animal was once a simple desk.
Everyone's eyes turned to Professor McGonagall, eager to learn this magic themselves.
(End of Chapter)
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