Most of Hogwarts’ classrooms were located in the castle’s main building.
Gryffindor’s Transfiguration class was shared with Slytherin, after all, there were only so many professors.
However, when the two of them arrived at the Transfiguration classroom, not a single student was seated yet.
Clearly, the young wizards had been too excited the previous night and failed to wake up early.
“What a cute little kitten!”
Hermione spotted a gray kitten lying on the lectern, with black stripes across its body, and markings around its eyes that looked just like a pair of glasses.
At that moment, it was staring at the two of them without moving an inch.
Fel gently pulled Hermione back, stopping her from going over to bother the kitten.
The two sat down in the front row, took out A Beginner’s Guide to Transfiguration and their notebooks, and began previewing the lesson.
Seeing Fel looking unusually serious, Hermione asked curiously, “Fel, what’s wrong? This doesn’t seem like you.”
Fel covered part of his face with one hand and subtly signaled toward the kitten with his eyes, indicating that something about it was unusual.
Hermione seemed to understand.
Perhaps the kitten was Professor McGonagall’s pet?
Maybe Professor McGonagall was about to arrive?
Fel did not explain any further.
After all, he had only just enrolled and had not read many books.
Logically speaking, he should not know about Animagi.
As time passed, more and more young witches and wizards gradually entered the classroom.
Some ignored everything and sat in the back row, while others walked over hoping to play with the kitten, only for it to dodge them.
Fel felt a little sympathetic toward them and hoped they would not be scared senseless in a moment.
At exactly nine o’clock, the clock chimed loudly, and everyone fell silent, waiting for Professor McGonagall to enter.
The classroom remained completely quiet.
Two minutes later, the door was suddenly shoved open with force, and Ron and Harry rushed in, panting heavily.
Ron was still celebrating their luck.
“We made it just in time. Otherwise, Professor McGonagall’s expression would have been terrifying!”
Before he had even finished speaking, the kitten on the lectern leaped gracefully into the air and transformed into Professor McGonagall!
The young witches and wizards were completely stunned.
Hermione covered her mouth.
She had thought it was Professor McGonagall’s pet, but it turned out to be Professor McGonagall herself!
Fel’s eyes burned with excitement.
This was Animagus, an extremely advanced and dangerous form of Transfiguration.
Otherwise, it could take an unimaginably long time.
Out of hundreds of witches and wizards, there might not even be one who could master Animagus.
But once someone succeeded, it proved that their Transfiguration was absolutely first rate.
This magic was still far beyond Fel’s reach.
Now was not the time for unrealistic dreams.
Still, Fel quietly set himself the goal of mastering it before his third year, after all, Harry’s father’s generation had managed to learn it by their third year.
After scolding Ron and Harry, Professor McGonagall officially began the lesson.
“Transfiguration is the most complex and the most dangerous subject you will study at Hogwarts! Anyone who misbehaves in my class will be asked to leave and will never be allowed back. You have been warned.”
Professor McGonagall spoke with great seriousness.
“Transfiguration changes one object into another. The specific effect of the spell varies depending on what is being transformed. The more difficult the transformation, the greater the magical power required. For example, turning a matchstick into a needle requires only a small amount of magical power. However, transforming a person into an animal requires extraordinarily powerful magic.”
Professor McGonagall spent a full thirty minutes introducing Transfiguration and explaining its casting requirements.
Fel and Hermione listened with complete attention.
This knowledge was the foundation, and the foundation had to be solid.
Finally, Professor McGonagall began explaining Gamp’s Law of Transfiguration.
“First, Transfiguration cannot create real food. It can only enlarge food that already exists. Never attempt it! If any of you decides to play a prank by tricking someone into eating transformed food made from other objects, you could very well end up in Azkaban!”
Fel nodded.
It could certainly be used to set someone up, although only an idiot would probably fall for it.
After all, Transfiguration could not create the aroma of real food.
One bite would immediately reveal something was wrong, and they would spit it out.
“Second, inanimate objects and living creatures cannot be transformed permanently. Once the magic dissipates, the object will return to its original form.”
Hermione raised her hand.
“Professor, does the length of time before the magic fades depend on the strength of the caster’s magic?”
Professor McGonagall was pleased to have a student willing to think critically.
“Yes. If it is the magic of a young wizard, it will usually dissipate within a minute or two.”
“If I were the one performing the Transfiguration, then without undoing the spell, it could last for several months or even many years.”
Afterward, Professor McGonagall continued explaining the remaining laws, such as how Transfiguration could not create magical objects, could not alter quantity, and could not create something from nothing…
Of course, Transfiguration was only one branch of magic.
Just because Transfiguration could not do something did not mean other magical disciplines could not.
Magic was almost omnipotent.
It could even conquer death.
Except for true love.
If true love could not be found, then even magic had no answer.
Thinking about that, Fel suddenly understood why Dumbledore had said in the original story that love was the most powerful magic.
Because it was a power that transcended magic itself.
The task for today’s class was to turn the matchstick into a needle.
“Remember, the most important aspects of Transfiguration are understanding the object you are transforming and having unwavering conviction. Do not hesitate when you wave your wand!”
Professor McGonagall walked around the classroom, offering guidance to the young witches and wizards.
Fel glanced around and saw that Seamus was still several seats away from them, which finally put him at ease.
He was also a little wary of that unstable blasting genius.
Fortunately, even if beginner Transfiguration failed, nothing serious would happen.
At worst, the object simply would not change.
There were no additional side effects.
Hermione’s talent for Transfiguration was truly remarkable.
After only twenty minutes, she was already able to transform the matchstick into a thin piece of iron wire.
Meanwhile, Fel could only transform his matchstick into a slender iron rod without a pointed tip.
Clearly, having memories from the future, faster brain development, and thinking ability close to that of an adult did not necessarily mean one would possess unmatched talent in every field.
Even so, Fel was still the second best performer in the class.
Everyone else’s matchsticks remained completely unchanged.
Ron swung his wand so fast that only afterimages could be seen.
Fel felt as though Ron was chopping vegetables.
Transfiguration was a two hour lesson, running from nine to eleven, with a twenty minute break in the middle.
Harry and Ron hurried off to find something to eat.
They had overslept and rushed straight to class after getting ready.
By now, they were starving.
Meanwhile, Fel asked Hermione about her understanding of Transfiguration.
Hermione looked a little proud.
If she had a tail, it would certainly have been sticking straight up at that moment.
“It’s just as Professor McGonagall said. You have to carefully picture the structure and material of the needle. You can’t let your mind wander, and you have to believe firmly that you’ll succeed. Actually, your wand movements are even more accurate than mine, because your physical coordination is much better,” Hermione said.
By the time class ended at eleven, Hermione had become the first student to successfully transform her matchstick into a needle, and she had already become quite proficient with the exercise.
Fel became only the second student to succeed.
He finally managed it just before class ended, and his result was equally perfect.
Professor McGonagall happily awarded Gryffindor ten points, and it certainly was not because she was Gryffindor’s Head of House.
McGonagall’s fairness was well known to everyone.
It was because most students needed at least three lessons before they could complete their first successful transformation.
Fel’s Transfiguration talent was already at the level of a genius, while Hermione was almost no different from Professor McGonagall’s younger self.