Hogwarts offered five electives to third-year students: Arithmancy.
Divination.
Muggle Studies.
Ancient Runes.
And Care of Magical Creatures.
David had chosen the last two.
Why?
Family tradition.
What other reason did he need?
Third-year coursework was fairly demanding.
On Mondays, he had Transfiguration and Ancient Runes in the morning, followed by Care of Magical Creatures and Potions in the afternoon.
Then Astronomy at night.
Fortunately, not every day was quite that busy.
Astronomy only met on Monday evenings.
Tuesday was considerably lighter, with a single Transfiguration lesson in the morning and two elective periods in the afternoon.
Class lengths varied as well.
Ordinary lessons lasted forty-five minutes, while some subjects ran for an hour and a half.
David studied his timetable.
His first lesson that morning—Transfiguration—didn’t begin until ten fifteen.
Plenty of time.
He finished breakfast quickly, gathered his notes, slung his schoolbag over one shoulder, and headed towards the library.
Pansy?
What Pansy?
Did something happen to Pansy?
“Morning, Kelsey.” The library was easy enough to find.
A map had been printed on the back of David’s timetable, and he followed it without trouble.
“Thanks for the map.
Very useful.” He found Kelsey Morgan seated at a table beneath a tall window, beside several towering bookshelves.
Kelsey smiled and pulled out the chair beside her.
Then she nodded subtly towards the librarian watching them.
“That’s Madam Pince.” She lowered her voice.
“She’s very strict.” Kelsey leaned closer.
“Whatever you do, don’t stain, tear, fold, or otherwise damage any of the books, or—” “Cough, cough.” Both of them looked up.
Madam Pince had already arrived.
The thin librarian looked rather like an underfed vulture.
“And there will be no shouting or unnecessary noise in my library.” Her sharp eyes settled on David.
“That includes using magic.” “Of course.” David nodded politely.
“Thank you for the reminder.” “Libraries have similar rules everywhere.” Madam Pince studied him suspiciously.
“So long as you understand.” Only then did she turn and leave.
Kelsey pressed her lips together.
Then she made a ridiculous face at David behind Madam Pince’s back.
David nearly laughed.
His mentor was more entertaining than he had expected.
Kelsey opened a folder between them.
“I reviewed your academic record.” It was the same transcript Professor Gilbert had handed Yule when David left Durmstrang.
“As far as Charms is concerned, there are two spells Hogwarts teaches in the first two years that you haven’t studied.” She pointed to one section.
“Even the Unlocking Charm you learned is taught differently here.” “If you want to sit Hogwarts examinations, you’ll probably need to relearn some of it.” “That’s fine.” David placed one hand on his timetable.
“I have plenty of time.” He looked at her.
“Where should we start?” “There’s actually quite a lot.” Kelsey gently moved his hand aside and continued down the document.
“The Defence Against the Dark Arts curriculum you studied at Beauxbatons and Durmstrang is very different from ours.” David nodded.
“And History of Magic?” “That too.” She gave him a sympathetic look.
“You may have a very tiring year.” David smiled.
“Studying is tiring.” “But it can also be enjoyable.” He looked at her earnestly.
“I like learning.” “You can trust me.” “I’ll manage.” Kelsey bit back a smile as she studied him.
“All right, then.” “I’ll tutor you in whatever you’re missing on Saturdays and Sundays.” She closed the file.
“And if you run into problems outside lessons, you can always come and ask me.” Then she remembered something.
“Oh, and Quidditch trials are next weekend.” “If you’re interested in trying out and actually make the team, we’ll have to rearrange our tutoring schedule.” “Thank you.” David smiled confidently.
“I like sport.” He paused dramatically.
“There’s more to life than studying.” Kelsey raised an eyebrow.
“Such as?” “Quidditch.” David smiled.
“And romance.” Kelsey burst out laughing.
She quickly covered her mouth before Madam Pince could return.
Golden hair styled neatly back, handsome features, and just enough lingering baby fat to make him look both attractive and boyish— What older student wouldn’t find a junior like that adorable?
“Open your Transfiguration textbooks.” Professor McGonagall stood beside the front desk with her usual stern expression.
Her gaze swept across the classroom through square spectacles.
“Today, we’ll be discussing the Animagus transformation.” With a flick of her wand, words appeared across the large blackboard.
“A dangerous and exceptionally complex branch of Transfiguration.” Several students immediately sat straighter.
McGonagall looked around.
“Surely some of you collect Chocolate Frog cards?” She tilted her head slightly.
“Mirabella Plunkett was born in 1839.” “At one point in her life, she travelled to Loch Lomond on holiday and fell in love with a merman.” Laughter immediately broke out.
Some students already knew the story.
Others didn’t.
But most third-years were well aware that merpeople lived in the Black Lake.
And based on what they knew about their appearance… Romance with one was difficult to imagine.
Professor McGonagall ignored the laughter.
“Mirabella’s family opposed her intention to marry the merman.” “So she transformed herself into a haddock…” “…and was never seen again.” “Oh…” Several girls reacted softly.
The tragic romance apparently appealed to them more than it did to the boys.
“It was this incident that eventually earned Mirabella a place on a Chocolate Frog card.” With the anecdote finished, McGonagall moved on to the actual lesson.
An Animagus was a witch or wizard capable of transforming into an animal form.
The animal differed from person to person.
A stag.
A boar.
A swan.
An eagle.
A raven.
Perhaps even an ordinary-looking cat.
Then McGonagall demonstrated personally.
The classroom erupted in amazement.
David watched with particular interest.
Professor McGonagall returned to human form.
“If you imagine becoming an eagle or some other bird and soaring freely through the sky, remember that transformation comes with risks.” Her voice became more severe.
“If Transfiguration leaves you with the mind of an eagle as well as its body, you may forget who you are.” The room quieted.
“For that reason, becoming an Animagus is extremely dangerous.” “And every Animagus must be registered with the Ministry of Magic…” David listened carefully.
This was considerably more interesting than he had expected.
When Transfiguration ended, students poured into the corridor carrying armfuls of books.
They continued discussing Animagi even after McGonagall had assigned them a considerable amount of homework.
The corridors quickly became crowded.
Students from several Houses had taken the lesson together, and now everyone was heading in different directions.
“Cousin!” “David!” Pansy spotted him and hurried over.
“Where are you going?” “Elective.” David adjusted his bag.
“Care of Magical Creatures.” He looked at her.
“You’re finished already?” “For now.” Pansy nodded.
“We’re going to explore the castle, then wait for you so we can have lunch together.” Two other Slytherin girls stood beside her.
They had apparently just left class as well.
David glanced between the three of them.
He had been right from the beginning.
The Sorting Hat didn’t divide students into Houses.
It divided them into gangs.
The two girls were openly studying him.
Apparently Pansy’s infamous cousin was more interesting up close.
Then someone scoffed from behind them.
“Care of Magical Creatures?” An older student was passing by.
He laughed.
“The son of a wanted poacher taking Care of Magical Creatures?” His grin widened.
“That’s almost poetic.” Then he glanced dramatically towards Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle behind him.
“How did Dumbledore even allow someone like that into Hogwarts?” David didn’t stop walking.
“Why wouldn’t he?” His voice remained perfectly calm.
“After all…” He glanced back.
“…even the sons of Death Eaters are allowed in.” Draco froze.
What did I do?
Goyle blinked.
I didn’t even say anything.
Crabbe looked personally wounded.
Somehow— all three of them had been insulted anyway.