Hogwarts Raven

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A cat.

In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a person.

Such a sight sent a wave of astonishment and exclamations through the young witches and wizards in the classroom.

"A cat! The cat turned into a professor!"

"Merlin's beard! I was just thinking of taking it back to the dormitory!"

"That was brilliant! I want to turn into a turtle! The kind that lives for centuries!"

Seeing the wide-eyed amazement of her students, Professor McGonagall allowed herself a slight smile. Every Hogwarts professor knew how to ignite curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.

"Unless someone has forgotten their meal times, I generally prefer students not to be distracted by other pursuits during my class."

After directing a pointed look at Ian, she gestured for the three of them to find their seats.

The classroom was spacious so plenty of desks and chairs filled the room.

Perhaps.

At some point in Hogwarts' thousand-year history, this place had been packed with eager learners. But now, with only thirty or so students, the room felt half-empty.

"Good morning, everyone. I am Minerva McGonagall, and for the coming years, I will be your Transfiguration teacher." Professor McGonagall's introduction was brief but commanding.

She raised a hand for silence.

"Transfiguration is a complex and powerful branch of magic— useful in daily life, invaluable in duels." As she spoke, Professor McGonagall gave her wand a precise flick.

In an instant.

The teacher's desk beside her morphed into a sleek, spotted leopard.

"Roar!"

The beast's sudden roar sent students leaping into their seats. Michael and William's eyes nearly bulged out, while Ian's gleamed like green gemstones.

Transfiguration!

His eternal adversary!

When would he ever reach this level?

"Roar! Roar!"

The leopard prowled the classroom, its tail flicking as it moved, until Professor McGonagall gave another measured wave of her wand, returning it to an ordinary desk.

"Did she just turn a desk into a leopard and back again?" Michael whispered, incredulous.

"Obviously."

Ian and William exchanged looks.

"What if she had turned a leopard into a desk first, placed it there, then changed it back just now? And then reversed it again?"

Michael's unique way of looking at things earned him a long stare.

"..."

Ian was speechless.

Meanwhile, unaware that her skill had been subjected to conspiracy theories, Professor McGonagall addressed her students in a measured tone, her words laced with subtle warning.

"Transforming furniture into creatures is beyond first-year level." Her method of engagement was simple, yet strikingly effective.

A hopeful young witch raised her hand.

"Professor, if I master Transfiguration, can I turn my little brother into a rainbow-colored pony?"

A Hufflepuff girl with round glasses posed the question so earnestly that Ian turned his head sharply.

'Whose underling is this?'

'Why isn't she in Slytherin?'

"Transfiguration on fellow humans is strictly forbidden, Miss Laura. I suggest you abandon such reckless notions." Professor McGonagall's tone was stern, her gaze unwavering.

"You may find the demonstration entertaining, but in truth, Transfiguration is among the most perilous forms of magic you will learn at Hogwarts."

The aging Animagus's voice wasn't loud, but it carried the weight of experience. "The act of transforming one thing into another is fraught with danger."

"There are sixteen known magical creatures that exist solely due to Transfiguration mishaps. You may be familiar with the Harpies of Greece— once human, now doomed to their fate."

"Unfortunate wizards who lacked due caution have turned themselves and their descendants into tragic beings. And in truth, they are among the luckier ones."

Professor McGonagall's gaze swept the room, letting her words settle.

A hush fell over the class.

"Therefore, the first rule of Transfiguration is caution. I sincerely hope none of you become cautionary tales in future books."

The weight of her words left the students uneasy.

"If I could turn into a Hungarian Horntail, I wouldn't mind not turning back," William muttered, prompting Ian to glance at him several times.

Truly, this one must have dragon's blood somewhere in his lineage!

"Now that you understand the risks, let's explore the beauty of Transfiguration— starting with a simple match-to-needle transformation."

As always.

The first challenge in Transfiguration was the matchstick.

Professor McGonagall distributed them one by one, and soon, each student had a matchstick before them. Ian glanced at his personal progress in his mind and sighed softly.

[Transfiguration (Level 0) 38/50]

Despite consistent practice, his progress remained slow. One lesson alone wouldn't be enough to cross the threshold.

"Precision in pronunciation is key, as is clear visualization of the intended result."

With these instructions, the students began practicing.

"Vera Verto!"

Ian concentrated, recalling his book's guidance. He tried to envision the structure of a steel needle as vividly as possible.

The matchstick trembled, and twisted slightly… but refused to change.

Time passed.

All around him, students diligently repeated their attempts. Soon, William managed a perfect transformation, earning five points for Ravenclaw from Professor McGonagall.

Perhaps spurred by friendly competition— or house pride— the Ravenclaws soon saw more successes. Even Hufflepuff students managed decent transformations.

"Hiss!"

Noticing that Michael was on the verge of succeeding, Ian could no longer remain still.

"Professor." He raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Prince?" Professor McGonagall turned her gaze toward him. She had observed his struggles, puzzled by the disparity between his efforts and results.

This didn't align with what Dumbledore had told her.

"I'm facing a problem." Ian had long wanted to seek Professor McGonagall's guidance.

"Go on." She nodded.

"As we all know, wood consists mainly of cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and lignin, whereas iron is composed primarily of iron atoms."

His classmates exchanged baffled looks. What did he mean by "as we all know"?

"I've been meticulously trying to convert each component of wood into iron atoms, but… it's proving extraordinarily difficult."

"???"

Not only did the students look bewildered—

Even Professor McGonagall's expression flickered with surprise.

"It seems you've taken an interest in alchemy…" Her sharp eyes studied Ian, as though reassessing him entirely.

"However, this method won't help you learn Transfiguration." A pause. A moment of consideration. Then, with an air of wisdom, she asked,

"Mr. Prince, what is magic to you?"

Her voice was solemn.

"Magic comes from within a wizard. It is the manifestation of belief, an answer to the will of the heart."

After a brief thought, Ian gave his answer.

Professor McGonagall's eyebrows lifted slightly.

"Dumbledore was right about you… Yes, that is correct. Magic is the echo of imagination, the embodiment of will."

"Your failure lies in trying to merely rearrange matter."

Ian felt as though he was close to an epiphany.

"But doesn't imagination need a real foundation? Isn't that just a refined form of material transformation?"

"No, child. Rearranging matter is not why wizards are powerful."

Professor McGonagall hesitated before making a decision.

"I don't usually teach such knowledge to young students, but I believe you need proper guidance. I cannot stand by and watch you walk the wrong path."

She raised her wand.

Golden runes shimmered into existence.

Bewildered students stared as the glowing words formed midair, whispering amongst themselves.

"Wizards are Gods."

The radiant letters reflected in Ian's wide eyes.

A door had opened.

And history's wheels began to turn.

(End of chapter)