77 Chapter 77: "Transfiguration"

Harry and his friends quickly headed to their first Transfiguration class. Thanks to the map Cedric shared, they found the classroom easily and arrived before the rest of their classmates. The room was spacious, clearly too large for the small group of fourteen first-year students who were expected. At the front of the room, on the teacher's podium, sat a tabby cat, calmly observing the newcomers.

"Looks like we've got some time before class starts. Let's grab seats at the front," suggested Roger, leading the way.

Reggy, eyeing the cat curiously, suggested, "Whose cat could that be? Let's play with it until the professor arrives."

Harry, knowing well who the cat actually was, couldn't help but smirk at the suggestion. He chose not to intervene, finding amusement in what was about to unfold.

Reggy approached the podium, attempting to pet the cat, but despite his efforts, the cat skillfully avoided every touch.

Harry couldn't help but chuckle at Reggy's futile attempts, choosing a seat beside Roger and settling down comfortably.

Roger, puzzled by Harry's reaction, asked, "Why are you laughing, Harry? It's just a cat avoiding being petted."

"You'll see soon enough," Harry replied with a grin, keeping the reason for his amusement to himself.

As the room began to fill with other students and Reggy finally gave up his pursuit and returned to his seat, Harry decided to reveal the truth.

"Enjoyed your game with Professor McGonagall, Reggy?" Harry asked with a playful tone.

Reggy, caught off guard, replied, "What are you talking about, Harry?"

"That cat is actually Professor McGonagall. She's an Animagus, registered with the Ministry of Magic," Harry explained.

Refusing to believe, Reggy protested, "That's not a funny joke, Harry."

Still amused, Harry continued, "You'll find out it's true soon enough. My godfather told me about her unique ability. If you look closely, you can even see her eyes resemble Professor McGonagall's. Sirius even told me about the time he pranked her with catnip, said it was hilarious. He suggested I try it too."

At that moment, Harry caught the cat's glare directed squarely at him. It seemed he had underestimated the cat's, or rather Professor McGonagall's, ability to overhear. Offering a sheepish smile to the now obviously perturbed cat, Harry turned back to his friends.

Reggy, feeling a mix of embarrassment and annoyance, lamented, "Harry, why didn't you warn me? Now the professor might have a poor impression of me right from the start."

Harry, half-apologetic and half-amused, replied, "I'm sorry, Reggy. The opportunity to see you trying to catch and pet her was too good to miss. I was curious to see if you'd actually manage to do it."

Reggy could only groan in response, while Harry and Roger shared a laugh at his expense, eagerly awaiting the reveal of Professor McGonagall's true form to the class.

Soon it was time to begin the class but the cat did not move since everyone had not come yet.

A few minutes later, Fred and George Weasley sauntered into the classroom with their usual cheeky demeanor.

Fred, spotting the tabby cat perched nonchalantly on the professor's desk, elbowed George with a mischievous grin. "Oi, George, reckon the professor's decided to skip today? Gives us the perfect chance for a bit of early-term fun, wouldn't you say?"

George matched his brother's grin, pulling a small object from his pocket. "Absolutely, Fred. If the professor can't appreciate the importance of punctuality, perhaps a little... surprise might teach her a valuable lesson in timekeeping."

The two brothers approached the desk, their hands busy preparing their prank, much to the amusement of Harry, Roger, and Reggy. Reggy, still smarting from his earlier encounter with the cat, was secretly pleased to see someone else potentially landing in hot water.

Just as they were about to set their plan into motion, the cat sprang into action. With a grace that belied its previous indifference, it launched itself from the desk, transforming mid-leap into Professor McGonagall. In a fluid motion that was both astonishing and slightly terrifying, she snatched an ear of each twin, holding them firmly in her grasp.

Professor McGonagall with a pointed look that managed to convey both disappointment and a hint of amusement, addressed the twins directly. "I see we have our resident jesters already trying to establish their reputation. Unlike your brothers, who've shown a commendable dedication to their studies, you two seem intent on mischief. Rest assured, Mr. Fred and Mr. George, I've dealt with far more challenging cases in my time. Return to your seats, and let's not have any more interruptions."

The rest of the class, initially shocked by the sudden transformation, erupted into a mixture of applause and laughter, thoroughly entertained by the spectacle. Even Reggy, who had been apprehensive about the professor's reaction to his earlier antics, couldn't help but chuckle at the twins' predicament.

Fred, ever the quick-witted one, managed a grin despite the circumstances. "Well, George, seems we've been officially inaugurated by the professor herself. Onwards to making history, eh?"

George, rubbing his ear gingerly, smirked back. "Indeed, Fred. But let's aim to make it into the history books for something slightly less ear-tugging next time, shall we?"

Their brief exchange elicited more laughter from their classmates as they sheepishly took their seats, their initial prank forgotten but their spirits undampened. 

As the class settled, Professor McGonagall took her place at the front, signaling the start of their first transfiguration lesson.

"Open your textbooks to the very first chapter of 'A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration,'" she instructed. "We'll be starting with the foundational concepts of this subject."

While the room filled with the sound of flipping pages, Harry set his Dicta Quill to work, capturing the lecture verbatim. Freed from note-taking, he quietly practiced some wandless magic under his desk, a subtle way to both kill time and refine his magical control.

After a thorough discussion on theory, McGonagall moved on to practical application. She presented each student with a simple matchstick, and their task was to transfigure it into a sharp needle.

With a flick of her wand, she effortlessly demonstrated, her matchstick promptly reshaped into a gleaming needle. "Try your best," she encouraged, her eyes sweeping across the eager faces.

The first attempts were predictably unsuccessful, with most students' matchsticks remaining stubbornly unchanged. The atmosphere was filled with concentration, punctuated by moments of frustration and the occasional giggle.

Fred and George's matchsticks, however, chose a different path. With a spark and a small pop, their attempts resulted in a mini explosion rather than the intended needles. Their delight was evident, drawing a collective laugh from the class, though McGonagall was less amused. After a swift cleanup and a stern look, she handed them fresh matchsticks to try again.

After some time, Harry shifted his focus to assisting Roger and Reggy, guiding them through the spellcasting fundamentals. Their Ravenclaw inclination for quick learning shone through, and soon, they managed to achieve a reasonably shiny needle. Happy with their progress, Harry also easily transformed his matchstick into a shiny needle.

"Fifteen points to Ravenclaw for successful attempts," announced Professor McGonagall, her eyes reflecting a mixture of surprise and approval. She had observed Harry's effective mentoring, noting Roger and Reggy's rapid improvement. While Harry's own success was expected given his background and his guardian Sirius's proficiency in transfiguration, his impact on his classmates' learning was particularly noteworthy.

Emboldened by points gained, Harry, Roger, and Reggy began helping everyone else. By the lesson's end, every student had managed to transfigure their matchstick into a needle, thanks largely to the guidance of the Ravenclaw newcomers gaining them another 10 points.

The class wrapped up on a high note, with the only homework being to refine their transfiguration skills for a perfect demonstration in the following session.