By the time Wyzett and Luna were nearly done with breakfast, Wyzett's roommates finally wandered in, settling across from them.
Michael grabbed a glass of pumpkin juice and took a hefty gulp. "Wyzett, where'd you two disappear to this morning? We couldn't find you anywhere."
Wyzett replied, "We went to the greenhouses early and helped Professor Sprout water and fertilize the plants."
"Told you so!" Anthony jumped in, quick to tease. "You kept saying they'd be off in some hidden corner or down by the Black Lake—what on earth were you thinking?"
"What was I thinking? The same thing as you," Michael shot back, rolling his eyes. "Don't act like you weren't with me, searching all over the castle."
Chris sat down with a laugh. "Well, I'm not like you lot—I went straight back to bed for a nap!"
Terry gave him a look. "You say that like it's something to brag about. If we hadn't come back for our textbooks, you'd have slept right through breakfast."
"Alright, alright! Let's check today's schedule." Chris grinned sheepishly and whipped out his timetable, eager to change the subject. "We've got two classes this morning…"
"One's Transfiguration with the Slytherins, and the other's History of Magic with Hufflepuff."
"Transfiguration, huh…" Anthony sighed. "I skimmed the textbook the other day. Judging by the syllabus, it looks like Transfiguration is going to be even trickier this year."
"Yeah, I did some reading too—it's definitely harder," Terry agreed. "Last year it was matchsticks into needles, but now we're moving on to living creatures."
Michael perked up. "No worries—we can just ask Wyzett for help."
Chris nodded, remembering. "That's right! At the end of last term, I saw the snuffbox you transfigured—it was incredible! Even the relief work was so detailed."
Hearing this, Wyzett finished his milk in one go. "Professor McGonagall definitely took the summer break into account, so I doubt the first lesson will be too difficult."
"Even if we're transfiguring living things, it'll probably be insects or something similarly manageable. So relax, it's not a big deal!"
Michael grinned. "You make it sound so much easier."
Wyzett continued, "Actually, you can work with the original shape of the object, and let your Transfiguration flow naturally from there. Go with the grain, so to speak."
"Like my snuffbox last term—the overall shape followed the mouse's form. I just refined it, nudging it closer to a snuffbox. Then I smoothed out the fur and used its texture as a guide for the relief pattern. That's how I got a result I was happy with."
"Now that you mention it… it really did look like a mouse!" Chris thought back, nodding. "And Professor McGonagall even praised your clever idea of using the tail as a pull-cord for the lid! That's why you got an 'O'!"
Wyzett smiled. "So, can you guess what the pull-cord originally was?"
His roommates caught on immediately. "The mouse's tail, right?"
Not just them—other students heading to class nearby had a collective moment of realization after hearing Wyzett's explanation.
"Yeah, the Transfiguration we're learning now isn't that tough," Wyzett said. "If you want your spellwork to stand out, really look at the object—you'll find a breakthrough."
Over at the Slytherin table, Goyle happened to overhear and nodded, half-understanding. "So that's how it works… makes sense, actually."
"That's just because you don't get it—otherwise you wouldn't have only got a 'P'," Pansy sneered, stabbing her bread with a fork. "Isn't that right, Draco?"
"Mm…" Draco responded absently, still mulling over Wyzett's advice. Maybe… it was worth a try.
…
The Transfiguration classroom was on the second floor, while Potions was down in the dungeons. Wyzett and Luna left the Great Hall, heading off in different directions.
Just as Wyzett was about to step onto the marble staircase, he glanced instinctively over his shoulder.
At the very same moment, Luna turned back as well—their eyes met across the hall.
They waved and mouthed, "See you at lunch!"
Wyzett's prediction was spot on. For the first Transfiguration lesson after summer break, Professor McGonagall hadn't set anything too taxing.
Compared to the end-of-term mouse-to-snuffbox transformation, turning a beetle into a button was far less challenging.
Wyzett flicked his wand, and the beetle swiftly flattened into a neat, shank button. The spots on its shell gathered into holes at the center.
He studied the button, frowning slightly, then transfigured it into a flat-back button with a silvery metallic sheen, adding intricate relief patterns to give it an antique, elegant look.
It needed something more—something to set it apart from an ordinary button.
Wyzett pondered, recalling Professor Sprout's Rubik's Cube theory.
Transfiguration, too, could branch out in countless ways, especially when combined with other spells.
He chewed over the idea, gradually forming a new plan—why not embed a charm within the Transfiguration itself? Make the button truly magical, not just a plain, mass-produced fastener.
The beetle reverted to its original form, scuttling curiously across the desk.
Wyzett was just as curious, eager to experiment with his new understanding.
He picked up his wand, gently touched the beetle, and murmured, "Scourgify…"
The beetle instantly flattened again, then plumped up, its surface etched with raised patterns.
Compared to his earlier attempt, this flat-back button gleamed even more brightly. He adjusted the color, coaxing out a silvery luster, letting the transformation flow naturally—just as he'd described.
For the first lesson of the new school year, Professor McGonagall was thoroughly satisfied.
Ravenclaw's overall performance was impressive—no unexpected mishaps at all.
Everyone managed to transform their beetles, and she was confident they'd all master the beetle-to-button spell by the end of class.
To her surprise, Goyle from Slytherin had improved remarkably. Compared to Pansy and Crabbe, the beetle in front of Goyle was at least flat, even if it still wriggled. Just a bit more work, and he'd eliminate the legs entirely.
Draco was doing well too, carefully turning the beetle's spots into buttonholes.
After making her rounds, Professor McGonagall stopped at Wyzett's desk and picked up his flat-back button.
Transforming a beetle into a flat-back button was certainly more advanced than a simple shank button.
She examined it closely—and made an unexpected discovery.
"Wyzett, did you embed an extra charm inside this button?"
"Yes, Professor McGonagall," Wyzett replied with a nod. "I added a Scouring Charm. If you ever need it, just press the button…"
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