Professor McGonagall pressed the button lightly, and it gave a tiny tremor.
"Scourgify!" As the incantation rang out, she felt a soft breeze sweep across her, carrying away a faint trace of dust.
She examined the flat-back button, and for once, the usual stern line of her lips curved into a subtle smile. "A very clever idea. How did you come up with this?"
Wyzett gave a brief account of his morning, focusing on his understanding of the "cube theory," and how he'd put it into practice through Transfiguration.
He'd originally intended to create a button that glowed, but found that lacking in finesse.
After some thought, he decided to blend techniques from magical item crafting and the principles of wand-making, adding in a few refined details—resulting in what he held now.
"Excellent! You've found the path that suits you best." Professor McGonagall nodded in approval. "A truly exquisite piece of Transfiguration—twenty points to Ravenclaw!"
She held the flat-back button aloft. "Everyone, have a look—this is the button conjured by Mr. Lovegood!"
"In fact, this already borders on magical artifact work—not only did he transfigure a beetle into a button, but he also incorporated a Scouring Charm."
A Slytherin girl immediately looked puzzled. "Incorporated a Scouring Charm? What does that mean?"
"Why don't you try it, Miss Greengrass?" Professor McGonagall placed the button in her palm. "Just give it a gentle press."
Greengrass picked up the button, scrutinizing it with a frown before pressing down, still skeptical.
"Scourgify!"
Again, the incantation sounded. This time, a small tuft of dust and several strands of hair gathered together into a tiny ball.
It turned out to be hair that had clung to Greengrass's robes.
From behind, Pansy called out, "Daphne, let me see!"
"Alright..." Greengrass handed the button over without thinking.
Pansy pressed it, and once again, the charm and a wisp of dust appeared.
She glanced around suspiciously. "Are you sure this isn't a magical artifact?"
Draco reached for it. "Pansy…"
The button passed from hand to hand among the Slytherin students until, at last, it reverted back into a beetle. Only then did their confusion clear—this button really had been transfigured from a beetle!
It wasn't a magical item, but a genuine fusion of Transfiguration and spellwork, which left them even more astonished.
The fact that the button returned to being a beetle didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the other students in the slightest.
Everyone wanted to know how this kind of Transfiguration was possible. If they could make their own Scouring Charm buttons, it would save them all sorts of trouble.
But even after hearing Wyzett's explanation, most were left scratching their heads.
Even when they tried, they found it nearly impossible to combine Transfiguration and the Scouring Charm as Wyzett had, giving the button the properties of a magical item.
Professor McGonagall shook her head slightly. To create such a button required knowledge far beyond ordinary Transfiguration. With what her other students knew, it was perfectly natural they couldn't manage it yet.
…
When the bell rang for the end of class, the students finally relaxed, gathering up their transfigured creations and leaving the classroom amid laughter and chatter.
As Wyzett was about to leave, Professor McGonagall called out, "Wyzett, would you stay behind for a moment?"
Once the room had emptied, Professor McGonagall regarded Wyzett with a thoughtful gaze. "Do you remember what we discussed at the end of last term?"
"Of course I do!" Wyzett nodded. "Animagus! I saw the Mandrakes in the greenhouse this morning."
A glint of admiration flashed in Professor McGonagall's eyes. "Even though that button can cast the Scouring Charm, it's still fundamentally a beetle. That shows you understand the core principles of Transfiguration—very good."
"This means you really are suited to becoming an Animagus… However, it's a long and dangerous journey, and you must be absolutely serious about it. Wyzett, are you truly ready?"
"Absolutely." Wyzett nodded again, resolute. "Even if I can't master the transformation, the process itself will be invaluable."
"That's an excellent mindset." Professor McGonagall smiled faintly. "In that case, let's set our first session for this weekend—Saturday at two o'clock in the afternoon?"
"And please, don't mention this to anyone. Without proper guidance—and a few crucial tricks—becoming an Animagus is even more dangerous than you might imagine!"
"I'll be there on time, I promise! And I won't breathe a word," Wyzett replied at once.
He thanked her several times, and only left for History of Magic after Hermione came into the classroom.
…
By the time the second Transfiguration class began, Professor McGonagall felt her earlier good mood slowly wearing thin.
Compared to Ravenclaw's steady performance, Gryffindor seemed to have completely forgotten the subject, returning to their age-old struggle with the beetles.
Harry Potter looked as if he were locked in mortal combat with his beetle, repeatedly jabbing it with his wand to keep it from tumbling off the desk.
Seamus Finnigan's performance was—well, explosive, in every sense of the word.
His wandwork was flawless, but he managed to incinerate his beetle into a crisp, and even cracked his desk in the process.
Only Hermione Granger met Professor McGonagall's expectations, completing her Transfiguration quickly and gently guiding Ron and Harry along—showing real progress since last year.
Surprisingly, it was Hufflepuff that gave Professor McGonagall a pleasant shock.
Their spellwork was smooth, though their method looked awfully familiar—almost identical to Ravenclaw's from the previous class.
They all started by flattening the beetle's body, then gradually transformed away the tarsi, and finally turned the beetle's spots into buttonholes.
After watching Hannah Abbott's process, Professor McGonagall said, "Miss Abbott, your approach is very clear. Would you share your method with the class?"
"Ah—Professor McGonagall!" Hannah nearly jumped out of her seat. The beetle she'd just turned into a button reverted to its original form and scurried across the desk.
She waved her hands frantically. "I can't… I really can't explain it… not at all…"
"But your button is beautiful," Professor McGonagall said, her tone softening. "That means you know what you're doing."
"Have a little confidence—share your thoughts, and I'll give Hufflepuff five points."
"Five points!" Hannah stammered, "But… I just heard Wyzett say to do it this way…"
She picked up her wand, trying again. "He said to follow the object's original shape… beetles are round… so I tried to imagine a round button that looked like a beetle…"
Maybe it was nerves, but despite her best efforts, Hannah could only flatten the beetle's body—those tarsi just wouldn't vanish.
Hearing Hannah's words, Professor McGonagall looked up. "Wyzett?"
🔥 Want to read the next 20 chapters RIGHT NOW?
💎 Patreon members get instant access!
⚡ Limited-time offer currently running...
👉 [Join on - patreon.com/GoldenLong]