Chapter 94: Doppelgänger and Transfiguration
"Sean, where did you get all these books…?" Justin asked, staring as Sean emerged from the changing room laden with a teetering stack of ancient tomes. His hands moved faster than his thoughts, quickly taking several books off the top.
"Um…" Sean paused, recalling the scene inside. Fred had pulled An Easy Introduction to Ancient Runes from an empty locker. George had produced a Rune Dictionary from the broom rack. Even the corner was stuffed with a copy of Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms. Madam Pince would have an aneurysm…
"These are just the beginner books for Ancient Runes," George had shrugged.
"If you want to learn Alchemy, you have to learn these first," Fred added, tossing Sean a copy of Spellman's Syllabary.
"But you have to return them."
"The due dates are stamped inside."
"Just sign them out under 'Fred Weasley.'"
"—And George!"
Outside, faced with Justin's curious stare, Sean found it too complicated to explain. He summarized: "Two older students gave them to me."
Justin didn't press further, merely examining the ancient-looking books with interest. Despite Madam Pince's diligent care, the pages were yellowed and brittle at the edges. Hermione took An Easy Introduction to Ancient Runes from Justin's stack, her interest clearly piqued.
Sean, clutching Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms, walked back towards the castle, the distant shouts from the Quidditch pitch fading behind him. His suspicion was correct: alchemical creations almost always used Ancient Runes to inscribe their complex charm sets. The ancient script seemed to inherently possess the ability to channel and hold more powerful magic. To grasp the intricate and profound craft of Alchemy, learning Runes was the essential first step.
Students could elect to take Ancient Runes starting in their third year, taught by Professor Bathilda Babbling. Hermione, he recalled, had taken the course and excelled. Reading these in the downtime between Charms and Transfiguration practice seems like a good choice, Sean thought.
The weekend passed quickly. Sean had now gotten into the habit of flying directly to the Ravenclaw Tower entrance, bypassing the stairs entirely. Michael, meanwhile, was nearly collapsing from exhaustion on the endless spiral staircase. As he paused to catch his breath, looking for Sean, a gust of wind swept past him. He looked up just in time to see Sean land gracefully on the tower's threshold. The sight drew gasps from the other Ravenclaws in the common room, especially when they saw his young, focused face.
"Is that… a first-year?"
"I heard a first-year passed the flight test yesterday, could that be…?"
"How can that be Sean? He could barely make it up the stairs…"
Michael was still trying to convince himself he was hallucinating, but the sight of the gleaming Nimbus 2000 parked by Sean's bed in their dormitory shattered his denial. He found himself at a loss for words, which finally resolved into a single, desperate plea: "Teach me, Sean. Please. That, I really want to learn."
Climbing stairs was no longer an issue for Sean. He dedicated even more of his time to Transfiguration, Charms, and Potions.
Transfiguration Office.
"Today, we will begin the transformation of self into an 'animate' object," Professor McGonagall said, her tone unusually severe. "This is significantly more difficult than simply animating an object, and the required skill is far more exacting. Any mistake can have… unpredictable consequences."
She glanced at the essay Sean had submitted, her expression softening with approval. "You will know, then, what the easiest form of self-transfiguration is?"
"The animal corresponding to one's doppelgänger, Professor," Sean replied.
He had already detailed it in his paper: [In many Celtic, Scandinavian, and Germanic legends, a direct link exists between humans and certain animals. These other-worldly beings often 'choose to become a person's guardian-double, accompanying them,' symbolizing 'a person's fate, possessing both human and animal forms.']
If his hypothesis was correct, a wizard naturally possessed a unique doppelgänger, which manifested most clearly as their Animagus form. James Potter's Patronus and Animagus form, for example, were both a stag. Since the Animagus transformation was the ultimate form of self-transfiguration, it stood to reason that transforming into one's innate animal form would be the path of least resistance.
"Very good," McGonagall nodded. She handed Sean another book, this one detailing various animal familiars and their connections to magical lineages. He was still poring over it as he left her office.
If I can identify my easiest self-transfiguration, he wondered, does that mean I've also found my Animagus form? But attempting such a thing without 'Expert' level Transfiguration would be reckless. He added Grind Transfiguration to the top of his priority list.
For the next week, Justin, Hermione, and Neville grew accustomed to the sight of a full-sized boar charging silently across the hidden room, or a sleek, beautifully marked cat meticulously cleaning its paws. Even the furniture was no longer safe. Tables sprouted legs, and chairs were liable to become steam-puffing tortoises at any moment. Thankfully, Sean confined his experiments to his own corner; otherwise, Justin wasn't sure any of his cauldron cakes would survive.
On a cold, clear Thursday.
Sean heard the familiar chime of the Panel.
[You have practiced an advanced intermediate Transfiguration to the Adept standard. Proficiency +50]
[A new Title in the field of Transfiguration has been unlocked. Please view.]
His Transfiguration proficiency had finally surpassed 9000 points. He eagerly opened the Panel.
[Title: Transfiguration Master]
[Effect: Significantly improves perception of Transfiguration. Significantly improves Transfiguration talent. Significantly improves unique perception of inanimate-to-magical transformations.]
Inanimate-to-magical? Sean immediately thought of Dumbledore transforming the fountain water into a binding sphere during his duel with Voldemort. The water hadn't just moved; it had become an active magical construct. This was the true power of high-level Transfiguration.
Before testing his newly enhanced talent, Sean packed his bag. It was Thursday. His new schedule – every evening from Thursday to Saturday – was for brewing potions in the dungeon.
The torchlight flickered in the stone corridor, casting long, wavering shadows. The temperature dropped noticeably, his breath misting in the air. He reached the dim, heavy wooden door and pushed it open. The familiar scent of damp mould and potion ingredients washed over him.
The exhaustion from Borage's ritual had finally faded. He was ready to complete his unfinished task: exploring the influence of specific emotions on potion-making.
If, of course, Professor Snape allowed him to deviate from the instructions.
(End of Chapter)
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