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Life at Hogwarts was calm and comfortable.
Even when someone held a wand for a long time without being able to cast anything, they could still keep up with classes easily.
Herbology and Potions, especially, felt tailor-made for Dudley.
There was practically no question he couldn't answer, no plant he didn't recognize, and no potion he didn't know how to brew.
In History of Magic, Dudley also spoke with ease. Even Professor Binns, who was known for being extremely forgetful, could now remember Dudley by name.
Whenever those subjects appeared in the schedule, he earned more points in a single day than Hermione did in an entire week.
That hit "Miss Know-It-All" pretty hard.
Of course, despite Dudley's vast theoretical knowledge, there were still subjects that gave him headaches, two in particular: Charms and Transfiguration.
If you really wanted to count it, there was also Flying, but that class was basically extracurricular, even less important than minor subjects in primary school. It wasn't even included in the final exams, and some students simply couldn't learn how to fly.
Charms and Transfiguration, however, didn't rely on theory alone. They required actual practice, in other words, the use of a wand.
Especially in Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration class.
As the Head of Gryffindor, she was known for being strict and fair. If someone made a mistake, she would deduct points without hesitation, even if they were from Gryffindor.
That morning, after training, Harry returned to the dormitory, changed clothes, and headed to class with Ron.
On the way, they ran into Peeves, an extremely mischievous poltergeist. Because of his pranks, they ended up taking the wrong staircase.
By the time they reached the Transfiguration class, the lesson had already begun.
"Good thing Professor McGonagall isn't here yet."
Ron said in relief as he saw the room full of students and the empty podium. As he spoke, he pulled Harry along to find seats.
Neither of them noticed that, despite the professor's absence, the room was unusually quiet. All the students were seated properly, with perfect posture.
That day's lesson brought together all four houses of the same year. The classroom was full, and only two seats in the front row remained empty.
The two of them walked over.
"Hey, Harry, look at that."
Just as Harry pulled out his chair to sit, Ron pointed forward.
Harry looked and froze.
On the professor's desk sat a cat, specifically a tabby.
Harry felt that the cat looked familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before, but he couldn't remember where.
"Hey, little guy, who do you belong to?"
Ron tried to imitate Dudley playing with Mrs. Norris and reached out to pet it, but the cat dodged nimbly.
Grinning, Ron pulled out some wrinkled dried fish from his pocket and waved them in front of the cat. Those were meant to win over Mrs. Norris. He wanted to be like Dudley, but it hadn't worked. Mrs. Norris wouldn't even touch them.
Low-quality dried fish (not even a dog would eat it)
Dudley could clearly see that evaluation.
Ron didn't notice, but the moment he took out the dried fish, the expressions of the surrounding students turned strange.
Harry, on the other hand, realized something. He immediately turned toward the most noticeable spot in the room, Dudley's seat.
Dudley looked at him and gave a slight nod.
If Dudley, someone obsessed with cats, saw a cat and didn't go pet it… then why?
At that moment, Harry felt his scalp tingle.
He remembered.
He had seen that cat before.
It was Professor McGonagall.
But it was already too late.
Ron had already offered the fish.
Perhaps she could no longer endure it, or perhaps she was afraid of actually smelling it.
The cat transformed rapidly and, in an instant, became Professor McGonagall.
Ron froze.
"Alright, students."
"I've just demonstrated Animagus transformation."
"It is an advanced form of Transfiguration."
"In the future, you may attempt it."
"Of course, only after achieving an O in your O.W.L.s."
Professor McGonagall's face was stern, impossible to read any emotion.
Ron didn't even dare lift his head.
This was public humiliation.
"You are late. Gryffindor loses two points."
"Find your seats."
"And thank you for the dried fish, Mr. Weasley, but I suggest you throw them away. They are not fresh."
A wave of laughter spread across the room.
Ron's face turned red.
He wanted to disappear on the spot.
But that was only the beginning, as McGonagall was now watching him closely, and everyone knew what that meant.
The lesson was to turn a wooden matchstick into a needle.
Hermione was the first to make progress. With a perfect set of movements and incantations, textbook-perfect execution, the tip of the stick became sharp and gained a metallic sheen.
"Perfect. Gryffindor earns two points."
Hearing that, Hermione finally smiled. She sat up straight and went back to reading her Transfiguration textbook, its pages yellowed with age.
Meanwhile, Dudley took advantage of McGonagall's distraction. He held the stick with one hand and, with the other, pulled firmly.
A toothpick appeared.
McGonagall walked over and nodded.
"Not bad. Slytherin earns one point."
Dudley couldn't turn wood into metal. That was his limit.
He called it Physical Transfiguration.
The students continued waving their wands at their sticks.
After observing a few of them, McGonagall stopped behind Ron.
Ron felt a burning gaze on his back, and the pressure rose instantly.
With a smile worse than crying, he took out his wand. It was old and damaged, and at the tip, even the unicorn hair was exposed.
It wasn't originally his.
It belonged to his brother Charlie.
The Weasley family had many children, and their financial situation was tight. Spending seven Galleons on a new wand wasn't considered necessary.
A second-hand wand still worked.
It worked… just not very well.
Ron often cast the wrong spells. He wanted to use "Expelliarmus," but something completely different would come out.
And this time was no different.
After finishing the incantation and pointing his wand at the stick—
Nothing happened.
Instead, strange noises came out.
Like… a farting sound.
"HAHAHAHA…"
This time, no one could hold back their laughter.
Even with McGonagall present.
The entire classroom burst out laughing.
Ron turned even redder.
Redder than his own hair.
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