Once it was confirmed there was no issue with Amanda's Animagus form, Professor McGonagall finally allowed Cho Chang and the others to step out from behind her.
"Merlin... Amanda, the feathers on your body."
Looking up at Amanda, who was a head taller than her, Marietta Eckmore's eyes sparkled as she exclaimed.
At this moment, Amanda was covered in a layer of glossy black feathers, the same color as the wizard robe she had been wearing before the transformation.
Some tail feathers trailed behind her long tail, and rain kept dripping off them. On either side of her front claws, some feathers formed wing-like structures.
However, the most amazing thing wasn't any of that, but what happened with every breath Amanda took.
The glossy black feathers covering her body reflected the moonlight, creating a shimmering blend of red and black.
Vaguely, a sense of elegance and nobility was highlighted.
But... Penelope looked at Professor McGonagall in confusion. "Professor, isn't an Animagus's appearance supposed to be related to the animal they transform into and the clothes they were wearing during their first transformation?"
"Amanda shouldn't be wearing red today, so why are her feathers..." turning red in the light?
Penelope didn't finish her question, but Professor McGonagall understood her perfectly.
Professor McGonagall looked at Amanda cheerfully, unable to hide the pride and relief in her heart.
Her own student had become the youngest Animagus master. While she was happy for Amanda, she was also proud that such a young master's Transfiguration had been taught by her.
As for Penelope's question, Professor McGonagall gave Amanda a teasing look.
Then she turned her gaze back to the three girls. "A Wizard's magic has a subtle relationship with their state of mind and mood, and the same goes for an Animagus."
"So I personally lean towards the idea," Professor McGonagall's smile widened slightly, "that Miss Amanda's feathers reflecting red in the light is because of what's in her heart."
Because of what's in her heart... the three Ravenclaw seniors present, excluding Amanda herself, all understood Professor McGonagall's meaning.
Hmph, who else could it be? It could only be related to Hermione; Amanda didn't have anyone else around her associated with red.
It couldn't possibly be Harry or Ron... Cho Chang turned back and stood on her tiptoes, stretching her arm to barely reach Amanda's large head.
"You... you're completely wrapped around her finger."
As she spoke, she gently shook Amanda's head, not wanting to use any force.
Although Amanda hadn't quite figured out Professor McGonagall's words, seeing Cho Chang struggling on her tiptoes...
She cooperatively leaned down and lowered her head, bringing her feathered head in front of Cho Chang.
Cho Chang cleared her throat, stood straight again, and cupped Amanda's feathered head in her hands.
"Not bad... at least you know to let your senior pat your head."
The feathers felt cool and smooth. Cho Chang fell in love with the sensation instantly. Seeing her having fun, Marietta Eckmore and Penelope couldn't help but step forward.
They also joined in, "rubbing" Amanda. Amanda just leaned down and let the three seniors do as they pleased.
A dangerous dinosaur lowering its head to let three young girls pet it—this scene would be incredibly impactful no matter where it was shown.
After letting the four children "play" for a while, Professor McGonagall spoke to Amanda.
"Now try to transform back, Miss Amanda. It's okay if you don't succeed the first time; just try a few more times and don't panic."
As soon as she finished speaking, Amanda instantly reverted to her human form, and even her wizard robe wasn't the least bit messy.
Her hair, however, was a bit messy. Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow, seeing Amanda succeed in transforming back on her first try.
"Wonderful talent, Miss Amanda."
"Thank you, Professor McGonagall." Amanda nodded politely, thanking her for the praise.
"I only did what I was supposed to do."
"You are far ahead of the curve, child," Professor McGonagall said, reaching out to tidy Amanda's hair. "Be proud of yourself."
"I am proud of you as well."
Hearing Professor McGonagall's praise for Amanda, Cho Chang and the other two exchanged looks and made faces.
Cho Chang stepped forward and grabbed Amanda's arm. "Quick, quick, be proud of yourself. It's not often Professor McGonagall praises someone so openly."
Penelope and Marietta Eckmore nodded in agreement beside her.
"Exactly! From first year until now, there's almost no one Professor McGonagall has praised like this!"
Professor McGonagall felt a hint of warmth on her face. "Ahem..."
She coughed twice, her expression returning to serious as she looked at the three girls holding onto Amanda's arms and shoulders.
"I only worry that you'll become complacent because of praise," she paused for two seconds, then lifted her head slightly. "But I must say, as long as they are a student of Hogwarts..."
"...and as long as they stay on the right path, they are all my pride."
Having said that, Professor McGonagall turned and strode toward the Castle entrance.
She left behind Cho Chang and the others, who were still processing her words, and Amanda, who was being held by all three and couldn't move.
"Is Professor McGonagall... embarrassed?" Penelope whispered.
"She must be shy," Cho Chang affirmed softly.
"She probably can't hear what we're saying, right?" Marietta Eckmore lowered her voice too.
"Miss Penelope, Miss Cho Chang, Miss Marietta Eckmore, be careful not to catch a cold staying out too long."
Professor McGonagall looked back at the four girls from the Castle entrance. The three girls finally snapped out of it and hurriedly pulled Amanda back inside.
Entering the Castle, Amanda pulled her wand from her wizard robe. She had hidden it in her feathers when she transformed into her Animagus form.
Now that she was back to human form, it happened to be in her pocket.
"Scourgify."
She cast Scourgify on her own shoes and those of the other three. Amanda always remembered the rule in the Hogwarts crest about not damaging the corridors and keeping them clean.
Professor McGonagall cast a Drying Charm and a Warming Charm on each of the four girls, then fixed her gaze on Amanda.
"Miss Amanda, I will take you to the Ministry of Magic tomorrow to register your Animagus form."
"Alright."
"Also," Professor McGonagall softened her tone as much as possible, "I have already notified Miss Granger's parents about her situation."
"Her parents wish to accompany her during Christmas. We have agreed, so they will be coming in a few days."
Her aunt and uncle were coming. Amanda's mind quickly processed this.
Then, she instinctively began to think. She hadn't eliminated the threat of the Basilisk in time, so Hermione was Petrified... What would her aunt and uncle say? Amanda wasn't confused, just continuing her train of thought.
They would scold her, call her useless, or maybe hit her or use some other way to punish her.
But it was what she deserved, Amanda thought with certainty, her eyes as dull as ever.
"Besides that, they are also very concerned about how you are doing at Hogwarts. They said they want to thank you in person when they see you at Christmas."
Amanda automatically extracted keywords from the first half and skipped it, but the second half was heavily "marked" in her brain.
"Thank me in person? Why?"
Amanda's voice remained unchanged, as deep and flat as a quiet underground cave.
Professor McGonagall pursed her lips and looked at Amanda seriously. "Because you pointed out beforehand that the monster in the Chamber of Secrets was a Basilisk, which made Miss Granger aware enough to use a mirror to look around corners."
"Because of that, she was only Petrified instead of losing her life. I think for that alone, you certainly deserve to be thanked."
Amanda was silent for a moment, saying nothing. Was it really okay for their requirements of her to be so low?
She should hold herself to high standards and strict requirements.
While Amanda was still thinking silently, Professor McGonagall smiled and bid the four students goodnight.
"Alright, everyone go back and get some rest. Miss Amanda, I will come to get you tomorrow morning."
"Alright. Thank you, Professor McGonagall. Sorry for the trouble, Professor."
Amanda replied with mechanical politeness. After Cho Chang and the others also said goodbye to Professor McGonagall, they headed back to Ravenclaw Tower together.
Back at Ravenclaw Tower, almost all the Little Eagles were gathered in the common room. Their eyes lit up when they saw Amanda and the others return, and they swarmed forward.
"Amanda, how was it? What animal did you turn into?"
"It must be very elegant!"
"It must be beautiful!"
The Little Eagles chattered away. They had all known for a long time that Amanda was practicing the Animagus transformation.
After all, keeping a Mandrake leaf in one's mouth was far too obvious in daily life.
And they all took it for granted that Amanda would succeed.
Come on, this was Amanda.
She was recognized by the Ravenclaw students as the most Ravenclaw of all Ravenclaws.
Her excellence was known throughout the school. In the eyes of the Little Eagles, Amanda failing or making a mistake? Impossible.
"The animal I turn into is a Deinonychus."
Amanda answered calmly. "Elegant and beautiful—perhaps those adjectives shouldn't be used to describe me."
Those two adjectives had never had anything to do with her. Stupid, a dumb child—those were the descriptions she was familiar with.
As for elegant and beautiful... regarding those two words with clear definitions in the dictionary, she didn't think she fit them.
Or rather, someone had explicitly told her she didn't fit them.
A long time ago, when she first started losing her baby teeth, little Amanda stood in front of the mirror, looking at the gap in her gums.
When her mother saw this, she casually raised the television remote in her hand and "smack"—hit her on the arm.
She even cursed, "What are you looking at? What's so good about losing a tooth? You really are a dumb child."
"You'd be better off spending this time studying more. You've loved looking in the mirror since you were little; you'll be vain to death when you grow up."
"Look at yourself—do you even have the capital to be beautiful? Not pretty at all, no grace either. Go back to your room and study."
Little Amanda raised her hand to rub her eyes, her chubby little hand covering her arm as she edged along the wall back to her room.
As she passed her mother, her mother had just finished applying a face mask and was happily putting on another one with different effects... Amanda indifferently pushed the emerging memory to the back of her mind and continued answering her classmates' curious questions.
They were all Ravenclaws; after their initial gossip-mongering, their thirst for knowledge took over.
The Little Eagles who were good at Transfiguration asked Amanda about the details of her Animagus transformation, precautions to take, how it felt, and so on.
Amanda answered everything in detail; there wasn't a single question she couldn't answer.
Relying on her memory, Amanda remembered every detail from the start of her Animagus practice to today's success clearly.
Once everyone's curiosity was satisfied, the Little Eagles went back to their own business.
Some Little Eagles pestered Cho Chang and the other two, wanting them to tell the detailed story of Amanda's transformation tonight.
Seeing that Amanda didn't intend to stop them, Cho Chang and the others complied with the Little Eagles' curiosity and began telling the "story."
Amanda, no longer surrounded by Little Eagles, blinked and turned to return to her Dormitory.
"Senior Lin Yue."
An ethereal, distant voice sounded behind her. Amanda turned around and saw Luna standing there with a faint smile.
"Luna, good evening."
"The thing you're dragging behind you... it's much smaller."
Luna reached out as if in a daze, pointing behind Amanda.
Amanda looked back and shook her head, just as she had at the start of the school year. "I'm not dragging anything."
Her misty eyes fixed on Amanda, Luna gave a light chuckle. "Thank you."
"Why are you thanking me?"
Amanda didn't think Luna had anything to thank her for. She had asked her some academic questions before...
...but she had thanked her on the spot. There was no need to express gratitude again now.
"A Thestral among a herd of Unicorns should have been rejected, but now it isn't. So, I want to say thank you to Senior Lin Yue."
Luna's words were still hard to understand, but Amanda could judge from the context that she was using a metaphor.
The Unicorns referred to everyone in Ravenclaw or Hogwarts, and the Thestral referred to Luna herself; this was the most logical and likely explanation.
Amanda quickly reached a conclusion, but why a Thestral being comfortable among a herd of Unicorns required thanking her—she couldn't find an answer to that.
Luna smiled gently and stepped forward to give her a hug. "Maybe Senior Lin Yue could try letting go of the things you're dragging. Senior Granger, Senior Cho Chang, everyone in Ravenclaw, including me, would be willing to help you."
"I really hope you can get rid of them soon."
Releasing Amanda, Luna walked away in a daze, just as she had come.
Amanda watched her back with a flat gaze, her brain once again concluding that she wasn't dragging anything.
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