Chapter 639 Animagus

After the game, Harry gave a brief victory speech in the locker room.

"I'm proud of you, each of you is great! Katie, regardless of the possible criticism, showed extraordinary courage and determination--"

He called out the names one by one, and behind him was a huge Quidditch tactical explanation diagram. This is also the "legacy" left by Wood, with small figures of various colors, arrows and some strange symbols crawling on it. Harry still doesn't fully understand their meaning.

"I didn't think so much at the time." Katie shook her head and said.

"Demelza, facing the targeting of two opponents, he scored three goals--"

Demelza smiled.

"Perks and Gut, you cooperated well, repeatedly saved your teammates from danger, and created opportunities for offense--"

The two batsmen grinned and applauded enthusiastically.

"Ron - blocked five balls, one of which was particularly brilliant;" Harry said quickly, trying not to look at Ron's strange, stiff face, and put his eyes on the side next to him, "Ginny, scored 60 points, an amazing result -"

"And you, the best seeker." Ginny smiled.

Harry pretended not to hear the booing from the other players, and echoed: "Yes, and I... caught the golden snitch." He racked his brains and said a few more words of encouragement, even taking the content of Wood's speech that year. Because he was too impressed, he spoke it very smoothly at this moment. Katie covered her mouth and laughed secretly, and Harry blushed and announced the end.

The players left the locker room with laughter, and Ginny kissed the corner of Harry's mouth and floated away like a ballet dancer.

For a moment, only Harry and Ron were left in the locker room.

Harry glanced at the corner guiltily, and Ron still had that gloomy expression. He opened his mouth and said, "Ron, Ginny and I--" At this time, the door opened from the outside, and Hermione shouted to them, "Is it not over yet? We are going to be late for an appointment with Hagrid!"

"I'll be right out."

Harry muttered, and took the initiative to pull Ron, but Ron fell straight to the ground, making a loud echo.

Harry was shocked, and Hermione hurried over after hearing the sound. The two studied for a long time and finally found that Ron was hit by the petrification curse and the sticky jaw curse. "It was Ginny who did it! How dare she?" Ron rubbed his cheeks, indignant about his experience. At this time, they had already arrived at Hagrid's hut, and Ron used tongue cramps as an excuse to refuse the homemade fudge provided by Hagrid.

"Your sister likes to joke, I've noticed it for a long time." Hagrid said absent-mindedly, while turning the sizzling sausages with tongs. "How's it going recently? I mean your advanced class--"

Harry immediately put down the candy covered with teeth marks, and complained to Hagrid with Ron and Hermione, saying how strict the new professor was, and that the course was difficult and boring, and regretted not continuing to choose the Care of Magical Creatures class. Hagrid was very happy to hear it.

He handed them the greasy sausages with a little burnt skin, and the three of them immediately took them (including Ron). While Hagrid was making tea, Harry quickly stuffed his sticky fudge into Yaya's mouth.

Hermione glared at Harry, gritted her teeth, and didn't dare to follow suit.

"You are definitely exaggerating... trying to make me happy," Hagrid said with a chuckle. After pouring boiling water into the cup, he continued, "Slughorn - definitely has real skills, although I didn't learn anything from him... As you know, I was expelled in my third year." He said vaguely, "That Professor Bagshot is not simple either. I guess he and Dumbledore are old acquaintances, and they have a close relationship..."

"How did you get it (how do you know)?" Ron said with his mouth full.

"Oh!" Hagrid laughed, "I saw it with my own eyes. When I patrolled the Forbidden Forest in the morning, I saw them walking together from a distance, or they might be talking about something... I found it more than once."

"Maybe they were discussing the content of Professor Bagshot's lecture," Harry thought for a while and said, "His class is quite controversial."

"I don't know about that." Hagrid was stunned for a moment and said, "He also came to me to ask about the school - a good person, making people feel warm. He is also very interested in little Grawp, which is really rare..."

None of the three people said anything. They happily ate grilled sausages and drank hot tea for the rest of the time, until Hermione suggested that they study Animagus tomorrow morning. Harry and Ron began to get restless and left soon after.

Back in the common room, Harry and Ron couldn't wait to borrow Hermione's notes, ready to study late into the night. However, Hermione lent her notes to Neville, so they found Neville again and used the Copying Spell to temporarily copy two copies of the notes from him. The three of them sat together with frowns.

Hermione took out the Book of Runes and began to read.

"How much have you read?" Ron asked Neville.

"Not much," Neville whispered, "I'm not very good at Transfiguration. There's a lot of knowledge about human body transformation in it, and I can't understand a lot of the theories."

Ron sighed and turned to look at Harry.

"I remember you read a little bit of it?"

"They were all failure cases," Harry said dejectedly. "I read them to relieve my boredom, but I was really scared. It said that if you make mistakes in the practice, you may grow an extra tail or a nose."

"I really don't know how Sirius and the others did it." Ron muttered.

They opened Hermione's notes and read them intently. They were surprised to find that Hermione didn't fully understand it either. She marked a lot of questions on her notes, and it seemed that she was going to ask questions tomorrow. The three of them discussed it in a low voice, and finally agreed that if even Hermione felt embarrassed, there was no need for them to waste time, so they decisively skipped these difficult points, and the progress was greatly accelerated.

When the lights were about to go out, Harry yawned with tears in his eyes. He had only finished reading one-third of it, and now his mind was full of confusion. In a trance, he saw a light flashing in Hermione's eyes.

"Hermione, your eyes--"

"What's wrong with my eyes?" Hermione asked puzzled.

"...It seems to be glowing." Harry said honestly, and Ron and Neville raised their heads and stared at her carefully.

"How is that possible? I didn't use any magic." Hermione said. Harry also thought he had seen it wrong, so he continued to read the notes patiently. After a while, Hermione went upstairs to rest, and the lights in the lounge dimmed.

Ron yawned and cast the Bright Fire Charm, making a circle of white flames swirl around them. Harry and Neville's hair stood on end, and they were immediately alert with fear. They stayed up until one or two in the morning before going to bed.

The next day, Harry was woken up by Hermione's pet Crookshanks.

Harry woke up Ron and Neville again. When they got dressed and went downstairs, Hermione was already waiting at the door. They didn't even have breakfast before knocking on the door of the staff room. When the door opened, Harry, Ron and Neville were still wolfing down the bear biscuits provided by Hermione.

"You are the only ones missing," Felix said kindly.

They walked in and found that the tables and chairs in the staff room were piled up in the corner, leaving a large area in the middle. Professor McGonagall was wearing an emerald green plaid robe, her hair was tied up in a high bun at the back of her head, and her expression was serious.

Harry and the other four mixed into the crowd and were surprised to find that there were a few more people they didn't know today. They seemed to be seventh-year students. There was a golden circle drawn on the floor in front of Professor McGonagall, with a diameter of about two feet.

"Okay, students," Professor McGonagall said seriously, "There are a few new faces among you. They are the best in the Transfiguration Club and will have classes with you." Harry suddenly realized, and at this time Professor Happ walked through the crowd, leaned against the wall, and looked at them with interest.

Professor McGonagall continued, "Many of you are not actually qualified to learn Animagus, but you got excellent grades in the OWLs exam of the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, showing some potential--" She pursed her lips, obviously not agreeing with the decision of the previous professor.

She always felt that Sirius's bet was too frivolous.

"--So I ask you to go all out, make more efforts, and face this matter with the most rigorous attitude. There are many rules that you need to abide by. If I find that you violate any of them, I will kick you out of the classroom without mercy." Professor McGonagall glanced

around majestically, and the students were silent and dared not speak.

Professor Happ smiled at them behind Professor McGonagall. He was in a good mood today. In classroom 7, in Voldemort's mind, Tom Riddle, who was hiding in Hogwarts Castle and dared not come out, finally took a crucial step. He found an "ancient document" in the forbidden area of ​​the library-it was the notes of an ancestor of the Gaunt family. The content on it was obscure and difficult to understand, and few people were interested in it.

Riddle compared them repeatedly and finally concluded that Gaunt's notes were real. He was ecstatic and thought that this was a gift from his ancestors and was destined to belong to him.

He tore off the first few pages, shuffled the order and asked the professors in the school, and found that this was the book about the Patronus spell. After that, he spent "several months" to ponder each word, and was amazed at the powerful Patronus magic recorded in the book. The essence of this magic is not only to deal with Dementors, but is similar to summoning magic, creating a group of concrete products of mental power that is not afraid

of death. But unfortunately, the content of the notes is incomplete and lacks detailed learning methods. There is only one hint that arouses Riddle's eager heart, "Mobilize the power of the mind and tap into the touch of life." Thinking of what happened that night and the three "dead" stupid companions, Riddle naturally came to a conclusion: he perfected this magic in the future and took the initiative to teach it to others to act as thugs to fight against the dark wizard Dumbledore.

A new road appeared in front of Tom Riddle, and it was extremely bright. He wanted to become the headmaster of Hogwarts and the Minister of Magic. He wanted to use the students of Hogwarts and the Aurors of the Ministry of Magic to drown his enemies with the improved Patronus army.

After thinking for a long time, at the end of the sixth grade, he found Headmaster Dippet and expressed his wish to stay in school after graduation, even as an assistant teacher.

With unjust thoughts and noble deeds, Tom Riddle was full of confidence.

"...I have finished explaining the difference between animal transformation and Animagus Transfiguration. In general, the former is passive and cannot be removed independently once the spell is cast; the latter is an active choice and the wizard can decide for himself when to restore the human form. It should be noted that the former will cause the human reason to gradually disappear until it becomes a beast, while the latter can maintain a lower level of wisdom..." "

The Uagadou School of Magic in Africa has made in-depth research in this area, and some of the information you have is derived from it." Professor McGonagall said, "You will find that the training you are about to receive is not quite the same as what you see in the books - if you really read these materials carefully." Her last sentence became stern, and many students lowered their heads guiltily.

"...Those contents are improvements made by Professor Hep and I. We will do our best to ensure your safety, but if anyone wants to withdraw, you can ask now."

The students put their heads together and began to whisper quickly.

"What does Professor McGonagall mean?" Ron asked Hermione in a low voice. Harry pricked up his ears to listen. At the same time, he saw that Susan Bones, Justin, and Ernie were worried, while the members of the Transfiguration Club brought by Professor McGonagall looked normal. Obviously, they had already known this knowledge in advance.

"In short, the learning steps will change." Hermione said briefly.

Harry looked up at the ceiling and tried to recall the contents of Hermione's notes. He could clearly repeat the first step, that is, from the first full moon to the next full moon, the caster must hold a leaf of mandrake in his mouth, and cannot swallow the leaf or take it out of his mouth in the middle; after this step, the leaf soaked with saliva must be placed in a small crystal medicine bottle during the full moon, and a strand of his own hair and a silver teaspoon of dew must be added under the pure moonlight.

In fact, there are also requirements for the source of dew. Harry thought that it seemed that dew that had never been exposed to sunlight should be found... Finally, a pupa of a ghost moth was added. After everything was completed, the medicine bottle was secretly placed in a quiet and dark place, waiting for the thunderstorm to come.

"You can decide after this class is over," said Professor McGonagall, "so I won't explain anything too advanced today, such as the method of controlling magic in human body transformation, which has been proven in practice to effectively reduce the difficulty of learning Animagus... Felix?"

Felix, who had become an assistant, stretched out a hand lazily and waved it in front of the students. They were a little confused at first, but then they opened their mouths in surprise - Professor Hepp's right hand was slowly stretched out, like the claw of a carnivore, with thick and strong joints, and the curved arc of the forearm radius made them think of a series of words such as "strong" and "ferocious". The back of the professor's right hand and wrist were covered with a layer of fluff, and five long nails "swish" protruded out.

Felix raised his arm and scratched five deep scratches on the wall, and the wall was splashed with sparks and made a harsh sound of teeth.

"Oh, thank you, Felix, it's okay." Professor McGonagall said in a not normal tone.

Felix shook his hands, and the hair on his arms fell off, turning back into a human, but all the students were still staring at the skin on his arms in a daze. They were eager to know what kind of creature the professor used as a template for the transformation. If it was a complete biological individual, it would probably stomp them to death.

"What you saw is a more advanced transformation. Don't consider the same as Professor Hep..." Professor McGonagall said a little uneasily, "Let's continue... Next we need a volunteer, who is willing to cooperate with the demonstration?"

Several arms were raised tremblingly, and Professor McGonagall finally chose Susan Bones.

"Stand in the circle in front of me, stand still... Miss Bones." Professor McGonagall instructed, and Felix walked over. The two of them stared at Susan Bones at the same time, which made her a little scared. "Don't worry," Professor McGonagall comforted, "It's just a safety net. I will observe the whole process and stop immediately if there is any accident."

The other students gathered in a circle, their eyes flashing with expectation.

"What do you need me to do, professor?" Susan Bones asked with a trembling voice.

"Try to stay awake." Felix said, it sounded like Susan was about to endure some inhuman pain. She took a step back in fear, and even other students thought so.

Felix cleared his throat and explained, "I will use Transfiguration to transform you into an animal. During this time, you must try your best to stay calm to resist the increasingly strong wild impulses and avoid being driven by instinct... Of course, Professor McGonagall and I will transform you back before you lose control."

"This is just a demonstration. When we really practice, Minerva and I will slow down the process as much as possible, so that you have enough time to experience the subtle changes when the human body is transformed, which will play a vital role in the real Animagus transformation... One last question, Miss Bones, what animal do you like?"

"I like unicorns." Susan whispered.

"No, I mean... ordinary animals."

"Maybe a bunny." Susan said uncertainly.

"Bunny? Very good, stand still."

Felix took out the wand that he rarely used from his pocket and pointed it at Susan. With a "bang", Susan disappeared from the spot, replaced by a furry rabbit with gray fur. The rabbit screamed and huddled in the golden circle.

"Others, step

back, don't scare her." Professor McGonagall said sternly. The students who had come closer retreated, their eyes lingering, and those standing at the back stood on tiptoe desperately, trying to see more clearly.

Felix squatted down and looked at the trembling gray rabbit in front of him.

"Calm down, Bones, I have a good relationship with your aunt, and she will trouble me if you get hurt... So there's nothing to be afraid of." Felix said gently, and the rabbit that Susan turned into calmed down and looked around curiously. From this angle, her classmates were taller than giants.

This made her feel a little hairy.

"How do you feel now?" Felix asked.

The gray rabbit's little eyes showed an anthropomorphic thinking look, and it barked twice briefly.

"Oh, you can't speak now... Next I will ask you a question, you just need to nod or shake your head. Always remember that you are a witch, and the longer you can stay rational, the better... Do you like winter?"

The rabbit hesitated and nodded.

"Very good, next question, are you a student of Ravenclaw College?" The rabbit shook his head.

"Do you like pink?" The rabbit nodded.

Nearly ten minutes passed like this. Clearly, the students watching noticed that the rabbit's reaction speed was getting slower and slower, with nervous sudden glances and vigilant ears turning in between. Harry swallowed his saliva and watched the rabbit's eyes gradually lose their alertness.

He glanced at Draco Malfoy, and as expected, his face turned extremely pale.

"Felix--" Professor McGonagall called hesitantly.

"Do you still know who I am?" Felix asked. This time the gray rabbit ignored him and began to lick the fur on its front paws. Felix asked again, but still got no response.

"Felix!" Professor McGonagall said sharply.

The gray rabbit seemed to be frightened and suddenly jumped forward and jumped out of the golden circle. Felix raised his wand calmly. After a loud noise, Susan Bones returned to her original state.

Professor McGonagall walked over quickly and hugged her, patting Susan's shoulder comfortingly. Felix handed a bottle of soothing potion to Professor McGonagall, who temporarily played the role of Madam Pomfrey. After drinking the potion, Susan's expression became relieved.

"I remember that you experienced Professor Moody's Imperius Curse in the fourth year?" Felix said, "If you choose to continue studying, you will experience this feeling many times, but the good thing is that there are two professors to escort you in the process of practicing Animagus, so as not to cause irreversible magical damage, and the success rate is very high... You have a week to weigh it."

"Okay, who else wants to try it now?"