If Vaughn had to choose a single favourite subject—purely academically, ignoring his pursuit of raw magical power—it would be Transfiguration.
No other field of magic was so vast or so intricate.
No other discipline touched so many others—Charms, Potions, even Defence.
If one were forced to choose a single subject to represent "magic" itself, Transfiguration would win without contest.
Especially its most advanced branches—like Animagus transformation.
After calmly brushing off Neville, Vaughn sat at the front with Hermione, eyes fixed on the tabby cat perched atop the professor's desk.
Hermione followed his gaze, puzzled.
"Vaughn… is something wrong with the cat?"
"Nothing."
He wasn't about to ruin Professor McGonagall's dramatic entrance.
Truth be told, if he hadn't read the original books—and known her famously theatrical way of opening first lessons—he never would have deciphered the disguise.
Her transformation was impeccable. The fur texture, colour pattern, posture—perfect.
Only by watching intently could one tell the cat's behaviour lacked true animal instinct… and even that was likely deliberate control.
Hermione didn't think much of it.
But Professor McGonagall did.
Her sharp green eyes, in cat form, met Vaughn's.
And she realised instantly:
This child had figured her out.
Another gifted transfiguration student—
Even if he was a Slytherin.
Unable to help herself, she gave Vaughn the faintest nod.
Vaughn answered with a respectful bow.
Hermione nearly yelped.
"Vaughn—that—that—she—!"
"Shh," he whispered. "It's a surprise."
Hermione clamped a hand over her mouth, eyes shining with curiosity.
Students arrived gradually, most ignoring the cat on the desk.
Finally, the last two students burst through the door—
Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, panting and clearly lost.
Professor McGonagall chose that moment to leap from her desk.
Cat twisted into human mid-air.
Robes swirled.
Sharp heels clicked on stone.
Gasps filled the room.
It was spectacular—but McGonagall looked anything but pleased.
"Mr. Potter. Mr… Ron Weasley," she said icily. "Perhaps I should turn you both into pocket watches. Then at least you'll learn punctuality."
"We were lost, Professor," Harry said miserably.
"Then shall I turn you into maps instead?"
"And why are you standing there? Do you need a compass to find your seats?
Five points from Gryffindor."
Harry and Ron shrank like scolded puppies and hurried to the only empty seats—next to Vaughn and Hermione.
It seemed no one liked sitting in the front row.
Professor McGonagall Demonstrates
"Transfiguration is one of the most complex and dangerous branches of magic you will study at Hogwarts."
With a flick of her wand, McGonagall transformed the desk into a pig.
The class erupted in shocked whispers.
"Anyone caught misbehaving in my class," she said sternly, "will be punished. Don't say you weren't warned."
Harry and Ron turned ghost-pale.
Hermione whispered comfortingly,
"She's just scaring you. Hogwarts banned using Transfiguration as punishment years ago—I read it in Hogwarts: A History."
Before they could relax, Vaughn leaned in and added:
"But Hogwarts doesn't supervise the professors. If she did quietly turn you into pigs… who would know?"
Hermione pinched him under the table.
Ron glared.
Harry still seemed to find Vaughn strangely likeable.
And then:
"Before we begin, I would like to commend Vaughn Weasley," McGonagall said. "He was the only student to recognise my Animagus form.
Slytherin earns five points."
Hermione and Harry applauded immediately.
Ron muttered,
"Traitor."
Nobody entertained him.
The Lesson Begins
Vaughn opened his copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration.
Hermione peeked—and froze.
His margins were filled with neat, dense notes.
Page after page of theory, arrows, diagrams.
"You've already been practising?" she whispered in awe.
"Mm. Only object transfiguration. And there are still things I don't understand."
He saw her hopeful look and added seriously:
"I don't recommend trying it alone, Hermione. If something goes wrong, ask me—or ask the professor."
Hermione nodded vigorously.
She trusted his judgment implicitly.
Vaughn wasn't exaggerating. McGonagall hadn't lied—Transfiguration truly was the most dangerous branch of magic.
Turning objects into objects was fine.
But turning living things into other living things? Or worse, into objects?
That was tampering with identity, structure, essence.
Even a brief mishandled transformation could produce horrors.
Vaughn still remembered the sickening experiment he'd once attempted:
Turning a rabbit into a teacup.
The spell reversed incorrectly.
The rabbit… didn't come back.
What returned was a pile of quivering flesh, twitching weakly, making noises he still wished he could forget.
He couldn't eat for days after.
And that had been done by an adult mind with extreme caution.
A careless child could create something far worse.
The First Practical Lesson
After the theoretical lecture came the first exercise.
McGonagall handed each of them a matchstick.
"Your task: transform this into a needle.
Incantation: Feraverto."
Within ten minutes of trying, the classroom was full of frustrated grunting and muttering.
By the end of the lesson—
Only Vaughn succeeded.
Hermione came close.
Her matchstick had one end sharpened to silver.
"Excellent work!" McGonagall said. "Mr. Weasley's transfiguration is flawless. Miss Granger's is not complete, but she has met my expectations. With ten more minutes, she would have produced a perfect needle."
"Ten points to both Slytherin and Gryffindor."
She assigned a short essay and dismissed the class.
But—
Just as Vaughn reached the door:
"Mr. Vaughn Weasley. Please stay behind.
There's something I'd like to discuss with you."
(End of Chapter )
PS :
Animagus – Witch or wizard able to transform into an animal at will.
Feraverto – Spell used to turn small objects into needles.