Outside the room.
A black cat sat primly on the windowsill, its tail curled neatly around its front paws.
A mont later, a young wizard erged from the shadows of the corridor.
Sean was certain he had lost the ability to cast magic. It wasn't just that he had no wand; he couldn't feel the magic within him.
However...
Sean pondered, pulling out his Transfiguration notes.
"A wizard naturally possesses a unique Doppelgänger, most notably manifested as an Animagus.
For example, Jas Potter's Doppelgänger was a stag, reflected in both his Patronus and his Animagus form."
So, was his Doppelgänger a cat?
Sean felt a twinge of disappointnt. He had hoped for sothing capable of flight.
Wait... maybe not impossible.
High above the stone gargoyles of the corridor, a large owl soared, carrying a black cat on its back.
The cat glanced down at Neville returning from the greenhouses, then poked the owl with a paw. The great bird banked sharply.
"Oh—how fascinating..."
At the end of the corridor, an old wizard with a long white beard chuckled to himself. He hadn't expected such a show.
Stroking his beard, beaming, he found himself looking forward to this Christmas more than ever.
Sean had just transford back from a cat when Dumbledore appeared, startling him.
"Mr. Green." Dumbledore winked.
"Professor Dumbledore." Sean greeted him politely.
"Interesting biscuits... tell , Mr. Green, are you interested in learning about Animagi?" Dumbledore asked, unusually direct, his eyes twinkling with anticipation.
"Yes, Professor."
Though puzzled, Sean wasn't about to pass up a chance to learn from the greatest wizard of the age.
"Every weekend during the Christmas holidays, I would be delighted to see you. Oh, I nearly forgot—the password to my office is 'Cockroach Cluster'."
With that, Dumbledore turned to leave, adding mysteriously over his shoulder, "Of course, the Animagus transformation is difficult, but with a little bit of luck—yes, just a little bit—you will succeed quickly, my boy."
Headmaster's Office.
Dumbledore had just sat down when Headmistress Derwent spoke from her portrait—she had swapped places with her other self.
"Albus, are you finally letting go?"
Dumbledore's blue eyes deepened as he stared at the bubbling, blackened kettle.
"My dear Headmistress Derwent, you and I both know that the Animagus transformation is perhaps the purest reflection of a wizard's will...
A stag, sacrificing for love; a rat, hiding in the shadows; a loyal black dog...
And a cat, symbolizing elegance, peace, composure, and wisdom.
Muggles see black cats as ons of misfortune, but wizards know better—black cats bring good luck, Headmistress Derwent. We have always believed so."
He gently smoothed Fawkes's feathers and winked playfully.
"Oh—by the way, we must replace the lucky statue in the third-floor corridor with a black cat. Do help , Headmistress Derwent. Tell Mr. Filch it's my Transfiguration, not a student prank."
Where was the black cat... or rather, Sean?
He was prowling the corridors. Transforming into a form compatible with his Doppelgänger not only preserved his consciousness but also lasted longer.
One Apprentice-level biscuit was enough to maintain his form for three minutes.
Economical and efficient.
The world of a cat was wondrous. A windowsill, three tis his height, would be impossible for a wizard to jump onto, but for a cat, it was effortless.
Sean began to understand why Professor McGonagall enjoyed her Animagus form so much.
Snapping out of his reverie, Sean considered his next Animal Biscuit.
He quickly decided—a stag.
Though he couldn't observe one closely, with the Professor's detailed notes, he could finish it before Christmas.
Rumors about the Christmas feast were swirling again. This ti, it was the Weird Sisters. Supposedly, they would be performing.
Everyone had an opinion.
Sean didn't know if it was true, but Hermione seed to believe it.
Hermione didn't actually know who or what the Weird Sisters were, having never listened to the Wizarding Wireless Network (WWN), but judging by the excitent of her classmates who grew up listening to them, they were a very famous band.
Even the professors were acting strangely. Students reported seeing McGonagall and Snape walking together.
Everyone knew Snape targeted Gryffindors—he was responsible for half their lost points. And while McGonagall didn't say it, the older students knew she wanted the Gryffindor Quidditch team to crush Slytherin.
Seeing them walking and talking together stunned even the ghosts.
"They actually get along quite well," the Fat Friar mused.
"I agree, Friar, but we haven't seen it in a long ti," a ghost in a ruff replied.
Professor McGonagall had been less strict lately. She even gave the students a break, transforming her desk into a stag for them to observe.
Sean watched unblinkingly.
Professor Quirrell, however, kept them working until the very last second.
Snape was even worse. He'd rather adopt Harry than let students play gas in class. He glared at the class, threatening five-foot essays if they didn't master the Swelling Solution.
This terrified the students. Sean even gave a rare group lecture on brewing tips in the Room of Hope.
On the last day before Christmas, the day gifts were exchanged.
Sean, through rigorous ti managent, not only created the Stag Biscuit but also leveled up his Alchemy proficiency significantly:
[Howler: Novice (10/300)]
[Levitating Quill: Novice (1/300)]
[Mrs. Norris Biscuit: Novice (10/300)]
[Owl Biscuit: Apprentice (10/30)]
[Stag Biscuit: Apprentice (1/30)]
[Create three Novice-level and six Apprentice-level Alchemical items to unlock the Novice Alchemy Title.]
(End of Chapter)
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