《Empathic capacity of a teaspoon》chapter 23 (Don't pet the cat)
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The next class we had was transfiguration, again with the Ravenclaws. I didn't know whose idea it had been to put the Gryffindors and the Slytherins together for most of their classes. They mixed like water on an oil burn.
Oh wait, I did know whose idea it had been, Dumbledore's. It was the first day of school and I was already wondering if our headmaster was senile.
How dreadful.
I led my yearmates, the claws and the puffs towards the transfiguration classroom. When we entered I saw a cat sitting on the table with the most un-catlike posture I had ever witnessed.
When Hannah went over to pet the 'cute kitty' I laid a hand on her shoulder and whispered into her ear.
"Mcgonagall is a cat animagus." I watched her turn mortified and run to a desk.
Girls.
I ended up sitting next to Granger and Wayne Hopkins, who I had decided would be my partner in crime this year, at least in class.
I turned to the girl next to me, intending to start a conversation, but was rudely interrupted by the cat sitting on the desk leaping down and mid turning into our Professor mid-jump.
Wow that was cool.
I suddenly had the urge to become an animagus, but sadly, I did not have the necessary knowledge, yet.
We all got our matchsticks and started our attempts to change their minds about wanting to be matchsticks, and making then want to be needles.
Some were daunted by this task but not I, the genius that I was. I slaughtered the efforts of my fellow classmates with my blade of magical superiority.
"10 points to G-Hufflepuff."
I was pretty sure I didn't just imagine the blush on our teachers face when she almost awarded points to the wrong house, well I couldn't really fault her. Weasleys did have a long tradition of being Gryffindorks.
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"How did you do that so fast?" Granger asked, sounding mad.
I turned to her and smiled. "I read ahead in the books and practiced a bit this morning."
She nodded grudgingly. Damn the books had nailed her annoying personality. Sadly.
I spent the rest of the time we had helping my housemates and after that was done, just chatting with Susan.
"Argh why are we changing matchsticks into stupid needles, we'll never need this!?" Some kid had apparently gotten mad at his inability to do a successful transfiguration and was now taking his anger out on our eardrums.
Mcgonagall stayed quiet for a while then turned to the class.
"Does anyone know the answer to Mr Goldsteins question?"
Free points, I raised my hand, so did Granger. We were the only ones.
I didn't really feel like waiting for her to choose who to pick so I just started talking.
"We are doing this to become more familiar with wood to metal transfiguration. Transfiguration does not have specific spells to change one object into another just spells that affect the material of the object."
I could hear Granger fuming next to me, sheesh I know not being picked in class because someone just started speaking was annoying, but I'm fairly sure grinding your teeth that hard was unhealthy.
"Five points to Hufflepuff for a very good answer that also leads to your homework."
The class groaned.
"I want a one-foot long essay on the process of transfiguring metal back to wood. Class dismissed."I was the first one to stand up and leave, the other puffs following me.
We had one free period before lunch started and after that we were free for the day.
"Come on guys let's go do the homework so we don't have to do it later." I said, to which Wayne, Susan, Hannah and Justin followed me, while the rest decided they preferred playing some exploding snap.
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I sat down on one of the library tables, a thick book in my hand, laying it down on the table I smiled at the people present.
They started sweating, probably having no idea how to write an essay.
I opened the book, looked at the index found the page with metal to wood and lay it before them.
"Just write what you read in your own words. Try to do it well, this is the first impression the teachers will have of your work." After seeing them start I did as well. I was finished in five minutes and started massaging my hand.
Using quills was hard, but I couldn't really force myself to use a dicta-quill, this was good training for hand dexterity after all.
I started hovering over my housemates shoulders and correcting their mistakes.
Not the style, just the mistakes. A good teacher would notice if someone had help writing their work and our goal was to give prof. kitty a good first impression.
After we were all done I told them of my desire to stay for a bit and familiarize myself with the library.
They all left, expect for Susan who wanted to do the same thing as me.
I simply had to laugh a bit at her behaviour when she went over to the first literal wall of books and looking through the titles. She turned to me and huffed.
"Do you have a better idea?" I gave her a grin and puffed myself up speaking with my best politician voice.
"I think it might be prudent for the continued existence of our free time if we simply ask Ms. Pince for an explanation of this glorious sorting system."
My attempt at comedy was rewarded with a giggle and I heard her following me to the librarians desk.
Before I even started speaking, the woman shoved a plan of what appeared to be the library at me and told me not to be so loud next time.
"Thank you." I gave her a smile turned around and started exploring.
The library of Hogwarts was big, and I was saying that excluding the restricted section. After a few hours of work I finally understood the system.
At the left there were the books that first years needed and so on.
Stuff that wasn't on the curriculum was on the right, pretty simple. At least until you realized that some books liked moving on their own and some refused to open at certain times of the day.
Typical.
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