Everyday Life of a Top Student at Hogwarts

Chapter 48 Another Conflict in Transfiguration Class

The classroom was well-lit during the afternoon Transfiguration class. Professor McGonagall entered the classroom on time as usual, her sharp eyes sweeping over each student.

"Last week I assigned an exercise on deforming teacups," she said bluntly. "Today I'm going to check your work. Starting from the left, each of you come up and demonstrate."

Karen sat in the middle of the classroom, quietly observing her classmates' performances. Most of them were still quite rudimentary in their transformations, producing oddly shaped teacups. Professor McGonagall's requirement was to transform ordinary teacups into animal shapes, not necessarily that they could move, but that they resembled the animals, or at least not look too outlandish. Karen admired her classmates' wildly imaginative creations.

"Mr. Hawthorne," Professor McGonagall suddenly called out Cullen's name, "it's your turn."

Karen stood up and walked towards the podium, noticing several unfriendly glances from the Slytherins. In particular, a boy with light blond hair was giving him a mocking smile.

"I've heard Hawthorne is Flitwick's new favorite," the Slytherin said to his friend, deliberately raising his voice. "I wonder if his teacup warping is like that too..."

Professor McGonagall gave the Slytherin a stern look. "Quiet, Mr. Selwyn. It's basic courtesy to show respect when someone is giving a presentation."

Karen ignored the provocation and focused his attention on the teacup in front of him. He raised his wand and clearly uttered the incantation: "Vera Verto!"

The brown teacup quickly began to transform, sprouting white feathers, followed by a beak, eyes, and other parts. The entire process took less than two seconds, and what was finally presented to everyone was a miniature white owl, its pure white feathers shimmering in the sunlight.

"Excellent, Mr. Hawthorne," Professor McGonagall said with a rare approving smile. "Ravenclaw gets five points. The transformation is smooth and the form is complete; it's a model."

Selwin muttered sullenly from his seat, "Flitwick's pet is certainly something else..."

"Enough, Mr. Selwyn!" Professor McGonagall's voice crackled like a whip. "Two points deducted from Slytherin for your rudeness. Now, it's your turn. Let's see what you can do."

Selwyn walked onto the stage, his face ashen. His casting motions were ugly, but the transformation was better than most, though still far from Karen's perfect one. The snake he transformed into was somewhat bloated, still brown in color, and bore the pattern of a teacup. Professor McGonagall fairly gave it a "good" rating, but this clearly did not satisfy Selwyn.

After class, Selwin and several of his Slytherin companions blocked the corner of the corridor, cutting off Cullen's path. The blond boy, arms crossed, wore a mocking smile on his pale face, and his green eyes gleamed with malice.

"Don't get too cocky, Hawthorne." Selwyn drawled, his voice as slippery as a snake. "Don't think you're something special just because you've mastered a smattering of Transfiguration." He took a step closer, the hem of his robes sweeping across the stone floor. "Only pure-bloods can wield truly powerful magic. Wizards of your birth..." He paused deliberately, a contemptuous smile twisting his lips. "are nothing but a bunch of magic thieves."

Before Karen could reply, a tall, thin figure suddenly stepped between them. Ernesto's grey eyes, as cold as polar glaciers, looked down at Selwyn.

"Shut up, Sebastian Selwyn." Ernesto's voice wasn't loud, but it pierced the noise of the corridor like a sword. "If bloodline really matters that much..." He deliberately looked Selwyn up and down, revealing a mocking smile, "then I guess someone in your family must have secretly mixed in troll blood."

Selwyn's face instantly turned a ghastly liver color, his knuckles white as he gripped his wand tightly. "You! Griffith!" His voice trembled with rage. "You actually spoke up for a Muggle wizard? Does your father know how you're disgracing the pure-blood family at school?"

Ernesto remained motionless, merely raising his chin slightly. "My father taught me," he said, enunciating each word with a disdainful tone that screamed malice, "that true wizards should respect talent, not bloodline. It seems some families have nothing left but bloodlines they constantly talk about."

After hearing Ernesto's words, Karen turned to Selwyn, his voice eerily calm: "Mr. Selwyn, if I may be so bold, Ernesto is right, you may indeed have troll blood..." He paused deliberately, revealing a thoughtful expression, "After all, in my opinion, your spellcasting just now was like a troll wielding its club, completely haphazard. This is something that cannot be learned; it's all instinct."

Upon hearing this description, several students watching in the corridor couldn't help but burst into laughter. Selwyn's eyes blazed with anger; he swiftly drew his wand, but just then—

"Gentlemen!" Professor McGonagall's stern voice came from behind. She strode over, her eyes behind her square glasses flashing with a dangerous light. "If you wish to continue this... lively discussion, I would be happy to arrange for you to clean up the ink stains in the Transfiguration Classroom together tonight."

Selwyn froze as if doused with ice water. He glared fiercely at Karen, his lips moving silently as if he were cursing. Finally, he turned abruptly, his robes billowing angrily behind him, and hurried away with his two henchmen.

"Thank you," Karen said softly to Ernesto, noticing that the other's tense shoulders finally relaxed. "But you don't need to be too angry; it's not worth it for someone like that."

Ernesto took a deep breath, the tense atmosphere gradually dissipating. He shrugged, his voice returning to its usual coldness: "It's not for you." He glanced at Karen, a slight smile playing on his lips. "It's for knowledge. I have the utmost contempt for those arrogant people who think they can do whatever they want just because of their family background." He paused, his voice lower, "It was this guy who started it during the first Transfiguration class."

After saying that, Ernesto added, "You became Phoebus in class, right? You did it so much better than me. Mine did too, but it wasn't nearly as vivid as yours. How did you do it? Did you have any tricks?"

"Observation and practice," Karen answered honestly. "I've spent a lot of time observing Phoebus's characteristics, but there's still a long way to go before I can bring an inanimate object to life."

Wesley, who had come up behind her, rolled his eyes at Karen. "Karen, listen to what you're saying. Fabian and I are still thinking about how to become more like a creature, and you're already thinking about how to turn into a living thing. At least think about the self-confidence of us ordinary people."

Fabian nodded in agreement with Wesley's words, as if joining in the discussion.