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[HP] 40: Tardiness
🕑 Added 2025-07-16 17:41:44 +0000 UTCBut this was Professor McGonagall they were talking about—stern and utterly impartial. She wasn’t the type to go easy on anyone.
Before Harry could even wallow in disappointment, Ron elbowed him and pointed smugly at the many empty seats.
“Professor, what about those Slytherins who are late?” Ron asked loudly.
At his words, the Slytherin girls shot daggers at him with their eyes, as if they’d rip him to shreds on the spot.
The main culprit, Louis, remained completely calm, quietly scribbling in his book, getting used to the feel of writing with a quill.
He was going to have to use quills for the next seven years. They were certainly nostalgic and elegant, but dipping the pen into ink after every few words was an absolute hassle.
“Of course. Each of them will lose five points and receive detention,” Professor McGonagall said coldly. She seemed even angrier when it came to the still-missing Slytherin boys.
“Mr. Wilson, you’re in the same dormitory. Do you know where they all are?” McGonagall asked, trying to remain composed.
Though she was clearly annoyed, Louis wasn’t at fault, so she maintained a degree of patience.
“Sorry, Professor. When I left the dorm, they were all still asleep,” Louis answered honestly.
“Asleep?” McGonagall’s eyes flared. “On the first day of term, and they’re still sleeping in the dormitory?”
It took a long while for her to calm her fury. She eventually instructed Harry and Ron to return to their seats. Oddly enough, they didn’t look even the slightest bit guilty. Ron even looked pleased with himself for getting the Slytherins into trouble.
“Let’s begin,” Professor McGonagall said, composing herself and starting the lesson. “Does anyone know anything about Transfiguration?”
If Hermione had been sorted into Gryffindor, she’d surely have her hand up right now, practically bouncing in her seat.
Louis sat calmly, thinking just that.
He had no intention of helping Slytherin earn points. If they lost points, they could earn them back themselves—why should he do it for them?
But McGonagall, seeing no hands raised, decided to call on someone directly. “No volunteers? Then, Mr. Wilson, why don’t you answer?”
Louis twitched slightly but stood up reluctantly.
“Transfiguration is a complex form of magic that allows one object to be turned into another. It can also enable transformations between living beings and objects. Categories of Transfiguration include Switching Spells, Vanishing Spells, and Animation Spells. The foundational theory is governed by Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration…” Louis began to recite, continuing until he had practically covered the entire lesson plan.
“Alright, alright, that’s enough,” McGonagall quickly interrupted. “Very well said. Ten points to Slytherin.”
“Thank you, Professor McGonagall,” Louis nodded and sat back down.
“Mr. Wilson has explained the principles of Transfiguration thoroughly, including the relevant precautions…” McGonagall paused, realizing that he had already said nearly everything she’d planned to teach. Repeating it herself would be redundant—and, frankly, beneath her.
With no better option, she simply moved on to teaching the incantation and wand movement, then handed out matchsticks to each student.
“Now, let’s try the most basic Transfiguration spell—turning this matchstick into a needle,” she instructed. “Practice here quietly, don’t wander around. I’ll be stepping out for a moment.”
With that, McGonagall hurriedly left. It wasn’t because Louis had stolen her thunder—she was genuinely worried that something had happened to the missing Slytherin boys.
In the classroom, the students exchanged puzzled looks, then began their attempts at transforming their matchsticks.
Learning magic was a gradual process. In the Harry Potter universe, magic was deeply subjective, so belief and confidence were essential.
That’s why Transfiguration often began with the match-to-needle exercise. The transformation of one material into another was so extreme it seemed like fantasy to Muggles—but it was a common first step for young wizards.
For Muggle-borns, preconceived notions of reality often slowed their learning unless they were prodigies—or didn’t believe in science at all.
In short, one had to believe first before magic could become real.
That was Louis’s opinion, at least.
The young wizards in the room were all capable. Though their first attempts didn’t fully transform the matches into needles, many managed to alter the appearance somewhat, which thrilled them and encouraged further effort.
Louis, however, didn’t bother with the struggle. He simply cast an illusion on his matchstick, making it look exactly like a needle. To the naked eye, it was perfect.
Even under close inspection, it would pass. The illusion even simulated texture, ensuring it felt real to the touch.
But Louis wasn’t really focused on class anymore. After completing the illusion, he simply waited for a prompt from the system.
McGonagall had stepped out—she’d likely gone to fetch Professor Snape and check on the Slytherin boys still lying unconscious in their dorm.
That would surely earn him another batch of Trick Points soon.
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