On the third day of Christmas vacation, George and Fred departed for home, leaving only seven students in the entire castle. Dumbledore decided to organize an intimate Christmas luncheon for those who remained.
At noon, the professors abandoned their usual high table perch, gathering instead around a cozy dining table that Dumbledore had conjured for the occasion.
Harry had originally planned to question Hagrid about his parents, but seeing the groundskeeper's melancholy expression, he held his tongue.
Most professors arrived punctually, except for Professor Trelawney, who swept in fashionably late with her usual dramatic flair.
"Thirteen people?" Professor Trelawney hesitated at the threshold, her magnified eyes scanning the assembled group with apparent concern.
"Including me, that makes fourteen, Professor," Aiden said with an amused smile.
"Oh, how wonderful, dear! If there had been thirteen, the first person to stand would surely encounter terrible misfortune," Professor Trelawney declared ominously.
Dumbledore, who had already risen to welcome her, paused mid-gesture. "..."
Aiden turned his head to hide his snicker. "Pfft."
"Mr. Prewett, perhaps we should place our trust in more rigorous subjects, shouldn't we?" Professor McGonagall interjected, her tone unusually sharp with sarcasm.
Sensing the brewing tension between the two professors, Aiden quickly focused his attention on his empty plate.
"Severus, I have some wizard crackers here—shall we?" Dumbledore diplomatically produced a large collection of festive crackers.
The headmaster and Potions master pulled crackers together, Dumbledore extracting a rather ridiculous vulture hat from one with obvious delight.
He held up the hat and looked at Professor Snape with hopeful inquiry.
"Don't even think about it," Snape refused with characteristic firmness.
Dumbledore cheerfully placed the vulture hat atop Aiden's pointed wizard hat instead. The combination looked utterly absurd—a dignified wizard's hat crowned with a stuffed vulture.
The verbal sparring between Professor McGonagall and Professor Trelawney continued throughout the meal, but somehow the entire luncheon maintained a joyful, familial atmosphere.
"Aiden, I heard you took quite an extensive journey to China recently," Dumbledore leaned over to inquire quietly.
"An unimaginable experience, Professor," Aiden replied, thinking of his adventures in the mystical Cave Heaven realm.
"It seems you encountered some fascinating insights. Though didn't I hear that Mythical practitioners are notoriously xenophobic toward outsiders?" Dumbledore adjusted his half-moon spectacles with curiosity.
"Perhaps a child's appearance and fluent Mandarin helped open their hearts," Aiden replied with diplomatic humor.
"What a pity—I lack that particular advantage," Dumbledore said with mock regret.
Christmas vacation passed in a blur, and students began trickling back to resume their studies.
On Wednesday, Aiden made his usual pilgrimage to the library, researching everything he could find about Animagus transformation.
In a tome titled "The Supreme Achievement of Transfiguration," he discovered a crucial passage:
'Animagi retain most human intelligence, memory, and personality when transformed into their animal forms.'
Suddenly, inspiration struck like lightning as he thought of Professor Lupin's condition.
"If werewolves represent imperfect magical creature transformations, could we use a reverse Animagus ritual to counteract this incomplete change?" he murmured, quickly recording his thoughts.
"Do you want to accidentally kill your benefactor?" the system interjected with perfect timing.
"What do you mean?" Aiden asked, puzzled.
"Counteracting would require withstanding the magical explosion created by opposing forces. Do you think a poor, tormented werewolf has the physical constitution to survive such trauma?" the system explained patiently.
"I see... it shouldn't be a reversal. What we need is completion," Aiden's thinking shifted direction entirely.
"Now you're learning," the system said approvingly before falling silent.
Armed with this new approach, Aiden and Professor Lupin began frequent trips between the Room of Requirement and various parts of the castle. Aiden deliberately made no effort to hide their activities.
This greatly puzzled Harry, who had been monitoring the Marauder's Map and noticed a supposedly long-dead name appearing regularly on its surface.
On Friday, after two intensive days of research, Aiden finally formulated a preliminary plan.
Building upon existing Animagus transformation techniques while excluding the traditional potion preparation process, he would:
Use Polyjuice Potion enhanced with wolf hair for directional guidance, enabling Lupin to grow additional organs during transformation.
Incorporate Gyfu (ᚷ) runes to channel lunar magical energy, allowing the ritual to absorb more power from the moon to complete the magical creature transformation.
Have Aiden use external alchemical matrices to adjust the magical pathways after transformation, compressing them into the newly grown organs.
The entire design aimed to complete the final step of werewolf transformation. If successful, it would also clear the prerequisites for voluntary magical creature transformation.
When Aiden presented his plan to Professor McGonagall, she was simultaneously amazed and horrified, immediately delivering four sharp flicks to his forehead.
"Mr. Prewett, I hope you understand that Transfiguration is not child's play. It's a discipline built upon rigorous technical accumulation and centuries of careful study."
Her expression grew stern. "Have you considered the most dangerous aspect—consciousness impact during Animagus transformation?"
"Consciousness impact..." The Manipulator smiled knowingly.
"Mr. Prewett, is there something else?" Professor McGonagall asked as Aiden approached with an oddly gentle expression.
"I have a proposal I'd like to discuss with you," he said, his demigod-level abilities already weaving into her consciousness.
During their conversation, Aiden's virtual personality infiltrated Professor McGonagall's mental defenses. The extraordinary abilities of a mind-pathway demigod proved nearly impossible for even an experienced witch to resist.
Within moments, Professor McGonagall stood motionless, her consciousness temporarily suppressed while she remained aware but unable to control her own body.
Inside her mental landscape, the cat professor was unleashing a torrent of creative curses.
Aiden adjusted his monocle, and his virtual personality withdrew from her consciousness.
"Mr. Prewett," Professor McGonagall said, reaching up to pinch and examine his face with clinical interest. "Quite remarkable texture, actually."
"Professor... do you think this technique could resist consciousness impact?" Aiden asked, his words slightly muffled by her grip.
"I surrender. Why go to such extraordinary lengths?" Professor McGonagall sighed, releasing him.
"Because Uncle Lupin is my benefactor," Aiden replied with a radiant smile.
"From thirteen years ago?" Professor McGonagall asked—she'd apparently heard fragments of that story.
"One reason, yes. But I also want to challenge the so-called impossibility of voluntary magical creature transformation," Aiden said, raising an eyebrow with characteristic confidence.
"Very well, I approve your proposal. But your attempt with Remus must have both Dumbledore and myself present as safeguards."
Professor McGonagall fixed him with an unwavering stare that clearly communicated: agree, or I'll refuse everything immediately.
"Of course, Professor," Aiden said with a respectful bow.
Having secured Professor McGonagall's approval, obtaining Dumbledore's consent would be significantly easier.
Exiting the office, Aiden found Professor Lupin waiting anxiously in the corridor.
"Professor," Aiden greeted him warmly.
"You've been graduated for years—why are you still intimidated by Professor McGonagall?" Aiden teased.
"She's Professor McGonagall, the person most respected by all faculty and students. Our Vice-Headmaster," Lupin replied with genuine admiration.
"You almost said 'Headmaster,' didn't you?" Aiden mocked playfully.
"Come on," Lupin laughed.
The two walked through the corridors with light, optimistic steps, both sensing that something extraordinary was about to unfold.