Inside the Headmaster's office.
Leonard sat across from Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall.
"Leonard," Dumbledore began with a warm smile, "I called you here to ask whether you've encountered any difficulties in Transfiguration recently."
Leonard's mind immediately shifted into consideration. Transfiguration? That hardly warranted summoning Fawkes. There had to be more to this.
Unless Dumbledore already knew about last night.
Unless he'd learned that Leonard had used Transfiguration to defeat the troll.
That would explain the specific question. Hogwarts was never truly private—the castle's ghosts and paintings served as Dumbledore's eyes and ears everywhere. A ghost had almost certainly witnessed the encounter and reported back.
"All is well, Headmaster," Leonard replied carefully. "I've recently been considering Animagus transformation as a subject of study."
Professor McGonagall's eyebrows rose noticeably. She and Dumbledore had discussed last night's events this morning—the troll incident, Leonard's performance. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't believe a first-year could have managed it alone. But Leonard was different. In just two months since enrollment, he'd given her far too many surprises. Even before that, during the pre-term home visit, she'd sensed his extraordinary nature.
"You've already mastered inanimate-to-animate transformation?" McGonagall asked, genuine curiosity lighting her eyes.
"A ghost witnessed the incident," Dumbledore explained, taking a sip of lemon honey water. He proceeded to recount what the ghost Nicholas had seen in precise detail.
Leonard listened carefully, understanding the situation now. Of course, it had been a ghost. Nothing escaped Dumbledore's notice here. The old wizard's claim that Hogwarts was the safest place wasn't empty pride—it was backed by both his magical strength and his network of observers throughout the castle.
Dumbledore was clearly assessing Leonard's Transfiguration abilities. He wanted to gauge his progress and offer guidance before the boy became overconfident and ventured into genuinely dangerous territory.
"That ghost's account was roughly accurate," Leonard confirmed. "Would you like me to demonstrate?"
Dumbledore nodded with evident pleasure. He genuinely enjoyed conversations with this boy—always so intelligent and forthright, making every exchange refreshingly natural.
Professor McGonagall's eyes gleamed with anticipation. From Dumbledore's description alone, she was already curious.
Leonard drew his wand and transfigured his teacup. This time, the chimera was more compact than the one from the previous night, its features less ferocious. This was a demonstration, not battle preparation.
Dumbledore studied the multi-fused creature on the table, stroking his beard thoughtfully. He'd discussed the theoretical knowledge with Leonard before, but this was his first time seeing such a complete execution.
Professor McGonagall, however, was visibly more astonished.
"This shouldn't be merely surface fusion," she said, leaning forward. "Surely the internal structures are also—"
"Completely integrated," Leonard finished, nodding. He cast a small charm from the Chimera Manual, rendering the creature's internal anatomy transparent like glass.
"I thought pure external fusion had limited practical applications," Leonard explained as McGonagall examined the intricate internal networks. "So I worked on internal integration as well."
Professor McGonagall continued to marvel, her expression shifting between pleasure at his dedication and genuine astonishment at his achievement.
"Your magical progress is truly exceptional, Leonard," she said finally, her voice carrying rare warmth. "In all my years of teaching, you're the most outstanding student I've encountered. To reach this level in such a short time is remarkable."
"That's largely thanks to your excellent teaching, Professor," Leonard replied respectfully. "If I wanted to attempt animated transfiguration on living subjects, what precautions would I need?"
McGonagall didn't hesitate.
"The key difference with animate transformation is consciousness," she explained. "You must suppress the creature's own consciousness completely. Difficulty increases in this order: plants, then animals, Muggles, and finally wizards."
"Wizards are special because they have magic running through their bodies. That magic continuously counteracts the transformation spell, making it exponentially harder."
Leonard absorbed this. If magical creatures had different magical pathways, perhaps the solution lay in understanding those pathways first. If he could successfully transfigure a magical creature—or alter magical pathways themselves—then creating new magical creatures through Transfiguration might become possible.
"I understand. Thank you, Professor," Leonard said, then continued carefully. "One more question: what preparations would someone need to attempt becoming an Animagus?"
McGonagall and Dumbledore exchanged a meaningful glance.
Animagus transformation was among the highest achievements in modern Transfiguration. Every registered Animagus had to report to the Ministry of Magic. Get caught as an unregistered one, and Azkaban awaited. Most talented young wizards didn't attempt it until their fourth or fifth year, if they attempted it at all.
The risks were substantial.
Had any other student asked this, Dumbledore and McGonagall would have discouraged them immediately, calling them wildly ambitious. But Leonard... Both simultaneously recognized that this boy might soon possess the capability to try.
"Regarding Animagus transformation," McGonagall began carefully, "the risks truly are quite significant."
She proceeded to explain the critical dangers. The early preparation stages were manageable if they failed. The real danger came in the final transformation itself. Once you crossed that threshold into actual transformation, retreat was impossible.
Either you succeeded, freely shifting between human and animal forms.
Or you retained permanent partial animal characteristics, living as a hybrid for the rest of your life.
Or, worst case, you lost yourself entirely and spent the rest of your life as a confused animal.
Most students didn't need such risks. They attended school, found respectable work in the wizarding world afterward, and lived ordinary lives. Only those genuinely passionate about Transfiguration would willingly court such danger.
Though Leonard supposed James Potter and his friends had felt that passion. To help Remus Lupin endure his werewolf transformations, James, Sirius, and Peter had all become Animagi—remarkable loyalty from fearless youth. They likely succeeded through sheer determination and talent, probably without even seeking proper guidance, although the process itself typically takes at least five years for most.
"Of course," Dumbledore said gently, "if you eventually decide this is truly what you want, after careful consideration, you're welcome to seek guidance from me or Professor McGonagall. We're both willing to help and supervise your attempt."
Dumbledore had learned from Tom Riddle's example. The more gifted a student was, the more confident they became. If they truly believed they could accomplish something, they'd attempt it regardless of discouragement, assuming others simply didn't understand them. Better to guide than obstruct. Better to keep such a student under proper supervision than have him risk everything alone.
"By the way, Leonard," Dumbledore continued, "I understand you dueled with Draco Malfoy before coming here. How do you feel about it?"