In a frantic rush, Kael finally dashed into the classroom at the last second before class started. Professor McGonagall merely glanced at him and didn't say anything...
The third-year Transfiguration Class had started studying animal transformation. Professor McGonagall required them to turn a button into a beetle, which was the opposite of what the second-year students did.
Although both involved beetles and buttons, the difficulty level was completely different.
By the end of the class, Kael was the only one who met the requirement. Professor McGonagall looked at the beetle scurrying all over the table and directly awarded Hufflepuff fifteen points.
As for the others... Conna managed to transform a beetle, but it moved rigidly and couldn't fly, at most, it was a semi-finished product.
More people merely managed to make the button look like a beetle.
After class, students began to leave the classroom one after another, but Kael was stopped by Professor McGonagall.
"Stay here for a while, I have something to talk to you about."
"Okay, Professor." Kael nodded and stayed where he was.
Once everyone else had left the classroom, Professor McGonagall smiled and asked, "Are you interested in joining my Transfiguration Club?"
"Transfiguration Club?"
"It's a club I've personally set up." Professor McGonagall explained: "Twice a week, I'll teach content that's more profound than what's taught in class. Of course, these won't be part of the exams, just another form of advanced learning session.
What do you think, are you interested?"
"Of course." Kael nodded without hesitation, "I'd be delighted to join."
Professor McGonagall is one of the strongest Transfiguration masters in the Magic Realm. If it were anywhere outside of Hogwarts, her club membership would be priced sky-high, and yet countless people would still wave wads of Galleons to fight for it.
Kael had no reason to refuse.
"Alright then, the time is every Wednesday and Friday at seven p.m." Professor McGonagall said.
Wednesday... isn't that today?
Kael asked, "Where should I go? In the Transfiguration Classroom?"
"No," Professor McGonagall laughed: "On the eighth floor of the castle, near the right corridor, behind a portrait with two goats."
"I'll be there on time."
...
After saying goodbye to Professor McGonagall, Kael walked out of the Transfiguration Classroom.
Conna was waiting for him at the door.
"What did Professor McGonagall want with you?"
"Oh, nothing much." Kael said casually: "Just that Professor McGonagall invited me to join her Transfiguration Club."
After saying that, Kael glanced sideways, ready to appreciate the little girl's surprised expression.
"Oh... it's a club."
Conna didn't even turn her head, she said offhandedly: "I joined Professor Snape's Potion Club at the beginning of the term. Why are you joining only now?"
"Huh?" Kael asked instinctively: "Professor Snape... also has a club?"
"Of course, every professor can host their own club and invite students from the third year and above."
Conna said: "When we reach sixth year, these members can directly enter the professor's advanced class.
What, didn't you know?"
Kael shook his head; he truly didn't know.
"Professor Snape told me." Conna turned her head, "I thought you were like me, invited by a professor right at the start of the term, but you're surprisingly late by so many days."
"Haha... maybe the professor was quite busy." Kael awkwardly laughed twice and immediately changed the subject.
"By the way, what's the next class?"
"Charm."
...
It seemed like the professors had planned this together, after the Charm Class ended, Professor Flitwick also invited Kael to join his club.
"I'd love to..." Kael hesitated a little and asked, "I've already agreed to join Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration Club, is that a problem?"
"Of course not." Professor Flitwick smiled and said: "In fact, many excellent students do this, like Bill Weasley... I suppose you know him?"
"I do." Kael nodded, "The oldest child in the Weasley family, working as a Curse Breaker at Gringotts."
"That's right, it's him. During his school years, he joined three clubs: Charm, Transfiguration, and Potion..."
Professor Flitwick blinked, "I'm sure you can too."
"That might not be certain..." Kael said in his heart.
There's a ninety-nine percent chance that Snape won't invite him... if he does, Kael would have to consider if there was some scheme involved.
Upon learning that he could join both clubs simultaneously, Kael gladly accepted Professor Flitwick's invitation.
The location was in an empty classroom in the West Tower, and the time was Monday and Saturday.
Joining two clubs in succession meant that his future days would undoubtedly be busy, but it was worth it... after all, not everyone gets such opportunities.
A day passed unconsciously, in the blink of an eye, it was six fifty.
Kael stood in the corridor on the eighth floor, somewhat bewildered, looking at the portraits.
He had just searched through them once, but hadn't found a painting with two goats.
There was one with a single goat though...
Kael went to the end of the corridor, carefully observing the goat eating grass inside, and the Old Wizard nearby tending it.
As he got closer, the Old Wizard in the painting yelled discontentedly: "Hey, kid, don't get too close, your recklessness might stain the frame!"
"Sorry..."
Kael took a step back and asked, "Do you have a second goat here?"
"Unless you draw me another one..." the Old Wizard shot him a glance.
"But would you like a Shetland Pony?"
He pointed to a painting hanging opposite, where a knight was cursing aggressively while holding a Shetland Pony.
Kael didn't find it concerning, but the Old Wizard frowned disdainfully: "Too noisy... can you make him shut up?"
Feeling a spark of inspiration, Kael transformed a Multi-Flavor Bean into a thick velvet curtain and hung it over the knight's painting.
The noise instantly reduced significantly.
"Not a bad Transfiguration Spell." the Old Wizard commented: "But I indeed only have one goat."
"No, it's not right..." Kael laughed: "That goat has been looking around as if it's searching for something... If I'm not mistaken, your Animagus should be a goat, right?
Mr. Dika Angulos."
"You know me?" The Old Wizard raised an eyebrow.
"I guessed..."
"'Basic Transfiguration Guide' mentioned you, the most famous Transfiguration master of the eighteenth century, who once turned a Fire Dragon into a goat and maintained it for a full hour."
"That was all in the past... not worth mentioning."
The Old Wizard waved his hand and stepped out of the frame, "I've already transformed three times today... Minerva really knows how to trouble someone."
When he returned, he had turned into a goat.
Meanwhile, the frame began to expand vertically, becoming larger and larger, and several gold lines alongside twisted together, gradually forming something resembling a door handle.
...