46. Fixing.

The morning started like most of the past week had—an early wake-up to chant the Animagus incantation before sunrise. Ryan, Yue, Rachel, and Serenity stood outside in their backyard, the crisp morning air carrying the quiet hum of their voices as they repeated the required phrases. Each of them had the mandrake leaf firmly secured under their tongues, held in place by a sticking charm to prevent accidental swallowing. It was a tedious process, but they were all committed to seeing it through.

After finishing the morning ritual, they moved back inside, where a new task awaited—fixing the Vanishing Cabinet. The large, ornate piece of furniture had been sitting in their home for weeks now, carefully inspected and analyzed. Today was the day they would finalize the repairs.

Ryan knelt beside the cabinet, running a hand along its surface. "Alright, we've checked for lingering damage. We've tested short-range object transfers. Now we just need to make sure it can handle living beings without turning them inside out."

Rachel leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. "You know, that's not exactly reassuring."

Ryan grinned. "That's why I was thinking of testing it with something small first. Maybe a rat?"

Yue tilted her head. "We don't have any rats."

Serenity, who had been quiet until now, suddenly flicked her wrist, and a dagger shot out of her sleeve. Before anyone could react, she turned and hurled it straight at the corner of the room. A loud squeak followed as a rat, which had been hiding near the floorboards, dropped motionless to the ground.

Rachel blinked. "Well… that's one way to find a test subject."

Ryan sighed. "Right. I should've expected that."

With no live rat available, they opted for a houseplant instead. Ryan placed a potted fern into the cabinet, shut the door, and activated the magic. A few seconds later, they opened the second cabinet, which they had temporarily placed in another room. The plant sat there unharmed.

"Looks good so far," Yue said.

Ryan nodded. "Now for something more complicated."

They repeated the test with a fruit, then a book, and finally an enchanted quill. Everything transported smoothly.

"Well, there's only one thing left to do," Ryan said, stepping toward the cabinet.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "You're going in first, aren't you?"

"Of course." He grinned and stepped inside, closing the door behind him. A moment later, the second cabinet clicked open, and Ryan stepped out, looking perfectly fine. "See? Easy."

The girls took turns testing it next, ensuring that it functioned consistently. When Serenity reappeared after her turn, she nodded in satisfaction. "It's stable."

Ryan clapped his hands together. "Alright! One cabinet stays here, and when we get back to Hogwarts, we'll install the other one in a nice, discreet location. No more being trapped inside the castle for months with only British food."

Rachel smirked. "You act like it's a prison."

"Have you ever tasted Hogwarts food?" Ryan countered. "I need pizza. Tacos. Burgers. I am suffering."

Yue giggled. "We should have pizza tonight to celebrate."

Rachel and Serenity both agreed, and with that, their focus shifted back to Animagus training. While the Vanishing Cabinet was a major achievement, their transformation journey had only just begun. There were still weeks of rituals, potion brewing, and meditation ahead. But if there was one thing they all shared, it was patience—and the determination to see it through.

For now, they had secured a way to move freely when school started again, and that alone made the day a success.

~~~~

A month had passed in steady routine. Every morning before sunrise, Ryan, Yue, Rachel, and Serenity would gather in the sitting room, each with a mandrake leaf stuck to the roof of their mouths, carefully secured with a charm to prevent it from dislodging. They would recite the incantation required for Animagus transformation, their voices quiet but steady in the early hours. It had become such a habit that they could almost chant it in their sleep.

The dew collection had been a bit more tedious. Finding places completely untrodden by human feet required creativity, but with the help of magic and Serenity's ability to move unnoticed, they had managed to collect enough pure dew to prepare the Animagus potion.

Now, at the end of the month, they had reached a significant milestone. The potion was finished—its contents carefully stored in labeled vials and placed in the cellar, where it would remain until the final step. All that was left was to wait for a thunderstorm.

Ryan stood in the cellar, inspecting the vials one last time. The deep blue liquid shimmered under the dim light. "Well, that's done. Now we just need to keep up the morning chants and wait for nature to cooperate."

Yue leaned against the doorway, watching him with an amused smile. "You sound impatient."

"I am," Ryan admitted, turning to her. "I want to know what I'll turn into. What if it's something weird like a platypus?"

Rachel, who had just walked in, smirked. "That would be fitting."

Ryan rolled his eyes. "Hilarious."

Serenity entered quietly, looking pleased with their progress. "At least we know the hardest part is over. Now it's just patience."

Ryan groaned. "I hate waiting."

The group laughed, knowing full well that the wait for the right storm could take days—or even weeks. But for now, they had done everything right. The foundation was set, and the next time the skies raged with lightning, they would finally take the next step in their transformation.