Chapter 226: William’s Animagus

Since becoming Headmaster, Dumbledore's Hogwarts letters have remained unchanged for decades. Now, for the first time, they'd undergone some pleasant improvement.

Overall, William thought it was a solid change, at the very least, the new letter highlighted Hogwarts' unique features.

Sometimes, an outstanding acceptance letter could enhance a school's reputation, showcasing its "soft power." A poorly written one, however, would leave Hogwarts students embarrassed when interacting with students from other schools.

William also believed that Hogwarts' international influence was far too weak. It didn't suit its role as the pinnacle of magical education.

In all his time at Hogwarts, William hadn't encountered students who'd come from France, America, or even Wakanda to study. Admissions were limited to the British Isles, which meant the school's reputation would only decline further over time.

After all, the British Empire… had long since faded.

Ignoring the local student base, William believed Hogwarts needed to attract international students to maintain its prestige.

Of course, first-years aside, advanced classes should be open to students from around the world.

And the requirements? Exceptionally strict.

Forget aiming for twelve O.W.L.s, eight O's should be the minimum standard!

Don't know how to perform Animagus transformations? Then don't even bother applying!

Can't cast nonverbal and wandless spells? Stay put in your local school!

What's that? You have financial resources?

Ah, well then—no problem.

Welcome, welcome.

Every year, the top students from other countries would vie for a place in Hogwarts' advanced classes. This would truly highlight the school's legacy and superiority.

People always follow where the crowd goes—if Hogwarts was known for being hard to get into, families would fight to send their children there, Galleons in hand.

Unfortunately, none of this would happen under Dumbledore's watch.

With Annie's letter in hand, they could now take her to Diagon Alley to buy a wand.

However, William decided to wait a bit longer. First, he had to focus on the upcoming weekend storm.

William had been preparing for his Animagus transformation for a long time.

After escaping the time loop, he'd spent an entire month keeping a single Mandrake leaf in his mouth. The leaf could never be removed or swallowed during that time, or the entire process would have to start over.

That single leaf was a critical ingredient for the Animagus transformation potion.

William had nearly swallowed it several times while eating.

And that was only the first step. At the end of the month, under a full moon, the leaf had to be removed and placed into a crystal vial filled with the user's saliva. The vial would then be exposed to pure moonlight.

Next, a strand of the user's own hair and a teaspoon of dew—collected from a place untouched by sunlight or human presence for seven days—had to be added.

Finally, a chrysalis from a Death's-Head Hawk moth would complete the mixture.

The crystal vial had to be left undisturbed in a dark, quiet place until the arrival of a storm with thunder and lightning. This waiting period could stretch for weeks, months, or even years.

If you lived deep in the Sahara Desert—well, tough luck. You'd likely be waiting a lifetime for a storm.

During this waiting period, the crystal vial had to remain completely untouched and free of sunlight. Any sunlight contamination would lead to disastrous mutations.

William had buried the vial deep in the Forbidden Forest outside Hogwarts. Nicolas Flamel had predicted a storm would come this Sunday.

He didn't tell his younger sister Annie. Otherwise, she'd insist on tagging along.

…

The weekend arrived quickly, and William's adventure with Hermione was about to begin.

At four in the morning, William quietly slipped out of his room.

Hermione was already awake.

"I think we're going to need some luck today," William said, pulling a potion bottle from his pocket.

It was Felix Felicis—Liquid Luck.

Both William and Hermione took small sips, just enough to last until the transformation was complete.

"How are we getting there?" Hermione asked as they stood at the door.

"We'll Apparate directly," William explained, "Here, take my hand."

Hermione gripped his right hand tightly.

"All right, off we go."

Hermione felt as though William's hand might slip away, so she held on even tighter.

She experienced the familiar crushing sensation of Apparition, the pressure coming from all directions, making it hard to breathe. It felt as though iron bands were constricting her chest.

Then—

They appeared just outside a valley.

Darkness surrounded them, and a thunderous growl echoed from within the valley.

Hermione flinched and instinctively moved closer to William, gripping his hand even tighter.

William didn't let go either. Leading her by the hand, he slowly approached the valley.

Hermione quickly realized there was no danger—the sound was just Fluffy snoring.

Fluffy lay sprawled in the wooden hut Hagrid had built for him, sleeping soundly.

"We're in the Forbidden Forest?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"Yes. This valley is in the northwest corner of the forest. Hagrid found it and decided to let Fluffy live here."

After the Philosopher's Stone incident, Dumbledore had returned Fluffy to Hagrid, who kept him in the Forbidden Forest.

Dumbledore had also negotiated with the centaurs.

They had no choice. Fluffy had grown so massive that even if they wanted to attack him, the centaurs would suffer casualties. In the end, they reluctantly accepted his presence.

With Fluffy guarding his crystal vial, William felt reassured.

Recognizing William's familiar scent, Fluffy soon woke up, wagging his tail as he trotted over.

William tossed him a generous supply of snacks for breakfast.

Using magic, William conjured two chairs. They sat together in the middle of the valley, waiting for the storm.

By now, the sky had filled with thick clouds, completely obscuring the moon.

"Falco Aesalon was an ancient Greek wizard and the first recorded Animagus. He could transform into a falcon at will," William said casually, making conversation.

"I know. He's on a Chocolate Frog Card," Hermione replied, her gaze fixed on William's face in the darkness.

"Are you going to register with the Ministry of Magic?" she asked worriedly. "I read that failing to register is illegal. You'd be sent to Azkaban."

"I'll probably register after school starts. Professor McGonagall knows about my progress, so I won't be able to hide it from her."

William would've preferred to keep it a secret, but there wasn't much point.

"Let's make Professor McGonagall happy, then. She's always hoped Cedric and I would win the 'Most Promising Newcomer Award'."

The award was presented by Transfiguration Today, the most authoritative journal in the field. McGonagall herself had won it just before graduation, having demonstrated exceptional skill in Transfiguration during her time at Hogwarts.

She was now a guest reviewer for the magazine, overseeing submissions for publication.

No Hogwarts student had won the award in decades, and McGonagall had been waiting for this moment for years.

"Another award… That's amazing," Hermione murmured.

It was clear William would graduate with honors, much like Dumbledore before him. Students like that only appeared once every few decades.

"I'm just good at studying. I have a bit of cleverness, that's all," Hermione said softly.

William smiled, gently patting her head. "That's not true. You're the most talented witch I've ever met. I can teach you."

"Animagus transformation doesn't have to be done alone. I can use my wand to assist you. Once you get familiar with it, you'll be able to transform independently."

Hermione nodded firmly.

At that moment, the sky lit up with a flash of lightning, followed by a rumble of thunder.

The storm had finally arrived.