Harry frowned and went over the list. It wasn't overly complicated. Harry wasn't a transfiguration specialist by any means. He had always been above average in the class, but not spectacularly so. However, he also had a few years of classroom experience in transfiguration and he had spent several more years on the run and had needed to learn how to transfigure things on a regular basis when he found himself running in short supply of different items. He had also learned how to transfigure walls in front of himself from the materials in the ground around him on the rare occasions he did so.
This was third year material.
Harry sighed as he heard the students around him pulling out their wands and murmurs begin to surround him. He saw McGonagall begin to walk the room looking at different people's attempts. Most people were digging out their books or scooting their chairs closer so several students could share a book, since not everyone decided to bring their third year text. They clustered together as they looked up the incantations.
Harry shook his head slightly, and his wand slid into his hand with a flick of his wrist. He glanced over to see Draco try and mimic the movement only to fumble with the sudden presence of his own wand in his hand.
Harry glanced down at the items and with a slight furrow of his brow he flicked his wand several times, without saying a thing. He felt his magic humming within him, wanting to get out with every cast, but Harry concentrated as much on control as he did actually casting the spell. He didn't want to accidentally blow up the table or the things they had been given to transform. McGonagall's eyebrows rose, first in surprise at the sight of a fourth year with a wrist holster for their wand, then further as she noticed Draco Malfoy with the same thing. His fumbling as he got his wand from the holster caught her attention so she had a perfect line of sight as she watched the new Slytherin student change every single object into the items requested on the board. Without moving his mouth.
This was more than a little surprising to her and she made her way over toward the desk where Flamel and Malfoy sat. Her step hitched momentarily when she saw Malfoy completing his final item as well, though she also noticed his mouth moving a little.
Harry looked up when he saw McGonagall step in front of his desk, he watched her expression as she examined the tortoise which had originally been a teapot, the pincushion which had been a hedgehog, the rabbit which had been a pillow, and the pillow which was originally a plain stone.
Draco Malfoy beside him had done the same thing, though where Harry's pillow was plain white, Draco's was more ornate with a large D embroidered in the center of it.
She glanced up and was surprised. Flamel's expression was a combination of apathetic and bored, a look that the Malfoy scion was trying to copy, though his pride in his more ornate transfiguration ruined it for him. Despite that, It was a far cry from the arrogant and boastful look she would have expected from such a clear display of skill.
She looked at them both for several long seconds. "Very well done. Ten points apiece to Slytherin. You've completed the assignment and have no homework." McGonagall stated simply before looking around at her other students. She frowned and moved away as she noted an issue at one of the other tables.
Harry and Draco nodded and waited until she left before Draco leaned over and whispered, "So what did the old man want to talk to you about?"
Harry shook his head slightly, "Mostly wanted to welcome me to the school, nothing exciting. We can talk about it later if you want." He said, hoping Draco would pick on the not to subtle hint, Draco nodded and sat back.
Harry was about to take the opportunity to look around and really see his class members for the first time. He was sitting near the front with Draco, so he hadn't had time to examine his surroundings. However a commotion behind them drew his attention.
He found himself staring like everyone else at a table with two girls, one of them absolutely familiar to him.
Harry's breath caught in his throat for an instant that seemed to stretch. He knew he'd have to face it eventually. But he'd done his best to merely not think about it and hope to avoid it as long as possible. But here in this moment he was unable to deny it.
Hermione was alive. She was sitting less than twenty feet from him. She was obviously younger than he remembered. And she didn't have the stress or worry lines on her face. Nor the burn scar on her cheek that she'd acquired a few months before she died. He knew she wasn't his Hermione. But, for just a moment he felt a smile tugging at his lips. This wasn't his best friend. She was wearing Ravenclaw colors. She didn't know him. But… she was alive.
Though at the moment a surprised and confused expression was on her face as she looked completely engrossed at the other girl sharing her table.
He jerked slightly and realized that he was staring, grateful her attention was elsewhere, with a force of will he shifted his gaze over to look at the person Hermione was sharing a desk with. And the one who everyone else in the class was staring at as well.
It was a girl with long dark black hair who was focused intently on the transfigurations before her, and she was midway through a transfiguration, but Harry could instantly see what had garnered everyone's attention. Her wand was giving off green sparks. Harry started slightly when he realized that her wand was identical to his own holly wand, and internally he was willing to bet hers had the same phoenix feather core.
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