"You've always known, I think, that I am a dangerous man. And now you know that I am a foolish, wicked, and cowardly one. How can you possibly want me now that you know me?"
**********
It's 1943, and both the wizarding and Muggle worlds have explod...
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"I suppose that is rather the Thestral in the middle of the room."
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"Professor McGonagall?"
It still sounded strange to Minerva nearly a week after she had officially occupied the title.
"Yes, Miss"—Minerva had to search her mind for the name—"Baddock? What is it?"
"Something's happened to my Transfiguration book."
"Yes?"
"It ... um ... got Transfigured. Into this."
The girl held out a peculiar-looking blob that might have been vaguely square if it could have been said to hold any shape at all.
"I see. And how did it get Transfigured into ... a cushion, if I'm not very much mistaken?" Minerva asked, trying not to smile.
"I was practising the spell in chapter seventeen—the one for changing books—and I can't get it to change back."
Minerva withdrew her wand, pointed it at the erstwhile book, and said, "Mutatio Caudici!" The strange blob in the student's hand instantly became a copy of Intermediate Transfiguration once more.
"Thank you, Professor!"
"You're welcome. But next time, Miss Baddock, perhaps it would be wise to attempt your Transfiguration on an object other than the book in which the counter-spell is found."
The girl nodded sheepishly and turned to go.
"Miss Baddock?"
Emily turned, and Minerva said, "It's a very difficult Transfiguration, you know, changing books. Don't feel too bad about not managing it on the first try. I don't believe Professor Dumbledore will teach it until the end of the year."
"No, Professor. I've just read ahead a bit and thought I would give it a try. I'm sorry."
"Never be sorry for wanting to learn more. It's an admirable impulse, but do try to exercise caution when moving ahead of your class. A few of the spells in this book can be hazardous if performed incorrectly. Please feel free to come to me if you have any questions about any of them. All right?"
