Harry Potter and the Gift of Memories [Harry Potter Fan Fiction]

Chapter XXXXIV: Down the Trap Door, Part I

“Ok, Mister Potter, I want you to turn this mouse into a snuffbox,” Professor McGonagall told Harry as he stood within the room where the Transfiguration practical test was taking place. It was nearing the end of the school year, which meant it was time for the end of the year exams. So far they had taken all of their written tests and were now doing their practical exams, which called for students to show how well they could execute all they were taught this year.

Harry Potter nodded and focused on the tiny white mouse that stood on all fours on his desk, pleased that he could now concentrate completely on his spell casting. His scar no longer burned from his run in with Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest, though it had taken several nights of meditation and a number of horrible nightmares in which his failure to save the unicorn had been mixed in with his mother's death, before the burning in his scar left him. He felt much better now, and his concentration was back to 100 percent.

Pointing his wand at the mouse, Harry conjured the image of what he wanted the tiny mammal to turn into within his mind. He imagined it shifting, transforming, changing from one thing to another, and as his mind focused on this image, his will invoked his magic into action and the mouse before him changed.

The small, four legged mammal morphed, its form shifting and taking on a new shape. First it changed color, going from white to molten silver. Then it began to change shape, its body flowing like quicksilver as it lengthened and elongated and flattened and expanded. It took the general shape of a rectangle exactly six inches wide, three inches long, and one inch tall. The snuffbox's edges became soft, rounded. A centimeter thick border with intricate patterns drawn onto it protruded from the box.

Diamond shaped patterns began forming on the body, and within each diamond was an animal; a badger, a lion, a raven, and a snake that formed a repeating pattern. In the center of the lid for the snuffbox was the Hogwarts crest along with the Hogwarts motto: Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus. Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon.

The entire transfiguration took only a few seconds.

“Here you are, Professor,” Harry smiled as he showed off the snuffbox to a stunned Professor McGonagall, who stood there, blinking as she stared at the beautifully crafted box on the table. He was pleased to see that despite her knowledge of his talent, he could still shock his Head of House with his ability.

Of course, if she knew how far along he really was in Transfiguration she would probably die of a heart attack.

The stern Transfiguration professor shook herself out of her stupor walked toward the snuffbox, examining it and trying—and only partially succeeding—to not gawk at the object now being held within her hands.

“This is... very good, Mister Potter,” Professor McGonagall said at last, her voice sounding slightly choked in shock. Harry smiled. “Tell me, are these diamonds?”

Harry looked at the small crystal-like gem encrusted points of each diamond pattern on the snuffbox. He shook his head.

“No. Gamps Law doesn't allow for the transfiguration of diamonds, being a precious gem.” He smiled at Professor McGonagall. “Though I suspect you already knew that.” Her answering smile let him know he was right. “Those are quartz crystals, one of the few gems that can be transfigured due to their composition. I simply added my own personal touch to them in order to make them look like diamonds.”

“You changed the composition of the quartz to mimic the looks of a diamond?” she asked for clarification.

“Yes.”

“This is excellent work, Mister Potter,” Professor McGonagall said after several more minutes of examination. “I have never seen such an intricately done transfiguration from a first year. Not even your father was this good when he started out.”