After Lily was done addressing Lucas, she once again glared at Harry, still twisting his ear.
"And you, I never blamed you for all your mischieves. Because I thought you were sensible enough when it came to important matters. Then how could you take such risky-"
"Mom! I need to face him! Why don't you understand?!"
Harry shouted out in the end, causing Lily to pause.
"He and his family are still roaming free and they have shown no repentance whatsoever! Tell me you don't want revenge as well!"
Lily slowly loosened her hand. "But baby, I can't see you follow that path. You're all I have left.
…
The next class was double transfiguration.
Professor McGonagall stood at the front of the classroom, hands folded over her desk, tartan robes pressed so sharply they looked capable of cutting glass.
The windows were open just enough to let in the cold autumn air - almost as if deliberately arranged to keep the students' mind sharp.
"Fourth year marks the point at which Transfiguration ceases to be amusing," said McGonagall crisply.
"So, from now on," she continued, "you will learn not merely how to transform an object, but how to maintain that transformation without instability, leakage, or—" her gaze flicked toward Seamus "—explosions."
She raised her wand.
On her desk sat a simple wooden goblet.
With a precise movement and no incantation spoken aloud, the goblet twisted inward, reshaped, and in the space of a breath became a sleek black crow. It ruffled its feathers once, blinked, and hopped neatly along the desk.
"Observe," McGonagall said, "the posture. The balance. The absence of residual grain patterning."
She tapped her wand again.
The crow collapsed back into polished wood instantly.
"This," she said, "is control."
"Can anyone tell me what is the most common failure point in object-to-animal transfiguration at your level?"
Lucas got to see the classic Hermione as she eagerly waved her raised hand, desperate to answer the question like a puppy asking for a bone.
"Miss Granger?"
"Structural inconsistency, Professor."
"Why?"
"If the original material isn't fully overridden, the transfigured form destabilizes. You get... stiffness. Or partial paralysis."
"Correct," said McGonagall. "Which is why today you will not attempt anything larger than a rat."
McGonagall pointed her wand at the cabinet, which opened to show dozens of wooden blocks.
"Your task is to transfigure the block into a living rat. It must breathe, move independently, and remain stable for no less than ten minutes."
With a flick of her wand, she sent the boxes gliding through the air, each settling with perfect precision before a student."
Lucas pointed his wand at the block and muttered the incantation. But he didn't succeed on his first try.
The block of wood partially turned into a mouse, having a wooden torso.
Transfiguration is a difficult subject that requires a lot of concentration, patience and a lot of practice.
And since it is useless in the early stages, Lucas hasn't practiced it much.
Imagine training for two months and only being able to transfigure things into animals. i.e., reaching fourth year Transfiguration level. And for this, he would have had to sacrifice many essential DADA and Charms Spells he had learnt in that time.
"Ah! Take it away!"
Beside him, Gabrielle tugged at his sleeve, having already turned her block into a cute white mouse that was making squeaking sounds, trying to approach her.
"Stop pretending to be scared. You have to make a good impression," Lucas whispered in her ear.
Gabrielle stopped acting spoiled and started to try turning the mouse back into the wood.
Behind him, Hermione, Adeline and even Harry had already succeed, 3 different mice squeaking on their desks.
Lucas turned his attention back to his own block/mouse. He cannot succeed using conventional means like others.
But, he had found a trick with which he could actually succeed. It's just not viable for combat.
So now he concentrated to the best of his ability, trying to visualise a mouse, its body anatomy and its traits.
In his mind, a 3d image of a mouse formed, which then turned into a live version. This almost took him a whole minute.
'Go!' Lucas finally channeled his magic.
This time wood turned into a mouse with no obvious flaws. But the mouse suddenly squeaked loudly and it struggled before going completely still.
McGonagall stalked the aisles, correcting wrist angles, tapping unstable transfigurations back into wood with sharp flicks of her wand.
"Mr Weasley," she said dryly, "your rat is attempting to remember it was once a chair leg."
When she reached their table, she nodded satisfactorily.
"Perfectly done, Miss Delacour. Mr Castellin, you need to work on your emotions and power output. Transfiguration requires stability."
"Yes, professor."
...
"Are you actually 12?" Asked Hermione as they left the classroom, still looking sceptical.
Of course Hermione and Adeline had faced no difficulty in the spell, even succeeding in turning the mouse back into wood, but Gabrielle was not even 13 yet. And she's not a Dumbledore.
"Gabrielle is a known genius of Beauxbatons," Lucas explained. "Spell-work comes easily to her compared to most wizards."
"That's just like Harry and Adeline," said Hermione.
"Well, at least Lucas is not a genius in Transfiguration," said Ron, looking relieved.
"Lucas can usually do that spell too. And he doesn't fail." said Gabrielle, her tone protective.
Lucas sighed. Gabrielle was actually speaking the truth.
With the second method, he usually always succeeds.
But during the classes, he was really distracted.
He didn't know why but his mind just kept going to Lily's words.
You're all I have left? A son in danger and mother worried sick?
It brought back old memories of his previous life. He shook his head, forcing away the thoughts.
After Transfiguration, the classes for the day were over.
Lucas dropped Gabrielle to Fleur and her friends and trudged back to the castle, where Hermione and Adeline were waiting for him.
"Ready to go?"
They, of course, needed to go to the lab on Lily summons.
"Wait a minute."
Under their puzzled gazes, Lucas entered the Great Hall and approached the Goblet, dropping a piece into the goblet before briskly making his way back.
Since a lot of other students were also doing the same, Lucas did not attract much attention, looking like just another student trying his luck.
When he returned, Hermione and Adeline were giving him concerned looks.
"Are you really sure about that?" Hermione asked as they walked in silence.
"It will be dangerous. My Grand Aunt specifically demanded it to be," Adeline added.
Lucas shrugged. "Just trying my luck. Besides, it's not like I'm getting chosen."
'And no one is going to stop me anyway,' he added in his mind.
The girls didn't seem to think much of Lucas action. After all, it's unlikely for a fourth year to be chosen.
"But I don't understand one thing. At the World Cup, why didn't you exchange contacts with Miss Aurora before leaving?" Hermione asked.
"I… like to do things in person. Anyways, where are we going?" Lucas asked.
"To my aunt's lab," Adeline answered.
"Oh, didn't know her lab was actually in Hogwarts."
"Until recently, it was not. They've only temporarily shifted in order to help with the Triwizard Tournament events," Adeline clarified.
"It is so convenient now. Can you imagine? Previously we had to take leave in order to visit the lab!" Said Hermione, as if the idea was preposterous.
"Uh, Hermione, I think only you would complain about that," Lucas commented, which made Adeline smile in amusement.
"Really? I thought you were different!"
They winded through several secret passages, until Lucas actually lost track since they were constantly talking. He could only tell that this place was actually underground, but in the opposite direction of the Slytherin dungeons.
They stopped in front of a large stone door where Adeline drew her wand, drawing a pattern. The door swung open with a rumbling sound.
It was a large annex, inlaid with heavy space extension charm. Despite it being evening and their location being underground, sunlight streamed through the window and air smelled of ozone, copper, and sandalwood.
As he stepped foot inside, Lucas felt several powerful wards lock onto him, making him pause.
"Oh, I think you should know. Without the security clearance, you will automatically forget everything that is considered "secret" as soon as you leave the room. Though you can remember it when you come back," said Adeline.
"It's the same for me. You know, since I still don't have a high enough level in occlumency," said Hermione.
Lucas shrugged. He could absorb the magic of the wards so he didn't have much to fear.
As they entered, he surveyed his surroundings.
At first glance, Lucas could only see several partitions, all containing different categories of equipment.
"How is it?" Hermione asked, looking more excited than him. "Isn't it amazing? I bet you'll never guess the uses of some of these equipments."
"What's this?" Lucas asked, looking at a bronze helmet with various carvings, connected with a mirror using several wires.
It looked like a blend of modern and magical engineering.
"It's a dream catcher. It can show the wearer's dreams in their sleep state. But apparently, it failed its real purpose, whatever it was."
They passed by many types of equipment, some of which Lucas could guess the purpose of.
For example, there was a lens that followed them, showing the same scene on a screen.
And there was a device that blew cold air into the room.
"What's that?" Lucas couldn't help asking as they passed by a large screen with a number of metal boxes surrounding it. It looked awfully familiar.
"That's a computer. It's a muggle invention. We're trying to adapt it into magic."
'Faaa!'
Lucas was truly blown away with all the things he saw.
'These people are sitting on immeasurable wealth.'
It changed his perspective on many things.
But as they reached an intersection, his footsteps halted.
In front of him was a woman surrounded by various books. But surprisingly, most of them seem to have colorful covers and fictional names (fantasy novels).
A projector rolled behind her, projecting a muggle romantic class at the wall.
Aurora Dumbledore.
She turned her head, and her face was revealed, making Lucas's heart flutter again.
Kind eyes that crinkled slightly when she smiled, a face shaped more by patience than authority, and an expression that always seemed to invite honesty rather than demand it.
Her hair was the familiar Dumbledore auburn, thick and softly waved, catching the light with hints of copper and gold.
What always made him thrilled was despite the slight dark circles under her eyes, her face had a healthy glow and while she was still thin, she was clearly not skin and bones like in her previous life.
Upon seeing him, her eyes widened, clearly not expecting him.
"Lucas… Castellin? What are you doing here?"
""Surprise," said Lily standing up from a different counter top. "I saw him with the kids so invited him directly. You know, I figured he should at least get to see this once.
"It's good that you're here. I was thinking of sending some people to France very soon."
To others, these words might sound humorous or threatening, but Lucas sensed… concern in her tone?
Lucas bowed. "Mademoiselle Aurora. I apologize for delaying your business."
"It's fine. But I need to clear a few things with you first." Aurora's tone shifted and her eyes turned sharp. "How are you treated at the Delacour Household?"
"Not bad. I have no complaints."
Aurora frowned.
"Then why… did Madame Delacour tell me you didn't have your own connecting mirror? Surely the Delacours have enough wealth to afford you one?"
Lucas felt the prickling gazes of Adeline and Hermione, who were surely looking at him in surprise right now. Obviously, they had caught his lie about why he hadn't exchange contact information with Aurora at the world cup.
"…About that, I didn't need it until recently. Due to a unique ailment, I could not attend Beauxbaton until this semester," Lucas explained. "I have one now," he said, fishing out his connection mirror for proof.
Aurora still didn't relax her gaze.
"What kind of ailment was it? And if you are really treated well, then why didn't you discuss the compensation in front of the Delacours?"
"My ailment… it's never been seen in the wizards. I actually had something very similar to CVID."
"Wait, isn't that the one you insisted on finding cures for?" interjected Lily, looking back at Aurora.
Lucas nodded. "Yeah, it's thanks to you, we were able to find a way to get me cured. So, coming back to the point, I hope you understand why I wasn't very keen on getting compensation. I had thought you would forget about compensation if I simply left."
"This… makes so much sense now," said Lily, and Aurora also relaxed, a moved smile gracing her lips.
'Of course it does. I am not a con artist for nothing.'
This was the reason he had thought up with Apolline for the reason of his late admission.
Aurora relaxed her gaze, gentleness settling back into her eyes.
"While I'm moved by your thoughtfulness, I never take things for free. So, how much do you want?"
Lucas scratched his head. "I don't need money right now. But I do have a particularly presumptuous request."
"What is it?"
"Um, can I also… come and help out sometimes? Like Hermione and Adeline?"
After looking at this paradise of wealth, Lucas considered this to a much more valuable than a one-time payment, no matter if it was a huge sum.
"This…"
Lily immediately looked troubled.
"Done," But Aurora said readily for some reason. "But of course, you will be under observation till we know we can trust you."
"And having too much money on your person is not good for your age. So, I'll advance you five thousand galleons and we'll count the rest as shares."
'...Huh?' Lucas went into a daze.
Even the other three women looked at Aurora with various degrees of incredulity.
....
A.N.: I'll edit the typos and error when I wake up, (if there are any). happy new year.