Harry Potter and the Order Of the Phoenix [54]
“Um, professor…” stuttered Harry. He hadn’t thought about how he was going to start this conversation.
“Yes Mr. Potter?” asked Professor McGonagall. She peered up at him through her half-circle glasses that were on the tip of her nose.
“Well, we… that is… me, Ron, and Hermione have been wondering if… well you could train us to… well….”
“Become Animagi, Mr. Potter?” she asked, not looking at him, but putting grades on papers. Harry’s jaw dropped, how had she known that? Could she read minds? Harry had suspected for a while that many of the teachers here were able to do that, but he’d never suspected Professor McGonagall… until now.
“Yes, that’s it. How did you know?” he asked, feeling relieved that he wouldn’t be the one to bring it up. She took her glasses of, set them on the table, and then rubbed her eyes.
“I expected that you’d be paying more attention to your godfather’s trial Harry,” she said. “to defend himself, he admitted to being and Animagus, and Lupin backed him up saying that he, Peter, and James had each become one.” She put her glasses back on. “I knew, eventually, that you’d be coming to ask me. The urge to be an Animagus has been passed down to you from your father, who got it form his father, who got it from his.”
“You mean, my grandfather, and my great-grandfather have all been Animagi?” asked Harry, dumbfounded that he never knew this. However, he had never known anything about any of his family past his mother and father, except for those currently in the Order of the Phoenix.
“Yes Harry,” said Professor McGonagall, she put her glasses back on, “It was only a matter of time before the urge overcame you. As for you two though (she pointed to Ron and Hermione) I did not expect you at all. I am assuming that you are following Mr. Potter?”
“Yes, I thought it could help me for the O.W.L.s,” said Hermione.
“And I thought it’d be great to be able to do something my brothers, or my sister, couldn’t,” said Ron. Professor McGonagall, however, looked furious at them.
“Becoming an Animagus is not something to be taken lightly you two!” she scolded Ron and Hermione. “It should not be utilized to help you pass a test, or to show off! It is magic at its finest, its most difficult! It is not to be taken lightly at all!” she glared at them both, Hermione looked shocked, she was rarely ever talked to harshly, much less scolded, by a teacher. Ron, however, was used to this sort of thing, and looked unaffected.
“Well, professor, I think it would help me a lot to have some others work on this project along with me,” said Harry, trying to save Ron and Hermione. McGonagall appeared to have accepted that.
“Yes, I suppose it would help you, Potter. Having two others to help you along would be very valuable. Yes, that is a good idea,” she said to all three of them. “Meet me here at seven tonight, we will begin your training. It will be long and vigorous work, and if any of you want to drop out of it, I will not be surprised. Many wizards, while extremely wise in one or more other areas, are unable to become Animagi.”
“We know professor, but we won’t give up,” said Harry. Professor McGonagall looked pleased
“Alright then, don’t be late! Now go, I’ve got another class coming in!” she shooed them off as her new class filed their way inside. Harry saw that they were the Slytherins. Hoping to leave before Malfoy came in, Harry sprinted out the door. Unfortunately, he crashed into someone.
“Watch it Potter! You’re like a brick… only the brick has more brains,” said Malfoy after Harry bumped into him.
“Move it Malfoy,” said Harry disdainfully.
“What are you doing, staying late Potter? Catching up on some work? Begging McGonagall to give you a better grade?”
“Sorry Malfoy, already got good grades. I didn’t get this prefect badge by buying one with money from my rich father,” said Harry as he slid past Malfoy, and to his next class.
Harry walked triumphantly to Defense Against the Dark Arts with Ron and Hermione, each looking forward to their Animagus lessons. The class