Within two minutes, an overwhelming wave of drowsiness swept through the first-year Slytherin boys' dormitory.
Yawns echoed one after another.
Draco stopped talking mid-sentence.
Crabbe blinked heavily.
Goyle nearly fell out of his chair.
One by one, the boys climbed into bed and fell asleep as though they had been struck unconscious.
Liam lay quietly beneath his blanket and smiled in satisfaction.
Growing up among Dark Wizards had taught him one thing above all else:
Never sleep deeply.
For years, even the slightest disturbance could wake him instantly.
Listening to Draco chatter endlessly had already become unbearable.
So he had solved the problem.
His modified Sleeping Charm no longer required a wand.
More importantly, he had altered its structure entirely.
The original charm targeted a single individual.
His version could be expanded into an area effect.
Rather than striking a target directly, the spell spread outward from himself as its center.
Depending on how much power he invested, it could instantly knock someone unconscious or merely create overwhelming fatigue.
Tonight he had chosen the gentlest version.
The others simply believed they were sleepy.
The elegance of the design made defensive countermeasures significantly more difficult.
Once the dormitory became silent, Liam cast two warning charms around his bed and embedded a petrification trap nearby before finally allowing himself to relax.
For the first time since arriving at Hogwarts, he slept peacefully.
...
The next morning, Liam quietly dispelled the Sleeping Charm affecting the dormitory.
By the time Draco and the others woke, none of them suspected anything unusual.
After washing up, Liam headed directly toward the Transfiguration classroom.
Cassandra had specifically warned him not to be late.
He had no intention of ignoring her advice.
Besides, arriving early meant extra time to read.
...
The classroom was empty.
Almost.
A silver tabby cat sat atop Professor McGonagall's desk.
Liam stopped walking.
His silver eyes narrowed slightly.
An Animagus.
A wizard capable of transforming into an animal while retaining magical abilities.
The transformation itself fascinated him.
Unlike ordinary Transfiguration, an Animagus permanently integrated magical structures into the body.
The chosen animal form reflected aspects of the wizard's personality and nature.
Most importantly, the transformation usually involved only non-magical creatures.
Attempting to become a magical creature carried enormous risks.
Liam had studied the theory before.
He simply hadn't tested it.
Unlike most magic, failure here could be permanent.
A wizard trapped in animal form might never recover.
Even so, observing a living Animagus was a rare opportunity.
Without hesitation, he sat in the front row and began studying the cat carefully.
Professor McGonagall immediately felt uncomfortable.
The boy was staring far too intently.
Could he actually see through it?
Impossible.
Surely not—
"Professor McGonagall."
The cat froze.
Liam tilted his head.
"What unforeseen consequences occur if an Animagus attempts to transform into a magical creature?"
The tabby cat sighed internally.
A moment later it leapt from the desk.
Professor McGonagall appeared in human form.
So he really had noticed.
"I suppose there's no point pretending."
She straightened her robes.
"The consequences depend on the magical creature."
"For example?"
"A phoenix."
She folded her arms.
"A wizard who transformed into a phoenix without fully understanding phoenix magic could lose control completely."
"Phoenixes possess abilities tied to rebirth, regeneration, and magical fire."
"Human wizards don't naturally understand those mechanisms."
"The result could be catastrophic."
Liam nodded thoughtfully.
"In other words, if someone completely understood the magical structure of a phoenix, transformation should theoretically become possible?"
McGonagall immediately frowned.
"Theoretically."
"Practically speaking, it would be extraordinarily dangerous."
"No one has ever succeeded."
She pointed at him sternly.
"And I strongly advise you not to attempt it."
"Why?"
"Because I would rather not explain to Professor Dumbledore how one of my students permanently turned himself into something impossible."
Liam smiled slightly.
"New magic has to come from somewhere."
McGonagall narrowed her eyes.
"Excuse me?"
"Every spell was invented by someone."
Liam leaned forward.
"If wizards stopped pursuing dangerous research, magic would never progress."
"Fear doesn't make people stronger."
For a moment, McGonagall simply stared.
The confidence.
The certainty.
The complete lack of hesitation.
Most adult wizards wouldn't speak so boldly.
Yet this nine-year-old said it as though discussing the weather.
No wonder the Sorting Hat had struggled.
No wonder Dumbledore found him fascinating.
The boy's ambition bordered on frightening.
"Even so," McGonagall replied firmly, "I cannot allow a student to conduct such dangerous experiments."
"Professor."
Liam tilted his head.
"If you forbid it, I'll simply study it privately."
McGonagall nearly choked.
"What?"
"You can't monitor me twenty-four hours a day."
His expression remained perfectly calm.
"So eventually I'll research it anyway."
The honesty was almost offensive.
"However," Liam continued, "if you cooperate with me, you'll be able to supervise everything."
"If something goes wrong, you'll be present to stop it."
McGonagall stared at him in disbelief.
This child...
Was he threatening her?
No.
That wasn't quite right.
He was simply stating facts.
And annoyingly, they were logical facts.
If Liam truly wanted to investigate advanced magical theory, stopping him would be difficult.
Especially given his obvious talent.
Yet agreeing felt equally absurd.
A nine-year-old wanted to improve Animagus transformation.
One of the most complex magical disciplines in existence.
The entire proposal sounded ridiculous.
And yet...
Looking at the boy's calm silver eyes, McGonagall couldn't completely dismiss it.
Because somehow—
She had the unsettling feeling that Liam Hale might actually try it.
....
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