Outside the Forbidden Forest, Felix, Professor McGonagall, and several students exchanged glances through the thick rain curtain. They held their wands aloft, conjuring a dense stream of air from the tips, forming a vague umbrella-shaped barrier over their heads, keeping the rain at bay.

They made a conscious effort not to look at Professor Snape or show any peculiar expressions. Because it wasn't the professor holding the wands—it was a Niffler. Valen sat on Felix's shoulder, darting its gaze between Draco, Hannah, and Hermione, as the Dark Lord had claimed they would soon transform into small animals.

Harry and Ron were also present. Their initial excuse was to witness the Animagus transformation, but Professor McGonagall sternly denied them.

"No need for that."

However, playing the emotional card, "We're Hermione's best friends, and we're genuinely worried—" surprisingly, after scrutinizing them for a moment, Professor McGonagall nodded in agreement. Harry and Ron felt lucky.

"You may proceed."

As the first lightning bolt streaked across the sky, Professor McGonagall said, "They can begin." Above them, thick black clouds, a giant thunderbird of magical culture soared.

Hermione, Hannah, and Draco, upon hearing the signal, dashed into the Forbidden Forest, scattering in different directions, disappearing in the midst of the raging storm. They aimed to retrieve a crystal potion bottle hidden on the forest's edge.

Professor McGonagall tightly gripped her wand with both hands, rain from the wind soaking her hair, trickling down her somewhat pale cheeks, her knuckles turning white from the force of her grip.

"They'll be fine," she murmured.

Felix gazed into the depths of the forest, the storm and darkness not obscuring his sight. Against a backdrop of gray-white, three glowing silhouettes receded into the distance. Suddenly, Felix turned back, looking towards the direction of the castle they came from.

A lightning bolt flashed, and he seemed to see a blurry figure standing on the castle balcony.

Felix squinted.

Harry followed Professor Snape's gaze and then, astonished, exclaimed, "Neville?" In the darkness, a blurry figure rushed towards them, intermittently visible amidst the chaotic lightning.

Professor McGonagall jumped in surprise.

"You—Longbottom, how—?" she stammered.

Neville gasped for breath, completely drenched by rain, covered in mud, as if he had stumbled more than once on the way. He gasped out, "I—succeeded—at sunset—today—I felt—"

"You felt the Animagus' movement?" Professor McGonagall helped him finish his sentence.

"Yes, yes," Neville said in the rain.

"Then hurry, there's still time." Felix said.

Neville nodded vigorously, excitedly turning back towards the Forbidden Forest. Professor McGonagall watched his figure, whispering in amazement, "Incredible, counting Longbottom, there are four...they've all mastered the Patronus Charm...this discovery will surely be one of the most revolutionary transformation theories of this century."

She suddenly turned to Harry and Ron, serious. "Potter, Weasley, you absolutely mustn't give up, it's worth a try...I'll talk to Figg and Jamison, suggest they set aside time to study the Patronus Charm..."

Figg and Jamison were the two seventh-year students in the Transformation Club who still insisted on reciting spells every sunrise and sunset.

Harry and Ron nodded silently, feeling the mandrake leaves in their mouths became even more important. They exchanged a silent glance and decided that dining in the special cafeteria was the plan for the next period.

Felix looked up at the sky, the dark clouds completely obscuring the moon, occasional bright lightning piercing through the black clouds, leaving frozen spots on the retina, thunder rumbling.

They waited silently, and finally, the first person returned.

It was Hermione, her bushy hair now plastered to her face, her pants splattered with mud dots, shivering from the cold, but she held a small crystal potion bottle in her hand. The mixture of various materials inside the bottle had now turned into a blood-red potion.

"Professor, I did it, the potion—" she said excitedly.

With a smile, Felix gently raised his hand, walls sprang up around Hermione on all sides, forming a connected space.

"Miss Granger, you're one step away from success."

"Chirp!" Valen cheered her on.

Hermione took a deep breath, pointing her wand tip to her heart, trembling as she chanted the incantation: "Amado, Animo, Animado, Animagus." Then, she drank the potion from the vial, closed her eyes, and waited.

Several pairs of eyes were fixed on her every move.

"P-Professor... it's a beaver... my Animagus form," Hermione said, struggling to control her voice.

"Excellent. That's what we expected," Felix said calmly, his tone carrying a persuasive power that made Hermione's teeth chatter as she strained to hear him. "You should now be feeling intense pain and two distinct heartbeats. You must wholeheartedly embrace the other, there's nothing to worry about. You've experienced transformations over a dozen times, each time teetering on the edge of losing control. Compared to that, the wild surge of the Animagus is negligible."

"We're here," Professor McGonagall piped in sharply.

Trembling, Hermione nodded lightly, and at that moment, the transformation began.

Harry and Ron had to fight hard to keep from making a sound.

They had witnessed Animagus transformations before, but seeing it happen to a familiar friend made them realize just how eerie it was. Hermione's entire body underwent a complex morphing—far more intricate than the knowledge they'd encountered in class. Her wet hair slowly receded, her head and body shrinking continuously, as if under a Shrinking Charm cast by the professor. The contours of her head gradually transformed toward those of a rodent, her clothes tightening and blending into her skin, turning into a dark brown fur. Her hands and feet morphed into slender claws... until a beaver stood before them.

"Plunk!"

Hermione's wand fell, clattering on the wet ground.

"Remember, always plan where to put your wand before transforming," Professor McGonagall warned amidst the pouring rain. Harry and Ron nodded in agreement.

Felix's eyes gleamed as he stared, unblinking, at the creature before him. It was about two feet long, relatively large for a beaver within its kind but dwarfed compared to other creatures. Luckily, no one present cared much about what form the Animagus took; the significance lay in the magic itself.

In magical terms, the creature before them exhibited almost no magical fluctuations; all magical energy seemed concentrated deep within its body, nearly solidified, reminiscent of a Squib.

There was a brief moment of bewilderment in the beaver's eyes, followed by two short, chastising chirps. "Tsk!" The beaver shot an annoyed glance at Ron, who burst into laughter, then quickly apologized. "Sorry, Hermione. I was looking for your wizarding traits, maybe it's those big front teeth."

Harry struggled to contain himself, not letting himself laugh along with Ron.

"Swoosh!"

Valen hopped off Felix's shoulder and stood in front of the beaver, excitedly gesturing.

The beaver let out a couple more chirps, unfortunately unable to communicate.

Rain parted above Felix's head as he leaned against the raised wall, expressionless. Valen was already using his dedicated wand to write in the air, while the beaver sadly glanced at the fallen wand on the ground, then looked down at its own small paws, its whiskers twitching, revealing a set of large front teeth.

A slender hand extended before it.

The beaver stared blankly at the peas in Felix's palm, looking utterly confused. Then, it angrily swatted the hand away, its chirps tinged with indignation.

Felix casually withdrew his hand. "Well done, Granger. It seems you easily resisted the wildness within you. That's good. You can try changing back now."

"Professor, did you specifically prepare for this?" Harry asked incredulously.

"For testing purposes, I made quite a few preparations," Felix said calmly. "In addition to peas, there were insects that peacocks like to eat, pear slices, and plant seeds that squirrels enjoy. Of course, I didn't prepare for Neville's, but his Patronus is a cat, and I happen to have some pickled fish here."

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