Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Registering as an Animagus
The spiral staircase of the Astronomy Tower was ingeniously designed, winding upwards with a width of two feet, giving those who walked there a sense of elevation.
Leaving the Astronomy Tower, Ino suddenly stopped in the corridor, noticing a few Ravenclaw girls laughing and walking by.
The moonlight, or perhaps the candlelight illuminating the corridor, softly fell on the face of an East Asian girl, different from the predominantly sharp features of most girls at Hogwarts.
The girl before him was gentle and delicate, her thin lips revealing a warm and lovely smile.
Ino saw Cho Chang not far away, but considering the many girls around her, he chose to greet her in an understated, Eastern manner—smiling and nodding.
However, Cho did not respond subtly. Instead, she left her companions and walked over alone.
"I thought you only occasionally acknowledged my existence on Thursday evenings. I didn't expect you to greet me in the corridor too," Cho said with a hint of complaint, which, if listened to carefully, had some underlying meanings.
"Sorry! I usually stay in my dorm and sleep, so I don't have much time," Ino apologized.
In truth, he enjoyed spending time with Cho, but as she mentioned, these enjoyable moments were limited to the Thursday evening Transfiguration Club meetings.
"Sleeping?" Cho raised her chin subtly, her dark brown eyes full of disbelief.
Leaning slightly forward, Cho whispered softly, "Do you know, some people run from the first floor to the eighth floor just to bump into me, then casually walk down. But you, when I want to bump into you, I can't find you."
Facing the girl so close to him, Ino instinctively took half a step back. Although he enjoyed the company of this theoretical upperclassman in the club, he didn't want to get too involved at the moment.
After all, school romances were like bubbles in the sunlight, bursting at the slightest touch. Many things are only understood after graduation, though sometimes it's a bit late.
"I really do sleep. Otherwise, I just go to the library to read," Ino explained helplessly.
Hearing this, a hint of disappointment flashed in Cho's eyes.
She had a good impression of this junior, who was as handsome and knowledgeable as Cedric. Especially his humor and mature demeanor in the Transfiguration Club, which were unparalleled.
But his instinctive retreat and this formal explanation made her understand a lot.
"Alright! See you on Thursday then!"
Cho shrugged indifferently, not dwelling on it. As a Ravenclaw, she knew some things couldn't be rushed, especially since they had at least four more years.
"Yes! See you on Thursday."
...
Watching Cho walk away, Ino smiled and shook his head, turning to walk downstairs.
Life's little interludes often bring unexpected surprises and joys.
But after the interlude, it's time for the main course.
He needed to find Professor McGonagall now to discuss officially registering as an Animagus. The idea had occurred to him before climbing the Astronomy Tower.
Sneaking around wasn't fun. Not only did it limit his enjoyment, but he also had to be cautious when testing magic in his black swan form.
And the benefits of hiding? Seemed to be just one—easier to escape from Azkaban.
Well, who in their right mind thinks about breaking out of prison every day? And even if he did end up in Azkaban, he had already thought of hiding in the sanctuary, staying there forever.
Only when he became a legendary wizard would he come out.
Moving staircases in the castle.
Ino stood on the stairs, waiting for them to move slowly, but another thought suddenly popped into his mind.
Thinking about the sanctuary, he wondered about the supplies and food, and another important issue came to mind.
Could the sanctuary accommodate living beings?
Whether it was the Ice Flower he planted or the Transfiguration Owl Professor McGonagall gave him, they weren't truly alive.
If living beings could enter, what about wizards? If wizards could enter, what about magical worlds?
As his thoughts wandered, Ino envisioned many things, even Middle-earth. Hundreds of wizards on broomsticks guarding Helm's Deep, the Battle of Minas Tirith against Orcs, trolls fighting each other, Thestrals biting Nazgûl...
One fantastical image after another flashed by, and soon he arrived at Professor McGonagall's office.
Just as he raised his hand to knock, the office door opened from the inside, and three young wizards came out.
The air suddenly became a bit quiet.
"Ino!" Hermione was the first to react, greeting him excitedly.
"What a coincidence, you're here too," Ino replied with a smile, nodding at Harry and Ron.
"We came because..." Hermione stopped halfway, mouthing the word "Lockhart."
"Alright, alright, seeing Professor McGonagall was the wisest choice!"
Seeing the relieved expressions on their faces, Ino knew that the countdown for the second-year Defense Against the Dark Arts professor Gilderoy Lockhart had truly begun.
Just as Hermione was about to say something more, Professor McGonagall appeared at the door.
"Once you've said your piece, go back! Stay out of trouble, and I'll handle this matter," Professor McGonagall said sternly to the three at the door.
She thought that while young wizards were usually mischievous, the past two years had been exaggerated. These three silently gathered all the evidence against a professor.
In terms of causing trouble, these three compared to the Weasley twins were like professional Quidditch brooms compared to children's brooms.
"We'll go right away!" Ron and Harry nodded quickly, pulling Hermione's sleeve.
After they left, Professor McGonagall, feeling a bit weary, looked at the door, knowing another troublemaker was there.
And her intuition told her that the silent troublemaking style of the three just now might not have been their idea. As a long-time Gryffindor Head, she knew her students well—they were never short on courage, but always short on scheming.
"Go ahead, what's your matter this time! Since last year, this castle has never been so strange."
Though complaining, Professor McGonagall's tone and expression showed no impatience. She was very satisfied with this student before her. Combining Transfiguration with Muggle philosophy, Ino's discussions in the club were always refreshing.
...
Transfiguration office.
"Professor! I intend to register as an Animagus!"
Without any pleasantries, Ino went straight to the point.
"It's rare for you to come around!" Professor McGonagall sighed. Although she promised to keep it a secret, as a teacher, she didn't want her student to be discovered by the Ministry of Magic and punished.
"You don't need to worry about anything. Just wait for my news! I happen to be going to the Ministry of Magic soon, in a day or two."
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