Harry Potter: Don't touch

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It was mid-April when it was announced to all Hogwarts students, except perhaps Hermione Granger, that there would be a mandatory oral transfiguration exam with Professor McGonagall at the end of the year. After some outcry from the students, amendments were announced: fifth year and seventh year students would not be allowed to take the oral exam, as they would have to prepare for the PSB and JABA instead, and there was also a small exemption for first year and second year students, as they didn't know much about transfiguration yet - they were allowed to replace the oral exam with a written one, which everyone took advantage of.

Harry was horrified at this news. He hadn't been able to understand what Professor McGonagall was talking about since the end of his first year, and he had kept up with his classmates only through supplementary literature and the help of Cedric and Riddle. Besides, the practical part of transfiguration itself wasn't that directly difficult. It was enough to have imagination and learn a few spells for transforming objects into animate and inanimate objects. That was enough to do simple to intermediate transfiguration, and no one else was required of third year students. However, the exam would not expect a demonstration of practice, it would be an oral exam, which meant that what mattered was knowing the terms and being able to explain simple things with clever words.

Even Justin had realised the extent of the problem with the oral exam, and Harry and Zhou were spending less time together, much of it studying. Harry found the whole situation very frightening and infuriating at the same time. Why should he have to memorise two pages of text explaining how to use the Avis spell correctly, when he could use it without any stupid theoretical terms? Tom contributed greatly to this frustration, constantly reminding Potter that he could just cram for the exam and get on with more useful things.

Harry thought it was suspicious at first, but then he remembered what Justin had said about Riddle getting an 'Excellent' grade in every subject except Transfiguration. So once, when Potter had been in a particularly bad mood, he had thrown the textbook somewhere deep into the wishing-room without learning even half of the total material. Harry hadn't thought much about the consequences at the time; he'd decided to trust the diary, which told him that he'd done everything right and there were many far more useful ways to spend his time.

Given that there was no way to spend the whole day with Zhou yet, as she, unlike Potter, was still cramming for transfiguration, Harry decided to get busy preparing for the final Quidditch match against the Gryffindor team, who, like the Hufflepuff team, had won all their previous matches. However, Cedric Diggory had put training on hold as he himself was in his sixth year and was not immune to the oral exam, so Potter decided to approach the only member of the Hufflepuff team who was not busy preparing for exams, Ginny Weasley, with an offer to train.

Harry found her in the living room sitting on the sofa next to Justin, she was testing Finch-Fletchley on his knowledge of, of course, transfiguration.

- So, what can you tell me about-" Ginny turned the page of her textbook and thought for a second. - The rules of detransfiguration.

Detransfiguration. A simple subject, but its rules are creepy! Harry had only learnt the rule of order and couldn't do much else. Potter decided not to approach it right away, he wondered if Justin would be able to answer.

- So, the rules of detransfiguration. The first priority in detransfiguration is the rule of order. If a living thing or object has been transformed into something many times, that is, undergone a transformation... Then it will bypass the intermediate stages and... Vaporise?- No, it will return to its original form, Justin, even we learnt that a long time ago, how can you not know that?

- Hi, can I ask you something?- Harry asked, walking over to the sofa.

The textbook from Ginny's hands was on the floor in a flash, and Justin, who thought the question was addressed to him, panicked:

- Oh no, I hope not Transfiguration! Oh man, you were just watching me answer that! It's going to be transfiguration," Finch-Fletchley clutched his head. - I hate bloody transfiguration, Hogwarts, and magic in general! Why didn't I listen to my parents and go to Eton like all normal people would have done!

Justin, holding his hands to his head and not looking back, ran out of the living room. Harry and Ginny and a few other students stared after him for a while.

- Look," Harry turned to the younger Weasley as if nothing special had just happened. - Ginny, it just so happens that you and I are the only ones not studying for the exam. I suggest we play Quidditch together on the Quidditch pitch now.

- I... Yeah... Sure..." Ginny blushed.

It was strange, but he thought she had stopped blushing in his presence a long time ago.

The Quidditch game didn't work out so well. Harry hadn't taken into account that he and Weasley played in completely different positions, for which it was quite difficult to find a suitable common exercise. They ended up just flipping the quaffle, and Potter had no idea how being able to catch a quaffle would help him in the corral position.

Time was running out. The students stayed at Hogwarts for the Easter holidays and Harry went home. During the holidays Tonks took him to the Ministry and showed him what the job of an Auror was like. Potter was disappointed, he thought an auror was someone who was constantly fighting enemies, but in fact he watched Nymphadora fill out reports and paperwork.

Back from holiday, Harry didn't think to continue learning boring transfiguration terms. He read a little of the Muggle Studies textbook and made sure that he would be able to pass Charity Burbage's exam in the subject in late May, even though he had taken Numerology rather than Muggle Studies for the first six months. After a brief glimpse into the lives of ordinary people, Potter decided that he would pretend as if there was no Transfiguration exam and just go about his business. After all, they wouldn't expel him for not answering the definition of transfiguration terms...

Everyone was studying, and Harry was trying to move Riddle into a summoned snake.

Everyone was studying, and Harry, along with Fred and George, had a competition. The twins transfigured a mouse in an unused classroom, sped it up five times, and then launched Potter's owl, The Elemental, a snake summoned by him, Hermione Granger's cat, The Gobbler, and an unexplained fox into the classroom, and then invited bets from the audience on who would catch the incredibly fast mouse. The Gobbler won: he somehow managed to pretend to be dead in the centre of the classroom in which the contest was taking place, and as soon as the mouse had the misfortune to approach him, he jumped up and did an "Am-am".

- 'That's how Corosta ended her glorious life,' commented Fred - or George. After the cat's victory, Minerva McGonagall came into the classroom and dispersed them and took ten points off each of them for taking part in such an animalistic event.

Everyone studied while Harry stealthily followed Malfoy and used the Duro spell to temporarily turn his bag into a large rock.

Everyone was studying, and Harry was in the Room-at-Will refining an invigorating spell.

Everyone was studying, and Harry and Riddle - it seemed like Tom had nothing to do with it at all - were giving Colin advice on how he could win Ginny Weasley's attention.

And then came the day of the Transfiguration exam. A few days before it, Harry had suddenly come to his senses and started repeating transfiguration terms at a rapid pace. But what everyone had been studying for a month was hard to learn in two days, so Potter didn't have much success in this preparation.

The third years took turns entering Professor McGonagall's office. Harry was lucky, he was called in at the very end and had time to ask Ernie and Justin about the questions. The former answered both questions and received an 'Excellent' - he got the distinctive property of turning inanimate objects into inanimate objects and the actions required to adjust the weight of an object during transfiguration. Finch-Fletchley also answered two questions, but got "Above Expected" for reasons unknown. He managed to have a bit of a scandal with McGonagall over this, by the way. He had questions about the Avis spell and fixing unfinished transfiguration. Finally, it was Potter's turn. Before entering the office, he had brought his living diary with him in the hope that it could help him in some way, but the attempt was a failure.

- Leave all personal belongings in your bag, Mr Potter," Professor McGonagall said.

Harry walked out into the corridor, put his diary in his bag and walked back into the study.- Choose a ticket," the Vice Principal said.

Harry picked a ticket for about fifteen seconds, finally settling on an extremely crumpled assignment sheet lying on the edge.

Ticket number 31

Question #1. State the basic criteria of Polyformism. The formula for creating Polyformism.

Question No.2. Tell about detransfiguration. Definition and types of detransfiguration (about each in detail).

- You have five minutes to prepare, Mr Potter.

Harry nodded and sat down at his desk. His feelings were twofold. On the one hand, he was lucky, he had been told about Detransfiguration and its types just before the exam, but on the other hand... What was Polyformism anyway? It was the first time Harry had ever seen such a term and he had no idea what it could be related to.

Five minutes passed quickly and Harry still couldn't remember anything about Polyformism.

- Time's up Mr Potter, give me your ticket and stand by the board.

Harry did as McGonagall told him.

- So, tell me. Polyformism, the basic criteria and the formula for creating it.

- Erm, can I start with the second question?

- You may. But I hope your willingness to answer the second question doesn't mean you haven't memorised anything I've said about Polyformism? - The professor asked, flaring her nostrils menacingly.

Harry chose to ignore the question and began to recount the second assignment:

- Detransfiguration, it's like transfiguration, only in reverse. There are three types...

- The definition doesn't count, Mr Potter," McGonagall interrupted him in a non-objectionable voice. - 'Give me a fuller definition.

- Okay, detransfiguration, it's the area of transfiguration responsible for removing the effects of transformations. How's that?

- Okay, next," the professor demanded.

- There are three main types of detransfiguration. Natural detransfiguration, elemental detransfiguration, and special detransfiguration. Natural detransfiguration is when the transformation fades over time, well, for example, if you turn a cat into a.....

- I see your point, Mr Potter, you may continue. What can you tell me about the simplest detransfiguration?

- The simplest detransfiguration is closely related to the use of universal spells to undo the effects of other spells and the transfiguration itself. And further special...

- Can you give me an example of one such spell? - McGonagall interrupted him again.

- Of course, Finite Incantatem is a universal spell for undoing the effects of almost all transfiguration and most spells," Potter said confidently. He had re-learned that spell a couple of months ago. - And lastly, special detransfiguration. This type includes spells designed for specific cases in transfiguration. There!

- And can you give me an example of any of these spells? - The professor asked again.

- Hmm," Harry thought for a moment, he didn't know of such a spell, but it seemed like a good idea to talk about a spell that returned an animagus to human form. - I know one - Sapiens. It's supposed to restore the animagus to human form. It's used in emergencies, I think.

- Right," McGonagall smiled broadly, and Harry almost fell off his chair in surprise. - How did you know about him? Are you interested in animagia?

Without waiting for an answer the professor continued:

- 'Don't think I'm picking on you, I just thought you were having fun instead of studying for exams. Now I see that you are not. Now the first question is Polyformism and its formula. Don't you dare say anything! - McGonagall's face darkened.

- Yes... Polyformism, then... Well, Polyformism is such a thing... - Harry mentally prayed to the heavens for help... And it came unexpectedly.

The door of the study opened, and Professor Flitwick stood on the threshold.

- Minerva, I'm sorry to disturb you, but the Headmaster wants to see you urgently. It's about our former students!

- So urgent? I can't take the students' exams?

- I'm afraid you can't, it's about Mr Black and Mr Pettigrew's animagic abilities.

McGonagall looked at Potter suspiciously. Harry stared back perplexed, catching every word.

- 'Alright, I'll be right there.

Flitwick nodded and disappeared from the study. McGonagall left as well and walked in a moment later with a seventh year Gryffindor student, Oliver Wood.

- 'Mr Wood, I have an emergency, can you take the exam for the remaining third years until I get back.

- No problem, Professor," he nodded.

- The tickets are on the table, grades are at your discretion, Mr Potter has already answered one question without complaint. That's it, I'm out of here.

Oliver waited until Professor McGonagall left the office and turned to Potter.

- 'So, tell me what you have to say. I'm listening.

- Mm-hm... Can we make a deal? - Harry began in an ingratiating manner. - I've already told you one question, so why don't you just give me an 'Above Expected'?

- No, lad, that won't do," Wood smiled. - 'Even if you suggest we lose the final match, still no. Well, what are you afraid of, it's only transfiguration. Elementary. What's so scary? - Oliver examined Potter's ticket. - Detransfiguration, it's a piece of cake.

- What? Detransfiguration? - Harry was surprised.

- Yeah! Tell me about it. If you don't know, I'll be forced to grade you accordingly.

Potter quickly ran through his head what McGonagall had said to Wood; she hadn't mentioned the exact question Harry had told him. A brilliant idea suddenly visited his brain.

- Yes, of course... I'll get started then. So, detransfiguration is....

Harry joined the ranks of those who got an 'Excellent' on the oral exam.