Kael could more or less understand why Sirius was so popular at Hogwarts.
For the students in the castle, a duel that allows for freedom and lots of interaction is obviously more attractive than just sitting there taking notes.
At the same time, this also let Sirius play to his strengths to the fullest.
His teaching ability was honestly pretty average, but his skill and battle experience were definitely good.
Out of all the sixth-year students, besides Kael, only five others could actually make him step down from the dueling platform.
As for most of the others, even though they shouted loudly, they just used the same few moves over and over, not knowing how to change things up. A simple Iron Armor Spell was enough for Sirius to remain undefeated.
But even though no one got any additional points, everyone still looked really happy at the end of class.
"That was great, I like Professor Black. His class is way more fun than Professor Moody's."
Mikel said, "There's no more classes after this. Where do you guys want to go? Want to play a couple rounds of Wizard Chess?"
"I don't think I can." Kael shook his head. "I have to go to the Transfiguration Technique advanced class."
"Oh, right." Mikel said with a sudden realization, "If it's you, I'm sure you can meet the requirements..."
The biggest change after entering sixth year was that the schedule was different from before.
Classes were divided into two kinds—one was the regular classes like before, and the other was the advanced classes, known as the N.E.W.T. classes.
Each advanced class only happened once a week, but your O.W.L. grades had to meet the requirement to get in, kind of like how the professors' clubs worked.
Kael and Conna made their way out to the corridor and saw that only ten students had come for Professor McGonagall's advanced class.
There were only the two of them from Hufflepuff; the others hadn't met Professor McGonagall's requirements. Among the three Ravenclaw students, they saw Cho, plus three Slytherins and two Gryffindors.
"Isn't this too few people?" In the huge classroom, Cho whispered, "It's the first time I've ever seen the Transfiguration Classroom so empty."
"Nothing we can do." Kael shrugged, "Professor McGonagall has the strictest requirements. According to Cedric, there weren't many people last year, either."
"I wonder what Professor McGonagall will teach us." Cho said, a little expectantly.
But she soon found out.
Human Transfiguration... not the hardest, but definitely the most dangerous class.
Because this type of transformation is done to yourself. If the spell fails, or something goes wrong, it's not as simple as starting over—you're sent to the Hospital Wing straightaway.
"Because everyone here is outstanding in Transfiguration , I have one more requirement..."
Professor McGonagall stood in the middle of the group and said calmly, "Don't say the incantation aloud. Try saying it in your mind. This will decide whether you get your N.E.W.T. certificate in the end."
Everyone nodded together.
Actually, Professor Flitwick had already mentioned this yesterday in Charm Class, and not just for the advanced classes. Eventually, everyone would have to do it this way, but they'd start later—about a month after term began.
For most people, sixth year was a lot easier than fifth year, but for students who wanted to get more N.E.W.T. certificates, fifth year was just the beginning. It would only get busier from here.
Since it was the first lesson, Professor McGonagall didn't give them anything too hard. She just asked everyone to turn their own hand into a small cactus.
Compared to animal transfiguration, plants were definitely easier. By the end of class, everyone had managed it.
All of them had a cactus growing from their arm, different in size and shape, which actually looked pretty amusing.
One Ravenclaw girl even made it harder on herself and added a beautiful golden spider lily to her cactus.
But she didn't get any extra points from Professor McGonagall—her reason being that cacti can't grow golden spider lilies.
When class ended, Conna was kept behind alone.
Kael waited outside for a few minutes before she and Professor McGonagall came out of the classroom together.
"It's settled, then. The time is Tuesdays and Fridays at six o'clock in the evening." Professor McGonagall said. Then she glanced at Kael. "Remember, you'll have to find the classroom on your own. That's our tradition—and your test."
"Got it," Conna replied.
"What did she say to you?" Kael asked curiously after Professor McGonagall left.
"She invited me to join the Transfiguration Club." Conna said with a bright smile, a little excitement in her voice.
She knew it was hard to get into Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration Club—across the whole school there were hardly more than a dozen members, and Kael was one of them.
But Kael had joined way back in third year; he was among the first batch of people allowed in.
"If you ask me, Professor McGonagall should've invited you three years ago." Kael said happily. "Need me to secretly tell you where the classroom entrance is? It's pretty hard to find."
"Don't you dare." Conna shook her head quickly. "You heard her yourself—it's a test. I don't want to cheat my way in."
"If I really can't do it..." Conna hesitated, then continued, "Then it just means I'm not ready to join you guys yet."
"That's not going to happen..." Kael grinned, "I'm sure you'll find the entrance."
Conna smiled as well, but you could tell she was still a bit nervous.
"Is the Transfiguration Club the same as the advanced class?" On their way to the Auditorium, Conna couldn't help asking, "Do you gather each week to learn harder spells early, or share some spellcasting tips?"
"Sometimes."
Kael thought about it. "Since the club doesn't have an age limit, I learned human transfiguration when I was just in fourth year.
"But more often, we discuss Transfiguration 's advanced uses, like multi-stage object transfiguration, or partial transformation—things you won't find in textbooks."
"Really?" Conna nodded. "That's completely different from the Potion Club."
"What's the Potion Class Club like?" Kael asked.
He wasn't a member, and Professor Snape had never invited him, either.
"The Potion Class Club?" Conna said, "Professor Snape teaches us some special ways to handle potion materials—stuff that's not in the books, but is much simpler and easier.
"Other than that, he'll teach us how to brew some harder potions, probably content that's like two years ahead of the regular class.
"Don't you have the advanced Potion Class on your schedule, too? You'll see for yourself soon... I remember some older students saying the club and the advanced class cover almost the same material."
"Oh?" Kael raised his eyebrows.
Sure enough, he did have the advanced Potion Class, on Monday next week.
He'd thought Professor Snape would use the excuse that Kael hadn't taken the O.W.L. to keep him out.
But if it's just about handling potion materials, he didn't feel much need for the advanced class anyway—he already knew those things, and Professor Snape had taught them to him before... just in a different way.
As they chatted, the two of them reached the Hufflepuff table in the Auditorium and sat down to eat lunch.
But at that moment, Kael accidentally overheard a few fifth-year students chatting nearby.
"Why do you think the Ministry of Magic came to take away Professor Black..."
"I heard it was because someone got hurt in his class."
"But didn't he warn us already? And why didn't the Ministry of Magic come last year, then?"
"I have no idea."
...