A day at Hogwarts

Instead of waiting for Catherine Clayter to arrive in the afternoon, Charles went to the Hog's Head to meet her.

It's one thing to take the initiative to find a friend when you know she's in trouble, but it's another thing to wait for someone to come looking for you.

Catherine lives here now, and today she is sitting at a corner table with a glass of pumpkin juice and two egg sandwiches. This is the cheapest set meal offered to residents in the Hog's Head Bar.

The weather in Hogsmeade is very cold now. She is wearing a somewhat old dark green thick robe that doesn't fit very well. It looks like she bought it second-hand after coming here from Africa.

Charles had been growing taller in the past two years, and Catherine didn't recognize him when she saw him.

"Long time no see." Charles sat down and asked for a glass of juice.

Catherine forced a smile on her face and said nervously: "Hello, I didn't expect you to be so tall. I want to go to the Dancing Grass Restaurant to find you later."

Seeing that she was a little embarrassed, Charles asked straight to the point: "I heard that you have been having a bad time recently?"

Catherine's face sank, she bit her lip tightly, and finally sighed and nodded.

She was now desperate and with the only life-saving straw in front of her, she slowly talked about her recent experiences.

Catherine published her latest research results in Wagadu before Christmas last year, which caused some controversy. She was suddenly fired without warning before the New Year.

Being expelled from Wagadu is equivalent to social death in African wizarding society. The door to her home is no longer open to her, and other magic schools and wizards are avoiding it.

Catherine remembered that she had helped Charles buy mandrakes to save people, and planned to use this favor to seek help.

She experienced indifference in Africa, and when she came to England, she was greeted by physical coldness. The second-hand robe she bought at a Diagon Alley thrift store almost cost her all her money.

Fortunately, Aberforth heard from Albus that a student from Waggadu named Catherine Claytor wrote to him from time to time to ask questions, so he let her stay at the Pig's Head Bar on credit.

Following Aberforth's instructions, Catherine went to Fallbottom Castle to find someone to bring a message to Charles, and happened to meet Grindelwald.

Charles asked her: "What is the result you published?"

Catherine replied: "It is a human transformation technique that can turn people into animals. It is very similar to Animagus. It does not require a long ceremony, but it requires some preparation."

"This curse made the professors who were proud of Animagus very uncomfortable, and they united to expel me."

Charles thought, so it turns out that the Animagus has always been regarded by wizards as one of the crown jewels of transfiguration. Someone has developed a spell to bypass the Animagus and turn into an animal. It would be strange if they don't jump on it.

Catherine gritted her teeth and asked tentatively: "Do you want this magic spell? I can sell it to you for this money."

She held out five fingers, thinking that if she wanted fifty Galleons, she could try her luck in America.

When Charles saw the five fingers, he hesitated. He couldn't afford so much cash now, but he still decided to help her. He still owed the favor for helping her buy mandrake.

Catherine saw his hesitation and her heart skipped a beat.

Charles asked her: "What is this curse like? Can you tell me first?"

Catherine immediately said: "This spell is a bit difficult, but not very difficult. The wizard can use the animal's hair to transform into that animal."

"My goal is to turn into any animal at will, but there's still a long way to go."

A flash of inspiration flashed in Charles' mind. Needless to say, this curse can make a lot of money if you learn it.

But the cash he can take out now is limited, so he can only hold out three fingers and ask: "I don't have so much cash now, is it okay to have this much?"

Catherine bit her lip and nodded, it was better than nothing.

Charles immediately took out Phoenix Logistics' checkbook and embezzled public funds. After writing a check for three thousand galleons, he began to write a letter of introduction for her.

Charles said as he wrote: "I will write you a letter of introduction. You will take this letter and go to the West Lake in Hangzhou, China to find an old man named Xu who sells tea by the lake. Give him the letter and he will take it with you." If you go to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, you will need this magic spell.”

Catherine didn't know why that place needed this magic spell. Now she only knew that the check from Charles had two more zeros than she expected.

"This..." She hesitated a little, "It's too much."

Charles shook his head and said, "No more, no more. If you feel it's too much, you can pay me back when you settle down."

Catherine hesitated but accepted the check and letter of introduction. Now that she was desperate, it would be better to have more money on her and pay it back later.

She handed a roll of parchment to Charles, which recorded the animal-changing spell in detail and explained some difficult points.

Charles had studied a lot about transfiguration and thought it was not difficult. After reading it, he asked, "Can I use human hair?"

"No." Catherine shook her head, "Humans and animals are magically different."

Charles nodded, not entangled in the matter, but felt a little regretful that the completion of this spell was not high, and it could only be used on hair, not other parts.

Therefore, the curse cannot be used to cover up his Animagus form, and jellyfish do not grow hair.

Catherine decided to leave immediately after taking the money. The climate in Britain was simply torture for girls from Africa.

Before she left, she asked Charles with some uncertainty: "Will the Chengdu place you mentioned really accept me?"

Charles said confidently: "Don't worry, I'm sure they need you."

Catherine thought about it and felt like a dandelion blown away by the wind. She didn't know where to stay. Since Charles said it was okay, she might as well try it.

A month later, Charles received a letter from Catherine in Chengdu, saying that she was now a guide at the Giant Panda Museum in the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, with a public institution system, and there was a small tuft of panda hair in the letter.

As for Charles, he was being laughed at by Ruby.

He quickly learned Catherine's animal transformation spell, and it was no pressure to turn into Crookshanks. Then he floated and thought about Ruby.

It seems that it is difficult for a soul bound by gravity to learn to fly, especially in the form of a phoenix that is as fat as a ball.

In the mirror space of the Hogwarts Quidditch field, Charles Phoenix Ball Smith fell to the ground again and bounced twice.

The real Ruby stood in front of him, making a happy cry and patting his head with her wings.

Charles turned back to his original form depressedly, rubbed Ruby's fat belly, took out Hedwig's feather, and turned into an owl.

He spread his wings and moved them, feeling the movement of his muscles, and kicked his legs hard, flapping his wings vigorously.

Charles felt that he was flying, but the flight time was very short, only 12 seconds, and he flew about 36.6 meters.

He recalled the flight process just now, and experienced it carefully, and then started the second flight. This time, the flight time was about 11 seconds and the flight distance was about 60 meters.

Charles continued to summarize the flight just now, feeling the balance point between flying speed and gliding. The third flight time was 15 seconds and the flight distance was 61 meters.

After summarizing the three experiences, he took off again. At this time, he felt that flying was like riding a bicycle. If you can do it, you can do it. In the end, the flight time was 59 seconds and the flight distance was 260 meters.

Charles could be sure of one thing, the phoenix's flight had nothing to do with its body structure, and it must have used magical abilities.