The Marauders: Year Three | #Wattys2016

A Talent for Transfiguration

If it hadn't been for wondering where Lily was, James would have enjoyed the class very much. The sickles easily changed to the birds as he waved his wand (although Peter struggled and Sirius elbowed James to get him to change his sickle, too, when Dumbledore wasn't looking). James kept glancing back at the doorway, waiting for Lily, but she never came. Dumbledore had seen to it that each of their hummingbirds were jewel toned and flapped at least 50 times a second. James was the first to gather up his things and shove them into his bag - eager to go and find where Evans had got off to that she missed an entire class - and he was about to lunge to the door, when Dumbledore called, "Mr. Potter, a word?"

James halted, turning 'round to look at Dumbledore in surprise.

Sirius patted his friend's arm. "Tough luck, mate, gonna have to leave Lily be for a few minutes longer..." he grinned mischievously, and ducked from behind their table to follow after Remus and Peter into the hallway.

James looked up at Dumbledore, "What?" he asked.

Dumbledore was shooing all their humming birds into a little golden cage with the end of his wand, being exceedingly gentle. "Well, Mr. Potter," he said, turning back as the birds fluttered and bumped into one another, "I was rather curious if you were enjoying your time in studying Transfiguration?"

James shrugged, "Yeah. Sure. It's swell." For this he'd been kept from going after Evans?

Dumbledore smiled, walking over and putting himself between James and the doorway, where he was peering, even now. Dumbledore waved his hand before James's eyes. "Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said, amusement wrinkling his features, "I know it may be quite a shock for you to hear this, but I'm afraid that you might be quite talented at Transfiguration."

James blinked, not sure he'd understood what the headmaster had said. "...excuse me?" he asked, looking up at him. "I thought you've just said that I'm talented at Transfiguration."

Dumbledore chuckled, "Yes, that's what I said."

"And you were joking, yeah?" James asked, momentarily distracted from thinking of Evans.

Dumbledore shook his head, "No, Mr. Potter, I lament to tell you that I was most definitely not joking. Your Transfiguration skills are alarmingly good, even with your current distraction that you are, er, indulging in."

James stared up at Dumbledore, sure the old man was cracked. After all, he hadn't been the only one that had turned their sickle into a Hummingbird - Sirius had managed to do it for himself, and so had Peter eventually. Remus had even managed to do it before James had. It wasn't as though he was some outstanding student in the subject, either. He thought fleetingly of those mice back at the start of term, dancing along to the Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B. "There must be some mistake, sir."

Dumbledore continued to shake his head, "No, I'm sorry Potter, though you do seem to be doing your very best attempts to keep anyone from noticing your academic talent, I do assure you that, to the trained eye at least, the signs are all there."

James looked skeptical still. "But Remus did his bird before me, so --"

"Perhaps, yes, but speed is not always an indication of quality, especially in the magical world, Mr. Potter. Your hummingbird's wings beat nearly twice as fast as Remus's - his only beat 54 times a second while yours were beating nearly 86 times per second. Your bird's tones were much more realistic, the underside of the wings were a perfect magenta and the upper side a lovely blue-emerald..."

"Well Peter's bird sparkled," said James quickly.

"Because he was still silver from the sickle!" Dumbledore explained. "You should know by now that magic is not all about shine and sparkle." He put his hand on James's shoulder. "You ought to consider focusing a bit more on your Transfiguration lessons. You have a very bright future ahead of you, Mr. Potter."