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On Saturday, Erwin arrived at the staff lounge next to Professor McGonagall's office right on time.
Walking inside, he discovered several people already waiting. Two of them he recognized.
One was a sixth-year Ravenclaw prefect.
Deborah Behnke. A capable witch with short hair.
The second was a sixth-year boy, Ian Marshall.
Both noticed Erwin's arrival and greeted him.
Deborah waved and gestured for him to sit beside her.
Erwin walked over and took the offered seat, nodding politely.
"Hello. I hope both of you are having a good day."
"Such a polite guy." Deborah covered her mouth as she smiled, clearly pleased.
"Joining the Transfiguration Club as a first-year, you've truly brought honor to Ravenclaw."
"You're too kind. Professor McGonagall simply saw that I had some talent and invited me to experience the club early."
Erwin spoke modestly, attributing his invitation to good fortune.
Deborah didn't press the matter after hearing this.
Everyone knew Professor McGonagall's temperament; you couldn't join this club without genuine skill.
However, she didn't contradict him.
Instead, she offered a quiet warning.
"We're delighted to have you join the Transfiguration Club, but those two from Slytherin aren't quite as pleased. They believe you're not qualified to be here."
She glanced toward two boys sitting on the opposite side of the room.
The pair noticed Deborah's look and returned it, their eyes full of disdain and malice directed at Erwin.
Both looked extremely unpleasant, clearly the product of generations of pure-blood intermarriage meant to preserve bloodline purity.
Erwin noticed their hostility but remained unconcerned.
Even though he'd stopped drawing cards after starting school, his daily rewards had granted him numerous spells.
Many had reached levels far beyond what adult wizards typically possessed.
After all, the system's initial spell rewards started at O.W.L.s level.
After obtaining the same spell multiple times, his mastery exceeded even some Aurors.
Erwin ignored the two Slytherins and smiled at Deborah.
"Don't worry about it. A little test won't be a problem for me."
Deborah felt warmed by his confidence and reassuring smile.
Soon after, Professor McGonagall entered, wearing a dark green wizard's robe with her characteristic pointed hat.
She surveyed the room, and upon seeing that Erwin had arrived, nodded with satisfaction.
"Students, today we welcome a new member, Mr. Erwin Gaunt. Let us welcome him properly."
Erwin stood, acknowledged those present with a gesture, and finished with a slight bow of his head toward Professor McGonagall before sitting back down.
The others applauded cooperatively, though the two unpleasant Slytherins only managed perfunctory clapping, not daring to disrespect Professor McGonagall openly.
When the applause subsided, Professor McGonagall continued.
"Now, we need to conduct a brief assessment of Mr. Gaunt's abilities. Who would like to serve as his assistant?"
At that moment, one of the Slytherin boys stood up.
"Professor, allow me to test this kid's level!"
After speaking, he gave Erwin a nasty smile that made Erwin's stomach turn from his face twisted about.
Professor McGonagall did not object.
"Very well, Mr. Burst. You may serve as Mr. Gaunt's assistant."
With a wave of her wand, Professor McGonagall summoned two chairs from the back of the lounge.
"Each of you has a chair. You will transform them into animals through Transfiguration and compete."
"However, do not attack your opponent directly, and use only Transfiguration, no other spells. Is that understood?"
Both nodded their agreement.
They withdrew their wands and prepared to begin.
Burst made the first move, transforming his chair into a hyena that immediately rushed toward Erwin's chair.
Burst possessed genuine skill in Transfiguration.
The hyena he'd created had a sturdy body, and its fangs gleamed sharply in the candlelight, looking quite formidable.
Seeing the fierce-looking hyena charging toward him, Erwin remained calm.
With a simple tap of his wand, his chair instantly transformed into a Welsh buffalo, a creature with massive horns said to be capable of fighting a lion to a standstill.
The buffalo lowered its head and charged.
Its two horns struck the hyena squarely, sending the creature flying across the room.
Burst's expression soured considerably.
He couldn't believe that Erwin Gaunt, a first-year student, could use Transfiguration to create a large animal like a buffalo.
When Burst himself had been in his first year, he'd still been struggling to properly transfigure a pencil case.
But he had no choice now.
Unwilling to admit defeat, he could only continue casting.
Pointing his wand at the whimpering hyena, he caused ripples to appear across its form.
Gradually, the hyena began transforming into an owl.
Flying creatures were considerably more difficult to transfigure than terrestrial ones, requiring far more precise magical control to enable flight.
Obviously, Burst's Transfiguration skill wasn't quite sufficient.
His painfully slow transformation speed would have been disastrous in actual combat.
Erwin didn't interrupt Burst's spellcasting.
If he did, the Slytherin might accuse him of unsportsmanlike conduct.
So Erwin waited patiently, watching Burst's labored performance.
Finally, after nearly half a minute, the hyena completed its transformation into an eagle, though its wings appeared somewhat uncoordinated.
It could barely fly, but only just.
'That's it?'
Erwin felt rather speechless.
After all that effort, Burst had produced a half-functional eagle?
However, Erwin felt particularly annoyed that this Slytherin had chosen an eagle specifically to attack Ravenclaw's symbol.
'You're using an eagle against me? Against Ravenclaw?'
Immediately, Erwin's patience evaporated.
With a casual flick of his wand, the Welsh buffalo instantly transformed into a goshawk and soared into the air.
Its wings spread almost two meters wide.
Sharp, intelligent eyes fixed on Burst's struggling eagle with unmistakable contempt.
'Such an ugly eagle is an embarrassment to all raptors.'
"Screee!"
With a piercing cry, Erwin's transformed goshawk beat its wings powerfully and positioned itself directly above Burst's deformed eagle.
Steel-hard talons struck downward with devastating force.
Then it accelerated from above, pinning Burst's eagle to the ground with overwhelming speed and power.
In an instant, Burst's eagle reverted to its original form, now a thoroughly destroyed chair, its wooden pieces scattered across the floor.