Obviously, Hermione had just seen the anxious look on her face, which was not favorable for her to maintain a strict teacher image in the classroom.
However, Hermione didn't bother to think about the reason behind Professor Meow's sudden awkwardness, she just pushed the suitcase forward in her hand, and said to Dumbledore, "Professor, the prefect asked me to give this to you, he says he's busy and anything else will wait until he returns..."
"What prefect..."
"Thank you, Miss Granger."
Dumbledore interrupted McGonagall's subconscious inquiry, paused for a moment, raised his hand to take the suitcase from Hermione's hand, subconsciously shook it up and down, then the concealed sorrow on his face finally disappeared, and he smiled and nodded at Hermione.
"...What is this?"
After Hermione said goodbye and left, McGonagall looked at the suitcase placed on the table by Dumbledore with some confusion, her eyes flickering slightly, "The prefect Miss Granger mentioned... is that really the person I think?"
"Don't rush, Minerva..."
Dumbledore grabbed the Elder Wand, cautiously poking the wand gently around the suitcase, and finally revealed a relieved expression, "Perhaps, we can have that 'poor minister' give us some answers..."
As he said this, he unlocked the suitcase with one hand, and the next moment, despairing emotions soared into the sky as if tangible...
...
...
Meanwhile, William's figure had already flickered continuously to reach the depths of the Forbidden Forest.
"Squeak squeak—"
Adapted to the rapidly changing scenes before them, Kabuda was now standing on William's shoulder, its small claws tightly gripping the hair hanging beside his ear. Seeing William stop, it identified the large tree in front of them which looked no different from the others, and while shouting, pointed in another direction.
"Snap—"
Another dull thud of a belt striking through the air, finally, William's figure appeared in the middle of a relatively open grassland, deep within the Forbidden Forest, rainwater penetrating through the surrounding lush leaves, falling onto the grassland.
"Roar—"
At the moment of William's appearance, a large fire dragon, as big as an adult elephant, poked half its head out from the woods. Norbert, now restored to its full form, snorted at William as a greeting — it had been placed here by William in advance to serve as security during the transformation.
Having a fire dragon as a bodyguard was certainly unique.
"Squeak!"
Upon reaching their destination, Kabuda, responsible for guiding the way for the directionally challenged, also relaxed. It released its claw grip on the hair, leapt from William's shoulder to the ground, set its claws on its hips, waiting for William's next move.
"Guard the surroundings well."
However, William did not react to their actions. He simply looked up at the sky and after instructing them, pointed his wand at his chest.
"Amato Animo Animato Animagus—"
Having finished the spell, listening to another roaring thunder, William reached into his pocket to retrieve a crystal bottle, drinking the blood-red potion inside in one gulp.
"Crack—"
Almost at the instant of the potion entering his mouth, a strong pain suddenly appeared, not in any particular area, but felt in every part of his body, as if every bone in his body were being crushed and then pieced back together. The intense pain made William unable to control his teeth from chattering...
"Squeak!"
Seeing William lying on the wet grass, his face a mask of unbearable pain, Kabuda ran around anxiously, subconsciously rummaging through the pouch on its belly, hoping to find some tool or medicine to alleviate William's pain, only to have its head held down by William.
"Squeak?"
Before Kabuda, shrouded in darkness, could react, William's hand involuntarily started applying pressure, making Kabuda feel as if its brain was being squeezed out.
What on earth is this?
Kabuda, sensing danger, wanted to break free, but how could the strength of a Niffler compare to a human? Fortunately, before its head was squashed, William's grip slackened considerably. William was beginning to adapt to the severe pain, two intense heartbeats began leaping and bounding in rapid succession within his chest...
Is it coming...
William frowned, and a vague, giant silhouette suddenly appeared in his mind which had turned blank from the pain.
"Squeak squeak..."
Kabuda rubbed its head which still hurt somewhat, but before it could continue rummaging through its pouch, William suddenly moved. The intense pain seemed to have shattered his bones and reassembled them. William's body was now contorting into a position impossible for a normal person, a hoarse growl emanating from his throat.
Seeing this, Kabuda quickly retreated, hitting Norbert's face, who was stretching its head over to join the excitement, with a paw, a Niffler and a dragon quickly backed away, though Kabuda and Norbert had always been somewhat at odds — Kabuda was determined to become the "boss," the King Niffler, while Norbert, being a fire dragon, would never allow a Niffler to tread on its head — but now, knowing it was about William, Norbert decisively chose to listen to Kabuda.
The reason was simple: this Niffler was the only one among their group of "Pokémon" who could write papers.
However, Norbert actually didn't know what William intended to do, it could only retreat while staring with pitch-black eyes at William in the center of the open space, who was challenging the limits of human endurance, letting out a low growl full of questions towards Kabuda.