[ Location: Gryffindor Boys' Dormitory ][ Date: September 12th, 1991 - Saturday Morning ]
The dorm was empty. Dean and Seamus were outside trying to fly a kite in a thunderstorm (idiots), Harry was at Quidditch practice , and Ron was... well, probably eating.
Shikamaru was on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
"You haven't moved in four hours," I noted, sitting cross-legged on my own bed.
"I am contemplating the clouds," he murmured. "From memory."
"Right. Well, keep contemplating. I'm doing shopping."
I pulled up the [ System Interface ].
'Okay. 533 Points. I need some upgrades. Defensive ones.'
I scrolled through the list.
[ Dimensional Shop: Harry Potter World ]
Magical Resistance [Lvl 1]: 100 Points.
Metamorphmagus: 150 Points.
Animagi: 250 Points.
'Total: 500 Points. Leaving me with 33 Points for snacks. Perfect.'
I didn't hesitate. I tapped [ BUY ] on all three.
[ Transaction Complete. ][ Remaining Balance: 33 Points. ]
A rush of energy hit me.
First, my skin tingled. It felt like ants were crawling under my epidermis. That was the Magical Resistance. My skin felt... tougher. Denser. Like I was wearing an invisible layer Magical Armor.
Then, my face felt weird. Like wet clay.
'Metamorphmagus.'
I ran to the mirror. I focused on my nose. 'Make it pig-like.'
My nose squashed up and widened into a snout.
"Whoa," I poked it. "Freaky."
I focused again. 'Back to normal. Now... blue hair.'
My hair rippled and turned electric blue.
"Cool," Shikamaru said from the bed, not looking away from the ceiling. "You look like an naruto doing weird things. The annoying kind."
"Jealousy is ugly, Shika," I grinned, turning my hair back to black.
Then came the big one.
[ Skill Unlocked: Animagus Transformation ][ Initiating Spirit Animal Selection... ]
A massive, holographic wheel appeared in front of me. Only I could see it.
It was covered in pictures of animals.
Lion. Eagle. Wolf. Bear.
"Okay," I rubbed my hands together. "Please be something cool. A tiger. A dragon. I'll settle for a very angry badger."
The wheel spun.
Whirrrrrrrrr.
It blurred.
'Please don't be a slug. Please don't be a worm. Please don't be a goldfish.'
My heart hammered against my ribs. In these stories, the MC always gets a Wolf or a Dragon. But knowing my luck I'd probably get a sloth.
Click. Click. Click.
The wheel slowed down.
It passed Dire Wolf. It passed Grizzly Bear.
It was slowing down on... Dung Beetle.
"No," I whispered, panic rising in my throat. "No, no, no! System, stop! No, Do not stop there!"
Click.
It moved past the beetle.
'Oh thank god.'
It crept forward.
Chicken.
"Are you kidding me?!" I hissed. "A chicken?! I can't fight Voldemort as a nugget!"
Click.
It nudged past the chicken. It was barely moving now. The needle hovered over a segment that was glowing with a weird, golden light.
The picture wasn't a normal animal. It was a bird. But it was on fire.
Click.
The wheel stopped.
[ Congratulations! ][ Animagus Form Selected: PHOENIX ]
I stared. I blinked. I stared again.
"Phoenix?" I whispered. "Like... Fawkes?"
[ System Alert: Anomaly Detected. ]
[ Analysis: Magical Creatures are typically locked for Animagus transformations due to extreme mana requirements and biological incompatibility. ]
[ Bypass Initiated: System Assist active. Magic Core modified to sustain Elemental Transfiguration. ]
[ Warning: Transformation will be draining. Do not die. ]
"Do not die," I repeated. "Comforting."
I turned to Shikamaru. "Hey. If I burst into flames, put me out."
Shikamaru finally sat up. "What?"
"I'm trying the Animagus thing. It... might be fire-related."
I took a deep breath.
'Okay. Visualize. Fire. Rebirth. Feathers.'
I focused on the feeling in my chest. The new Magic Core pulsated. I pulled on the Animagus thread.
SNAP.
It wasn't like Metamorphmagus. It felt like my bones were melting. My skin caught fire—not burning, but becoming fire.
I shrank. My vision shifted. The room got huge.
"Whoa," Shikamaru whispered.
I looked down. I didn't have hands. I had golden talons. I had crimson feathers that glowed with inner light. I had a tail that looked like pure gold dust.
I opened my beak to say, "Look at me!"
SCREEEE!
A beautiful, haunting cry echoed through the dorm.
I flapped my wings. I lifted off the bed effortlessly. I felt... light. Warm. Powerful.
I flew a lap around the room, trailing sparks that vanished before they hit the floor.
Shikamaru watched me, his eyes actually wide for once. "A phoenix? That's... troublesome. You're going to attract a lot of attention."
I landed on his headpost.
'Attention? I'm a mythical creature! I can heal tears! probably, I can carry immense loads! I'm practically immortal!'
I focused on turning back.
POP.
I was human again, sitting on the bedframe, panting. My mana was drained by half.
"That," I wheezed, grinning like a maniac, "was awesome."
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