Diary of a First Year – Part 10

September 22, morning

Dear Diary,

Things are looking up today. Detention was uncomfortable last night, but I did get to see some very interesting types of potion ingredients as I sorted through them. I may never get the smell of curdled leech juice out of my nose, though.

In any case, in Transfiguration today, I managed to turn all my matchsticks into needles! I even answered a question correctly and got one of Professor McGonagall’s rare smiles. It was a complex question about the transference of carbon-based substances to metallic substances, and I got it right. Eloise was still struggling with her matchsticks, so I spent a bit of time trying to help her through that; I owe her one for Potions the other day.

I know that we’ll be looking at turning beetles into buttons next, and I’m already excited to try it. One of the fifth years in Ravenclaw told me that invertebrate transfiguration teaches the basics for higher skills like becoming an Animagus. Professor McGonagall is an Animagus, and I think I’d love to try that someday. I wonder what animal I’d turn into? Hopefully, nothing that lives around dragon dung; I’ve had enough of that for quite a while.

– Maisie