Harry Potter and the Obscurus

Chapter 125, Project 2

Tabby cat, English foxhound, ferret.

This is Hermione, Ron, and Malfoy's Animagus.

With Harry in charge of preparing the potions and Sirius Black providing guidance and assistance, the three of them encountered almost no obstacles when they completed their first transformation.

Ironically, Malfoy's first choice was actually a king cobra that could stand tall and spit venom. This is clearly very different from a ferret.

But what could he do? Once the Animagus transformation was complete, there was no possibility of replacement. Whether he liked it or not, Malfoy would be a little weasel for the rest of his life.

"Did you tamper with my potions, Potter?"

The next morning, Malfoy, who had been so angry that he couldn't sleep all night, immediately went to Harry, who had come for breakfast, and questioned him.

"Hands and feet? What hands and feet?"

Harry forced a smile. Having already seen Malfoy Animagus last night, he naturally knew what the other man meant.

"Of course it's the potion recipe that's been tampered with! You've mastered the transformation of magical creatures, and you're so knowledgeable about rituals and potions. Besides you, who else has the ability to replace the potion recipe?"

"Didn't you turn into a weasel?"

"puff!"

Hermione, who was standing next to Harry, couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Draco Malfoy's face flushed instantly. He first nervously looked around for Ron Weasley's spot. After confirming he hadn't come forward for no reason, he glared at the "annoying" Granger with his enormous dark circles under his eyes and said:

"Then why a ferret? I decided a month ago that I wanted to become a king cobra! Why did I become such a small and non-aggressive creature?"

"Hey, hey, hey! You can't just say things like that, Malfoy."

Harry corrected him thus:

"First of all, Animagus transformation isn't something you can just do as you please; it's a manifestation of your soul's essence. We already learned this in Transfiguration class. If you don't believe me, you can ask Professor McGonagall, or you can ask Professor Snape. Also, what's wrong with a ferret? Ferrets are so agile and nimble! Transforming into an Animagus isn't about pouncing on enemies and tearing them apart. If you want to fight, isn't it much more convenient to just hold a wand and cast spells?"

Harry's words brought Draco back to his senses for a few seconds, but out of habit of upholding the Malfoy family name, he ultimately chose to continue his tantrum.

"I don't care, I'm not satisfied with this transformation at all, you have to think of a solution for me!"

"Tsk... Can't you understand reason?"

Harry served himself a plate of meat patties and scrambled eggs and sat down at the long table, saying:

"The venomous snakes you're so obsessed with, do you even know that their natural enemies are weasels?"

"what?"

"What do you mean, 'huh'? Listen up! Weasels are agile and quick-witted, and they're almost never bitten by venomous snakes. Plus, weasels have genes that resist snake venom; they can naturally neutralize lethal doses of toxins from other animals after a short nap. Aren't these amazing animals far superior to dogs and cats? Others would love to transform into them, so why are you criticizing them?"

"Really...really?"

Malfoy asked, his voice trembling. Having stayed up all night, he was practically incapable of making any judgments. Just hearing from Harry that he was better at turning into a dog than Ron was enough for him to accept his fate.

"Of course it's true, why would I lie to you? Go eat something and go back to sleep."

Harry's answer relieved Malfoy greatly. With his inner turmoil resolved, the fatigue accumulated throughout the night immediately overcame his mental barriers. Back on the Slytherin bench, he didn't even eat breakfast before falling into a deep sleep.

Hermione didn't have a good impression of Malfoy, but as someone from a Muggle family, she was able to detect the flaws in Harry's words.

She asked playfully in a low voice:

"Huh? I remember meerkats and stoats aren't in the same genus or family, right? Harry, what you just said..."

"It was a lie, half true and half false, that I told him."

Harry finished the second half of her sentence and explained:

"That guy doesn't remember what I said at all. He just wants to hear others say that his transformation is stronger than others... You should eat something. We both used up a lot last night."

"Oh~"

Hermione gave a soft reply and then obediently began to put some fried eggs and mashed potatoes into her plate.

In the books *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*, Harry and his friends mention using Animagus to transform. However, unlike Ron, who unconditionally supports his friend, Hermione's attitude in the original books is completely different.

Knowing Harry's abilities and the difficulty of cultivating Animagus, she first clearly stated that it might take Harry several years to become an Animagus, and then further emphasized the requirement that Animagus need to be registered with the Office for the Prevention of Abuse of Magic.

In comparison, Hermione Granger is probably the second most affected character by Morgen's arrival. Like Harry, she underwent a tremendous transformation in terms of personality, abilities, and life trajectory.

......

On Thursday, February 23, the day before the second event of the Triwizard Tournament, Hermione Granger, Gabrielle Delacour, and Krum's Ravenclaw partner were all taken away by the teachers.

Harry, who was constantly shuttling between Rita Skeeter and Barty Crouch, felt both annoyed and amused.

Ever since he solved the golden egg clue last November, he had been regularly applying waterproof wax to his Firebolt. But then, the day before the competition, Hermione turned out to be the treasure stolen by the mermaids.

"Aguamenti." (Clear water like a spring)

Splash splash splash splash.

"Come and find us, where our voices resound, for we cannot sing on the ground... You have only one hour to find and reclaim the treasures we took... After one hour, there will be no more hope; they will vanish completely, never to return..."

"Completely disappear, never to reappear? I knew I wasn't mistaken!"

Inside the bathroom, Harry, having rechecked the content of the merman's song, muttered to himself.

"Calm down, Harry. These lyrics are probably just a gimmick to promote the game. Think about it, Hermione and the others weren't really taken away by anyone."

"But how can the Ministry of Magic use living people as props? What if one of the contestants fails midway through the competition, and what happens to the hostages left at the bottom of the Black Lake?"

Harry's words made Mo Ran fall into deep thought.

He clearly remembered that in the movie "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," Fleur was held up by Grindelwald and couldn't get to her sister in time. If it weren't for Harry, that "meddlesome" good guy, no one would know what would have happened to Gabrielle Delacour.

So, Harry wasn't just worrying unnecessarily.

"Yes, it is indeed very risky, but with Professor Dumbledore as the judge, Hermione and the others should be safe."

After struggling to find a way to effectively comfort Harry, Mo Ran finally resorted to bringing up Dumbledore's name.

This tactic worked as expected. Harry, who had been looking somewhat worried, felt a little relieved after hearing the headmaster's name. After a long sigh of "I hope so," he put away the golden egg and returned to his dormitory.

......

The following day, the second event of the Triwizard Tournament officially opened for entry at 9:00 a.m.

The Fire Dragon Enclosure, which was built in the Forbidden Forest last November, was modified and moved to the Black Lake by Ministry of Magic staff.

The three-tiered stands were packed to capacity, and in the center of the bustling venue was a judges' seat covered with a gold carpet and tablecloth.

"Sonorus!" (in a loud voice)

"Good morning, everyone! Welcome to the second event of the Triwizard Tournament! I am Ludo Bagman, the commentator and judge for this match. On behalf of the Department of Sport and the Ministry of Magic, I welcome you all!"

Hoohoo!

"Last night, three heroes had something precious stolen from them! Their treasures! These three treasures are currently lying somewhere at the bottom of Black Lake, waiting for the heroes to rescue them! To win, the heroes only need to find their lost items and return within the allotted one hour. Now!"

Ludo Bagman waved his hand, pointing to Harry, Krum, and Fleur, and said:

"Warriors, you're all in position! The second event will officially begin when I blow the whistle. I'll count to three!"

"one two Three!"

beep!

The shrill whistle was almost instantly swallowed up by even louder cheers.

Harry and the others, who had already changed into their swimsuits, plunged headfirst into the lake.

Splash!

The icy lake water enveloped Harry's entire body, and the burning, stinging pain on his skin made him wince in agony.

"Deeper! Deeper!"

He muttered to himself, then put the wand strapped to his leg into his mouth.

Soon, the sunlight streaming in from above dimmed. As the audience and the judges' stand above the lake blurred into a blur, Harry's white figure, after many days, finally reappeared.

Swish!

The silvery light pierced through the originally dark underwater world, and in the blink of an eye, all the discomfort of the cold, the tightness of the skin disappeared.

Everything became clear and bright.

Using Furzhul's magical eyes, Harry could see the seaweed and bushes swaying with the current at the bottom of the Black Lake without needing light. And through the murky water not far away, he could immediately discern the magic used by Krum and Fleur.

"Does an incomplete shark transformation still have the Bubble Head Curse?"

The white deer in the water tilted its head, pondering to itself as it gazed ahead.

It is said that confronting the environment is the worst strategy, integrating into the environment is the middle strategy, and utilizing the environment is the best strategy.

Whether it's Krum, who hasn't fully mastered the Animagus transformation, or Fleur, who uses the Bubble Head Charm for breathing, they're both just struggling between the worst and the best strategies.

Unfortunately, their opponent is a genius who can change the environment, or even become the environment.

call out!

A streak of silver light flashed by like a shooting star.

Harry's innate water magic turned the lake water, which was nearly 800 times denser than air, from an obstacle into a driving force. In his Fuzhu form, Harry didn't need to exert much effort to surpass the other two Triwizard Tournament champions in the blink of an eye.

"A horse-shaped lake monster?"

"A long-horned water snake?"

Krum and Fleur each uttered two names.

Because the silver light was moving so fast, the two of them automatically ignored the possibility that it was Harry. Little did they know that just ten minutes later, while they were still dealing with Grindelwald in the lush green water plants, Harry had already followed the song and found the location of the Mermaid Village.

"Find and reclaim the treasures we took... Don't delay, or they'll rot here..."

The rough rock platform was covered with various kinds of algae. Harry looked at the mermaid image, which was completely different from the one in the school murals, and felt a mix of emotions.

The mermaids of the tribe beneath the Black Lake have iron-gray skin. They lack both alluring looks and graceful figures. Regardless of gender, these ferocious creatures with long, dark green hair and glowing yellow eyes resemble the description given by Professor Newt Scamander.