The Cursed Soul

Chapter 26 (Part 2)

ÍROAS

I wasn't lying when I said I already knew how to transform into my Animagus Form without showing off the wings in the first place. Yes, it was purely theoretical at first. But the circumstances that I got into when I did a partial transformation twice have something in common. And that similarity I have noticed has strengthened my hypothesis.

It was like a code – a password. You have to think of the right and appropriate word in order to change what you wanted to change into. It was like the wings and the body of the Panther itself are totally different persons, they are like my eyes each have different color, they have different names, different identities. And you have to know those in order to call upon them differently.

One is Greek while the other is English.

The other day, Hermione and I transformed in front of Harry and Ron in Myrtle's Bathroom to carry out the promise that took months to fulfill. And I must say, I was so amused by their expressions when they saw us change, especially when my wings appeared (what a brag Iro!). I was like an angel when I summoned the wings first, and a deadly animal when I became a panther.

'Didn't that hurt? Because it does look like to me.' is what Harry had asked afterwards.

'No. It's quite refreshing actually. Imagine stretching out your body after not moving for a long time. That's how it feels.' answered Hermione, while her face is giving off this stirring kind of expression that never failed to entertain me.

It would be Christmas in two days' time. But for now, Hermione and I have to face this long awaited operation-be-officially-registered first. Today, we were soaring the path headed to the Ministry of Magic while constantly pinching the bridge of my nose like it would take away the uneasy feeling, and making it look like a pomegranate juice.

"Oh could you please stop doing that?" lectured Hermione, slapping my right hand that was about to pinch my nose again for the hundredth time. We walked through the busy hallway of the Ministry loaded with sorts of people dressed in robes. Some are reading the Daily Prophet as they walk, but most have been running around, rushing as though they have only a minute to spare to meet a deadline. And if it wasn't a newspaper they were carrying, it would be either a tottering pile of parchments, or battered briefcases.

"Sorry. I was quite nervous if you'd ask. All these people are making me anxious."

"You? – Nervous?" Hermione made a low, sarcastic laugh. Her rather large front teeth are showing off indignantly, "I never thought I would ever see this day. It's kind of amusing actually." I just rolled my eyes and continued walking in this long, splendid, highly polished, dark wood hall.

"If you planned on working in this place, you have to get used to this type of setting. There's a whole world outside the walls of Hogwarts you still haven't seen. And these people are handling most of them." Explained Professor McGonagall calmly, but still has this stern look on her face. We squiented our way into an elevator with a whole bunch of tall crowds and seven floating paper airplanes.

I stared up at those origamis as they flapped idly around our heads; they were a pale violet color and there's this obvious Ministry of Magic stamped along the edges of their wings.

'My wings...' I thought to myself. I knew I had deciphered the code that would make me transform to either a panther or a boy-like-angel. But ever since we walked into this place, I suddenly felt this tremendous, yet, so familiar power that made me feel like something's peeling off my skin. And it's making my anxiousness skyrocket.

"I feel like something bad is yet to happen." I muttered the words. Hermione looked at me, but I just waved off my hands and smiled at her.

By the time I freed myself from the trance, we'd reached Level 2: Department of Magical Law Enforcement as announced by the cool, disembodied voice.