Raynie lingered after transfiguration. Professor McGonagall was strict and kept a firm grasp on things, and Raynie admired that. That was so different from the way she was raised it drew her in like a moth to a flame.

"What do you want Miss Day?" McGonagall asked not looking up from her work.

"Um, Professor, do you remember that day I walked in on your third-year class?" Raynie asked nervously. As much as Raynie admired the woman, she was still very intimidating.

"Yes," McGonagall replied, "It was quite the distraction."

"Well, do you remember what I said that day?" Raynie asked.

"You asked to be taught how to be an animagus." McGonagall said coolly looking up at Raynie.

"Well I was wondering," Rayine paused, catching a look from McGonagall's no-nonsense eyes she blurted out the rest, "I really want you to teach me!"

McGonagall looked at the girl shocked, "No." was her firm reply.

"But Professor I really wa…"

"I said no," McGonagall said sternly, she stood up to emphasize her point.

"I want to do this Professor. I will do it, with or without your help." Raynie said, trying to look brave while her knees shook.

"It is very difficult magic Miss Day. You do not even know where to begin,"

"Yes I do, I have a book." Raynie said as she pulled a book out from behind her back.

"You are not ready to perform magic like that. You could end up killing yourself."

"Help me then, it will be a lot easier with some guidance. If you set limits I'll be less likely to jump ahead."

McGonagall stared at the girl, sheer determination on her face. "Never in my years has a student made such a request." She said sinking back into her chair, "And now, I have to hear it from a first-year who can barely hold her wand correctly. She's not even in my house!"

"Is that a good thing?" Raynie asked stepping towards the desk.

"I don't think so." McGonagall said, "Are you sure this is what you want? You could get stuck halfway between forms, and you don't even know what you will be. You could end up being a goldfish for all we know. You could go insane"

"I'm sure Professor." Raynie said, "What fun would it be without a little risk. Besides, I'm already a little insane and if I had some animal parts I would be awesome."

"Tonight you have detention, in my office." McGonagall said.

"What! Professor that's hardly fair!" Rayne objected.

"At least that is what you will tell anybody who asks where you are." McGonagall said.

"Really," Raynie said.

"You must keep your grades up in all your classes, and you need to go now, you're late for your next one."

Raynie looked at the time, McGonagall was right, even with her shortcut she was not going to make it to Potion's on time. Professor Snape was going to tan her hide. She ran out of the room and yelled "Bye!" as she sprinted out the door.

Professor Snape took points from Hufflepuff. Her housemates glared at her, the Ravenclaws looked on sympathetically. They thought it was probably the twins which kept her so long. They always find a way to keep her in one place, either by 'borrowing' her wand, or snagging her clothes on something.

Raynie tentatively sat down next to a Ravenclaw boy and began to place her things where they were needed. The boy pushed his neatly written notes for her to copy. Raynie smiled at him and her nails glowed yellow, displaying her pleasure. She carefully began to copy the writing. So what if she didn't get along with some of her house-mates, she had people who did, and that was enough.

The new lessons with McGonagall were hard. Raynie was given a new spell to master every time they met. She spent quite a bit of time transfiguring pillows into other objects, with different degrees of success. Not only that, McGonagall was making her cas spells from other classes, a two-minute invisibility spell was one of them.

"It will be useful," McGonagall had said when Raynie asked the reason, "When you start sprouting a tail or other animal features you will need to stay out of sight. As for the rest, well, you're learning so quickly you'll run out of things for me to teach you by your fourth year if I don't include all the other classes. I might as well pass my headache on to all the other Professors."

McGonagall's strict teaching helped. Slowly, Raynie's grades steadily grew better. Most of her tutors decided she no longer needed help and let her loose on the world. Charlie however, was always prepared to help, no matter how difficult or trivial the spell.