Chapter Four
"Holiday of Gargoyles"

Page Two

Harry sat at the table, munching on toast, as he tried to think about his possibilities, which seemed more and more limiting by the second. After a moment's thought, Harry looked up and said, "Alright, but instead of just sitting around for the last few weeks of summer, do you think we could get out and do something?"

"What did you have in mind?" asked McGonagall.

"I don't know," said Harry thoughtfully. "There's always Hogsmeade."

McGonagall stared at Harry for a moment and then said, "Okay, if you promise to behave yourself while you're here. When I have the time, I can take you to Hogsmeade for a break."

"That sounds like a jolly time," said Hagrid. "Hey, if I have the time do you think I could tag along?"

"Sure Hagrid," said McGonagall, "As long as you don't go getting yourself all drunk again."

Harry smiled and tried to stifle his laughter as Hagrid got a dirty, indignant look on his face. He looked like an over-grown five year old.

"Alright," replied Hagrid begrudgingly. "I promise, but only this once."

Harry's days at Hogwarts alone were quite enjoyable. He got to sleep in until 10:00 every morning and then go eat brunch with McGonagall and Hagrid. On some days, Harry would go out to the lake, bask in the warm summer sun and watch the squid gracefully gliding across the water. One day Harry was meandering through the halls looking for an adventure, when he met McGonagall in one of the corridors by chance.

"Hello, Harry." She said kindly. "Enjoying yourself?"

"Yeah," replied Harry. "When can we go to Hogsmeade?"

McGonagall laughed and smiled at Harry.

"By the sounds of that, I think you're getting a tad bit bored. I'll talk to Hagrid and see if we can't go tomorrow."

"Great!" said Harry excitedly. "What are you going to do today, Professor?"

"I was just on my way to transfigure some stone gargoyles in one of the old halls. I never have liked them, too ugly looking. I figured I could transfigure them while everyone was away. Only temporarily, of course." She winked at Harry, who smiled in reply.

"Could I come along?"

"That would be alright, I suppose," said McGonagall. "You might just learn something. Just don't mention it to anyone. I'm not suppose to teach the students advanced transfiguration such as this spell until their sixth year."

"I promise, you don't have to worry about it."

Harry and Professor McGonagall went through corridors, up staircases and through more doors than Harry bothered to count.

They soon arrived in a massive hallway that Harry had never been to before. The walls were lined with huge stone gargoyles of every kind. Ugly ones, angelic ones and ones that looked terribly like people who had been petrified.

"Look," said McGonagall, pointing down the hall, "See that one with the horns?"

Harry looked to where McGonagall was pointing. He saw a large gargoyle, twice the size of any of the others. It was as tall as Hagrid and just as wide. It was the image of a man, crouched over his own knee. The gargoyle had large horns atop his head and gigantic wings sprouted out of his back, like the wings on an eagle only quadrupled in size. The man was wearing wizarding robes that flowed majestically. The statue rested one hand on a massive staff. If the creature were standing upright, the staff would have reached his chest. The staff was carved with extensive detail, although the designs were too small to make out what they were. Atop the staff was a large egg shaped Opal, millions of colors refracting the light in many directions. The light it reflected sent slivers of faint light around the room, casting an eerie glow on many of the statues. The horns, the wings and the robes weren't nearly as frightening as the creature's eyes. They were carved in such a way that the eyes seemed to follow you around, as if watching prey waiting to pounce. It made Harry shiver.

"Oy, I hate that thing," said McGonagall with a croaky tone in her voice. "I've been wanting to get rid of that thing for ages, but I never wanted to talk to Professor Dumbledore about it."

"You mean, you've never talked to anyone about it?" asked Harry cautiously.

"Actually," said McGonagall. "No, I guess I haven't. It seems awfully juvenile I know, but ugh, that thing is so...so...grotesque."

Harry looked back at the image and the site churned his stomach.

"I understand," said Harry. "What are you going to do to it?"

"I haven't decided yet," said McGonagall. She gazed on the statue with a discerning eye. "I want to change the horns and the eyes, that's for certain."

"Well, whatever you do," said Harry, clutching his stomach. "Please do it quickly, the site of that thing is making me sick."

"Okay," said McGonagall. "Step back,"

She raised her wand and shouted "Katalyo Daimonion To!"

Brilliant red and green sparks flew from her wand and flew on a straight trajectory to the horrid statue. A massive purple cloud whirled around the image, completely surrounding it.

McGonagall lowered her wand, Harry walked over to her side and whispered, "What's happening?"

McGonagall whispered in reply, "I don't know, that spell's never done that before."

They both watched with baited breath as the cloud continued to whirl around the figure. After a tense moment, the cloud began to dissipate. McGonagall took in a nervous breath, while Harry closed his eyes.

The cloud disappeared and the statue was again visible.

"No!" exclaimed McGonagall in frustration. Her exclamation caught Harry by surprise and made him jump in shock.

"What did you do that for?!" asked Harry, whirling around and staring at McGonagall.

"Look!" Once again, McGonagall pointed at the statue. "It didn't change a ruddy thing! It's still the vial old thing it was before I started! I just don't understand it, that spell's always worked before."

"Let's just forget about it," said Harry comfortingly. "I just want to get out of here, I never want to see that thing again."

"Me either," said McGonagall sadly. "I need some chocolate. Let's go get Hagrid and get out of the castle for a while."

"I'm up for that anytime!" said Harry as he and McGonagall left the hall of gargoyles and started off for the entry hall.

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