Diamond and Graphite

On Friday's Transfiguration class, Professor McGonagall began teaching them how to turn Beetles into Buttons.

This was a step beyond Match-to-Needle, involving the transformation of more complex Life Forms into inanimate objects. It demanded greater precision and clarity of intent in Transfiguration.

Most of the students were struggling with Beetles trying to crawl away. The classroom was filled with faint buzzing and the soft popping sounds of failed spells.

Regulus picked up a Beetle, then raised his wand and softly recited the incantation.

The Beetle stiffened slightly in his palm. The sheen of its shell began to change, shifting from dark brown to smooth black as its form contracted and gradually flattened.

In just three seconds, an exquisite Button with a smooth jet-black surface and faint spiral patterns lay quietly in his hand.

The transformation had been fluid, and the finished product was perfect. It even retained a trace of the Beetle's original texture, making it more distinctive than an ordinary Button.

He no longer raised questions outside the scope of class as he had before.

He knew Professor McGonagall was wary of him. There was no need to test her further; silence would suffice.

Professor McGonagall, making her rounds, stopped beside his desk. She picked up the Button and inspected it carefully, a trace of satisfaction appearing on her stern face.

"Mr. Black, a perfect transformation. Five points to Slytherin." She nodded and continued her inspection.

After class, Regulus packed his things and prepared to leave, but Professor McGonagall called him back.

"Mr. Black, please stay behind."

Once the other students had left the classroom, Professor McGonagall walked over to him. Her gaze behind her glasses was sharp and serious. "Your talent for Transfiguration is exceptional, far beyond that of little wizards your age."

"Thank you, Professor."

"I've noticed that recently... you've been asking fewer questions in class." Professor McGonagall's tone was even, betraying no emotion.

Regulus's heart stirred slightly. He had not expected Professor McGonagall to point it out on her own. He had thought it was best for them to leave the matter unspoken.

He answered frankly, "Yes, Professor.

"I reflected on your previous guidance and concluded that, at this stage, I should focus more on building a solid foundation and mastering the course material, rather than prematurely involving myself in complex issues that may exceed my current level."

Professor McGonagall stared at him for several seconds, seemingly judging the sincerity of his words.

At last, she gave a slight nod, her tone softening somewhat. "A solid foundation is of vital importance.

"However, if you do develop truly worthwhile questions during your studies—questions grounded in the course material and carefully considered—my office door remains open.

"Hogwarts encourages thought, but thought must be built upon sufficient knowledge."

"I understand, Professor. Thank you very much." Regulus was somewhat surprised, then bowed politely.

As he left the classroom, Regulus fell into thought.

Since Professor McGonagall had explicitly stated that she welcomed carefully considered questions, Regulus naturally saw no reason to hold back.

That afternoon, after Herbology Class, he went to the Transfiguration professor's office.

He knocked, and after receiving permission, pushed the door open and entered.

Professor McGonagall was seated behind her desk grading assignments. When she saw that it was him, her stern brows seemed to relax slightly, and she gestured for him to sit.

"Mr. Black, what question do you have?" She set down her Quill and folded her hands on the desk, her posture precise.

"Yes, Professor. It concerns some thoughts I have regarding Transfiguration." Regulus took two objects, each wrapped in soft cloth, from the bag he carried with him and laid them out on the desk.

A piece of soft, smooth, dark-gray Graphite that could leave marks on paper.

A small Diamond, perfectly cut and refracting dazzling fire.

"I would like to ask about these two substances." Regulus's manner was respectful and focused.

"From certain perspectives, Graphite and Diamond are believed to share an astonishingly close connection in their most fundamental composition, perhaps even originating from the same basic element.

"Their appearances, hardness, luster, and value are worlds apart, but in the eyes of a Transfiguration master, might they possess some... internal similarity, or the possibility of being transformed into one another?"

He continued, "I have tried using Transfiguration to explore the connection between them.

"For example, I attempted to transform Graphite into Diamond, or Diamond into Graphite, but the process was difficult, consumed enormous amounts of Magic Power, and was hard to maintain stably.

"It seems to involve more than merely changing shape and texture. It touches upon something deeper, perhaps even the stability of a substance's internal structure."

In truth, Regulus knew that the difference between them stemmed from the spatial orientation of their bonds and the arrangement of their atoms, but he obviously could not say that to Professor McGonagall.

He only wanted to know what differences Professor McGonagall, a master of Transfiguration, saw between these two substances, which possessed drastically different properties yet were both pure forms of Carbon.

And how they could transform into one another.

This question clearly went beyond the textbook, even touching upon the fringe fields of Advanced Transfiguration and Alchemy.

Professor McGonagall's eyes lit up behind her glasses. She first looked at Regulus in surprise, apparently not expecting a first-year student to think on this level.

"A very... profound and unique question, Mr. Black." There was clear appreciation in Professor McGonagall's voice.

"Graphite and Diamond? Very few people, especially at your age, would approach Transfiguration from the perspective of a connection between the fundamental nature of substances.

"Usually, when we learn to turn Matches into Needles or Beetles into Buttons, we focus on changes in form and function rather than tracing the possible common origin of two seemingly entirely different substances."

She reached out and picked up the Graphite, lightly rubbing it between her fingertips to feel its smooth texture. Then she carefully examined the Diamond and fell into brief thought.

"In my practice of Transfiguration," she began slowly, "I can indeed perceive that different substances display Magic Power differently.

"Turning Feathers into an iron block is far more difficult than turning an iron block into Feathers, because the former requires the construction of a denser and more stable structure.

"The two substances you mentioned... are such stark contrasts, yet you have pointed out that they may share the same origin. That is very interesting."

Professor McGonagall continued, "I have never specifically studied the transformational connection between these two.

"However, from the perspective of Magic Perception, Diamond does indeed feel far harder, more condensed, and more orderly to me than Graphite.

"Graphite, on the other hand, feels loose, layered, and easy to slide.

"To turn Graphite into Diamond may require more than simply increasing its hardness and altering its luster.

"It is more like rebuilding a pile of loose, sliding sheets into a Crystal palace with a rigorous structure, where every part is tightly connected.

"The difficulty involved far surpasses an ordinary transformation of form."

"That is exactly where my confusion lies, Professor." Regulus smoothly took up the thread.

"During my attempts, I sensed that they seemed to share some most basic substance, yet their methods of arrangement and combination were entirely different.

"As you said, Professor, Graphite is loose, layered, and easy to slide, while Diamond is a three-dimensional structure in which every node is tightly connected to the others.

"What Transfiguration must accomplish is likely not merely changing appearances.

"It is a complete rewriting of that most fundamental internal structure, forcibly reconstructing one stable state into another entirely different yet equally, or even more, stable state."

Professor McGonagall listened with utmost seriousness, a thoughtful gleam in her eyes.

Regulus's description had offered her a highly illuminating perspective: understanding the difficulty and essence of Transfiguration through the structural Rules or construction patterns within substances.

"An excellent insight, Mr. Black." Professor McGonagall finally revealed a faint smile.

"This reminds me of certain advanced Magic involving transformations in the essence of matter, even... the Philosopher's Stone."

She waved her wand, and the Graphite on the desk floated gently into the air. "Let us test this idea."

She did not recite a lengthy incantation. She merely gave a slight flick of her wand tip and fixed her gaze intently on the Graphite.

Regulus could feel a powerful, pure, and immensely condensed Magic Power enveloping the Graphite. Within that Magic Power was an incomparably clear will—

The intent to reconstruct the Rules governing its internal connections.

The Graphite began changing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Its dark gray color rapidly faded, its texture became incomparably dense, its transparency increased, and light began refracting within it.

Several seconds later, a transparent Crystal with obvious Diamond-like characteristics and hardness appeared on the desk.

Immediately afterward, Professor McGonagall tapped her wand again. The Crystal changed further, its edges polished by an invisible force as it refracted even more dazzling fire, eventually becoming a small Diamond.

The entire process was effortless, far easier and more stable than Regulus's own attempts.

This was the realm of a master.