I Have Unique Insights into Transfiguration

Back in the Dormitory, Regulus sat at his Desk and gently ran his fingers over the cover of Professor McGonagall's dark blue dragonhide notebook.

He quickly skimmed through several pages. Just as the professor had said, there were no specific spells inside, but it was filled with profound reflections on the nature of Transfiguration.

One passage on the gradient of difficulty in material transformation caught his attention.

Professor McGonagall believed that the difficulty of Transfiguration was not only related to an object's complexity, but also closely tied to the inherent stability of the material's internal structure and the strength of its morphological memory.

Combined with today's discussion and his own practice, Regulus had essentially confirmed a conclusion about Transfiguration.

Transforming one pure substance into another was more difficult than turning one complex compound into another, especially when the transformation involved a complete alteration of the substance's original properties.

Turning a wooden stick into an iron rod meant changing a complex organic structure into a metallic crystal structure. Fundamentally, it was a transformation from one established structure into another.

Many little wizards could do that, though most could only alter the outward appearance.

But turning Graphite into Diamond meant changing one form of elemental Carbon into another.

Without altering the base element, it required completely restructuring its internal connections—or, in other words, changing its molecular arrangement—to create two substances with vastly different physical properties.

This involved understanding and reshaping matter at its most microscopic level, making it far more difficult than ordinary Morphing.

He took out a small piece of Graphite he carried with him and began to practice.

Using Magic Perception, he delved into the Graphite and tried to pry apart its stacked layered structure, twisting and cross-linking it locally to form a small area of material with increased hardness and altered luster.

The process was extraordinarily difficult.

Graphite's loose layered structure possessed a peculiar sliding property. Whenever Magic Power intervened, it often caused an entire layer to shift, making local reconstruction impossible.

The slightest mistake could ruin its overall integrity, even reducing it to a pile of fluffy carbon powder.

He had to control his Magic Power with extreme precision, like the finest carving knife, sculpting and welding at the molecular level.

It gave him a deeper understanding of wizards and Magic.

Wizards might not have developed, like Muggles, a scientific system based on experiments and mathematics to understand the world and the microscopic composition of matter, but they were by no means the backward side.

With only a brief observation, Professor McGonagall could accurately judge the difference between the inner properties of Graphite and Diamond.

That intuitive perception of the essence of matter was something Muggle technology still found difficult to reach.

Of course, Regulus's circumstances were different. He benefited from the foundation in science he had received in his previous life and the abnormally sharp Magic Perception he had gained after crossing over.

Yet Professor McGonagall could make similar judgments through experience and magical intuition alone. The gap between them came from the profound understanding accumulated through decades immersed in Transfiguration.

This also showed him the path to taking Transfiguration further: not merely changing its form, but understanding its principles, until he could ultimately alter its essence.

And the legendary Alchemy, especially the supreme achievement represented by the Philosopher's Stone, had probably already touched upon an even more terrifying realm.

It was likely not merely the reorganization of molecular arrangements, but something involving atomic reconstruction at an even more fundamental level.

For example, Midas Touch likely meant changing the number of protons in an atomic nucleus, or at the very least perfectly replicating every chemical bond and macroscopic property of gold atoms.

That completely exceeded the scope of Transfiguration. Not to mention that it could grant immortality and prolong life while containing immense Magic Power itself.

Even Voldemort wanted to use it to return to life.

During a break from practice, his thoughts continued to wander.

The air was filled with all kinds of elements and compounds: Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, Water Vapor, Noble Gases...

And most wizards' Magic, whether Protective Charms, offensive spells, or everyday Magic, did not deliberately filter or guard against subtle changes in these invisible, intangible components of the air.

It was not that they could not do so. It was not difficult; they simply ignored it instinctively.

For example, Oxygen.

A thought suddenly surfaced. What if he used Transfiguration to instantly convert the elemental Oxygen in the air around a human body into another oxygen-based substance that the human body could not use?

For example, Ozone.

He could even transform other substances into Oxygen for someone to inhale, then change them back after gas exchange took place.

Glass Fiber, Asbestos, Radioactive Elements—anything would do.

The key was high-precision identification and instantaneous transformation of a specific element.

Of course, this was only a theoretical deduction for now, but the direction was definitely correct.

Just as Regulus was immersed in microscopic transformation and dangerous speculation, the Dormitory door was pushed open and Avery Cuthbert returned.

He saw Regulus sitting at his Desk, a small twisted object floating before him, glimmering with an eerie sheen, while fine, concentrated light flowed around the tip of his wand.

He was clearly engaged in some kind of magical practice.

Transfiguration?

The "hey" that had reached Avery's lips was immediately swallowed back down.

He considered himself to be on Regulus's side now, and he understood that he could not casually disturb him. He quietly returned to his own bed and set down his books.

Not long after, Alex Rosier returned as well, carrying a stack of books with the relaxed expression of someone who had finished his homework.

When he saw Regulus, he instinctively wanted to greet him, but the moment he opened his mouth, Avery immediately raised a finger to his lips, shot him a fierce glare, and jerked his chin toward Regulus.

Alex was startled. He quickly covered his mouth and followed Avery's gaze, seeing Regulus practicing with intense concentration.

He immediately fell silent and carefully made his way to his bed, though he felt rather good inside.

Avery still had that arrogant air, but he had only stopped him with a gesture rather than directly knocking him down with Petrificus Totalus or Stupefy.

Alex could not help but marvel that the atmosphere in the Dormitory really seemed different from before.

In the past, Avery had been arrogant and domineering, Hermes had been gloomy and unpredictable, Regulus silent and distant, while he had lived in constant fear.

Now, though there was still a clear sense of hierarchy, at least Avery no longer bullied people whenever he pleased, and while Regulus was powerful, he was not overbearing.

He guessed that this change was largely due to Regulus's presence and influence.

Thinking of the recent letters from home, his parents had, as always, told him to study hard, take care of his health, and get along peacefully with his classmates. He did not need to force his way into the inner circle; being safe was enough.

Alex felt a flicker of gratitude toward Regulus. At the edge of Slytherin's inner circle, Regulus had invisibly created an atmosphere where he could breathe a little easier.

Regulus noticed his roommates' return and their movements, but he did not let himself be distracted.

His mind was racing as Magic Power poured forth, maintaining delicate control over Graphite's internal structure.

With Professor McGonagall's demonstration and the inspiration from her notes, he had clearly found the way into molecular arrangement-based transformation, but putting it into practice still took considerable time and effort.

Hermes Mulciber was the last to return.

He pushed open the door, carrying with him the chill from outside.

At first glance, he saw Regulus practicing. He also saw Avery's slightly provocative gesture of restraint and Alex's cautious attitude.

The corner of Hermes's mouth curled into a nearly imperceptible sneer.

He did not think much of Avery's act of taking the initiative to submit, and even looked down on it somewhat.

Although he had lost to Regulus in that Prefect Duel and had been shocked that Regulus had so easily neutralized his immature Blood Boil, he still retained fierce confidence in his heart.

He believed he still had many trump cards he had never shown anyone. Those were his true strength.

At school, many methods were indeed inconvenient to display.

But outside the school, in an unrestricted fight to the death, Hermes believed that with the true Dark Arts passed down through his family, he might not lack the chance to kill Regulus.

Several Dark Arts inherited from his family or obtained through secret channels flashed through his mind.

Shadow Eater summoned shadowy tentacles from dark creatures. They could not only bind an enemy, but continuously drain their life force and Magic Power. Those caught in its Restraints would feel bone-deep cold and weakness at the level of the soul.

Pain Echo, once it struck, continuously amplified and prolonged all pain the victim suffered afterward, including physical injuries and psychological fear.

It would echo endlessly within the victim's body, causing sustained mental collapse and loss of bodily control, until they often took their own lives or went completely mad from being unable to endure the accumulated pain.

Breath of Wither was a vicious curse. Its victim would not die immediately, but from the wound or point of magical contact onward, flesh, blood, and Magic Power would slowly wither like plants until they decayed.

It was extremely difficult to cure, and the process was agonizingly long. It also emitted an aura that caused the plants around it to wither.

These were the powers worth pursuing!

Swift, deadly, and filled with pain and intimidation—they could make enemies feel fear from the depths of their souls.