A Transfiguration Prodigy

This Transfiguration Class opened the eyes of many Young Wizards.

The difficulty of Transfiguration spells meant that even many of their parents could hardly be called proficient in their use.

Naturally, they did not understand the role such magic—with few fixed standard spells—could play in actual combat. As a result, many of them were not particularly invested in this class.

But those Young Wizards who knew just how formidable Transfiguration spells were listened with great attention.

Yet no matter how carefully they listened or watched Professor McGonagall's demonstration, they were still utterly at a loss when faced with the matchsticks before them.

"How am I supposed to transform this thing?"

Harry stared at the matchstick in front of him, then looked helplessly at Ron beside him. Ron's eyes were practically vacant as he mechanically waved his wand.

He was obviously distracted, and the matchstick before him had not changed in the slightest.

Seeing that Ron would be no help, Harry looked toward Hermione. She, too, was constantly waving her wand, her brow tightly furrowed. Finally, he looked at Luke and found that Luke had not even moved his wand. He was simply standing there.

Though relieved, Harry could only flip through the notes he had taken during Professor McGonagall's lecture and carefully try the listed steps one by one.

Just as he was about to wave his wand again, he suddenly heard Professor McGonagall's voice.

"Very good. That is a fine needle, Mr. Gaunt. Slytherin, five points."

Harry stared in shock toward Luke.

Professor McGonagall stood beside Luke, holding a slender silver needle between her fingers. It looked so ordinary that, if Harry had not known Luke's character, he might have suspected that Luke had simply happened to have a needle on hand and taken it out to use.

"Thank you for the praise, Professor," Luke said with a smile.

Professor McGonagall smiled back, then placed the needle on the desk. "Now make it more refined."

The smile on Luke's face froze.

"Do your best, Luke."

Professor McGonagall patted Luke on the shoulder, then moved on to inspect the other students.

"How did you do that?" Taylor, standing beside Luke, picked up the needle from the desk and turned it over and over before her eyes.

She had just watched Luke study seriously before waving his wand twice.

The first time, the matchstick had gained a metallic sheen.

The second time, the matchstick had become the needle it was now.

"I just... circulated my magic, waved my wand, and thought about turning the matchstick into a needle," Luke said after pondering for a moment.

Taylor blinked, not knowing what to say. Luke's explanation made the process sound even more outrageous than Professor McGonagall's lecture had.

"You should focus on making it more refined."

With that, she placed the needle back in front of Luke and began waving her wand with a frown.

Nearby, Hermione's brow was tightly furrowed, her face full of stubborn determination. The force with which she waved her wand grew stronger and stronger, startling Lavender beside her.

Yet by the end of class, no one else had completed the task.

Hermione had transformed the matchstick into something thinner and sharper, but its shape was still vastly different, and it lacked any metallic luster. Calling it a needle was impossible.

Still, Professor McGonagall awarded Hermione three points.

Aside from Luke, she was the only Young Wizard to achieve any result. Naturally, it was also because this was genuinely a performance far beyond what could be expected in a first class. Calling her a top student would not have been an exaggeration.

As for Luke, the needle he turned in at the end had already been engraved with the Gaunt Family Crest.

It was clearly visible and exquisitely detailed.

Professor McGonagall merely nodded in satisfaction, but Luke could still see the surprise in her eyes.

As soon as the bell rang, Hermione immediately headed toward Luke, wanting to ask how he had done it.

"Luke, stay behind. There's something I need to discuss with you," Professor McGonagall called.

Hermione could only watch as Luke walked toward Professor McGonagall.

Hermione was somewhat disappointed, but the next moment, Taylor, who had walked over, linked arms with her.

"Don't dwell on it. That guy has no trick to it at all. It's purely talent," Taylor said to Hermione with a smile. "I watched Luke wave his wand twice, turning the matchstick into a needle. Then he closed his eyes and thought for a while before waving his wand again and adding his family Crest to the needle. You can tell at a glance that it wasn't skill. It was all talent."

Hermione pressed her lips together, but soon relaxed considerably. She had long been somewhat mentally prepared for the gap between her talent and Luke's.

"Don't be upset. We don't compare ourselves to freaks. You're already amazing—you were the only one besides Luke who earned points!"

Taylor comforted Hermione. "Come on, let them talk first. The two of us can go eat."

Hermione looked at the girl before her, who dressed somewhat plainly and sloppily but was in fact astonishingly beautiful, and silently nodded.

Only a few days had passed since school began, but Hermione had already managed, through her personality and manner, to make herself rather friendless among the girls.

Taylor was probably the only girl who knew what she was like and was still willing to be friends with her.

"Let's go!"

A smile appeared on Hermione's face as she spoke to Taylor.

"Tomorrow, the Lans Family will come to deliver that compensation to you."

In Professor McGonagall's office, she poured Luke a cup of black tea as she spoke.

"So soon?" Luke asked in surprise. After all, transferring industries and a School Board Member position would take time. And moving the intangible assets tied to certain businesses—such as clients, reputation, and key employees—would take even longer, let alone a School Board Member position. It was not something that could simply be obtained at will.

"They're more anxious than you are." Professor McGonagall took a sip of tea. "Besides, they already had the School Board Member position to begin with. The Gaunt Family's original position had been forcibly sold to the Lans Family at a high price. Now it is simply being returned to its rightful owner."

Luke nodded indifferently. He was not particularly interested in anything left behind by the other branch of the Gaunt Family, whether it was hostility or goodwill.

Professor McGonagall said nothing more. Once they met tomorrow, Luke would surely learn about the matters behind it all. There was no need for her to explain further.

Then she took a notebook from her desk drawer.

"These are my Transfiguration notes. Take them and have a look. If there's anything you don't understand, come ask me promptly. Transfiguration is dangerous. Don't take it lightly."

Luke looked at the notebook pushed toward him from across the desk. He remained silent for a long while, then solemnly picked it up. Rising to his feet, he bowed to Professor McGonagall. "Thank you, Professor."

Professor McGonagall waved a hand dismissively. "You don't need to be so formal with me."

Then she drew a deep breath. "Luke, have you truly thought this through? We know everything you've been doing at the school. You know that this behavior of yours is very similar to those two, don't you?"

She placed particular emphasis on the word "we," and what she meant was naturally obvious.

"I believe the professors will make their own judgment. If they believe it is inappropriate, they can stop me directly."

Professor McGonagall could hear that the word "stop" in that sentence was far from as gentle as it sounded.

"More importantly, Professor," Luke said, his eyes shining, "I believe in myself. I will not walk the same path as they did."

"I will walk only my own path."