Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration

Because Professor Flitwick had delayed them by two minutes, Damon and his roommates, who had insisted on waiting for him, were the last to arrive at the Transfiguration classroom.

When they saw no professor on the podium, only a tabby cat, they breathed a sigh of relief. As soon as Ron sat down and noticed the professor was absent, he excitedly continued discussing the Lumos from Charms class with Damon.

But the next second, Damon stopped him with a smile.

The others were puzzled, and only then did they realize that Damon, unlike them, hadn't immediately taken his seat. Instead, he bowed slightly to the tabby cat on the podium.

The next moment, the tabby cat leaped down from the desk, and amidst the crowd's gasps, transformed into Professor McGonagall.

"Transfiguration is the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone who tries to fool around in my class will be asked to leave and never allowed back in. Consider yourselves warned."

Then, she turned her desk into a pig and back again, and the whole class erupted.

"First, what you must know about Transfiguration is Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. It is the theoretical core of all transformation.

First: You cannot conjure food out of nothing.

Second: You cannot conjure living beings. Transfiguration only changes appearance; the essence of the material does not change.

Third: You cannot conjure items with magical properties, such as Flying Broomsticks, potions, or Galleons.

Fourth: You cannot conjure unknown items. This means if you have never seen something, or if that thing has never existed in reality, you will be unable to transfigure it.

Fifth: You cannot transfigure multiple objects in a single transformation, but you can complete the transformation of a single item considered as a whole in one go. This is too complex for you at your current level, so we won't delve into it."

Although many young witches and wizards had already previewed this law, hearing it from Professor McGonagall's mouth still sharply raised their expectations.

Some of them had already begun to fantasize about what strange and unusual things they could transfigure, as long as they had seen them before.

Until McGonagall started handing out matches and told them to try turning them into needles.

Everyone secretly competed in their hearts, thinking they would finish quickly, but more often than not, they looked like they were performing some kind of silent play in front of their matches.

Damon watched Neville, whose face was flushed red as he waved his wand frantically at the match, and shook his head.

"No, Neville, not like that."

"Magic is the embodiment of a wizard's will, and this is especially true for Transfiguration. Waving your wand wildly won't bring you closer to success. You must concentrate."

Harry and Ron, who had been silently working hard while keeping an eye on Damon's table, saw Damon about to teach and quickly stopped what they were doing to listen intently.

Thanks to the fact that they were sitting at the front and back tables, this was easy to do.

"Honestly, my friends, if you have the time, you should read some books. In fact, the Transfiguration we're learning today is inseparable from 'A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration.' If you can't grasp the knack, just waving your wand is nothing but wasted effort."

"Damon, we promise we will later! For now, let's hurry up! You don't want us to fall behind everyone else, do you?"

Ron and Harry pleaded. Strangely enough, they didn't resent this kind of lecture coming from Damon. Maybe it was because his tone was very calm, without any force or blame?

Damon shook his head and explained.

"Before you start, remember three key points.

First: When transfiguring, wave your wand firmly and decisively. One wave filled with will is better than a hundred random waves.

Second: Don't sway or rotate your wand unnecessarily, or you will definitely fail.

Third: Before transfiguring, clearly picture the shape of the needle in your mind.

Neville, your waving just now repeatedly made all three of these mistakes."

With that, Damon casually waved his wand, and the match in front of him transformed into the simplest style of long needle, right under Ron's gaping mouth. He could have made it more complex, but that would only make it harder for Neville to understand, so there was no need.

Then, he gently snapped it in half, and the silver needle broke into two pieces, revealing the wood shavings inside.

"See? In essence, it's still a match. It's just changed its appearance and been coated with a layer of silver."

"I—I understand!" Neville stammered, a look of shame in his eyes. "Damon, you broke your match. Won't Professor McGonagall blame you if she sees? You didn't have to do that for me."

Damon looked at the guilt-ridden Neville, stunned for a moment, then showed an even warmer smile. "Relax, Neville. We're wizards."

"Reparo!"

As Damon cast the spell, the shattered silver needle instantly restored itself, and Neville's eyes lit up.

The sound of Damon chanting also attracted Professor McGonagall, since Transfiguration doesn't require incantations—clearly, something unexpected had happened here.

"Can someone tell me what happened here?"

"Nothing, Professor. I broke my match, so I fixed it."

Ron opened his mouth beside him, as if to speak, but held back.

Professor McGonagall's face remained expressionless, but inwardly she was puzzled—as Damon's guide, she knew that even before he had a wand, he could transfigure a feather into a Fountain Pen.

Even if his ability to perform silent magic had greatly diminished since getting a wand, there was no way he would be this incompetent, right?

"Show me your match, Damon."

Professor McGonagall said.

"Yes, Professor."

Damon took out the transfigured silver needle.

The corner of Professor McGonagall's mouth twitched upward subtly, so quickly that Ron, who had been watching her reaction closely, wondered if he had imagined it.

"Damon, since you've already finished, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't want to be called up to the podium and stared at by everyone like a monkey."

"Oh, I see." Professor McGonagall shot Damon a sidelong glance, feigning displeasure, but her eyes were full of appreciation for the promising junior. "If you're unwilling, of course I won't do that."

"However, what belongs to you must still be given." Professor McGonagall looked around the room and announced with no small pride, "Five points to Gryffindor, for Damon's swift and successful Transfiguration!"

The young witches and wizards gasped, because from the start of class until now, no one had managed to change the match in any way—not even Hermione.

At that moment, Ron's eyes were filled with confusion:

"I can tell the professor originally planned to have you come up and demonstrate for us. Why did you refuse? Mate, that would've been brilliant!

Or is it that you're afraid teaching us the trick will let us surpass you later?"

Damon glanced at Ron and gave a slight smile. "Because I think that standing at the front lecturing everyone wouldn't be as effective as teaching you face-to-face, one by one."

"Damon!!!" Neville looked like he was about to cry again.

Harry was deeply moved as well—Damon truly has a great character, he couldn't help but think.