Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration

Because Professor Flitwick had delayed them for 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 that there was no professor at the lectern, only a tabby cat, they breathed a sigh of relief. The moment Ron sat down and saw that the professor was absent, he excitedly continued discussing the Lumos spell from Charms Class with Damon.

But the next second, Damon smiled and stopped him.

The others were puzzled. Only then did they notice that Damon had not immediately taken a seat like they had. Instead, he gave the tabby cat on the lectern a slight bow.

The next moment, the tabby cat leaped down from the lectern and transformed into Professor McGonagall amid the students' cries of surprise.

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

Then she transformed her desk into a pig before changing it back, sending the entire class into an uproar.

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

First: we cannot conjure food out of thin air.

Second: we cannot create living life. Transfiguration only changes appearances; the essence of matter does not change.

Third: we cannot create items with magical properties, such as Flying Broomsticks, potions, Galleons, and so on.

Fourth: we cannot transform something unknown. This means that if you have never seen something, or if it has never existed in reality, then you will not be able to transform it.

Fifth: we cannot create multiple objects with a single transformation. However, an object regarded as a whole can be transformed in one go. This is far too complicated for you at present, so we will not delve into it for now."

Although many young wizards had already read up on this law beforehand, hearing it from Professor McGonagall still sharply raised their expectations.

Some of them had already begun imagining the strange and peculiar things they could transform, as long as they had seen them before.

That was until McGonagall began handing out matches and told them to try turning them into needles.

Everyone secretly competed with one another, convinced that they would finish quickly. Yet more often than not, they looked like they were performing some sort of mime with the matches in front of them.

Damon watched Neville, whose face had turned bright red as he repeatedly waved his wand at his match, and shook his head.

"No, Neville, not like that."

"Magic is the manifestation of a wizard's will, and this is even more true for Transfiguration. Waving your wand around wildly will not bring you any closer to success. You must concentrate."

Harry and Ron had been secretly working away while keeping an eye on Damon's table. Seeing that Damon intended to teach, they hurriedly stopped what they were doing and listened intently.

Since they sat at the desks directly in front of and behind Damon, this was very easy for them to do.

"To be honest, my friends, you really should read more when you have the time. What we are learning today is inseparable from A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration. If you do not grasp the trick and merely wave your wand around, you are just wasting your effort."

"Damon, we promise we will afterward! But for now, let's hurry! You do not want us falling behind everyone else, do you?"

Ron and Harry pleaded with him. For some reason, they did not find this lecture from Damon irritating. Perhaps it was because his tone was calm and carried none of the forcefulness or blame they had expected.

Damon shook his head and explained.

"Before we begin, remember three key points.

First: when performing Transfiguration, swing your wand firmly and decisively. One wand movement filled with will is better than a hundred wild swings.

Second: do not flick or rotate your wand unnecessarily, or you will certainly fail.

Third: before transforming, clearly picture the silver needle in your mind.

Neville, the way you were waving your wand just now repeatedly broke all three of these rules."

With that, Damon casually waved his wand. The match before him turned into the simplest kind of long needle as Ron's mouth fell open. He could naturally have made it more elaborate, but that would only make it harder for Neville to understand, so there was no need.

Then he gently snapped it in half. In an instant, the silver needle broke into two pieces, exposing the wood shavings within.

"See? At its core, it is still a match. It has merely changed shape and been coated in a layer of silver."

"I-I understand!" Neville said tremblingly, shame visible in his eyes. "Damon, you broke your match. Will Professor McGonagall scold you if she sees it? You did not need to do that for me."

Damon stared at the guilt-ridden Neville for a moment, slightly stunned. Then his smile grew warmer. "Relax, Neville. We are wizards."

"Reparo!"

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

Damon's incantation also drew Professor McGonagall over. After all, Transfiguration did not require an incantation, so something had clearly gone wrong here.

"Which gentleman can tell me what happened here?"

"Nothing, Professor. I damaged my match, so I repaired it."

Ron opened his mouth beside them, but hesitated to speak.

Professor McGonagall kept a blank expression, yet she was puzzled inside. As Damon's guide, she knew that Damon had been able to transform a feather into a steel quill before he had even touched a wand.

Even though his ability to cast spells nonverbally had weakened considerably after he began using a wand, he should not possibly be this incompetent.

"Let me see your match, Damon."

Professor McGonagall spoke.

"Yes, Professor."

Damon took out the silver needle after the transformation was complete.

The corners of Professor McGonagall's mouth lifted faintly, so quickly that Ron, who had been watching her reaction the entire time, wondered if he had imagined it.

"Damon, since you had already completed it, why did you not tell me?"

"Because I did not want to be called up to the front and watched by everyone like a monkey."

"Oh, I see." Professor McGonagall shot Damon a sidelong glance. She appeared displeased, but her eyes were filled with appreciation for the younger student. "If you are unwilling, then of course I will not do that."

"However, what belongs to you must still be given to you." Professor McGonagall looked at the class and announced with unmistakable pride, "Five points to Gryffindor for Damon's swift and successful Transfiguration!"

The young wizards cried out in surprise. Since class had begun, no one had managed to make even the slightest change to their match, not even Hermione.

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

"I could tell that Professor McGonagall had originally intended to have you go up front and demonstrate for us. Why did you refuse? My friend, that would have been so impressive!

Or were you afraid that once you taught us the trick, we would surpass you?"

Damon glanced at Ron and smiled faintly. "Because I believe that teaching you face-to-face personally will be far more effective than teaching everyone from the front of the classroom."

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

Harry was deeply moved as well. Damon truly had a great character, he could not help thinking.